Professor Xie, isn't this a case of forcing customers to buy products that don't match the

"Do you know how much my monthly salary is?!"

Xie Jing shook his head with difficulty in Shang Song's hands.

Shang Song finally released his hand, angrily held up two fingers in front of Xie Jing's eyes, then bent the lower half:

"1.5! After tax! Net pay! One month's salary!"

He stared at Xie Jing, his eyes narrowing, and mumbled, "So! I'd have to work for three whole years without eating or drinking to save up enough for half an hour of your time! That's half a month's salary for Lin Zhou!"

Xie Jing was amused by his flustered appearance and chuckled softly, his chest shaking with laughter.

Shang Song was even more annoyed by his laughter: "What are you laughing at!"

Xie Jing stretched out his hands and gently pressed down Shang Song's upright hands, then wrapped his arms around Shang Song's lower back and gently pulled him into his embrace.

The puffy down jacket on Shang Song was squeezed, releasing a warm and cozy feeling, as if Xie Jing was trying to make Shang Song less puffy.

Shang Song was mesmerized by his series of intimate gestures, only to hear Xie Jing's voice softly above her head: "I know, don't be angry. Next time... I'll ask for your opinion first."

Shang Song buried his face in Xie Jing's arms, and the collar of Xie Jing's coat brushed against his cheek, making his cheek ticklish.

He scratched his face, then buried it even deeper, protesting in a low voice, "You want a next time?! There won't be a next time!"

Xie Jing hummed in agreement.

Shang Song continued to hum and whine.

But never mind, at least Xie Jing knows he was wrong.

Since the money can't be refunded, he'll at least try to make up for it. He reached out and touched Xie Jing's phone. "I'll link your game to WeChat so you can get a little something every day."

Xie Jing readily handed him the phone.

Shang Song took it, and the binding process naturally switched to Xie Jing's WeChat interface.

Then, he froze.

Xie Jing's WeChat interface was abnormally clean.

There's only one little orange cat avatar.

Shang Song swiped up and down in disbelief, even switching to his WeChat contacts.

It really was just him.

He suddenly looked up, his eyes wide: "Xie Jing, why do you only have me in your WeChat contacts? Or do you have another work WeChat account? Or a personal account?"

Xie Jing seemed puzzled by his surprise and shook his head in denial: "No, there's only one WeChat account."

Shang Song still found it hard to believe and continued to press, "What about Lin Zhou? Don't you add him? How do you usually keep in touch?"

"Lin Zhou is using the internal communication system," Xie Jing explained calmly. "Work requires confidentiality and efficiency; WeChat isn't suitable."

Shang Song instantly understood when he thought of Xie Jing's identity.

After understanding, his throat suddenly felt dry: "Then... you didn't register for WeChat just for me, did you?"

Xie Jing nodded: "Yes. Lin Zhou said at the time, 'You young people all use this.'"

Shang Song is really going to ascend to heaven this time, it's awesome.

Xie Jing registered for WeChat in order to contact him, and for more than a year, almost two years, there has only been one person in his WeChat contacts.

He held Xie Jing's phone, looking at the lonely profile picture that belonged to him, and his eyes suddenly felt a little hot.

This blockhead always manages to say things and do things that are unbearable to him, all in the most nonchalant yet unexpected way.

Shang Song has truly and utterly fallen from grace.

He buried himself in Xie Jing's arms again, using Xie Jing's coat to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes.

After a moment, he steadied himself and asked casually, "You don't even add Lin Zhou on WeChat? Aren't you curious about what Lin Zhou's WeChat Moments are like?"

Xie Jing wrapped his arms around the person, holding the warm bundle in his arms, and answered earnestly, "He probably doesn't have time to post on WeChat Moments."

Shang Song chuckled, almost bursting into tears again. He pulled out his phone and quickly found Lin Zhou's WeChat.

"Professor Xie, you're wrong!" Shang Song pointed at Lin Zhou's WeChat Moments, which he updated almost daily. "Look! Lin Zhou is a WeChat Moments posting maniac! It's just that the content he posts, well... it's very hardcore."

Xie Jing's gaze fell on Shang Song's phone screen.

Lin Zhou's WeChat Moments are filled with links to various financial news, summaries of industry analysis reports, introductions of emerging technology companies, and interpretations of policies and regulations.

