Encounter Again

Zhang Yi set out at noon and did not arrive at the Patent Office until after 2:00 p.m. After parking, he hurried inside.

"Hello, miss! I'd like to apply for a patent." Reaching the Patent Office counter, he skipped the small talk and spoke directly to the pretty girl behind it.

Zhang Yi knew the girl behind the counter—or rather, she had left a deep impression on him. Her name was Zhang Yingying. When he had come to apply for patents last time, she had handled everything for him. Otherwise, he truly would not have managed it. So when he came to the Patent Office this time and saw that she was there, he naturally went straight to her counter. It was always easier to get things done with someone you knew.

Since he had applied for patents here once before, he was already very familiar with the process. He would not make a fool of himself like he had last time.

"Did you bring the documents?" The busy girl looked up and asked after hearing Zhang Yu's words.

After Zhang Yingying asked that, she was surprised to discover that she recognized the man standing before the counter. His name seemed to be Zhang Yi, and he had left a deep impression on her. Not long ago, he had applied for more than a dozen patents and had made quite a few embarrassing blunders during the process.

Still, Zhang Yingying greatly admired the man before her. From their conversation last time, she knew that he was neither employed by a company nor applying for patents on a company's behalf. He was applying for patents as an individual, and not just one or two, but more than a dozen. How could someone like that not leave an impression on her?

"Wow, it's you! I remember your name is Zhang Yi, right? Why are you applying for patents again? What kind of patent are you applying for?" Zhang Yingying was delighted to see a familiar face. Though she worked at the Patent Office and was considered a government employee, her days were usually dull. The people she dealt with were mostly strangers, and even when acquaintances came by, they were rarely there to apply for patents. They usually had ulterior motives.

As for Zhang Yi, Zhang Yingying did not think he was that sort of person. She knew that his purpose in coming to the Patent Office was purely to apply for patents, not for anything else. She could tell from the fact that, after his last patent application, he had not returned to the Patent Office even once for such a long time.

"Yes, miss. I'll have to trouble you again this time. I'll treat you to dinner tonight." With that, Zhang Yi handed Zhang Yingying the documents he had prepared in advance.

"It's no trouble. It's my job. Also, please stop calling me miss. Didn't I tell you already? Just call me Yingying. I remember telling you that last time—have you forgotten so quickly? As for treating me to dinner tonight..." Zhang Yingying looked up at Zhang Yi first. Only after seeing no improper intentions in his eyes did she say, "All right! I'll give you that honor."

After saying that, Zhang Yingying naturally took the patent application documents from Zhang Yi's hand and began checking whether any of the patents overlapped with existing ones. As she searched, she occasionally looked up at him.

Zhang Yi had come to Zhou Tai City to apply for patents today, and there was not much going on at the company, so he did not need to rush back. Although he had treated Zhang Yingying to a meal before to thank her for helping him last time, he knew that her willingness to have dinner with him was itself giving him face. Besides, she was a beauty. Being able to treat such a beautiful woman to dinner was an honor in itself.

"Fine, it's settled then. Don't disappear without a trace again like last time, where I couldn't find you no matter how hard I looked." Zhang Yingying was clearly delighted by his words and agreed at once.

"Wow! You're applying for a company patent this time, and it's for a Semi-Automated Production Line for Aerodynamic Bicycles. I never expected that in just over a month, you'd already started your own company and even developed a production line. You're amazing.

"And I remember that the patents you applied for last time were personal patents, but this time they belong to a company. It looks like the Aerodynamic Bicycle Factory you mentioned opening last time has gone very smoothly! Then tonight, I definitely have to give you, you nouveau riche, a good spending spree. Congratulations." Only then did Zhang Yingying realize that Zhang Yi was not applying for personal patents this time. Being clever, she immediately guessed that the Aerodynamic Bicycle Factory he had mentioned last time had already been established and seemed to be doing very well.

"Thanks. The Aerodynamic Bicycle Factory has been built, but this is only the beginning. True success is still far away. As for tonight, eat whatever you like," Zhang Yi replied.

The two chatted as they handled Zhang Yi's patent applications.

Fortunately, not many people usually came to the Patent Office to apply for patents, so no one disturbed them. After all, this was not the only counter that handled patent applications. There were several others nearby, and most of them were empty.

Although Zhang Yi had applied for patents before and the process went much faster this time, he was not merely applying for a production line patent. There were also more than a dozen related patents. With so many patent items, they did not finish filing them all until 4:30 in the afternoon, and it was nearly time for the Patent Office to close.

After leaving the Patent Office, Zhang Yi waited for Zhang Yingying at the entrance. Less than five minutes later, she had changed clothes and walked out of the Patent Office.

When he saw Zhang Yingying again, Zhang Yi realized that she had already been very beautiful in her Patent Office uniform. It could even be said that none of the other women at the Patent Office counters could compare with her.

But after changing into her everyday clothes, Zhang Yingying looked even more beautiful and dazzling. Even Zhang Yi had to admit it. Though he had seen her before, he still had to acknowledge that Zhang Yingying truly was an extraordinarily beautiful woman.

"Let's go! What are you staring at me for? Do you like me? If you do, just say it. Maybe I'll consider giving you a chance." Only after hearing Zhang Yingying's words did Zhang Yi come back to his senses. He felt very embarrassed as well. After all, staring at a girl like that right in front of her was extremely impolite.

Thanks to TianWai FeiHu for the 100 Qidian Coin reward!

Thanks to That Year's Fish for the 100 Qidian Coin reward!