Moving to the Golden Courtyard

"Huh? Xu Qi? Up so early?"

He happened to run into Fu Hua while doing his morning exercise outside. Seeing her surprised expression, Xu Qi couldn't help but scratch his head and said, "Am I usually up late?"

"Oh, it's not that, it's just that last night I..."

Speaking of this, Fu Hua blushed first.

"Last night, I saw Mei enter your room."

Xu Qi took out his phone. He hadn't had time to look at it since he got up this morning. Now, he clicked into the group chat and scrolled up, just in time to see what everyone was talking about last night.

Grandmaster: Crap, I saw Miss Mei walking into Xu Qi's room in her pajamas.

[I am Alahato] has been removed from the group chat.

Kosma: "Holy crap!"

Pink Fairy Miss?: Aww!!?? Progressing so fast? Hmm... Xu Qi is too good at this...

Coder: In general theory, Mei took the initiative to go in, right?

Rin is still too cute: Maybe Xu Qi coerced her.

Professor: Miss Mei, you don't want your boyfriend to do anything dangerous again, do you...

V2V is not just good-looking: What's the panic? When my V2V is successfully upgraded, Xu Qi will be invincible.

Cosmic Diva: What weird things have you been up to again?

V2V is not just good-looking: Hmph! Need you even ask? Of course, it's funnels! Last time, I was suppressed like this by that Xia Ya's Sazabi! I can't swallow this!

Canned Goods: Elaborate on "can't swallow"

May there be no disease in the world:?

The end of the world!:?

Aponia:?

Pink Fairy Miss?:?

Professor: Pardofelis, I suggest you don't come back tomorrow.

V2V is not just good-looking: You're done for.

Condolences to Pardofelis... This Pardofelis, her nature of courting death doesn't seem to be changing. Of course, that's not the point.

Xu Qi squinted at Fu Hua.

Fu Hua scratched her head guiltily, took one step... two steps... and then ran away quickly!

"Ah... these guys, can't you be a little more normal..."

After finishing his morning exercise, he happened to see Yae dressed in office attire, ready to go out.

"Sister Yae, good morning."

"Huh? Xu Qi?" Yae Sakura paused on her way to the underground garage, a look of doubt on her face. "Why are you up so early?"

"Enough... nothing really happened last night..."

"Oh~~" Yae had an expression of 'I understand', "Not satisfied?"

"No, you don't understand anything."

"Pfft!" Yae couldn't help but laugh, and Xu Qi naturally knew that she was just joking, and couldn't help but reveal a smile.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore, I'm going to work first."

"That! Sister Yae."

"Hmm?"

"I'm going out later too, can you give me a ride to the company?"

Yae frowned. She walked up to Xu Qi and said seriously, "Xu Qi, I think you'd better rest more. As for work, wait until..."

"No, Sister Yae, you misunderstood."

"Hmm?"

"I'm... going to resign."

On the road, in the cherry blossom-colored Porsche, Yae couldn't help but glance at Xu Qi in the passenger seat, and then spoke.

"Xu Qi, have you... thought it through?"

"Yes, Sister Yae, I've thought it through."

"That's good."

After a moment of silence, not waiting for her to continue asking questions, Xu Qi couldn't help but smile and said, "Aren't you going to ask me why?"

"You must have your own considerations. I fully believe in you on this point. There's only one thing - just do what you want to do. Everyone at the Golden Courtyard is like that."

"Yeah."

"Are you coming to my company? I'm quite familiar with the HR people here."

"No, I've already decided where I'm going."

Yae was taken aback, then immediately realized—Bronya.

"You're planning to..."

"Yeah, yesterday I went out for a walk and ended up at E.T. Studio. That woman Bronya was so anxious, she practically wanted to sign the contract with me on the spot."

Yae smiled knowingly.

Indeed... if Yae were in that position, she'd probably be just as eager.

Xu Qi, with even a little bit of foresight, could understand just how terrifying this young man's potential was.

But remembering Elysia's slightly distraught look this morning... she couldn't help but grimace—this kid's luck with women was just too strange.

"Have you talked to Elysia recently?"

"Huh? Isn't that obvious?"

