When Han Qian returned to the General Affairs Department, Yang Lan was in the middle of distributing bonuses. Xiao Yangjia, eyes sparkling with excitement, was vividly recounting the fiery and icy encounter between President Yan and Han Qian in the office. Just as she reached the most thrilling part, fate clutched the nape of her neck.
"Xiao Yangjia, shall I inform President Yan that you appear rather idle?"
That voice fell upon her ears like the call of death, and the hand on her fair neck felt like the Reaper's scythe. As she slowly turned her head, tears welled in her eyes, and she whispered in grievance,
"Brother Qian'er, I was wrong… Waa…"
Crying again? This time, Han Qian wasn't going to be fooled. With a mischievous chuckle, Xiao Yang sensed danger and shrieked that she was about to wet her pants before bolting off. Watching the retreating back of the emotionless loli, Han Qian shook his head with a smile.
Despite the bonuses, the animosity of the General Affairs team toward Han Qian hardly waned—though he didn't care much for their opinions.
He was the scion of a wealthy household, a pampered young master; how could he compare to those who had clawed their way up from the dirt?
And Han Qian wasn't wrong in this assumption. Most people who ended up in the General Affairs Department weren't simple characters—most of them.
He stepped forward and patted Su Liang on the shoulder, speaking quietly:
"Get ready. We need to head out shortly."
Su Liang stood, jacket in hand, ready to depart. Unfortunately, Liu Jiulong overheard Han Qian's words clearly. The moment he realized Han Qian was leaving again, he grabbed him by the arm and roared:
"Trying to run again? Han Qian, are you even working here? Late yesterday, absent this morning, and now off again this afternoon? I'm a deputy supervisor and even I'm not this busy!"
Han Qian's face showed a flicker of embarrassment. At that moment, Yang Lan approached, frowning at him.
"You're going out again? With Xiao Liang?"
Han Qian nodded sheepishly and replied in a low voice:
"We're discussing the planning proposal… also… Sister Yang, you might need to work overnight at the office tonight."
Yang Lan's brows furrowed deeper. She took a step closer and asked softly:
"A planning proposal? Don't tell me you've already finished yours. I don't mind staying overnight—but Bei Bei's home alone…"
"I'll stay! Lan Lan, go home. I'll do the overtime,"
Liu Jiulong seized the opportunity to volunteer with exaggerated enthusiasm. Yang Lan seemed momentarily tempted and asked again,
"Was this President Yan's instruction? Deputy Liu…"
Han Qian shook his head and replied solemnly,
"No. You need to stay and keep watch on me for President Yan—make sure I don't sneak off. You'll also attend tomorrow morning's executive meeting. Tonight, I have things to discuss with you. Deputy Liu… is a bit lacking."
At first, Liu Jiulong hadn't caught on, but when he heard the final words, he nearly smashed a chair over Han Qian's head. This damn brat—must he spill everything? Also, Lan Lan's scent was intoxicating. Liu Jiulong kept inching closer to her, forcing Yang Lan to lean back awkwardly. She frowned at Han Qian.
"If President Yan asked it, then you two don't need to rush. I'll come along as well."
Just then, Su Liang reached out and stopped Liu Jiulong's bobbing head with a smile.
"Brother Liu, did you sleep funny? You've nearly pushed Sister Yang off her seat."
Laughter erupted in the General Affairs Department. Liu Jiulong blushed slightly and scratched his head awkwardly. He claimed he would tag along, but Yang Lan refused and told him to stay behind and prep the work.
Twenty minutes later, a white Volkswagen Bora glided out of the Glory Group's underground parking lot. Su Liang offered to drive, but Han Qian declined.
"Don't drive, Liang. Call the manager of the city's largest interior design firm. Say Glory Group wants to discuss a partnership. Oh—we need to turn back. I forgot to ask President Yan for funds. We need to eat. Sister Yang, could you turn around?"
Yang Lan shook her head seriously and said softly:
"No need. I brought money. But Han Qian, tell me honestly—what kind of proposal did you write that made President Yan so indulgent with you? Honestly, I'm a little envious."
Out of the General Affairs Department, Yang Lan was dressed urban chic—white chiffon blouse, blue blazer, a white pencil skirt with nude stockings. Her hair was pinned up, exposing her pale neck. No wonder Liu Jiulong fawned over her. Yang Lan was a beauty, easily scoring over eighty if she were a few years younger.
Fortunately, Han Qian had lost interest in women. Reclining in the back seat, he closed his eyes and spoke lazily:
"It's about that land by the airfield—you know the one. My plan is to build a mall, but a rather unique one. We need to discuss interior design, hence the meeting. I'll explain more tonight. For now, I need your help—Yang Jie, please play my secretary; Liang, you're my assistant. In this business, people only respect appearances. Dogs look up to suits. I haven't slept all night, I'll nap a bit. Yang Jie, whatever you spend today, I'll get President Yan to reimburse you."
