Page 49

Qi Yan fell silent for a few seconds too.

He said, "Even if we take a huge step back and assume he knew, that was still the previous generation's business. Elder Yan is gravely ill now. There's no way for us to verify any of this."

Pei Sheng coughed twice. His deathly pale lips made him look all the more frail. "You can't be sure either, can you?"

Qi Yan walked toward him. "Don't obsess over it. When you came back this time, Tingshen let you join his executive office directly. That tells you how much support he's given you. How could what happened back then possibly—"

"Of course he wasn't the one who did it. He wouldn't have stooped to using such methods."

Pei Sheng cut him off. "But if the Yan Family really was involved, Qi Yan, tell me, how am I supposed to face Tingshen? How am I supposed to stay in his executive office and continue giving my all to work for the Yan Family?"

His cool voice was restrained and calm.

Qi Yan looked at his back and fell silent again.

"You don't know either," Pei Sheng said. "That's why I don't dare ask. If I ask, there's a fifty-fifty chance I'll get an answer I can't accept. Rather than be unable to take it back afterward, it's better not to ask in the first place."

"Pretend you never received that email, never saw that contract, pretend none of it happened?"

Qi Yan came around to face him. "Do you think that's possible? Can you keep up the pretense so flawlessly that you fool Tingshen and yourself?"

Pei Sheng started coughing again. "Then give me a solution. I want one too, a way to fool myself and forget that email."

Qi Yan had no solution.

The most rational thing to do was ask Tingshen and get to the bottom of it.

But he knew Pei Sheng's personality all too well. What he had just voiced was only the least of his concerns; he was still keeping many more things he couldn't say to himself.

Besides, given Tingshen's tyrannical mindset, his need to have everything under control, Qi Yan couldn't be sure whether he knew the truth behind it or how much he knew about what had happened.

Pei Sheng's fears might come true.

That was why he hesitated to advise him.

He wasn't Pei Sheng, and Pei Sheng wasn't him.

Tingshen's side was already the best place for Pei Sheng; Yan Tingshen himself was the most capable person in the world to help him.

If the past drove a wedge between the two of them, the rift in their relationship wouldn't be the only cost. In many respects, the loss would outweigh the gain.

"Since you don't have one either, do me a favor. Pretend I didn't say anything today, and you didn't hear anything."

Qi Yan's expression was complicated.

Pei Sheng said, "Actually, now that you've made me say it, I feel much better. You're the only person I can talk to about this."

In the end, Qi Yan did as he wished. "...If that helps, then drink less from now on. Come to me to vent and dump your troubles instead. It's better than getting dead drunk and making me do the hard labor of carrying you back, isn't it?"

Pei Sheng said, "You're right. I won't drink anymore."

Qi Yan turned around and changed the subject. "By the way, I ran into Young Mr. Qin's assistant just now. You said you were transferring hospitals. When are you going to take care of the paperwork?"

Pei Sheng went back to the bed. "Not today. Tomorrow morning."

Qi Yan said, "Then I'll come pick you up tomorrow morning."

Pei Sheng said, "There's no need. Go take care of your own business."

Qi Yan said, "It's on my way. I've been working nearby lately."

Pei Sheng didn't refuse again. After sitting for a while and recovering, he got up. "Young Mr. Qin only comes by at this time, so I won't see him tomorrow. I'll go thank him before I leave."

Qi Yan started to speak, then stopped, but ultimately couldn't hold back. "I don't think he's interested in hearing your thanks. Forget it."

The last time they had passed each other face-to-face, he had been completely ignored. It had made such an impression that he still remembered every detail of that day.

But compared to the way Qin You treated him, he acted as if Pei Sheng didn't even exist. His friend wanted to offer himself up to be trampled on, and Qi Yan couldn't bear to watch!

But Pei Sheng said, "One thing has nothing to do with the other. I've stayed here so long, and he's saved me so many times. It would be terribly rude to leave without saying goodbye."

Qi Yan couldn't dissuade him, so he could only accompany him out with a heavy heart, heading toward Qin You's ward.

But before they arrived, they heard footsteps at some distance from around the corner of the corridor, followed by voices.

First came Cui Ling's voice. "One more thing, Young Mr. Qin, about Assistant Pei—"

The sentence stopped abruptly.

In the window's reflection, Qi Yan saw Qin You withdrawing his gaze. Cui Ling had lowered his head slightly too, and when he spoke again, his tone was a touch more solemn than before.

"I'm sorry, Young Mr. Qin. It was my mistake. I'll never mention that name in front of you again. I'll go to Human Resources myself and explain this mistake, and have this quarter's bonus deducted."

Qin You's voice was casual. "I'll let it go this time. Don't let it happen again."

"..." Surprise and astonishment were still written on Qi Yan's face when his wrist suddenly tightened. Caught off guard, he was pulled into an empty room nearby by Pei Sheng, who closed the door.

Watching the two shadows pass through the gap beneath the door, he looked at Pei Sheng. He had meant to ask a question he already knew the answer to, but considering how much his friend had just been hurt, he let him off for once.

