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Psst! We're moving!
Chu Ning, of course, would not agree.
“Don’t go joining in the fun; haven’t we got enough trouble already?”
The arms embracing her gradually loosened their grip.
Chu Ning regretted it, realizing she had said the wrong thing. “I’m sorry,” she quickly apologized. “I didn’t mean anything else.”
Ying Jing’s enthusiasm was dampened, and he felt wronged. “Do you think whatever I say is unreliable? What ‘fun’? Who would joke about dragging their own parents into this?”
Chu Ning hastily admitted her mistake: “Yes, yes, yes, I was wrong, I’ll reflect on it.”
“You just always have a prejudice against my age. You think that because I’m a student, I can’t make decisions.”
“No, no.” Chu Ning cupped his face and said softly, “It’s just that I’m used to being assertive at work, and my tone when giving instructions to subordinates is quite direct. I can’t change it immediately. I’m sorry.”
“You just don’t truly rely on me,” Ying Jing asserted his judgment.
Chu Ning tilted her head and leaned on his shoulder. “I am relying on you.”
She even rubbed her head against him a few times.
Ying Jing’s anger dissipated by half. He raised his hand and pinched her waist. “You just know that I can’t be tough with you!”
Chu Ning scoffed, biting his earlobe: “Who said that? You performed very well just now.”
Ying Jing let out a cry, burying his head in the blanket, rolling left and right, then popped his head out, looking at her with a wronged expression: “My performance later will be very good too.”
Chu Ning was amused. She swung her long legs over him, sat on him, leaned down and whispered, “Be moderate, do you want to die from exhaustion? Hmm?”
Ying Jing flipped her over, pinning her beneath him, his hot breath sweeping across her nose. “We only see each other more often on weekends. Roughly speaking, it’s a long-distance relationship. Are you willing to give that up?”
Chu Ning spat lightly, “Your weekends are worth half a month’s worth of someone else’s.”
Ying Jing pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes changing. “Someone else? Which someone else? How do you know what half a month’s worth is?”
Chu Ning wanted to save face, so she stubbornly said, “Guan Yu often describes her romantic history to me.”
“You should spend less time with her; don’t learn bad habits.”
“If I were going to be bad, I would have been bad already,” Chu Ning felt it was nothing. “Everyone has their own way of life. I never judge others’ good or bad based on my own standards.”
Ying Jing raised his head and pecked her lips lightly. “That’s why I love you to death.”
Chu Ning giggled, charmed by his crude confession.
Ying Jing swallowed, considering for a long time, then asked a question he had always wanted to know: “How many boyfriends have you had?”
Chu Ning didn’t hide anything and said, “One.”
Ying Jing pursed his lips.
“What’s that expression?” Chu Ning lifted his chin. “Is it too few?”
“Roughly, I thought you...”
“How promiscuous do you think I am in your mind?!” Chu Ning’s grip tightened.
Ying Jing smiled, raising an eyebrow: “Then did you two do it?”
No response.
“Am I better or was he better?”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Okay, I’ll try harder.”
Chu Ning could no longer hold back. She buried her head in his chest, laughing until she gasped for breath. “Why are you so cute!”
Ying Jing angrily kneaded her butt. “Still laughing!”
“We didn’t do it,” Chu Ning stopped teasing him, quite frankly: “Only with you have I had a romantic relationship.”
Ying Jing’s mood suddenly became triumphant again. Men are truly strange creatures; they like to set up imaginary enemies and indulge in vain comparisons just to feel good for a moment. Chu Ning also felt she couldn’t continue. “Are you trying to kill me? Can’t you tell if I’m...?”
“...After all, my first time was quick too.”
Chu Ning recalled, and immediately laughed, hitting him once: “What a great achievement!”
After that day, Ying Jing officially returned to school and shared his learning experience from the Chinese Academy of Sciences with the entire team. Theory and practice are two different things, especially in the final stages of a project. To have such a relevant and professional experience was truly rare.
Seeing the bigger picture from a small one, following policy guidance is always the right approach. Scientific research is unlike other fields; its process is lengthy, requires intense effort, going from nothing to something, and from something to excellence—it’s too difficult. Ying Jing compiled his learning experience into a PPT, without involving specific confidential details, and spent an afternoon explaining it to his team members.
Qi Yu sighed: “Xiao Jing, your direction back then was correct.”
He narrowed the broad scope of virtual simulation, striving for excellence and specializing in his field. From the second phase of the project, he focused on conquering virtual simulation technology for aerospace engines. What is the core of an aircraft?
The more core the technology, the harder it is.
The more difficult, the more it is the general trend.
