I started as a spirited young man, and the system made me a male god.

Chen Fei paused, his tone becoming even more serious:

"But I think that liking someone doesn't mean you have to possess them or develop a romantic relationship with them. It certainly doesn't mean that I can ignore my responsibilities because of it."

I already have a girlfriend. This responsibility will not waver or be abandoned because of feelings for someone else.

To me, Jiang Che is a business partner. I like her and want to see her succeed, so I will help her.

But before she clearly understands her feelings, I will not let this affection cross the line and become a burden on our working relationship or even her personal life.

This is both a sign of respect for her and a responsibility to myself and to my current relationships.

This answer contained neither evasion nor sophistry.

He admitted to liking her, but also frankly stated that he already had a girlfriend.

Jiang Hongren was completely stunned.

He had anticipated the young man's flustered denial, his vague and perfunctory response, and even his unrealistic promises, but he never expected to hear such a... almost introspective and rational answer.

After a long while, the stern expression on Jiang Hongren's face melted away like spring ice, gradually thawing and being replaced by a deep sense of emotion.

He slowly leaned back on the sofa and sighed.

"You're really different from other young people." He shook his head, his tone complicated. "What Xiao Che's mother and I fear most is that she has to shoulder everything alone. It's too tiring and too lonely. We always think that it would be great if there was someone who cared about her and shared the burden with her. Nothing else matters."

He looked at Chen Fei, his gaze now different: "It's good that you think and say it this way. Although it's a bit greedy, it at least shows that you are a down-to-earth person, responsible, and know how to behave appropriately."

"Xiao Che's future path is her own choice, and we can only support her." He paused, then said earnestly, "Let nature take its course. You are all still young, and you have a long road ahead of you. But no matter what, don't let her suffer any injustice, or I won't forgive you."

Chen Fei nodded solemnly: "I understand, Uncle Jiang. Thank you for your understanding. I will keep a good eye on things and live up to your trust, and even more so, live up to our shared mission."

Jiang Hongren grunted in acknowledgment, finally stood up, and prepared to leave.

As he reached the door, he turned back again, his gaze sweeping over Chen Fei before turning towards the bedroom. Finally, he simply patted Chen Fei on the shoulder and said, "Take care of her, and take care of yourself. I'm leaving."

The door closed gently.

Chen Fei stood alone in the living room, let out a long sigh of relief, and felt a thin layer of sweat on his back.

This conversation took him more effort than any other collaboration he had ever negotiated.

......

In the bedroom, the curtains were all drawn open, and sunlight poured in.

Chen Fei knocked gently on the door and came in: "Your dad is gone."

"Phew—" Jiang Che visibly breathed a sigh of relief, raising his hand to press his temples. "It's a good thing you're here, otherwise he could have lectured me for at least three hours on 'personal issues' and 'career planning'."

She blinked, looked at Chen Fei with a hint of curiosity, and asked, "My dad was outside just now, he didn't give you any trouble, did he? What did he say to you?"

Chen Fei sat down on the edge of the bed and smiled: "What else can I say? Probably something like, 'Little Chen, Xiao Che is immature and works too hard, so please take good care of him,' or something like that. All parents are pretty much the same."

"More or less?" Jiang Che raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "When my company was just starting out, I hired a male assistant to help move clothes and handle miscellaneous tasks. But he quit after less than a week. Later I found out that my dad had privately approached him, handed him 100,000 yuan in cash, and told him to 'stay away from my daughter.'"

As she spoke, she found herself both amused and helpless, her gaze falling on Chen Fei's face with a hint of playful probing:

"Hey Chen Fei, seriously, if my dad gave you 100,000 yuan to leave me, would you take the money and run away?"

Chen Fei lowered his head, pretended to think seriously for a few seconds, then raised his head and said in a solemn tone:

"Mr. Jiang, I'm the boss of a small company now, my status is different. 100,000 is a bit insulting. You'd have to give me at least 10 million before I'll even consider it."

"Oh!" Jiang Che immediately straightened her face, revealing her powerful businesswoman aura. "You think I'm only worth ten million, huh? Boss Chen, your market value is soaring!"

Chen Fei gave an awkward laugh in response, lightening the atmosphere.

Jiang Che seemed to remember something, his gaze drifting to Chen Fei's phone lying to the side, his tone becoming more casual: "By the way, why didn't your two girlfriends call to check up on me today? I've been lying in bed all day and I'm bored, I was thinking of chatting with them."

