Chapter 5

That night.

After Xu Zhuwen finished applying a face mask and washing her face, she scrolled through her phone in bed for a while. Seeing that Qian Song hadn't come in yet, she got up impatiently and went to the study. When she opened the door, she found him sitting quietly at the computer desk.

"How long are you going to take to finish this PowerPoint presentation?"

She looked at the dazzling title flashing on Qian Song's computer screen: "Pure Blue: The Technological Revolution of Eco-Friendly Cowboys".

The PPT was filled with terms she didn't understand, such as "O2O omnichannel," "smart wearables," and "blockchain traceability," along with several beautiful upward curves.

“Your company doesn’t offer these kinds of services,” Xu Zhuwen said, resting her arm and chin on Qian Song’s shoulder, looking puzzled.

Qian Song smiled and said, "We'll just find someone to supplement the data and technical solutions later."

Xu Zhuwen looked at it carefully for a while longer, "Old Qian, isn't this a bit...?"

“What is it?” Qian Song interrupted her. “How many of those startups that have received investment actually have a business? We’re just temporarily using this model. Once the funding is in place, we’ll start the real transformation immediately.”

He turned to look at Xu Zhuwen, his voice full of seductive charm, "To be honest, our biggest bottleneck right now is funding. If we can get 5 million yuan in angel round funding, we can immediately launch our Series B funding plan, and our valuation will at least triple."

Xu Zhuwen doesn't understand business operations or capital.

Hearing Qian Song say this, she didn't continue to refute him, but she still had some doubts in her heart.

Qian Song's attention was focused on his PowerPoint presentation. "Just think about it, if our company could really get funding from Blue Ocean Capital, we could not only develop new products, but also find a better marketing team. How much better our brand would be then."

"Your vision is very appealing." Regardless of her inner doubts, Xu Zhuwen wasn't going to dampen her boyfriend's enthusiasm, at least for the moment. "Do investors need to know your actual operational data?"

"Of course." Qian Song's expression stiffened for a moment, but he quickly smiled again. "However, I will be prepared."

...

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the wooden floor of the "Good Time" café. Li Chi'an handed Xu Zhuwen a piece of paper, saying, "You have mayonnaise on your lips, wipe it off."

On a weekend afternoon, there weren't many customers in the coffee shop; a few people were scattered in various corners.

"This place has a really nice ambiance." Xu Zhuwen threw the tissue she had used to wipe her mouth into the trash can next to her. "It's much more charming than the one we went to last time."

Li Chi'an shared half of the Basque on his plate with his cousin, saying, "I knew you'd like it. By the way, how's Song-ge doing lately?"

"He's been doing quite well lately."

"What are you all busy with?"

"It's about financing." When Qian Song was mentioned, Xu Zhuwen's lips unconsciously curled up. "He's been so busy these past few months, he's often on business trips, and even when he's not on a business trip, he's busy until very late. He said he had a good talk with a few investors and there should be results soon."

"Wow!" Li Chian was delighted to see her cousin's boyfriend's career flourishing. "That's great!"

The two chatted happily for a while longer. Xu Zhuwen couldn't help but look down at her phone, and after a moment's thought, she voiced her question, "An'an, would you be interested if a piece of clothing were combined with artificial intelligence?"

"Not interested." Li Chi'an paused for a moment, but quickly gave his answer. "Or are you interested?"

Xu Zhuwen smiled but didn't say anything.

But the meaning is clear; this is also the question she's been thinking about these past few days.

Qian Song's company's customer base consists of ordinary people, not people in special professions. As an ordinary consumer, she really has no interest in AI-powered clothing. This shows that if she has no interest in a product, how many people will be interested in it?

If not many people are interested, can Qian Song's plan really attract investment?

Just then, the door to the coffee shop was pushed open, and the wind chimes on the door made a crisp sound.

She subconsciously looked up, her smile instantly freezing on her face. It was Qian Song who walked in, and next to him was a middle-aged woman dressed in designer clothes.

