Chapter 59 Big Project And the reason Gu Qingyan gave Shiguang such a big project...
Another month passed, and Zhou Xubai returned from abroad. Gu Qingyan seemed to have completely disappeared from her life, without a trace.
Lin Yuwei's life is filled with the busyness of her studio. On the surface, it seems to have returned to its former tranquility. But whether there are still undercurrents beneath that calm surface, only she knows.
In the afternoon, sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting interplay of light and shadow on the desk. Lin Yuwei was focused on the design draft on the screen when her phone screen suddenly lit up, a preview pop-up of a new message appearing before her eyes.
Sender: Gu Qingyan.
Her fingertips paused on the keyboard. Her brows furrowed slightly, almost unconsciously. What was he planning to do now? A barely perceptible sense of irritation, mixed with a subtle tension she didn't want to delve into, quietly swept over her. Was that month of silence just preparation for this new round of "harassment"?
She put down the mouse, picked up her phone, hesitated for a moment with her fingertips hovering above the screen, and finally opened the message.
However, the expected personal greetings or ambiguous remarks did not appear. Instead, a highly professional and meticulously worded project recommendation came into view.
The client for the project is the industry giant "Global Group," which is seeking a partner for its important brand upgrade project. Gu Qingyan succinctly wrote at the end of the message: "This project has a high degree of matching with the design concept and style of Shiguang Studio. It's a rare opportunity. If interested, I can help introduce you to the person in charge to establish initial contact."
The client for the project is a reputable large group in the industry called Huanyu Group, which is looking for a design company to carry out an important brand upgrade project!
At the end of the message, Gu Qingyan wrote succinctly: This project matches the style of your Shiguang Studio very well. It's a rare opportunity. If you are interested, I can arrange for you to contact someone from Huanyu.
Lin Yuwei was stunned; her slightly surprised face was reflected on her phone screen.
This was completely beyond her expectations. It wasn't a pleading offer, but a genuine and irresistible opportunity that no design studio could refuse. For Shiguang at its current stage, taking on the Huanyu project would undoubtedly be a leap onto a brand new development platform.
But... it's a pity, why was he the one who introduced them? And why now?
Lin Yuwei's joy lasted only a moment before it was replaced by more complex emotions.
Accepting means an invisible thread will connect her to Gu Qingyan again. Is he merely an introducer, or will he become deeply involved? Countless meetings, communications, and plan adjustments will follow... She simply cannot avoid him. Is this truly a purely business opportunity?
Her gaze involuntarily drifted to Zhou Xubai at the desk next to her. He was intently looking at the screen, his profile appearing gentle and focused in the sunlight, radiating a reassuring aura. Since returning to China, everything seemed to have returned to normal. He was considerate, reliable, and the perfect partner and fiancé.
But only she knew that things had changed. The little incident after the engagement party and the crack that had quietly appeared in her heart because of another man made it impossible for her to share all her thoughts with Zhou Xubai as openly as before.
Lin Yuwei took a deep breath, her gaze returning to the message on her phone screen. The project was too tempting. After much struggle, the development of the studio took precedence, and she picked up her phone and walked to Zhou Xubai's side.
“Xu Bai,” she handed over the phone, trying to keep her tone calm and professional, “Take a look at this. I just received project information, a brand upgrade proposal for ‘Global Group,’ and the terms are very attractive.”
Zhou Xubai took the phone, his gaze quickly sweeping across the screen. His focus gradually shifted to surprise and excitement: "Huanyu Group? This...this is truly a rare opportunity! The project size, the budget, the other party's platform...all top-notch! This is a huge leap forward for our studio!" He looked up, his eyes gleaming. "Who introduced us? We must thank this benefactor properly."
Lin Yuwei's heart tightened slightly. Looking at Zhou Xubai's eyes, which were free of any gloom and purely filled with joy for the studio, she unconsciously lowered her voice a few decibels, with a hint of hesitation: "If I tell you, you... don't overthink it."
Zhou Xubai was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then chuckled, his tone slightly teasing: "How could that be? The person who can bring us resources of this level is our benefactor. I'm more than grateful to them, why would I think too much? When did I become so petty in your eyes?"
Lin Yuwei pursed her lips, as if she had made up her mind, and softly uttered the name: "It's... Gu Qingyan."
As soon as he finished speaking, the smile on Zhou Xubai's face froze at a speed visible to the naked eye.
He looked up at Lin Yuwei, a complex emotion flashing quickly across his eyes—surprise, understanding, and a dark, unreadable light that was quickly suppressed. The air in the office seemed to freeze for a few seconds.
