Qin Jia took the revised contract home and happened to run into Qin Mo, who was returning from the supermarket.
Qin Mo carried two large bags of snacks into the house. Qin Jia saw this and asked curiously, "Are we having guests coming over? Why did you suddenly buy so many snacks?"
He took a bag of fruit candies from the bag and handed it to her, speaking softly, "Sis, have you forgotten? Dad doesn't allow me to eat snacks. Before he comes back, I need to treat myself."
Qin Mo put the shopping bags into his room and leaned against the door frame to continue talking to Qin Jia: "The Big Boss will be home next Sunday, so be prepared."
Qin Jia looked bewildered upon hearing this.
The Great Demon King? Qin Zongming? Is he really that terrifying? Could it be that he was the one who kicked the original owner out of the house?
Qin Jia tried hard to search her memory for information, but after a few minutes, she gave up. The system had provided too little information; she couldn't piece together Qin Zongming's overall personality.
Let's wait until he gets back and then check the database.
Just then, Qin Mo suddenly walked up to her, took the contract from her hand, and started flipping through it.
"Sis, did you go to Zecheng to buy a robot?"
Qin Mo flipped through the pages and realized something was wrong. "3 million to order four companion robots? You haven't run into a scammer, have you?"
Recently, there have been many scammers impersonating large companies, specifically targeting wealthy and educated women who are easy to talk to. By the time the women realize what's happening, the scammers have already run off with the money.
He turned to the last page. The contract had Lu Tingzhou's signature and Zecheng Technology's official seal, so it didn't look fake.
However, this price is really...
"Don't worry, I wasn't scammed." Qin Jia hugged the candy and tapped the signature page lightly with her finger. "This is the contract I personally signed at Zecheng."
"By the way, I also added Lu Tingzhou on WeChat. You can check his WeChat ID if you don't believe me."
"No need, I trust you." Qin Mo handed the contract back to her, gently stroking his chin with his fingers. "I'm just curious, how did you manage to negotiate the price down to 750,000 per animal?"
Qin Jia entered the house with the contract and candy.
She sat down at the table, opened the candy wrapper, and took out a peach-flavored candy. "I didn't bargain; he offered me a discount."
Qin Mo listened as if to a fairy tale. He gave a slight smile and strode into the house. "What discount did you get?"
Qin Jia held up one finger, and Qin Mo immediately gaped in surprise: "10% off?!"
Anyone have a robot for sale at 90% off?!
A bold idea suddenly popped into Qin Mo's mind. He pursed his lips, trying hard to suppress the impulse in his heart, and didn't dare to say it out loud.
Qin Jia smiled and said, "This is a friendly price."
Qin Mo raised an eyebrow, thinking that a 10% discount wasn't a friendship price, it was a fire sale price. But seeing her happy, he didn't want to dampen her spirits. He smiled and said, "As the saying goes, friendship is priceless. Lu Tingzhou is quite sincere."
Qin Jia blinked her eyelashes slightly, "Right?"
The window in the room was open, and a breeze blew in, bringing with it the fragrance of flowers.
Qin Jia turned her head to look out the window, her gaze gently falling on the locust tree in the yard.
Qin Mo followed her gaze.
He noticed the locust tree in the yard and heard from the housekeeper that it would soon bloom, and the locust blossoms would dance in the wind, creating a beautiful scene.
Qin Mo had never seen locust flowers in full bloom. He imagined the scene, and his restless heart gradually calmed down, making him much more peaceful.
As his thoughts drifted freely, a sweet female voice suddenly rang out, pulling him back to reality.
"Xiao Mo, do you want some candy?"
Qin Mo looked down at the rows of sweet candies on the table and picked out two strawberry-flavored ones.
"Sis, I'm leaving now." He clutched the candy in his palm. "Keep the snack thing a secret for me."
Qin Jia: "Yes, don't worry."
