The sensation on his fingertips from earlier still remained, soft, warm, slender, and graceful.
This name suited her quite well.
“I heard from Bernard that you do ballet?”
“Yes.”
“Which troupe?”
“New York, ABT.”
Qi Zhicheng gave an “oh” sound. “Coincidentally, my project is also in New York, perhaps we will meet again in the future.”
The next day, the weather in the small town cleared up slightly, and Bernard informed everyone that they needed to rush to the next location where a tornado might appear.
Before setting off, Bernard and several team members were outside organizing items by the car.
Jiang Man came downstairs, seeing only Qi Zhicheng sitting by the table eating breakfast.
Hearing footsteps, Qi Zhicheng raised his eyes, his gaze resting on her for a second. “Morning.”
“Morning,” Jiang Man sat opposite him to eat, her plate containing the standard inn offering of bacon and toast.
During the meal, the two did not speak. Jiang Man picked up the orange juice by her hand to take a sip, but the taste felt a bit off.
“That is carrot juice,” Qi Zhicheng explained in a calm voice from the side. “I had the owner prepare it for you. Carrots contain rich vitamin A, which should be beneficial for your night blindness.”
“Thank you,” Jiang Man set down the glass. “But my night blindness is congenital, dietary supplements probably won’t have a major effect. Furthermore, I don’t quite like the taste of carrots.”
Qi Zhicheng raised his brows slightly. “As you wish.”
The number of thunderstorms and tornadoes occurring in the United States every year was countless, but tornadoes often occurred suddenly, and chasing one was by no means an easy task, requiring arrival at the predicted storm location in advance.
They managed to catch a tornado two days later.
A rotating updraft gradually condensed into a massive funnel cloud, creating a supercell storm with a very beautiful structure.
What was rare was that this cell did not dissipate with time, instead, the black cyclone condensed larger and larger, ultimately forming a funnel-shaped tornado.
Qi Zhicheng truly couldn’t muster much interest in this F1-level tornado.
It wasn’t even as interesting as watching the rich expressions of the girl beside him.
One moment marveling, another moment widening her eyes, and occasionally letting out a “wow.”
It was incredibly amusing.
Watching her was far more interesting than watching the wind.
He began talking to her about an F3 tornado he had chased once before.
At that time, they were probably only a few miles away from it, and according to the storm’s moving speed at the time, they had only about ten minutes of evacuation time.
The wind chased from behind, and he and several friends drove speeding frantically all the way.
Perhaps unable to approve of such crazy behavior, her brows furrowed as she listened, “That is too dangerous.”
Qi Zhicheng thought nothing of it, instead smiling.
“But it was extremely thrilling, wasn’t it?”
Then, he enjoyably watched her earnestly advise him to cherish his life and protect himself.
When he raised his eyes again, the distant tornado was like a giant beast rampaging and tearing at the sky, as if the entire world had plunged into a vortex and spun along with it.
The girl beside him suddenly let out a cry of surprise.
Qi Zhicheng followed her gaze, and within the dark sky, a brilliant rainbow was actually spanning across the black storm.
The tornado and the rainbow intersected, forming a dangerous yet magnificent scene.
“I didn’t expect a tornado could actually appear simultaneously with a rainbow, it’s so beautiful!”
“The interaction of dry and moist air indeed carries a chance of forming a rainbow, but it is extremely rare,” Qi Zhicheng’s lips curved slightly. “You encountered it during your first storm chase, so it can only be said that you are very lucky.”
The girl widened her eyes slightly, her smile growing even more radiant.
She seemed to suddenly think of something, then pressed her hands together, closed her eyes, and made a wish.
Pious and serious.
Qi Zhicheng cast a glance, unable to restrain a soft laugh.
He withdrew his gaze, raising his eyes to look at the intersecting and entangling tornado and rainbow in the distance.
Their first acquaintance was just as beautiful as that rainbow.
If the him back then had known he would love her this deeply in the future, he definitely would have snatched her over right at that moment, keeping her by his side and never letting her leave.
On the dining table, the flame on the candelabra burned quietly.
The candle wick popped lightly, making a tiny crackling sound.
This minute noise brought Qi Zhicheng back to his senses.
His drifting thoughts returned.
“We met during a storm chase,” he said simply. “Bernard, do you still remember him? He organized the storm chase, which was how we met.”
“Bernard?” Jiang Man nodded. “When I first arrived in New York, I rented his apartment. He was a very good landlord, and a very good friend.”
Bernard was nearly fifty years old, a landlord who managed things personally and was highly responsible.
Back then, Jiang Man had just arrived in New York, and to seek quietness, she did not live in the apartment provided by the dance troupe.
