At the sink, scrubbing his shirt, Han Qian muttered, "It'd be great if there were some soap." As if summoned by his words, a bar of soap was quietly placed beside him. He turned his head to see Yan Qingqing stepping into the men's restroom. His brow furrowed slightly.
"This… isn't quite the place for you, President Yan."
She ignored his comment, her expression clouded with a trace of melancholy. With a soft sigh, she asked,
"Han Qian, how confident are you that your proposal will yield profit and not loss?"
Shaking the water from his hands, Han Qian reached into his pocket for a cigarette, but before he could, Yan Qingqing stepped forward and retrieved the pack from his coat hanging on the door. She lit two cigarettes, placing one between her lips and handing the other to him. He accepted it with a wry smile, his brow still faintly creased.
He thought she did it out of laziness; she had simply acted out of consideration.
Pristine as snow.
Han Qian took a drag and smiled.
"If the proposal is approved, profitability is inevitable. The return on investment should be within two to three years — everything beyond that will be pure profit. President Yan, I owe a great deal of money — a staggering amount. I need to repay my debts. That four hundred thousand yuan is everything to me. Incredibly important. So don't blame me for demanding such a price. If this land fails to perform, the loss will far exceed four hundred thousand."
"I hope you don't disappoint me in tomorrow's meeting. Gucci feels outdated to me — I prefer Louis Vuitton. Once your proposal is on solid ground and I'm convinced it won't incur losses, I'll gift you a set."
"You don't like Gucci?"
"Detest it."
"You fancy LV?"
"Devotedly."
Yan Qingqing turned and walked away. Han Qian stood staring at the Gucci jacket hanging from the restroom door, unease creeping into his chest. Wen Nuan had adored Gucci, and loathed LV. The thought made him slap himself.
"Damn it, what am I thinking? Clothes are just clothes."
But strangely, the idea of receiving clothes from Yan Qingqing didn't bother him at all.
······
At ten in the morning, Yang Lan strode ahead in a sharp blue blazer, her chin lifted high, heels striking the ground with confident, crisp steps. Behind her walked Han Qian, dressed in grey, and Su Liang in black — short hair and long hair respectively, both exuding a cool elegance.
The trio moved toward the thirteenth-floor conference room like a storm front — beautiful, formidable, unyielding.
Their striking appearance and commanding aura drew whispers. Some asked in hushed voices whether Director Yang from the Comprehensive Department had undergone a transformation. Others wondered when those two cold and impossibly handsome men had joined the company, having never seen them before.
Inside the conference room, Yan Qingqing was already seated at the head of the table. All the company's senior executives were present. A slight unease lingered in her posture — these were seasoned veterans, and this was a venture fraught with risk.
Seated beside her was a man in his mid-thirties, clad in a tailored black suit of exceptional quality. A Vacheron Constantin glinted on his wrist — a symbol of power and wealth.
This was Gao Lvxing, Vice President of Rongyao Group — the only figure capable of rivaling Yan Qingqing's authority within the company.
Though she wore formal attire, her deep burgundy hair remained conspicuous. Taking a deep breath, she tapped the table lightly.
"Since all departmental managers are now present, let us begin. I'll be brief. I believe you're all aware of the land near the airfield. The authorities intend to entrust the development to one of four companies — Rongyao, Changxiang, Xinghui, or Yunhong. I have confirmed that Changxiang has already declined due to internal negotiations. Xinghui and Yunhong are new players, and the authorities are unlikely to burden fresh entrants. That leaves Rongyao, the financially strongest of the four.
I've already spoken to the board. This project was slated for Rongyao a month ago. I'm sure some of you have heard whispers. Now, I'd like to hear your views."
Song Jing from HR bowed her head slightly. Sun Ya from PR shrugged and spoke.
"President Yan, I heard this project was ours long before last month. I once attempted to approach the authorities, but was subtly brushed off. I'm no expert in investments, but this plot looks destined for failure no matter how it's handled."
Yan Qingqing nodded, turning her gaze to the Investment Department's director — a middle-aged man who glanced at his notes, frowning.
"President Yan, the location is ideal — served by three bus routes, a ten-minute walk from the station. Opposite are a decor market and a small commodities center. A twenty-minute walk brings you to RT-Mart and Fortune Street. But… all landmarks are to the south. Our plot is on the north side, behind a military airfield. The airbase isn't moving, and any construction must not interfere with training flights. Even the buildings across the street are only two stories tall. Our department does not recommend investment."
The Risk Department immediately followed:
"We've evaluated the price — attractive indeed — but the land's development potential is minimal. High-rise buildings dominate the area, but due to flight restrictions, we cannot build upward. Even with noise insulation, the sound of planes at night will remain. Loss probability for residential development: 80%. For commercial: 70%, due to established competitors. Entertainment options like amusement parks or golf courses are impossible given the space. Hospitals are a no-go due to a nearby hospital within two kilometers. In short: no viable project type fits."
The head of Planning kept his head bowed, unable to meet Yan Qingqing's eyes — not that she expected anything from him.
She turned to Gao Lvxing with a strained smile.
"Vice President Gao, might you have any means to shift this burden, or alternative solutions?"
Gao replied with a faint, unreadable smile.
"President Yan, all possible influence has been exerted by the board. And with the bid set for tomorrow, there's little to be done. If it fails, I'll accompany you to the board and explain the situation."
He laughed inwardly — cold, mocking. This entire mess was his doing, his trap. He'd arranged the land to fall into Rongyao's hands, just to expose Yan Qingqing's inadequacy — a little girl playing at power.
Truthfully, it no longer mattered whether they attended the bid. The land was already Rongyao's. All that remained was the formalities — and the payment.
Yan Qingqing exhaled sharply, bitter amusement curling her lips.
"Then we'll leave it at that. After the bidding concludes tonight — oh, Vice President Gao, perhaps you weren't informed? The time has changed. It's not tomorrow. It's tonight. Care to join me?"
"No need. One president at the scene is enough. I'll stay behind and avoid getting in the way."
"Meeting adjourned."
As she exited, she gave the trio a subtle shake of her head.
"Director Yang, take the rest of the day off. Su Liang, you too. Han Qian, stay."
The three froze. Han Qian's face darkened as he stepped forward, blocking her path.
"You're playing games with me?"
Yan Qingqing replied coldly.
"I don't have time for games. To my office. Now."