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More than an hour later, the bedroom finally became quiet.

Lan Qianyi lay in Su Ning's arms, her breathing not yet fully calmed.

Sweat stuck her hair to her forehead, but she didn't bother to brush it away.

Only a small bedside lamp was on in the room, casting a dim, warm light that softened everything.

No one spoke, but the atmosphere wasn't awkward; instead, it was comfortable and relaxed.

After a while, Lan Qianyi turned over and lay on her side facing Su Ning.

She reached out and poked his chest: "Hey."

"Ok?"

"Your technique is quite good." She said this naturally, as if she were commenting on the taste of a dish. "You must have practiced a lot before, right?"

Su Ning laughed and grabbed her mischievous hand: "That's what I should be asking you."

“Me?” Lan Qianyi raised an eyebrow. “I’m a good student. I study hard and work diligently. I don’t have time to mess around.”

"Then just now..."

"What happened just now?" Lan Qianyi interrupted him, speaking with righteous indignation, "Can't adults have some special needs?"

That was a direct statement, which amused Suning.

He pulled her closer and said, "Okay, you're right."

The two remained quiet for a while.

Lan Qianyi pressed her ear against Su Ning's chest to listen to his heartbeat, as if she were deep in thought.

"Tell me," she suddenly said, "what kind of relationship do we have?"

"What do you think?" Su Ning threw the question back at him.

"Friends with benefits?" Lan Qianyi asked tentatively, but immediately shook her head. "Doesn't seem like it."

"What's that like?"

“Like…” she thought for a moment, “like two adults who find each other agreeable and whose bodies are in sync, deciding to explore some possibilities together.”

This definition is very much like Lan Qianyi's—direct, unpretentious, yet leaving room for interpretation.

Su Ning turned her head to look at her: "So it's 'give it a try'?"

"Otherwise what?" Lan Qianyi looked at him as well. "Do you expect me to kneel down and propose right now?"

She laughed first after she finished speaking, a relaxed laugh that Suning had never seen before.

During her internship, she was always tense, always appearing unapproachable.

But now, she seems relaxed, perhaps because she feels she no longer needs to.

“You know,” Lan Qianyi continued, “I used to be influenced by my previous relationship and thought that dating meant relying on men, so I always pretended to be someone I wasn’t and guarded against everything.”

"Now you're not on guard?"

“Now…” she paused, “I don’t need it anymore! I’ve given you everything I could, and I don’t want to think about it anymore.”

This is exactly what Su Ning wanted to hear; he also dislikes complicated things.

"Then what do you want?" he asked.

"Now?" Lan Qianyi blinked. "I want to drink water, and I also want to chat with you all night."

She got up as she spoke, and without any hesitation, walked naked into the kitchen.

Su Ning looked at her back; her lines were smooth, and her skin glowed softly in the dim light.

Lan Qianyi returned quickly, carrying two bottles of water.

He tossed one bottle to Suning, then opened the other and gulped down most of it.

You should know that what just happened not only depleted your physical strength, but you also need to replenish your fluids as soon as possible afterward.

"That feels good." She wiped her mouth, snuggled back into bed, and leaned against the headboard. "Hey, I have something to tell you."

"what?"

“Remember Gao Sicong? He texted me this afternoon, asking me to have dinner,” Lan Qianyi said. “I said I was busy, and he said tomorrow then. I said I was busy tomorrow too. He asked what I was doing, and I said I was on a date.”

Su Ning raised an eyebrow: "And then?"

"Then he didn't reply for a long time, and finally sent an 'oh'." Lan Qianyi laughed, "I can imagine his expression, he must have felt really frustrated."

"You don't like him?"

“I don’t like it.” Lan Qianyi shook her head. “It’s too deliberate. Saying good morning and good night every day, sending little gifts all the time, and always speaking with a fawning tone. I don’t need anyone to fawn over me.”

She paused, then looked at Su Ning: "You never try to please me. During our internship, you would criticize me when you needed to, praise me when you needed to, and cooperate with me when you needed to. I think that's great."

"That's work."

"And now? We're not working anymore, why are you still like this?"

