Chapter 14
On the way, his mind kept replaying the events of the past few days. He suddenly realized that apart from work, all his remaining time was spent thinking about Qin Jia.
This had never happened before. He had never cared so much about a woman—so much so that he would do silly things out of jealousy when other men got close to her. Once upon a time, this story would have ended with the strawberry cake on the cruise ship. He would have called security to escort the woman who trespassed into his room away. But for some reason, that day he had been surprisingly calm, only asking someone to send another slice of cake. Was it because no one had dared to defy him since childhood, or because no one had ever teased him before, that he found her so unforgettable?
The car turned into a tree-lined avenue, wide and quiet with few pedestrians in sight. Lu Tingzhou pulled over, rolled down the window, and let the cool evening breeze blow in. The wind ruffled his clothes. He fell silent for a long time before taking out his phone to call Secretary Lin.
"Find time to contact the foundation and ask for Miss Qin's phone number."
On the other end, Secretary Lin exclaimed with joy: "Mr. Lu! You've finally decided to make a move? I told you—girls are shy, and you're the one who needs to take the initiative in these matters."
Lu Tingzhou ignored his speculation and said calmly: "Thank you for your hard work. I'll give you a year-end bonus, and remember to wrap a red envelope for our friends at the foundation. Handle it naturally, don't be too deliberate—we don't want to arouse unnecessary speculation."
Secretary Lin replied "Okay," and Lu Tingzhou hung up without further words. In truth, he didn't want this phone number to start something with Qin Jia—he wanted it to "end" things. He was tired of being troubled by these thoughts.
Lu Tingzhou put away his phone and restarted the car. On the tree-lined road bathed in the setting sun, the black Porsche roared away, quickly disappearing into the distance.
Qin Jia was swinging at home when she received Lu Tingzhou's call. It was 10:30 on a Saturday morning. The courtyard was bathed in sunlight, and the breeze was gentle. She steadied the blue swing, hooked her arm around the thick vine, and used her free hand to answer.
"Hello, may I ask what this is regarding?"
Recently, Qin Jia had been receiving one or two sales calls daily. Qin Mo told her not to answer them, but she saw them as opportunities to exercise her thinking skills, so she answered every single one.
On the other end, there was a moment of silence before a voice spoke: "Miss Qin Jia, it's me."
Qin Jia let go of the vine, climbed down from the swing, and walked toward the locust tree. "Who is this?" The voice belonged to a man, but the number was an unremarked stranger—most likely a local sales call. She paused, then quickly added: "May I ask what your company sells? I seem to have forgotten."
The line went completely silent. The man clearly choked up before saying: "I sell robots. Do you have any need for them?"
"What kind of robots? Can you give me an example?" Qin Jia asked.
"We have basic housekeeping robots to save customers time, plus shopping guide robots, companion robots, medical robots, and more. For details, visit our official website," he replied.
Qin Jia was tempted. "Can companion robots be customized?"
"Yes. What kind of customization do you want?"
"It's hard to explain over the phone. I'll send you pictures later. Is it convenient to add your WeChat?"
"Yes. WeChat ID is the same as this number."
Qin Jia nodded. "I'll send my requirements later. Thank you." Remembering to ask about the price, she lowered her voice: "How much does it cost? I can't afford anything too expensive."
"Prices range from 500,000 to 2 million yuan, with interest-free installments for up to 35 months. You can also enter our lottery for a discount," he said.
Such a good deal? Qin Jia suddenly remembered the evening gown she'd bought. The clerk had mentioned a discount too, but the dress had actually cost millions. If Luo Shiqing hadn't exposed it at the banquet, she would still be in the dark.
"This sounds like a scam," she said vigilantly. "What's your company's name? I want to check."
The man laughed softly. "Add my WeChat, and I'll send it to you." His magnetic voice felt familiar, but she couldn't recall where she'd heard it.
Another call came in. "I have to go—another call," Qin Jia said and hung up. It was an insurance salesman; she politely declined and ended the call.
Qin Jia added the robot salesman's WeChat with the message: "Interested in purchasing a robot." She had few friends in this world and wanted a realistic koala robot to ease her homesickness—maybe even a squirrel if she could afford it.
She sent him pictures of koalas and squirrels: "I want them to be life-sized. Is that possible?"
