89: Chapter 89 (Completed) That beautiful woman looks strangely cold; be careful not to get scammed!

"Almost there!"

Qin Xun took one last hard look before turning his face away to gaze at the heavy rain outside the eaves.

"Little Xia, what exactly is the grudge between you and the founder of Dudu Tea?"

Thinking back to the office, he couldn't help but find it amusing, recalling how he had imagined a scene of a cold, love-struck beauty being dumped by a playboy rich kid.

Xia Ning's expression was a bit awkward, half-truthful and half-false.

"Actually, I once started a business and opened several coffee shops all at once."

"By chance, I was mocked by the chairman of Dudu Tea, who said my judgment was poor and that I would definitely go out of business within three months."

Qin Xun asked.

"And the result?"

Xia Ning's tone was somewhat smug.

"I lasted for six months."

Qin Xun: "..."

What was there to be proud of?

He asked again.

"Little Xia, then when I asked if your grudge was because of 'having a baby,' why did you answer 'yes'?"

Xia Ning hesitated for a moment, then turned her head to look at Qin Xun, explaining with a straight face.

"Do you know why the word 'incubation' is often used to describe starting a company?"

She didn't blush or skip a beat.

"The word 'incubation' represents patience, gentleness, delicacy, love, care, companionship, and protection."

"Once you have a company, you will also treat it like a child."

She turned her head away, looking at the heavy rain outside instead of Qin Xun.

"Dudu Tea cursed my child to die, and my coffee shop really did go out of business. Isn't that a grudge?"

Qin Xun turned his head to look at her profile and sighed.

"Women's thinking is always so strange; they love messy metaphors. Aren't I a vice president of a company now too?"

"However, I don't feel like Oak Tree is my child."

Xia Ning turned her head to look at Qin Xun, looking somewhat expectant.

"Then what is it?"

Qin Xun smiled.

"A bastard!"

Xia Ning: "..."

...

Outside the eaves, the wind blew and the rain fell.

The two watched quietly.

Xia Ning remembered a line from a song Qin Xun had sung that day.

"The most beautiful thing isn't just the rainy day, but the eaves where I once took shelter with you."

A faint smile appeared on her face unconsciously.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Xia Ning saw Qin Xun secretly move a little closer to her, his breathing becoming slightly hurried.

But then she heard Qin Xun say.

"Um... Little Xia, lend me 2,000 yuan, it's an emergency!"

"The hotel I stayed at yesterday was exposed again. With the spread of the promotional advertisements, I'm afraid it will become increasingly difficult to rent a suitable place in the future."

Xia Ning said expressionlessly.

"No."

But she saw Qin Xun silently curse, take out his phone, open the camera, and point it at them.

"Fine, don't lend it then!"

"Come on, Little Xia, smile."

Xia Ning turned her head and looked at her messy hair in the selfie lens.

"What... are you doing?"

Qin Xun said: "It's useful."

"Smile."

Xia Ning moved her lips slightly; she didn't smile, but she still looked beautiful.

Qin Xun didn't care and pressed the shutter.

Then, he sent it to the "Empress Dowager" via WeChat.

And sent a voice message.

[Mom, a rainstorm just trapped me and a beauty under the eaves. I think I've fallen for her, and I urgently need 2,000 yuan as start-up capital for dating.]

It was almost the end of the month. Tricking her into letting him handle the money and paying it back immediately, he felt no burden in his heart.

Xia Ning: "???"

How could he say such things without blushing or skipping a beat?

Is he even human?

Soon, there was a reply on WeChat, a voice message. Qin Xun tapped it open.

Xia Ning could hear it clearly—a woman's voice.

[I thought you liked sweet, cute girls. I didn't expect you to like a mature woman older than you.]

Xia Ning pursed her lips.

She heard Qin Xun reply with a smile.

[Three years older, a pot of gold!]

Xia Ning: "..."

Before long, Qin Xun received a transfer of 2,000 yuan and another voice message.

[That woman in the photo looks rather cold. Be careful not to get scammed and treated like a simp.]

Xia Ning: "..."

She finally knew who Qin Xun inherited his sharp tongue from!

Qin Xun replied: [Don't worry!]

He prepared to click accept.

Suddenly, a hand still wet with rain reached over and snatched his phone away.

Xia Ning tapped the transfer icon, clicked "Refund," and sent a voice message.

[Auntie, your son is scamming you.]

