Yan Tinglin’s joining Jinghe didn’t hit other chip companies the hardest—it was Ruichi Motors that took the biggest blow, its stock plunging 8% before the market closed.
Few had expected this.
Shen Chi was so furious that he went straight to leave a comment on Yan Tinglin’s social feed: 【You’re basically kicking a patient just out of the ICU—are you even human?】
Yan Tinglin laughed: 【Next time I’ll pick a fishbone for you.】
Shen Chi: 【I don’t want to get choked!】
Yan Tinglin laughed heartily, unable to comfort him.
【What can I do? You know full well the damage Ba Yueguang can cause. How about you team up with Zhong Yi? We join forces.】
Shen Chi:
If he went to Zhong Yi, he had no idea where Zhou Shiyi might kick him.
Besides, Zhong Yi would never cooperate with him in the first place.
Today was the day Shen Chi and Zhang Nuoxu registered their marriage, yet Yan Tinglin had given him such a “gift.”
【Don’t forget, we grew up together!】
Yan Tinglin:
So he could still keep score like that.
Shen Chi was so angry he suddenly didn’t know what to say, downing half a bottle of iced water.
On their wedding anniversary, the two didn’t go out to celebrate, neither having the mood for it.
But Zhang Nuoxu did not skimp on herself, having Ayi prepare a whole table of her favorite dishes.
Shen Chi looked at her: “Can you even eat this?”
Zhang Nuoxu raised her eyes: “Why wouldn’t I? The stocks I bought all hit the daily limit today.”
Shen Chi:
She had actually bought Kuncheng’s stock.
Zhang Nuoxu said leisurely: “Eat up, don’t be sad. I’ll take some of the money I earned from Kuncheng’s stock and buy you two new outfits tomorrow.”
Shen Chi: “…I just happen to need those two outfits!”
If outsiders were mad at him, fine, but even she was angry with him.
If it weren’t for her broken engagement with Zhou Shiyi, he might have suspected she was a Kuncheng mole.
At this moment, in Jinghe Park.
Zhong Yi received a call from her father, who first congratulated her, then asked when she’d get off work and suggested having dinner together.
“Dad, you’re back?”
“Mm, just got back.”
Zhong Yi apologized, saying she couldn’t make it tonight—had to work overtime for a meeting, didn’t know when it would end.
***
The next few months were expected to have no normal working hours.
Jiang Jingyuan smiled gently: “Dad knows you’re busy. I’m downstairs in your building, I’ll just eat in the cafeteria tonight. Oh, and invite Ning Que too.”
Over the years, Ning Que had taken great care of his daughter. Before her identity was public, he hadn’t had a chance to properly thank him. Now at last he had the opportunity.
Just after hanging up, the Maybach slowly pulled up curbside.
Jiang Jingyuan turned as his son-in-law stepped out from the back seat.
“Dad, when did you and Mom get back?”
“This afternoon.”
Jiang Jingyuan asked, “Here to pick up Zhong Yi?”
“I came looking for Yan Tinglin.”
“Is he already at Jinghe? I thought he was still in the Bay Area.”
“No, he arrived in Beicheng last night.”
Yan Tinglin returned to the Bay Area on the 4th, settling things over there. Most of his company and team stayed in the Bay Area, with only those willing to return coming back.
His Bay Area company’s business did not conflict with Jinghe’s chip division; Jinghe let it operate freely without much interference.
The chip team’s office and labs were in the Park’s West District, while Zhou Shiyi came to the East District to see Zhong Yi.
Jiang Jingyuan said: “We’re having dinner with Ning Que tonight. Should we invite Yan Tinglin too?”
Zhou Shiyi had important matters to discuss with Yan Tinglin: “No, you guys eat. Now that the project has officially started, there’s too much to do. Even in the same park, there’s no time to eat together.”
After chatting with his father-in-law a little more, he went upstairs to see Zhong Yi.
Ning Que was in Zhong Yi’s office, discussing when to hold the coordination meeting with the chip team.
Before inviting Yan Tinglin, the project had been led by Zhong Yi. Now that things had changed, Ning Que asked: “Will the algorithms side still take the lead?”
Zhong Yi: “Yan Tinglin is such a hard-to-get big shot. If we invite him, do you think he’ll listen to me? He’ll definitely take the lead.”
“Fine.”
Ning Que sent an email to Yan Tinglin with the upcoming meeting schedule and coordination suggestions for both teams.
After sending the email, he smiled at Zhong Yi: “Didn’t Yan Tinglin say, even if we disagree, he won’t let you back down? If anyone’s going to bow, it’ll be him. I’m keeping that in mind.”
