Under One Person: The End of Technique, Company Building

Sunlight streamed through the blinds of the reception room on the eleventh floor of the Tianxiahui, casting parallel shadows on the dark solid wood tea table, much like the horizontal lines drawn with red pen on office documents.

Zhuge Qi sat on one side of the tea table, with a cup of Da Hong Pao tea poured by Feng Zhenghao in front of him. The tea was already warm, and the water droplets that had condensed on the cup slowly slid down, leaving a ring of watermarks on the table.

He picked it up and took a sip; it wasn't hot, just right for his mouth.

Feng Zhenghao sat opposite him, his posture much more relaxed than an hour ago, but still exuding a deliberate composure.

He put his coat back on and his thin-rimmed glasses back on, as if the head-on collision in the training ground had never happened. Only his slightly trembling arms betrayed his true state at that moment.

Ma Hong and Liu Yanyan stood outside the reception room, each occupying a corner of the corridor opposite the members of the Tianxia Society. They glanced at each other out of the corner of their eyes, but neither of them spoke first.

There were only two people inside the door, and a cup of tea that was getting cold.

"President Feng." Zhuge Qi put down his teacup, gently wiping the water stains on the rim with his fingertip, his tone as casual as if he were talking about the weather forecast, "This trip today was worthwhile, I've gained quite a bit."

Feng Zhenghao smiled, picked up his teacup and took a sip. His gaze fell on Zhuge Qi's face through his glasses, as if trying to read something from that young yet mature face.

"Section Chief Zhuge, you're too kind."

They both laughed.

But what was hidden in those smiles was something they both knew perfectly well.

Feng Zhenghao put the teacup back on the table, leaned forward slightly, and finally steered the conversation in the direction that really needed to be discussed: "Section Chief Zhuge, although Chu Lan is only temporarily staying with our Tianxia Society, I feel that there are still some misunderstandings between him and the company. If it's convenient for you, I think it would be better to talk it out. There's no grudge that can't be resolved."

Zhuge Qi didn't rush to answer. Instead, he took out a black fountain pen from his pocket, twirled it halfway in his hand, and then looked up, calmly meeting Feng Zhenghao's gaze. "President Feng, you've worked hard. I do need to see Zhang Chulan."

Feng Zhenghao's smile remained unchanged, but a very subtle glint flashed in his eyes hidden behind his glasses. "Zhang Chulan, this kid is indeed good. He's young, clever, and a promising talent. I've talked to him a few times these past few days, and I feel that he has a solid foundation. He's just a bit too thoughtful and doesn't talk much."

"A young talent indeed, but alas, a golden carp is not meant to stay in a pond. My Tianxia Society is still too small."

Although Zhuge Qi never mentioned Zhang Chulan, after several encounters, Feng Zhenghao had actually chosen to back down.

He understood that even if Zhang Chulan was willing to stay, he was unlikely to be able to keep him if the company really needed him.

He really wanted to recruit Zhang Chulan.

However, it is still necessary to calculate the gains and losses.

"Shall I go and call Chu Lan over now?"

"No need, I don't plan to stay long either." Zhuge Qi stood up, put the pen back in his pocket, and said calmly, "Just let him come down. I'll wait for him in the courtyard downstairs. It won't be long, we'll just chat for a bit."

Feng Zhenghao was taken aback for a moment, then smiled even more warmly: "Section Chief Zhuge is truly a man of great taste."

The door was pulled open, and air rushed in from the corridor.

Ma Hong immediately straightened up, and Liu Yanyan also quickly stood up straight.

Zhuge Qi nodded slightly to the two of them, indicating that they should go downstairs, and then walked towards the elevator.

Feng Zhenghao stood at the door of the reception room, watching the three figures disappear into the gap of the closing elevator doors. The smile on his face slowly faded, and his eyes became deep and complicated.

He took out his phone, dialed a number, and said only one sentence after the call connected: "Have Chu Lan come downstairs."

The elevator descended, the doors opened, and the light in the lobby on the first floor was much brighter than upstairs.

Zhuge Qi did not linger; he walked directly through the hall, pushed open the glass revolving door, and went out.

He stood under a ginkgo tree in the square in front of the building.

Ma Hong and Liu Yanyan stopped a few steps away, looked at each other, and neither of them spoke.

Ma Hong put his hands in his pockets, looked up at the three large metal characters on the top of the Tianxiahui building, and seemed to be deep in thought. Liu Yanyan glanced at the entrance of the building from time to time, like a little girl waiting to see the excitement.

About seven or eight minutes later, the building's revolving door was pushed open.

A young man in a white tracksuit walked out, his steps hesitant. He paused at the door, his gaze sweeping across the square before finally settling on the upright figure under the ginkgo tree.

Zhang Chulan walked over slowly, his steps heavy, as if he were heading towards a place from which he could not predict the outcome at all.

He stopped three or four steps away from Zhuge Qi, lowered his head slightly, and kept his gaze on Zhuge Qi's shoes without looking up.

"Zhuge... Section Chief." His voice was a little hoarse. "You wanted to see me?"

Zhuge Qi leaned against a tree trunk, hands in his pockets, relaxed. His gaze fell on Zhang Chulan, and his tone was as casual as if he were chatting with an old friend: "Don't be nervous, we'll just chat for a bit. Relax, I'm not here to arrest you."

Zhang Chulan's fingers twitched inside his sleeve, but he didn't reply.

Zhuge Qi straightened up from the tree trunk, took two steps to the side, and gestured for Zhang Chulan to follow.

Zhang Chulan hesitated for a moment, but still followed.

The two walked slowly along the path at the edge of the square. The fallen leaves of the ginkgo trees were swirled up and set down by the wind at their feet, making a soft rustling sound.

No one spoke first; they walked quietly for about twenty steps.

Zhuge Qi stopped, turned around, and looked into Zhang Chulan's eyes.

The gaze wasn't sharp; it could even be described as gentle. But it had a penetrating quality that made Zhang Chulan feel as if something was scrutinizing him from head to toe, yet he didn't feel offended.

"Zhang Chulan," Zhuge Qi spoke, his tone calm, "I know what you're thinking. You feel the company is causing you trouble, you feel Feng Zhenghao genuinely wants to win you over, and you feel that no one has good intentions towards you."

I'm not saying your wariness is wrong, but considering your grandfather's affairs, the Quanxing sect's affairs, and that thing—anyone in your position would be wary.

Zhang Chulan scratched his head in annoyance.

In fact, he really didn't know what the Qi Source Flow was, and his grandfather had never taught him.

However, everyone seemed convinced that they were the ones who had mastered this technique, leaving him with no way to escape and sinking him deep into the quagmire.

Since realizing his own specialness, he deliberately hid himself and avoided the gaze of others for ten years.

And at this moment, he once again became the center of attention.

"Section Chief Zhuge, whether you believe it or not, to tell you the truth, my grandfather didn't pass that thing on to me. You've probably really come to the wrong person..." Zhang Chulan said helplessly, and couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Zhuge Qi remained unmoved upon hearing this, "I know, that thing hasn't been given to you yet, so I'm going to take you to get your inheritance."

Zhang Chulan was stunned for a moment upon hearing this.

Then, as if struck by lightning, he raised his head, his face filled with disbelief.