Li Yifei told Qian Fei that the last day of August was his birthday. Qian Fei remembered that when they signed the rental contract, the birth date on his ID card wasn’t this day. So she thought Li Yifei must be up to no good and spouting nonsense, and she didn’t take his words to heart.
It wasn’t until the 31st, when Li Yifei actually tried to drag her to the villa he rented with the air of a birthday boy, that she began to half-believe him.
“Is today really your birthday?”
Li Yifei raised an eyebrow. “What other day did you think it was?”
Qian Fei said, “The one on your ID card!”
Li Yifei cursed. “Damn, I forgot about that! No wonder you’ve been so indifferent about August 31st! When my household registration was done back then, the old man reported my birth date based on the lunar calendar! He insisted that this way, no one could figure out my exact birth time, and anyone trying to mess with my fate would just end up being a complete idiot! And the weird thing is, ever since then, he’s celebrated my birthday based on the solar calendar! I’ll never understand him!”
Qian Fei imagined a parent using the word “idiot” and was momentarily stunned. “Was that your dad’s exact wording?”
Li Yifei said, “That’s the gist of it. The exact words… let me think… probably were: ‘All those who attempt to tamper with your fate are doomed to futile efforts.’”
Qian Fei fell silent. She suspected Li Yifei might not have done well in synonym studies as a child.
“If your dad played mahjong, he’d never lose. His unconventional tactics are downright dazzling!”
On the way back to the villa, Li Yifei pulled over. Not far away was a cake shop.
Qian Fei asked why he stopped. Li Yifei gave her a look that said, Can you be any more clueless? and replied, “Aren’t you going to get out and buy me a birthday cake or something?”
Qian Fei stared at him blankly and said sincerely, “I’ve realized there’s no saving your shamelessness. Now you’re openly demanding food from people!”
She rolled her eyes and got out of the car.
After returning to the villa with the cake, Li Yifei stuck in the candles while lecturing Qian Fei earnestly, “You should remember this day! From now on, buying cakes and lighting candles should be something you do proactively and sincerely! This is the first time, so consider it me setting an example for you!”
Qian Fei thought this kid must have spent some time in a mental hospital—his ability to talk to himself was truly masterful.
Once the candles were lit, Li Yifei made a wish.
He announced loudly, “I wish that business trip lady would move out soon!”
Qian Fei burst out laughing. “Look at you, lecturing me about character, yet your birthday wish involves another woman!”
Li Yifei shot her a glare and told her to help him blow out the candles.
Qian Fei blew while laughing uncontrollably.
Li Yifei smacked her head. “Can you do it properly? I asked you to blow, not spray saliva everywhere!” Then he asked, “What’s so funny anyway?”
Qian Fei said, “Nothing, really. I just regret not getting you a five-nut or leek-and-egg cake. Oh, and young master, I wanted to tell you—I like your zodiac sign! By the way, I have a good friend in Hangzhou who shares your sign. I bet you two would get along great!” ( Would I joke about Hangzhou’s idiot being Yi Jin? Hahaha… )Li Yifei raised his hand and smacked her butt. "Stop spouting nonsense at me! Just say happy birthday already!"
Qian Fei froze for a second before kicking him in the calf. "Fine, I'll say it, but why do you have to be such a pervert?"
She muttered a quick "Happy birthday."
Li Yifei stretched out his hand toward her. Qian Fei was confused.
"What?"
Li Yifei arched an eyebrow. "My gift!"
Qian Fei scoffed. "Since when do people ask for gifts outright?"
Li Yifei scoffed right back. "If you didn’t get me anything, you’ll have to pay your debt with your body!"
Qian Fei spat out, "Guess whether I’ll indulge you or not!"
Li Yifei glared. "I’m guessing you will."
Qian Fei was speechless.
"I really thought your birthday was the one on your ID, so I honestly didn’t prepare anything..."
Li Yifei bent down to grab something from under the table while growling, "Then get yourself cleaned up and ready to pay up!" He pulled out a bag from beside his feet and handed it to Qian Fei, then stuck out his hand again. "Fifty bucks—hand it over!"
Qian Fei was forced to take the bag. "What’s this? Since when is extortion this blatant?"
Li Yifei didn’t give her a chance to look inside, pressuring her to cough up the fifty yuan immediately.
Annoyed beyond reason, Qian Fei pulled out a hundred-yuan bill from her wallet and threw it at his face. "Here, take it! That’s two fifties! Go buy some medicine before it’s too late—one second later and you might turn into a full-blown idiot!"
