Hu Chenrui quickly tried to smooth things over: "Hey, Mr. Li is still here, and besides, little Chu used to work there too."
"Oh, oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it!" Mr. Wang immediately apologized to Li Longke, then winked at the socialite beauty, "Alright, I'll message you on WeChat, it's not convenient to talk about this here."
Chu Zhishui held her head in her hands. She could tell these creatures wanted to see drama, so she quickly made up an excuse: "Mr. Li, what did you want to see me about? I have a meeting at the bureau later, so I might not be able to chat for long."
"No worries, the meeting can wait!" Ye Huayu, dressed head to toe in luxury brands, rolled up his sleeve to show off his expensive watch and said warmly, "Little Chu, let's all chat together. I see old Wang knows Mr. Li too!"
The socialite beauty chimed in: "Yes, let me listen too, I want to learn how to make money!"
Li Longke had attended such gatherings before - it was normal for investors to gather and boast. But he'd never seen it happen in a government institution, and he hadn't expected Chu Zhishui to move up so quickly after leaving her job, now casually chatting with investor-level people.
Li Longke hesitated: "Zhishui, who are all these..."
"This is Director Hu from Huaijiang, and this is Director Ye from Yinhai." Chu Zhishui glanced at the remaining creatures. "These are Director Ye's friends, just here for a gathering."
Li Longke noticed she skipped over the aloof man in the corner - only Xin Yunmao, who had remained silent throughout, wasn't introduced.
Ye Huayu heard Li Longke calling Chu Zhishui by her first name and couldn't help but whisper again: "My Lord, you can tolerate this?"
Xin Yunmao frowned: "Glib words and ingratiating manner."
The humans and creatures all sat around the table. Hu Chenrui personally boiled water for tea, and soon the room was filled with the aroma of expensive pre-Qingming Dragon Well tea. The rich fragrance of green tea and the clear, moistening taste of the tea soup made it obvious this was a tea costing over a thousand yuan.
Hu Chenrui said apologetically: "Mr. Li, I'm sorry for the poor hospitality. This year's green tea hasn't arrived yet, so please make do with this."
"Please, no need for formalities, just call me by my name." Li Longke was sitting next to Mr. Wang from Wanke Investment, and since everyone else called him old Wang, he felt uncomfortable being called Mr. Li. He quickly added, "Zhishui and I were schoolmates before. She was my junior, just a few years behind me."
The socialite beauty looked surprised: "Director Chu's schoolmate?"
Chu Zhishui said weakly: "Yes, that's right." This was the worst her alma mater had ever been disgraced.
Ye Huayu: "My Lord, you can tolerate this too?"
Xin Yunmao: "Hmph."
"Are you two the same age? You don't look it," Mr. Wang praised. "Young Li is quite accomplished then, starting a company at such a young age. I thought we were from the same generation!"
"Haha, you're too kind," Li Longke laughed dryly, unsure if it was a compliment or a comment on how old he looked.
Mr. Wang clicked his tongue: "Talents emerge in every generation. Young people these days are really something. Dragon Knowledge might not be big, but it's not easy to run a business."
The socialite beauty asked curiously: "But Mr. Wang, didn't you just say Dragon Knowledge..."
"What did I say?" Mr. Wang's expression changed instantly. He completely avoided mentioning his previous criticism and said righteously, "It's not easy for young people to start businesses. Any achievement is a victory. Wins and losses are common in business - you can always start over. We shouldn't completely dismiss their efforts."
"I'd say Director Chu is the impressive one, seizing the right opportunity to secure her position. It's not easy to even get unemployed these days. How many directors in their twenties do you see nationwide? I couldn't even pass the civil service exam back then," Mr. Wang clapped admiringly. "It's important to follow the right leader!"
Hu Chenrui smiled: "Well, it's because little Chu works hard. She achieved results in just one year. As long as the leaders aren't blind, she could get promoted working with anyone, anywhere."
Li Longke was stung by these words, his face alternating between pale and flushed: "..."
Li Longke had initially wanted to invite Chu Zhishui back to Dragon Knowledge Video, but seeing the current situation, he clearly had no chance. Being promoted to director-level before thirty was definitely a special promotion. Even if she didn't get promoted further, the position was prestigious enough, and it would look good even in Yinhai city. If it was in a department with real power, it would be even more significant, with many more complexities involved.
