Chapter 29: A Clumsy Performance

"President Lu, you had better make the decision yourself."

"Exactly. Since we cannot reach a consensus, it is best for you to have the final say."

It must be said that those who were arguing incessantly just a moment ago had suddenly reached a unanimous agreement: they all decided to let Lu Qiqi make the final call. Lu Qiqi understood perfectly well that they were merely trying to shirk responsibility; that way, no matter what went wrong later, the blame would not fall on them.

After much deliberation, she slapped the table and stood up, announcing firmly, "I have decided to decline the partnership. If we want to grow, we must not be blinded by immediate, petty gains; we must look toward the long term."

Seeing that no one dared to object, Lu Qiqi went straight to see Chu Linchen. This time, the receptionist at Chu Linchen's company did not dare to stop her and immediately called Assistant Zhao to come down and escort her up.

"Assistant Zhao, is President Chu in a good mood today?" Lu Qiqi inquired, fearing she might be walking into a trap if she caught him on a bad day.

Assistant Zhao smiled, his demeanor impeccably respectful and his answer polished and flawless. "With you here, Miss Lu, our boss is always in a good mood."

Seeing that she could not pry any further information, Lu Qiqi had no choice but to bite the bullet and head to Chu Linchen’s office. Once seated, she took a deep breath and said, "I am sorry, President Chu. Since you are unwilling to concede the decision-making power, I have decided to forgo this partnership."

"Oh? Are you certain? The profit margins on this deal are quite substantial." Chu Linchen raised an eyebrow in surprise, leaning his hands on the desk as he scrutinized her with an inquisitive gaze.

"Yes. Just as you demand exclusive decision-making authority, I also require control over my own projects. Since we cannot reach an agreement, let us partner another time." The more Lu Qiqi spoke, the more confident she became; in business, one must talk business, and there was no need to fear him.

"Ha, quite bold. You are the first person to ever turn down a partnership with me." A strange expression crossed Chu Linchen’s face. He gained a new perspective on Lu Qiqi; he had not expected such courage and vision from the young woman before him.

Lu Qiqi stood up, bowed to him, left the contract on the desk, and took her leave.

***

Ever since Si Qinyu told Shen Manli that he suspected Lu Qiqi had guessed the nature of their relationship, Shen Manli had been restless, constantly seeking an opportunity to probe Lu Qiqi.

She finally found her chance that day. Having tracked Lu Qiqi’s movements, she cornered her in her office.

"Qiqi, you have been avoiding me lately. Are you still angry with me over the bracelet?" Shen Manli adopted an incredibly humble tone.

Lu Qiqi raised an eyebrow, shook the bracelet on her wrist, and said triumphantly, "Why would I be angry with you? I should be thanking you. If not for you, how could I have gotten both the bracelet back and a sum of money? By the way, I even made a charitable donation with it. It was truly killing three birds with one stone."

Hearing this boast, Shen Manli felt her blood boil. Although Si Qinyu had paid that money on her behalf, she had not dared to ask him for the several bags and clothes she had set her heart on since then.

"Then why have you stopped hanging out with me? And I heard from Young Master Si that you have been cold toward him lately too. Are you upset that he paid for me? Please, don't misunderstand; there really is nothing between us," Shen Manli probed again.

Lu Qiqi’s mind was entirely occupied by the rejection of Chu Linchen’s contract, and she was far too irritable to deal with such nonsense. Her face darkened as she replied, "If you two do not learn to avoid suspicion, people will start suspecting you even if there is nothing going on—and eventually, I will have to suspect that you are doing it on purpose."

"Sister Qiqi, please don't say that. I really didn't... If you are still angry, here, let me pour you some tea. Let me offer you tea as a gesture of apology." Seeing a cup of hot water on Lu Qiqi’s desk, Shen Manli deliberately picked it up.

She had planted an informant in the company and had heard before arriving that Si Qinyu would be visiting that day, which is why she had come early. Before entering the office, she had instructed the informant to text her the moment Si Qinyu headed toward Lu Qiqi’s office.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket; she knew Si Qinyu was approaching. She carried the steaming cup of tea toward Lu Qiqi.

"Sister Qiqi, drink this tea, and let us put our past grievances behind us, shall we?"

"Did you come here specifically to talk about this? I am not thirsty, I do not want the tea, and furthermore, I am busy. Please leave." Lu Qiqi pointed toward the door, issuing an order to leave.

***

Just then, Shen Manli heard movement at the door. She immediately lunged at Lu Qiqi, pleading, "Sister Qiqi, please don't be like this—ah!"

The moment Si Qinyu opened the door, Shen Manli deliberately spilled all the hot tea on herself and slumped to the floor.

The tea was scalding, turning Shen Manli’s arms and legs bright red. Seeing this scene, Si Qinyu felt a sharp pang of eyesore and heartache. He pulled Shen Manli up and demanded, "Lu Qiqi, what do you think you are doing!"

"Young Master Si, don't blame Sister Qiqi. She didn't mean it. I'm not in pain, please don't fight because of me." Shen Manli sobbed softly, clutching at Si Qinyu to calm him down, even as her skin turned red from the burns.

"Hmm? Blaming me? What makes you think he, Si Qinyu, has the right to blame me? Because of your pathetic, manipulative act?" Lu Qiqi sneered, locking eyes with Si Qinyu. "I will give you one last chance: try and see if you can speak like a rational human being!"

"Qiqi, Manli is hurt, why must you be like this? She said she doesn't even blame you." Si Qinyu felt even more resentful toward Lu Qiqi; he had not expected that the once-understanding Lu Qiqi had become so vicious.

"Fine, fine, I’m the villain, right? Then let me show you the evidence!" Lu Qiqi opened her computer, clicked the mouse a few times, and the surveillance footage appeared on the screen.

She turned the monitor around. The footage showed everything that had happened since Shen Manli entered—the staging, the pouring of the tea, the fall—all laid bare.

"As I thought, relying on others is never reliable; one must protect oneself." Lu Qiqi looked at Si Qinyu with utter mockery. She didn't even bother to spare a glance for Shen Manli—she was nothing more than a parasitic vine clinging to Si Qinyu, incapable of making waves. She always remembered that her true opponent was Si Qinyu.

Caught off guard and humiliated, Si Qinyu felt awkward. He rubbed his nose, pointedly avoiding Lu Qiqi’s gaze.

"Ahem, Qiqi, let’s leave that aside for now. I came to see you because I have an urgent matter. I recall you have a property called Moon Bay under your name. Hand it over to me."