Chapter 36 You Didn't Draw the Curtains

The air conditioner vents hissed and vibrated as Ye Baoling quickly browsed the investigation report that Qi Yuxiu had retrieved from the administrative director.

This is an investigation report on the strike by the cleaning staff, written basically according to the results they had agreed upon beforehand.

Qi Yuxiu said, "See if there's anything you need to add. If not, just sign your name."

"I have nothing to add." Ye Baoling took the pen and signed her name, "Gu Baolin."

With the crisis successfully resolved, Zhang Laichi became the inevitable victim.

The cleaning department underwent a major overhaul. The two new team leaders are people Ye Baoling trusts, and the replacement employees are part-time aunties who have been a great help this time.

As for Ye Baoling, she was still just a probationary employee in the logistics department.

In order to make her submit willingly, Qi Yuxiu offered her the benefits she deserved.

"I have submitted your application for early promotion, and I will keep an eye on it so they can approve it as soon as possible. There are a total of 16 employee levels in the company. After the promotion, you will be a level 4 employee, but I will apply to pay you level 5 salary."

This was definitely good news for an ordinary employee. Ye Baoling thanked her with a big smile, "Thank you, Sister Xiu."

"No need to thank me, you deserve it." Qi Yuxiu added, "You deserve the most credit for successfully resolving this strike, and you should be rewarded later."

Ye Baoling didn't care about these awards. She didn't want to be too prominent and be discovered by the Ye family in advance. She smiled and said, "There's no need for awards. I just did my job well. If there really is an award, it should be applied for for our entire department. It's the credit of all my colleagues. Especially Wang Simin. At the critical moment, she controlled the situation and helped me a lot."

Because Ye Baoling spoke very sincerely, Qi Yuxiu had no doubt that this was her true thought. She could tell that this young girl had good character and some ambition, but not much.

He is a capable person.

This material is very suitable for being a secondary assistant.

Qi Yuxiu: "The strike has given the higher-ups a bad impression of our department, so there's little chance of a departmental commendation. I'll try to find a way to give you individual rewards, at least some small bonuses."

Simply rewarding someone with money would be ideal.

Ye Baoling smiled and thanked her again. After they finished chatting, she said, "Sister Xiu, I'd like to ask for a day off tomorrow."

What do you need to do with your leave?

"Go take the driving test."

"You've learned to drive?"

"Yes, it cost me over a thousand yuan to learn. I'm clumsy, and the instructor said he couldn't tell if I was driving or the car was driving me. Every time we went on the road, he was terrified." Ye Baoling was very good at chatting with her superiors about everyday matters at the right time.

Qi Yuxiu laughed and said, "That's how I was at first. I was clumsy at first too. Just keep practicing. You, work hard and try to buy a car soon."

"But Sister Xiu has to give me a chance."

"It's because you're so capable." Qi Yuxiu nodded with a smile: "Go and write up the leave application."

Ye Baoling came out of the office and had just sat down when Wang Simin poked her head over and asked softly, "She didn't give you any trouble, did she?"

Ye Baoling shook her head: "No, they said they would make me a permanent employee ahead of schedule."

Wang Simin was slightly shocked. "It must be because your performance was too outstanding that the pressure from President Cai made her cautious."

“I’m working hard, and she can see that.”

"Absolutely! If you weren't so inexperienced, I think you could have replaced Zhang Laichi."

Ye Baoling shook her head with a smile: "How could that be?"

"Everyone in the office is just coasting along, but I'm one of the hard-working people. If I could, I'd like to climb the ladder."

Ye Baoling gave her a thumbs up, "You also deserve a lot of credit for this. I've spoken to Manager Qi about it. If there's a reward, you'll definitely get one."

"real?"

"real."

Wang Simin said excitedly, "Let's go get some ice cream after get off work, it's on me."

"I have an appointment. Let's do it another day."

Ye Baoling wanted to go and see the new office after get off work.

Wang Simin asked curiously, "Who did you meet up with? Are you dating someone?"

"I'm not in a relationship."

"Hey, have you talked about it?"

"Huh?" Ye Baoling shook her head with a smile, "We haven't talked about it."

But they got married.

Wang Simin was a little skeptical, "You're so beautiful and attractive, it's impossible that no one pursued you when you were in school."

