My heart is tied to that sky

The Longsu branch, located in a city in the northwest, is filled with the earthy smell of sand and dust in the air.

This is one of the hubs for the Western Development Strategy in 2019, and also a bridgehead for various powerful forces to compete for.

An SUV with a provincial capital license plate sped along the muddy road, kicking up a trail of yellow dust.

Inside the car, engineer Li Xiao gripped the steering wheel, an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips, his eyes gleaming with a fierce intensity.

In the passenger seat, Qin Fendou was looking down at the data on his tablet, his brow furrowed.

"Based on financial model calculations, if we cannot secure the agency rights for the largest building materials market in Longsu City within three days, all the initial investments in the West-to-East Power Transmission Project will be wasted."

The WeChat message was sent by Li Huixin, the newly appointed financial director of Zhejiang Water Group's headquarters.

"Only three days left!" Qin Fendou's voice was frighteningly calm, as if he were stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.

Li Xiao chuckled, rolled down the car window, and spat the unlit cigarette out of the car.

"Three days? One day is enough for me. These thugs deserve to be taught a lesson."

"Li Xiao." Qin Fendou raised his head, his gaze dissecting Li Xiao's blind confidence with the precision of a scalpel.

"This is not Zhejiang, nor is it Shanghai; the waters in Longsu City run deep."

"Your crazy way of fighting thugs might leave you with nothing but bones."

Li Xiao slammed on the brakes, and the SUV stopped in front of an old teahouse.

"I don't know if there will be any bones left, but I'm definitely going to eat this piece of meat."

The two got out of the car, and the sight before them caused Qin Fendou's pupils to contract slightly.

The area downstairs from the teahouse was densely packed with motorcycles.

Several tattooed, shirtless local thugs were gathered together smoking.

He stared at the two outsiders with hostility.

This is the territory of Hei Xiong, the president of the local building materials association.

This was also a target that Qin Fendou had to achieve tonight. He straightened his suit and looked at Li Xiao.

He turned and glanced at Qin Fendou.

His eyes held less of their arrogance and more of a subtle seriousness.

"Are you scared?" Li Xiao asked.

Qin Fendou closed the tablet, touched the bridge of his nose, and took out a pre-prepared contract from his bag.

His tone was calm, mimicking Tang Muyang's unique composure.

"If I were afraid of dying, I wouldn't have come. Remember, we're here to talk business."

"I'm not here to fight. If we can't reach an agreement, I'll make him sign in my own way."

Li Xiao paused for a moment, then grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.

"Okay, whatever you say. You're the brain, and I'm the fist. Let's go in."

The two walked side by side toward the teahouse, a place shrouded in mystery. The hallway was dark and damp, with motion-activated lights flickering on and off.

With each floor he climbed, Li Xiao clenched his fist tighter, while Qin Fendou's steps became increasingly steady.

Amidst the chaotic order of the business world, the relationship between Qin Fendou and Tang Muyang is undergoing a complete transformation.

They are no longer simply superiors and subordinates, but a symbiotic relationship in which they completely entrust their backs to each other.

With the sun shining brightly behind them, these brothers scattered across the vast land of China are not afraid of suffering.

With that in mind, Qin Fendou instructed Li Xiao to draw all the firepower from the front.

He, on the other hand, is responsible for using his wisdom and composure in the shadows to hone the most lethal edge of this sharp blade.

The moment I pushed open the door to the Chamber of Commerce office, a strong smell of cigars wafted out.

Hei Xiong, sitting behind a large desk, had a sallow complexion and was clearly cornered by his creditors.

Seeing the two enter, he forced himself to remain composed and fiddled with the walnuts in his hand.

"Hey, isn't this Manager Qin, the one who used to shiver in the winter?" Hei Xiong exhaled a smoke ring, his eyes filled with disdain.

"What, you've come to your senses? You've made up the fifty yuan advance payment; don't even think about leaving this house today if you're short a single penny."

"Unless you're here to die!" Kuroko continued to taunt, a cigar dangling from his lips.

Just as Li Xiao was about to lash out, Qin Fendou gently pressed down on his shoulder.

He stepped forward, placed the contract on the table, and looked directly into Hei Xiong's eyes: "We're not here to die."

Qin Fendou said in a thick Longsu accent, "We're here to deliver money."

Just as Hei Xiong was about to reach for the briefcase on the table, Qin Fendou stopped him from taking the contract.

His voice suddenly turned cold: "But if you don't sign, this money will become your life-saving money."

Hei Xiong was taken aback, then sneered, "Are you trying to scare me?"

