The new business partner Su Qingyu was set to meet was a tech tycoon named Qin who had recently returned from overseas; he came from a wealthy background and had a distinctive management style. The meeting was scheduled to take place at a Chinese teahouse known for its exceptional privacy.
On the way to the teahouse, Su Qingyu briefly briefed Lin Weiwei on Mr. Qin's background and the preliminary objectives they needed to achieve during the meeting. Lin Weiwei listened intently, striving to commit the key details to memory.
"You don't need to say much during the meeting. Just pay close attention to his reactions—especially his microexpressions when I mention the pressure from the Gu family," Su Qingyu instructed. "Details often reveal a great deal."
Lin Weiwei nodded solemnly, feeling as though she were about to take part in a critical corporate espionage operation.
The teahouse had a serene atmosphere, and a faint scent of sandalwood incense filled the private room. Mr. Qin was younger than expected—in his early thirties—dressed in a casual suit and wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. He exuded an air of scholarly elegance, yet his eyes behind the lenses gleamed with shrewdness.
After exchanging pleasantries and taking their seats, the tea master skillfully prepared the gongfu tea. Su Qingyu engaged Mr. Qin in conversation, her tone neither subservient nor arrogant. She conveyed her sincerity regarding the partnership while also openly addressing the pressure the company was currently facing from the Gu family.
Lin Weiwei sat slightly behind and to the side of Su Qingyu, striving to play the role of a silent backdrop, yet her gaze remained fixed on Mr. Qin. She noticed that when Su Qingyu mentioned Gu Chen, Mr. Qin's fingers holding the teacup paused imperceptibly for half a second, and a faint smile—something akin to… interest?—seemed to flit across the corner of his mouth.
It wasn't schadenfreude; it was more like a knowing "I knew it," even tinged with a hint of eagerness.
The atmosphere of the meeting was initially somewhat cautious, but as the conversation deepened—especially when Su Qingyu precisely addressed an emerging field Mr. Qin was currently developing and proposed several highly forward-thinking concepts—the interest in Mr. Qin's eyes grew increasingly intense.
"...So, in a sense, Gu's blockade might actually prompt us to find alternative paths to technological breakthroughs and more reliable allies more quickly." " Su Qingyu concluded calmly.
Mr. Qin set down his teacup and clapped his hands lightly. "President Su, your reputation is well-deserved. Your vision and boldness are truly admirable." His gaze shifted to Lin Weiwei, who had been sitting quietly, tinged with curiosity. "And this is?"
Su Qingyu turned slightly and introduced her naturally: "My assistant, Lin Weiwei."
Lin Weiwei immediately stood up and curtsied gracefully: "Hello, Mr. Qin."
Mr. Qin appraised her for a moment, his smile carrying a hint of meaning: "Assistant Lin has an extraordinary presence; she and CEO Su make a very fine pair."
The remark carried a hint of ambiguity. Lin Weiwei felt her ears grow warm and instinctively glanced at Su Qingyu. Su Qingyu, however, merely smiled calmly. She neither denied it nor responded, skillfully changing the subject: "Regarding the details of the technology sharing we mentioned earlier…"
The meeting continued for another half hour, and a preliminary agreement on cooperation was reached. When they left the teahouse, Mr. Qin personally escorted them to the door, his demeanor much warmer than when they had arrived.
Once back in the car, Lin Weiwei finally let out a sigh of relief, feeling a bit of sweat on her back.
"What did you notice?" Su Qingyu asked.
Lin Weiwei thought it over carefully before speaking: "He… doesn't seem to fear Gu Chen. In fact, he seems almost… pleased to see you and Gu Chen at odds?"
A hint of approval flashed in Su Qingyu's eyes: "Exactly. "The Qin family has deep-rooted influence, and they've always been in competition with the Gu family in certain areas. An enemy's enemy isn't necessarily a friend, but at the very least, they're a force to be utilized. What he's after is my company's technological potential, as well as the 'value' of my willingness to openly clash with Gu Chen."