Zhang Huaiyu asked, “Xiao Jing, can the things we’re doing now really make money? Will they really be recognized?”
“Definitely.” Ying Jing lightly pressed his palms on the table, his expression calm, speaking unhurriedly: “Whether it’s recognized or not, the key lies with yourself. If you think it’s meaningful, then it’s worth it. We do our best, and the rest, we leave to time to verify. Even if there’s a temporary shortcoming, don’t be discouraged. Illuminating a path is never dependent on just one lamp. Perhaps with our utmost effort, we won’t see the end of this path, but every step we take is a lamp.”
Zhang Huaiyu nodded. “Understood!”
“I’ve listed the nodes that need to be adjusted. Everyone can add to it, and after it’s perfected, we’ll begin the final debugging. Also, I’ll report the progress to President Ning and coordinate the subsequent work.”
Zhou Yuan raised his hand: “I have something to add.”
Ying Jing nodded.
“Boss, I’m making a real-name request for hotpot!”
Zhang Huaiyu: “No more Xiao Qiang Hotpot, we’re eating Haidilao!”
Wan Pengpeng pulled out his phone, calmly saying, “Oh, what a coincidence, I just got a coupon here.”
Ying Jing cursed with a smile: “You guys conspired, didn’t you? Eat, eat, eat, it’s my treat.”
In unison: “Call Sister Ning too!”
Ying Jing was naturally willing and called Chu Ning to tell her about it. She was busy, saying she had an important client to entertain that evening.
“You have another social engagement?”
“Yeah.”
If there was one thing Ying Jing was dissatisfied with, it was probably this.
“Can’t you not go? You drink every time.”
“It’s part of my job.”
“But you can’t always be like this. What if you get married and pregnant later?”
“Then I definitely won’t drink.”
Realizing, Chu Ning said softly, “You’re trying to trap me again, aren’t you?”
Ying Jing suppressed a laugh, his tone still serious: “You don’t want to marry me? You don’t want to have children with me?”
How was she supposed to answer that? She’d be caught no matter what.
Chu Ning pressed her lips together resentfully. “Hey, that’s enough.”
Ying Jing stopped teasing her and became serious. “Then be careful tonight. Don’t drink if you can, okay?”
Chu Ning: “I promise you. I’m hanging up now, I have something to do.”
“Is Sister Ning coming?” Qi Yu came out and asked.
Ying Jing held his phone and said, “Let’s eat, she’s busy today. Pengpeng, go early and wait for a table.”
________________________________________
In the afternoon, Chu Ning drove to the airport two hours early.
She kept an eye on the flight information: Shanghai to Beijing, on time. After it landed, she estimated the time, then sent a text message to Ke Li: “Secretary Ke, hello, please inform President Tang that I’ll be waiting for you at Gate A, on the left. It’s been a long journey, please be safe.”
Five minutes later, figures gradually approached through the VIP channel.
Chu Ning tidied her appearance and very politely waved towards them.
There were two people in the party, of similar age. The one walking in front had long strides, talking on his phone as he walked. He wore a dark-colored stand-collar trench coat, short enough to just cover his waistline. His pant creases were impeccably ironed, accentuating his tall and well-proportioned figure. A section of his right wrist, holding the phone, was exposed, revealing glimpses of a dark blue mechanical watch.
From head to toe, this man had no superfluous colors; he was clean and dignified.
With one-third of the passage remaining, Tang Qichen ended his call, leaving the time for Chu Ning, showing excellent upbringing.
“President Tang, it’s a pleasure,” Chu Ning said as she approached, extending her hand with a graceful smile.
Tang Qichen was also a gentleman, giving a brief and firm handshake. “The pleasure is mine.”
Behind him, Ke Li said, “Hello, President Ning.”
Last night, Zhao Mingchuan had called Chu Ning, concisely giving her the flight details and instructing her to be at the airport on time to pick someone up. Chu Ning was clever and understood immediately. Zhao Mingchuan was reliable in his dealings and true to his word; he had indeed found an investor for her.
At the time, Chu Ning’s requirements were two: wealth and sincerity.
There was no one more suitable than Tang Qichen.
The Tang family of Shanghai, though extremely low-key and invisible to the outside world, was a massive enterprise with subsidiaries ranking highly in various industries. In the first half of last year, the board of directors changed hands, with Tang Qichen serving as CEO and Chairman of the Board.
He held true power.
Chu Ning secretly admired Zhao Mingchuan’s capability in being able to enlist such a figure.
She had expected that someone of this stature would demand a certain level of grandeur, but upon meeting him today, Chu Ning was still slightly surprised. Tang Qichen’s first impression on Chu Ning was: gentle and cultivated.
