Chapter 55#

Kneeling before him.#

“Failure? Why is it still not working?” Qin Zheng frowned deeply and spoke loudly to the person on the other end of the phone.

“Manager Qin…” The person in charge explained helplessly: “The data model of our company’s medical sector isn’t large enough. The existing data simply cannot support us in completing this project…”

He hesitated, then offered a suggestion: “If we could get data support from ‘Jiang Ming’…”

Qin Zheng remained silent for a few seconds. Seeing Jiang Yunhan appear at the door, he hung up the phone prematurely.

They were at a coffee shop next to the school. Classes had become much scarcer, and since joining the Qin enterprise, Qin Zheng hadn’t been back to campus for a while.

Jiang Yunhan was holding several professional books. When he saw him, he beamed and softly called out, “Senior.”

He sat directly opposite Qin Zheng.

“Xiaohan, I’ve already ordered your favorite.”

Time had quietly slipped into winter. Students outside the window hurried by wrapped in coats. The warm sun spilled through the glass onto the table, making the white mist rising from the coffee cup exceptionally clear.

Jiang Yunhan held the coffee cup and smiled; the warm sensation slowly melted his fingertips, which had been frozen stiff.

Qin Zheng glanced at the books placed to the side: “Final exams coming up?”

Jiang Yunhan took a small sip of coffee, nodded, and couldn’t help but frown slightly, complaining: “Yeah, this professor is the strictest with grading. I’m a bit worried about the marks for this course…”

Qin Zheng furrowed his brow, picking up the materials in front of Jiang Yunhan to leaf through them: “Why did you prepare two sets? Who is the other one for?”

“For Xiaochen.”

Qin Zheng’s movements paused.

Mentioning Jian Yunchen was like being bitten by a mad dog.

The initial collaboration seemed like a win-win, even allowing him to undermine Qin Mu and kick him out of the company.

But in reality, that was not the case at all.

Not only did he offend Jiang Sheng, but Qin Mu also received compensation from Qin Linze because of it, transforming from an unemployed person who had been fired into a shareholder of the Qin Group.

During board meetings, he sat in a position even higher than his own.

And Jian Yunchen… using his push as a springboard, he turned his back on him the moment he returned to the Jiang family.

With someone like Qin Mu, it truly was… a perfect match.

Qin Zheng’s frown deepened. He tossed the materials onto the table, his tone involuntarily laced with coldness: “Is it necessary to prepare one for him? Will he appreciate your gesture?”

Jiang Yunhan was stunned, as if he hadn’t expected him to say something like that. He immediately gathered the materials from the table and glared up at him: “That’s my business.”

“Xiaohan,” Qin Zheng took his hand, his tone softening: “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just worried about you getting hurt. Jian Yunchen… isn’t as simple as you think.”

Jiang Yunhan pulled his hand back, leaned back against the chair, and turned his head to look out the window.

Passersby walked along in pairs, laughing and talking. Jiang Yunhan watched them, but the image of Jian Yunchen appeared in his mind.

A face almost identical to his own.

But the expression in the eyes was completely different.

The brightness in his eyes was like the only burning bonfire in a lonely, cold night.

Scorching and bright.

He envied him.

He envied his unyielding nature, prickly all over, and the stubborn dawn in his eyes.

The first time Jiang Yunhan met Jian Yunchen, he noticed the burning flames in the other’s eyes—they were so shockingly bright, so beautiful.

“I know,” he replied.

“I know he’s not simple, but so what? Is being simple necessarily a good thing?”

Jiang Yunhan turned to look at Qin Zheng, asking him word for word: “What about you? How many things have you kept from me? Is it best for me if I know nothing at all?”

“Xiaohan. I didn’t—”

“What about the medical robot project?” Jiang Yunhan interrupted him: “Why did you take me to that dinner party last time? Because you knew Uncle Jiang would be there, right? So you only took me to build a bridge and start a conversation—”

“Enough.” Qin Zheng’s face turned cold. “Xiaohan, what are you talking about? I never used you. It was just a chance encounter. The fact that I connected with Jiang Ming’an later had nothing to do with you.”

“Nothing to do with me…” Jiang Yunhan looked at him as if he had never known him before. He used to think Qin Zheng was excellent, progressive, and full of an unyielding spirit. Qin Zheng was still that same Qin Zheng, but now… he couldn’t quite understand him.

“Xiaohan.” Qin Zheng reached out again, clasping Jiang Yunhan’s hand tightly. Their palms were locked together. Qin Zheng’s stern face revealed a tenderness that outsiders never saw: “I never thought about using you. From beginning to end, you have been the most important person in my heart.”

“As long as I successfully secure that project, my father will trust my abilities even more, and then I won’t have to look at Qin Mu’s face anymore.” He lowered his voice, “Qin Mu has been hovering around you and Xiaochen; he is the one who is using you.”

Seeing Jiang Yunhan’s expression waver, he continued: “Once I win the project, I will tell Dad to send Qin Mu abroad. With him far away, you won’t have to worry about Xiaochen being deceived by him anymore.”

Jiang Yunhan lowered his eyes, looking at their joined hands, and slowly frowned.

“As long as you are willing to help me, Xiaohan.”

He looked up at Qin Zheng. “Help you? How do you want me to help you?”

Qin Zheng curled his lips: “It’s simple. I just need to borrow a little bit of your family’s medical sector database. You are Jiang Zong’s son; something like this isn’t difficult for you. As long as you are willing—”

“Are you crazy?” Jiang Yunhan’s eyes widened in disbelief: “Database? You’re actually asking me to steal the database for you? That’s a jail sentence!”

“How can this be called stealing?” Qin Zheng disagreed with his phrasing: “This belongs to your family in the first place. Would Jiang Zong really blame you?”

Jiang Yunhan stopped speaking. He grabbed his books and left in a rage.

Seeing him walk away, Qin Zheng hurriedly chased after him.

The coffee on the table was left behind. The guest at the next table, wearing a mask, followed their retreating figures with his eyes. The smile in his gaze became increasingly pronounced.

He took off his mask and slowly took a sip of coffee.

The warm coffee had gone cold. A bitter taste permeated his mouth. As the mellow liquid slid silkily down his throat, Jian Yunchen let out a heartfelt sigh.

Today’s outing had been very fruitful. In a good mood, he paid the bill and stood up, intending to leave as well.

Just then—

The bell at the coffee shop door suddenly rang.

The person who entered looked terrified and uneasy. Her hair was messy, and there were stubborn stains on her collar that looked out of place in this refined environment. She first scanned the room, and upon seeing Jian Yunchen, her gray, lifeless eyes suddenly lit up.

She stumbled toward him.

Before Jian Yunchen could react, in the next second—

With a thud.

She knelt at his feet.