"Tianzhuo, can we talk about something?" Li Xiaochan's voice turned soft.
"Sure. Anything—if I can help." He answered quickly.
"I used to share a two-bedroom with a roommate, but she moved out. Living alone's scary, and the rent's killing me. What if… You moved in? Split the rent—500 a month. I'll clean, do laundry. It's a steal. Our schedules are opposite, so we'll barely cross paths. And c'mon—this place needs an upgrade." She rushed through the words, eyes pleading.
Move in? Fang nearly fell off the bed. That's practically living together! "I—" He gaped, speechless.
"What? You don't want to? It's not every day a girl offers to share her place and do your laundry. Just help a friend out? Your rent here can't be cheaper, and my place is nicer." She sounded almost begging.
"It's not that. I'm messy, unhygienic—I don't want to bother you." The real reason: Tianwei's reaction.
"I love cleaning. And with our schedules? We'll never bother each other." Her argument left no room to.
"Let me think about it?" He conceded, helpless.
"Fine. Answer tomorrow. I should go—you need rest." She headed for the door, then turned, giving him a dazzling smile.
"I'll walk you out. I have a car." He stood.
"Nope. I'll take a taxi. Rest. And think."
Her words left him on edge. Living with a beautiful woman? Tempting. But it was Xiaochan—off-limits, because of Tianwei.
Sleep evaded him. At 3 AM, he caved, calling Tianwei.
"Tianwei, need your opinion on something."
"Are you nuts? It's the middle of the night!" Tianwei grumbled, obviously woken from a deep sleep.
"It's about Li Xiaochan."
"What? You backtracking? You are a bastard!" Tianwei exploded.
"Not that. She called—her roommate moved out. Wants me to move in, split rent. Our schedules are opposite. What do you think? If you say no, I'll refuse." He kept it neutral, letting Tianwei decide.
Silence. Then laughter.
"Hell yeah! Move in tomorrow." Tianwei sounded thrilled.
"Are you stupid? Living together? You want me to make a move on her?" Fang couldn't believe it.
"You're the stupid one. Why wouldn't you? I'd move in tonight if I could." Tianwei's excitement was real.
"Are you being sarcastic? Spit it out. I'm asking seriously, not playing games." Fang's temper flared.
"Games? This helps me, dummy." Tianwei spelled it out.
"How? What's this got to do with you?"
"We're friends, right? Friends hang out, right? Friends visit each other, right? If you move in, I can visit all the time—see Xiaochan more. Duh." His logic, warped as it was, made sense.
"So you're using me? Then you pay the rent." Fang joked.
"Whatever. Don't lift a finger. I'll grab your keys at work tomorrow, handle the move. Just tell Xiaochan." He hung up, already snoring.
Fang dragged himself out of bed at dawn, exhausted. The Tianfu project weighed on him, a constant worry.
At the office, someone was already there—Rui Jie. No wonder Luo trusted her with everything. She was dedicated, humble, no airs—qualities many men lacked.
They nodded, a silent greeting.
"Rui Jie, any word from the chairman?" He asked, anxious.
"With his pride? Unlikely. He won't compromise easily." She sighed.
They fell silent, both thinking of the billions at stake.
Just after 8 AM, Luo arrived, half an hour early as usual. He summoned them immediately.
"Rui Jie, tell the CEO and department heads to meet in my office at 8:30. The board's joining us." His tone was calm, but authoritative.
"Tianzhuo, I thought about your plan. It works—but we won't chase the planning bureau. They'll come to us. I smoothed things over with the court—the summons won't arrive soon. Work with your team—amp up the public opinion, but don't overdo it. Make them nervous, not desperate." He kept it concise.
Fang understood: build leverage, force concessions. Luo was shrewd, not reckless. Profit mattered, especially with billions on the line and board members watching.
The meeting went smoothly—the board and executives approved the plan. Luo appointed General Manager Yu Chongwen as lead negotiator, with the marketing director, Rui Jie, and Fang assisting.
Fang had his team add more online news links, amplifying the Tianfu story. He pushed newspapers to run daily commentaries, aiming to expose the masterminds behind the attack and the shady zoning changes.
At noon, Tianwei rushed in, grabbed Fang's keys, and left—more eager to move his friend than himself.
Lunchtime, Rui Jie appeared at his office door. "Let me treat you—for the welcome. Sorry, it's late." Her allure was undeniable. He accepted, and they drove to a nearby, reputable Chinese restaurant.
They'd just sat down when a young woman waved from across the room—Wang Zhixin, the NetEase intern.
She approached, smiling. Fang introduced them, and they exchanged pleasantries before Wang left.
Rui Jie stared after her palely, as if she'd seen a ghost.
"Rui Jie? You okay?" He asked, concerned.
"That girl… she looks like someone. A younger version." She said it softly.
"Ha! All pretty girls look alike—big eyes, high noses. I think you two could be twins." He joked, remembering how he'd mistaken Wang for Yanran at first.
"Must be exhaustion. I'm seeing things." She mumbled.
Looking at her tired face, Fang felt a pang of sympathy. A divorced woman, working this hard—rare, these days. Most office ladies her age chased designer bags and pretty boys, but Rui Jie wore simple suits, minimal makeup, and focused solely on work.
"Rui Jie, you should take a break. Go outside, relax. You can't keep this up." He meant it.
"Thanks, Tianzhuo. You too—working for the chairman's no picnic." She smiled, a soft, curve that took him by surprise.
"You've been with him a long time… why's he never married? Back in marketing, we all wondered. A billionaire, single? It's weird." They were close enough now, he figured—might as well ask the burning question.
Rui Jie's face darkened. She stared at him, eyes suddenly filled with sorrow.
"I'm sorry. I don't know." Her voice was flat, empty.
Fang knew he'd crossed a line. Something had happened between her and Luo—something painful.
The mood soured. They ate in silence, then hurried back to the office.
Afternoon dragged. His to-do list was empty, boredom setting in, when his phone rang—an unfamiliar number, but the voice… familiar.
"Darling Tianzhuo, remember me?"
A honeyed purr, thick with flirtation.