Xin Qing received Jiang Qianren's phone call while she was in the middle of a meeting. She did not want to pick up at first, but after a while, she picked up anyway.
"Xin Qing, I have return to the capital. I'll see you once I've dealt with my family," Jiang Qianren said in an urgent tone. There was some kind of noise in the background, like a commotion.
"I can't believe this man hasn't given up yet," Xin Qing thought. "Qianren, we can be friends or even stepsiblings. It's just not possible for us to be lovers," Xin Qing said in a helpless tone.
"Just don't listen to what my mom told you, okay? Wait for me. We'll talk about it after I return!" Then, he hung up.
Zhang Mi had already figured out what was going on the moment she saw the look on Xin Qing's face. "Oh, my god. The guy still hasn't given up yet!" Zhang Mi said.
"He's going back to the capital." Xin Qing sighed. "Young people are so relentless, aren't they?"
"Pfft!" Monica shot a dirty look at Xin Qing. "Yeah. As if you're any older."
Ah Nan, who had kept quiet during the exchange, asked in a worried tone, "Young miss, you won't actually accept him, right? But what about the young master?"
"Your young master has already claimed that the marital relationship between him and Xin Qing is over. Who gives a damn about his business anyway," Zhang Mi said in annoyance. Then, turning to Xin Qing, she said, "The way I see it? Jiang Qianren's circumstances definitely won't lose out to Ying Qingcang's. You probably want to consider him!"
Xin Qing cast a look at everyone in the room. "Enough with the mumbo jumbo. Proceed with the meeting."
Every year before the summer holidays began, Caesar Academy would organize a large-scale stage play as a means of reporting the academy's activities for that year back to the executives. Parents were allowed to attend the event. The performances and stage decorations were all handled by the academy's students. The academy only had to prepare all kinds of gifts and rewards for the students including organizing a school tour during the summer holidays and preparing gift certificates for those students with outstanding academic performance.
"I'm guessing Smith is up to something again," Ah Nan said in annoyance. "By this time last year, they had already come to us to discuss sponsorship issues and the setting up of advertising billboards at the venue of the stage-play. This year, we didn't receive any letters from them even until now."
Xin Qing tossed down her pen onto her desk. "That's typical of him. He's always been greedy and insatiable. I'm afraid he's got his eyes set on whatever that Ah Cang is offering him."
"A partnership between Smith and Ying Qingcang is highly disadvantageous to us." Monica tapped a few keys on her laptop. "The sales of Smith's product have been doing well in the country for the past two years. Right now, we've already owned forty percent of the shares in the baby products market. If I were Ah Cang, this will be my first striking point."
"Son of a bitch! They're just going to take away the thing that we've worked so hard to build." Zhang Mi was losing her cool by then. Xin Qing tried to placate her. "Well, in the first place, it was Ah Cang who was Smith's earliest business partner," Xin Qing said. "Our current sales strategies were also set during the time when Ah Cang was here to run things. I suppose it's forgivable even if he did take it all back."
Xin Qing patted Zhang Mi who was about to start yelling again. "I asked you to look into a British product a while back. Have you found out all you can about them?"
"You mean 'For You'? The DIY bedding product?" Zhang Mi dug around in her briefcase. "Here. This is everything I've got on them. But I heard that their marketing policies are dominated by localism, as in they never distribute their products anywhere other than within their local region."
"Guys, check this out," Xin Qing said, passing the sheets of information to Monica and Ah Nan. "This is the oldest DIY workshop in England. They specialize in producing bedding products and various natural textiles."
"I know them. The young master had contacted them before. But they aren't looking to put their product out in the global market, but prefer to supply their products to the British royal family instead. Not even the earl was able to convince them to change their minds," Ah Nan said after a brief glance at the information. "We definitely don't stand a chance."
Xin Qing tilted her head aside and went through her options. After a moment, she said, "Even if Smith is looking to partner with Ah Cang, they'll still have to wait for their contract with us this year to expire," Xin Qing said. "Tell him that we demand a ten percent increase in product sponsorship compared to last year. Otherwise, Caesar Academy will not use their products once he partners with Ying Enterprises."