"Oh... okay, just be careful with the boundaries."

"Don't be so cryptic, Yae!"

"But to be honest, even if you weren't resigning, I was actually planning to have a serious talk with you about this."

"What's up?"

"You can say you made a great contribution to the 956 braking incident, but..." Yae's expression turned serious, "you offended a lot of people in the command hall that day, Xu Qi."

"..."

"Chief Engineer Xia can't always look after you. He's the chief engineer of the group, and you're just a small employee of a subsidiary, not even at the headquarters of the subsidiary.

But that day in the command hall, your tone and decisions were very firm. That's not to say it's a bad thing. On the contrary, that kind of decisiveness is needed in that situation. You were very good.

But... that's a state-owned enterprise, Xu Qi. You should understand that type of organization better than I do."

Yae's words made Xu Qi's heart sink.

"You offended too many leaders that day, and too many leaders remembered your name. If you stay at the company, you'll be very uncomfortable. It won't be the smooth sailing you're imagining."

Xu Qi's face turned pale, and even a faint cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Indeed... he had thought too simply.

Yae's sense of the workplace was far superior to his. If Yae hadn't pointed it out, it would probably have taken him a long time to realize these things.

"Thank you, Yae."

"It's nothing. Anyway, you're resigning, so just take my words to heart. But Xu Qi..." Yae said meaningfully.

"E.T. Studio is different from a state-owned enterprise. In that kind of place, you can't survive by being obsequious and reading people's faces."

Xu Qi humbly asked for advice, "Then what should I..."

"In that kind of place... you have to learn to be ruthless."

49. This Kiss, Then Farewell

When he stepped into the gate of Jiuting Base again, Xu Qi's state of mind was quite different. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it felt... more comfortable.

People who saw Xu Qi on the road invariably called out in surprise, "Engineer Xu," giving him the feeling of being a leader.

But in reality, that was indeed the case.

At least in the eyes of most employees, it was a certainty that Xu Qi would enter the management and even the company leadership in the future.

But what they would never have imagined was...

Xu Qi was here today to submit his resignation.

Walking into the technical office, he prepared to take back the memorable trinkets on his desk, but to his surprise... there was no one in the office.

That's good, so he wouldn't have to see Li Fucong's face.

Maybe some people have forgotten, but Xu Qi will definitely never forget.

Daring to say that his name sounded like a girl's, and even saying things like—"So it's a man."

Some things can be said, and some things can't be said.

Li Fucong didn't even understand this simple principle, so it's no wonder he was targeted by Xu Qi at every turn.

Halfway through packing, the office door was opened.

Xu Qi looked up and found that it was a woman who was both surprising and made Xu Qi feel quite pleased—Xin An.

"Xu Qi?"

"Good morning, Xin An."

There was much less antagonism in his tone. About a month ago, when this woman asked him for 914 data, she was rebuffed by Xu Qi.

But looking back now... it all seemed unnecessary.

Seeing Xu Qi again, Xin An's expression was also somewhat complicated.

A month ago, she could be said to have betrayed Xu Qi, completely siding with Li Fucong. She even pettily considered badmouthing Xu Qi to Xia Ya.

However, everything that had happened during this past month had been too bizarre.

Even her feelings for Xu Qi had become unpredictable.

Xin An wasn't sure what she was thinking. She just felt that she probably wouldn't be able to bring herself to hate the man in front of her in this lifetime.

Even though, at the very beginning, she had been somewhat resentful about being commanded by a kid like him.

"Are you... coming to work today?"

"No."

Xin An frowned. She had already noticed Xu Qi packing up his desk.

"Where is everyone in the office? Why are they all gone?"

"Li Fucong is being transferred to Meilong headquarters tomorrow. It's a promotion. Everyone from the technical department is seeing him off. I guess he's planning to treat everyone to lunch."

Life really isn't a novel... A clown like that is starting his career advancement because he has a good dad, while I... I'm already planning to slip away.

"Aren't you going with them?"

Xin An suddenly fell silent, and Xu Qi realized how awkward his words were.

"Um, I... I didn't mean anything by it. I just meant... since you're colleagues, shouldn't you see him off? You probably won't see him again."

Xin An shook her head.