Ye Baoling shrugged: "Maybe those male classmates are blind."

The two laughed, and Wang Simin said, "Let's go out to a bar this weekend, I'll invite you. There are plenty of handsome guys in the bars."

Ye Baoling seemed interested. "Okay. Call me in advance."

*

Ye Baoling left work on time and took a taxi directly to Lihua Building, then took the elevator to the 18th floor.

Upon entering room 1806, a small sign hung on the door that read "Qiyuan Investment".

I finally realized my dream of starting my own business.

I used to think that I would have to work in a big company for at least ten or eight years before I dared to start my own company.

Unexpectedly, a dreamlike time-travel experience allowed her to realize her dream of becoming a boss.

Although she currently has only two employees.

But she'll still make money! She's confident.

Ye Baoling was a little excited and wanted to take a picture with her phone to remember the moment, but when she reached for her handbag, she realized that she didn't have a phone that could take pictures.

I'll bring my camera another day.

Pushing open the door, you enter a small office of just over 20 square meters. Outside, there is a large long cabinet filled with various office supplies.

Four desks were placed against the wall, arranged in two rows.

On the desk in front of me, there is a telephone, a fax machine, and a typewriter.

There is a computer on the table on the far right.

"Cousin!" Chen Yulan was folding cardboard boxes and cleaning.

Liu Haonan was watching the technician installing the computer, who was debugging the system. It was a second-hand computer and not cheap.

The entire office setup, including rent, cost fifty to sixty thousand yuan.

That's not a small number.

In those days, prices in Hong Kong were extremely high, making it no easy task to start a company.

After the computer was installed, Liu Haonan and Ye Baoling began working on their tasks.

He then took charge of investment-related matters, leaving office affairs to Chen Yulan.

They work for an investment company, and currently they don't engage in physical investments; they all work in finance. For now, the two of them are enough.

"As of today, I've already bought 15 million worth of Haihua Construction. The stock has been stable this week, with a slight profit. I still have 12 million in cash on hand. Should I buy more next week? Should I keep some cash on hand?"

Ye Baoling made a very decisive decision: "All in."

She still had over 200,000 yuan in spare change, enough for the company to use.

Liu Haonan: "Then I'll buy them all. I'll go back to the company next week to submit my resignation, and then I'll start working here. It'll be very convenient for me to place orders at Lihua Securities."

Chen Yulan said, "My cousin told me to work here from now on. If there's anything I need, Brother Nan, just tell me what to do. I can do errands and all kinds of heavy work."

Chen Yulan has a muscular physique and can withstand more physical attacks than men.

Liu Haonan laughed and said, "Alright, then you protect me, heroine."

All three of them laughed.

The initial formation of the Qiyuan trio has been completed.

Ye Baoling got bitten by a mosquito. She scratched the small red bump on her leg and said, "The mosquitoes here are so vicious!"

Chen Yulan added, "Yes! There are still mosquitoes on the 18th floor! These mosquitoes can fly quite a bit."

As she spoke, she went to close the window.

Ye Baoling: "Use the air conditioning when you need to, don't try to save money on things you shouldn't."

They locked the door and left. Chen Yulan bought a bottle of insecticide at the convenience store downstairs, planning to use it to kill mosquitoes in the office the next day.

*

When Ye Baoling got home, her legs were still itchy, so she decided to take a shower first.

After taking a shower, she sat on the sofa in her bedroom and applied Shuangfeiren anti-mosquito solution to her mosquito bites.

When Ye Huaizhang returned from exercising, he saw her applying medicine to her thigh and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

"From a mosquito bite."

He sat down opposite her, looking at the bright red mosquito bites on her inner thighs, and he had an urge to bend down and lick them.

He forcibly looked away and changed the subject: "Where did you go?"

"I didn't go anywhere, I was bitten at home." Ye Baoling hadn't decided whether to mention her company to him yet.

"I reminded Uncle Guang to exterminate mosquitoes tomorrow." He unfastened his watch. "What are your plans for this Saturday?"

"Nothing's planned."

"Shall we go see Grandpa Gong's calligraphy and painting exhibition together? Gong Jiahua gave us several tickets, but we haven't had time to go yet."