"Okay!" Ah Nan laughed. "I thought we should make the first move as well. That way, it won't look like we're on the defensive."
Xin Qing nodded. "Okay, then. We'll leave it at that for now. We'll talk about the rest after my trip to England during the summer holidays."
"You really want to start a negotiation with 'For You'?" Zhang Mi stared at her with wide eyes.
Xin Qing shot her a disapproving look. "Can't I just be going on a vacation?"
Smith was a little surprised when he heard the renewed conditions from Ah Nan. He never expected Xin Qing would so calmly give up their partnership. He had been thinking of letting Ying Enterprises and Xin Enterprises fight it out among themselves. After that, he would just partner with whichever party that would offer him the greatest benefit. Now that Xin Qing had made such a move, it was no longer possible for Smith to make bargains with Ying Qingcang.
Smith immediately called Xin Qing.
"President Xin, what's the meaning of this?"
Xin Qing was in the middle of picking out her dress for next month's event when she received the call. The designer was taking measurements of her body. Xin Qing stretched out her arm compliantly and smiled as she spoke into the phone: "Smith, we've known each other for so long. It's not like we don't understand each other, right?"
"Well, honestly, I really don't understand you," Smith said, sounding a little pissed off. "Are you aware of just how much loss you will incur in the high-end market if you terminate your partnership with us?"
Xin Qing did not mind Smith's tone. "Then are you willing to sign a five-year contract with us?" she asked smilingly.
"Are you nuts?" Smith shouted. "What if you lose to Ying Qingcang, I-"
"Ah. So you've already deemed that I'll lose. You've been preparing for this, haven't you? You were planning to partner with Ying Enterprises all along." Xin Qing withdrew her smile from her face. "Smith, don't underestimate me and treat me as just another woman. Here, I'm the head of Xin Enterprises. Haha. I wish you the best in your partnership with Ying Enterprises!"
Xin Qing felt a load ease off her chest the moment she hung up the phone. She glanced down and checked out her dress. Then, she nodded in satisfaction. "I'll take this one!"
Not far away from Xin Enterprises' main building lay another landmark commercial building whose entire top floor was owned by Xin Enterprises. Inside this building at this particular moment, Ying Qingcang was listening to a man's report. The man standing before Ying Qingcang right then was none other than the designer who had taken Xin Qing's measurements at Xin Enterprises not long ago. After the designer had concluded his report, Ying Qingcang remained silent for a long time.
"Did she really say that? That she will give up her partnership with Smith?"
"Yes. I was right beside her. I heard everything clearly."
Ying Qingcang motioned with his hand. "You're dismissed."
When the man was at the door, Ying Qingcang called him again. "What's that thing in your hand?"
The designer went into a momentary daze. Then, he walked back to Ying Qingcang and placed his portfolio on the desk. "Are you interested in these, President Ying? These are among the trendiest and most stylish dresses this season."
"Oh. Then why don't you come by my house and pick out two dresses for Miss Rong." Ying Qingcang flipped through a few pages of the portfolio. He paused at the page with a "Xin" logo stamped on it. Then, with a straight face, he flipped to another page. After that, he closed the portfolio altogether.
The designer packed his things away. "No problem. I'll drop by tomorrow!"
After the designer left, Ying Qingcang stood alone in front of the French window, staring down at the city beneath his feet. He eyed the minuscule skyscrapers, the moving cars as well as the pedestrians. The way he was gazing down at everything made him look like some kind of regal emperor. Then, he silently ran his finger across the surface of the window pane where he drew a Chinese character on the glass. When he was done, he blew a breath onto it and watched as the character slowly disappear.
Xin Qing had a lot of company in her house that weekend. Due to all the rumors and scandals surrounding herself, Xin Qing had prohibited Ah Sha from coming home for half a month. During that time, Ah Sha had been staying at the academy with Xunxun and Xiao Rui. Today, all three children were back home.
