Chapter 18 Just for one more look

Qin Yinghuai had just sat down and didn't want to be kicked out immediately. He was silent for two seconds and then said, "Let's discuss Zhou Xingzhi's matter first."

The system hehe: [You two didn't have this attitude before.]

Qin Yinghuai pulled the irritated Ji Shian back and closed the door to block out the chilly wind. His heart was beating wildly as he said casually, "People change."

The system, reminiscent of the nest the host had built for it, reluctantly took a step back: "Okay, we'll talk about this in a couple of days, but I suggest you two stay together for the next few days. You don't want any supernatural events to happen during the New Year, do you?"

Ji Shian was still immersed in the huge impact of the colors. Qin Yinghuai glanced back and answered for him: "Okay."

The system opened a new pack of cookies and casually stuffed "She's So Soft and Cute, the Charming One" into the box.

Although Ji Shi'an had escaped, she knew her peace was only temporary. She listlessly opened the book cover and quickly flipped through the pages, scanning the ten lines for Zhou Xingzhi's name.

"Ah, I found it." She stopped what she was doing.

[Just by looking at that man for a second longer in the crowd, her heart was pounding and she fell in love with him instantly.

She, who had always been proud and reserved, mustered up the courage to break free from the shackles in her heart. She pushed through the crowd just to run towards him.

When the other person saw that the corner of his clothes was grabbed, he subconsciously turned around and met the clear and warm eyes like a deer, so clean and so beautiful.

She puffed her cheeks and said, "Hello, have we met somewhere?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she lowered her head in frustration, and the ends of her hair seemed to have lost their color in the loss.

With such a crude excuse, the other party will definitely hate her.

She regained her spirits and nervously whispered, "Have you eaten? I'll treat you."

The man looked at her in surprise, as if he didn't expect that this seemingly introverted and shy girl could express her inner yearning so frankly.

"Okay." A clear voice sounded above her head, and the handsome and cheerful man reached out and touched her head with a gentle smile.

He looked at several restaurants not far away and chose the one with the lowest cost. "I'm a little hungry. Can I have some spicy hot pot?"

The girl felt the other party's kindness. She was indeed in financial difficulty recently, but she really didn't want to let her lover down.

The man smiled friendly and, before she could even suggest another restaurant, he took the initiative and walked over. Seeing the girl hesitate, he smiled helplessly and whispered coaxingly, "Come on."

Zhou Xingzhi's first appearance came to an end. Ji Shian's face turned pale, and she sighed sincerely, "I wish I didn't know Zhou Xingzhi." She could also eat this kind of brainless sweet cookie in her free time.

Qin Yinghuai nodded woodenly.

Ji Shian looked at him worriedly: "Brother Huai, are you okay?"

Qin Yinghuai summed up his current state pertinently: "Still alive." It felt like he had just opened his eyes in the morning and been stuffed with a generous mouthful of fried foie gras, greasy and oily. "It's a bit heavy."

The clouds blocked the sun, and the light in the house quickly dimmed. The house was so quiet that the only sound was the ticking of the clock's second hand.

The large-scale plot that she had deliberately ignored was suddenly torn off by the system, and was exposed nakedly in front of her.

Ji Shian stared blankly at Qin Yinghuai's profile, and a flood of grievances began to flood his heart.

She had finally made it big, no longer having to endure the constant gazes of pity or contempt from others. It had taken her a lot of effort to build good relationships with everyone. Every time she felt the care from her friends, Ji Shian would tell herself to stay calm while silently cherishing it.

A huge sense of absurdity, the fear and anger of being inexplicably chosen intertwined, and the dense bones along the limbs loudly declared their existence to the owner of the body.

The clouds moved with the wind, and a ray of light shone through the window onto the sofa again, illuminating the tears in the corners of Ji Shian's eyes.

Qin Yinghuai paused, then a hint of helplessness trickled down his face. He reached out, pulled out a tissue, and handed it to the person, reassuring him, "Don't be afraid, it'll be fine."

He rarely makes direct promises to others, but he will always fulfill his promises.

Ji Shian felt like a kite floating in mid-air, its string suddenly grasped by someone, giving her a sense of reality. Her eyes flushed slightly, and her voice was a blank one Qin Yinghuai had never heard before: "Really?"

Qin Yinghuai looked at her steadily and thought: At the age of just over 20, she would still be half a child who has not completely broken away from the care of her parents in an ordinary family.

His heart softened instantly, and he repeated, "Ji Shian, I promise, everything will be over."

"Don't worry that I'll have a bad opinion of you because of this. Don't worry about any trouble arising from unexpected situations, even if I'm the one who gets socially ruined."

"Shi'an, you're my assistant at work. Chengyue has been going smoothly in recent years. The several abandoned projects you discerningly selected have now yielded excessive returns. Your work ability is evident to all. If you weren't so young, I'd be worried that some veteran investors would get angry and let you take the lead in Chengyue's subsidiary in Country S."

He knows best the work ability and development prospects of the people he has trained.

While it's called a subsidiary, it was actually the economic development center of Chengyue before it relocated. The behemoth, built on years of foundational work, won't undergo drastic changes due to a few years of core changes. It remains a crucial platform for Chengyue's development.

"In life, we are friends."