She saw a rental listing posted by Bernard online.
“There is a beautiful attic there with stable lighting, most suitable for thinking, and perhaps, suitable for dancing as well.”
He had written that in the rental listing.
It was precisely because of this sentence that Jiang Man’s heart was moved.
The neighborhood mentioned in the rental listing was renowned for its quiet streets and rich cultural and artistic atmosphere, and it wasn’t far from the dance troupe.
The main rehearsal hall of the American Ballet Theatre was located on Broadway, making the commute from the neighborhood to the rehearsal hall very friendly.
After viewing the apartment, Jiang Man quickly decided to rent it.
She still remembered it was a three-story townhouse, and she rented the top floor, which came with a beautiful attic.
The attic featured a massive window, as well as a balcony adorned with vines and roses.
At that time, the doctor told her.
In fact, he lived in New Jersey year-round, and this house in New York was basically left vacant. It just so happened that he had a semester-long academic visit at Columbia University, so he stayed here for a period for convenience.
For a house that wasn’t lived in year-round, to add some human presence and help subsidize some property taxes, he chose to rent out the third floor.
Meanwhile, he lived on the first floor.
Gradually they became familiar with each other, and he would care for her like a father, while also patiently listening to her thoughts like a friend.
Qi Zhicheng looked at her and said, “A while ago, Bernard successfully proposed, and he even posted a photo of the two wearing rings on IG, so a joyous occasion should be drawing near.”
“He’s getting married?”
Jiang Man was somewhat surprised.
She knew the doctor had been single for many years, and now that he had finally met the person to accompany him for the rest of his life, she was truly happy for him.
“We will likely receive his wedding invitation soon,” Qi Zhicheng smiled slightly. “When the time comes, we will attend his wedding together.”
“Okay,” Jiang Man nodded.
The dinner ended under a fairly harmonious atmosphere, and Qi Zhicheng escorted her to the bedroom door just like usual.
After wishing each other goodnight, Jiang Man closed the bedroom door.
However, her heart remained shrouded in gloom.
This mood persisted into the next day when she went to the dance troupe, refusing to dissipate.
Liang Yue noticed her unusual state, leaning in to look at her face, “Senior sister, are you unhappy?”
Jiang Man shook her head.
“I see you’ve been in low spirits all this time, and you’re not smiling,” she paused, observing her expression before continuing, “Is your bad mood because a few days ago, Director Li sought out Principal Dancer Xu alone to chat about the new production?”
Jiang Man opened her thermos to drink water, “Is that so? If you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t even know this happened.”
“Ah, I thought you knew, everyone is speculating that for the premiere night of Saint Teresa, Director Li might lean more toward Principal Dancer Xu.”
Liang Yue’s brows furrowed, “Furthermore, rumors are spreading through the troupe right now that when you fainted previously, it was actually because you were fainted from anger,”
Jiang Man was speechless.
“I merely had low blood sugar.”
In another corner of the rehearsal hall, another small cluster of people was also chatting in low voices.
Surrounded in the center, Xu Yining was looking down adjusting the ribbons of her dance shoes, the satin bands wrapped around her ankles untangling ring by ring.
Someone beside her said, “The premiere of Saint Teresa can’t possibly really be given to Principal Dancer Jiang, right? It’s not like everyone doesn’t know what state Principal Dancer Jiang is in, her condition is always hot and cold, and if she drops the ball at a critical moment, it ruins an entire production.”
Xu Yining did not chime in, appearing even somewhat absentminded.
She untied the satin bands on her shoes, raising her eyes to look distantly at Jiang Man far away.
Her heart felt a bit complicated.
She remembered the Jiang Man of the past,
The talent and technique were there, but she always carried a sort of despondency as if the living were slightly dead.
Muddled through the entire day, completely lacking the vivid sharpness a dancer ought to possess.
Just like an exquisite corpse.
Xu Yining didn’t know if people turned into this after marrying into a wealthy family, she merely felt that if she didn’t want to dance anymore, she could perfectly well go be her wealthy grand madam, so why drag things along here, making people dislike her upon sight.
Back then, she felt Jiang Man was simply unworthy of being her opponent.
She couldn’t even muster the interest to compete.
But everything seemed to have changed after her amnesia.
Perhaps the car accident had truly damaged her brain, for the current Jiang Man was indeed quite different from her past self.
She recalled not long ago when she returned to the dance troupe late at night due to some matter, the Huai City Ballet building was pitch-black, yet the innermost practice room still had its lights on.
As if possessed, she walked over, and unexpectedly saw Jiang Man.
Xu Yining looked down at her worn dance shoes, her thoughts convoluted.