Ye Baoling suddenly remembered, "Oh, I made an appointment with Yongqi to go see Grandpa Gong's calligraphy and painting exhibition together this Saturday morning."

"..."

Putting his watch on the table, Ye Huaizhang said angrily, "I just asked you if you had any plans for Saturday, and you said no! Did you talk to me without thinking?"

It seems so.

Ye Baoling tightened the cap on the medicine bottle, and coaxed with a smile, "If I have to think before I speak to you, what does that mean?"

Ye Huaizhang looked at her, wanting to see how she would fabricate her story.

"It means I don't consider you one of my own, and I need to be constantly on guard, thinking things through before answering you. The fact that I answer your questions without hesitation shows that I'm very relaxed and comfortable with you. I say whatever comes to mind."

She's really good at talking.

He stood up and retorted, "Relaxing and being careless are two different things."

"You can come with us."

Ye Huaizhang wasn't really angry. He said, "You can go. The third branch of the family can send a representative."

He himself has little interest in calligraphy and painting.

Ye Baoling discovered that he and she were quite similar in some ways; they had only a general interest in things other than making money.

She was slightly better than him; at least she enjoyed pleasure, while he seemed to have no interest in even that.

*

Ye Baoling, an experienced driver, passed her driving test on Friday morning with a perfect score.

After passing her driving test, she didn't go to work but instead went shopping at a nearby mall.

She bought some decorations, a few potted plants and fresh flowers for her company, delivered them to the company, and then went home early.

Gu Zhen'er worked part-time at McDonald's this summer, earning thirty or forty yuan a day, which was a decent income.

With no one to talk to, Ye Baoling slept for the entire afternoon.

When Gu Man'er came home from get off work, she said as soon as she entered the door, "Cousin, I forgot you took the day off. I went to find you after get off work and then came back with Wang Simin. Hey, Wang Simin wants to invite us to go clubbing tomorrow night. Do you want to go?"

"Tomorrow night? Let's go." Ye Baoling wanted to see what this era was like.

"Then I'll call her back later."

Ye Baoling, Gu Man'er, and Wang Simin are a trio who love to eat and drink.

The calligraphy and painting exhibition tickets that Gong Jiahua gave to Ye Baoling were still on the table. Ye Baoling asked her, "I'm going to the calligraphy and painting exhibition tomorrow morning. Do you want to come with me?"

"No, I'm not going. This kind of overly cultured thing isn't for me."

"Fine, don't go then. Let's eat. We're having chicken today." Ye Baoling went downstairs to eat first.

Ping made poached chicken, but I don't know if the chicken wasn't good enough, because it tasted just so-so.

*

On Saturday morning, Ye Baoling and Ye Yongqi visited the calligraphy and painting exhibition hall at the Southern District Art Exhibition Center, where a month-long Gong Fonian calligraphy and painting exhibition was being held.

Ye Baoling brought her camera with her; visiting the calligraphy and painting exhibition was just a side trip, the main purpose was to take beautiful photos of Ye Yongqi.

Holding a camera, I took various beautiful photos of Ye Yongqi posing outside the art exhibition center. The two of them took the photos quietly and in great sync.

Ye Baoling teaches Yongqi how to strike various super-difficult poses popular in the internet age.

One dared to teach, and the other dared to learn; the two had a great time.

We'll go see the calligraphy and painting exhibition after we've taken enough photos.

Ye Baoling doesn't understand calligraphy or traditional Chinese painting, and after watching it, she only had two words to summarize: Not bad.

How is it not bad?

She was too lazy to summarize.

Of course, if she needs to flatter someone, she can still offer some explanation.

Ye Yongqi didn't understand either. She took Ye Baoling's hand and made her comments in a low voice.

"It's really well drawn."

"Well written."

"This is really nice."

"Sister Ling, what do you think?"

"good."

After saying that, Ye Baoling smiled first.

Ye Yongqi also smiled.

After looking around, I unexpectedly ran into Gong Jiahua and Ye Baoxin!

Gong Jiahua was overjoyed to see Ye Baoling; his eyes lit up.

"What a coincidence! I haven't been here for several days, and I run into you as soon as I arrive today..."

The implication is that we are truly destined to be together.

Ye Baoling smiled politely and said, "Didn't you give us tickets? I've come to pay my respects and learn!"

