Love Has Fireworks - Chapter 46

Chapter 46: What Does He Mean?

After the on-site due diligence work wrapped up, Qian Fei and Li Yifei went back to their respective companies to resume their regular office routines.

Ever since that night she got drunk, Qian Fei felt like Li Yifei was acting a bit strange. But as for what exactly was off about him, she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. To put it simply, he seemed tangled up in a web of conflicting emotions, looking both conflicted and bewildered. She thought to herself with a hint of annoyance that perhaps Gui Lili getting married had just triggered him a little too much.

Rumors about the reopening of the Initial Public Offering spigot had circulated a few times, but each time, the brutal reality proved them to be nothing more than groundless gossip. With the resumption date completely out of sight and the number of enterprises waiting in line at the China Securities Regulatory Commission skyrocketing to over seven hundred, stocks couldn’t be issued and capital couldn’t be raised. Life in investment banking was starting to get rough. A lot of brokerages began slashing the stipends for their certified sponsor representatives. Qian Fei’s firm had it even worse by comparison; not only did they cut the sponsor stipends, but they also slashed regular employee salaries across the board.

When her paycheck for the new month arrived, Qian Fei practically fell to her knees in tears—her salary had been docked by a whopping eight hundred yuan. Xiao Yuan slammed her hand on the desk in a fury, cursing management at headquarters. "Whose absolute trash idea was this? My pay can’t even compete with a server at a noodle shop anymore! If anyone calls me a white-collar worker again, I'll be too embarrassed to even answer!"

Sister Jin tried to calm everyone down. "Keep your voices down, all of you. This is only the first step. If the market doesn't open back up soon, I have a feeling layoffs might actually be on the horizon."

Hearing that, nobody dared to complain out loud anymore.

On the sly, however, no one was willing to pass up an opportunity to recoup some cash. For instance, when going out on business, they used to take taxis; now they squeezed onto the subway and asked their friends for spare taxi receipts to submit to the company for reimbursement. Or take dining out—in the past, people were too embarrassed to request official tax invoices for meals. Now, not only did they get invoices for their own meals, but they even begged their friends to save their invoices from dining out too. Once they scraped together enough receipts at the end of the month, they would paste them onto a reimbursement form, get the project manager to sign off under the guise of "project activity expenses," and hand it over to accounting. It was their sneaky, round-about way of making up for the pay cut.

Liu Yifeng treated Qian Fei incredibly well. He always turned a blind eye to her receipt submissions, never bothering to check what kind of invoices they actually were. Whenever she brought them over, he would just swipe his pen with a grand flourish and sign his name in the project manager column. Qian Fei was bursting with gratitude toward him; if it weren't for these reimbursed receipts, she might not even be able to afford her monthly mortgage payments anymore.

But Sister Jin pulled her aside to share a bit of insider gossip, warning her to keep it under wraps since nothing was set in stone yet.

"Word is a certain Sino-foreign joint-venture brokerage is trying to headhunt both Director Kong and Liu Yifeng!"

Qian Fei’s heart thudded nervously when she heard this. She had just managed to build a great working relationship with Director Kong and Liu Yifeng, only to be hit with this kind of news. She genuinely felt like the heavens loved messing with people for sport. She resolved to visit the Lama Temple this weekend to burn some incense, praying the Buddha would protect Director Kong and Liu Yifeng by keeping them at the firm a while longer. They shouldn't leave so fast—at least, not until they had shielded her long enough to become a fully capable professional before everyone said their goodbyes.

The company used to offer a perk where regular employees could request a new laptop every three years. Qian Fei had applied for one three years ago—the very laptop she was currently using at home. Originally, she figured that laptop was still perfectly functional, so she shouldn't greedily exploit the company’s public resources. But ever since her salary got cut, she felt her soul had sustained severe emotional trauma. She desperately needed other benefits to soothe this wound, so she decided to completely abandon her high-minded moral principles and actively, reasonably exercise her rightful employee benefits.

