Chapter 4

In fact, even many years later, whenever Wen Ruan looked back on this meal, she still remembered it fondly. At Qi Yuchuan’s invitation, Wen Ruan got along surprisingly well with everyone. Qi Yuchuan remained the center of the conversation throughout the meal. They discussed semiconductor manufacturing processes from time to time, talked about the bottlenecks in developing chips independently, and occasionally chatted about trivial matters within the Qi family. From Wen Ruan’s discreet observations, Qi Yuchuan would occasionally respond with a few words to their discussions. His table manners were nearly impeccable. The traditional Western knives, forks, and plates barely made a sound as they came into contact. Although there was a wide variety of local barbecue accompanied by an assortment of dishes, creating a dazzling spread, he only sampled a little of each. His phone kept lighting up with messages beside him. The dense stream of work notifications alone was enough to reveal the enormous responsibilities he carried as head of the Qi family. Every major and minor matter concerning the family ultimately required his approval. For an outsider, that workload… It was enough to make someone worry he might drop dead from exhaustion. A trace of pity flashed through Wen Ruan’s eyes, disappearing almost instantly. Yet Qi Yuchuan caught it with uncanny precision. His long, well-defined fingers lifted the glass. He tilted his head back and took a drink of water. Through the glass, his gaze locked directly onto Wen Ruan. The refracted light happened to fall into Hao Junqi’s eyes beside him, prompting him to let out a faint scoff. The next day. Su Qing woke up very early. She wore a well-tailored women's suit dress that accentuated her slender legs, revealing shapely calves and elegant ankles. The hem of her jacket fell at precisely the right length to conceal her hips. Her long hair was swept up, revealing her graceful swan-like neck, with a few loose strands framing her face. Wrapped in her blanket, Wen Ruan revealed only her eyes as she quietly watched her mother. No wonder she was known as the people's “most beautiful diplomat.” “Why aren't you sleepy anymore? You look like a little kitten.” Su Qing slipped on her high heels, picked up her briefcase, and placed all the documents and belongings she would need for the day inside. She carefully checked herself in the mirror, making sure there wasn't the slightest mistake. “Will you be very busy today?” “This morning, we'll be negotiating with the European joint trade delegation. If the negotiations go smoothly, we'll have detailed discussions in the sub-venue this afternoon. Of course, it's also possible things won't go as we hope.” Su Qing walked over and gently pinched her daughter's cheek. “You just stay here and behave.” Wen Ruan naturally behaved herself. However, after getting out of bed and going to the restaurant to find something to eat, she encountered an unexpected situation. As she passed through the rose corridor, she heard several people speaking in hushed voices. One of them asked a question in English. The person answering responded in Spanish. Another person continued the discussion, this time in Turkish, occasionally mixing in a few words of Arabic. Several languages were intertwined, their tones and pronunciations completely different, yet they were all discussing the same matter. It was quite a challenge for them. The restaurant was located close to the coastline. Waves crashed against the shore, sending sprays of foam into the air, while seagulls circled low overhead. Quite a few people were dining, some speaking in hushed voices. Waiters moved between the tables like colorful butterflies. “Ruanruan, over here.” Wen Xu was dressed particularly well today. His sharply tailored Western-style three-piece suit, complete with shoulder pads, emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist. A watch adorned his wrist as he looked at her casually. “What do you want to eat?” “Anything.” Wen Ruan sat down beside him. “Who was that person yesterday who clearly didn't get along with you?” “You mean Hao Junqi?” Wen Xu rested both hands on the armrests. “He's a close relative from a branch of the Qi family. He's got some ability.” Wen Ruan nodded. Someone without ability certainly wouldn't have been able to work alongside Qi Yuchuan. But then she changed the subject. “The Qi family came here with the Ministry of Commerce this time. They're probably here to negotiate a partnership involving chips and semiconductors, right?” “Exactly.” Wen Xu nodded. “Right now, domestic independent chip development is restricted. Overseas chip prices are rising, while supply quotas are shrinking year by year. Resources are in short supply.” “This time, the Qi family stepped in to negotiate, and we've already made quite a few concessions. The other side has directly raised their supply quotation by fifty percent compared with last year.” Wen Ruan stirred her coffee, thinking for a moment. “There's a high probability the negotiations won't succeed.” “Pfft—” Wen Xu suddenly spat out the water in his mouth. “Girl, you can't just say things like that!” He wiped the water from the corner of his mouth