Mei, I Absolutely Won't Let Go (Continued)

Concern and affection filled Bronya's eyes and voice.

No wonder Griseo always treated her like a mother...

Xu Qi couldn't help leaning toward her palm, and Aponia seemed to notice the little gesture. She moved a chair over and sat beside Xu Qi, letting him rest against her shoulder.

"I didn't expect it either... There are so many coincidences in this world that they can be startling. They even gave me the feeling that I was destined to save this disaster."

"Xu Qi, no one's fate is predetermined. That much, I can say with certainty."

"You sound awfully certain, Sister Nya..."

Aponia stroked Xu Qi's hair. Her face remained full of maternal affection, making people want to draw even closer to her.

"Because I once witnessed someone bound by the shackles of fate break those chains and gain true freedom. You know this person too."

Xu Qi frowned.

"Kalpas? Jie Ge?"

"He doesn't want to talk about his past, so I... shouldn't say too much either."

Xu Qi nodded.

"Have you thought about what you want to do next?"

What he wanted to do...

Xu Qi had never considered that question.

He and Aponia rested on the balcony for a while before returning to the house together.

Griseo was painting in the studio on the third floor. That little girl seemed unwilling to leave her paintbrush for even a moment.

Vil-V and Mobius were definitely still tinkering with their inventions, especially Vil-V. She said she'd thought of another new idea to add to V2V...

He had a feeling his future life would be inseparable from that armor.

Fu Hua and Yae were sparring in the training room. Yes, Yae was off today, which was quite rare.

Kevin and Su were definitely nowhere to be seen. Whether one was a doctor or a programmer, neither was exactly an easy profession.

Kosma was trying to improve his score, while Kalpas was pondering today's new dishes.

Everyone seemed to have endless things to do—except Neko, who was still sleeping in.

As Xu Qi passed by, he couldn't help kicking her once. But the only change this brought was that Neko rolled from the left side of the hall to the right side, where she continued sleeping.

"Is she always this carefree?"

"Pardofelis works at night, you know."

Hearing Aponia's explanation, Xu Qi couldn't help holding his forehead—damn thief cat.

Alysia was preparing material for her next livestream, while Mei had heard that she still had competition events during the summer vacation and hadn't stopped bustling around these past few days. It really was a colorful university life.

"I suddenly feel like I'm the most idle person in the Golden Courtyard."

Aponia narrowed her eyes with a smile.

"Why don't you ask where Eden is?"

"She must have flown abroad again... I barely get to see her a few times a year, Sister Eden..."

"Everyone is doing what they like."

What he liked...

"Xu Qi, there's actually something I've wanted to ask you for a long time."

"Go ahead, Sister Nya."

"What happened in your childhood caused you tremendous trauma. The reason you subconsciously chose the Mode Capital Metro later was also connected to that experience.

"But I've always wanted to ask you... Do you like this job? Or rather... apart from a sense of responsibility, do you have any other feelings toward this company?"

Xu Qi stood there in a daze. Seeing this, Aponia couldn't help feeling distressed and walked over to embrace him... But how should she put it—Xu Qi seemed to be too tall, so it looked more like Aponia had thrown herself into his arms.

"Xu Qi, sometimes, going out and seeing more of the world can be a good choice."

······

Xu Qi walked aimlessly through the bustling city.

He had told everyone at the Golden Courtyard that he was going out to clear his head. Mei had wanted to accompany him, but he refused—he wanted to be alone and spend some quiet time by himself.

People streamed along the streets, traffic surged past, and countless high-rises receded from and approached his field of vision.

Xu Qi didn't even know what he was wandering around for. He only felt that his mind was empty, unable to hold on to a single thought.

Until... he saw a logo—E.T. Studio.

Xu Qi scratched his head and looked around. Only then did he realize... he seemed to have subconsciously taken the subway to the city center, then subconsciously... walked here.

The E.T. Studio office building stood right in front of him, with a handsome statue of Alahato erected at the entrance.

The people entering and leaving the office building looked somewhat out of place in this city center. After all, everyone at the other companies dressed like social elites in suits and leather shoes.

But here... there was every kind of style.

Nothing matched at all. People wore whatever they wanted. Some had even come to work wearing shirts printed with Klee's artwork.

Whoa! O!

Ahem...

Tsk!... He suddenly felt like going inside to take a look.

He did as he pleased. Xu Qi never hesitated. If they stopped him, he could always invoke Bronya's name. She should... still be the executive director here, right?

46, Bronya: (???) We're friends!

"Names, names, names! I know this project needs a name! But didn't I already say it? I'm not the actual creator! I need to ask someone else for their opinion!"

At the project meeting, Bronya nearly rudely interrupted the company's general manager.