"Liuliu is so cute! Call me big sis!" A ten-year-old Ah Sha was on cloud nine when she saw the adorable Liuliu. Behind Ah Sha stood a teenage boy whose eyes had never left her figure. Those eyes held nothing but sheer adoration.
"Brother Xunxun, was I also this pretty when I was younger?" Ah Sha asked, pinching the fair skin of Liuliu's tiny hand.
Xunxun did not even glance at Liuliu when he said, "You're prettier." Then he paused for a moment before adding, "You're the prettiest!"
Inside the study, Xiao Rui was staring at Xin Qing intently.
"What's the matter?" Xin Qing patted Xiao Rui's head. Xiao Rui was nine years old now, though he was taller than most kids his age. If he stood side by side with the sixteen-year-old Xunxun, he would only be half a head shorter. Because of that, Xunxun kept claiming that Xiao Rui had the type of body with major growth spurts during its youth but would soon stop growing...
"He's back," Xiao Rui said, tossing a newspaper aside. "It's not just me, Ah Sha knows as well."
Xin Qing panicked. "Ah Sha knows?"
Xin Qing never wanted Ah Sha to find out about this because she simply had no way of explaining everything to Ah Sha.
"Don't worry. Xunxun already handled it."
"What did he tell her?" Xin Qing asked in a tone of disbelief.
"Whatever it is, Ah Sha won't be questioning you." It was clear that Xiao Rui no longer wanted to discuss this matter. "Create an opportunity so that I can see him."
"What are you planning to do?" Xin Qing did not wish for children to be poking their noses into adult matters. No matter how clever the children of this house were, they were still just kids.
Xiao Rui suddenly walked up to stand beside her. Then, he hugged her. "You've forgotten how sharp my senses are. Who knows I might be able to learn something." That was when Xiao Rui noticed the invitation card sent by Caesar Academy. He thought for a moment and said, "Ask him to attend the academy's dinner party!"
"No!" Xin Qing rejected the idea on the spot. "Ah Sha will see him if he's there."
Xiao Rui blinked his dark eyes. "We might not have come home for the past half a month, but people have already been talking about it at school. It's everywhere in the papers and on the internet."
"Just now you told me that she already knows. What exactly did Xunxun tell her?"
The door of the study was shoved open right then. Xunxun and Ah Sha stood there at the door with Xunxun still holding Ah Sha's hand. Panicking, Xin Qing stretched out her arms to Ah Sha. "Ah- Ah Sha," she stammered.
"Mommy!" Ah Sha threw herself into Xin Qing's arms. "We don't want him. Mommy, you still have me!"
Xin Qing glanced at Xunxun. The latter gave her an OK gesture.
"Brother Xunxun told me that he's now with another woman and that he has a new home." Ah Sha's eyes grew red. Ever since Brother Xunxun had told her about this, she had decided that she no longer had a daddy.
"Mommy, I'll help you find a better man to be my daddy!"
It both amused and saddened Xin Qing to hear a ten-year-old say something like this. She picked up Ah Sha and gave her a kiss. "Ah Sha, you don't have to concern yourself with this matter, okay? You just focus on doing whatever you want to do and be happy. That's all that matters!"
Rong Siman sauntered into Ying Qingcang's office, putting an extra bit of sway into her hips. She placed the golden invitation card onto his desk.
"What's this thing?" Ying Qingcang barely glanced at the card, keeping his head low instead as he continued to read his document.
"An invitation from Caesar Academy!" Rong Siman said smugly.
"Did they send it to you?"
"Of course! Otherwise, I wouldn't have even bothered to attend!" Rong Siman snorted. "I want to be part of the board of directors after you've reclaimed the company!"
"Caesar is owned by Xin Qing. Ding Enterprises and the Li family all owned its shares. You won't get the chance," Ying Qingcang said flatly. "But since they've invited us, I suppose you're allowed to make her life difficult."
Ying Qingcang passed the document he had been reading to Rong Siman. Rong Siman took it and read it. "Smith has agreed to partner with us?" she yelled happily.