Episode 16

In the CEO's office of Su Company.

Li QingYuan passed a newly modified contract towards Su Hang. "This contract is probably the most humiliating thing you've ever singed."

"Don't be so dramatic. We're just not making money off of it." Su Hang started reading through the contract, checking several important details.

"As a businessman, how can you sign a contract that won't make you money." Li QingYuan replied.

After reading. Su Hang put it on the table and indifferently said: "Someday you'll see."

"??" Li QingYuan tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"The Boss of QinHai Technology is the son of the president of China Bank."

"Part of the loan you made for Shen Group was borrowed from China Bank." Li QingYuan immediately reacted when he heard Su Hang's words.

"Un." Su Hang didn't hide it. Although his company had a small city bank, it wasn't enough for such a big loan.

"Was this part of the terms of your loan?" Li QingYuan asked.

"Yes." Su Hang finished signing the contract and put it aside. "As long as it has something to do with QinHai Technology, let it go through."

Li QingYuan was surprised. "How much do you have to pay? The Su shareholders probably won't agree to this."

"Don't worry about the opinions of the Su shareholders." Su Hang tried to placate him. "I set up a separate, external company."

"I think it's better to pay back the debt as soon as possible instead." Li QingYuan advised. "Sigh. Even after mortgaging some of your Su shares, you still need to help somebody's son. And all this just because you wanted to help Shen Xi. You've become a typical case of 'man losing his head over a beauty'. So different compared to when I first met you, ah."

When Li QingYuan mentioned Shen Xi, Su Hang couldn't help but think back to when Shen Xi cried in his arms last night. And this morning, when she stood by the doorway and waved goodbye at him.

"Hey!" Li QingYuan waved a hand over Su Hang's face. "I'm talking to you. What's with that giggle just now."

"Cough...nothing." Su Hang awkwardly coughed.

"You were thinking of Miss Shen Xi, right?" As soon as Li QingYuan saw his expression, he knew. "Anyway, I helped you court Shen Xi yesterday. How was it? Good, right?"

"I've signed the contract, you can go back now." Su Hang immediately became businesslike.

"Hey! I did you such a big favor. Where's my 'thank you'?" Li QingYuan said in disbelief.

"Didn't you say you 'no need to thank me'?" Su Hang looked up at him.

Li QingYuan couldn't help but admire his shamelessness. Just as he was about to say something, somebody knocked on the office doors.

"Come in." Usually, the only person knocking on his door at this time of day was Secretary Fang Yu.

Sure enough, when the door opened, Fang Yu came in with two cups of coffee. He handed one cup to Su Hang, and another to Li QingYuan.

As soon as Li QingYuan saw the logo on the paper cup, he knew that it came from a certain cafe nearby. Pouting, Li QingYuan complained: "Fang Yu, if your Boss wants to drink this, it's his prerogative. But how can you give me this drink too, ah, doesn't your break room have better coffee beans that this cafe?"

Fang Yu snuck a peek at the Boss, then carefully asked: "Lawyer Li, we ended up getting too much."

"What? Why?" Li QingYuan asked, surprised.

Fang Yu took another look at his Boss before explaining: "When Lilith went out to buy coffee with the money I gave her, the clerk said that as any Su employee gets 20% off their purchases. So she ended up having an extra cup of coffee."

"20% off." Li QingYuan looked at a certain man and said, cynical: "This couple really likes showing-off their love, ah."

Su Hang had been in a daze when he took the lid off his cup and saw the three-heart shaped marshmallows floating on the surface. But when he heard Fang Yu's words, he looked up in surprise. Then, when he heard his friend's scornful words, he couldn't help but laugh.

"Ugh, I can't stay here anymore, I'm going to go." Unable to stand the pink atmosphere, Li QingYuan picked up his briefcase, and with the coffee still in hand, angrily left Su Hang's office.

Fang Yu was also smiling as he followed Li QingYuan out. Thinking of the Boss' happy expression, when Fang Yu arrived at the secretary breakroom he announced: "We should be able to leave work on time today."

"Wow\~" Hearing Fang Yu's words, the entire room suddenly became jubilant. Being the secretary for a workaholic boss usually meant that they worked overtime all the time.

Fang Yu also felt that if eating dog food meant that they could receive such benefits, he would gladly eat it every day.

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'Colors of Spring' was the first cafe Shen Xi had ever opened. It was located near a university town and was full of greenery, making it look more like a greenhouse rather than a coffee shop. It was also Shen Xi's favorite out of all her stores and she frequently visited it.

It was already getting dark when Yun Shu suddenly visited. She walked over and collapsed on the sofa opposite Shen Xi. In a weak voice, she said: "Ahh, this place really is the most comfortable."

As Shen Xi poured her a cup of tea she said: "How can my humble shop compare to Madam's club?"

"You can't compare the two." Yun Shu took off her coat, then took the cup of tea. "I made the club mega luxurious. It's showier and for people who just want to have fun. But you made your cafe a little more bourgeoisie. Although you don't earn as much, it's a much more comfortable atmosphere. It's like the two of us: You're more noble and elegant, while I'm covered in the stench of worldly desires."

