Qin Cheng wasn’t fond of sunlight.
“But it’s so warm!”
His little maid beside him chirped.
Bathed in golden rays, her face held no exaggerated expression—yet a quiet joy shimmered there, as if a smile were just beneath the surface.
“I just don’t like how glaring it is,” Qin Cheng replied calmly, dark eyes fixed on her. Drowned memories lay still in their depths.
“Master Qin… do you like smiling?”
“Why ask?”
“I was wondering… you’d probably look really handsome when you smile, right?”
“Handsome even without it.”
“I think so too~ Hehe!”
The little maid hopped lightly in place, skipped to his side, and beamed—a genuinely lovely smile.
Sunlight streaming through the window chased away the shadows around Qin Cheng.
The sudden brightness stung his eyes. He turned away, hand raised to his brow. “Flattery won’t earn you a raise.”
“Eep!”
Beep-beep—
The monotonous ringtone cut through the room. This replacement phone—Qin Cheng had swapped it after returning; the old one was still with Fu Hou—hadn’t even gotten a new ringtone yet.
The maid picked it up, answered, and held it toward him.
“M-Master Qin… everything’s ready…”
The voice on the line was low, laced with nervousness.
A faint curve touched Qin Cheng’s lips as he took the phone. “Well done.”
“Y-yes! P-please forgive my earlier… unintentional offense…”
“Relax. I’m not exactly the devil, am I~”
.........
.........
Time shifted. The scene changed.
At the pinnacle of Pinghai City’s corporate hierarchy stood titans like Azure Cloud Group and Liu Xing Group.
But true giants were rare. Most were solid mid-tier firms.
Cheng Yu An’s father, Cheng Du, had built Cheng Ye Company through unorthodox networking and sheer hustle. True to its name, he’d always dreamed of total success.
It held its own as a respectable mid-tier player.
Until yesterday.
Overnight losses hit 25%—a near-fatal blow for a stable company.
“Who leaked our secrets? If you still call me Big Brother, step forward and own it.”
Cheng Du was handsome—dignified, refined, fitting for Cheng Yu An’s father. Now, fury tightened his features as he scanned the room.
Six key executives sat silent around the table.
“There’s a traitor among us.”
A portly, nearly bald man shot to his feet, suspicion burning in his eyes.
If Fu Hou were here, she’d recognize him instantly—the nouveau riche who’d stolen her heirloom!
“Huh? Seventh Brother, talking so casually? Already clearing your name?”
Beside Ma Shun, a white-shirted man smirked lazily.
“Exactly!” ×4
The other four chimed in unison.
Ma Shun slammed the table, face flushed. “Me?! A traitor?! After everything I’ve given this company?!”
“You’re disgusting! How many years of my life?! And you doubt me? Pah! Disgusting!”
“Disgusting!”
“Doubting me? You’re all trash! Worse than trash!”
“Disgusting! Disgusting!!!”
He stormed out, door slamming behind him. His angry echoes hung in the silent room.
Cheng Du watched him go, shook his head, and sank into his chair.
After a pause, his gaze landed on Sixth Brother—the bespectacled man nearest him.
Sixth Brother froze, throat bobbing. “Big Brother… you know me.”
“If I were the traitor, you’d have caught me long ago.”
His eyes darted to Fifth Brother.
Cheng Du followed.
Fifth Brother, gum-chewing and startled, cleared his throat. “Ahem… Big Brother, you know me.”
“With my habits? If I were guilty, I wouldn’t be sitting here.”
He passed the look to Fourth Brother.
Cheng Du’s jaw tightened.
Fourth Brother met his stare, utterly calm. “Big Brother… you know me.”
“If I were the traitor, the company would never have noticed.”
His gaze shifted smoothly to Third Brother.
Cheng Du gritted his teeth and looked on.
Third Brother leaned back with practiced ease. “Big Brother… you know me.”
“With my style? If I’d betrayed us, we’d be bankrupt by now.”
He flicked his eyes to Second Brother.
Cheng Du was already staring.
Second Brother blinked, cracked his neck. “Don’t look at me, Big Brother. You know me.”
“If I moved against you? Every single one of you would be ruined.”
“Pfft…”
Laughter burst from everyone except Cheng Du.
For a moment, the conference room hummed with lighthearted relief.