“Because I don’t think you need to be flattered,” Su Ning said frankly. “You’re strong enough and know what you want. For someone like you, respect is more important than flattery.”

Lan Qianyi looked at him and suddenly smiled.

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek: "I love hearing that."

In the following time, Lan Qianyi seemed to have opened a floodgate of words.

She started by talking about her first impression of Suning during her internship, how frustrated she felt when he criticized her for not being rigorous with her data, and how much she admired him when he contacted the hospital for data in advance.

“At that time, I felt that this person was someone I could be friends with,” she said. “He wasn’t the kind of smart person who liked to show off, but someone who was genuinely reliable.”

She then recounted her past experiences at Goldman Sachs and Youwei Capital, how her ex-boyfriend Chen Zhan fought with her for control, and how she stayed up all night to create solutions that satisfied clients.

“But I don’t actually like investment banking,” Lan Qianyi suddenly said. “It’s too profit-driven, everything is about money. I just want to do something real, something that can create value. That’s why I came to Jinchen, to see if I can do industrial investment.”

"And now? Are you still interested in making industrial investments?"

“I’d like to,” Lan Qianyi nodded. “But I think it’s not enough to just understand finance; you also need to understand the industry. Like you, you’re very familiar with the practical aspects of healthcare. You’ll have to teach me in the future.”

"Okay, I'll teach you."

As they talked, the conversation drifted further and further away.

They talked about work, then about university, then about family, and finally about future plans.

Lan Qianyi's eyes were bright and her expressions were vivid when she spoke, and she would occasionally use hand gestures.

Looking at her, Su Ning suddenly realized that this was the real Lan Qianyi...

She wasn't that stern-faced top student, but a young woman with ideas, a temper, and the ability to laugh and joke.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Lan Qianyi noticed his gaze.

"I feel you're different from before."

"What's the difference?"

"She talks more and laughs more. She used to be cold and aloof, like an ascetic goddess."

Lan Qianyi was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "That's your fault."

"Why blame me?"

“Because you make me feel relaxed!” she said naturally. “I don’t have to pretend in front of you, I don’t have to prove anything, I don’t have to deliberately protect myself, I can say whatever comes to mind. I haven’t felt this way in a long time.”

After she finished speaking, she yawned; it was almost 2 a.m.

"Tired?" Su Ning asked.

"A little." Lan Qianyi slid down and snuggled back into his arms. "Are you... staying tonight?"

Do you want me to stay?

"I do," she answered readily. "But you'll have to leave early tomorrow morning; I have a yoga class scheduled."

"Row."

Before turning off the lights, Lan Qianyi added, "By the way, the results of the assessment will be out the day after tomorrow. If we both pass, shall we celebrate?"

"How will we celebrate?"

“Let me think… have a nice meal, and then…” There was a hint of amusement in her voice, “…continue to explore the possibilities for adults?”

Su Ning laughed: "Okay! I'll do whatever you say."

The lights are off.

In the darkness, Lan Qianyi quickly fell asleep, her breathing even.

Su Ning held her close, feeling the warmth and softness of her body.

He suddenly realized that this impulsive decision to "have a glass of water" tonight might have changed the course of some things.

At least, Lan Qianyi is no longer that abstinent goddess who always has a long face.

The way Lan Qianyi slept so innocently in his arms was even more captivating than he had imagined.

……

Monday, in the rest area of ​​Jin Chen Capital.

Wu Kezhi and Zhou Qingyu, the deputy director of Group Two, sat together drinking tea.

Zhou Qingyu held his teacup and sighed, "That kid Zeng Hao, it's probably hopeless this time. He called me last night, and his voice was weak; he knew it was hopeless."

Wu Kezhi didn't respond; he just drank his tea.

“I’ve been asking around for him these past few days, trying to see which company would hire him.” Zhou Qingyu shook his head. “He’s in his thirties, has a wife and kids, rents an apartment in Shanghai, and is burdened with monthly mortgage and car loan payments. If he loses his job, it will be really difficult.”

“You seem to care a lot about your subordinates,” Wu Kezhi said.