Ye Baoxin greeted Baoling first, "Baoling, did you come with Yongqi?"

Ye Baoling: No. We just happened to meet at the door.

Gong Jiahua finally saw Ye Yongqi and asked her, "Why did you come alone?"

Ye Yongqi is not good at lying, but Ye Baoling had rehearsed the lines with her beforehand, so she handled it smoothly: "My brother was supposed to come with me, but something came up and he couldn't make it."

Gong Jiahua complained: "He's a very busy man!"

After venting his frustrations, he asked them, "What do you think of my grandfather's calligraphy and paintings...?"

"very nice."

"good."

They kept repeating the same two sentences.

Ye Baoxin suppressed her laughter and remained silent.

She understood that they didn't have much formal education, so it was indeed difficult for them to express anything more profound.

Quite coincidentally, Gong Jiahua's grandfather, Gong Fonian, was looking at the calligraphy and paintings with a friend in front of him.

Two groups of people, belonging to completely different age groups and having absolutely nothing in common, met just like that.

Of the three girls from the Ye family, Gong Fonian knew Ye Yongqi.

Gong Jiahua quickly introduced, "Grandpa, these are Uncle Kaimin's two daughters, Baoling and Baoxin."

Gong Fonian looked at Bao Ling and asked, "Is this Gu Min's daughter?"

Ye Baoling smiled and nodded: "Yes, Gu Min is my mother."

"You look like your mother." After chatting for a bit, Gong Fonian then asked, "So, what did you find at today's calligraphy and painting exhibition?"

How should the author evaluate this without seeming perfunctory?

Ye Baoling was thinking about how to phrase it when Ye Baoxin smiled and said first, "Grandpa Gong's calligraphy is grand and bold, very much like the Song Dynasty's school of calligraphy that emphasizes artistic expression."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"The Tang Dynasty's calligraphy emphasized 'law,' while the Song Dynasty emphasized 'meaning,' both reflecting a greater pursuit of individuality and emotion."

Gong Fonian laughed and said, "It seems you've done some research..."

Seeing Gong Fonian's appreciative expression, Ye Baoxin relaxed even more. "Song Dynasty calligraphy, which emphasizes artistic conception, is divided into four major schools. Grandpa Gong, your work is simply a copy of Huang Tingjian's calligraphy."

How would you rate Huang Tingjian's calligraphy?

"Long spears and halberds, dramatic ups and downs, heroic spirit..." These were all things Ye Baoxin had prepared and deliberately memorized before coming.

Gong Fonian nodded repeatedly, stroking his long beard and praising, "I didn't realize you knew so much at such a young age. You have your own insights, and they are unique, which is very rare."

"Thank you for the compliment, Grandpa Gong." Ye Baoxin smiled brightly.

Gong Fonian then looked at Ye Baoling: "What about Baoling? What do you think?"

Someone had already given a very thorough answer, and Ye Baoling didn't want to steal the spotlight from them or make it seem like she was jealous of someone else.

Moreover, if Gong Fonian doesn't like her or looks down on her, it would just put an end to her grandfather and father's hopes of arranging a match between her and Gong Jiahua.

Ye Baoling laughed and said, "Grandpa Gong, I only graduated from Form Four, so I don't understand it."

Knowing that Ye Kaimin's infidelity and divorce had a significant negative impact on their child, Gong Fonian waved his hand with a slight pang of sympathy: "It's okay if you don't understand. Girls have their own strengths."

Gong Jiahua tried to save face for Ye Baoling: "Baoling is very good at badminton."

Gong Fonian saw through his grandson's thoughts and said, "You are in charge of taking good care of the Ye family's girls. There is ice cream, pastries and soda outside. Go and eat."

Ye Yongqi said happily, "Great! I'm thirsty and want to drink some soda."

Eating delicious food is more interesting than chatting with unfamiliar elderly people, Ye Baoling agreed.

Ye Baoxin, who had just gained attention, displayed a quality different from the other girls. She asked Gong Fonian, "Can I ask Grandpa Gong for a calligraphy piece?"

What kind of calligraphy would you like to request?

"Any word is fine, whatever is convenient for you, Grandpa."

