Chapter 17

Chapter 17: She Once Abandoned The world had truly gone mad. Secretary Shen nodded, "I didn't say anything though." "Director Chen, this is a matter between the child and President Yu. I hope you can keep it confidential as well." Director Chen was dazed, "What's there to keep confidential about? It's just a drawing." She had gone to look at it—it was completely like scribbles, impossible to make out anything. But at this moment, that piece of paper with its incomprehensible scribbles was held in Yu Jianghai's hands. In a place with no one around, Yu Jianghai carefully examined it from beginning to end. He couldn't understand it, so he asked with great patience, "Qiaoqiao, what did you draw here?" Qiaoqiao didn't say anything. She hesitated, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes. Yu Jianghai waited for her quietly. He was like a gentle breeze, as if he might disappear at any moment. After what felt like a long time, Qiaoqiao struggled for a while before finally speaking up, "Uncle Yu, I heard people say you're a big shot?" Hearing such words come from Qiaoqiao's mouth, Yu Jianghai found it somewhat strange. He shook his head, his voice deep, "I'm just an ordinary person." He had never considered himself a big shot either. Qiaoqiao pursed her lips and said softly, "Then I can't tell this to an ordinary person. I have to tell a big shot. Ordinary people simply can't understand what I draw." Hearing this, Yu Jianghai curved his lips slightly. He looked at the drawing paper more carefully, "Did you draw a house?" Qiaoqiao's eyes widened instantly, very surprised, "How could you tell?" Her scribbles—even Teacher Li hadn't recognized them and had privately asked her several times what on earth she had drawn. "It also looks like the interior decoration of a house?" Qiaoqiao jumped up with a whoosh, her big eyes sparkling, "Uncle Yu, you're amazing!" "You can even tell that I drew the interior decoration of a house." Indeed, in this world, besides her mother, only Uncle Yu was truly in sync with her. Yu Jianghai hummed in acknowledgment. He smoothed the drawing flat on the table and pointed at a spot, "Is this a table and chairs? And what about this place?" It was rare to find someone who could appreciate her work. Qiaoqiao immediately explained, "This is the cashier counter." "Uncle Yu, do you know what a cashier counter is? It's where you collect money." Yu Jianghai heard this term for the first time. He tilted his head in thought, "Similar to where you pay at the state-run department store, right?" "Yes, yes, yes." Qiaoqiao felt that communicating with Uncle Yu was so smooth—no matter what she said, he understood it in one go. It was rare to meet someone she could communicate with so easily. Qiaoqiao poured everything out like beans from a jar, "Linji's building is going to be renovated. The decorators my mom has found recently aren't suitable." Speaking of this, she became smug, "I think those people aren't as good at designing as I am." "Uncle Yu, what do you think?" Yu Jianghai picked up the drawing and examined it carefully. He identified things bit by bit from the lines within those scribbles. After a while, he said seriously, "Indeed." Qiaoqiao was instantly delighted. She felt that sense of having talent no one knew about, yet being understood by the person before her. A kindred spirit is hard to find. A kindred spirit is truly hard to find! "Uncle Yu has good taste." Yu Jianghai pointed at the drawing, "This drawing of yours is perfect in every way, except it's drawn too brilliantly—no one else can see it." "Could you lend me this drawing?" Qiaoqiao was a bit confused. "I'll help you bring out your brilliant ideas and concepts. Once I've finished supplementing it, I'll return it to you." His voice was gentle, without a trace of superiority. Qiaoqiao asked cautiously, "Really?" "Really." Yu Jianghai pointed at the drawing, "I'll redraw the designs in these places exactly as you've made them." "Can I give you the formal design drawing in three days?" Qiaoqiao nodded, "No problem!" Yu Jianghai carefully folded the drawing in half and stored it close to his body. Qiaoqiao extended her pinky, "Pinky promise?" Yu Jianghai was momentarily stunned, but still extended his pinky as she did. Qiaoqiao's pinky was very small and thin, while Yu Jianghai's was long and strong. When the two pinkies hooked together, Qiaoqiao's crisp, tender voice rang out, "Pinky promise, a hundred years, never change—whoever changes is a puppy!" "Alright, Uncle Yu, you've promised me. This is a secret between the two of us. If you tell anyone else about this, you'll turn into a puppy." Yu Jianghai looked down at her, feeling a very strange sensation inside. It was a feeling he had never experienced before. He softly hummed in acknowledgment, sealing the promise with his pinky, "Whoever