It's just a toy, why would you care if it breaks?

As I left Minister Chopi's house, the city lights were dazzling.

Dou Xuan patted Wei Xun on the shoulder, his tone relaxed: "The project is basically settled. We don't have any other plans tonight. How about we find a place to have a drink, you two?"

Wei Xun glanced at the time; it was a little past eight in the evening. "Okay."

Instead of going to a high-end club, the two found a quiet bar nearby.

Dou Xuan found a seat by the window and ordered two bottles of whiskey. The spicy liquid slid down his throat, and a warm feeling spread through him.

The bar wasn't crowded, and soothing music played, a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere of business meetings during the day.

"Speaking of which, the last time we drank so quietly was back in the US," Dou Xuan said, leaning back in his chair. "Back then, you had just gone to the US for university, and I was still in the US. I flew there to see you during my vacation. We picked up a roadside stall, drank beer, ate hamburgers, and bragged about how we would each take control of our family businesses and form a powerful alliance."

Wei Xun laughed: "That's right. Back then, I thought the future was bright, who would have thought so many things would happen later."

"Your old man was the same, insisting you stay in the US for twelve years, saying it was to toughen you up." Dou Xuan swirled his glass. "But it's fortunate you stayed for so long, that Wei's core technology is so solid. Unlike me, I came back early, dealing with these officials every day, I've become all smooth talkers, but I know nothing about technical matters."

The two chatted about their childhood, from skipping classes to play ball together in middle school to their experiences in college, and the conversation became more and more relaxed.

As the conversation got more animated, Dou Xuan suddenly asked, "By the way, how's your brother Wei Jia? You mentioned him last time, is he still in the US?"

"Yes, he's still studying." Wei Xun's tone softened when he mentioned his younger brother: "He's different from me. He's not interested in business; he likes literature. He's currently an undergraduate and plans to pursue a master's degree in literature."

"You artsy type, who did you take after in your family?" Dou Xuan laughed. "You and the old man are both pragmatists, but you produced such an unusual one."

"Like my mother." Wei Xun smiled sadly. "My brother loved reading from a young age. He was quiet and very sensible."

"Does he have a girlfriend?" Dou Xuan pressed. "Haven't you met anyone suitable after all these years abroad?"

Wei Xun shook his head: "I haven't heard anything about it. He doesn't contact me very often, and every time he calls, it's about his studies. He's never mentioned anything about relationships. I guess his mind is entirely focused on his studies."

"That's true." Dou Xuan suddenly remembered something and joked with a smile, "Speaking of which, when your brother was studying in China, didn't he have a crush on a girl? I remember he always loved writing in his diary back then, hiding it very well. We even teamed up to peek at his teenage thoughts... Later, do you know who he had a crush on?"

Wei Xun chuckled: "I really didn't know. His diary was written in such a cryptic way, it was all poetry, who could understand it? When I asked him back then, he blushed and refused to admit it no matter what. Later, when he grew up, he never brought it up again."

The two smiled at each other and clinked glasses.

When talking about fun things from their youth, those suppressed and tense feelings seemed to dissipate a lot.

They drank until after 10 p.m., and both of them felt slightly tipsy.

After paying the bill and stepping out of the bar, the evening breeze helped clear my head.

"Dude, let's go back and get some rest. Don't be late for the review meeting tomorrow."

"Understood." Wei Xun nodded.

The two returned to the hotel in silence.

Wei Xun returned to his room and took a hot shower. The warmth from the alcohol was still there, but he couldn't fall asleep.

He walked to the window, drew back the curtains, and looked at the bustling traffic outside.

The oil painting on the wall of the Chow family house that read "Mona Gallery" and the two servants with vacant eyes kept replaying in his mind.

The Thorn Rose Club's reach has extended to such a high level that bringing them down is more difficult than imagined.

He took out his phone and sent a message to Nan Yan: "I'll go back tomorrow after I'm done with work."

Not long after, Nan Yan replied: "Okay, sir. I'll wait for you to come back."

It was followed by a "goodnight" emoji.

As Wei Xun read the message, the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved upwards.

The next morning at eight o'clock, Dou Xuan came to wake him up on time.

After a quick breakfast, the two drove to the Ministry of Commerce building.

When we arrived at the building entrance, there were already quite a few attendees waiting.

Most of them were heads of other companies, and a few were officials who had been bribed before; they were probably judges on the review committee.

Dou Xuan greeted several people he knew familiarly, while Wei Xun followed beside him, occasionally nodding in acknowledgment.

He noticed that Qiao Pi had also arrived and was chatting with several judges, wearing a formulaic smile on his face.

At 9:00 AM sharp, the review meeting officially began.