Li Yifei shamelessly pocketed the money, then pulled out a fifty and tossed it back at her. "Who are you trying to humiliate with money? While other kids were soaking in honey, I was soaking in a piggy bank, got it? Take this fifty and buy yourself some books—learn how other women act like women!"
Qian Fei caught the money and flung it back at him. "You go buy medicine!"
Li Yifei caught it and threw it back. "You go buy books!"
After several rounds, the money fell to the ground.
Qian Fei asked, "Should we pick it up?"
Li Yifei scoffed. "Pick up what? Just to keep throwing it? I’m exhausted!" He waved his arms. "Let’s get to the point—open that bag!"
Qian Fei opened the bag, took out a box, and inside found a pair of cufflinks.
"Are these… for me?" But she had no use for them...
Li Yifei put on a solemn face. "No, these are the birthday gift you’re giving me!"
Qian Fei: "..."
Li Yifei chuckled. "I knew you might forget to get me a present. Luckily, I’m not just handsome but also brilliant—I prepared the gift you’re supposed to give me in advance, so you wouldn’t wallow in regret for not buying anything!"
Qian Fei: "..."
Li Yifei waved his hand impatiently. "Hurry up and give me my gift!"
Qian Fei: "..."
Qian Fei decided that fifty yuan probably wasn’t enough for Li Yifei’s medical treatment.
She examined the cufflinks. "Are these really just fifty? Knockoffs?"
Li Yifei scowled. "Knockoff your sister! I gave you a discount, so you’re welcome!"
●︶3︶●
After eating cake, the two of them lay on the floor, gazing at the dimming sky outside.
Li Yifei suddenly asked, "Jinjin, what exactly am I to you right now? Feels like I’m living this life without any real status!"Qian Fei gritted her teeth: "You're like two wings of a sanitary pad—utterly useless!"
Li Yifei hooked his foot around hers: "I'm being serious here, can you take this seriously for once?"
Qian Fei kicked him away: "I am serious! Whatever topic you bring up, I'll match it perfectly. See how well we sync?"
Li Yifei propped himself up on one elbow, resting his head on his hand as he eyed Qian Fei. "Let me ask you—why haven't you given me official status yet? Do you still have doubts about me?"
Qian Fei stared straight at him. "I'm afraid you're not settled yet, that I'm just a passing novelty for you."
Li Yifei twirled a strand of her hair with his free hand. "Jinjin, trust me, I'm serious about you. It's different with you than with anyone else!"
Qian Fei curled her lip. "Zhao De said that at your company party last week, you were sandwiched between two office flowers, having a threesome of a time all night!"
Li Yifei gnashed his teeth. "That idiot Zhao De—I'm going to kill him tomorrow! Jinjin, listen to me, they were just asking me about work projects all night, we really didn't talk about anything else! And don't worry, my tastes have become... particular. Only a tough girl like you can catch my interest now. Those two delicate, simpering types at our company? Ugh, so nauseating!"
Qian Fei shoved his face away. "Get lost! If you like men so much, go find one!"
Li Yifei seized her hand instead. "When are you finally going to make me official? Even a young master like me has his pride, you know. If you keep denying me status, even if I let it go, my self-respect won't!"
Qian Fei shook off his clingy grasp and said airily, "When I pass the sponsor representative exam!"
Li Yifei narrowed his eyes at her, then gritted his teeth. "Fine! This young master will swallow his pride one more time! I'll wait until you pass that exam. But if you dare deny me status after that, let me warn you—I won't ask nicely anymore!"
Qian Fei laughed. "You know that saying 'ten years to hone a sword'? At your age, in two more years you'll have honed yourself into Sword Three!"
●︶3︶●
That seemingly offhand remark from Qian Fei was actually the result of careful consideration.
She thought Li Yifei was too much of a flirt. She didn't have enough confidence or assurance about maintaining a romantic relationship with him.
Though he had a tsundere personality, that very quality was attractive to women. Moreover, he was good-looking, quick-witted, and highly capable at work—who knew how many girls were eyeing him?
As for why he liked her... it was probably just because they'd spent so much time together that feelings developed. She didn't think she had any qualities that could hold his interest long-term.
After a year of breakups and makeups, of ups and downs, she felt like she was finally starting to understand life a little better.
Before, she'd always thought that as a woman, her career didn't need to be outstanding—having a job and income was enough. The focus of her life should be on family. As long as her man could provide, she didn't need to be too ambitious.