lies is a puppy." When he came out of the kindergarten again, Yu Jianghai looked back once. Secretary Shen waited quietly. Yu Jianghai stood in place for a long time. It seemed as if he could see through the door, through the windows, and see Qiaoqiao waving at him, laughing crisply, "Uncle Yu, whoever lies is a puppy!" Yu Jianghai suddenly turned around and asked, "Secretary Shen, is your daughter like this at home too?" Secretary Shen looked pained. "Boss, I don't have a daughter." Yu Jianghai said, "Didn't you take leave a few years ago because your wife was giving birth?" Secretary Shen said expressionlessly, "Triplet sons." Yu Jianghai was silent for a long moment. "No wonder you're so diligent." Secretary Shen was about to cry, okay? Back in the office, Yu Jianghai took out the design drawings Qiaoqiao had drawn, placed them on his desk, and studied them carefully for a moment. Only then did he take out his own tools. He didn't touch Qiaoqiao's original design drawings but chose to redraw them himself. Drawing blueprints was what Yu Jianghai did best. Back when Jianghai Dicai first got off the ground, most of the blueprints had been drawn by Yu Jianghai and Lu Qingyuan themselves. Secretary Shen poured him a cup of tea and leaned over to look. "Boss, is this the drawing the teacher confiscated from Qiaoqiao?" Yu Jianghai hummed in acknowledgment, his pen continuously sketching on the paper. Secretary Shen set down the steaming tea and asked curiously, "Boss, what did Qiaoqiao draw?" Even with his deep expertise and top-notch flattery skills, he couldn't recognize it. Yu Jianghai didn't even look up. "Linji renovation design drawings." Secretary Shen's mouth formed an O. "Huh?" This was a Linji renovation design? Wasn't this just a turtle scribbling ghost symbols? Yu Jianghai rarely chatted with him. "She drew it very well, designed it very well too. She has great design talent." Secretary Shen thought, "..." Talking about design talent with a four-year-old? Yeah, right. Yu Jianghai seemed to read his mind and said calmly, "She's very much like me." "When I was seven, I could already design houses." "She can do it at four." "She's better than me." Secretary Shen thought, "..." My dear boss. Do you even hear what you're saying? Is it normal for a four-year-old to design houses? Is it normal for a six-year-old to design houses? Seems like in his boss's world, anything that exists is reasonable. "Secretary Shen, I recall your child is also four now, right? Can he do it?" Yu Jianghai even asked specifically. Secretary Shen's face scrunched up like he was constipated, turning red as he said, "No." "Mine just punches me." Yu Jianghai hummed. "Then only Qiaoqiao can do it." The tone was still calm, but Secretary Shen could clearly hear a note of pride in it. Secretary Shen endured and endured. When there's no more endurance left, there's no need to endure. "Boss." "Hm?" "Is it possible that Youth Lin hasn't agreed to let you become official yet?" The implication was: Youth Lin hasn't even acknowledged you, so what are you so proud of? Say "Qiaoqiao's dad" and no one would even believe you. The entire office fell silent in an instant. Yu Jianghai looked up at him quietly. Secretary Shen swallowed frantically. "Boss, I was wrong." "I misspoke." Yu Jianghai said calmly, uttering a devilish punishment, "This month's doubled salary is cancelled." Secretary Shen thought, "..." Nooooooo. When Lin Meiyan went to pick up Qiaoqiao, she felt like the teachers kept giving her looks as if they wanted to say something but held back. This made Lin Meiyan a bit puzzled, but she didn't ask further. She asked Qiaoqiao, "Did you get into trouble at school today?" Qiaoqiao shook her head. "No." "I was drawing in class and the teacher confiscated it." Lin Meiyan knew her daughter well. Although Qiaoqiao had no drawing talent whatsoever, she absolutely loved to draw. It was like someone who couldn't cook but loved cooking. Forcing it without talent was practically a mask of agony. Lin Meiyan reached out and pinched her cheek. "You need to listen carefully in class, got it?" "It's fine now in kindergarten, but once you're in elementary school, if you space out in class, you won't be able to keep up with the teacher." Qiaoqiao nodded like a pecking chick. "Mommy, did you find someone for the renovation?" At this topic, Lin Meiyan frowned slightly and sighed. "I found two companies, but I wasn't satisfied with the plans they gave me." Watching the days tick by. Lin Meiyan was wondering if she should just compromise and go with the previous style of renovation. It was the simplest and easiest to find on the market. Qiaoqiao silently noted this, thinking to herself, Uncle Yu, you need to hurry up. Yu Jianghai had promised Qiaoqiao it would take three days to draw, but in reality, it only took him two days to