"Are you poking fun an me, or are you poking fun at yourself?" Shen Xi raised a brow.

"Also, how can we, with our vastly different personalities, become such good friends?" Yun Shu couldn't help but ask.

"I should be asking you, ah, I seem to remember you hating me at first. You kept saying that I was fake." Shen Xi said.

"Of course, you were the daughter of a legendary family. It wasn't just me, very few women in our circle liked you."

"Then they should be celebrating right about now." Shen Xi pointed out.

"What gossip did you hear?" Yun Shu frowned.

"I didn't hear anything, but I can imagine." While she didn't hear it in this life, she certainly heard plenty in her last life.

"Don't pay attention to any of them. They're all a bunch of snakes that can't see past what's in front of them." Yun Shu replied.

"I don't mind. Anyway, none of them would dare say it to my face." Shen Xi shrugged, indifferent.

Seeing that Shen Xi really doesn't seem to mind, Yun Shu calmed down.

"Anyway, forget about all that. I heard from Sister Li that you donated 5 million to our foundation?" Shen Xi suddenly asked.

"Ah, yeah." Yun Shu picked up an orange slice and said: "I just had the sudden urge to do something good."

"Since you're in the mood to be nice, why don't you go donate a bit more." Shen Xi said with a smile.

"Cough..." Yun Chu choked.

"As you know, the Shen Group has no extra money to donate," Shen Xi said. "So if the foundation is short on money, we can only rely on you to donate more."

"You're really rude, ah."

"That depends on one's perspective on things." Shen Xi laughed.

The foundation the two were talking about was a charity funded under Shen Group and was previously managed by Shen Xi's mother. When Shen Xi came of age though, it was handed over to her. The foundation was mainly for helping orphanages and street children. Shen Xi had originally planned to donate a batch of winter clothes and quilts to orphanages all over the country, but because of Shen Group's sudden difficulties, the foundation was now lacking money. So Yun Shu's timely donation was certainly welcome.

"I remember your family's foundation focuses on helping orphanages, right?" Yun Shu asked.

"Yeah." Shen Xi nodded.

"Do you guys build schools too?"

"Why do you ask?"

"It's just that building schools would be more tangible, wouldn't it? You would actually see where your money went. But if you subsidize orphanages, after all the money is spent, there's nothing for you to look at. It doesn't sound very cost-effective." Yun Shu felt that if it were up to her, she would repair and build schools instead.

"Ah, well, it mostly has to do with something that happened in my childhood." Shen Xi chuckled.

"Oh??" Yun Shu looked at her curiously.

"I got lost once when I was a kid. Wandered off." Shen Xi explained.

Yun Shu slowly nodded. She knew this.

"At the time, I was only three and a half years old. My mother suddenly fell ill after coming back from abroad. The driver took us to the nearest public hospital. My father had been so nervous about mom that he forgot about me. It was only when my mother woke up the next night that he had realized his mistake." Shen Xi said.

"That...what happened during that time?" Yun Shu asked,

"There was a very good-looking big brother who stayed with me until my dad found me. He disappeared right after." Shen Xi recalled.

"Big brother?" Yun Shu was surprised.

"He was just a kid. And my parents tried to look for him after, but they never did." Shen Xi said. "The only thing I remembered about him was that he told me he was an orphan. Coincidentally, my mom just happened to be interested in setting up a charitable fund, so she decided to support various orphanages. She hoped that maybe one of the orphanages she funded would be the orphanage that big brother stayed at."

"So that's how it is." Yun Shu exclaimed as she nodded.

Shen Xi was about to continue when her phone suddenly vibrated on the table. Shen Xi took the phone and answered: "Hello?"

"Madam, this is Mrs. Zhang."

"Yes?" Shen Xi replied.

"Madam, I just wanted to ask if you'll be eating dinner at home?" Mrs. Zhang asked.

Shen Xi looked down at the watch on her wrist and realized it was almost 6:00 p.m. She hesitated, wondering if she should eat with Yun Shu, or eat at home. Mrs. Zhang then continued: "I bought a lot of vegetables today, but Sir said that if you weren't going to eat at home, he could just live off of noodles instead."

"Su Hang's already back home?" Shen Xi asked.

"Yes, he's been home for a while now." Mrs. Zhang replied.

"I'll have dinner at home. I'll be back in around half an hour." Shen Xi said.

After that, Shen Xi ended the call and shook her head at the somewhat laughable situation.

"What's the matter?" Yun Shu asked, looking at her strangely.

"Auntie just called to ask if I was going to eat dinner at home."

"So?"

"So, I'm going back for dinner." Shen Xi answered, then stood up to wear her coat.

"...." Yun Shu can't believe it. "It's just dinner. You're going to leave me just so you can eat dinner at home?"

Shen Xi helplessly shrugged. What can she do? She couldn't let a certain someone live off noodles.

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Mrs. Zhang: Sir, the Madam said she's coming back.