L&H - 2

Qian Cheng's phone call lasted seven or eight minutes. After hanging up, he finally remembered Yu Qing.

He looked around but didn’t see her. He was about to send her a voice message when—

"Over here. Don't you recognize me?" a familiar voice interrupted.

Qian Cheng looked up, blinked, and gave Yu Qing a once-over. Suddenly, he chuckled. "Wait... where did you get those clothes?"

Her slender figure was wrapped in an oversized men’s suit, and he hadn’t recognized her at first glance.

Yu Qing explained casually: "I just ran into my cousin. He insisted on giving me this jacket—I couldn’t refuse."

Qian Cheng didn’t know much about luxury brands and failed to recognize the bespoke craftsmanship of the suit.

He smacked his forehead, realizing he’d been so absorbed in his call that he hadn’t noticed Yu Qing meeting someone she knew.

Soon, they reached the corner.

Qian Cheng slipped his phone into his pocket. "You walk slowly. I’ll go fetch the car from the parking lot. Just wait for me by that billboard over there."

He hurried off, walking briskly.

With Fu Ji Chen’s suit shielding her from the wind, Yu Qing wasn’t cold at all.

She walked leisurely, unperturbed. Pedestrians passed by continuously, and occasionally, some would turn their heads to glance at the woman wearing a man’s suit.

But one look at her striking face, and they couldn’t help but turn back repeatedly.

When she reached the billboard, Qian Cheng’s car still hadn’t emerged from the parking lot.

With nothing else to do, Yu Qing took out her phone and logged into her futures trading account.

After checking her balance, her heart sank.

Today was another loss, and she needed to replenish the margin.

She had had a chance to close her position earlier, but at that time, she was busy signing contracts with another department.

Initially confident that futures trading would help her turn things around and stand up to her father, she now felt as though she’d been thrown into an abyss.

"Yu Qing, sis!"

Qian Cheng drove up and parked carefully by the curb.

Yu Qing tucked her phone into her bag and walked over.

Despite their rush, they were still late due to traffic—though the client arrived even later for the same reason.

Boss Qian and the real estate agent’s staff were already waiting downstairs. Boss Qian was of medium height, always smiling, dressed in a dark jacket, devoid of any airs, and very low-key.

Upon seeing Yu Qing, Boss Qian apologized profusely.

The client, Ms. Yu, was a poised and elegant woman in her early forties. Her attire was impeccable, her makeup flawless. Though she appeared aloof, she was polite and approachable.

After brief introductions, they headed upstairs.

Aside from its age, the apartment had no other flaws—it was conveniently located and in an excellent school district.

Ms. Yu Fei intended to buy the place for her child’s education. Although her current residence already had a top-tier school district, she felt increasingly unbalanced after her divorce and planned to have her ex-husband pay for this property.

Last night, she had spoken with her ex-husband, who agreed to the purchase.

Once upstairs, Yu Qing opened the door and invited them in.

The interior was Scandinavian-style, meticulously organized, without a hint of clutter.

At this moment, Boss Qian was grateful he had rented the place to Yu Qing. Compared to its outdated decor from over two decades ago, the renovated apartment now held a distinct advantage in price negotiations.

The room felt stuffy, so Yu Qing went to open the living room window.

She hadn’t been here for nearly a week. Having seen the weather forecast predicting rain, she had closed all the windows during her last visit.

Ms. Yu Fei first checked the kitchen, waiting for Yu Qing to tidy the bedroom before entering to avoid intruding on her private space.

The kitchen was as neat as the living room, with brand-new cookware showing no signs of use.

As a lawyer, Yu Fei paid close attention to details.

From a certain angle, she noticed a thin layer of dust on the stove. It seemed the tenant hadn’t used the kitchen in a long time. Combined with the stuffy atmosphere of the house, it likely hadn’t been occupied for a while.

Exiting the kitchen, Yu Fei glanced at Yu Qing. With her sharp eye, she immediately recognized the expensive craftsmanship of the suit Yu Qing wore—it wasn’t something available off the rack; it was custom-made.

Her ex-husband owned two suits of this brand, even the most basic custom versions costing hundreds of thousands of yuan. Yet their quality paled in comparison to the one Yu Qing wore.

The owner of this suit was undoubtedly wealthy or powerful.

Yu Fei refocused her attention and asked Yu Qing politely, "May I take a look at the bedrooms?"

"Of course, feel free."

Yu Qing hadn’t tidied the bedrooms earlier, as there were no personal items scattered about.

Since moving in with Fu Ji Chen, she hadn’t stayed here overnight again. Every weekend, she came to clean briefly and collect some belongings.

The compact three-bedroom apartment included a master bedroom, while the other two rooms served as makeshift storage spaces filled with wardrobes, shoe racks, handbag cabinets, and jewelry stands.

Qian Cheng scratched his head, struggling to believe what he saw. His tongue almost tied itself in knots. "Sis… these bags… these shoes… how much are they worth?"

