Lin Qing snapped out of her daze and instinctively touched her face.
“This office is way too high up… I’m a little afraid of heights.”
Fu Sinian frowned slightly. “Afraid of heights?”
He walked over to his desk, picked up the remote, and pressed a few buttons. The curtains on either side of the floor-to-ceiling windows automatically closed inward. In just a few moments, the entire window was covered.
As the sunlight gradually faded, the office lights came on.
Fu Sinian glanced at Lin Qing and said in a calm, neutral tone,
“Let’s talk business.”
They both sat down on the guest sofa in front of his desk.
Lin Qing opened her briefcase, pulled out a document, and laid it out in front of him.
“This is the draft legal service contract regarding the acquisition of Dongxin Company. Please review it and let me know if you have any questions.”
Fu Sinian took the contract and read it carefully.
While he was reading, Lin Qing added,
“Huading will assign a legal advisory team led by me to assist you. Within three months, our team will investigate all aspects of Dongxin’s assets, finances, contracts, and legal issues. We’ll help your company assess the risks of the acquisition, provide legal consultation, and assist in formulating acquisition strategies and risk prevention measures. If there are no issues, please go ahead and sign the contract.”
After finishing the document, Fu Sinian said,
“No questions—just one requirement. You must be the team lead.”
His tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
Lin Qing was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected Fu Sinian to specifically name her as the lead for the project.
“You’re really that comfortable handing me this project? Aren’t you afraid I’ll mess it up? This acquisition involves a substantial amount of capital. If my risk assessment goes wrong, it could affect your company’s entire cash flow.”
Fu Sinian replied,
“If I choose to use someone, I trust them. If I have doubts, I won’t use them. I may not like your personality, and we’ve had our differences, but when it comes to your professional capability—I have no doubts.”
They had gone to the same private school since childhood, spending years as classmates and competitors. He knew her well enough to understand she was demanding of herself and pursued perfection in everything she did.
Besides, Lin Qing’s reputation spoke for itself. Without real ability, she wouldn’t have made it into Huading—the top law firm in the country.
In Fu Sinian’s eyes, Lin Qing was fully capable of leading the entire project independently.
When he finished speaking, Lin Qing looked at him in surprise.
The man before her had deep, dark, and strikingly beautiful eyes—like a still, reflective lake.
There wasn’t the slightest hesitation in his decision. He spoke with quiet confidence and calm resolve.
Lin Qing hadn’t imagined that one day, she and Fu Sinian would sit here, peacefully discussing a contract.
And to her surprise…
He wasn’t as insufferable as she had always thought.
Somewhere deep inside, Lin Qing’s impression of Fu Sinian began to shift.
Fu Sinian didn’t avoid Lin Qing’s gaze; instead, he met her eyes directly, silently observing her through their brief exchange.
Today, Lin Qing wore a white women’s suit, paired with sleek black stilettos. Her long chestnut-brown hair was tied up with a simple hair tie. Unlike her slightly flirtatious look at the previous banquet, today she appeared sharp and professional.
As their eyes met, something unspoken flickered between them—subtle, complex, and impossible to define.
Lin Qing swallowed and was the first to look away. She quickly pulled out a pen from her briefcase.
“Since there are no objections, let’s go ahead and sign.”
Fu Sinian took the pen and signed the legal service contract for the Dongxin acquisition.
In the “Party A (Client)” section, he filled in Ruifeng Group’s full name, company address, legal representative, and contact information. After completing his part, he handed the contract back to Lin Qing. She wrote “Huading Law Firm” under “Party B (Service Provider),” and filled in her own name as the lead of the legal advisory team.
When she turned to Clause 4—Legal Service Fees and Other Expenses—Lin Qing paused instead of writing, and looked up at Fu Sinian.
“President Fu, in return for the legal services our firm will be providing, your company—Party A—is expected to pay Huading Law Firm a total of 18 million yuan. An initial 8 million is due within 10 working days of signing, and the remaining 10 million is due within 3 working days after we submit the due diligence report.”
“Is that acceptable to you?”
As one of the top law firms in China, Huading’s legal fees were significantly higher than the industry average.
Even though Lin Qing knew Fu Sinian wasn’t short on money, she still felt it was necessary to double-check—to avoid potential disputes down the line.
Fu Sinian nodded.
“That’s acceptable.”
Lin Qing filled out the final section under Party B and signed the date. Then she completed a second identical copy of the contract for Fu Sinian to keep.
“Pleasure doing business with you, President Fu.”
“Pleasure’s mine.”
They shook hands, officially confirming the start of their collaboration.
“Over the next three months, if your legal team needs any assistance, just ask.”
“Thank you, President Fu.”
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”
“Alright.”
As soon as Lin Qing stepped out of the office, Fu Sinian’s phone rang—it was his grandfather.
The old man immediately launched into a tirade, ordering him to return to the Jinxiu Estate.
Fu Sinian had no choice but to reply,
“Okay, I’ll head back now.”
With that, he left his office.
Lin Qing was still waiting for the elevator.
They went downstairs together.
In a 58-story building, the descent took some time.
Inside the cramped elevator, Lin Qing stood silently in the back corner behind Fu Sinian. Neither spoke a word. It seemed only official business could bridge the strange emotional distance between them.
The atmosphere was heavy and silent.
Ding. The elevator stopped on the 40th floor—Finance Department.
The doors opened.
A female employee in casual athletic wear walked in, holding a stack of documents in her arms. She greeted Fu Sinian:
“Hello, President Fu.”
Fu Sinian nodded, but his gaze paused briefly when he noticed her belly.
Then, he glanced sideways at Lin Qing, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.
The female employee came to stand next to Lin Qing. Lin Qing couldn’t help but take a quick glance at her too.
In a high-pressure corporation like Ruifeng, pregnant women were quite a rare sight.
Two floors down, the elevator stopped on the 34th floor. The female employee exited, clearly headed to another department to drop off documents.
The doors closed again. Now only the two of them remained inside.
Fu Sinian took a small step back, coming to stand beside Lin Qing.
After a brief hesitation, he spoke in a low voice:
“That night… afterward, did you take the pill?”