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
The office door was open; Ning Que turned his head and saw Zhou Shiyi standing there.
“Just in time, just finished up.”
Ning Que got up, carrying his thermos cup as he left.
Zhou Shiyi closed the door and casually pulled down the blinds.
Zhong Yi was pleasantly surprised: “How do you have time to come over?”
“To see you.”
Zhou Shiyi draped his suit jacket over the chair back and sat opposite her.
There was some coffee on the table she hadn’t finished; he took a sip. “Did Yan Tinglin say he’d bow to you?”
“…Just joking.”
Zhou Shiyi put down the coffee cup and got up to sit next to her.
Zhong Yi leaned lazily back in her chair watching him; she was in an especially good mood today and took the initiative to take his hand, stroking his well-defined fingers.
She liked playing with his hands—always had.
Zhou Shiyi let her do so, then leaned down to cover her lips with his.
Zhong Yi tilted her head to meet his kiss. The top-down kiss was aggressive, with a cold, pressing breath.
Zhou Shiyi pressed close: “I’ve bowed to you too.”
@Infinite good stories, all on Jinjiang Literature City
He even got jealous over this.
Zhong Yi wrapped her arms around his neck: “I know. He’s bowed more than once.”
“Probably in a few days when Yan Tinglin bows to you, you’ll forget.”
Zhong Yi kissed him back: “Even if I deleted you, you wouldn’t dare delete me. You only took over Kuncheng Motors for me—how could I forget?”
“Isn’t he back for you?”
Zhong Yi smiled: “Then how do you know Yan Tinglin didn’t come back for you?”
After saying that, she kissed him deeply again.
Zhou Shiyi didn’t need Yan Tinglin to come back for him. If Yan Tinglin really came back for him, he’d be spoiled rotten there.
These three years back in China were the quietest in his life.
But Yan Tinglin was truly the friend he cared about most. Everyone else might stab him in the back; Yan Tinglin wouldn’t.
Yan Tinglin only stabbed in the front.
When the kiss ended, Zhou Shiyi pulled away from her lips, though her hands still tightly wrapped him.
He kissed her again on the lips: “Want to keep holding on?”
Zhong Yi nodded; at this moment, she didn’t want to let him go.
Zhou Shiyi glanced at the time; they could stay a few more minutes.
He lowered his gaze to her: “Hold tight.”
Zhong Yi felt she wasn’t just going through the motions. Perhaps he thought just hugging her neck wasn’t enough, so she slid her hands down from his neck to wrap around his lean, strong waist.
Zhou Shiyi straightened, leaning against her desk.
She buried her face in front of him, only separated by a shirt, clearly feeling the lines of his toned muscles. Her claw marks from the night before were still there.
Zhong Yi closed her eyes for a couple minutes, since Yan Tinglin had agreed to join, she’d been incredibly busy, barely getting home before midnight.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, she felt another kiss land on her head.
Zhou Shiyi: “I have to go now, I have a meeting with Yan Tinglin at six.”
“Okay.” Zhong Yi let him go.
Even with his best friends, he was never late.
“I’ll go down with you; my dad’s still downstairs waiting for me.”
Zhong Yi quickly tidied her desk, grabbed her phone and meal card, and headed downstairs.
***
In the elevator, she mentioned how Ning Que was living at the company: “I’m thinking of renting a hotel room nearby so I don’t have to run back and forth all the time.”
Zhou Shiyi didn’t allow it: “No matter how late, I’ll wait to pick you up.”
Her work pressure was already high; sleeping with him at night helped her relax.
Zhong Yi: “It’s too far from Kuncheng to the Park. Coming to pick me every day is such a hassle.”
Zhou Shiyi seemed to consider: “I’ll ask Min Ting to get a temporary office in the Park, so I can coordinate the project and wait for you to go home together.”
Now he understood why Tang Nuoyun had come to Jinghe with her boyfriend.
When you’re busy, you don’t even have time to make calls.
Exiting the office building, Zhou Shiyi went to find Yan Tinglin while Zhong Yi headed straight to her father’s car.
Jiang Jingyuan stepped out of the Bentley, immediately catching his daughter in a hug.
She was still the same as when she was little, excitement plain on her face in front of him.
“Why didn’t you tell Dad earlier?”
“Before the announcement, I was worried things might change. I wanted to surprise you once everything was settled.”
Jiang Jingyuan laughed: “You really did surprise me.”
He ruffled her hair: “Dad worships you.”
“Liar!”
“Why lie?”
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