"Did you also make plans with Brother Song today?" Li Chi'an noticed the person who came in and asked in a low voice, "And who's that next to you?"

Xu Zhuwen gripped the edge of her apron tightly with her fingers. "I don't know him. He must be one of his clients."

But soon, Li Chian realized that Qian Song and that older woman were not the ones his cousin had arranged to meet, because they went straight to a corner on the other side.

"His clients," she carefully interjected. "Did Brother Song tell you he's going out to meet clients this afternoon?"

"Hmm." Xu Zhuwen nodded, feeling a tightness in her throat.

"Should we go say hello?" Li Chian asked again.

"Wait a minute," Xu Zhuwen lowered her voice, "Let's see how things go first. I don't know that client, and it wouldn't be good to go over there rashly."

But in my heart I was thinking, do I need to carry a client's bag when I meet them?

Although she was a middle-aged woman.

Xu Zhuwen bit her lower lip as she watched Qian Song gentlemanly pull out a chair for the lady. After they sat down, the lady smiled and said something, and Qian Song reached out to take off his coat and put it on the chair next to him.

This intimate gesture pierced Xu Zhuwen's heart like a knife.

Li Chi'an had been observing that area and sensed something was off. She turned her head slightly to look at her cousin's expression and found that the cousin's expression was also off.

I had no choice but to lower my head, pick up my cup, and silently drink my coffee.

At this point, she really didn't know what to say.

After thinking for a moment, she quietly took out her phone and snapped a clear photo of Qian Song's table.

It's unclear why, recently, due to Chen Li and various other reasons for preparing for lawsuits, she has been habitually taking out her phone to take pictures and record things in order to prevent evidence collection.

"Why are you taking pictures of them?" Xu Zhuwen had naturally noticed Li Chian's actions.

"Then should I delete it?"

"Keep it."

Seeing that his cousin was no longer as happy as before, Li Chi'an was silent for a while, then asked in a low voice, "How about I give you a useful piece of equipment?"

What is it?

Li Chi'an winked mysteriously, reached into his bag, and pulled out a silver electronic device.

A moment later, Xu Zhuwen took the phone and wireless earphones her cousin had given her and hid behind a plant, just a screen away from Qian Song and the others' seats.

From this angle, she could clearly hear their conversation, but they couldn't see her.

"...So, this round of financing really owes a lot to you." Qian Song's voice came through the earpiece, "Without your suggestion and introduction, I would never have thought of this."

“Why are you being so polite with me?” The middle-aged woman’s voice was slightly hoarse, yet it conveyed shrewdness and competence. “After all, ‘purebule’ is like our child.”

Xu Zhuwen's fingers trembled. "Our child?"

Qian Song never mentioned that this woman was also involved in his entrepreneurial project.

She had met his other two partners before; they were both men, and they lived not in Xianghai City, but in Beijing. They were friends Qian Song had met when he worked in Beijing.

Moreover, the two partners of "purebule" only held a small number of shares and did not participate much in the company's operation and management. The company was managed by Qian Song. They occasionally came to Xianghai City on business trips, and as Qian Song's girlfriend, I was fortunate enough to meet them once or twice and have a meal with them once or twice.

“Honestly, Sister Li,” Qian Song’s voice suddenly lowered, “you’ve been helping me all these years, from my job in Beijing to the creation of ‘purebule’ and its current development…sometimes I think, without you…”

“I’m only helping you this much because I see your talent,” the middle-aged woman interrupted him softly. “You will do very well; you just lack some opportunities.”

"Right?" A touched smile appeared on Qian Song's face, as if he had met a kindred spirit, his eyes filled with emotion and gratitude.

But soon he fell silent again, sighed, and said, "I'm really sorry about what happened back then."

“It’s all in the past.” The middle-aged woman’s voice was full of understanding. “Seeing how beautiful and lovely your current girlfriend is, I’m relieved.”

Xu Zhuwen held her breath, waiting for Qian Song's response.