For the first time in his life, Qin Yinghuai broke the principles and gave his subordinates an evaluation that went beyond their relationship.

"So don't be afraid. If you encounter any problems, just tell me and we can find a solution together."

"We two can't find any loopholes to exploit, and we can ask others for help."

"I won't hurt you, and I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do."

His eyes were incredibly gentle. Ji Shian breathed lightly, as if he was afraid of disturbing the other person. In Qin Yinghuai's gentle and firm gaze, Ji Shian read some meaning that could not be refused.

I can’t describe the feeling in my heart, it’s sour, astringent and sweet, as if someone secretly sprinkled half a box of candy in the lemon juice, and the tip of my tongue is numbed by the overly rich taste.

She took a deep breath, faced Qin Yinghuai's encouraging gaze, and said word by word: "Boss, I don't want to do that."

Whether it was because she wanted to offend her boss or put herself at a disadvantage, she didn't want to do anything like using her beauty to please others.

When Ji Shi'an was first transferred to Qin Yinghuai's side, some gossipers made malicious and unscrupulous comments. She was furious and wrote down everything everyone said word for word and handed it directly to Qin Yinghuai.

At that time, she had a clear conscience and was not afraid of being blamed by others for her every move. It was not difficult for her to prove that the innocent are innocent.

But it’s different now. We are tied together inexplicably, and I feel dominated all the time, as if someone is pushing us directly into the wedding hall and sending us to the bridal chamber.

Qin Yinghuai treated her very well. He would not criticize her even if she made a mistake. Instead, he would give her some advice, both overtly and covertly, and tell her how to solve the problem to minimize the loss. He also told her not to face the challenges alone.

Ji Shian didn't want to disappoint anyone, nor did he want to offend anyone.

Her boss has been a successful businessman for thirty years, and he cannot let his reputation be ruined by a strange scandal.

Sometimes she would impulsively think about not living anymore, but she couldn't bear to do so because she felt that the world was so unfair.

But she couldn't seem to change anything.

Qin Yinghuai watched the man droop again and said intently, "Shi'an, look up. Tell me what you're worried about."

Ji Shian was like a prey being stared at by a tiger. He kept thinking about the words that were tangled in his mind and blurted out subconsciously: "I'm worried about your innocence."

Qin Yinghuai fell silent. He had not considered this answer.

He always felt that the person most vulnerable in this matter was Ji Shian. Although everyone knew that Ji Shian relied not on unorthodox methods but on quick thinking and extraordinary business acumen, few people realized that even a genius could not achieve success overnight.

The effort Ji Shian put in was far beyond what most people could imagine. It was no exaggeration or joke to describe it as a life-or-death struggle.

However, as the plot continues to develop, the two will be tied more and more tightly, and no matter how omnipotent Qin Yinghuai is, he will not be able to suppress all the groundless information.

Once she is involved in too many pink scandals, her past efforts may be crushed by people with ulterior motives, and those demons and monsters who once envied and hated her will definitely seize the opportunity to attack them.

Qin Yinghuai was worried that he would make some mistakes.

The room returned to silence, and the two faced each other in silence, both thinking about how to minimize the negative impact on each other.

After a long time, they both sighed at the same time.

Qin Yinghuai thought for a moment and pulled up the Chengyue Stock Market page, then pushed his phone across the table. "Shi'an, you said before that the image of the chairman of a company is the image of the company. The opposite is also true."

"Chengyue's stock has been steadily rising recently, so there's no need to worry."

Ji Shian's eyes lit up: That makes sense!

Qin Yinghuai knocked on the table: "My problem is solved, now let's talk about yours."

Ji Shian was stunned: "What's wrong with me?"

Qin Yinghuai was a little troubled by her slowness in this regard: "This society is always more harsh on women. The rumors about me are not a big deal, but if those romantic news haunt you for too long, it will cause problems."

It was clearly a very serious scene, but for some reason Ji Shian suddenly felt like laughing, unable to hold it back, a smile spilling from the corners of his eyes: "It's okay, I don't care about that."

Qin Yinghuai choked up, feeling like he had been talking for a long time about reason, but in the end the naughty kid at home was so heartless that he just listened in one ear and out the other.

He refused coldly, "No."

Ji Shian said cheerfully, "Then let's try to end this battle quickly and not delay any longer."

After that, the two of them fell silent again. Qin Yinghuai hesitated and took back his phone: "I... bought props?"

Having fully grasped the meaning of a broad mind, Ji Shian now felt at ease looking at Qin Yinghuai, just as she did when she saw the standard answers on an exam. She reached out to stop him, "I'll do it, Pin Xixi, and I'll give it my all. If I spend an extra penny to follow the plot, I lose."

Seeing that she had become spirited again, Qin Yinghuai slowly put his mind at ease. He casually sent her a transfer under the pretext of reimbursement, and then sent a message to Yan Che, asking him to keep an eye on the various rumors about Ji Shian and guide public opinion.

[Yan Che]: Okay, Mr. Qin.

[Yan Che]: Do I need to tell Shi An?

[Qin Yinghuai]: No need.

He thought for a moment and added.

[Qin Yinghuai]: If she asks, tell her.

He put away his phone and looked at Ji Shian, who knew nothing about it, and began to feel anxious like his old father.