Qin Mo walked to the door, then suddenly remembered something. He turned back and said to Qin Jia, "Oh right, there's something I forgot to tell you."
"What?" Qin Jia raised her eyes slightly.
Qin Mo pulled out a chair and sat down, whispering, "Sis, online chatting is different from face-to-face. Sometimes everyone is busy, and it's normal to not reply for several hours."
"So," Qin Mo looked at her and said earnestly, "you don't need to let this cause internal strife, especially when facing Lu Tingzhou."
"If he doesn't reply, just go do your own thing, understand?"
Qin Jia seemed to be deep in thought. She took out her phone, opened her chat with Lu Tingzhou, and started typing.
[I'm home now.]
"Just letting you know I'm safe." Qin Jia looked up after sending the message. "Go on."
Qin Mo glanced at her screen furtively and saw the man's almost instant reply. He grinned and said, "I have nothing more to say. You guys continue."
"Continue."
He said that as he left.
Qin Jia watched him leave, then silently turned her attention back to him. She unwrapped a peach-flavored candy, put it in her mouth, and tried taking a bite.
The combination of milk curds and peach jam creates a wonderful flavor.
It's pretty good, she likes it.
-
Over the next few days, Qin Jia frequently received calls from Lu Tingzhou. He didn't try to sell her anything; he simply kept her updated on the robot's design progress.
On Friday afternoon, the staff completed the modeling of all four robots.
Lu Tingzhou sent Qin Jia the renderings on WeChat. Qin Jia looked at them happily for a long time, unable to stop smiling.
Qin Jia Luna: This design is amazing! It's exactly what I imagined!!
Qin Jia Luna: I love it!!!
Qin Jia sent a series of heart-shaped emojis to Lu Tingzhou.
Meanwhile, in the president's office of Zecheng Technology.
As Lu Tingzhou looked at the rain of hearts falling on his WeChat screen, his cold expression instantly softened.
A faint smile appeared in his eyes, and soon his entire face was filled with smiles, and he became genuinely happy.
In the sofa area, Secretary Lin, who was stamping a project contract, paused slightly. He turned his head and glanced at Lu Tingzhou in front of his desk.
Ever since he gave his boss Qin Jia his phone number, the boss's demeanor seemed to have changed. He often smiled at his phone or computer, though it was unclear what he was happy about.
Secretary Lin didn't dare ask any more questions, but he wholeheartedly supported his boss's pursuit of love. Miss Qin was beautiful, came from a good family, and could make the boss happy; she was truly a perfect match.
Most importantly, since Lu Tingzhou started devoting some of his energy to Qin Jia, the president's office and the planning department have had a much easier time.
In just this week, my colleagues' enthusiasm for work has greatly increased, and they are smiling more often.
Secretary Lin quickly finished her work, organized the contract, and gave it to Lu Tingzhou for confirmation.
"Mr. Lu, the contract is ready."
"Take a look."
Lu Tingzhou took the folder from Secretary Lin and quickly flipped through it, focusing on several important figures.
"Okay." Lu Tingzhou closed the folder and handed it back to Secretary Lin. "Send it today."
Secretary Lin nodded. "Yes."
"I'll take care of it right away."
Secretary Lin was about to leave with the folder in her hand when she suddenly remembered the proposal that hadn't been implemented last week.
He mustered his courage and asked again, "Mr. Lu, there are several good new movies released recently. Would you like to invite Miss Qin to go see a movie together?"
Lu Tingzhou glanced at him. "Secretary Lin, it's working hours now."
"Oh." Secretary Lin raised an eyebrow. "Then you go ahead with your work, I'll head out now."
After the office door was closed, Lu Tingzhou opened a movie ticket app on his computer and carefully looked at the recent popular movies.
One of the films, titled "Spy War," received a particularly high rating, but its content was rather heavy and not suitable for everyday entertainment.
At the same time, an animated film featuring animals was also released. Knowing that Qin Jia liked small animals, Lu Tingzhou specially took a screenshot and sent it to her on WeChat.