"My girlfriend... she's alright." Qian Song's tone was somewhat hesitant, "but you know, some feelings..."

This answer was unexpected by Xu Zhuwen. She could no longer resist and quietly stuck her phone camera out from the gaps in the greenery, aiming it at the two of them.

On the screen, she saw Qian Song slowly reach out and place his hand on the middle-aged woman's hand, and the middle-aged woman did not pull away.

"What's wrong?" The other person's voice softened. "Is there something bothering you with your girlfriend lately? If you don't mind, you can tell me. Maybe I can give you some advice and experience."

This scene made Xu Zhuwen's heart skip a beat.

“...My girlfriend has been a bit annoyed lately. She keeps urging me to get married and tells me to buy a house. In the current climate, buying a house is something only a crazy person would do. She doesn’t understand economics at all, nor does she understand the pressures we entrepreneurs face…” Qian Song’s voice came faintly through the screen. “She’s been working in the system for so many years, and every day she sees the same things and the same people. She doesn’t understand the complexities of society at all and always thinks things are very simple. I feel a bit tired.”

“It’s normal for a girl to want to get married when she gets older,” the middle-aged woman said understandingly. “However, now is definitely not a good time to buy a house. I have sold several houses in succession, and I still have a few for sale, but they are not easy to sell.”

"Right? Sister Li really knows economics." Qian Song seemed to be full of emotion, but quickly complained, "Actually, I don't really understand what she's thinking. We're not going to have children, so what does it matter if we get married or not? While we're still young and energetic, wouldn't it be better to focus on our careers and make more money? Why does she have to think about those empty things every day?"

"You are at a critical stage in your career right now. If you work hard for a few years, you might be able to make the company even better. As for other things, we can talk about them later."

Xu Zhuwen felt dizzy and was so angry that she almost dropped her phone.

With trembling hands, she pressed the shutter and took several photos, including a close-up of Qian Song tightly holding the middle-aged woman's hands.

A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan.

Xu Zhuwen was furious, but the two of them continued chatting intimately until Qian Song got up and said, "I'm going to the restroom."

The two then let go of each other's hands.

Xu Zhuwen quickly shrank back, grabbed the decorations on the table and hurriedly covered her face. After Qian Song left, she quickly returned to Li Chi'an's side, her face full of anger.

"How is it?" Li Chian asked anxiously.

She had been keeping an eye on the area, and when she saw Qian Song get up, she almost hid under the table. Fortunately, he went in the opposite direction from where she was.

Xu Zhuwen silently handed her the phone.

Li Chi'an flipped through the photos, his initial surprise quickly turning into calm. "That bastard! What do you want to do?"

Xu Zhuwen's vision blurred. She remembered that Qian Song didn't come home until 3 a.m. last week, saying he was drinking with investors. She also remembered his frequent business trips and absences from home over the past few months...

“I always thought he was just busy with work…” Xu Zhuwen’s voice was filled with fear and sorrow, “I never expected…”

I never imagined it might be a scam.

Li Chi'an sighed softly, then patted his cousin's head as she covered her face, and said gently, "Now is not the time to be sad. He'll be back soon. Do you want to stay here and eavesdrop, or do you want to leave first and think about what to do next?"

Xu Zhuwen clenched her fists angrily, "I want to throw coffee in their faces right now!"

“It’s not impossible, but have you completely figured out their relationship? Have you thought through what to do next?” Li Chi’an paused slightly before continuing, “You need to have the courage to overturn the table, and also the confidence to clean up the mess.”

If not, then lie low and wait for the day to come.

“You’re right, it’s pointless to act impulsively now.” Xu Zhuwen looked at her cousin, who was calmly giving advice, with a complicated expression. “That woman seems to be a partner in his company.”

"Then what?"

"It seems she was the one who helped with Qian Song's company's financing."

"Such a relationship requires even more caution."

When faced with real benefits, men can easily turn ruthless.

In their hearts, career is far more important than love, let alone the love of a scumbag.