Xie Jing glanced at it for a few seconds. "This isn't Lin Zhou's personal WeChat account. It's his work account, which he uses to maintain some of his overseas investments and disseminate industry information."

He pointed to one of his WeChat Moments posts, which was a summary of a research report on a biotechnology company by a well-known institution. "These companies are basically within the business scope that Lin Zhou is responsible for monitoring and adjusting investment ratios in. He posts these to a specific group of people."

Shang Song blinked: "So, you're not even concerned about the investment ratios in these companies, and you're leaving it all to Lin Zhou?"

Xie Jing nodded: "I only look at the year-end consolidated financial statements. Lin Zhou's investment income has always been very stable."

Shang Song: "..."

Is this what the world of the big shots is like? Little Bear Songsong doesn't understand but is very worried.

"You're really that trusting! You're handing everything over to him? You don't even care about the proportions?!" He suddenly turned around in Xie Jing's arms, stealthily glancing at Lin Zhou not far away, then furtively turned back: "Is this...is this safe?! What if Lin Zhou sells you out one day?!"

He imagined Lin Zhou running away with a huge sum of money, Xie Jing staring blankly at the empty newspaper, while he, a lowly artist earning 1.5 yuan a month, might have to shoulder the responsibility of supporting the impoverished head of the family...

Ugh, the pressure is immense!

But it seems... it's not entirely impossible?

He stole a glance at Xie Jing's perfect face. Even if he went bankrupt, he could just use that face for live streaming or something... He probably wouldn't starve just by making a living with his looks...

Xie Jing was amused by Shang Song's colorful and wonderful expressions, and even the corners of his eyes curved slightly with laughter.

Shang Song was a little annoyed by his laughter: "Hey! I'm serious, so many business dramas portray it like this: a loyal subordinate betrays you one day, and the domineering CEO ends up destitute on the streets!"

Looking at Shang Song's patriotic expression, Xie Jing said, "He can't sell me."

He looked up and glanced at Lin Zhou not far away. "Lin Zhou and I are symbiotic, not employees."

Shang Song's imaginary scenario pauses: "Symbiosis?"

"Um."

Xie Jing's voice was calm and unhurried. "His family has served the Xie family for five generations. The education, resources, connections he received from childhood, and even his current position are all deeply tied to the Xie family. His interests, future, and life are already inseparable from the Xie family and from me. The cost of betrayal is far beyond your imagination, while the benefits are almost non-existent for him."

"Moreover, the domestic part mainly involves revitalizing some funds and investing them in areas that align with policy guidelines or have potential. At the same time, it also undertakes a function of giving back to society, which can be considered a way for the Xie family to allocate assets and fulfill their responsibilities."

Xie Jing patiently explained, "He will report the specific proportions and directions regularly. I only need to grasp the general direction. He is more professional in handling the details and execution."

Xie Jing reached out and touched Shang Song's bear ears, but his gaze was fixed on something further away. "As for the family's true core assets and major profits, they are mainly concentrated overseas."

He turned his gaze away from the distance and looked at Shang Song: "There is a more mature and complex network of agents and operating system there, which is managed by another group of people. Lin Zhou knows about it, but he doesn't get involved directly. I also spend a certain amount of time each week dealing with those matters."

Shang Song was stunned. Xie Jing, seeing his blank expression, thought he was still worried and added, "Moreover, even if Lin Zhou really has ulterior motives and runs away with the funds he can use, relying on overseas forces, it wouldn't be difficult for me to find him."

These words were spoken casually, yet they sent a chill down Shang Song's spine. He subconsciously glanced at Lin Zhou again.

Working for a big shot... isn't easy.

Shang Song swallowed hard, ripped apart the tragic script of the down-on-his-luck patriarch and the resilient young artist from his mind, and then let out a long, long sigh.

He slumped back into Xie Jin's arms, muttering weakly, "Fine, I don't understand your world, you big shots..."

That's what he said, but he still reached out and poked Xie Jing, deliberately picking a fight: "What if you run into a huge problem overseas and really go bankrupt?!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Jing did not answer immediately, but his brows furrowed slowly.

He paused for two seconds, then asked in return:

"Are you referring to unforeseen events like a large-scale thermonuclear conflict that causes the complete collapse of major global economies and financial systems, or an asteroid impact?"

Shang Song: "…………"