complete a full set of design drawings. Moreover, the design concept was based on Qiaoqiao's original design, refined and improved upon it. After finishing the drawings, Yu Jianghai reviewed them three times to make sure there were no issues before placing them in a kraft paper envelope. He was about to deliver them to Qiaoqiao at the kindergarten. Just as he stood up, Lu Qingyuan pushed the door open and came in. "Old Yu, these are the design drawings for the Jianghai Phase Two project for the Planning Bureau. Take a look and see if there are any issues?" Yu Jianghai picked up his suit from the coat rack and slipped it on, saying calmly, "No time." "Review it yourself first. If there are no issues, submit it directly to the Planning Bureau." Lu Qingyuan was taken aback. "Don't you have no meetings today?" He had timed his visit precisely. Yu Jianghai replied, "Personal matters." "No comment." Such a dismissive tone. Lu Qingyuan had never seen Old Yu like this before. He couldn't help but ask, "What personal matters could you possibly have?" "We're both old bachelors—what else can you do besides work?" Yu Jianghai said, "Accompanying my daughter." He straightened his tie, checked himself in the mirror, and after confirming everything was in order, turned and walked out of the office without another word. Lu Qingyuan snapped back to reality. "What daughter? And look at this planning document—once the Phase Two project plan is finalized, we'll officially start construction." Yu Jianghai paused, his tone calm. "The first draft of the planning and design drawings was approved by me." "The second draft was for you to fix the details." "As for the third draft, I see no need to review it again. Submit it directly." The first draft could have been submitted as-is, but Jianghai Dicai, striving for perfection, had gone through a second draft revision and a third draft review. Lu Qingyuan was stunned. "Old Yu, you've never been like this before." "Finalizing on the third draft was a rule you set yourself!" "Are you breaking your own rules?" Yu Jianghai took the second draft on the spot and finished reviewing it in less than three minutes. "No problems." Lu Qingyuan said, "Can you be any more perfunctory?" Yu Jianghai adjusted his cufflinks, his tone indifferent. "My daughter's design drawings are more important." With that, he didn't even bother to look at Lu Qingyuan's reaction, turned, and headed down the stairs. Leaving Lu Qingyuan standing there alone, unable to snap out of it for a long while. "Secretary Shen, has your boss lost his mind?" "His daughter? Even if he had a daughter, she'd only be four years old, right? What design drawings could a four-year-old have?" And her design drawings being more important? Wasn't that a joke? Secretary Shen was in a good mood, because he wasn't the only one his boss had stunned. He even kindly explained, "My boss's daughter could draw interior design plans at four years old." "The boss took her drawings and refined them. He's heading over now to deliver the design drawings to his daughter." Lu Qingyuan was baffled. "??" "You're not joking with me, are you?" Secretary Shen shook his head, his tone wistful. "I was shocked at first too." "But then I realized this runs in the boss's family." "The boss drew design plans at seven, and his daughter draws them at four." "Nobody would believe they're not blood-related." After saying this, Secretary Shen noticed the shock and disbelief on Lu Qingyuan's face, then quietly took his leave, savoring the moment. Indeed, joy shared is joy doubled. When Secretary Shen came down, Yu Jianghai glanced at him. Secretary Shen said respectfully, "Shall I take you to Simenkou Youeryuan now?" Yu Jianghai hummed in acknowledgment. At the kindergarten. Qiaoqiao had been restless for days, unable to eat or sleep properly. Had Uncle Yu finished the design draft yet? She counted on her fingers. Day one. Day two. In class, Teacher Li called out again, "Lin Qiaoqiao, come solve this problem." Qiaoqiao let out an "ah" and looked up at the blackboard. Teacher Li had written: What does one plus one equal? Qiaoqiao: "..." Without hesitation, Qiaoqiao walked up to the podium, took the chalk, and wrote the answer after "one plus one." One plus one equals two. To her surprise, she got it right. Teacher Li let out a soft sigh. "The answer is correct." "But Lin Qiaoqiao, even if you've learned this in advance and know the answer, you must not be so complacent. Not paying attention in class will do you no good in the future." Qiaoqiao nodded sheepishly. Teacher Li then let her step down from the podium. When she returned to her seat, her deskmate Xiaomin winked at her. "Qiaoqiao, you're so amazing." She always felt like Qiaoqiao wasn't afraid of the teacher at all. Qiaoqiao felt a bit dejected. "I'm not amazing at all." After being reborn, she