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Chu Ning held her phone for a long time, trying to make sense of things. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, for convenience, she wore a bunny-eared hairband, her eyes occasionally showing confusion.
What did Guan Yu need so much money for?
This girl was usually a genuine optimist; Chu Ning had never seen her frown over anything. The more Chu Ning thought about it, the more uneasy she felt, so she called Feng Ziyang.
Feng Ziyang was at a social event, but he answered quickly: “Wait a moment, I’ll go outside to talk.”
The music faded. “Go ahead, what’s wrong?”
“Guan Yu asked me to borrow money.”
“How much?”
“Two million.”
Feng Ziyang was also startled by the number. “What did she do?”
Chu Ning hesitated. “Loan sharks?”
“She has everything; no one lives happier than her, eating and drinking all day,” Feng Ziyang denied.
“Then did her boyfriend get into trouble?”
Feng Ziyang scoffed, “She has so many boyfriends, can you even count them?”
That made sense.
Chu Ning sighed. “She’s invited me for dinner tomorrow. I’ll ask her properly then.”
“Alright, be careful how you approach it. If something feels off, speak in a roundabout way, don’t be too direct. I’ll also ask around to see if there’s any news.”
The two had made their plans, but Chu Ning didn’t sleep soundly all night; she was still worried!
A Suspicious Dinner
The next day, preoccupied with the matter, Chu Ning left the company early in the afternoon.
The Marriott Hotel on Jianguo Road required advance booking, but the environment was quiet, so she specifically chose this spot for their meal.
Guan Yu arrived late, about ten minutes behind schedule.
“Sorry, traffic was bad.” She wore bright colors, and her makeup was exquisite, showing no obvious signs of distress. After taking her seat, she even casually teased: “You’re really splurging, Ning’er. This place is hard to book. What are we eating, let me see.”
“Don’t look, it’s 21-day dry-aged steak. It took a lot of effort to reserve.” Chu Ning told the waiter to start serving. First came dessert, two portions of Tiramisu; Chu Ning remembered she loved sweets.
Guan Yu licked her lips, her eyes sparkling. “Why didn’t you bring your little boyfriend?”
“His school is far from here, besides, he’s busy.”
“Is his project still going on?”
“Mmm, it’s alright.”
Guan Yu hummed an “oh” and gently stirred her spoon in the dish.
Chu Ning glanced at her, maintaining a normal tone: “If there’s anything, just tell me, don’t hide it.”
Guan Yu grinned. “What could be wrong with me!”
Seeing Chu Ning’s expression start to change, she quickly added: “Oh, oh, oh, then I won’t borrow that money from you.”
“If you don’t borrow it from me, who else can you borrow it from?” Chu Ning folded her hands on the table, starting to adopt a serious demeanor, but Guan Yu interrupted, “Nothing much. A relative of mine, his business is having cash flow problems. He asked me, and I thought I could help if I could, so I asked you, but he later said he didn’t need it.”
“Relative? Which relative?”
“Fu Xiaoqiang, my cousin from Shanghai. I told you about him. He’s very flamboyant but very good to my family.”
There seemed to be such a person, but, “Two million is not a small sum. Helping within your means is one thing, but this clearly exceeds your capabilities. That’s not how you help people.”
“Hey~~ It’s just that he seemed so pitiful. I’ll help as much as I can, you know.” Guan Yu spoke smoothly, “It seems his loan, the bank approved it, so he doesn’t need me anymore.”
While she was talking, Chu Ning subtly observed her the whole time. Guan Yu looked up, their eyes meeting directly.
“No way, are you suspecting me?” She raised her fork, pretending to hit her.
Chu Ning finally smiled and said, “No, it’s good that nothing’s wrong.”
The main course arrived, and the atmosphere relaxed with the aroma. The two ate and chatted casually, occasionally laughing.
Guan Yu suddenly said, “You have to worry about both companies. Can you manage?”
It took Chu Ning a few seconds to realize what she was referring to.
“It’s okay. Ningjing has, after all, developed maturely for so many years and is pretty much on track. Whether I’m there or not, there won’t be any big problems. As for this small company,” Chu Ning said quite easily, “it’s just a shell company, for ease of operation.”
Guan Yu hummed an “oh” and lowered her head to cut a small piece of steak, placing it on Chu Ning’s plate. “Ying Jing is very outstanding; he hasn’t disappointed you. He’s a national champion now.”
Chu Ning paused, then teased her: “Oh, when did you start caring about these competitions?”