Just then, Qian Song's cell phone rang from the direction of their seats.

The two watched as the middle-aged woman picked up Qian Song's phone from the table, glanced at it, hesitated for a moment, and then swiped to answer the call.

"Hello?...No, Mr. Qian is not available to answer the phone right now...Yes, this is...Yes, we can discuss the cooperation in detail..."

Xu Zhuwen was struck dumb.

This lady was actually able to answer Qian Song's business calls?

what does that mean?

And what's more, she even knew Qian Song's phone password?!

Not long after the middle-aged woman hung up the phone, Qian Song returned to his seat.

Li Chi'an and Xu Zhuwen watched them exchange a few more whispered words, and then Qian Song took out a tablet computer. The two of them almost put their heads together to look at some documents, occasionally exchanging glances and smiles.

Twenty minutes later, the middle-aged woman paid the bill and left, even straightening his collar as she went.

Li Chian helped film the whole process.

After the two left, Xu Zhuwen suddenly said, "I want to see his computer and his phone."

"What?"

“He said he’d come to my house for dinner today and would be home early tonight.” Xu Zhuwen wiped away her tears, her eyes hardening. “I’m going to see what’s on his computer when he’s away from it.”

Coincidentally, Qian Song has been working overtime at home a lot lately, and he takes his computer home from the company every day.

However, he uses it frequently, so she doesn't have many opportunities or time to check it.

She would never have done such things as prying into other people's privacy before, but now she has no choice.

Li Chi'an looked at her with concern, "Are you sure you want to do this? Discovering more of the truth might be even more painful."

Human nature cannot withstand scrutiny.

Once you start to doubt and investigate, the world before your eyes will be like a Pandora's box that has been opened.

The consequences are unknown.

The process was also agonizing.

“I’d rather be painfully awake than be kept in the dark and treated like a fool.” Xu Zhuwen took a deep breath. “Do me a favor and send me the photos and videos from earlier.”

"Okay." Putting myself in her shoes, I know I can't accept living a life of self-deception, so my cousin certainly wouldn't want to either.

...

At 6:40 p.m., Qian Song arrived as promised, carrying fruit that he was going to the Xu family's house.

"How did your meeting with the client go today?"

She forced herself to remain calm and took the fruit from Qian Song's hand.

Qian Song took off his coat. "It's alright, but there are some details that still need to be followed up on."

"Did you get a haircut today?" Xu Zhuwen looked up at Qian Song's hairstyle, which was noticeably different from the one he had worn that morning.

He not only cut his hair, but also shaved his beard.

Just to see that older woman.

Do we really need to go to this extent when meeting clients?

This was also what made her feel extremely uncomfortable when she saw him at the coffee shop today.

"Yes, my hair was getting uncomfortable from being so long, so I went to the barbershop downstairs from the office to get it trimmed." Qian Song touched his head and quickly changed the subject, "We'll keep half of the fruit for ourselves, and we'll take the other half to your house later. There are some mangosteens that you like in it."

"Oh." Xu Zhuwen's expression was somewhat downcast.

"What's wrong? Tired from work today?" When he was in a good mood, Qian Song didn't hesitate to show concern for Xu Zhuwen. "Did you run into a weirdo?"

"No."

Qian Song reached out and pulled Xu Zhuwen into his arms, kissing her forehead. "I'm going to take a shower and change my clothes. I've been running around all day and I'm covered in sweat."

"Okay." Xu Zhuwen swallowed the bitterness in her throat, her expression becoming even gentler. "The clothes are all on the bed, take them yourself."

Qian Song, perhaps because he used to work in the fashion industry, is particular about taste, loves cleanliness, and always takes a long time to shower.

This actually made things easier for Xu Zhuwen today.

Upon hearing the sound of water running in the bathroom, she immediately opened Cheng Yuan's briefcase and took out his laptop.

Fortunately, his computer password was the same as his phone password.

She quickly browsed through his files and found a large number of emails and scanned contracts in a folder labeled "Money Says".