Qin Fendou ignored his provocation, simply took out his phone, and opened a WeChat chat window in front of Hei Xiong.

On the screen was the profile picture of someone whose contact name was "Dr. Qingyang Li".

He turned his phone screen towards Hei Xiong, his voice as calm as the frozen soil of the Northwest.

"Chairman Hei, look carefully. I only listen to my future child's mother; the advance payment can only be 20%."

"Will you sign the contract or not?"

At this moment, Li Xiao looked at the usually refined and gentle man beside him.

They actually used the future mother of the child as an instruction, and then threw out the harsh words about buying her life.

Li Xiao's heart skipped a beat, then he grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.

He knew the battle was won. He kept these words in mind, waiting for the opportunity to tell them to the future mother of his child.

Meanwhile, in distant Hanoi, Vietnam, another battle was raging...

Zhao Gang's counterattack was not a head-on street brawl, but a calculated move he had honed over many years in officialdom.

Instead of going directly to the local gang leader who had intercepted the funds, he took Zhu Xiaohui with him.

They knocked on the door of the office of a vice chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee in charge of economic affairs.

That day, Zhao Gang wore a sharp dark suit.

He wasn't wearing a tie, and the top button of his shirt was undone, revealing his slightly hunched but strong neck, a result of years of desk work.

What he was holding was not a contract.

Instead, it was a thick report on the investment environment and risks of the Qingyang Group in Hanoi, written in both Chinese and Vietnamese.

"Mr. Vice Chairman." Zhao Gang placed the report on the gleaming mahogany desk, his voice low but clear.

"We brought in $50 million in investment."

"It also brought a plan that could create 3,000 local jobs. But we only invest our money in places with rules."

He paused, his gaze sharp, looking directly into the vice chairman's eyes.

"If your city's laws fail to protect legitimate foreign investors."

"Then this report will appear in the financial newspapers of Singapore and Indonesia tomorrow."

"At that time, what will come will not be the China Qingyang responding to the Belt and Road Initiative."

"But rather, they are speculators who only want to make quick money and cause destruction."

The vice chairman flipped through the report, his expression growing increasingly grave.

The report not only detailed the origins and destination of the intercepted funds.

That afternoon, the intercepted purchase payment, along with exorbitant interest, was returned.

The money was returned to the Qingyang office's account in full.

Nighttime, in the container office.

Zhu Xiaohui looked at the bank notification that the money had been deposited into her account, then looked up at Zhao Gang, who was smoking by the window.

The moonlight outlined his angular profile.

Amidst the swirling smoke, the usually composed and reserved man now exuded an air of domineering arrogance.

She walked over, gently hugged him from behind, and pressed her face against his broad back.

"Zhao Gang." She called his name softly, her voice filled with an unprecedented adoration.

"You looked just like a... general this afternoon."

Zhao Gang stubbed out his cigarette, turned around and pulled her into his arms. His hands were broad and warm as he gently stroked her hair.

"I'm not some great general." He lowered his head, his forehead touching hers.

His voice was deep and gentle, "I just don't want my soldiers to suffer any injustice."

At that moment, Zhu Xiaohui knew that she was determined to stay with this man.

His composure is not dullness.

Rather, it is the composure that comes after weathering storms; his domineering presence is not recklessness, but the determination to protect those he loves.

As night deepened outside the window, the streetlights in Hanoi in the distance cast hazy yellow halos in the thin mist.

Zhu Xiaohui buried her head deeply in Zhao Gang's arms.

Listening to the steady, powerful heartbeat in his chest, it was the most reassuring rhythm in the world.

"Zhao Gang," she called out in a muffled voice.

"Um?"

"No matter where you go in the future, don't leave me behind."

Zhao Gang tightened his grip on his arm, his voice carrying both laughter and an unprecedented seriousness.

"No matter how strong the wind and rain may be in the future, there will always be half a place for you behind me."

At this moment, there were no earth-shattering vows, only two hearts tightly bound together amidst the smoke and fire of business in a foreign land.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in the Northwest, at the headquarters of Zhejiang Water Group, and on every blueprint that Qingyang Group is laying out.

The stories of the people of Qingyang are unfolding one by one.

The office was deathly silent, save for the ticking of the wall clock, as if counting down the old days of Hei Xiong.

Hei Xiong stopped eating the walnuts in his hand.

He looked at the equity transfer agreement, then at the seemingly refined but relentlessly pressing man in front of him.

He knew that the situation was hopeless.

He took a deep breath, as if all his strength had been drained, and his arrogant demeanor instantly vanished.

"You win."

Hei Xiong gritted his teeth, grabbed the pen on the table, and the nib drew a screeching sound on the contract.