He had an excellent demeanor, not overtly sharp, but rather very restrained.
His nobility wasn’t superficial; through his conversation, one could feel his charm and substance.
Tang Qichen was a pragmatic executor. His questions to Chu Ning regarding the project were few, but each went straight to the point.
“Project progress?”
“The third round of debugging is underway, estimated to take half a month.”
“Profit model?”
“Domestic military-industrial related enterprises and companies, not limited to state-owned enterprises controlled by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. Yes, we will face limitations such as industry protection, but currently, the state’s policy support and openness in this area are gradually increasing.”
Tang Qichen pondered for a moment, then looked up: “Your funding plan.”
Chu Ning met his gaze frankly; this was the key. Her stance and logic were very clear. When communicating with such a person, there was no need for much embellishment; she simply stated things as they were.
She finished speaking.
Tang Qichen did not show too obvious emotions. He didn’t say a word, only signaled to his secretary beside him.
Ke Li calmly said to Chu Ning, “President Ning, is there still room for negotiation on the share percentage?”
Clearly, this was an initial probe.
Chu Ning was prepared. This level of negotiation, though not entirely formal, couldn’t be too casual either. She smiled subtly, a posture of gentle vulnerability: “President Tang, to be honest, this project didn’t start smoothly and wasn’t well-regarded at first. I insisted on pursuing it, not out of selfishness. I’ve researched the market and considered the return on investment for the profit model; it’s not currently the best project. But, I’m betting on its future.”
Chu Ning spoke gently, her attitude sincere, “Public opinion and policy support have been increasing in proportion over the past few years. Of course, President Tang, before you, I’m merely showing off my limited skills to an expert. Your personal presence is already an affirmation of it, isn’t it?”
She shifted the topic, her tone becoming more formal: “I’ve faced many rejections, and I’m grateful that you and Mingyao Technology gave me that bit of confidence.”
Hearing that name, Tang Qichen’s expression subtly hardened. He asked directly, “What conditions did Tang Yao offer you?”
It wasn’t a question or curiosity, but a restrained statement.
Chu Ning’s brows were calm, perfectly understanding his intention. She smiled and embellished Tang Yao’s offer.
After she finished speaking, Tang Qichen remained silent for a long time.
As his most trusted administrative secretary, Ke Li naturally understood Tang Qichen’s thoughts. He spoke politely and courteously to Chu Ning: “President Ning, we will seriously consider your proposal and hope for an opportunity to collaborate.”
Tang Qichen’s itinerary was low-key and rushed. This trip to Beijing also included an important meeting. He politely declined Chu Ning’s invitation to dinner. You could feel his excellent upbringing, which was very pleasant, but at the same time, you could clearly sense his distance.
Chu Ning saw him to the car. “President Tang, I apologize for the inadequate hospitality. I hope next time we meet, you’ll give me a chance to pay the bill.”
Tang Qichen barely lifted the corner of his mouth, and suddenly said, “Give my regards to Ying Jing.”
Then he said no more, and the car window rolled up.
Until the taillights disappeared around the corner, Chu Ning was still puzzled, did he know Ying Jing?
That night, she video chatted with Ying Jing.
Chu Ning placed her phone on the table. The first attempt wasn’t stable, and it fell, the screen hitting with a loud thud. She just got a new phone, and her heart ached! After checking that it was fine, she put it back in its place and said into the phone, “Wait for me a moment, I’ll get a towel.”
Chu Ning had just showered, covered by an oversized T-shirt, her hair half-dry.
She saw the figure on the screen running back and forth, Ying Jing staring at her two fair legs, swinging back and forth.
“Are you in the dorm?” Chu Ning asked, wiping her hair.
“Just finished hotpot, waiting in line to shower.” Ying Jing’s face wasn’t small, but his features were sharp, making him very photogenic. Chu Ning thought he was handsome and snapped two screenshots.
“What are you doing?”
“Video chatting with you.”
“...”
Chu Ning couldn’t help but laugh at his speechless expression.
“Did you get drunk tonight?”
“The dinner was canceled, I didn’t drink,” Chu Ning simply explained the situation to him. “I found another potential investor. Their overall strength should be higher than Mingyao Technology, but the downside is, they’re not as specialized. The advantage is, they’re not as arrogant as Tang Yao.”
“You have a big opinion of President Tang, don’t you?”
“What opinion could I have? The one who gives money is the boss,” Chu Ning said, putting the towel aside. “I just think that Tang Yao has too many ideas. Sometimes, being overly autocratic can actually affect you. I hope you can do your own thing more freely. Don’t be constrained by anyone or anything.”
Ying Jing was momentarily stunned.
Chu Ning was very serious. “Within my capabilities, I will definitely protect you.”