“Occasionally I read the news.” Guan Yu also chuckled, “There are also photos of your little boyfriend’s competition on Weibo. He looks so handsome manipulating the plane, and he has a lot of likes.”
Chu Ning’s expression was calm, and the curve of her lips was neither warm nor cold.
“What are your next plans? Can the technology be sold now?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s really impressive. By the way, do you have any intentions regarding distribution channels?”
“We’re doing market research.”
“That’s great. With your little boyfriend’s image as a high-quality idol, it’ll definitely add a lot of points.”
Chu Ning scoffed, “Are you saying people look at the technicians’ photos before deciding whether to buy something?”
“He’s won a championship and has a good image. With some PR and hype, young girls nowadays really like this kind of positive energy type.”
Guan Yu said this in one breath, and it was full of meaning.
Chu Ning did not respond.
After a moment of silence, Guan Yu forced a smile. “This steak is truly amazing, delicious.”
Chu Ning also smiled. “It’s not bad.”
Both lowered their heads, their movements clean and graceful, cutting the steak into pieces and elegantly putting them into their mouths.
It was so quiet that only the occasional gentle clinking of knives and forks against the porcelain plates could be heard.
Before this meal, Chu Ning put in a lot of effort, hoping for a good outcome.
Halfway through, it subtly changed flavor, taking on an air of feigned ignorance despite understanding. Both were clear-headed people; some things didn’t need to be said to be sensed.
The gathering ended hastily.
Tonight, Jianguomen Outer Street was jammed from the east. It was already autumn, but the weather had been unusually warm these past two days, spiking to thirty degrees. Chu Ning rolled down her car window and still felt a bead of sweat on her back. Traffic moved in fits and starts like constipation, and she even encountered two idiots behind her flashing their high beams.
Chu Ning took out a cigarette, one hand resting on the car window, the other slowly and deliberately smoking.
Ying Jing’s News
It was almost ten o’clock when she got home. The drive had given her a headache. Rubbing her head, she typed in the password. The moment the door opened, Ying Jing lunged at her like a bomb.
“You’re finally back!” He hugged Chu Ning and spun her around three times on the spot.
Dizzy, she felt like throwing up.
“Let... let me down,” Chu Ning said weakly, holding onto Ying Jing’s arm, her eyes spinning. “You, how did you get here?”
Ying Jing immediately frowned: “You smoked again.”
“No way, you can smell that?” Chu Ning fanned her hand. “I even sprayed perfume.”
Ying Jing pinched her waist, muttering: “I don’t like you smoking.”
“Then I’ll hide and smoke secretly from now on,” Chu Ning teased him, touching his face. “How long have you been waiting? Why didn’t you call me when you arrived?”
“If you were busy, you wouldn’t be able to leave even if I called, and I’d just disturb you. It’s fine for me to wait at home,” Ying Jing reached out and closed the door, then pressed her against the door, trapping Chu Ning with both hands. He lowered his head, forehead to forehead.
“Do you feel it?”
Chu Ning actively wrapped her arms around his neck, her heart fluttering. “What?”
“I’ve become good, you know.”
Chu Ning silenced him with a kiss. She kissed him wildly, urgently, her hands reaching under his shirt, haphazardly caressing his back. “You’re not leaving tonight, are you? Hmm, you’re not leaving.”
Ying Jing, uncharacteristically, didn’t initiate. He even moved his face away: “I have something to tell you.”
“Kiss me first, then tell me.”
“After kissing, I won’t be able to talk.”
“Huh?” Chu Ning looked up, startled.
Ying Jing cupped her face, his eyes deepening, growing intense, mischief welling up from within: “Because after kissing, I’ll want to make love to you immediately.”
Chu Ning laughed and cursed: “...Damn it.”
“I’m going to compete.”
Chu Ning froze.
Ying Jing took a deep breath, his voice calm: “Have you heard of the World Aerospace Technology Competition?”
A few seconds of eye contact, a brief silence.
“Ahhh!!!” Chu Ning suddenly shrieked, hugging him and jumping wildly. “I knew my right eyelid had been twitching lately, and I thought it meant something bad was coming, but I didn’t expect it to be good news!”
Jumping and screaming weren’t enough. Chu Ning wanted to strangle his neck and shake him wildly. “When? Where? Can I go watch? Are many countries participating?”
Without waiting for Ying Jing’s answer, her thoughts jumped rapidly, and then she suddenly quieted down again.
Chu Ning squatted on the ground, covering her face with both hands.