felt like she'd gotten a bit carried away. She always thought the knowledge the teacher taught in class was too simple, and every lesson she'd be daydreaming. Lost in random thoughts. Thinking about the future, about her mother, about Linji renovations, about food, about menus, and even about making big money. Becoming a millionaire! She had too many plans for the future—except studying wasn't one of them. After being called up to the podium by the teacher, Qiaoqiao suddenly realized she'd been way too full of herself lately, relying on her rebirth to know the direction of future events. And so she'd been distracted in class. Actually, it wasn't that Qiaoqiao wasn't paying attention—it was that even she hadn't noticed that an adult soul inside a child's body meant her thoughts and consciousness were gradually being influenced by her four-year-old body. She was becoming more and more like a real child. Qiaoqiao pulled herself together and focused on the lesson. Teacher Li noticed her reaction and relaxed a little. When the second period ended, Qiaoqiao had just agreed to go to the restroom with Xiaomin when she stepped out of the classroom and spotted Yu Jianghai standing outside. He wore a white shirt and tailored suit trousers with crisp creases, his leather shoes gleaming. His features were handsome, and his bearing was outstanding. Four-year-old Xiaomin already knew the difference between good-looking and not. Her eyes lit up on the spot. "Wow, that uncle is so handsome." "Qiaoqiao, hurry and look, that uncle is so handsome." Qiaoqiao had already seen him. She felt a little proud inside, but on the surface she said, "He's alright!" Xiaomin was shocked. "Qiaoqiao, that uncle is so good-looking, a hundred times better than my dad. He, he, he doesn't even have a big belly. Look how tall he is, so handsome." Qiaoqiao pouted with a hint of arrogance. "He's passable." "If only he were my dad." Xiaomin cupped her little face in her hands. "Then I'd have my dad bring me to school every day." "Hmph, then you'd all be so jealous." Qiaoqiao: "..." She didn't want to talk to this little kid. Yu Jianghai swept a glance, locked onto his target, and walked over with easy strides. Xiaomin covered her little face and squealed, "Qiaoqiao, Qiaoqiao, hurry and look, that uncle is walking toward me." "Do you think I'm his long-lost daughter?" Qiaoqiao: "..." Qiaoqiao shook her arm. "You should watch fewer TV dramas." Xiaomin said, "But that's how it always goes in the dramas." Before she could finish speaking, Yu Jianghai had already walked over. Xiaomin's little heart was pounding wildly. She covered her mouth, her eyes bright and shocked. "Could I really be the handsome uncle's long-lost daughter?" She just waited for the handsome uncle to walk toward her. He's coming. He's coming. He's here. Xiaomin watched with her own eyes as the handsome uncle stopped in front of her, then asked Qiaoqiao, "Are you done with class?" His voice was nice too. "Class is over." Qiaoqiao gave a well-behaved "mm," and for some reason, in front of Uncle Yu, she felt the urge to stand up straight. Watching Qiaoqiao and the handsome uncle chat back and forth, Xiaomin let out an "ah," her little mouth forming an O. "Qiaoqiao, you know this handsome uncle?" Qiaoqiao nodded, lifting her little chin. "This is my Uncle Yu." There was a hint of pride in her tone that she herself hadn't noticed. Xiaomin let out a "wow." "Qiaoqiao, you have such a handsome uncle and you never told me." "You're so not cool!" "Am I still your best friend?" Qiaoqiao pursed her lips and smiled. Yu Jianghai was also experiencing this situation for the first time. It seemed he had never been welcomed by children before. This was the first time. Yu Jianghai paused. "Qiaoqiao, is it convenient for you? Shall we talk over there?" He himself hadn't noticed that he was treating Qiaoqiao as a peer. Qiaoqiao really liked this feeling of being respected. So she waved at Xiaomin. "I'm going to discuss important matters with Uncle Yu. You go to the bathroom by yourself." Xiaomin stomped her foot in anger. "Hmph, you care more about boys than friends!" Qiaoqiao: "..." She was genuinely worried that Xiaomin had watched too many soap operas and would grow up to be a hopeless romantic. Fortunately, before she could respond, Xiaomin had already linked arms with a new friend and headed to the bathroom. That put Qiaoqiao somewhat at ease, and she followed Yu Jianghai to the slide nearby. During recess, lots of kids were playing on the slide. Qiaoqiao found it too noisy, so she took Yu Jianghai's hand and led him to the back of the classroom. The moment she took his hand, Yu Jianghai lowered his head, his gaze falling on that small hand. His eyes lingered there for three seconds. "We're here." "Right here." Qiaoqiao was very satisfied with the spot she'd chosen. It was