For the first time, she wanted to re-examine her.
Approaching evening.
Towering in the city center of Huai City, the Qiheng Headquarters Building was as busy as always. This skyscraper was entirely composed of dark blue glass and silver steel, its shape clean and sharp, its height far exceeding the surrounding buildings, making it a universally recognized landmark.
Above the building was a massive silver-gray group logo, exuding a chilling authority.
The glass curtain walls were completely transparent and clear, the building entrance was spacious and open, and office personnel dressed in suits walked with hurried paces, the atmosphere busy yet orderly.
The top floor, the CEO’s office.
Qi Zhicheng leaned back in a large sofa chair, his posture casual.
Before him was an expansive, black office desk.
The assistant, Song Yang, stood by one side of the desk, reporting the upcoming work arrangements.
“At five o’clock this afternoon, President Li of Tianrui and his team will arrive to finalize the investment details of the project with you.”
As Song Yang spoke, he used his peripheral vision to quietly glance at the man on the sofa chair.
He saw him propping his elbow on the sofa armrest, his eyelashes lowered, his gaze resting on his own chest.
His fingers from time to time hooked the end of that dark gray tie, unconsciously winding it, then letting go.
His thumb and fingers repeatedly rubbed the texture of the tie’s satin surface, his movements gentle.
This abnormal behavior caused Song Yang to also look a few more times at that tie.
A very ordinary dark gray, a classic style, and the fabric could be seen to be decent.
But he had seen his boss wear far more top-tier fabrics and styles, yet he had never seen him act this unable to part with one.
However, this boss of his was always temperamental, so he didn’t dare to make wild guesses, a single slip up might cost him this high-paying job.
Thinking up to this point, Song Yang focused his mind. Seeing Qi Zhicheng’s absentminded appearance, he thought he wasn’t listening, and was preparing to state it once more.
Who would have thought the lazy and relaxed man would only then slowly ask a sentence, “Where are the people from Tianrui?”
Just as Song Yang was about to speak, a burst of commotion suddenly came from outside the door.
Clamoring and shouting, along with a man’s loud yelling.
Qi Zhicheng gave Song Yang a glance, and he immediately understood, heading outside to check the situation.
Not long after, Song Yang returned with his brows furrowed.
“What is it?”
Song Yang appeared a bit conflicted, “Lu Wenqian of Woshi Technology somehow managed to evade security and ran over here, right now he’s outside making a scene demanding to see you.”
Hearing this, Qi Zhicheng stretched out his long legs, and the office chair slid backward accordingly.
He sank his entire body into the chair, carrying a bit of nonchalance.
The chair back rotated slightly, spinning a lazy circle.
Following that, the corners of his lips curved up.
“An old friend has arrived, there’s no reason to bar him from the door.”
“Let him in.”
Song Yang nodded, “Understood.”
Three minutes later, Lu Wenqian, the founder of Woshi Technology, rushed into the CEO’s office, angrily accusing Qi Zhicheng of breaking faith and abandoning righteousness.
“Qi Zhicheng! Are you even human!”
The veins on Lu Wenqian’s neck bulged, his entire face flushed red from fury.
Woshi Technology’s capital chain had broken, and the massive research and development along with operational costs pressed down so hard they couldn’t catch their breath.
What was more terrifying was that because their core processes had already been controlled by Qiheng, they simply couldn’t serve other clients within the short term.
The company was on the brink of collapse.
Forming a sharp contrast with Lu Wenqian’s furious behavior of a red face and ears was the man who sat elegantly behind that massive office desk from start to finish.
Qi Zhicheng unhurriedly wiped his glasses, not even raising his head,
“Breaking faith and abandoning righteousness? Mr. Lu, there are only winners and losers in the business world. Initially, I gave you the opportunity to join Qiheng, but you chose confrontation.”
Lu Wenqian roared, “You are exploiting loopholes in the rules! We will appeal!”
“Please do.”
Qi Zhicheng crossed his legs, leaning back lazily.
“Rules are merely tools used to maximize interests. My legal department has twenty lawyers with annual salaries of tens of millions, and their duty is to ensure I always play within the rules.”
“You can certainly appeal, however, this process will probably take three to five years.”
He gave him a slight smile, cold to the point of being almost heartless, “Meanwhile, does your company still have three to five weeks?”
Fury instantly scorched away all sanity, and Lu Wenqian’s eyes turned crimson. He lunged toward the office desk, grabbing the stack of documents on the desktop to hurl them fiercely at the composed man behind the desk.
Yet just as his arm swung halfway into the air, he was tightly pinned by the security guards lunging up from both sides.