"Put yourself in their shoes," Zhou Qingyu said with a wry smile. "Nobody has it easy."

"..."

At this moment, Lin Yuming, who was busy at his workstation, was holding a document in his hand.

He handed it directly behind his back and blurted out, "Yi Qiu, help me deliver this to..."

He stopped mid-sentence. Sun Yiqiu was no longer there; his internship was over, and he hadn't come to the company at all today.

Lin Yuming stood there, somewhat dazed.

After a while, he said to Wu Kezhi, who had returned, with a wry smile, "Boss, I suddenly feel like we might not be being a little fair?"

"what?"

“Su Ning and Sun Yiqiu have been with our group for quite some time,” Lin Yuming said. “Now that their internships are over, whether they passed or not, shouldn’t we treat them to a meal? It would be a fitting end to what we started.”

"We'll talk about dinner later." Wu Kezhi put down his teacup. "You think about where Lan Qianyi should sit if she really comes to our group."

Lin Yuming was taken aback: "If she comes, she'll definitely sit in my current seat! It's by the window, with good lighting, and it's close to your desk too."

"how about you?"

"I'll move to the back," Lin Yuming said matter-of-factly. "She's a girl, and a newcomer, so it's only right that I take care of her."

"Okay, then pack your things in the next couple of days and make room for them."

"Boss, is Lan Qianyi really coming to our group?"

Do I look like I'm joking with you?

"Alright! I'll move right now."

……

Around 3 p.m., several messages were sent to several people's phones almost simultaneously.

Su Ning was at home reviewing documents when his phone vibrated. He picked it up and read: "Mr. Su Ning, congratulations on passing the internship assessment at Jin Chen Capital. Please bring the relevant materials to the company at 9:00 AM tomorrow to complete the onboarding procedures. A designated person will handle the specific arrangements."

It was very official wording, but it was approved.

At almost the same time, Lan Qianyi received the message during her yoga class.

After reading it, she smiled and replied, "Received, thank you."

Lan Qianyi immediately called Su Ning, "Su Ning, did you receive the notification?"

"Got it! Looks like we're about to have an office romance."

"Bang! You got off easy."

"I'll come over to your place this afternoon! We can watch a movie together, and then..."

"Pah! You scoundrel."

Gao Sicong was in the library at the time and breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the message.

But he immediately frowned, wondering who else had passed.

When Hao Shuai received the message, he was being lectured by his father.

Upon seeing the message, he felt a great sense of relief, and for the first time, he felt he could finally stand up straight in front of his father.

As for Sun Yiqiu... he was cleaning at home when his phone rang, and he almost didn't hear it.

When he saw the message, he was stunned for a while, then rubbed his eyes hard and read it again.

I actually passed.

……

At 8:50 a.m. the next day, downstairs at Jin Chen Capital.

When Su Ning arrived, Lan Qianyi was already there.

She wore a light gray business suit today, with her hair neatly tied back, looking capable and energetic.

"Good morning." Su Ning walked over.

"Good morning." Lan Qianyi glanced at him, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Not bad," Su Ning said calmly. "How about you?"

"Yoga class is too tiring, I just fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow." Lan Qianyi blinked, her words carrying a hidden meaning.

Just then, Gao Sicong and Hao Shuai arrived.

Gao Sicong was still dressed in designer brands, impeccably dressed.

Hao Shuai, on the other hand, looked much more relaxed, with a smile on his face.

"Congratulations!" Hao Shuai greeted him first. "We'll be colleagues from now on."

Lan Qianyi reverted to her abstinent goddess persona, perhaps only willing to let loose in front of Su Ning.

Gao Sicong also congratulated him, but his eyes were constantly scanning, wondering who else had passed.

Just then, a familiar figure ran from the direction of the subway station; it was Sun Yiqiu, panting heavily.

He was wearing a slightly oversized suit, clutching a file folder, and was a little out of breath when he ran up to them: "I'm so sorry, I'm late, the bus was stuck in traffic..."

He froze before he could finish speaking.