behind the classroom, and with a lift of her head, she could see the kids inside through the classroom window. Mm. If Uncle Yu turned out to be a bad guy, she only needed to shout once to call for help. Yu Jianghai glanced around but didn't expose Qiaoqiao's little scheme. He simply took out the design drawings and handed them to her. He didn't say a single word, as if words were precious as gold. Fortunately, Qiaoqiao didn't mind that. She was a little chatterbox herself, so if he spoke little, she spoke more. Not a problem at all. Qiaoqiao took the design drawings and looked at them for a moment. Her eyes grew brighter and brighter, until finally they rivaled the stars in the sky, and so did her voice. "Uncle Yu, are you a genius?" "The design drawing you made is like a one-to-one copy straight out of my head." The little girl was amazed. But Yu Jianghai frowned slightly. "A one-to-one copy?" Qiaoqiao stuck out her tongue. "That's not the point." "The point is, Uncle Yu, the drawing you designed is really, really good." "Really, really good." She said it three times in a row. She had never seen such a perfect drawing. Even the renovation blueprints of later generations probably couldn't compare. No—the renovation drawing Uncle Yu gave her was even more astonishing. Because the renovation design drawings of later generations were all done with computer software. But Uncle Yu's design drawing was entirely hand-drawn. Every line was as precise as if measured with a ruler—complex and varied, yet with clear annotations. Anyone could understand it at a glance. This was definitely a master of architectural design. The more Qiaoqiao looked, the more she loved it. "Uncle Yu, is this your profession?" It was truly remarkable. Qiaoqiao sometimes spoke like an adult, and others would find it strange. But Yu Jianghai did not. He had been precocious and wise beyond his years when he was young, so it was only natural that Qiaoqiao would be the same. Yu Jianghai lowered his gaze to look at her, humming in acknowledgment. "Relevant." "But not professional." "You flatter me." Qiaoqiao thought to herself, if this isn't professional, then what is? "Uncle Yu, I want this renovation blueprint." Speaking of which, Qiaoqiao herself felt troubled. "But how am I supposed to give it to my mom?" She was only four years old. If she took it out, would her mom even believe her? And even if there was such a renovation blueprint, could her mom find professional renovation designers? The answer to both was no. Yu Jianghai bent his long legs slightly and crouched down to meet Qiaoqiao's eyes. "Do you trust me?" Qiaoqiao answered instinctively, "I do." She hadn't even noticed that she naturally trusted both Yu Jianghai and Secretary Shen. Perhaps it was because they had saved her back then. When she was at her most miserable, they had saved her. Changed her fate. And changed her mother's fate as well. Yu Jianghai restrained himself from reaching out to touch her face, instead trying his best to soften his tone. "Leave the rest to me." Qiaoqiao was stunned. "Really?" "But—" But her mom seemed to be very wary of Uncle Yu. She didn't know if this choice of hers was right. Yu Jianghai gazed at her. "Qiaoqiao, the choice is yours." He had a pair of extremely deep-set eyes—phoenix eyes, with thin, narrow lids and a beautiful shape. Qiaoqiao was captivated by his eyes for a moment. She lowered her head and hesitated for a while before whispering, "Uncle Yu, let me think about it." It seemed that compared to the renovation design, she cared more about her mom. Even though her mom also really wanted to renovate Linji, she was afraid of doing something that would upset her. Yu Jianghai took out a pen from his pocket, wrote down a phone number, and handed it to Qiaoqiao. "I'll wait for your good news." Qiaoqiao took the paper and nodded heavily. Yu Jianghai left, and Qiaoqiao watched his retreating figure, silent for a long time. Qiaoqiao held the designed blueprint in her hands, going back and forth between telling and not telling. Finally, it was five o'clock in the afternoon—the time school let out. Hearing the ding-a-ling of the dismissal bell, to Qiaoqiao it was simply heavenly music. After school, she was the first to grab her backpack and dash out, like a woman of the wind, which surprised both her teacher and classmates. Once outside, she took the initiative to line up first, so her mom could pick her up right away. Lin Meiyan was waiting for her outside. Qiaoqiao waved, and after waiting for the teacher to say they could go, she immediately ran to Lin Meiyan. "Mom, Mom." "Have you found someone to renovate Linji?" Lin Meiyan shook her head. "Still looking." "Why?" Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment, then took out the blueprint from her hand and handed it to her. "Mom, take a look at this." Lin Meiyan opened it and glanced at it. When she saw the familiar, precise lines on it, she immediately recognized who had drawn it. "Where did you get this?" Even her tone turned several degrees harsher. This was a side of Lin Meiyan that she had never shown in front of Qiaoqiao, and it startled Qiaoqiao so much that her little face turned pale. Qiaoqiao shrank back and whispered, "Mom." Lin Meiyan also realized she had overreacted. She took a deep breath and tried to soften her voice. "Qiaoqiao, tell Mom, where did this come from?" Qiaoqiao said in a small voice, "Uncle Yu drew it." Hearing this answer suddenly, Lin Meiyan's face instantly turned as pale as paper. She clutched the blueprint, the faint blue veins on her thin hand visible beneath the skin. "He came to find you?" Her voice carried a hint of hoarseness. Qiaoqiao looked at her mother's expression and nodded slightly. She didn't understand why her mom reacted so strongly to Uncle Yu. Lin Meiyan said nothing, just quietly unfolded the design blueprint. The design draft on it was many times better than the works of those self-proclaimed professionals she had seen these past few days. That's right. How could she have forgotten. Back when they were on the island, he already had that kind of talent. That summer, when a typhoon hit, the Zhiqingdian houses were blown to pieces, and one Zhiqing who was a step too slow was crushed to death inside. The rest managed to escape, but they had nowhere to stay. Later, when Yu Jianghai heard that the typhoon had toppled the Zhiqingdian houses and killed someone, he ran over like a madman. Only after seeing that Lin Meiyan was safe did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. It was also from that day on that he picked up the pen he had put away. He sketched out design after design, finally forming a complete architectural blueprint. The blueprint wasn't necessarily beautiful, but the house built from it would definitely be sturdy enough. After the blueprint was finished, Yu Jianghai gave it to her, and she took it to the Daduizhang. Their bay area built a new Zhiqingdian according to that blueprint. The quality of that house was excellent—in the years that followed, no matter how strong the typhoons were, it was never blown down. At that time, she didn't want this recognition, because this design blueprint wasn't drawn by her. But Yu Jianghai held her hand, his gaze obscure and complicated. "Yanyan, this kind of thing can't be something I take out." "It has to be you." "It can only be you." Back then, Lin Meiyan didn't understand why he said that, why he did that. Now, Lin Meiyan understood. Because of identity. Yu Jianghai was hiding his brilliance, and he had no choice but to hide it. And now? Why was he hiding himself again? Having personally drawn the design blueprint, yet having it handed to her through Qiaoqiao's hands? Lin Meiyan didn't want to think about it, and she couldn't think about it. "Mom." She had been silent for too long, so long that even Qiaoqiao began to worry. Lin Meiyan took a deep breath. "I'm fine." She was twenty-nine this year. She was no longer young, and she had lost the recklessness and arrogance of her younger days. With that thought, Lin Meiyan set aside her complicated emotions and asked softly, "What did he say when he gave it to you?" Qiaoqiao pressed her lips together and said in a small voice, "Mom, Uncle Yu said the choice is mine." At that, she quickly added, "Mom, if you don't like it, I'll return this blueprint to Uncle Yu right now." Lin Meiyan glanced down at the blueprint and shook her head. "No need." "The design on this blueprint is very suitable for Linji." Very suitable, very suitable. Rather than saying Yu Jianghai had given the choice to Qiaoqiao, It was more accurate to say he had given the choice to herself. Yu Jianghai was still the same Yu Jianghai. Leaving nothing to chance. Even with her. Lin Meiyan accepted the design blueprint. For the renovation of the new Linji, she went to the renovation company she had previously favored the most, and she found the person in charge. The person looked at the blueprint and said instinctively, "What a beautiful design drawing." Lin Meiyan said softly, "What if I want to renovate Linji according to this design blueprint?" The person looked it over from beginning to end, and only after a long while said, "I'm sorry, Boss Lin, but we can't do this renovation." A hint of astonishment appeared on Lin Meiyan's delicate face. "Why?" The blueprint was already there—why couldn't they renovate it? She had approached them before because she hadn't been satisfied with the blueprints they had drawn. "This kind of renovation blueprint is complex, and the renovation work is troublesome as well," the person admitted frankly. "Neither of the two renovation companies here in Jiangcheng has the capability." "If