[I don't know him at all; I'm just a passerby.]

Qin Xun: "????"

Xia Ning turned her head, looked at him, and smiled gently, her eyes narrowing.

Qin Xun's lips trembled.

"Little Xia! Do you really want me to sleep on the street?"

Xia Ning didn't answer and walked into the rain.

If he had a place to stay and didn't go back, then he deserved to die out there.

For the past few nights, she had been watching the surveillance on her phone and discovered that Qin Xun had never returned to the rental apartment even once.

...

Magic City.

Chairman Xia's office.

He sat behind his desk, and in front of him stood a respectful middle-aged man, the head of his group's planning department—Zhou Qiang.

Chairman Xia asked.

"Zhou Qiang, what do you think of Oak Company's 'I Speak for Myself' advertisement?"

Zhou Qiang bowed slightly.

"Chairman Xia, I have worked for many years in well-known domestic advertising companies and have achieved some results."

"From my professional perspective, this advertisement has... many flaws."

Speaking of which, he looked up at Chairman Xia, and seeing him nod, he continued.

"This advertisement is too long, lasting over a full minute; the average viewer doesn't have the patience to watch it to the end."

"Furthermore, I can't grasp his main point at all. I don't know what he is advertising—is he promoting the company or himself?"

"What Oak Company does, and what he does, is not reflected in the advertisement at all."

Chairman Xia picked up his teacup, took a sip, put it down, and looked at Zhou Qiang. He knew there was definitely more to come.

Zhou Qiang continued.

"However, this advertisement, which looks full of flaws to professionals, has quickly gone viral, resonated with millions of people, and will influence more and more people."

"The line 'I am Qin Xun, I speak for myself' will definitely build him into a youth idol."

He paused and held up a finger.

"In my opinion, the value of Qin Xun's personal charisma alone, if managed properly, could be worth 100 million."

Chairman Xia smiled and said slowly, "How so?"

Zhou Qiang's expression became somewhat excited.

"I believe Qin Xun is not just a talent, but a..."

"Genius!"

"Prodigy!"

"Whiz!"

"Eccentric talent!"

He opened the folder in his hand, took out a document, and handed it to Chairman Xia.

"Chairman Xia, look!"

"These are the top 10 most-watched videos on Douyin, the hottest short video platform in August."

Chairman Xia took a look.

Zhou Qiang explained.

"There are four related to Qin Xun: crawling on his knees to save his daughter, selling apples in a pool, singing at the wedding with the Xiao Ying Doll, and singing 'For You' at the wedding."

"Based on the current spread of 'My Name is Qin Xun, I Speak for Myself,' it will squeeze into the top 10 in a few days."

"Look, the others in the top 10 are all explosive social news or celebrities having scandals or cheating—things that naturally grab attention."

"Under Qin Xun's careful planning, his influence is already on the same level as many celebrities."

The more he spoke, the more excited he became, finally letting out a deep sigh.

He looked like he wanted to adopt Qin Xun as his godson on the spot!

"Chairman Xia, I strongly suggest we poach this person. In the future, he definitely won't be at his current price."

"If business is like a battlefield, then to use an old saying, this Qin Xun is worth five divisions."

Chairman Xia nodded, his expression calm, and waved his hand, letting Zhou Qiang leave the office.

He sighed and muttered.

"10 million, just for you to use for dating?"

"I'm still a bit... annoyed."

...

That night.

Eight-thirty.

Xia Ning sat in the living room, looking at the empty villa, and suddenly felt a bit lonely.

After a while, she felt hungry, took out her phone, and ordered a boiled fish dish.

...

Meanwhile.

Qin Xun accepted an order and delivered a boiled fish dish worth 218 yuan to a famous wealthy villa area in Haicheng.

Upon receiving the meal and smelling the scent of the boiled fish, he knew it was the work of a beginner practicing.

He frowned.

"People are really foolish and have too much money. How can they be embarrassed to sell such trash for so much?"

"If someone with a weak stomach eats this, they'll probably be running to the bathroom for three days."

...

Xia Ning sat in the living room waiting for over half an hour, occasionally opening the delivery platform to check the rider's route dynamic map, discovering that this rider was incredibly annoying.

He was clearly taking a straight path, yet he was moving very slowly.

It seemed like he was determined to arrive exactly on time.

She shook her head.

"For this order, I won't be giving any extra tip!"