Of course, she was the executive director. Of course she had the authority and prestige to do so.

"Then why don't you contact him, Director Bronya?"

"Didn't I make myself clear? His name is Xu Qi... the hero who just saved an entire train! He only got a few days of rest, and you want me to disturb him now?"

"But the company's interests..."

"To hell with your interests!"

Bronya rose to her feet and flung a notebook directly in front of the general manager, frightening him into holding his breath. He didn't even dare make a sound.

"You make it sound nice by saying it's for the company's interests... Who doesn't know what you're really scheming!? This project of mine—no, Xu Qi's and my project!"

Bronya slammed the thick stack of documents onto the table.

"It's ten thousand times better than the dogshit you people submitted! Everyone here... you're all veterans of Alahato.

"Can't you see even a little of this project's prospects and future!? Whether Alahato can escape its current predicament... depends on it!"

No one spoke anymore. Even Welt could only sit there with his eyes lowered and his nose pointed at his heart.

Frankly speaking, Bronya was the only person who dared to act so boldly at a project meeting.

After all, everyone in the company knew that this woman was not to be trifled with.

Her ability was also plain for all to see. No one could find fault with it.

Welt rose to his feet. As the company's chairman, he had to make the final decision.

"Let's set the matter of the name aside for now. I've decided that this project... will be our main focus from here on out. Everyone in the company will unite and give it everything we've got!

"As for the name... we can discuss that after we've contacted him. Meeting adjourned!"

······

Xu Qi entered E.T. Studio without encountering any obstacles, to the point that he found himself wondering—what was going on with this company's security?

Of course, he didn't know that the moment he stepped into the company, the security system had already gone into a frenzy.

"Who is that?"

"Huh? He looks kind of familiar..."

"Holy shit! Isn't that the guy? A few days ago, Director Bronya personally instructed us that if he showed up, we were to let him through without question and notify her immediately!"

"Really?"

"Damn it! Do you still want to keep wearing that uniform?"

"I'll go notify her right now!"

Xu Qi naturally knew nothing about this. He wandered casually into the elevator hall, accompanied by several young, beautiful women.

They all wore light makeup, and every one of them was a remarkably attractive beauty.

As expected of a major company... There were so many beautiful women.

An ordinary person might have started feeling nervous and self-conscious by now... but Xu Qi didn't. He remained as calm and composed as ever, as if this company belonged to his family.

His composure also drew the attention of the others.

Because he was a new face, they couldn't help taking a few extra looks.

Was he a new employee?

At that moment, the elevator doors opened.

A middle-aged man leaning on a cane walked out of the elevator hall with somewhat sluggish steps.

The employees waiting in the elevator hall merely glanced at him before holding their breaths one after another. They carefully greeted him in hushed voices: "Good morning, General Manager Yang."

The man seemed accustomed to such scenes and walked straight away. However, before leaving, he appeared to glance at Xu Qi.

Xu Qi couldn't help baring his teeth when he saw this scene. It was just like encountering the company leaders at his own workplace...

Oh, so this was what it looked like to run into a leader at work... Never mind, then.

Xu Qi entered the elevator. He had no idea where to go, so he randomly chose a floor— the twenty-eighth floor.

The others looked at him strangely, but none dared ask anything.

Only after Xu Qi walked out of the elevator alone and saw the completely empty twenty-eighth floor did he sense that something was off—could this be a place only people of very high status were allowed to visit?

Hmm...

Whatever. He wasn't an employee of this company anyway. At worst, the security guards would throw him out.

He had no psychological burden whatsoever—in fact, he was quite shameless about it.

It might not have been obvious from the outside, but the interior was decorated in a distinctly classical and imposing style. It matched... some of Xu Qi's inherent impressions of Alahato quite well.

He wandered around casually and discovered that his earlier guess was probably right.

Every office here was separate, and the names written on them were all... the sort of titles where hearing the prefix alone told you the occupant held a lofty position.

Things like general manager of the project department and executive director.

So cool...

"You really are bold... You actually wandered all the way to the twenty-eighth floor alone, and you don't even look worried."

A familiar voice came from behind him, and Xu Qi froze.

He turned around. She was still dressed in that light-gray office-lady outfit, with a white inner layer beneath it. Her graceful figure was displayed without the slightest attempt at concealment, and he couldn't help lowering his gaze to sneak a few more glances.

Tsk—Bronya, you're a professional when it comes to seducing men into committing crimes.

"Very good. You can't even be bothered to change that lecherous gaze." Bronya walked over, the smile on her face impossible to conceal.

Xu Qi shrugged.

"Did I? Don't make me sound like some kind of hooligan..."

Bronya chuckled.

"Come on. Sit in my office for a while, so the security guards don't throw you out."

"I'm at your service."