Gong Fonian did not refuse. There was paper and pen in the lounge behind the exhibition hall, so he immediately went in and wrote a word for her.

When Ye Baoxin went outside to look for Gong Jiahua, holding the calligraphy that Gong Fonian had given her, she found that all three of them were gone.

She asked the staff, "Where is Young Master Gong?"

"After the two Miss Yes left, Young Master Gong also left."

So, Gong Jiahua forgot about her? And just left?!

Ye Baoxin's face immediately darkened, but she couldn't lash out, so she could only comfort herself that he had left in a hurry.

Back home, Ye Baoxin looked at the character "Ping" that Gong Fonian had given her, somewhat puzzled by its meaning.

Junnie Cheng explained, "It's all about ensuring safety when traveling! It's easy to understand."

It could also be ordinary, mediocre, or unremarkable...

She felt a little uncomfortable because the word she received was too bland and uninteresting!

Today's ending was not perfect.

*

After leaving the exhibition hall, the driver first took Ye Yongqi home, and then took Ye Baoling to the Gu family home.

Around 4 PM, Ye Baoling and Gu Man'er took the subway to the downtown area to meet Wang Simin. They planned to go to a bar in Lan Gui Fang that night.

Since it was still early, they ate some street food first, then went to get their hair washed and done before heading to the bar street.

Wang Simin had been there several times, and she took them straight to the most famous nightclub featured in newspapers and magazines—Lumiere Noir bar.

"It's a bit pricey, but I've heard that many wealthy young men frequent this place. What if I snag a rich husband?"

Gu Man'er laughed and said, "It's fine to come and see for yourself, but you can skip the 'golden turtle son-in-law' part."

"Let's go in and order the cheapest drink. If someone's treating us, we can drink. If no one's treating, then we shouldn't waste money; everything inside is expensive." Wang Simin was both generous and shrewd.

The three entered the legendary bar. The music was loud, the crowd was boisterous, smoke swirled in the air, and the neon lights made people squint...

It's interesting, but it's a headache.

They each ordered a glass of sparkling wine that was on sale, and sat down in a corner to observe the young men and women coming and going.

When someone came to invite Ye Baoling and Gu Man'er to dance, they politely declined.

Wang Simin is very outgoing; she plays drinking games and drinks with boys she doesn't know, and she seems to be having a great time.

After sitting for almost an hour and finishing her drinks, Ye Baoling glanced at her watch, thinking it was getting late and she should head back. But when she looked up, she spotted a familiar figure in the corner on the other side of the bar.

When she finally saw him clearly, she realized it was the scumbag Lü Tianyou.

Someone was whispering intimately in Lü Tianyou's ear.

Squinting to get a closer look, I just happened to see the man kiss Lü Tianyou on the cheek.

Ye Baoling's pupils widened in shock!

Is the man next to Lü Tianyou Ye Baoshun?!

They...are really together?!

Did they really enjoy it after doing it once?

Ye Baoling only regretted not having a phone in her hand right now. If she were in her original world, she would have taken the photos and sent them to the family group chat.

No, the family group chat isn't lively enough. She needs to post it online and let the general public go crazy with her.

"What are you looking at?" Man'er asked her.

"Shh! Let's go." Ye Baoling pulled Wang Simin, "It's too late, let's go back."

Wang Simin can have fun, but she knows her limits. When it's time to go home, she never lingers.

The three of them went out and took a taxi to send Wang Simin home first, and then to send Gu Man'er home.

After seeing Wang Simin off, Man'er asked her, "Cousin, you haven't answered me yet. What did you see just now?"

Afraid of being overheard by the driver, Ye Baoling whispered in Man'er's ear, "I saw Ye Baoshun and Lü Tianyou. Ye Baoshun even kissed Lü Tianyou."

Gu Man'er's eyes widened dramatically. "The two of them? Oh my, why didn't you let me see? Such a wonderful scene! You didn't let me see it?! Cousin, you're going too far."

Gu Man'er wished she could go back to the bar right now and take one last look.

"Look at you, so excited. How could I dare to tell you? It would be so embarrassing if they found out."

"So what if they found out? What can they do? Cover up the evidence? Those two gay bastards!" Gu Man'er made no attempt to hide her disgust. "Luckily you didn't marry that guy surnamed Lü, or your life would be over."

