Chapter 21: Ye Hai Finds It Rather Strange

"Do you really not have any money on you?" Qin Mengxue forced down the rising anger within her, striving to calm herself as she spoke. She simply couldn't believe that Xue Tian'ai would throw his phone at her over such a trivial matter.

Moreover, she absolutely refused to believe that Xue Tian'ai was penniless. He had bought such a luxurious villa, spent days indulging himself, and it was impossible that he couldn’t even afford clothes. Qin Mengxue felt that Xue Tian'ai was bored at home and had called her just to tease her. Her already irritable mood grew even more unsettled.

If Xue Tian'ai knew what Qin Mengxue was thinking at that moment, he would surely cry out in grievance! He truly had not a single cent left; the last few hundred-yuan notes he possessed were given to that woman at the hotel. His card for use in the country had been frozen due to the high expense of the presidential suite, flagged as a financial risk. That card had been given to him by Owl, and only Owl could unfreeze it, which would require Owl's return.

His overseas accounts were inaccessible domestically. At present, Xue Tian'ai was as bare as a commander without troops. He did have the Azure Tear, but that couldn’t be spent as money, and besides, it was meant for Qin Mengxue.

So, he thought of his CEO fiancée—Qin Mengxue was a little rich lady, after all. If not now, when would he ask for money? And as his fiancée, it was reasonable to request some cash, plus more interaction could help cultivate their relationship.

"Darling, I really don’t have a single cent on me," Xue Tian'ai feigned grievance.

"So you called me about it?"

"You're my wife! If I don’t call you, who would I call?" Xue Tian'ai sounded perfectly justified.

Hearing this, Qin Mengxue felt her head get even heavier. This man had no shame whatsoever, asking his own wife for... No, wait—Qin Mengxue suddenly realized something. "Say that again, stop calling me 'wife'! We’re not married yet!"

"Hehe, isn’t marriage just a matter of time? Calling you 'wife' a bit early doesn’t matter!"

Qin Mengxue was speechless at Xue Tian'ai’s shameless manner. She suppressed her urge to go home and beat him, gritting her teeth as she said, "There’s some money in the bedside table in my bedroom. Use that for now. Just don't touch anything else!"

"Oh yeah! My wife is the best, always thinking of me! I’m deeply moved. Don’t worry, I won’t touch anything else!"

"Glad you understand."

"Sexy black lingerie and panties should be saved for you to wear for me when you return! Without you, lingerie and panties alone just don’t excite me!"

"Xue Tian'ai! I..." The anger Qin Mengxue had been suppressing finally erupted at this remark, but before she could finish, Xue Tian'ai, sensing imminent disaster, promptly hung up!

So furious that her face turned crimson, Qin Mengxue cursed him and tossed her phone onto the passenger seat, focusing once more on driving toward Dreamhua Tower.

Perhaps because the rush hour had passed, the streets of Beiyang City were unusually clear; before long, Qin Mengxue arrived at Dreamhua Tower, parked underground, and opened the car door.

The moment she stepped out, all traces of anger and dissatisfaction disappeared from her face, replaced by the icy poise of a CEO: beautiful, noble, graceful, and serenely calm.

During work hours, Qin Mengxue always maintained this image.

She pushed open the doors of Dreamhua Group and entered the lobby, immediately surveying her surroundings. Everyone was diligently working, with no sign of anyone slacking off just because the boss hadn’t arrived yet. Qin Mengxue was quite satisfied.

But after scanning the lobby, she didn’t spot Ye Hairuo or Secretary Yu Xiaoxiao. She tapped the shoulder of the receptionist, who was tidying up some documents. "Where did President Ye from Tianming Group and Secretary Yu go?"

The receptionist was engrossed in organizing recent work materials. Startled by the tap, she looked up, saw President Qin, and was even more flustered. Recovering quickly, she replied respectfully, "Good morning, President Qin. Secretary Yu took President Ye from Tianming Group to the upstairs meeting lounge earlier!"

Others in the lobby, hearing President Qin’s name, raised their heads as well. Those assigned to the first-floor lobby were generally not high in company hierarchy, so seeing Qin Mengxue at the front desk, they greeted her respectfully. After all, opportunities to interact with President Qin were rare, and who knew, maybe some could seize the chance to rise overnight—everyone has dreams.

"Good morning, President Qin!" "Good morning, President Qin!" Greetings echoed through the hall.

Qin Mengxue nodded slightly and waved her hand to signal everyone to continue working. "Carry on, everyone. Thank you for your hard work."

She then headed straight to the exclusive elevator for executives and shareholders, opened it, and went directly to the twenty-third floor, leaving the staff behind to whisper among themselves.

"President Qin truly lives up to her name, so young and so commanding! Honestly, she’s no less impressive than President Ye Hairuo who just arrived!"

"That’s obvious! In terms of looks, figure, and ability, President Qin is every bit as remarkable as Ye Hairuo of Tianming Group!"

"If only I could marry President Qin, I’d be the happiest man alive!"

"Keep dreaming! How could President Qin ever notice ordinary folks like us? Take a look at your own horse-face!"

"Hey, you pig-faced fool!"

Qin Mengxue, in the elevator, could not hear her employees gossiping. Her mind was filled only with thoughts of Ye Hairuo. What was Ye Hairuo doing here? Was it about next month’s Yangda tender? But they were rivals—what was the purpose of this visit?

Arriving at the twenty-third floor, Qin Mengxue, full of questions, pushed open the door to the meeting lounge next to her office. The decor was simple: two high-end sofas and a wooden tea table.

Inside were two women. Her secretary, Yu Xiaoxiao, stood awkwardly beside the tea table, while the other woman was, of course, Ye Hairuo.