The metal file folder fell accordingly, overturning a cup of tea on the desktop.
Water splashed up.
Lu Wenqian struggled desperately, “Qi Zhicheng! You are simply not human! You will get your karma!”
Qi Zhicheng didn’t even knit his brows.
As if the person being cursed wasn’t him.
Except, after lowering his eyes to see a few drops of liquid splashed onto his tie, his expression slowly darkened.
Extremely gloomy.
He finally showed great mercy by standing up, walking over to stand before Lu Wenqian.
Looking down at him.
“Right now, you have two choices.”
“First, hold onto that ridiculous ideal of yours and sink along with your company, I don’t mind acquiring its corpse at one-tenth of the price. Second, accept my initial,”
He paused, smiling as he corrected himself, “No, the initial acquisition agreement no longer counts, I have already planned to modify it to be even more stringent.”
He turned around, a cruel delight carried within his smile,
“See, I am actually very benevolent.”
“I gave you choices, though in both options, I win.”
Lu Wenqian’s face turned deathly pale, his chest heaving, his two fists clenched until they creaked.
He suddenly understood the twists and turns within.
In reality, from the very beginning, Qiheng’s intention to cooperate was fake, he was merely preparing for the subsequent strangulation.
He elegantly arranged everything, then quietly watched the prey walk toward demise according to the game rules he had established.
Without dirtying his hands in the slightest, he easily took everything he wanted.
Song Yang, who had been standing to the side the entire time, silently shuddered in his heart.
He had to admit that such methods were too cruel.
Overnight, a company built from scratch could only be handed over to someone else.
He still remembered back when Qi Zhicheng had just taken a fancy to Woshi Technology’s core technology. He had followed by Qi Zhicheng’s side to negotiate the acquisition plan for Woshi Technology.
Qi Zhicheng had offered generous conditions to the other party.
But Woshi Technology’s founder team valued the company’s independence, resolutely refusing to be acquired.
Facing Woshi Technology’s refusal, Song Yang remembered clearly that the Qi Zhicheng back then, far from being angry, had instead revealed an excited smile.
He knew that this man’s net was about to begin closing.
Looking at the self-righteously proud crowd of Woshi, he had shaken his head pityingly in his heart.
This group of people didn’t seem to understand that in the capital market, rules were always established by the strong.
Likely very soon, Qi Zhicheng would be able to appreciate their struggle unto death within the game rules established by him.
Song Yang had followed by Qi Zhicheng’s side for many years, and had already witnessed too many of his methods in business.
Yet every single time, he would invariably feel a burst of chills.
Whenever it was this kind of time, Song Yang would always feel fortunate that he was merely an assistant by this man’s side, rather than a competitor standing on the opposing side.
Otherwise, he would surely be played with until not even his bone fragments remained.
Lu Wenqian was pinned by security and escorted away from the CEO’s office.
The surroundings finally quieted down.
Qi Zhicheng pulled a tissue over, carefully wiping a few water marks on his tie that were already nearly invisible.
He felt zero fluctuation regarding everything that had just occurred.
As if he only cared about whether his tie had been dirtied.
“They haven’t arrived yet?”
Qi Zhicheng, who was wiping his tie, suddenly spoke, his voice lacking any ups and downs.
Song Yang realized he was being asked, hurriedly responding, “The people over at Tianrui contacted us just now, saying they encountered an unexpected situation on the road and were delayed, at most, they can arrive in ten minutes.”
Qi Zhicheng raised his hand to look at his watch.
The watch hands pointed to five fifteen.
Song Yang wanted to say something more, but Qi Zhicheng had already stood up.
“Notify Tianrui that the cooperation is terminated.”
Qi Zhicheng walked straight toward the office door, “How can people who can’t even manage time manage a project.”
Song Yang instantly fell silent, all explanations crushed by this sentence.
He held his breath, quickening his pace to keep up, not daring to ask a single word more.
Indeed.
A man standing at the apex of the pyramid.
Who could make him wait?
Only others waited for him.
Three hours later.
Song Yang silently took back this sentence.
In this world, there was still that one person who could make his boss wait willingly for a long time.
By the roadside of the Huai City Ballet Troupe, a black Bentley sat quietly parked there.
Song Yang sat in the passenger seat, looking at his watch for the sixth time.
They had already been waiting here for nearly three hours.
He peeked at the man in the back seat through the rearview mirror.
Surprisingly, he showed no signs of impatience.
Qi Zhicheng kept his head lowered looking at his phone, occasionally raising his head to glance at the Huai City Ballet gates.
His finger tapped against the car window frame, over and over.
Carrying a certain rhythm that made one drowsy, Song Yang quietly let his mind wander