you really want to find this kind of renovation company, you might have to look south." "Pengcheng, Yangcheng, or even Xiangjiang—their renovation companies are the ones that can handle this kind of complex design." When Lin Meiyan walked out of the Jiangcheng renovation company clutching the blueprint, she felt somewhat disappointed. But it was fine. She went to another company, and they couldn't take it on either. Not only could they not take it on, they even tried to get her design for free. How could Lin Meiyan tolerate that? Clutching the design blueprint, she turned and left without hesitation, ignoring their calls no matter how they shouted after her. At 10:30 in the morning, Lin Meiyan walked along the streets of Jiangcheng, surrounded by the bustling and lively crowd. After she had left back then, Jiangcheng had changed dramatically—storefronts and street stalls everywhere, and the crowds had grown considerably. Lin Meiyan gripped the blueprint and looked up at the azure sky. How beautiful it was. The sky after rain, clear to an almost unbelievable degree. But she still hadn't figured out what to do next with this design blueprint. Just as Lin Meiyan was lost in thought, a black Mercedes pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing an extremely handsome face. "Get in." The voice was concise and firm. Lin Meiyan turned abruptly and saw the person inside the car—Yu Jianghai. He was wearing a gray suit, his shirt buttons fastened all the way to his Adam's apple, his features handsome and his expression composed. Lin Meiyan pinched the hem of her clothes, hesitating slightly, then looked up. Their eyes met. She could clearly see the emotions brewing in Yu Jianghai's eyes. Lin Meiyan pressed her lips together, then finally lifted her skirt and got into the car. She chose to sit in the back. From the moment she got in, she was as isolated from Yu Jianghai as if she were air. Yu Jianghai didn't even turn his head, his voice cold and deep. "Sitting in the back makes it impossible to discuss matters." Lin Meiyan paused briefly. She looked down at the design blueprint in her hand, took a deep breath, and then moved from the back seat to the passenger seat. The moment she sat down, a faint fragrance accompanied her. Yu Jianghai closed his eyes, his tone extremely restrained. "Buckle your seatbelt." Lin Meiyan looked somewhat bewildered. "What?" She looked down and glanced around, having never heard of such a thing. Yu Jianghai leaned over, reaching across her body. They were too close—she could even smell the faint scent of green tea on him. She wasn't used to being pressed beneath him like this; it was too cramped, and they were too close. Moreover, this movement was too easy to remind her of things from the past. She was about to cry out when Yu Jianghai had already found the seatbelt. He pulled the strap, drawing it from the right side of her body across to the left, and clicked it into the buckle beside her. A crisp click sounded. The seatbelt was fastened. Lin Meiyan stiffened, her delicate face instantly flushing red. "Done." Yu Jianghai paused briefly, sweeping a glance at her from the corner of his eye. They were close enough that he could clearly see her lashes fluttering, her fair skin tinged with pink, a faint, delicate fragrance drifting uncontrollably into his nostrils. Their breaths intertwined, spreading through the cramped space of the car. Before Lin Meiyan could speak, Yu Jianghai had already pulled away from her. That momentary press of his body seemed almost like an illusion. Lin Meiyan sat in the passenger seat, her hands resting on her knees, clenching slightly. Yu Jianghai returned to his own seat, as if the scene from moments ago had never happened. "Sit properly." Lin Meiyan let out a soft "mm," and the next second, before she could react, the car shot forward like a hunting leopard. Lin Meiyan couldn't help but let out a startled cry. Yu Jianghai glanced sideways at her, the corner of his lips curving upward ever so slightly—like a fleeting bloom, vanishing in an instant. The car drove for about ten minutes before stopping at the entrance of Jianghai Dicai. Lin Meiyan paused, breathing heavily. Yu Jianghai waited quietly. Only after Lin Meiyan had composed herself did he open the car door, preparing to get out. "Let's go discuss the cooperation." Lin Meiyan took a deep breath, then turned her head and spoke as if issuing a command. "Yu Jianghai, open the door for me." This was the second sentence she had spoken since getting into the car, and unlike the mechanical tone before, this one carried a hint of something more alive. Yu Jianghai had nearly driven the gentle Lin Meiyan to the brink of madness. Or perhaps he had done it deliberately. Yu Jianghai paused, looking at her with an unreadable gaze. "Are you sure?" Lin Meiyan hummed in