The three large characters, "swish, swish, swish," are written with such force that they seem to penetrate the paper.

With a click, the landscape of the Longsu City building materials market changed hands completely.

Stepping out of the teahouse, the wind and sand outside were still quite strong. Li Xiao put his arm around Qin Fendou's shoulder.

He patted him hard: "Wow, you're something else! You've been hiding your talent!"

"I'll have to give Director Li a proper report later; you've made a huge contribution!"

Qin Fendou stumbled from the slap, but a rare smile appeared on his face.

He looked up towards the direction of the Zhejiang River, as if he could see the newly appointed CFO, Li Huixin.

She was scrutinizing the battle report, which had been earned through wisdom and courage, with her calm yet sharp gaze.

He knew that this battle not only earned Li Huixin respect, but also earned him a ticket to enter Qingyang's core circle.

Meanwhile, Li Huixin, far away in Zhejiang, was cooperating with Tang Muyang's capital operations.

She initiated an extremely rigorous cost audit of the Northwest project, devoting all her energy to it.

The first three initiatives of a new leader must be successful; can they ignite a strong momentum?

The key lies in whether the West-to-East Power Transmission Project can enable the group to achieve maximum development convenience and efficient capital recovery at the most cost-effective price.

This was the most challenging task that Chairman Tang Muyang had given her, and also her greatest asset for survival.

She knew that the chairman's trip to Victoria Harbour was to create opportunities for the group to promote the industrial and capital operations of Hengxin Group by the end of the year.

Once the agreement with Hengxin is successfully signed, Nanyang Jewelry and infrastructure will form a dual-engine growth model.

In the future, as Qingyang sets sail, this giant ship will truly steer towards the deep blue seas of the world.

Thinking of this, Li Huixin tapped her fingertips lightly on the desk, then picked up her phone and dialed Qin Fendou's number.

The phone rang twice, but no one answered. She frowned slightly, and without hesitation, pressed the dial button a second time.

This time, the call connected almost instantly, and Qin Fendou only said four words:

"The contract is signed." No explanation, no emotion.

These four words, like a nail, were driven into Li Huixin's eardrum and into the fate of the entire Northwest project.

The night view of Victoria Harbour is as dazzling as diamonds.

The pledge Tang Muyang made to Lu Zhenting was now being transmitted back to the Zhejiang Waterway headquarters as radio waves.

Su Man stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window on the top floor of the Lingnan branch, an encrypted file that had just been sent back between her fingers.

Outside the window, the surging waters of the Guangshui River flow into the sea; inside, her brows are furrowed.

As the iron lady of the group, she was used to speaking with data and rules, but at this moment, she felt unprecedented pressure.

Zhao Gang had just opened up Vietnam's raw material supply line, and Qin Fendou had just secured the list of suppliers in Longsu through his wisdom.

The three major projects surrounding Lingnan must finalize their bidding proposals within three days.

"President Su, Zhou Zhengqi has arrived with the standardized flowchart."

Xu Yichen's voice came through the walkie-talkie.

Su Man didn't turn around, but simply said, "Let him in."

Zhou Zhengqi pushed open the door and entered.

What he was holding wasn't coffee, but a countdown timer for the Lingnan project, accurate to the second.

He didn't say much, but simply placed the form on Su Man's desk.

Then he stood behind her and analyzed in his serious and rigid voice.

"President Su, according to the group's big data model, as long as the Lingnan, Nanyang, and Northwest regions work together..."

"We will be able to double our profits in 2019, paving the way for Zhejiang Water's secondary listing."

"You don't need to be anxious, you just need to trust me and trust this process."

Su Man turned around and looked at the man.

This man, whom she usually regarded as a walking standard operating procedure, had a reassuring power in his eyes at this moment.

For the first time, she didn't respond with principles and rules, but simply nodded.

That night, the lights in Lingnan stayed on all night. Su Man was in charge of overall coordination, while Zhou Zhengqi was in charge of the details.

They meshed together like two of the most precise gears.

As dawn broke and five perfect bids were delivered to the group's headquarters, Su Man finally slumped into her chair.

Zhou Zhengqi walked over, said nothing, but handed her a glass of warm water and then gently pulled her into his arms.

At that moment, all of Suman's hard shell melted away.

She recalled what Zhou Zhengqi had said before seeing off the core members of Nanyang: "We'll get married when they return victorious."

On May 8, 2019, the night breeze on the Zhejiang River finally brought a touch of warmth, typical of the Jiangnan region.

Qingyang Industry's five iron-willed teams come from five different battlefields across the country.