Are you interested in watching a movie?
Qin Jia Luna: When?
Are you free on Saturday?
Qin Jia Luna: Yes, but I might have to bring bodyguards with me. Do you mind?
Lu Tingzhou paused slightly before typing: [I don't mind.]
After some discussion, a time was quickly set. Lu Tingzhou selected the corresponding showtime and bought all the tickets in the theater.
Still feeling it wasn't enough after buying everything, he took out his phone and called the mall manager.
-
Saturday.
To avoid oversleeping and missing important matters, Qin Jia left early and took a nap in the car.
She had arranged to meet Lu Tingzhou at 3:20, so she could go home for dinner after watching the movie.
At 2:30 p.m., Qin Jia arrived at the agreed location ahead of time. She entered the mall with her bodyguards and strolled around inside.
After browsing for only a few minutes, the soothing piano music in the mall was suddenly replaced by a live broadcast.
"Dear customers, our store will be closing at 3:15 PM today. Please hurry up and pay if you are still shopping."
"To express our apologies, we will issue a 200 yuan gift voucher to each customer present through the system backend. It is valid for the rest of the year. We wish you a pleasant shopping experience."
When Qin Jia entered, she scanned the mall's QR code. She took out her phone and logged in again, and sure enough, her account had an additional 200 yuan no-minimum-spend coupon.
Qin Jia turned to the bodyguard and asked, "Fifteen, is there anything you'd like to buy?"
The bodyguard pointed to the basement level, "Miss, I'd like to go shopping at the supermarket."
She pointed to the dessert shop in front of her, "I'm going to sit there for a while, you should go ahead."
The bodyguard hesitated and said, "Madam instructed me to stay by your side at all times and protect you."
Qin Jia waved her hand, "It's okay, it'll only be a dozen minutes, hurry back."
"If we don't go now, the mall will close."
The bodyguard nodded. "Then I'll watch you go into the dessert shop. Call me if you need anything."
Qin Jia: "Mm."
Qin Jia entered the store, ordered a hot cocoa, and found a seat in a corner.
The coupon can be used in multiple transactions. A hot cocoa costs 30 yuan, leaving 170 yuan. The system automatically adjusts the amount in the background, which is very intelligent.
Qin Jia took a couple of sips of hot cocoa through a straw when suddenly a girl dressed in a hip-hop style walked in from outside the store, sat down opposite her in a casual manner, and took the initiative to greet her.
Qin Jia was momentarily stunned, then realized that the person who came was Luo Shiqing; they had met briefly at a charity gala.
However, her outfit today was completely different from her previous style, and if it weren't for the NPC database, she wouldn't have recognized her at all.
"Qin Jia, what a coincidence." Luo Shiqing scanned the QR code to place her order. "I've run into you again."
Qin Jia wiped her lips with a tissue and said politely, "It's quite a coincidence. Your outfit today is a bit special; I almost didn't recognize you."
Luo Shiqing explained, "Hey, my friend's streetwear show was short-staffed, so they pulled me in to fill in. It's only just finished now. I was just thinking of coming here for a meal, but the mall is about to close."
"It's Saturday today, and the data is so good tonight, why isn't it on?" she muttered to herself, puzzled. Then she looked up and said, "Hey, Qin Jia, I heard you're not planning to work at Zhenyuan anymore. Have you thought about where you're going next?"
Qin Jia shook her head, "I haven't decided yet."
She recently tried learning about jewelry design, but found she was completely incapable. If she tried to work at Zhenyuan with her current skill level, she'd be exposed within a week.
Luo Shiqing: "To be honest, I studied fashion design. I've always wanted to create my own clothing brand, but I've been hesitant to make up my mind."
As she spoke, she became excited, "On the day of the banquet, when I saw you standing under the spotlight, an idea suddenly popped into my head."
Qin Jia was stunned. "What?"