She wasn't used to Apple's operating system, so after thinking it over back and forth, she decided to ditch the trendy aesthetic and buy a practical, heavy-duty ThinkPad instead.

In the evening, while she was busy setting up her new laptop, she received a call from Yao Jingjing. Yao Jingjing begged her over the phone to help handle a situation.

"Feifei, I have an aunt from my hometown who married into a rural village when she was young, and her family has always fallen on hard times. My cousin is a really honest, sweet girl, but she just didn't do well in school and failed to get into college. My aunt heard I was in Beijing and asked me to help find a culinary school for my cousin because she wants to learn how to stir-fry professionally. I already helped look into the school and accommodation arrangements, and the two of them are taking the train down this weekend. But something came up on Lu Ze's end, and neither of us can break away. So, Feifei, I really have to trouble you to help welcome my aunt and cousin!"

The moment Qian Fei heard this, she immediately patted her chest reassuringly. "Sure, no problem, leave it entirely to me!"

Yao Jingjing pleaded over the line, saying, "Feifei, please put a little extra heart into it when the time comes, and give them a warm welcome for me. My uncle passed away early, so it hasn't been easy for my aunt to raise my cousin all on her own. When I was a kid and went to the countryside for school vacations, I stayed and ate at their place. This is the very first time they've ever asked me for a favor, and I'm not even available!"

Qian Fei shot back instantly, "With me taking the reins, what do you possibly have to worry about? Could it get any more reliable than you doing it yourself? Just watch, I guarantee I won't let you down!"

When the weekend arrived, Qian Fei told Li Yifei he was on his own for food because she had errands to run.

Li Yifei cornered her, demanding to know what she was up to. Qian Fei briefly recounted the task Yao Jingjing had entrusted to her.

Li Yifei sat back on the sofa, crossing his long legs, and let out a drawn-out, "Oh..." before adding, "They should honestly crown you a model citizen for being so incredibly full of compassion!" He shook his foot, arching an eyebrow as he continued, "Normally, this young master never gets involved in these petty, pointless matters. However, I happen to be in a stellar mood today. A buddy of mine—his uncle just happens to be the principal of that exact school. If you want to secure a prime dorm bed for that kid and maybe get some of those unnecessary, extorted fees waived while we're at it, it’s just a single phone call away for me. If you’re interested, hurry up and get over here to flatter me. I'm only giving you thirty seconds."

Without a second thought, Qian Fei threw herself forward, grabbed Li Yifei's leg, and began shaking it frantically. "O mighty warrior! Brave hero! True champion! Please make that call! I'll cover the phone bill—if it costs fifty cents, I’ll happily give you a whole yuan! How does that song go again? 'You are like a fire in the winter, burning bright, oh mama, you warm my heart!'"

Li Yifei gave his leg a shake to throw her off. "What are you doing? Stop taking every opportunity to put your hands all over me!" He picked up his phone and dialed a number. Qian Fei listened intently from the side. He asked for favors with the casual authority of an absolute boss. Through the speaker, she could practically hear the person on the other end acting completely subservient, frantically nodding along like a chicken pecking at grain while sputtering, "Yes, yes, yes, absolutely, no problem at all."

She couldn't help but marvel at how this young master had truly mastered the art of being incredibly bossy and pulling strings.

Li Yifei put down his phone and informed her that everything had been taken care of, guaranteeing that Yao Jingjing's cousin would be assigned a premium, top-tier dorm bed.

Qian Fei checked her watch and realized she didn't have time to compose an eight-hundred-word speech of praise. Dropping a quick "I'll fry some eggplant strips for you later," she took off like a shot, sprinting out the door toward the train station.

Behind her, Li Yifei’s voice seemed to drift faintly through the air. Unfortunately, she didn't manage to hear it clearly. It was Young Master Li, condescending to lower himself to ask: "Do you need me to come along with you?"