Ying Jing’s fingers, resting on the table, instinctively curled.
He couldn’t describe how he felt at that moment. This feeling of being cared for, being remembered, was no longer limited to simple affection.
He used to always think Chu Ning wasn’t passionate enough, not invested enough. When she wore high heels, she exuded a cold, aloof vibe. Only when they were truly intimate could he feel her warmth, her intensity... his presence in her heart.
But now, Ying Jing felt he was wrong.
His heart felt a pang of sadness; he didn’t know what to say.
“Oh, right,” Chu Ning, completely unaware, remembered, “This investor also asked me to say hello to you on his behalf. It’s really strange.”
“Hmm?” Ying Jing was distracted, casually asking, “What’s his name?”
“Tang Qichen, from Shanghai’s Tang Group.”
Ying Jing froze, then his expression turned to shock: “What did you say?!”
“Tang Qichen.” Chu Ning became suspicious. “What’s wrong?”
Ying Jing’s heart was a mix of emotions. He said faintly, “My sister’s first job after graduation, she worked with him for four years.”
Chu Ning frowned: “And then?”
“He pursued my sister.”
“...”
“He even fought with my brother-in-law.”
“...”
“Both of them went in standing, and were carried out, two ambulances, perfectly symmetrical.”
“...”
Chu Ning’s vision went black. The world is so small, what is all this about?!
“But it’s okay, their love, hate, and grievances have long passed. They’ve shaken hands and made peace, and each has their own life.”
Chu Ning had also heard rumors that Tang Qichen had quietly gotten engaged, and his fiancée was very well protected. The only time she was photographed by a gossip magazine, the powerful public relations team of Tang Group suppressed it.
But these had little to do with Chu Ning.
She didn’t go into too much detail, only telling Ying Jing: “Once President Tang has a definite reply, I’ll discuss it with you.”
Ying Jing’s face got closer and closer, appearing larger and larger on the screen.
Chu Ning found it ugly. “What are you doing?”
“Come closer,” Ying Jing said very earnestly: “You seem to have something on your face.”
“Where?” Chu Ning didn’t think much of it and actually listened to him.
As she leaned forward, the oversized T-shirt she was wearing couldn’t cover her anymore. The neckline was already low, and when she bent over, she revealed everything.
Chu Ning reacted and wished she could strangle him: “Hey!!”
Ying Jing was still unwilling. “Why cover up? Is there anywhere on you I haven’t kissed?”
“...” Chu Ning raised her palm, pretending to swing at the screen.
Ying Jing was very cooperative, turning his face to the right and making his own sound effects: “—Slap! Slap, slap, slap!”
Chu Ning scoffed, “Pervert!”
As they were talking, both of their video calls disconnected simultaneously.
They both had incoming calls.
The call to Chu Ning was from Guan Yu. Looking at the time, it was eleven o’clock. So late, there was no other reason but to ask her to go out and party.
Chu Ning answered lazily: “Let me declare first, I’m not going out to party with you.”
After listening for a couple of sentences, her posture straightened slightly, but her tone remained normal, “Tell me a number, how much do you need?”
Half a second later.
Chu Ning’s face changed. “That much?”
At the same time, Ying Jing was also on the phone, but his mood was completely different.
It was so late, if it wasn’t an extremely important matter, the academy’s leadership wouldn’t have called him personally.
After hearing about the matter, Ying Jing’s emotional control remained relatively stable, showing no great joy or sorrow. About ten seconds after hanging up, he digested the news himself, then reopened WeChat on his phone and sent a message to their team group:
“Anyone awake, make a sound.”
Immediately:
Zhang Huaiyu: Meow~~
Zhou Yuan: Woof~
Qi Yu: Moo~
Wan Pengpeng: Hahaha~
Ying Jing, uncharacteristically, didn’t complain about their foolish antics.
He only sent one sentence in the group—
World University Aeromodelling Championship. December. Beijing, China.
Silence for a few seconds.
The group exploded!
“OMG!!”
“Holy crap!!”
“What does this mean??”
“Speak! Speak, boss!”
“Idiot, it means we’re participating!!”
Ying Jing didn’t reply again, letting his team members scream with joy.
Given their excellent performance in the previous University Aerospace Technology Competition, the Aerospace Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences jointly recommended them, specifically nominating the team to participate.
He put down his phone, the screen turned off, and cupped his face with both hands, then covered his eyes.
He closed his eyes, feeling only warmth and swelling. The momentary excitement had completely subsided. At this moment, he even tasted a certain bitterness and grievance—the feeling that effort finally paid off, and persistence always brought sweetness.
Not for himself,
But for Chu Ning.
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