confirmation. Yu Jianghai, who had already gotten out, returned to the driver's seat, leaning over Lin Meiyan's body and pressing against her. This made Lin Meiyan's entire body stiffen suddenly. Only now did she understand why he had looked at her that way and asked that question. But an arrow once shot cannot be taken back. She was the one who had asked him to open the door. Lin Meiyan took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. But that breath was a mistake—all she inhaled was Yu Jianghai's scent, a faint, clean aroma of tea. Lin Meiyan froze. Before she could react, Yu Jianghai had already opened the door and swiftly pulled away from her. Just like before. Without a trace of hesitation. For a moment, Lin Meiyan even wondered—was she overthinking things? Secretary Shen, who had been waiting at the base of the Jianghai Dicai building, saw this scene and thought to himself: The boss is truly cunning. If he had to open the door for the boss like that every day, he'd probably have been fired a hundred times over. The first time, he would have already been retaliated against and sent packing. Let alone a second time. But of course, Secretary Shen couldn't say that out loud. He quickly hurried over. "Boss, Youth Lin." Yu Jianghai hummed in acknowledgment, loosening his collar. The skin hidden beneath was slightly flushed, though unfortunately no one could see it. He instructed in a calm tone, "Take Youth Lin upstairs." Secretary Shen nodded. After Lin Meiyan got out of the car and saw Secretary Shen, she finally realized who he was. He had come to Linji to pack up takeout before—she had actually seen him even earlier. That night, Yu Jianghai had been doing surveying for the second phase of the Jianghai Dicai project, and there had been two people. But it was dark, and after she arrived, the other person had left. And that person was Secretary Shen. Lin Meiyan raised her eyes, her face porcelain-white, her voice gentle. "You are?" Secretary Shen was brimming with enthusiasm. "Youth Lin, just call me Secretary Shen." The moment those words left his mouth, he felt a gaze on his back that was far too piercing. He immediately reined himself in. "Youth Lin." His voice also settled down, as if that enthusiastic Secretary Shen from before had never existed. "I'll take you upstairs first." Lin Meiyan didn't answer. Instead, she stood in place, looking up at the building. Above, a sign stood tall with the hollowed-out characters "Jianghai Dicai" written on it. At night, those four large characters would glow brightly like neon lights. That beam of light was something many people in Jiangcheng looked up to and yearned for. Lin Meiyan was no exception. The emergence of Jianghai Dicai gave hope to those who had no housing under the distribution system. Lin Meiyan had actually brought Qiaoqiao to Jianghai Dicai before. However, what she had looked at was the housing from the first phase of Jianghai Dicai. At that time, she was living at her uncle's house. Gu Xiaolin was about to get married, but the house was getting a bit cramped. Her uncle and aunt hadn't said anything, but for Lin Meiyan, the kinder they were, the guiltier she felt. And Jianghai Dicai was the first commercial housing project in Jiangcheng to be allowed for sale. It was fully legal and compliant, and even supported by policy. When Lin Meiyan had gotten that news, she had come to look at the houses right away, but they were too expensive. In early 1989, Jianghai Dicai was selling at six hundred yuan per square meter. At the same time, Lin Meiyan only had two thousand three hundred yuan in hand—and that was money she had saved up over four years. Her meager savings were, without a doubt, a drop in the bucket when it came to buying a house from Jianghai Dicai. From the day she finished viewing that house, she told herself she needed to work hard and save money. She wanted to buy a property from Jianghai Dicai and move out with Qiaoqiao. And now, though she still hadn't bought that Jianghai Dicai home, she found herself here once again. She followed Secretary Shen up the stairs and arrived at Yu Jianghai's office. When she laid eyes on the office—easily five times the size of the Gu family's—she was momentarily struck speechless. Secretary Shen invited her in with a respectful demeanor. "Youth Lin, you can sit by the window. The view from there is quite nice." Lin Meiyan hesitated for a moment before stepping inside. True to his word, Secretary Shen led her directly to the spot by the floor-to-ceiling window. Standing by the window, looking down at the streets below, her emotions were a tangled mess. The ex-boyfriend she had once cast aside was now utterly out of her reach. "Youth Lin." Secretary Shen walked over to the cabinet to brew her some tea. "Our boss only keeps Hainan's Zhegu Cha here. Would that be alright with you?"