“Investment agreement…Investor representative, Li Yingjie…Investment amount, one million…” Xu Zhuwen murmured as she read the contents of the document, her heart racing.

Li Jieying.

plum……

Could it be that Mr. Li?

What shocked her even more was that soon, in a subfolder, she found a whole set of intimate photos of the two of them, spanning a long period of time. There were photos of them together at the Great Wall in Beijing, photos of them together on a cruise ship at sea, and the most recent photo of them together at a bar.

"I see..." Xu Zhuwen quickly took a picture of the key evidence with her phone. Suddenly, she heard the sound of water in the bathroom stop, so she quickly closed the computer and put it back in its place.

Just as I put the computer down, I heard a click, and the bathroom door opened.

Qian Song, wearing only his underwear and drying his hair, came out and asked, "Wenwen, are you going to take a shower?"

"I'm not going to wash anymore. If I wash now, I'll have to wash again when I get back." Xu Zhuwen tried her best to calm herself down and quickly got up and ran to her room. "I'll just go change my clothes."

She couldn't face him calmly for the time being.

...

The Xu family.

The wooden dining table was laden with dishes. Xu's mother placed a bowl of soup in front of Qian Song and said, "Songsong, drink some soup. This chicken is a free-range chicken that I specially asked someone to keep. The morel mushrooms were sent by Wenwen's friend from Yunnan. They're very fresh. Drink more."

"Thank you, Auntie." Qian Song took the soup from Xu's mother and slowly stirred it with a spoon.

"It's not hot." Seeing the smile on Qian Song's face, Xu's mother picked up the serving chopsticks and put some beef in his bowl. "This is young yellow beef. Try it and see if it suits your taste."

Qian Song was clearly in a good mood today. He not only praised the dishes cooked by Xu's mother, but also drank with Xu's father. "Uncle, a client gave me a few bottles of good wine. I'll bring them to you next time."

"Good, good." Xu's father was very happy as his future son-in-law drank with him. "How's the business at Songsong's company lately? Wenwen told me you've been traveling a lot for work. Being busy is a good thing, but you should also take good care of your health and not overwork yourself."

"Uncle is right." Emboldened by the alcohol, Qian Song opened up about the "major breakthrough" that the company was about to achieve.

Mr. and Mrs. Xu couldn't stop smiling as they listened, and they kept asking Xu Zhuwen questions, as if to confirm something.

Xu Zhuwen nodded mechanically, and looking at Qian Song's radiant appearance, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach.

"By the way, Wenwen," Qian Song suddenly said, "I have an important cocktail party to attend next Wednesday night, and many important business partners will be there. Are you free this weekend to go shopping for some clothes with me?"

Xu Zhuwen looked up at him, "Don't you already have a lot of clothes?"

Qian Song paused, his hand holding the chopsticks still. "Those clothes aren't formal enough. I want to buy a few suitable suits."

Xu Zhuwen was naturally unwilling to go with him at this moment, so she politely declined, "You don't usually like to wear suits, and besides, you don't wear those kinds of clothes often."

Xu's mother's eyes flickered. She looked at her future son-in-law's slightly sullen expression and slapped her daughter's arm. "Anyway, you're free this weekend, so go with Songsong. It's more appropriate to wear a suit for important occasions."

Mr. Xu chimed in from the side, "Buy some good suits, so you can wear them for the engagement and wedding."

He's getting old, so he tries to save money wherever possible.

Qian Song frowned as he listened, thinking that Xu's father really had no taste. How could he wear the same clothes for his engagement and wedding as a business suit? Although he hadn't thought about these things.

When Xu's mother saw her future son-in-law frown, she immediately glared at Xu's father. "Songsong owns a clothing company. He's an expert at buying and wearing clothes. He'll definitely want to buy even better clothes for the engagement and wedding, right?"

Qian Song smiled at his mother-in-law, who was clearly trying to please him, and said, "Yes, different occasions require different clothing."