Luo Shiqing looked at her, her eyes sparkling with tiny lights. "I want you to wear a haute couture gown that I designed, so that more people can understand Eastern aesthetics."
Qin Jia was taken aback by what she said. After sorting out her logic and thinking for a moment, she asked softly, "You mean you want to create a clothing brand and have me model for you, right?"
Luo Shiqing nodded, then shook her head.
"We can go together. We're equals. I'll be in charge of the design, and you'll be in charge of the presentation."
"As for sales, you don't need to worry about that; there will be dedicated people to handle it."
The person in front of her was so enthusiastic that Qin Jia suddenly had the illusion that she had no choice but to agree.
She calmed down for a moment and said, "Miss Luo, please allow me to think about it."
Just then, the waiter came to deliver the food, interrupting their conversation. Luo Shiqing smiled and said, "Sorry, I got too excited just now. I didn't mean to pressure you. Think it over carefully, it's okay if you refuse me."
The aroma of food wafted through the air, and Qin Jia hummed in response, her attention drawn to the strawberry pancakes on the table.
Luo Shiqing took another fork, picked up a piece of muffin, and handed it to her, saying, "Try it."
"This is super delicious, I'm not kidding."
Qin Jia took it, took a small bite, and the rich aroma spread in her mouth, stimulating her taste buds. She finished the pancake, feeling extremely satisfied.
Not long after, the broadcast again urged people to leave.
Luo Shiqing asked Qin Jia, "Are we leaving? Shall we find somewhere else to continue our conversation?"
Just then, the bodyguard came over carrying shopping bags. Qin Jia remembered her appointment with Lu Tingzhou and shook her head, "I have an appointment to see a movie with someone. I have to wait for him. You can go first."
Luo Shiqing pointed outside, "Isn't the mall about to close? How can we watch a movie?"
Qin Jia belatedly realized, "Oh, right."
"Let's go then."
Qin Jia left the dessert shop carrying hot cocoa, while Luo Shiqing carried packaged pancakes, with bodyguards following behind them.
As Luo Shiqing walked, she complained, "If I had known this place was going to close, I wouldn't have come."
Qin Jia: "It's okay, there are plenty of shopping malls nearby, one more won't make a difference."
Behind them, the silent bodyguard suddenly spoke up: "I heard that this mall has been booked by some mysterious big shot, apparently for a marriage proposal."
"I see." Luo Shiqing's anger subsided instantly upon hearing this. "Alright then, best wishes."
"However, the mysterious bigwigs of Yucheng—" she looked at Qin Jia, then at herself, "there aren't many left, are there?"
Bodyguard: "I guess they're from another city."
Qin Jia said thoughtfully, "Maybe."
-
Lu Tingzhou encountered a car accident on his way here, which caused him to take a detour and was a little delayed.
Fortunately, he arrived on time.
He parked his car in the mall's underground parking lot and took the elevator to the eighth floor.
The movie theater was empty except for one ticket collector who was still working.
Lu Tingzhou didn't see Qin Jia, so he took out his phone and called her.
"I'm on the eighth floor, where are you?"
A girl's whisper came from the other end of the phone: "I sent you a message, didn't you see it?"
Lu Tingzhou was taken aback. "The network was bad on the way, so I probably didn't see all the messages."
"What's wrong?"
Qin Jia: "I heard that someone booked the entire mall for a marriage proposal, and the mall has to close to the public."
Proposal?
She's implying...
"I'm out now, at Missing Dessert Shop. I've rebooked the movie tickets, come over here."
Lenovo came to an abrupt end.
Lu Tingzhou remained silent for a moment, calming himself down. "Okay, I'll be right there."
A few minutes later.
Missing Dessert Shop.
Lu Tingzhou looked at the burly man next to Qin Jia, and then at Luo Shiqing next to the burly man.
"Lu Tingzhou, Miss Luo is coming with us, you don't mind, do you?"
"...I don't mind."