The next day, Chi Qingwei had not completely shed the heat of her estrus cycle, yet the strange intimacy between the two came to an end.
Chi Qingwei looked at Shen Zuofeng, who sat quietly watching her pack, and said calmly, “Why do I get the feeling you don’t want this to end so soon?”
Shen Zuofeng tilted her head, her gaze somewhat dim.
Now that Chi Qingwei was out of her estrus, she had returned to her usual indifferent and detached demeanor.
“You already know how I feel about you,” Shen Zuofeng murmured softly.
Chi Qingwei set down the piece of clothing she was holding, looked at Shen Zuofeng in silence for a moment, and said, “Then I’ll give you a chance to pursue me.”
Having been single for so many years, she had finally encountered Shen Zuofeng. Chi Qingwei felt she might be willing to trust her and give the two of them a chance.
“Really?” Shen Zuofeng stood up excitedly.
“Of course it’s true. I wouldn’t lie to you about something like this,” Chi Qingwei raised an eyebrow.
Shen Zuofeng’s face broke into a radiant smile. She stepped forward, lifted Chi Qingwei up, and spun her around twice, her eyes sparkling as she said, “I’ll do my best! But before that, could you just look at me? Don’t look at anyone else?”
Shen Zuofeng had never pursued anyone before, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t take action for Chi Qingwei. And she hoped Chi Qingwei would only have eyes for her.
Opportunities were always something one had to actively strive for.
“That depends on your performance,” Chi Qingwei said calmly, patting her shoulder to signal her to put her down, then resumed packing her clothes.
“Let me do it,” Shen Zuofeng stepped forward, took the clothes from Chi Qingwei’s hands, and carefully, meticulously folded them neatly before placing them in the suitcase. They were due to return to Huaicheng that afternoon, and since Xiao Xi hadn’t come, they had to pack their own luggage.
Chi Qingwei accepted Shen Zuofeng’s help without hesitation, sitting to the side and watching Shen Zuofeng’s focused profile, a faint smile playing on her lips.
This person was really something folding clothes with an expression as serious as if she were reviewing a multi-billion-dollar contract.
“By the way, about Dom breaking the contract, have you thought about what to do next? Are you really going to pay compensation?” Chi Qingwei asked.
Shen Zuofeng paused briefly before smoothly continuing her task. “That’s the worst-case scenario. Right now, we’re actively looking for a company that can take on this order. But because of the special nature of the materials, very few companies have such a large stock. Plus, it requires high-level craftsmanship, so we haven’t found a suitable one yet.”
Chi Qingwei rested her hand on the coffee table, lightly tapping her fingers. “I have a clothing company under my name. You don’t need to worry about the materials. As for the craftsmanship, why not give our company a try and see if we meet your requirements?”
Shen Zuofeng froze completely, biting her lip as she looked at Chi Qingwei.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Chi Qingwei said nonchalantly. “This is a normal business collaboration between two companies. We’ll handle it as it should be. After all, your order isn’t small, so it’s not like I’ll be losing money.”
“And you need to approach this objectively. Don’t lower your standards and choose my company just because of our relationship,” Chi Qingwei added jokingly.
But Shen Zuofeng didn’t laugh at all. She looked seriously into Chi Qingwei’s eyes and said, “Thank you.”
Chi Qingwei shook her head with a hint of amusement. “Why are you being so serious? Besides, the matter isn’t settled yet. Your thanks might be a bit premature.”
“Whether it works out or not, this thank you is necessary.” At the very least, Chi Qingwei had considered helping her.
And if the two companies reached an agreement, Chi Qingwei would have helped them out of a tight spot. If they had to bear the penalty for breach of contract, the fine of over 300 million wasn’t something she couldn’t afford, but it would undoubtedly strain the company’s cash flow.
Moreover, she was well aware that due to the tight timeline, if the two companies did reach a deal, they would inevitably need to rush the project. The urgent procurement of raw materials would also significantly drive up costs. Even if they didn’t incur losses, they wouldn’t make much profit.
“Alright.” Chi Qingwei didn’t argue further. She took a business card from her bag and handed it to Shen Zuofeng. “This is the contact information for the person in charge.”
Shen Zuofeng took the card but didn’t say thank you again. She felt that repeating it too often would only create distance between them.
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you,” Shen Zuofeng said, her head lowered as she organized the items in her suitcase, a complicated mix of emotions making it difficult for her to speak.
“Oh? What is it?” Chi Qingwei was curious, noticing her hesitation.
Shen Zuofeng locked her suitcase, gritted her teeth, and looked up at Chi Qingwei. “Even though I hit Zhao Haisheng, I’m definitely not a violent person. It’s just that he used the compensation issue to pressure me into drinking that spiked wine. I was disgusted and furious at his actions, which is why I ended up fighting with him. I’m absolutely not someone with a bad temper or violent tendencies!”