Bearing the marks of time and hardship, I returned to the place where my dream began.

This is not just a simple return to the team; it means that five hearts have finally found their home.

Li Xiaogang had just returned to the Zhejiang Water Group headquarters with Qin Fendou, and without even having a sip of water, he rushed off to the finance department.

He pushed open the door to Li Huixin's office and exaggeratedly described the scene at the Northwest Teahouse:

"Oh my, Director Li! You have no idea! That day at that shady place, Brother Fendou was a real man!"

"When Hei Xiong and his gang brandished knives, Fendou didn't even blink. He slammed his phone on the table and roared loudly!"

"I only listen to my future child's mother! She sets a 20% limit, and I'll kill anyone who dares to change it!"

"That scene was absolutely awe-inspiring! Brother Fendou was risking his life to uphold the rules for you!"

Li Huixin was checking the accounts when she heard this, her hand trembled violently, and the pen fell to the ground with a clatter.

She suddenly raised her head, her ears instantly turning as red as if they were about to bleed.

She had been with the company for eight months and had always heard about Qin Fendou, a "workaholic" from the Northwest, but had never met him.

I never expected that our first meeting would be in this way.

After Li Xiao left, Li Huixin couldn't concentrate on her work all afternoon.

Looking out the window at the gray sky over Zhejiang, she felt a pounding in her chest. Would that rough man really say that?

In the evening, the office door was pushed open.

A tall figure walked in, wearing faded jeans and a black T-shirt.

His face bore the marks of wind and sand, yet his eyes were as soft as a hot spring flowing beneath the frozen soil of Northwest China.

"Li... Huixin, this is Qin Fendou." His voice was hoarse, with a Northwestern accent. "That kid Li Xiao wasn't lying during the day, was he?"

Li Huixin looked up and saw this legendary workaholic for the first time.

He was darker, stronger, and...wilder than she had imagined.

"...No." She turned her head away, not daring to look at him. "I've checked the accounts, there's no problem."

Qin Fendou grinned, revealing a set of white teeth: "That's good. See you by the river tonight, we have something to talk about."

After saying that, he turned and left, like a gust of wind.

Li Huixin watched his retreating figure. Although it was their first meeting, her heart felt as if it had been suddenly struck by something, a mixture of warmth and panic.

As evening fell, Qin Fendou sent a text message with only six words: "Waiting for you under the willows by the river."

Li Huixin hesitated for a long time, but still went.

Along the banks of the Zhe River, the evening breeze, carrying moisture, felt cool on one's face.

Li Huixin, wearing her signature black suit dress and high heels, walked cautiously under the streetlights.

Just as we reached a secluded spot deep in the shade of willows, a tall figure emerged from the shadows of the trees.

It was Qin Fendou. He had changed into a clean black T-shirt, washing away the dust and sand.

Yet, the calm and composed demeanor between his brows could not be washed away.

"Here they come." His voice was deep, not a test, but a confident anticipation.

Li Huixin's heart pounded, and she turned her face away from him, saying, "...Speak quickly if you have something to say."

"Did Li Kuaizui say everything?" Qin Fendou took a step forward, his tall figure blocking the wind from the river, trapping her between himself and the tree trunk.

"I risked my life in the Northwest to guard that 20% red line, just to let you know that I treat your words as gospel."

Li Huixin suddenly looked up, her eyes gleaming: "Who asked you to guard it! That's company policy!"

"Screw the company rules!" Qin Fendou suddenly cursed, grabbing Li Huixin's hand and pressing it against his chest.

"I'm only protecting you, Li Huixin. Listen up, I've never respected anyone in my life except you."

"If you tell me to go east, I'll never go west; if you ask me to advance 20%, I'll never advance 21%!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, and suddenly pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and stuffed it into Li Huixin's hand.

Li Huixin was taken aback. By the moonlight, she could see clearly that it was neither a love letter nor a check.

Those were several voice-to-text memos she sent him on WeChat regarding "Project Financial Compliance and Risk Control".

The paper was covered with Qin Fendou's crooked and messy notes.

Each item was marked with a checkmark, and some were even highlighted in red.

"What is this?" Li Huixin's voice trembled slightly.

"This is my 'trump card'." Qin Fendou looked at her, his eyes no longer filled with the ferocity of before, but with a gentleness born of having taken control of the situation.

"I used to think that business was all about fists and profits. You made me realize that there are rules and bottom lines in this world."

"Li Huixin, this piece of paper is yours to manage from now on. The people are also yours to manage."

Li Huixin looked at the crumpled piece of paper in his hand. It was a set of rules and regulations that he had once despised, but which had become his most cherished talisman.