Because he saw that Suning, Lan Qianyi, Gao Sicong, and Hao Shuai were all there.

"You... all passed?" Sun Yiqiu was a little incredulous.

"Yeah!" Hao Shuai laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "You passed too, right? Congratulations!"

Lan Qianyi smiled and said, "I knew you could do it."

Sun Yiqiu looked at everyone, his eyes a little hot, and nodded vigorously: "Yes, I received the message too."

Only Gao Sicong couldn't hide the surprise on his face.

He looked Sun Yiqiu up and down, as if he couldn't understand how this person could have passed.

Suning stood to the side, remaining silent.

He had known this outcome all along, so he remained the calmest.

"Five people?" Gao Sicong couldn't help but ask. "I remember that in previous years, the maximum number of people allowed in was only four."

"They probably expanded enrollment this year," Hao Shuai said.

As they were talking, Gao Yue walked out of the building.

She was dressed in her business suit as usual, with a formal expression: "Everyone, congratulations on passing the assessment. President Qu wants to see you in person now, please follow me."

The five people followed Gao Yue into the building and took the elevator.

The elevator was quiet; no one spoke.

……

Upon arriving at the reception room outside President Qu's office, Gao Yue asked them to wait a moment while she went in to announce their arrival.

A few minutes later, they were invited into the office.

General Manager Qu was sitting behind a large desk, with General Manager Ma and several directors also present; the atmosphere was very formal.

"sit."

"Thank you, Mr. Qu."

"First of all, congratulations on passing the assessment." President Qu began, his gaze sweeping over the five people. "You were selected from dozens of interns, proving your abilities. I hope you cherish this opportunity and continue to grow at Jin Chen."

Gao Sicong sat upright, waiting for Director Qu to call his name. However, Director Qu looked at Lan Qianyi first: "Lan Qianyi, I have read your research report carefully. The logic is clear and the research is solid. Especially the part about clinical adoption intentions, the angle is very good. Keep up the good work."

"Thank you, Mr. Qu. I will." Lan Qianyi nodded.

The second person is Hao Shuai: "Hao Shuai, your father called me. But you passed this time because of your own performance. Although there was a small problem, you were able to overcome your nervousness quickly and complete your presentation, which is not easy. I hope you can keep it up."

"Thank you, President Qu!" Hao Shuai said loudly.

The third person turned to look at Gao Sicong and said, "Gao Sicong, not bad! Young and promising, I hope you will continue to work hard."

"Yes, Director Qu."

"Sun Yiqiu." President Qu looked at him, his expression quite complicated, and after a long pause, he finally managed to say, "...Keep up the good work."

"Thank you, President Qu! I will definitely work hard!" Sun Yiqiu bowed deeply.

Finally, President Qu's gaze fell on Suning.

His gaze became more complicated as he scrutinized Su Ning for a long time.

The office was quiet, and everyone could feel the unusual attention on everyone's faces.

"Your name is Su Ning?" President Qu finally spoke.

"Yes, Mr. Qu," Su Ning replied, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Have we met somewhere before?" President Qu asked directly.

"Probably not," Su Ning said calmly. "This is my first time working in the financial industry. Maybe it's because I have a rather ordinary appearance."

This answer made Gao Yue, who was standing next to him, raise an eyebrow.

President Qu stared at Su Ning for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled: "I heard you performed well in Group Four. Wu Kezhi had a very high opinion of you."

"It's all thanks to the excellent teaching of General Manager Wu and Manager Lin."

"I hope you can continue to work hard at Jinchen," said General Manager Qu. "I have high hopes for you."

"Thank you, Mr. Qu. I won't let you down."

The meeting ended there.

When Gao Sicong walked out of the office, he looked rather grim; he was probably the first person to be called out.

Gao Yue took them to complete the onboarding procedures.

On the way, Lan Qianyi asked Su Ning in a low voice, "Su Ning, what was that look in President Qu's eyes just now?"

"I don't know! Maybe it's because I'm too handsome," Su Ning replied naturally.

"..." Lan Qianyi looked at him suspiciously, but did not ask any further questions.

...(End of chapter)