So she gave up many opportunities for career advancement because they required business trips, and instead poured all her energy into taking care of Wang Ruohai.
And the result? Wang Ruohai did become outstanding—he jumped to Qiansheng. But once he became outstanding, she could no longer keep him.It wasn’t until later, when she pulled herself together and had to strive for her career again to make a living, that she realized she had become more confident than before. At the same time, she paid attention to her appearance, refining both her inner and outer self. To her surprise, Wang Ruohai turned back to her with infatuation.
After more than a year of these experiences, she came to understand a truth: relying on youth and beauty to attract men is fleeting. There will always come a day when beauty fades and men grow weary of the same aesthetic. When that happens, a woman who isn’t outstanding will have nothing left but tears and curses about men’s fickleness—none of which solves any real problems. Only by being exceptional, beautiful because of confidence, can one hold someone’s heart for long. And if she is strong enough, what is there to fear even if they part ways one day? An outstanding woman will never lack admirers.
Qian Fei felt that Li Yifei was now far more outstanding than her, making it easy for her to become anxious and insecure in their relationship. And once she started overthinking, she would gradually become ordinary. Once ordinary, she would lose the initial charm that had attracted Li Yifei. The ultimate result would be him growing tired of her and being drawn to someone else who could captivate him.
Only by becoming as outstanding as him could she avoid insecurity caused by their disparity. She wanted to make sure that while she worried about other women eyeing him, he would also worry about whether more formidable men were circling her.
What keeps love fresh? Keeping each other just a little unsettled, a little concerned, a little jealous—constantly mindful of whether their partner might be snatched away by someone better. That’s how love stays fresh.
Qian Fei decided to become an outstanding woman, one who would keep Li Yifei constantly worried about whether she might be taken away—so much so that he wouldn’t have the energy to look at other beauties with their long hair, fair legs, and slender waists.
For now, she believed the most powerful way to become outstanding was to pass the sponsor representative exam in November. Once she passed, once she could independently handle projects and become an elite in her field, once she was outstanding enough—she wouldn’t care how many beauties surrounded him to “discuss projects.” By then, he’d better worry about whether other elite men would chase after her with “business questions.”
●︶3︶●
Liu Yifeng had changed jobs, leaving many tasks without guidance, and Qian Fei had to figure things out on her own again. Fortunately, Li Yifei was also skilled in business matters, so whenever she had questions, asking him directly was even more convenient and effective than asking Liu Yifeng before.
Due to the CSRC’s financial review requirements, intermediaries like securities firms had to conduct visits to the clients and suppliers of companies preparing for IPO. The company assigned this task to Qian Fei. The project leader believed that over the past half-year, Qian Fei’s professional skills had greatly improved, and her communication abilities were outstanding. Leading a team to visit clients and suppliers would not only help promptly identify any financial issues between them and the company but also, if any were found, her communication skills would ensure a smooth resolution without damaging relationships between the company, clients, and suppliers.
At the beginning of September, Qian Fei embarked on her visiting journey. She calculated that the trip would cover over 50 companies across more than 20 cities.Over the next period, Qian Fei found herself in a new city every day, visiting several companies, asking numerous tactful questions with a smile to suppliers or clients. Each night, she checked into hotels late, only to rise early the next morning, pack her luggage, and embark on a new journey.
Li Yifei called or messaged her daily, inquiring if she encountered any difficult problems—offering solutions if she did, or simply chatting briefly before letting her rest if all was well.
Though exhausted from the trip, Qian Fei also felt an unparalleled sense of fulfillment, believing this journey was immensely enriching.
Upon arriving in Dalian, after finishing her client visits, Qian Fei and her colleagues checked into a hotel. She then called Yao Jingjing.
Yao Jingjing was so thrilled that she insisted on treating her to dinner. Qian Fei happily took advantage, unhesitatingly choosing the Shangri-La as their dining spot.
When she arrived by taxi, she discovered Lu Ze was also there.
Yao Jingjing said, "If you’d picked some place like Dongcai’s big plate chicken, I’d have gritted my teeth and gone along. But since you chose here, I had to bring my wallet along!"
Qian Fei replied, "Oh, I see. Then let your wallet pay first—after that, he can leave."
Lu Ze, standing nearby, remarked expressionlessly, "No third person in this world dares to talk as if I don’t exist the way you two do."
Qian Fei and Yao Jingjing clung to each other, shaking with laughter. The wealthy Lu Ze watched them helplessly, the corners of his mouth twitching despite himself.
