The landlord has multiple personalities and wants everyone to pay him.

Stepping out of the glass door of Qianxue Group and standing in the winter sun, Ye Shu felt that he was a completely different person from when he entered.

Now, all those heavy burdens in his heart about the future, interpersonal relationships, and the gap between himself and others have been lifted, leaving him feeling completely relaxed.

Having shed this psychological burden, Ye Shu felt as if she had grown two centimeters taller, and even the car exhaust she breathed felt exceptionally fresh and free.

The thought of returning to Sister Chen Xing's coffee shop made Ye Shu's lips curl into a smile.

That's his comfort zone, the work environment he longs for.

Let all the high-end projects, customer experience, and community management stay in this glittering building.

Of course, another reason for his good mood was the expression on the face of Shen Mo, the vice president and lover from earlier.

With the mindset of "since I'm already here, I have to help Sister Chen Xing complete her gossip mission," and also out of genuine curiosity, he asked, "Can I take a look at what your CEO looks like?"

Shen Mo's expression hardened noticeably. Although Ye Shu couldn't see his own expression, he was certain that the bewildered look on Shen Mo's face was exactly the same as when Ye Shu had just heard him talk about those high-end projects.

"Excuse me, who did you say you wanted to see?"

Shen Mo checked it again.

Ye Shu knew this request was indeed abrupt and a bit outrageous. But she still forced a genuinely kind smile:

"Well... I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted to see what your CEO looks like. I'm just curious what kind of person the boss of such a big company must be."

Shen Mo was clearly taken aback by this sudden question. He paused for a moment, his eyes quickly assessing whether Ye Shu had ulterior motives or was truly just... naive?

Ultimately, he leaned towards the latter, a mixture of helplessness and amusement on his face:

"Oh, I see... But it's really unfortunate, she's not at the company today, so you probably won't be able to see her. However, you can see her on the Qianxue Group's official website."

"Oh, I see. I was just asking casually."

Ye Shu quickly went along with it.

Afterwards, he frankly expressed to Shen Mo that his abilities might not be a good match, that he was grateful for the opportunity, and that he still wanted to find a place that was more suitable for him.

Shen Mo listened without saying much, simply nodding to show his understanding, and politely said, "I hope we'll have the opportunity to cooperate again in the future," before watching Ye Shu leave.

No worries, no worries!

Ye Shu hummed a song as he walked down the steps, a smile he couldn't help but wear, which attracted the attention of several passing employees who couldn't help but glance at him. They were all thinking, "What's wrong with this guy? Others come out of interviews looking dejected, but he's acting like he just found money."

Regardless of what they thought, Ye Shucai was happily planning in his heart that when he returned to the shop, he would shamelessly tell Sister Chen Xing:

"Sister, I'm already embarrassed, but I still want to work for you."

Sister Chen Xing will definitely laugh at herself while handing over the apron.

This is the kind of work atmosphere I want! The more I think about the oppressive environment in the building, the better I feel about Sister Chen Xing's shop.

However, fate seems to always have a way of surprising him when he is most relaxed, by sneaking up on him from behind.

"Ye Shu!"

A woman's voice came from behind him, towards the entrance of the Qianxue Group building, sounding very surprised.

Not again?!

Ye Shu felt the hairs on the back of his head stand on end. His back again! Being called by his full name again! And it was a woman again!

Based on his experience, every time this combination appears, nothing good comes next!

He tried to pretend he hadn't heard and ran away. But the other person had already recognized him, and the voice sounded somewhat familiar.

Ye Shu turned around with great reluctance, only to see a figure in a business suit walking quickly out of the automatic door of the Qianxue Group.

The high heels clicked on the steps. In the sunlight, the woman had exquisite makeup and her long hair was tied up, making her look very energetic. She walked towards Ye Shu with a look of surprise on her face.

It is Jiang Yining.

Just what I feared most came to pass. These past two days, he'd been so preoccupied with the Qianxue Group interview and how to explain things to Sister Chen Xing that he'd completely forgotten about the meal this junior had owed him.

Seeing her walk out of Qianxue Group, Ye Shu immediately understood why she had changed so much; she was no longer on the same level.

"Ye Shu! It really is you!"

Jiang Yining had already approached, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight. She looked him up and down, pausing briefly on his somewhat simple suit, and smiled:

What are you doing here? Are you here for an interview?

"Ah, yes. But I didn't get the job... I'm not a good fit for it, I can't do it."

Ye Shu twitched the corners of her mouth, but there was no hint of disappointment in her tone.

Jiang Yining sighed as well:

"Sigh, what a pity..."

But then, as if remembering something, she frowned slightly and glared at Ye Shu, feigning displeasure.

"But Ye Shu, that's not very nice of you! Didn't we agree to have dinner together and catch up? It's been so many days, and there's still no word from you! I'm waiting for you to contact me!"

Here it comes, it really is this.

Fortunately, Ye Shu was prepared. He immediately put on an innocent look and spread his hands:

"Big sister, it's really not my fault. We didn't exchange contact information last time, so even if I wanted to find you, I couldn't."

This reason is perfect. Because it's truly the case that there's no way to contact her. And he did want to find her, of course, with Xia Qing in tow.

Jiang Yining was taken aback upon hearing this, then looked up and slapped her forehead:

"Oh dear! I was so happy that day that I completely forgot about it! I was wondering why I hadn't heard from you at all in all these days!"

Then she smiled, her eyes crinkling:

"That's perfect! We bumped into each other today, which means we're destined to meet! Hey, are you free now?"

"Yes... I think so..."

Ye Shu grinned, quickly weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

You can dodge the first day of the lunar month, but you can't dodge May Day, and after May Day comes June 1st... Judging from Jiang Yining's attitude, she can't avoid this meal.

Moreover, some things and some words cannot be left unsaid indefinitely.

"Shall we find a place to sit down, grab something to eat, and have a good chat?"

Jiang Yining blinked, her face full of anticipation.

Looking at her expression, Ye Shu recalled her actions after their reunion, and also remembered what Xia Qing had said to him... He made up his mind and decided not to hide anymore. He decided to take this opportunity to ask her the questions clearly.

Leaving things hanging like this in ambiguity is not good for anyone.

"OK."

The two found a nearby restaurant, ordered their food, and Ye Shu sat opposite Jiang Yining, looking at him and saying directly:

"Um... Jiang Yining, can I ask you something?"

Jiang Yining looked up, blinked, and her face still held a sweet smile:

"Hmm? What is it? Go ahead and ask."

"Why...why are you being so enthusiastic towards me?"

He originally wanted to ask directly, "Do you like me?", but the words caught in his throat. He felt that it would be too narcissistic and embarrassing. If it turned out not to be true, it would be incredibly shameful. So he changed to a more tactful way of asking the question.

As soon as the question left his mouth, Ye Shu felt his ears burning, but he kept his eyes fixed on the other person.

The noise in the store seemed to be turned down a bit by a remote control, and he waited intently for the other party's reply.

Is it just politeness? Is it friendship between classmates? Or something else entirely...?

After a moment of silence, Jiang Yining suddenly smiled, tilted her head slightly, and spoke frankly and without hesitation:

"Because I like you."