As a result, she completely missed seeing the prideful, haughty expression on Young Master Li’s cold face as he scoffed furiously at the sky after being totally ignored by her.

After meeting Yao Jingjing's aunt and cousin, Qian Fei escorted them to the school grounds, running back and forth to help them complete the registration procedures. Li Yifei’s phone call had indeed worked wonders; the cousin was exempted from numerous miscellaneous fees, and her housing was upgraded to a two-person room at the standard price of an eight-person dorm. Qian Fei genuinely felt that she ought to cook a phenomenal meal for Li Yifei once she got back home.

With the fees settled, Qian Fei accompanied the cousin to the dormitory, helping her make the bed, organize the room, and break the ice with her new roommate. She handled every single detail she could think of with absolute thoughtfulness and grace.

Once everything was settled, Qian Fei decided to treat the mother and daughter to a fantastic meal before sending the aunt back off. At the dinner table, while they were chatting, Qian Fei caught a glimpse of how deeply her cousin yearned for a laptop. The girl said, "Once I start earning money, I'll give two-thirds to my mother, and I'll save the remaining third until I have enough to buy a laptop computer!"

Hearing this made Qian Fei's heart ache with bittersweet sympathy. This child was working so incredibly hard, yet her grandest wish was something so modest. After finishing the meal, she rushed back home, quickly transferred the files off her old laptop, and made another trip back to the culinary school with the computer in hand.

When she handed the laptop over to the cousin, the young girl was so overjoyed that she burst into tears. The aunt frantically tried to thrust money into her hands, but Qian Fei flatly refused to take a single cent, insisting it was all Yao Jingjing’s idea. In the end, the aunt started crying too, tightly gripping Qian Fei’s hands as she sobbed, "My dear niece, how can I ever thank you enough?"

Qian Fei felt a wave of emotion wash over her. Living in the dazzling, fast-paced metropolis for so long, she had almost forgotten what it truly felt like to experience pure contentment. In contrast, even though her aunt and cousin lived a more impoverished life, their circumstances made them deeply appreciate the meaning of satisfaction and gratitude.

The following day, Qian Fei went to the train station to see her aunt off. While riding the subway back home, her phone rang with a call from Yao Jingjing.

"Feifei, thank you so much for taking such incredible care of my aunt and cousin! My aunt was crying when she called me, saying you even gave your own laptop to my cousin! Feifei, I’m not going to bother with empty, polite words between us—you and I have a whole lifetime ahead, and I am going to treat you so well! Also, Feifei, happy birthday! I love you forever!"

Only then did Qian Fei suddenly realize that today was actually her birthday.

While replying, "You crazy girl, stop trying to make me emotional, I can't take it," Qian Fei felt a warm glow spreading through her chest.

Just as she was about to exit the subway station, she received a text message from an unfamiliar number. It contained just two simple words: Happy Birthday.

She stared at the number up and down but didn't recognize it at all. However, since this person knew today was her birthday, it meant they had to be someone who knew her.

She tried to call the number back, but she was met only with a automated female recording stating, "The user you have dialed has been suspended due to non-payment."

Qian Fei felt a bit surreal. A phone that was suspended could somehow still send text messages.

●︶3︶●

When she stepped through the front door, Qian Fei was astonished to find the dining table completely covered with a feast of dishes, and a case of beer sitting right on the floor beside the table. Hearing the door open, Li Yifei walked out from his room.

Qian Fei’s jaw dropped so low it nearly came unhinged. Pointing at the table, she stared at Li Yifei. "You made all this?"

Li Yifei curled his lip in a slight smirk. "If I say I made it, would you actually believe me?"

Qian Fei shook her head. "Not a chance!" Pausing for a moment, she tapped her head and muttered, "Right, then why on earth was I so shocked?" She confidently deduced, "You ordered takeout, didn't you?"

Li Yifei nodded, strolled into the kitchen, and emerged a moment later carrying a bottle of red wine and two wine glasses.