Hearing this, Chi Qingwei was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter.
She laughed so heartily that her dark eyes glistened with tears, as if Shen Zuofeng had truly amused her.
Shen Zuofeng: “…”
Wasn’t she being serious about this?
She felt she had to clarify this matter, afraid that she had left a violent impression on Chi Qingwei.
Seeing her speechless expression, Chi Qingwei tried to rein in her laughter and said, “I never thought you were a violent person. In fact, I think you did quite well.”
Even if “doing quite well” came at the cost of landing herself in detention.
“Quite well?” Shen Zuofeng was taken aback. Hitting someone was considered “quite well”?
“Yes, quite well,” Chi Qingwei nodded and explained, “Before this incident, it seems you didn’t really know what kind of person Zhao Haisheng is.”
She paused before continuing, “Zhao Haisheng made a name for himself in his youth through sheer ruthlessness. He does have some ability, but his character leaves much to be desired.”
“He enjoys manipulating others and has coerced many people into relationships with him using his professional influence. Those who know about these things are extremely cautious when it comes to collaborating with him.”
Shen Zuofeng fell silent. This reflected how little they knew about many people and situations. If they had known beforehand what kind of person Zhao Haisheng was, they would never have chosen to work with Dom.
“A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit. From now on, we’ll thoroughly investigate potential partners before making any decisions,” Shen Zuofeng resolved.
There’s no such thing as foresight in this world. Since it happened, just treat it as a lesson and make sure it doesn’t happen again in the future.
“Exactly,” Chi Qingwei nodded in agreement. “But if there’s anything else you’re unsure about, you can always come and ask me.”
Shen Zuofeng chuckled softly. “Alright.”
Time flew by quickly. Upon returning to Huaicheng, Shen Zuofeng immediately contacted the person in charge of Jinchuang Fashion. After a series of negotiations and finalizing the contract, it took less than two days to secure the collaboration. The next step was to keep a close eye on the progress.
With this matter resolved, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. After all, no one wanted to face a penalty of hundreds of millions for no reason.
“How is Zhao Haisheng’s case going?” Shen Zuofeng asked Cai Meilin.
Cai Meilin looked down and crossed out an item on her schedule. “The trial will begin in a few days. We’ll strive for the maximum compensation possible.”
Shen Zuofeng nodded. “Tell them to give it their all. It’s time we saw what the legal department is capable of.”
This was the company’s first court case since its establishment.
“They said not to worry, they’ll make sure our accounts receive a hefty compensation,” Cai Meilin relayed the words of Liu Yang, the head of the legal department, in a serious tone.
“Good. They’ll be duly rewarded when the time comes,” Shen Zuofeng smiled lightly. The people in the company were truly endearing.
“Alright, I’ll let them know,” Cai Meilin noted this down.
“That’s all for now. You can go,” Shen Zuofeng said.
“Understood,” Cai Meilin replied, tucking her notebook away and reverting to her perennial black professional attire.
Watching Cai Meilin’s retreating figure, Shen Zuofeng shook her head with a soft laugh. Her previous outfits had been so vibrant and stylish, yet she insisted on dressing in such a serious, mature manner. It seemed her girlfriend needed to step in and encourage her to change things up. Wearing such stern professional attire every day left no room for vitality.
Shen Zuofeng took out her phone and dialed a video call home. After just a few rings, the call connected.
The holographic projections of her elderly parents appeared before her. Seeing their increasingly gray hair, Shen Zuofeng felt a lump form in her throat.
She had transmigrated into this body while still in the womb, meaning the couple before her were her biological parents.
They had had her relatively late in life, so they doted on their only daughter immensely. It could be said that if she asked for the stars, they wouldn’t just give her the stars, they’d try to hand her the moon as well. Whether she wanted it or not, they were determined to give her the very best of everything.
Yet, because Shen Zuofeng felt somewhat detached from this world, she struggled with how to express love for her parents. Still, seeing their aging faces, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow at their advancing years.
“Fengfeng, what made you call today?” The woman, who appeared to be in her sixties, beamed with joy. Beside her, the man, though stern-faced, gazed at his daughter with gentle eyes.
“Dad, Mom,” Shen Zuofeng greeted them. “It’s been a while since we last talked. I missed you.”
Even now, expressing affection like “I missed you” or “I love you” to her parents still felt a bit awkward. But seeing how deeply they cared for her, she was willing to say things that would make them happy.
“Oh, you silly child.”
Sure enough, the couple both laughed heartily. Shen Zuofeng’s mother, Fang Sujin, chided affectionately, “If you miss us, you should come back more often. Your father and I have nothing much to do all day, we just wish you could spend more time with us.”
Beside her, Shen Qingbai nodded in agreement.
Shen Zuofeng felt both amused and exasperated. No matter which world it was, parents were still the same parents.