Her tone sounded natural, but the use of the terms "little girlfriend" and "checking up on her" was quite subtle.

Chen Fei didn't hide anything and told him about what he saw Shen Shaoting and Lin Jingyi doing in the studio during the brief video call that afternoon: "They took on a small commercial order and are busy with work."

"You're really working hard, that's great." Jiang Che sighed softly, but then, seemingly unintentionally, she changed the subject, "Speaking of which, they really trust you. If it were me, I would definitely check up on you a dozen times a day to make sure you're not doing anything bad."

She paused, looking directly at Chen Fei, her voice softening but each word clear, "So, they actually... don't mind my presence, right?"

This question is direct, even somewhat sharp.

Chen Fei chuckled and casually remarked, "That's just their personality; they're always laughing and joking, and they don't care about anything."

He tried to steer the conversation toward "that's just their personality" rather than "whether they condoned it or not."

But Jiang Che seemed to have anticipated his answer.

She didn't continue the conversation about "personality," but instead looked calmly at Chen Fei and uttered a shocking statement:

Actually, I don't mind.

"..."

Chen Fei's smile froze instantly, and his mind went blank for a fraction of a second.

What's going on?

After a frank, almost self-revealing conversation with her father, he thought that, at least in the short term, the delicate emotional connection between the two would remain in a tacit silence.

How come Jiang Che has made things so explicit right after her father left?

Isn't this development a bit too... rapid and straightforward?

Jiang Che seemed quite pleased with Chen Fei's momentary surprise, smiled slightly, and continued speaking:

"To be honest, this situation is not uncommon among my relatives in my hometown. The older generation has different views, and they tend to turn a blind eye to some things."

However, besides pressuring me to get married, my dad just gave me an ultimatum. If my company still loses money this year... he wants me to pack my things, go home, and rest.

She gave a wry smile: "After thinking it over, I realized that relying on myself to tough it out is too risky. It seems there's only one way to break this deadlock."

Slightly recovering from his initial shock, Chen Fei followed her train of thought and subconsciously asked, "Company merger?"

"Hmm." Jiang Che nodded, returning to the familiar state of discussing business. "This afternoon, my dad said that a person's energy is limited, and it's impossible to be both a good fashion designer and a well-rounded manager. I admit, he's right."

"Lemon Tree" needs more professional and efficient management and greater resource integration. We happen to be collaborating with them, and a merger would save significant amounts of redundant costs and strengthen our resilience against risks.

She analyzed the benefits of the merger in a clear and logical manner, but Chen Fei's brows furrowed slightly.

Merging? That's definitely a quick way to grow big.

But the biggest problem is that his company, or rather, the core of his current operations, actually relies on system skills [constrained by salary].

Now, with only Shen Shaoting, Lin Jingyi, and Li Yunyao in the company, everything can be easily concealed. Even if they move to Jitao Building later, he can find all sorts of excuses to get by.

But if Jiang Che were to join him, with her shrewdness and professionalism, how long could he keep his secrets hidden after spending so much time together?

Chen Fei suddenly realized: Could it be that... Jiang Che's statement of "not minding" refers not only to their relationship, but also to the company!

Jiang Che had been carefully observing Chen Fei's expression, and after seeing his look of sudden realization, he continued:

"Chen Fei, I know you started from scratch and you must have your own secrets. Company mergers mean more transparency and sharing, which may make you uneasy."

She paused, softening her voice, but her words became bolder: "So I think that if our relationship takes another step forward, it will make you feel more at ease. And after spending these past few days together, I think you're a great candidate to be my first romantic partner."

The bedroom was so quiet that you could hear the distant sound of traffic outside the window.

Clouds drifted across the sky, blocking the sunlight and casting a large shadow over the two of them, making it impossible for either of them to see the other's expression.

"I think we can give it a try. Let's deeply integrate our careers, and also give each other a chance in our relationship."

"Of course, I, Jiang Che, will only take this initiative this time. I hope you can give me an answer now. If you refuse, you can pretend I didn't say anything. We will still be partners in the future, and this will never affect our work."

Jiang Che's voice came through, trembling unusually.

Chen Fei needed time to think, but Jiang Che made it clear that he wanted an answer now.

The silence continued. Every second stretched out.

Jiang Che waited patiently, his gaze never leaving Chen Fei's face.