“What’s wrong?” Ying Jing also squatted down, carefully pressing her shoulders. “Chu Ning. Chu Ning? Ning’er?”
She kept her hands covering her face, and slowly, her body began to tremble slightly.
Ying Jing, fearing she might hurt herself from holding it in, forcefully pulled her hands away from her face, then pulled her into his embrace.
“Don’t cry now. It’s good news. Why are you crying?”
Chu Ning shook her head, wiping all her snot on his clothes. She then felt disgusted with herself, thinking it was too dirty to act spoiled, so she raised her head, her eyes red, holding back tears, and mumbled: “I’m just happy for you. You’re a national seed player now. I won’t be able to afford you soon.”
Ying Jing still chuckled foolishly.
His smile had no other meaning, but Chu Ning couldn’t help but overthink, nodding sadly, “Right? You think so too, don’t you? Oh, one Tang Yao isn’t enough to deal with, and in the future, thousands upon thousands of Tang Yaos will rise up again.”
Ying Jing was amused. “Nonsense.”
Chu Ning didn’t refute, her eyes moist, quietly looking at him.
That gaze tugged at his heartstrings; it held tranquil joy, subtle worry, genuine relief, and ardent anticipation.
Ying Jing lowered his head, and the two naturally became intertwined.
Chu Ning pressed against him, then came out with a dampening remark: “I haven’t showered.”
The next second, she was swept into his arms. “Let’s shower together.”
The Choice
In the bathroom, the trickling shower could no longer conceal their passion. The steam slowly covered the frosted glass. Suddenly, a hand pressed heavily against it. Before long, five fingers curled, turning into an unbearable, teasing resistance.
Much later, Chu Ning felt like she had died many times, lying motionless in the bathtub.
Ying Jing was completely relaxed, stirring the water and saying, “It’s cold now, hurry up and get dressed.”
Chu Ning glared at him. “It’s all your fault!”
Ying Jing laughed, water droplets cascading down his upper body, his subtle muscles rippling with his smile.
“This is my fault too? Fine, I’ll take the blame.”
Why?
A man’s little vanity, it’s glorious!
When the storm gradually subsided, it was already past midnight.
Ying Jing wrapped Chu Ning in a bath towel and carried her to bed.
“Move.” She was like a little zombie.
Ying Jing patted her and whispered into her ear, “Your hair isn’t dry yet. Should I get the hairdryer for you?”
Chu Ning finally came to her senses, her eyes glaring. “Dry your head!”
This guy is full of mischief; everything he says is a trap.
Ying Jing was satisfied and in a good mood. He burrowed under the covers, hugged her from behind, kissed her beautiful shoulder blades, and whispered, “Chu Ning, I’m yours.”
“Nonsense.”
“From the moment you decided to invest in me, I’ve been yours. I was, I am, and I always will be.”
Chu Ning opened her eyes. She could feel the warm chest behind her beating steadily.
Ying Jing had the mind of an engineering student; he couldn’t speak romantic sweet nothings. He was direct, honest, and said what he meant. His words were ordinary, but she knew that if he promised, he would definitely deliver.
Chu Ning didn’t pursue that topic. Instead, she said, “Tang Qichen has already given me a response. He agrees to our terms, no longer demanding an increased market share for capital contribution, and will not interfere with technical decisions in the future. In other words, he’s willing to make a Series B investment in you and can guarantee your independent research and development rights.”
Ying Jing played with the strands of her hair scattered on the pillow, winding them around his index finger, then loosening them.
“Mingyao Technology also contacted me. Heh, they’re finally following proper procedures,” Chu Ning’s tone was flat, but her personal feelings could be heard. She was bothered by Tang Yao’s previous private pursuit of Ying Jing. Although fair competition was unobjectionable, in her eyes, it always felt less open and above board, lacking a certain integrity.
“The conditions offered by Tang Yao are not as good as Tang Qichen’s, mainly concerning the share of technical equity. He wants certain decision-making power over both capital and technology.” Chu Ning paused, then scoffed coldly again: “Which company is the most domineering in the industry? If Mingyao Technology dares to claim second, no one dares to claim first.”
“However, their professional advantages are indeed outstanding. In this regard, Tang Group can’t compare,” putting aside her likes and dislikes, Chu Ning said factually, “This is very crucial, and it will be of great help to you.”
Money and power are merely superficial.
Resources and industry background are the rare and invaluable aids on this path.
