"Qin Xiaoyu, I grew up abroad and you said my understanding of Chinese isn't very deep. I happen to have a question to ask you." A Lei was unusually humble.

"Go ahead and speak." Qin Xiaoyu felt that with her knowledge, dealing with a young returnee from overseas was more than enough.

"There's an old saying, 'You can't lead a horse by the reins, and you'll only make it move backward if you hit it.' Hmm, explain that to me." A Lei still looked sincere.

Qin Xiaoyu blinked a few times, and this guy's lawyer-like face became clearer and clearer.

She gritted her teeth, turned her head to look out the window, and pretended not to hear.

"Director Qin, why aren't you answering my question?"

"That's what they mean by being passive," the ride-hailing driver said enthusiastically, as if he really thought this international friend needed some scientific knowledge, and immediately chimed in.

"Oh, you mean people? Why are you holding people's hands?" A Lei pretended to be stupid.

"Referring to a donkey, it's a metaphor, a common rhetorical device," the ride-hailing driver explained earnestly.

"Male or female donkey?"

"Master is joking. There's no such thing as a male or female donkey. It's just a donkey."

"Haha, thank you, Master, Factory Director Qin. Did you learn it?" A Lei turned to Qin Xiaoyu and smiled brightly.

Qin Xiaoyu wanted nothing more than to kick him out of the car, but she didn't dare.

Manager Zhang of Shanghai No. 1 Department Store was much younger than she had imagined.

He wasn't tall, a typical small Shanghai man, with a shrewd look in his eyes.

"Alex, it's been a long time." Manager Zhang reached out to greet him, and the two shook hands. A Lei pulled him tightly and gave him a bear hug.

“This is my classmate from London,” A Lei explained to Qin Xiaoyu.

"What's this?" Manager Zhang looked Qin Xiaoyu up and down, casting an approving glance at her.

"This is the factory manager of Riyue Garments." A Lei's introduction surprised Manager Zhang. He clearly racked his brains to remember Riyue Garments, but to no avail.

Seeing the frustration on his face, and then seeing Qin Xiaoyu puffing out her cheeks in a huff, A Lei couldn't help but laugh.

Once seated at the table, Qin Xiaoyu seized the initiative, quickly engaging in a lively conversation with Manager Zhang, while A Lei's expression grew increasingly unpleasant. The more he acted this way, the more excited Qin Xiaoyu became.

Ah Lei finally breathed a sigh of relief after she went to the restroom.

"Alex, where did you find this girlfriend? She's improved so much! She's got a really sharp mind. I've decided to work with her." Manager Zhang was completely impressed by Qin Xiaoyu.

"Alright, let's cooperate. She's quite good at doing business," A Lei said somewhat reluctantly.

"You're implying something. I haven't heard from you in so long. Is it because you're keeping a mistress?" Manager Zhang asked curiously.

"I don't have a mistress, but we have known each other for over a year," A Lei said, keeping everyone in suspense.

"A year? You haven't changed girlfriends? A miracle, a true miracle!" Manager Zhang was so astonished he couldn't close his mouth.

Qin Xiaoyu rushed back in a flurry, fearing that A Lei was up to no good.

"Manager Zhang, regarding the sample garments, I feel that mailing them is too slow, and the time wasted going back and forth is a pity. I can send my representative to bring the finished garments over so we can discuss it directly," Qin Xiaoyu continued.

"That would be great. I want to save your factory costs. After all, I can't guarantee anything. If it doesn't work out, we'll end up spending a lot of money."

"We don't need to worry about the cost. Our factory has special funds, mainly for market expansion. Shanghai is something we'll take over sooner or later. If we can successfully cooperate with the No. 1 Department Store, we won't consider any other companies," Qin Xiaoyu said confidently.

"Qin Xiaoyu, I feel like I've been used by you all along." A Lei felt a little wronged.

"Being used means you still have value to be used. You should be happy." Qin Xiaoyu had just closed an unexpected deal and was in a great mood, walking with an air of indifference.

"Then let me use you this once, okay?"

"Tell me quickly while I'm in a good mood; we don't have many opportunities like this, so seize the moment."

"Just to meet my family, nothing more."

"That's impossible." Qin Xiaoyu shuddered at the memory of what happened at his house, and she was determined not to fall into the lion's den again.

"You're heartless," A Lei sighed, pointed in the direction of the No. 1 Department Store, and said nothing more.

"You're threatening me." Qin Xiaoyu pouted. She had witnessed the relationship between Manager Zhang and A Lei, and it was a relationship where a single word from them could erase hundreds of words she had spoken. She was conflicted.

"I promise, I'll leave after just one meal. It won't be long. You can go wherever you want." A Lei looked pitiful, and his act was quite convincing.

While strolling along the Bund, Qin Xiaoyu saw many old Western-style buildings, some of which were covered in ivy and looked eerie, perfect for filming ghost movies.

She had a question in her mind: the air here was humid, and there was already a lot of time when the sun was not shining. With the branches and leaves blocking the sunlight, wouldn't it become even more gloomy?

When she entered A Lei's small building, she realized that poverty had limited her imagination; gloom and dampness were nonexistent.

This three-story building is almost exactly as it was in the 1930s; Qin Xiaoyu had only ever seen it on television.

A Lei's grandmother was a refined old woman with a scholarly air about her. She possessed a languid and carefree quality, which, taken to its extreme, extended to an indifference towards life and death. She was a woman with a wealth of experience who had lived a very optimistic life.

Qin Xiaoyu had seen many beauties who, in their twilight years, struggled desperately to maintain a beautiful image. But that illusion was only temporary; a single mistake could ruin everything.

It's like a beautiful piece of porcelain being smashed to pieces in front of everyone—both helpless and tragic.

Grandma Lei accepts the reality of getting old, so she doesn't bother to care. Fortunately, she has the good foundation of a southern woman, so she doesn't even bother to gain weight. She is slim and is best suited to wearing chiffon. She doesn't bother to modify her waistline. With a belt, she has a straight figure and walks with an ethereal air.

She had Qin Xiaoyu sit on the sofa, then reached over to take a thin cigarette. A Lei, with his long arm, obediently held up the lighter.

"Welcome." Grandma A Lei smiled, but her eyes were icy. Qin Xiaoyu's heart skipped a beat; none of them were easy to deal with.

"Alex, you haven't been here for a year. Why don't you invite your sisters back for a meal?" Grandma Lei said this to Lei.

"Grandma, they are very busy."

"I told you so, I guarantee they won't waste their time." Grandma gave Qin Xiaoyu a meaningful look.

A Lei had no choice but to stand up and go to the study to make a phone call.

"Come with me." Grandma had already put out her cigarette. She stood up and walked towards the second floor, slowly climbing the steps. She said softly, "I heard from A Lei that you are a world-class fashion designer. Come and see this outfit of mine."

Qin Xiaoyu almost fell down the stairs. A top-tier fashion designer? What is A Lei up to? Is it really necessary to go to such lengths? She had no choice but to bite the bullet and go on.