Chapter 139: Chapter 138 For Anitaqing Immortal Flower Fate + Update 2
Shi Yang’s mind buzzed, the sudden delight was like a thunder strike, leaving him dazed for a half-second before he quickly responded, smoothly: "I already have Naughty Castles backed up for two kindergartens. The design drafts are finished, and the workers have been dispatched. Your project might have to wait until the end of the month before I can send someone over to measure the area. As for the plan, it has to be designed according to the specific project you have settled upon."
The principal got anxious: "What? Wait until the end of the month? How long will installation take? I plan to have it ready for enrollment on May 1st."
Shi Yang calculated the time, and his confidence grew: "Should be in time for May 1st. Everything has to be first come, first served; those two kindergartens have already paid, and their design plans are finalized. I can’t move your project forward."
The principal’s face became gloomy, visibly displeased.
Shi Yang remained calm, putting on a helpless look, said a couple more polite remarks, and then prepared to leave with his team.
The principal quickly stopped him: "How much deposit do you usually require for installing a Naughty Castle? If you want me to pay, you should at least have the product ready for me first, right?"
Shi Yang refused: "We haven’t measured the area yet or defined the specific project, so we can’t determine the parts needed for installation; therefore, we can’t ship anything."
The principal thought for a moment and clearly softened his stance: "You haven’t placed anything here, why should I trust you and pay the deposit upfront! To be blunt, I haven’t even seen where your company is located. Tell me, would you pay the deposit upfront in my position? Also, I’m quite anxious here, and we were just talking nicely, weren’t we? You mentioned taking care of our kindergarten."
Shi Yang wearing a troubled expression pondered for a long time before reluctantly saying: "That’s easy to say, but I have to wait for my workers to finish their current tasks first. How about this, I’ll contact you in a couple of days to see if I can send someone over to measure the area first. Then we can finalize the basic project and discuss the prepayment. How does that sound?"
The principal checked his pocket, made sure he kept the business card, then nodded in agreement.
After driving a bit, Qu Chaozong glanced at Shi Yang, the meaning clear without words.
Shi Yang noticed, amusedly admonished: "What are you looking at! Focus on the road!"
Qu Chaozong snorted, voicing his thoughts: "You’re all outward appearance and inward deceit!"
Shi Yang, in a good mood, playfully retorted: "The looks belong to me, who does the deceit belong to?"
Qu Chaozong laughed and cursed: "Damn!"
Wang Tianyu, sitting in the back seat, chuckled twice and asked: "Mr. Shi, where are we getting renovation workers from?"
Shi Yang glanced at him: "That’s a question for Brother Qu here."
Qu Chaozong gave Shi Yang a sidelong glare: "Why am I always stuck with the errand tasks!"
Shi Yang maintained a serious demeanor: "There are only two things pressing right now. One is finding workers to install the Naughty Castle, and the other is negotiating rental space at the mall. Take your pick, I’m letting you choose first."
Taking advantage of the red light, Qu Chaozong braked hard, pretending to jab Shi Yang’s eyes, Shi Yang laughed and playfully joined in the antics, just raising his hand when his phone vibrated in his pocket.
Shi Yang immediately stopped fooling around, hurriedly taking out his phone.
Qu Chaozong held back his breath, deliberately teasing: "Is it another message from your little wife?"
Shi Yang didn’t get annoyed, he opened his phone while responding: "Yeah, it’s from my wife, so what?"
Qu Chaozong was momentarily at a loss for words but then saw Shi Yang’s expression change.
Concerned, Qu Chaozong asked: "What’s wrong?"
Shi Yang looked anxious: "Hurry, turn around and head to the central hospital, Meimei’s father is hospitalized, pneumonia."
The car was stuck about two block away from the hospital, the line of cars ahead of them moving slower than a crawl.
Shi Yang couldn’t wait any longer, he opened the door and jumped out of the car, sprinting all the way into the hospital. After entering, he realized he forgot to ask which floor the ward was on, so he quickly grabbed a staff member at the service desk to inquire and then rushed down the hallway.
Wang Tianyu stayed in the car, Qu Chaozong chased after him, sweating profusely, shouting as he ran: "Wait up! There are so many people! Watch out!"
Shi Yang didn’t have time to listen to any of this; he was anxious, thinking Zhao Dazhuang was sick, not knowing how frantic Zhao Meimei might be. When he got the message, he realized it had been a while since it was sent, he had been busy negotiating with the principal and didn’t check it. Later, when he tried to call back, the phone had already turned off.
Shi Yang charged forward, and Qu Chaozong eventually fell far behind.
At the elevator entrance, Qu Chaozong panted heavily, glanced at the swarming crowd outside and resignedly ran to the stairway, gradually slowing from a run to a walk, climbing the stairs like an evolution.
Qu Chaozong doggedly climbed for a long time, looking up to realize he was only on the fourth floor with the eighth still far away. He huffed and puffed, resting against the stair railing, feeling more exhausted than after running a marathon.
Just then someone rushed out of the stairwell door, high heels clacking against the marble floor, echoing softly.
Leaning against the stair railing, half of Qu Chaozong’s body pressing down, he instinctively turned his head upon hearing the sound.
The person was focused on pulling out a cigarette from the pack, expertly holding it between her fingers, putting it in her mouth, and lighting it with a lighter, taking a deep breath to satisfy her craving before blowing out a smoke ring. Her throat released a sigh of satisfaction, and upon seeing Qu Chaozong, both the voice and smoke ring stopped simultaneously, as if someone had hit a pause button.
"Puh!! Cough cough!!"
The two of them looked at each other through the cloudy white smoke.
After the initial surprise, Qu Chaozong quickly regained his composure, clearly holding an advantage over the other.
So he silently watched the other’s pretty face perfectly encapsulate the entire process from astonishment to tranquility.
Zhang Xin puffed on the cigarette, blew out a smoke ring and grinned at Qu Chaozong: "Chaozi, what a coincidence, huh?"
Qu Chaozong staring at her, internally cursing, damn it, enemies are bound to meet.
Qu Chaozong gave a curt nod as a form of greeting and turned to leave.
He had just taken two steps when Zhang Xin grabbed his arm.
Qu Chaozong turned back, frowned, and asked: "What’s up?"
Zhang Xin stubbed out the cigarette, not answering, instead asking: "Why are you at the hospital?"
Qu Chaozong glanced at the brightly painted nails clasping his arm but did not reply, his black-and-white eyes staring at Zhang Xin.
Zhang Xin seeing his guarded expression, chuckled: "Why the wary look? Just casually asking, since we happened to bump into each other."