Lin Weiwei fell deep in thought. The alliances and rivalries in the business world were far more complex than she had ever imagined.
"You handled yourself very well just now," Su Qingyu said suddenly. "You were very composed."
This simple compliment made Lin Weiwei's heart flutter with a faint sweetness.
Over the next few days, Lin Weiwei threw herself even more wholeheartedly into her studies and work. No longer content with merely serving tea and running errands, she began actively seeking Su Qingyu's advice on business matters, using her spare time to cram on industry knowledge, and even attempting to handle some simple external communications tasks on her own.
She discovered that when she stopped seeing herself merely as "cannon fodder waiting to die" or "a protected variable," her perspective on the world shifted entirely. She began to truly think about how to establish herself in this world—and how… to help Su Qingyu.
That evening, Lin Weiwei walked into Su Qingyu's study carrying a stack of documents that needed to be filed. Su Qingyu was sitting in front of his computer screen, his brow furrowed, as if he were facing some kind of problem.
Lin Weiwei set the documents down but didn't leave right away. After a moment's hesitation, she asked softly, "Are you having trouble with something?"
Su Qingyu rubbed the bridge of her nose and didn't try to hide it. "That East City land development project that Gu Chen derailed earlier—the other party's representative is completely unyielding. It's very difficult to communicate with him."
Lin Weiwei recognized the case and knew how crucial it was to her company's next strategic move. She recalled that while organizing documents earlier that day, she had accidentally come across some scattered information about that representative's background.
She hesitated before speaking up: "I… I was looking through some documents earlier today, and I seem to recall that Mr. Zhang's wife is an amateur Kunqu opera enthusiast. Plus, there's apparently a pretty famous Kunqu performance coming up next weekend…"
Su Qingyu's fingers paused on the keyboard. She snapped her head up to look at her, her gaze sharp: "Is that information accurate?"
Lin Weiwei was startled by her reaction and quickly explained, "I saw a repost on his wife's social media, along with a link to the ticket sales page… I'm not sure if it's useful…"
Su Qingyu immediately began working on her computer. A few minutes later, she leaned back in her chair, her face revealing a look of relief mixed with surprise: "The information is correct. And tickets for this performance are very hard to come by."
She looked at Lin Weiwei, her gaze filled with scrutiny and a new, admiring tone: "You did well. This information is crucial."
Lin Weiwei's heartbeat quickened inexplicably, filled with the elation of being acknowledged.
Su Qingyu immediately picked up her phone, dialed a number, and spoke a few words in a low voice. After hanging up, she looked at Lin Weiwei, who was still standing in the same spot, and suddenly asked, "Are you interested in business?"
Lin Weiwei answered honestly, "I didn't used to be, but now… I find it quite interesting." Especially when I'm with you.
Su Qingyu was silent for a moment, then pointed to the chair across from her desk: "Sit."
Lin Weiwei sat down as instructed.
"Since you're interested, you should study it systematically," Su Qingyu said with her usual decisiveness. "Starting tomorrow, in addition to your assistant duties, I'll have Vice President Chen mentor you and involve you in some specific projects. The process will be grueling—can you handle it?"
Lin Weiwei hesitated barely at all, nodding firmly. "I can!"
She didn't want to remain forever the one sheltered under Su Qingyu's wing. She wanted to possess her own strength, to be able to fight side by side with her.
Su Qingyu watched the fighting spirit ignite in her eyes; a corner of the ice in her gaze seemed to melt, revealing a faint, genuine smile.
"Very good."
Outside the window, the moonlight flowed like water; inside the study, the lights were bright.
Two women who had originally been destined by the "plot" to be mortal enemies now sat at opposite ends of the same desk—one as the mentor, the other as the student. Through their joint efforts, the trajectory of their destinies was extending resolutely toward an unknown future brimming with possibilities.