The reply came quickly: "Yes. What's your budget?"
Qin Jia checked her bank app—her mother had transferred 10 million yuan yesterday, plus her existing 3 million, totaling 13 million. She replied: "5 million yuan."
The man sent the company's website and address, inviting her for an in-person consultation. Qin Jia checked the site—Zecheng Technology had a sleek homepage and various robots, including a realistic dog robot priced at 2.2 million yuan. She agreed to visit that afternoon.
Excited, she told her mother. Shen Yushu, who was trimming flowers, looked surprised: "Zecheng Technology? That's Lu Tingzhou's company. They rarely serve individual clients. It won't be cheap—I'll transfer you more money." Before Qin Jia could decline, 20 million yuan arrived, making her total 30 million.
"Second Master Lu compensated us with 50 million yuan for mental damages, which I donated. I'd prepared 30 million for charity, so use that for the robot," Shen Yushu explained. "I have an appointment this afternoon—take one bodyguard with you."
Qin Jia nodded. "Okay."
At 3 p.m., Qin Jia woke from her nap, got ready, and left with the bodyguard. She drifted off in the car again until the salesman called.
"Miss Qin, are you almost here?"
"Ten minutes away. I'll message you when I arrive," she replied, rolling down the window.
The man didn't hang up. After half a minute of silence, Qin Jia asked: "Is there anything else?"
He sighed. "Miss Qin, do you really not know who I am?"
Qin Jia searched her memory— the original owner had no close male friends, and her NPC database only worked in person. "My memory's been bad lately. I'll recognize you when we meet," she said.
"I'll wait for you in my office," he said gently.
When they arrived, the bodyguard pointed ahead. Qin Jia turned and locked eyes with Lu Tingzhou. "You're waiting for me?" she asked.
He nodded, glancing at the bodyguard. "Can he come up?" "Yes," Lu Tingzhou said.
They took the elevator to the 24th floor. The secretary led the bodyguard to a lounge, while Qin Jia followed Lu Tingzhou to his office. The reception area had sofas, a pot of hot black tea, fruit, and two strawberry cakes.
Lu Tingzhou turned on a screen to show her the koala robot prototype. "It sleeps most of the time, like real koalas," he said.
Qin Jia looked embarrassed. "I don't need it that realistic—I want it to accompany me, not just sleep."
"Then we'll set its activity time like a human's. You can wake it anytime," he replied.
"How long will it take? And how much for two robots?" she asked, adding quickly: "Market price, no discounts—I don't want to owe you."
"Customizing ten or more costs around 2 million each, but two will be 15 million yuan, with free maintenance," he said.
"Okay. Do I need to pay in full?" "20% deposit now, balance on delivery in a month," he replied.
As they signed the contract and paid the 3 million deposit, Qin Jia asked: "How much commission will the salesman get? He's very dedicated, working on a Saturday."
Lu Tingzhou fell silent. Qin Jia changed the subject, pointing to the cake: "Can I eat this?" "Yes," he said.
Before leaving, she asked: "Why did you pay for my gown that day? It was so expensive—I thought you were trying to embarrass me."
Lu Tingzhou looked down. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I just wanted to show my financial strength compared to Qin Mo. You looked beautiful in it—I hope you don't hate the dress."
"I don't hate it. It's lovely—you have good taste," she said.
Lu Tingzhou's brows relaxed into a smile. Emboldened, Qin Jia asked: "Can I meet the salesman? I want to thank him in person."
Lu Tingzhou looked at her innocent eyes and sighed: "Qin Jia, haven't you realized? I was the one on the phone this morning."
Qin Jia froze. "We've only met a few times—I couldn't recognize your voice. Next time, introduce yourself. Actually, you should call me less often."
"Why?"
"One call costs 15 million yuan—I'm afraid of going bankrupt," she said seriously.
Lu Tingzhou laughed. "Want a way to save money? Be my friend, and I'll give you a 10% discount."
"15 million becomes 1.5 million? Deal!" Qin Jia's eyes lit up. "I paid 3 million—can you make four robots? Two koalas and a chubby white bear?"
She pulled his hand excitedly. "Let's go back to discuss details!"
Feeling her warm palm, Lu Tingzhou looked away, hiding his joy. He had to admit—this simple, lovely girl had him completely wrapped around her finger. He was happy to lose.