Yang Lan was puzzled. When she turned to ask again, she found Han Qian already asleep, drooling. Left with no choice, she turned to Su Liang, who told her it was a high-end building materials mall. Yang Lan's eyes lit up—this might work. She realized Han Qian was going to bluff his way through, so she booked a private room at the Huatai Hotel, capping the food and drinks at 3,000 yuan—a generous offering for a construction company.
Han Qian was woken up with two light slaps from Su Liang, who stood outside the car door, smirking.
"President Han, time to disembark."
Groggy, Han Qian looked around in confusion before realizing the title was for him. He cursed with a smile and asked quietly if everyone had arrived. Su Liang nodded—four people were present: two managers, a chief designer, and a site supervisor.
Yang Lan stepped over, straightened Han Qian's rumpled suit, and handed him a man's watch.
"My ex-husband's watch was in the car. You should wear it. Men judge each other by what they wear more than women do."
Han Qian smiled and nodded.
"You're always so thoughtful, Sister Yang. If this goes well, the three of us will get a decent bonus. I owe you one today. I'll visit Bei Bei sometime—is she a boy?"
"A girl. Let's go."
Mention of her ex-husband and child dimmed Yang Lan's expression. But as Han Qian stepped through the hotel doors, his entire demeanor shifted—cold and unreadable.
Inwardly, Han Qian thanked Wen Nuan. This poise was cultivated during his time with her. To avoid embarrassing her, she'd taught him much. In places like hotels, the rule was simple: smiling faces invite punches. If you remain cold and aloof, they'll respect you. They won't guess your background.
Wen Nuan was right. As they entered, the lobby manager greeted them with a smile, which Han Qian ignored. Playing her role to perfection, Yang Lan whispered that they were from Glory Group and had booked a room.
Han Qian's expression remained glacial until he saw the representatives inside the private room—only then did he crack a faint smile and offer brief greetings. Introduced as a department manager in charge of business expansion, he carried the guise well.
These interior professionals had sharp eyes. They quickly noticed Han Qian's luxury watch and Gucci suit. The "secretary" by his side exuded calm authority—hardly the demeanor of someone low-ranking. That made it impossible to determine Han Qian's true identity.
With dishes served, Yang Lan began with a polished smile:
"Thank you all for making time today. Apologies if this delayed your schedule. Here's my card. President Han is extremely busy—please contact me if needed."
Han Qian's heart skipped a beat—he hadn't even thought to bring a business card. The design company reps took hers and froze.
**Yang Lan — Minister of General Affairs, Glory Group.**
A minister? Serving as a secretary?
The manager receiving the card was clearly rattled. What he thought was a minor functionary now seemed a mystery. He steadied himself and handed over his own card.
"President Han, Minister Yang, it is truly an honor to work with your esteemed company. Our reunion today is indeed a fortunate fate. A toast to President Han."
Drinking?
Su Liang moved to respond, but Yang Lan had already picked up her glass and smiled gently.
"Apologies, Manager Li. President Han is allergic to alcohol. Please."
Yang Lan fully embraced her secretary role. The shot of baijiu burned just to look at, but she downed it effortlessly. After a few rounds, Han Qian finally spoke.
"Manager Li, the tension between the airfield and surrounding residents has likely reached your ears. Let me be direct—Glory Group will secure development rights for that area. There's significant opportunity for your company to collaborate with us."
"Please, go on, President Han."
"Here's the issue. I have friends who recently bought houses in Hejian Royal Court. They hired top designers, and the renderings are impressive. But when it came to buying materials, they hit a snag. For instance, tiles—finding premium ones in our small city is nearly impossible. And the affordable ones are so cheap it's embarrassing to admit. You understand the dilemma?"
"President Han, you've hit the nail on the head. Fenghua's designers rank among the best in the province, but we're often limited by poor materials. We do partner with building materials vendors—we recommend them to clients, and in return, we get discounts or rebates. But as customer tastes improve, our city's materials can't keep up. If we look to other cities, we face high prices, long travel, and we can't keep dragging clients back and forth. A few trips is fine, but more than that, and the cost becomes untenable."
"Exactly. We looked into it. High-end materials don't sell because they're expensive; cheap ones don't sell because they're tacky. Most of the products in the Decor Market cater to middle and lower-tier consumers. Even if a high-end brand moves in, it'll struggle to sell. And the outer ring's building material market? Mostly local carpentry work with no branding. It's not that I look down on carpenters—I admire craftsmen deeply—but we're merchants. We must think of the clients. Wouldn't you agree?"
"President Han, you truly understand us."