Ye Hairuo sat quietly on the sofa, back to the door, sipping tea and reading an English classic, silent and composed.

Hearing the door open, Yu Xiaoxiao instinctively looked up. Seeing who it was, she was delighted and exclaimed, "President Qin! You’re here!"

At Yu Xiaoxiao’s words, Ye Hairuo paused momentarily with her tea cup, then resumed as if nothing had happened, remaining seated without a word.

"Xiaoxiao, you may go. Thank you for your hard work; I’ll speak with President Ye myself," Qin Mengxue smiled at Yu Xiaoxiao, hiding her annoyance at Ye Hairuo’s immovable calm.

Yu Xiaoxiao felt relieved and quickly escaped the meeting lounge, not wishing to remain a moment longer—she had no desire to be caught between two powerful women.

"President Qin is truly busy; it’s surprisingly difficult to see you," Ye Hairuo finally spoke as Yu Xiaoxiao left, her tone slow and measured.

"You’re too kind, President Ye. Some family matters delayed me, I apologize for keeping you waiting," Qin Mengxue caught the trace of displeasure in Ye Hairuo’s voice but paid it little mind, calmly sitting opposite her, smiling.

"I almost forgot, President Qin is the eldest daughter of the Qin family! Seems I misunderstood. Please forgive me, President Qin—Miss Qin." For some reason, Ye Hairuo’s tone was odd, yet it was unclear exactly why.

Qin Mengxue didn’t dwell on Ye Hairuo’s tone, continuing to gaze calmly at her. She couldn’t help but admire Ye Hairuo—a true leading lady! Her looks, figure, and aura were all first-rate, but what Qin Mengxue respected most was Ye Hairuo’s business acumen.

Dreamhua Group had grown under Qin Mengxue’s leadership, but it was founded by her father, Qin Lanwan; she had inherited a company with deep roots. Tianming Group, on the other hand, was built from scratch by Ye Hairuo herself, an empire that seemed to spring up overnight.

More impressively, Ye Hairuo apparently had no special background—it all seemed to be her own achievement. In Qin Mengxue’s mind, Ye Hairuo was a dangerous rival. Though their business clashes were always evenly matched, Qin Mengxue never dared to underestimate her.

"You flatter me, President Ye. The Qin family is barely worth mentioning these days. I’m only concerned with Dreamhua Group’s development."

Qin Mengxue spoke truthfully; since Grandfather Qin’s retirement, the family’s influence had waned, and people rarely associated her with the Qin family anymore.

"But you’re still a member of the Qin family, and it gives you things others desire but cannot obtain," Ye Hairuo’s tone remained peculiar, enough for Qin Mengxue to notice.

"I don’t quite understand your meaning, President Ye."

"Haha, don’t mind me, President Qin. Let’s say I envy you a little. But I came here today for another reason."

Envy me? Qin Mengxue was baffled—looks, figure, and business power, Ye Hairuo was her equal; what was there to envy? She kept her composure. "So what brings you to Dreamhua Group today, President Ye?"

"I believe you’ve guessed it. I’m here about next month’s Yangda tender."

"Haha, I thought as much. What’s your intention today, President Ye?"

"You should know, President Qin—this Yangda tender is attracting not only local industries but also major enterprises from other cities and provinces."

"Indeed, I didn’t expect the tender to have such a wide impact. It feels rather like too many monks and too little gruel!"

"You’re straightforward, President Qin, so I’ll be direct as well."

"Go ahead, President Ye."

"The Yangda tender is a Beiyang City event—we shouldn’t let outsiders profit. When necessary, why not join forces? Dreamhua Group and Tianming Group together!"

Ye Hairuo’s suggestion startled Qin Mengxue. Alliance—something she’d never considered, especially with her longtime rival. Now Ye Hairuo proposed it out of the blue, and Qin Mengxue hesitated.

Seeing Qin Mengxue’s uncertainty, Ye Hairuo smiled and continued, "Of course, only when necessary. If you’re unsure, take your time and let me know later."

Looking at Ye Hairuo’s smiling face, with no trace of expression to be read, Qin Mengxue grew even more uncertain. What was Ye Hairuo playing at? Why propose an alliance now? And today, her tone felt oddly off.

"Your proposal is quite astonishing, President Ye. I haven’t quite figured it out yet. What do you mean by 'when necessary'?"

"President Qin, this tender will attract many industries, especially those from outside the city and province. They may take coordinated action, so I believe we should join forces when needed to maximize our benefit."

Qin Mengxue frowned deeply. She’d been away from work for a couple of days and her mind felt sluggish—such a simple point hadn’t occurred to her before. Ye Hairuo was right: if other industries sought allies, it would not bode well for either of them.

Two fists are no match for four hands!

"I accept your suggestion, President Ye. When necessary, we can join forces!" After a brief contemplation, Qin Mengxue finally nodded.

"Excellent. Then I won’t keep you any longer; I have matters to attend at my company. If anything comes up, we can talk again." Satisfied with the outcome, Ye Hairuo stood and extended her hand.

"Alright, I won’t keep you for lunch. Wishing you a productive day!" Qin Mengxue stood as well, taking Ye Hairuo’s hand with a smile.

Their hands parted quickly, just as their meeting had taken only a brief moment.

Declining Qin Mengxue’s offer to see her out, Ye Hairuo went straight to the underground parking lot, found her white Porsche 911, and left Dreamhua Tower.

In the rearview mirror, as Dreamhua Tower receded into the distance, Ye Hairuo sighed, her expression turning unnatural. "Qin Mengxue, I hear he’s coming back soon. If you don’t cherish him, don’t blame me for taking him back—he was mine to begin with."