with a tissue. “Young Master Qi personally taking part in the negotiations is already a sign of sincerity. No matter how you look at it, they won't simply abandon the chip project.” “I'm not lying.” Wen Ruan blinked. “I overheard several people from the other negotiating party talking privately. They deliberately avoided discussing chip procurement. Their real objective this time is to negotiate cooperation in AI intelligence and industrial robotics.” The moment Wen Xu heard this, his expression turned serious. He stood up. “I'm going to make a phone call.” At that moment, Qi Yuchuan was finalizing the draft of the cooperation agreement and adding the final bargaining chips. Wen Xu's call came through, and he casually switched on the speakerphone. “We're about to begin the individual negotiations. Where did Wen Xu hear this piece of gossip? It's absurd.” Everyone around them turned to look. Qi Yuchuan remained silent. He leaned back slightly against the sofa, his eyes gleaming coldly behind his glasses. After thinking for a moment, he asked, “Wen Ruan said that?” “Yes.” Wen Xu answered immediately. “She personally heard the foreign representatives discussing it. They're abandoning the original chip negotiations and shifting their focus to cooperation in AI and robotics research and development.” “Hmm.” Qi Yuchuan ended the call. Just then, a text message arrived. He lowered his eyes and glanced at it. “Qi Zheng.” A man stepped out from among the group and respectfully approached him. “Young Master.” “Apply for the earliest available flight route. Prepare to return.” “Yes.” Qi Zheng acknowledged the order and stepped aside to make the necessary calls. Hao Junqi, however, spoke up. “Young Master Qi, shouldn't we wait a little longer for the results from the main venue? Wen Xu only heard this from his sister, and his sister doesn't know anything about this. I don't think there's any credibility to it.” In response to Hao Junqi's doubt, Qi Yuchuan handed him his phone. A text message was displayed on the screen. Negotiations suspended. “What’s wrong, Ruanruan?” Her grandfather’s voice interrupted Wen Ruan’s memories. “Lost in thought?” Wen Ruan shook her head and smiled with narrowed eyes. “I’ll answer the phone, Grandpa.” “Hello, may I speak with Wen Ruan? We’re from the admissions office of Peking University. Congratulations on achieving the highest score in the national college entrance examination! Have you decided which university you’d like to attend? Peking University is one of the finest institutions in the country. Whether it’s our faculty, facilities, or key laboratories, we have the greatest resources available. We also offer a wide range of highly specialized programs. Have you considered what field you’d like to pursue?” The other party launched into a lengthy introduction. “I’m sorry, but I’m still considering my options.” “That’s perfectly fine. Whatever choice you make, Peking University will certainly be one of your best options.” After exchanging a few polite words, the caller hung up. Wen Ruan had barely put down the phone when another call came in. “Hello, may I speak with Wen Ruan? We’re from the admissions office of Nanjing University. Congratulations on achieving the highest score in the national college entrance examination! I noticed that you received full marks in physics and mathematics. Have you ever considered attending Nanjing University? If you’re willing to come, we can offer you a full tuition waiver as well as a full scholarship. We can even guarantee you a place in one of our key laboratories. Our physics laboratory is ranked first in the country, with abundant resources and state-of-the-art equipment…” When Wen Ruan heard the words “physics laboratory,” her expression paused slightly. She gently tapped her fingers against the tabletop. “Interested in physics?” Her grandfather immediately noticed the subtle change in her expression. “I thought you would be like your mother and choose foreign languages.” Wen Ruan pressed her lips together. “Actually, I’m still considering the specific major.” Her grandfather smiled and patted her shoulder. “That’s fine. Take your time and look around.” Wen Ruan opened her class group chat. There were already more than 999 unread messages, all of them showing off their scores. There was excitement, disappointment, dejection, and confidence. Of course, there were also plenty of people tagging her. “Congratulations, Wen Ruan! Top scorer!!!!” “Congratulations!” “Congratulations!” “Congratulations are in order!” “Congratulations are in order!” Then, out of nowhere, someone suddenly sent: “Congratulations, congratulations! Now send her straight to the bridal chamber!!!” “May you have a son soon!” “Congratulations on your precious son!” The conversation quickly spiraled further off course. Wen Ruan read through the messages with a smile and slowly typed two words: “Thank you.” “Student Wen, can we see your score?” “Yes! We want to admire it.” “I’m going to print it out and stick it above my bed. I’m preparing to retake the exam next year!” Wen Ruan exited the chat and opened the college entrance examination results website. She logged into the results system, and the page quickly refreshed.