Yes, the original script was practically the original owner's tragic world.

Gu Man'er: "If you marry that guy surnamed Lü, then it's like your brother-in-law and sister's brother-in-law are having an affair. This world is insane! If the gossip magazines report it, they could make a fortune!"

Ye Baoling crossed her hands, "Stop, don't make assumptions. That guy surnamed Lü has absolutely nothing to do with me now."

Gu Man'er sighed softly, "It's only after the flowers in the back garden bloom that I realize what true spring is all about."

Ye Baoling couldn't help but laugh, "You're quite talented at times like this."

“It happens all the time.”

"not much."

*

When Ye Baoling got home, she entered the bedroom and saw Ye Huaizhang standing by the window making a phone call.

She took a shower first, and when she came out, she found him still on the phone.

He yawned and lay lazily on the sofa, thinking about what he had seen at the bar that night, and couldn't help but smile.

She was satisfied with the ending of the first half of the story, which ensured that Lü Tianyou would never harm women again.

"What are you laughing at?" Ye Huaizhang had already hung up the phone sometime earlier.

Ye Baoling asked him mysteriously, "Guess who I saw today?"

"Who did you see?" He sat down next to her and hung up the cordless phone.

“I saw Lü Tianyou and Ye Baoshun together.”

Ye Huaizhang frowned, several thoughts swirling in his mind, "What level of being together?"

Ye Baoling straightened up, bent down and kissed his cheek.

"That's how it was. That's how Ye Baoshun treated Lü Tianyou..."

Her breath tickled his face, carrying the scent of alcohol. Ye Huaizhang seized the opportunity to capture her lips with a deep kiss before asking, "Have you been drinking?"

Ye Baoling reached out to touch her beloved pectoral muscles, "I drank a little, but I'm not drunk."

"So, you just met Lü Tianyou and Ye Baoshun at the bar?" He was clever enough to guess right away that they met at the bar.

"Yeah, I went to check out the small scene in Lan Kwai Fong today. It was just so-so. Not exciting at all."

As she spoke, she lightly brushed her finger against the small spot on his chest. Ye Huaizhang couldn't resist her like that, and immediately pushed her onto the sofa.

Ye Baoling laughed and retorted, "You didn't draw the curtains."

Why draw the curtains? There's a garden outside the window, and mountains beyond the garden.

Soon, white sap swelled up in the juicy land. He liked to look down at it; the sap above the dense forest looked like black pine trees in winter, covered with sparse white snow.

This scene always stirred his emotions.

Afterwards, he took a shower, lay in bed, and told her, "Don't go to bars and nightclubs anymore."

Ye Baoling: "What if I want to drink?"

"You can drink whatever you want at home."

Ye Baoling suddenly asked, "Give me a few cases of French wine from your cellar?"

"What?"

She stared at him and repeated, "Give me a few cases of French wine from your basement cellar."

"An underground wine cellar? What underground wine cellar?"

He was indeed unaware of it.

Ye Baoling stopped hiding it. "The secret room where you hid the safe has a staircase leading down to a large wine cellar on the third basement level. Didn't you know that?"

"Let's go take a look." Ye Huaizhang immediately put on his clothes and got out of bed.

-----------------------

Author's Note: The first two chapters devoted a significant portion to the female protagonist handling the cleaning department's affairs. I saw some comments saying the content was padded, but I don't agree that my writing was padded. As a champion in public office politics, the current environment provides the perfect stage for the female protagonist to showcase her abilities. Some readers might feel that the logistics department, the cleaning department, and the paper money are all minor incidents within small departments, not worth detailing. However, if all the minor incidents are only briefly mentioned, the plot becomes merely a monotonous account, and the characters will appear weak due to a lack of plot support and imagination.

Moreover, the cleaning department will be very important to the female lead in the future, as it is a crucial part of her establishing herself in the battlefield of Ye Qingtang.

As for how long the female lead will stay in the logistics department? Not long. She'll be transferred to another department soon. But her contact with Manager Qi will not be broken.

What's the female lead's motive for infiltrating the company? Is it to create chaos, to gain leverage to get the Ugly King's Jade from the old man, and ideally, to take over the entire company? Who knows how it will end? [Evil grin]