At this moment, there was no rudeness of bandits, only the most clumsy and sincere confession of a man from the Northwest.

Her eyes welled up with tears, and she stepped forward, burying her head in his broad chest.

"……fool."

Qin Fendou stiffened for a moment, then his rough, large hands carefully wrapped around her.

The movements were as gentle as if one were holding a fragile piece of porcelain.

"What...do you want?" she asked, feeling breathless.

"I'll give you a home." Qin Fendou's voice softened, and his chin gently rested on the top of her head.

"Our home."

Just as Li Huixin was about to look up, Qin Fendou lowered his head and accurately captured her lips.

At first, his kisses were clumsy, tentative and cautious, as if he were worshipping his god.

But the next second, when Li Huixin obediently closed her eyes, the restraint in Qin Fendou's eyes instantly collapsed.

He suddenly tightened his arms, fiercely kneading the soft body into his bones, his kiss becoming domineering and passionate.

It was accompanied by undeniable plunder.

At this moment, he was first completely conquered by her gentleness before he dared to use the same chest that had conquered Hei Xiong to conquer his woman.

The evening breeze blew through the willow shade, casting long, long shadows of the two people.

Zhao Gang did not attend any welcoming banquet. Instead, he took Zhu Xiaohui's hand and stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Zhejiang Water Group headquarters building.

Outside the window was the starry sky in the direction of Southeast Asia, and inside was the warm person in his arms.

As soon as the shadows along the riverbank were stretched out, the city's neon lights entered the picture.

Zhao Gang did not attend any welcoming banquet. Instead, he took Zhu Xiaohui's hand and stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Zhejiang Water Group headquarters building.

Zhao Gang put the inexpensive seashell ring he had found in Vietnam on Zhu Xiaohui's finger.

"I can't wait until the 20th."

Zhao Gang's voice was hoarse. "Back in that godforsaken place, Vietnam, I made up my mind. My life, Zhao Gang's life, is yours from now on."

Zhu Xiaohui looked at the lights of thousands of homes outside the window, and tears fell onto Zhao Gang's hand.

She knew that this man had given the company his toughest armor, but reserved his softest spot for her!

Some people give their lives just to hear "I'll wait for you," while others live their lives like poetry, where even silence resonates.

Without further ado, Zhou Zhengqi and Su Man rushed from Lingnan to Zheshui and went straight into the company's archives.

They wanted to personally compile the battle reports from the past year to serve as wedding invitations.

Zhou Zhengqi was in charge of printing, and Su Man was in charge of binding.

Under the lights, neither of them looked at the other, yet their cooperation was seamless. Su Man handed Zhou Zhengqi a glass of water, as he was thirsty.

Zhou Zhengqi handed Su Man a pen, which she needed just in time. There was no need for a hug or a passionate kiss.

This unspoken understanding, where you understand my unspoken words and I understand your implied meaning, is more touching than any vow.

The lights in the archives were still on, and the aroma of cooking was already rising from the noodle shop.

Hao Haining took Xu Yichen to an inconspicuous little noodle shop in Zhejiang.

This was Xu Yichen's favorite place to eat after finishing her night shift.

Hao Haining clumsily cooked her a bowl of noodles, but the fried egg was burnt.

"Yichen, I've already made contact with the hospital in Southeast Asia. If you'd like to go there for further training..."

Hao Haining lowered his head, not daring to look at her.

Xu Yichen picked up the burnt fried egg, put it in her mouth, and smiled so much that her eyes curved into crescent moons.

"I'm not going to pursue further education."

Xu Yichen grasped his hand. "I'm going to Southeast Asia not to become a doctor, but to become Hao Haiming's wife."

Hao Haining's eyes instantly reddened. As a tech geek, what did he do to deserve such unreserved tenderness?

The smoky atmosphere of the noodle shop hadn't yet dissipated, but Fu Dayi's living room was already filled with the warmth of daily life.

Fu Dayi and Liang Xinyi are like an old married couple.

He sat on the sofa, while Liang Xinyi squatted on the floor to trim his toenails.

Fu Dayi held the invitation to the group wedding in his hand, while Liang Xinyi held scissors in hers.

"Dayi, do we still want the house in Zheshui?" Liang Xinyi asked softly.

He put down the invitation and patted her head: "Yes. From now on, we'll come back every May 20th."

The winds of the Zhejiang River cannot dispel the affection of Qin Yang;

The rain in Lingnan cannot extinguish the fire in my heart.

The stars do not ask about the traveler's journey, and Qin Yang will not let down those who have a heart.

Ten people, one heart! See you in Shanghai on May 20th.