Yu Qing smiled calmly. "You don’t actually think they’re real, do you?"

"Huh?" Qian Cheng rubbed his head, pausing momentarily before understanding her implication.

"They’re knockoffs. If they were real, I could’ve sold them to afford a house instead of renting," Yu Qing explained. "I sometimes do live streams. These are all props. You get it."

Not only Qian Cheng and the real estate staff, but even Boss Qian, despite his age, understood.

Among them, only Yu Fei didn’t take Yu Qing’s words at face value.

She deduced that Yu Qing rented the entire apartment but rarely stayed there, likely sharing a home with the owner of the suit while using this place for storage.

She promptly suppressed her professional instincts. The tenant’s private life was none of her concern.

Yu Fei was satisfied with the property but needed to bring her parents over before making a final decision.

Though it was meant as a school district house for her son, she didn’t need it immediately and planned to let her parents enjoy the change of environment.

"Tomorrow, I’ll bring my parents to take another look. Will that be convenient for you?"

Boss Qian quickly assured her, "Convenient, very convenient." As he spoke, he glanced at Yu Qing apologetically.

Yu Qing smiled in understanding. "What time?"

They agreed to meet again tomorrow at the same time.

After saying goodbye, Yu Qing escorted them to the door.

Once the door closed, the house fell silent.

Yu Qing sat on the sofa for a while. She should’ve been like Yu Fei—overwhelmed with work, never leaving the office on time, earning commissions and bonuses until her hands ached.

But because of her father’s authoritarian ways, her career path had been utterly severed. Now, she could only temporarily make a living in Fu Corporation’s legal department.

Little did she know, the waters of Fu Corporation’s legal department ran deep—and murky.

Fortunately, she had inherited her father’s ability to adapt and persevere.

Life carried on, barely tolerable.

Before leaving, Yu Qing took another look at her limited-edition treasures. Thinking about the balance in her futures account, she feared the day might come when she’d have to live-stream from this apartment to sell those exclusive handbags.

After locking up, Yu Qing headed to Fu Ji Chen’s place.

Outside, night had fallen, and a chilly breeze swept through. She pulled the suit tighter around her.

With nothing pressing to attend to, Yu Qing had dinner outside and strolled along the street, buying nothing.

She didn’t dare take a taxi and instead took the subway home.

For once, Fu Ji Chen had proactively informed her: [I’ll be home at eleven.]

So he hadn’t planned to go on a business trip today.

Fu Ji Chen had originally intended to visit Shanghai, but there was a last-minute change of plans.

That evening, he had arranged a dinner with several people from the bank, accompanied by Qiao Yang, the second-in-command of Fu Corporation’s finance department.

He had his eye on two plots of land in different districts of Beijing. One of them was known as the "land king," estimated to cost around 50 billion yuan to acquire.

During the dinner, someone teased, “Old Second, are you planning to go head-to-head with Qin Moling? I heard he’s also interested in that land king—just like you, determined to secure it.”

Fu Ji Chen, the second son in the Fu family, had an older brother.

Fu Ji Chen flicked off some ash from his cigarette. “Even if he’s interested, it won’t matter.”

At the table was an elder who was close friends with Fu Ji Chen’s father. He never hesitated to lecture Fu Ji Chen: “Look at how arrogant you’ve become. Never underestimate your opponent.”

Qiao Yang sipped her juice slowly, staying quiet and listening. This dinner felt more like a casual gathering among friends—no one pressured anyone to drink, and conversations flowed freely.

The person they mentioned, Qin Moling, was about the same age as Fu Ji Chen and the young master of the Qin Group.

They continued discussing Qin Moling. Someone half-jokingly said to Fu Ji Chen, “You’re always picking fights with Qin Moling. Did he steal your girlfriend back in the day?”

Fu Ji Chen chuckled and casually remarked, “No, I stole his fiancée.”

As they joked, they continued drinking.

Qiao Yang knew well that their feud wasn’t over a woman. Before joining Fu Corporation, Fu Ji Chen had started his own business, only to be severely betrayed by Qin Moling.

Not only did his company go bankrupt, but he also ended up deeply in debt.

Fu Ji Chen was not someone to forgive easily.

For every slight Qin Moling gave him, Fu Ji Chen would return it tenfold. When Fu Ji Chen acquired Dixin Beverage Company, he competed directly against a beverage company controlled by the Qin Group.

This grudge had dragged on for nearly six years, with no end in sight.

By ten-thirty, the dinner concluded.

After seeing off the guests, Fu Ji Chen and Qiao Yang were the last to leave.

Fu Ji Chen had drunk three glasses of red wine, slightly tipsy. He loosened his tie and turned to Qiao Yang, “Shall I have the driver take you home?”

Qiao Yang declined, “No need. I drove here; I didn’t drink.”

Exiting the hotel, Fu Ji Chen’s car was already waiting at the entrance. He reminded Qiao Yang, “Drive carefully.”

Qiao Yang nodded and waved goodbye.