The three spent a delightfully noisy evening together.
When the bill arrived, Lu Ze actually miscalculated the amount. Yao Jingjing gasped as if discovering the eighth wonder of the world, tugging at Qian Fei and squealing, "Quick, let’s mock him while we can! I’m telling you, an opportunity like this might never come again—I’ve never seen him make such a basic math mistake!"
Qian Fei played along perfectly, tutting, "Who’d have thought the great entrepreneur Lu Ze, commander of thousands, couldn’t even calculate a dinner bill correctly? Life truly is unpredictable!"
Lu Ze’s lips twitched. He suppressed it but ultimately failed, looking at her and Yao Jingjing. "Next time you two eat out, don’t invite me. Listening to you talk gives me a headache."
Qian Fei and Yao Jingjing burst into giggles.
Lu Ze raised an eyebrow, then abruptly changed the subject. "By the way, give my regards to Li Yifei when you get back."
Qian Fei arched a brow in return. "Actually, I’m not that close to him."
Lu Ze’s mouth relaxed into a somewhat eerie smile. "In certain aspects, you really aren’t that familiar with him."
Qian Fei, puzzled, asked what he meant by "certain aspects." Lu Ze reverted to his usual impassive expression. "Li Yifei and I are business partners now—it’s not appropriate for me to say more. He’ll tell you himself eventually."
The pleasant dinner concluded, and Lu Ze drove her back to her hotel before leaving with Yao Jingjing.
Back in her room, Qian Fei posted photos from the evening on her social media with the caption: "Had a fabulous dinner with the Great Fairy tonight—so much fun! Special thanks to the Great Fairy’s *wallet, Mr. Lu, for generously sponsoring the feast!"She received a call from Li Yifei less than a minute after posting on her social media.
"Did you have dinner with Lu Ze tonight?" he asked bluntly.
Qian Fei corrected him, "I had dinner with Yao Jingjing. Lu Ze's main function was to pay the bill, thank you very much!"
Li Yifei didn't argue semantics with her. "What did Lu Ze talk to you about?" he asked instead.
Qian Fei countered, "Like what?"
Li Yifei said, "Like life, ideals, his partnership with me, or maybe housing, things like that?"
Qian Fei caught the last word. "What housing? He didn't mention housing, but he did say you two are business partners and many things aren't convenient for him to tell me directly, so I should ask you." She paused before adding, "Don't tell me you rented your place from him?"
Li Yifei snorted but neither confirmed nor denied it, smoothly changing the subject. "Where's your next stop?" he asked Qian Fei.
"Guangzhou," she replied. "Leaving early tomorrow morning, arriving by noon. Just need to visit one company in the afternoon before flying to Hangzhou in the evening." She paused again. "I heard Guangzhou's sticky rice chicken is especially delicious. If I have time, I'd really like to try it!"
Li Yifei was utterly disdainful. "Can you think about anything besides food?"
Qian Fei said, "Of course!"
Li Yifei grunted, "Like what?"
Qian Fei said, "You!"
On the other end of the line, Li Yifei's breathing momentarily lost its rhythm.
"Wait a second, let me process this. Are you saying you miss me? Wow, has this young master finally waited long enough to see the moon through parting clouds?"
Qian Fei laughed. "I was just keeping the conversation going. Young master, don't let your imagination run too wild, or even the mental hospital won't be able to save you!"
Li Yifei sighed dramatically. "You're too stubborn to admit you miss me, but this young master isn't like that—I'm soft-hearted! So I have to say, little towel, I kinda miss you!"
Author's Note:
Sorry, beauties! It's taking me longer and longer to write these days, and today I had to work overtime, which delayed my writing time. Tears!
About sponsor representatives—just know the exam is quite difficult to pass, and passing means you have the opportunity to earn more money (in the past, sponsor reps were really impressive, with annual salaries starting at a million yuan, and transfer fees usually starting at several million; in recent years, it's gradually declined, with various companies reducing allowances for sponsor reps, but even a starved camel is bigger than a horse...
I heard the site isn't as glitchy now—I'll try sending points from the backend. If it works, I'll make up for the past few days.
Tomorrow, Big Feifei goes to Hangzhou. I'm thinking of having Yi Jin and Guan Jiu make cameo appearances ^_^
Thanks to all the big shots who threw thunder and bombs! Sincere thanks! I truly feel bad making you spend money for me! Bows!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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