Qian Fei was slightly dazed. "What's the occasion? We're drinking red wine?"

Li Yifei replied, "It’s your birthday, after all. I’m just trying to elevate your quality of life and class a little bit!"

Qian Fei let out a bright laugh. "So you remembered today was my birthday too! Heheh!" She tapped the beer case at her feet with her toe and asked, "Then what are these for?"

Li Yifei countered smoothly, "Those are for after we finish the red." He subtly shifted his gaze around. "Aside from me, who else actually remembered it was your birthday today?"

Qian Fei replied, "Jingjing, and an unfamiliar number."

Li Yifei poured two glasses of red wine, handing one to Qian Fei while holding his own. "An unfamiliar number?" he asked.

Qian Fei passed her phone over to Li Yifei. "Here, look! It’s the strangest thing. I called back to ask who it was, but no matter how many times I dialed, it said the number was suspended. Do you think a phone can genuinely send texts even when it's out of service?"

Li Yifei glanced at the number on the screen, memorizing it instantly. His heart skipped a beat. Returning the phone to Qian Fei, he set his wine glass down on the table and claimed he needed to use the restroom to wash up before joining her for a drink. Once inside the bathroom, he pulled out his own phone and dialed that exact number.

The ringback tone that echoed through the receiver left him absolutely stunned.

He knew the single most obnoxious corporate ringback tone in the entire city of Beijing so well he could practically vomit. He had frequently mocked his old man’s generation for their management style because of this, calling them utterly shameless for using every single avenue to advertise their company. Yet, that stubborn old man didn't care about his mockery at all, strictly mandating that every single employee within the conglomerate had to set this exact obnoxious tone. What was even more absurd was that a certain group of people actually took immense pride in being allowed to use it.

Amidst a stretch of melodious music, a gentle female voice announced: "Warmest celebrations to Qiansheng Group for reaching new heights! We welcome honorable partners to discuss cooperation opportunities! Qiansheng Group is an enterprise possessing a..."

Before the glorious historical overview could finish droning on, the call was picked up. A man's voice came through the receiver, asking, "Hello, may I ask who is calling?"

Li Yifei rapidly composed himself, suppressing his shock. Lowering his voice, he spun a casual lie. "Hello, is this Manager Wang?"

The person on the other end sounded rather displeased. "No, you have the wrong number!"

Li Yifei quickly pressed on before the man could hang up. "I'm so sorry, but may I ask your last name? Vice President Liao gave me a number and told me to contact Manager Wang, but it brought me to you instead!"

Hearing the mention of Vice President Liao, the man's tone instantly shifted, dropping his impatient attitude. "My last name is Wang. The Manager Wang you're referring to retired at the end of last year. I have taken over his role now!"

Li Yifei replied, "Oh, I see. I must have mixed things up. I'll ask around for Manager Wang's updated number then!"

He hung up the phone, a thousand conflicting thoughts flashing through his mind in an instant.

He remembered Qian Fei mentioning that her cheating ex-boyfriend’s last name was Wang—Wang something, though he had forgotten the exact given name.

He also recalled hearing her mention that the ex worked at a massive corporation. But he had never imagined in his wildest dreams that this massive corporation belonged to his own stubborn old man.

A wave of profound irritation surged in his chest. He obviously knew Manager Wang had retired at the end of last year, but he hadn't expected the successor to be this guy surnamed Wang. The man had certainly climbed the corporate ladder incredibly fast!

What exactly did this Wang guy mean by this? It was blatantly obvious that he had blacklisted Qian Fei's phone number, so why on earth did he turn around and send her a happy birthday text?

Li Yifei felt this pathetic pretty boy was treating people far too terribly. What right did he have to mess with his honest, foolishly sweet ex-girlfriend whenever the whim struck him?

In that singular moment, he suddenly felt a sudden, fierce urge to go make peace with his old man.