Once in the car, Fu Ji Chen removed his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, finally able to breathe easier.

When he arrived home, the living room downstairs was empty, with Yu Qing’s bag lazily slung over the sofa.

He poured himself a glass of water and went upstairs.

His phone vibrated—it was a message from Qiao Yang: [I’m home.]

Such a text didn’t warrant a reply in Fu Ji Chen’s mind, so he simply exited the chat.

The study door was slightly ajar, its light spilling out into the corridor.

Yu Qing read every night—finance, accounting, law.

Fu Ji Chen nudged the door open with his knee and leaned against the doorframe, leisurely watching the woman immersed in her reading.

Yu Qing had heard his footsteps as he came upstairs. She was just reading a new point in a legal journal and didn’t bother looking up.

Fu Ji Chen held his glass of water, sipping it slowly as if tasting fine wine.

While others sought women for relaxation and comfort, he had brought home a demanding presence to care for.

After finishing the latest issue, Yu Qing closed the journal, rested her chin on her hand, and threw him a flirtatious glance. “Thank you for your coat today.”

Fu Ji Chen stood up and approached her. “If you’re thanking my coat, thank the coat. Why are you talking to me?”

Yu Qing glanced at him. “Are you accusing me of something?” As he drew closer, the faint scent of red wine surrounded them.

Fu Ji Chen leaned against the edge of the desk. “Do I have that much free time?”

Yu Qing kicked off her slippers, raised her legs, and rested her feet on his abdomen. Leaning back lazily in the chair, she smirked, “Stop being stubborn. If I hadn’t come back tonight, wouldn’t you have cried yourself to sleep?”

Fu Ji Chen chuckled softly, his eyes full of mockery.

He pinched her chin, gently parted her lips with two fingers, and brought the glass to her mouth, feeding her a few sips of water. “Thirsty enough to lose your words?”

Yu Qing was indeed thirsty and drank most of the glass. Grateful for the water, she stopped teasing him with trivialities. “He’s the landlord’s son. There’s a client viewing the property.”

With that simple sentence, Fu Ji Chen understood.

Her landlord was selling the apartment.

As for whether she would move her things to his place or rent elsewhere—and where—Fu Ji Chen neither cared nor asked.

It wasn’t his habit to interfere.

Whatever she decided was fine with him.

His eyes fell on the legal journal at the corner of the desk—a professional publication from Shuo & Law Firm.

In the legal world, Shuo & Law Firm was prestigious, one of the most coveted firms for young lawyers.

“Thinking of applying?” He set down the glass and flipped through a couple of pages of the journal.

Yu Qing countered, “What do you think?”

Originally, after returning from abroad, she had planned to join Shuo & Law Firm. They had even agreed on the terms, but before she could start, her father intervened and ruined everything.

She snatched the journal from Fu Ji Chen’s hands and tossed it aside. “Let’s go to bed.”

Fu Ji Chen noticed the faint disappointment in her eyes—an emotion rarely seen in her. “Given your educational background, securing a position at Shuo & should be easy. How did you end up managing contracts at Fu Corporation’s legal department?”

In truth, the position she applied for wasn’t the one she was currently in. Her original role had been reassigned—to the colleague who mocked her earlier in the pantry.

Even Zhang Xiaochi could see that the supervisor had gone too far. The new colleague clearly didn’t meet the qualifications for that position.

These frustrating matters weren’t worth mentioning.

Unfairness existed everywhere.

Yu Qing hadn’t told Fu Ji Chen about the injustices she faced. In their superficial relationship, there was no need to burden each other. Comfortable coexistence was key.

Yu Qing forced a smile. “I got so captivated by you that I abandoned all ambition. I chose male charm over career.”

This insincere flattery didn’t fool Fu Ji Chen. “It’s a pity your talents aren’t being used as a litigation lawyer.”

“President Fu, you flatter me.”

Yu Qing feared Fu Ji Chen might suspect her background. Losing this job would mean losing her means to stand up to her father. With a serious expression, she explained why she wasn’t pursuing a career at a law firm.

“People like me without connections end up doing the hardest work for the least pay. I need to build connections first. For instance, meeting you at work. Later, if I want to switch to a law firm, I can secure merger and IPO projects from you. Without cases, wouldn’t I starve?”

It sounded plausible. In this era, without resources in any field, it was hard to get ahead.

Fu Ji Chen murmured, “So you call this ‘building connections’?”

“Mm-hmm.” Yu Qing nodded.

Fu Ji Chen smirked, pondering the phrase “building connections.”

Yu Qing removed her feet from him, shut down her computer, and returned to the bedroom.

Fu Ji Chen followed behind her and entered the room.

At the doorway, he turned off the light.

Suddenly plunged into darkness, Yu Qing protested, “What are you doing!”

Fu Ji Chen pulled her into his arms. “I need to make it clear to you that what’s between us is completely different from your so-called networking.”

Yu Qing: “….”

After a moment.

“Fu Ji Chen, you’re shameless!”