“But Tang Yao is too sly; he might trip us up in the future. His rags-to-riches story, to put it nicely, is legendary. To put it bluntly, it’s ruthless. The people who work under him are also quite abnormal, especially those few vice presidents, poker faces, forming a whole deck of cards!”
With quite a bit of resentment, Chu Ning paused for breath before asking, “That’s the situation. What about you? What are you thinking?”
Ying Jing: “You have quite an opinion of Mingyao, don’t you?”
Chu Ning tacitly agreed.
“But Tang Yao has that certain demeanor. Although he’s hard to talk to and aggressive, if you think about it carefully, every word he says is very real, straightforward, and no tricks.”
Oh, so they’re kindred spirits, then.
Chu Ning let out a cold huff.
Ying Jing turned her body so they faced each other for a few seconds, then both simply sat up.
“Look at you, sometimes your attitude and way of doing things are no different from Tang Yao’s.”
Chu Ning’s eyes widened, displeasure written all over her face. “Then you overestimate me. If I had half his capital, it wouldn’t be his turn to dictate terms to me.”
Her words were arrogant, but Ying Jing didn’t fan the flames. He redirected the conversation back to Tang Qichen.
Tang Qichen, ah Tang Qichen, an old acquaintance, and one with a story. Chu Ning didn’t know the past events, but Ying Jing still had some reservations.
“President Tang is a very good person, but he... his conflict with my brother-in-law was quite significant back then. You’ve seen my brother-in-law’s strength. These two are generally mature and steady types, but they fought until they both ended up in the hospital. Can you imagine how deep that animosity must have been?”
Ying Jing appealed to her emotions; this latter part of the conversation was what he cared about. “Moreover, my sister is pregnant now and doing very well with my brother-in-law. Although a couple’s relationship is their own business, if I start closely associating with President Tang again, what will my brother-in-law think?”
He sighed meaningfully, looking at Chu Ning: “Can you understand?”
After listening to this long explanation, Chu Ning scoffed coldly, “I understand nothing.”
“...”
She was nonchalant, glancing at him. “First of all, your brother-in-law, I’ve met him twice. He’s an upright man, not the petty kind you describe. He definitely wouldn’t dwell on things that are already over.”
Ying Jing gasped, his eyes darting to the right, and he rubbed the tip of his nose.
Chu Ning slanted a glance at him. “Besides, what kind of person are you? Don’t I know? — Heh, full of bad ideas.”
“Where am I bad?” Ying Jing held his ground, ready for a debate.
“These trivial worries aren’t something you’d usually care about!” Chu Ning stated logically, her words piercing his heart. “This project was built by you from the ground up. In terms of effort, no one has put in more than you. When it comes to this, you simply won’t compromise. You’re just making up excuses, hoping to politely and subtly persuade me to drop my preference for Tang Qichen.”
Chu Ning declared word by word: “Actually, in your heart, you’ve chosen Tang Yao.”
This time, Ying Jing was utterly speechless.
The atmosphere was tense for a few seconds. He turned his head, staring at a flower on the blanket, and whispered, “You don’t like Tang Yao. I’m afraid if I speak my mind, we’ll argue again. Ning’er, I don’t want to argue with you; it truly harms our feelings.”
Chu Ning sat up straight, her hands clasped across her chest, her hair spread like seaweed behind her. Her face was small, and when she was angry, her already striking eyes became even more expressive.
She said calmly, “After all this effort, aren’t you going to ask me my thoughts?”
Ying Jing had an expression that seemed to say, You already hate Tang Yao so much, why would I ask?
He reluctantly cooperated: “Oh, who do you choose?”
“Mingyao Technology, Tang Yao.”
Ying Jing was stunned.
“If I were to judge everything in business solely based on personal preference, I wouldn’t have any interaction with you at all,” Chu Ning said very calmly; she had already thought it through thoroughly. “Tang Qichen would indeed be a hassle-free partner, but the venture you’re building shouldn’t be hassle-free. In the future, you’ll encounter many difficulties, even greater troubles, whether it’s a funding gap, technical shortcomings, or even personal connections. That’s just how realistic it is.”
Chu Ning got tired of sitting, so she changed her posture, wrapping her arms around her knees and resting her chin gently on them.
“But my abilities can only go this far. No matter how hard I try, no matter how much effort I put in, I can’t provide you with a broader platform and support.”
She tilted her head, looking calmly at Ying Jing: “I will never be an obstacle to you. I will escort you all the way.”
Ying Jing looked at her, saying nothing, his eyes completely red.
Chu Ning smiled. “Want to cry? Come here.”
Then she opened her arms to him.
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