To be disliked this much.

The assistant had mentioned him by accident once, and it was enough to cost him a whole quarter's bonus...

Was even hearing his name so unbearable?

The person he disliked so much was also his savior. Qi Yan didn't have to think to know how upset Pei Sheng must be.

Pei Sheng looked at his expression. "If you want to say something, say it."

Qi Yan didn't hold back. He jerked his chin toward the door. "Didn't you say one thing had nothing to do with the other? Don't be rude."

Pei Sheng only said, "He treats you the same way."

Qi Yan: "..."

Unbelievable...

He was so grief-stricken he had tried to drown his sorrows in drink, yet he still couldn't keep that mouth of his in check.

Pei Sheng had already opened the door.

He looked in the direction Qin You had disappeared and pressed his lips together.

He hadn't expected Qin You's dislike of him to have reached this point.

He didn't even want to hear his name.

Then he probably wanted to see him even less.

[It dropped!] the system cheered emotionally. [Host, you really are amazing! You sent some plum blossoms, talked a little about the past, and the target's favorability dropped another point!]

Qin You was a little surprised too.

The target's reaction in the car had been lukewarm, and he had assumed mentioning Qingning Road hadn't had much effect.

Still, picking a few plum blossom branches hadn't been much trouble, so it was nothing.

Fortunately, the information the system had requested was at least somewhat useful.

"Young Mr. Qin, roughly when are you going back to the company?"

"Tomorrow," Qin You said.

Cui Ling: "..."

As they passed the protagonist's ward, Qin You waved a hand. "I have something else to do. You can go back."

Cui Ling thought for a moment and said only, "All right."

Qin You had spent more time at the company these past few days. Cui Ling had observed how Qin You treated Peng Ying and found that he was quite comfortable with Peng Ying's almost artificially intelligent behavior.

He had also gradually realized that Qin You's dissatisfaction with him might stem from his interfering too much in Qin You's "private life" outside work. Qin You had explicitly forbidden him from asking about anything related to Yan Tingshen.

Looking back on the times he had overstepped, strictly speaking, Qin You had never really "punished" him. But being let off again and again was no excuse for repeatedly making such elementary mistakes.

It was time he paid attention.

From now on, he would never mention anything related to Yan Tingshen.

As for Pei Sheng's hospital transfer, Qin You didn't like Pei Sheng at all anyway, so he surely wouldn't care.

With that thought, Cui Ling said goodbye and left the hospital with the documents.

Qin You paid no attention to what happened behind him. He turned and walked to the target's ward.

"Young Mr. Qin?"

The voice came from behind him.

Qin You turned and saw Pei Sheng and Qi Yan walking toward him side by side. His brows shifted slightly.

Pei Sheng spoke first. "Qi Yan and I were taking a walk downstairs and just came back up. Did you need something from me, Young Mr. Qin?"

Qi Yan kept his mouth firmly shut and rubbed his nose.

Pei Sheng continued, "As it happens, I—"

Qin You raised a hand and interrupted him. "Email address."

Before Pei Sheng could react, Qin You held his phone out to him. He took it instinctively and typed in his email address.

Qin You took the phone back. A moment later, a notification sounded, confirming that the email had been sent.

Pei Sheng said, "Sorry, I don't have my phone on me. I—"

Qin You glanced at him and said mildly, "I came across two documents by chance. They concern the Pei Family."

Pei Sheng's pupils contracted slightly. "The Pei Family..."

Qin You said, "There have been some misunderstandings. I hope you can explain them to A-Sheng and put his mind at ease."

Pei Sheng was still in a daze. "Misunderstandings?"

Qin You paid no attention to his reaction. "But there's no need to let him know where the documents came from, or that you and I met this time."

Pei Sheng blurted out, "Why?"

Qin You only said, "You don't need to know why. Unless you're unwilling to agree."

"I agree."

Pei Sheng didn't hesitate. "Don't worry. As long as it doesn't harm his interests, I'll keep my mouth shut about this!"

Hearing that, Qin You gave him another look and nodded slightly.

After speaking, Pei Sheng wanted to say goodbye, but saw that Qin You had already turned and left.

Only then did the forgotten Qi Yan step forward and make his presence known again.

He looked at Qin You's departing back and rubbed his face, which had been tense for too long.

Honestly, it was no wonder Young Mr. Qin got along with Yan Tingshen.

That domineering personality—never letting anyone get a word in once he started speaking, and treating everything as settled once he was done—was exactly the same.

But for now, he had no time to complain, or to indulge his curiosity about the documents.

He only asked Pei Sheng, "Who's A-Sheng?"

Why did Qin You care so much about this person, and what did this person have to do with the Pei Family? From what Pei Sheng had said, he had implicitly accepted what Qin You said. So how come Qi Yan didn't know this A-Sheng?

Pei Sheng turned to him and found on his face the same bewilderment he had once felt. "It's Tingshen."

"..." Qi Yan's eyes widened.