The host first introduced the judges and companies participating in the meeting, and then read out the judging rules.

The rules are quite standard: companies present their projects, judges ask questions, and finally, a vote is taken.

The first few companies took turns presenting their answers, and the process went smoothly.

The judges' questions were not particularly pointed; most were routine questions about project feasibility, environmental protection measures, and economic benefits.

Wei Xun realized that this review meeting was more like a formality.

After all, Qiao Pi had already given instructions, so their project was basically fine.

Finally, it was their turn. Dou Xuan went on stage first, briefly introduced the background of the cooperation between the Wei and Dou families, and then focused on the market prospects and economic benefits of the project.

He was eloquent and spoke clearly and logically, which earned him frequent nods of approval from the judges.

After Dou Xuan finished speaking, it was Wei Xun's turn to add technical details.

Standing on the stage, he spoke at a steady pace, concisely and clearly introducing the core technologies, R&D advantages, and quality control measures in the production process of precision instruments.

After the introductions, the judges began asking questions.

The questions were all very basic, such as "Do the core components of the instrument rely on imports?" and "How to ensure the yield rate during the production process?"

Wei Xun answered each question with certainty and clear logic.

The entire defense process lasted less than twenty minutes.

The host announced a ten-minute recess for the judges to conduct an internal discussion and vote.

Wei Xun and Dou Xuan walked out of the conference room and stood in the corridor to wait.

Dou Xuan looked relaxed: "It's a sure thing, the judges' attitudes were all very good."

Wei Xun nodded, but his heart was not stirred. He only wanted to finish quickly and return to Nancheng as soon as possible.

Ten minutes later, everyone returned to the meeting room.

The host announced the voting results: the precision instrument export project, a collaboration between the Wei and Dou families, passed unanimously.

A round of applause broke out in the conference room. Dou Xuan stood up and bowed to the judges to express his gratitude.

Wei Xun also stood up, a polite smile on his face.

After the meeting, Qiao Pi deliberately walked over, patted Dou Xuan on the shoulder, and said meaningfully, "Little Dou, not bad, not bad. May everything go smoothly for you. I wish you good fortune."

Dou Xuan immediately put on a respectful smile and offered him a cigarette: "Minister Qiao, I'll need your guidance in the future."

"Don't mention it." Qiao Pi took the cigarette but didn't light it, just held it between his fingers: "The project has been approved. Get the follow-up procedures done as soon as possible, don't delay the progress."

"Understood, understood, we will do it as soon as possible." Dou Xuan nodded repeatedly.

Wei Xun stood by, smiling but saying nothing.

He could feel Qiao Pi's gaze sweep over him, a fleeting, scrutinizing look.

Qiao Pi didn't say anything more and turned to leave.

"All done!" Dou Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and patted Wei Xun on the shoulder. "Dude, now you can completely relax. There are still a few fun places in the capital. Shall we spend the day there and go back to Nancheng tomorrow?"

"No, I want to go back today," Wei Xun said firmly.

He didn't say he missed Nan Yan, he only said he wanted to go back.

Dou Xuan didn't think much of it, assuming it was just his workaholic nature acting up again, and smiled helplessly: "Alright, whatever you say."

……

It was already late at night when the plane landed at Nancheng Airport.

When Wei Xun returned home, the house was quiet, with only the small nightlight in the living room on, emitting a faint glow.

He changed his shoes and tiptoed into Nan Yan's bedroom.

Nan Yan was lying in bed, fast asleep.

He carried the teddy bear to the bed, where it took up most of the space.

Wei Xun walked over and sat down by the bed, his gaze gently falling on Nan Yan's face.

All the fatigue and tension of the past few days vanished the moment I saw Nanyan.

The little one is sleeping soundly.

Huh, why are there tear stains at the corners of my eyes?

What's wrong? Have you been crying? Did you miss me?

Silly kitty, I was only away on a business trip for two days, and I'm back now, aren't I?

Wei Xun leaned down and tenderly placed a kiss on Nan Yan's forehead, his movements gentle so as not to wake him.

Then, he pulled the big, clumsy bear's arm out of Nan Yan's arms and threw it aside.

He lifted a corner of the blanket and lay down next to Nan Yan, taking the place of the big bear.

Just as he lay down, Nan Yan, who had been sleeping soundly, seemed to sense something. She frowned and unconsciously snuggled closer to him, resting her little head against his chest and rubbing against him. She found a comfortable position and continued to sleep.

Warm breath sprayed onto my skin, carrying a faint fragrance.

Wei Xun gently put his arm around Nan Yan's waist.

The familiar scent enveloped him, making him feel incredibly at ease.

Nan Yan, for you, I have no fear.