Lin Yuwei immediately added, her tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible urgency. She immediately drew a line and completely handed over the decision-making power: "I absolutely did not contact him privately. I suddenly received a message from him... I know this is sudden and I understand the sensitivity involved. If you mind, or think this might cause unnecessary trouble, we can pretend we didn't see this message. Our existing projects can still be maintained, and it's not something we absolutely have to take on."
After she finished speaking, she lowered her eyelashes slightly, but her peripheral vision kept a close eye on Zhou Xubai's reaction. This had long gone beyond a simple business decision; it was more like a silent test of the trust and stability of their relationship. Lin Yuwei was just curious about how much trust Zhou Xubai still had in her.
Zhou Xubai fell silent, his gaze returning to the brief yet weighty message. His slender fingers tapped unconsciously on the smooth tabletop, clearly engaged in intense internal deliberation.
Time passed by, second by second.
Finally, Zhou Xubai raised his head, his gaze returning to its usual gentleness, but beneath that gentleness lay a resolute determination born of deep thought.
"catch."
Lin Yuwei's heart settled gently with that word, yet inexplicably rose even higher. She was somewhat surprised, yet felt that this seemed to align with Zhou Xubai's consistent character of prioritizing the overall situation.
He continued in a calm voice, his logic clear: "The quality and opportunities of the project are there for all to see. We cannot give up the most beneficial development opportunity for the studio because of personal emotions. Since Gu Qingyan is appearing as an 'introducer,' we will strictly follow business rules and handle matters officially. If the project is successful, the introduction fee that should be given will not be reduced in full. Personal feelings are personal feelings, and business is business."
He paused, then turned his gaze to Lin Yuwei, keenly catching the lingering unease in her eyes. His tone softened, carrying a considerate and protective undertone: "If you don't want direct contact with him, I'll handle all the external communication and liaison for this new project in the early stages. Is that arrangement acceptable?" This plan demonstrated both his rationality and decisiveness as a partner, as well as his meticulousness and care as a fiancé; it was almost the most comprehensive and reliable solution at the moment.
Lin Yuwei finally relaxed a little, nodding and speaking in a more relaxed tone: "Okay, I'll listen to you. Then... I'll have to trouble you to take care of this matter."
"Of course." Zhou Xubai smiled, his smile still gentle, as if the brief pause just now had never happened.
Lin Yuwei returned to her seat, picked up her phone again, her fingertips lingered on the cold screen for a moment, and then quickly replied with two sentences: Received, thank you, please arrange the connection.
The message was sent successfully. She placed her phone face down on the table, making a slight sound, as if trying to suppress the complex and indescribable turmoil that had resurfaced in her heart.
****
The project is progressing surprisingly smoothly.
The project progressed surprisingly smoothly, even exceeding Zhou Xubai's most optimistic estimates.
Perhaps the senior management of Huanyu Group really appreciated the proposal submitted by Shiguang Studio. The design, which combined bold creativity with precise market insight, hit the core demand of the other party seeking brand revitalization and breakthrough. In every proposal presentation and communication meeting, the person in charge of the other party showed a high degree of recognition and cooperation, and responded quickly and made decisive decisions.
However, behind this seemingly natural and purely commercial cooperation, Zhou Xubai, who came from a prestigious family, was not unaware of something unusual. The process was too smooth; the steps that were originally expected to require repeated adjustments were almost all given the green light. Huanyu even took the initiative to make concessions on some non-core terms. This was definitely not the style of an ordinary client. He vaguely felt that there seemed to be a powerful, invisible force quietly pushing everything forward, ensuring that the cooperation process was smooth without any obstacles.
He knew perfectly well that the source of this power was most likely Gu Qingyan, the one who had acted as a go-between.
It wasn't that Gu Qingyan directly interfered with the project details, but rather that the strength he represented, his likely deep relationship with the top management of Huanyu, and even his considerable "face" in the business world, all invisibly gilded Shiguang Studio with a layer of "reliability" and "necessity to be taken seriously." The exceptional smoothness and preferential treatment given by Huanyu was less for Shiguang itself and more for Gu Qingyan, who stood behind Shiguang.
This realization left Zhou Xubai with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he was excited that the studio had been able to secure and advance this milestone project so smoothly. On the other hand, a subtle and indescribable unease lingered in his mind. This success did not seem to stem entirely from the strength of Shiguang Studio itself, or at least not entirely.
The reason why Gu Qingyan gave Shiguang such great benefits is self-evident.
In any case, the result was good. This heavyweight collaboration, which would have made many companies in the industry fight tooth and nail, was secured by Shiguang with astonishing speed and efficiency, and quickly entered the execution phase.
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