He abandoned the idea of inviting her back and suddenly had a new thought - perhaps today he could establish some connections. Her current success could benefit Dragon Knowledge too.
After several pots of green tea and casual conversation, there was never a dull moment in the room.
Ye Huayu and Mr. Wang were undoubtedly the most boisterous, chatting non-stop about everything from golf courses to seaside yachts, telling elaborate tales.
The socialite beauty kept asking about how to invest and make money, as if she had hundreds of millions in her pocket and was worried about how to spend it. She would ask about this and that, completely dismissing small projects, giving off an air of wanting to make waves rather than mere ripples.
Li Longke wanted to join the conversation but couldn't get a word in edgewise - his current assets weren't enough to compare. People communicate as equals, and without money you must have power. Having neither means staying quiet; different circles can't communicate.
It was understandable that Chu Zhishui and others had limited incomes due to their government positions, but Li Longke ran his own company and inevitably had to be compared with Mr. Wang and others - they weren't in the same league.
"Young Li, let me tell you - stop wasting your time and hurry up to take the civil service exam. I only went into business because I couldn't pass the exam. Who seriously does investment work?" Mr. Wang advised kindly. "You're still young. If you work hard to become a section chief before thirty, you might be slower than Director Chu, but you'll still have prospects."
When Ye Huayu heard this, he anxiously said: "Where is he suggesting he apply? Our bureau isn't hiring."
"..."
Seeing Li Longke's ashen face, Chu Zhishui finally coughed lightly and appropriately interrupted the chat: "It's getting late. I'll see Mr. Li out - I still have that meeting at the bureau."
"Yes, I won't disturb you any longer. I'll chat with Mr. Wang and others another time," Li Longke forced a stiff smile, clearly unable to take any more.
With everyone creating a distraction in the room, Chu Zhishui and Li Longke hadn't had any private conversation. She was now walking him out.
"My Lord..." Ye Huayu quickly turned his head to remind Xin Yunmao, but didn't see him. He asked in surprise, "Where's My Lord?"
In the corridor, as Chu Zhishui and Li Longke came out, she didn't hear the door close. She turned around to see pale fingers. Xin Yunmao's slender fingertips lifted slightly, his other hand casually in his pocket, as he had silently followed the two out, acting as if nothing was unusual.
Li Longke was startled to see the cold and dignified Xin Yunmao. He hadn't known this person's identity all day - no one dared introduce him, but their words and manner revealed bone-deep respect.
Chu Zhishui was quite casual with him though, raising her eyebrows: "Why did you come out?"
Xin Yunmao pressed his lips together: "To sunbathe."
"Then go sunbathe over there." Chu Zhishui pointed to the window where soft sunlight was streaming in, warming the floor.
Xin Yunmao pondered for several seconds before reluctantly walking over. He leaned against the window to sunbathe, but his eyes still followed the two, watching as Chu Zhishui showed her guest out, his expression somewhat inscrutable.
Li Longke felt chills down his spine from his deep gaze and quickly turned to Chu Zhishui, saying awkwardly with a smile: "I didn't expect you'd have such good opportunities after leaving Dragon Knowledge."
"Indeed, I feel the same way. I'm lucky to have gotten into the bureau," Chu Zhishui smiled. "So I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Mr. Li."
"It's fine, we can still keep in touch," Li Longke said. "No need to call me Mr. Li anymore, just like in school - I'm still your senior."
Chu Zhishui was quite irritated by this comment. She gave a forced smile and said: "Mr. Li is joking. We're all working professionals now, so Mr. Li is Mr. Li. How could I call you senior?"
Li Longke probed: "By the way, I heard Wang Yiwen went to New Perspective. Has she been in touch with you?"
Chu Zhishui replied casually: "Yes, they're doing some small collaborations with the bureau's company recently, some kind of promotional event."
He feigned surprise: "Your bureau has companies?"
"Yes, that's my main work right now."
"Then why not collaborate with us?" Li Longke smiled. "Going to outsiders seems so distant. We know each other well, after all."
"We could collaborate, how much discount would Mr. Li offer?" Chu Zhishui tilted her head and blinked. "Oh wait, how much discount would my senior offer?"
Li Longke said dryly: "You know the situation - it would be Dragon Knowledge's internal price, that's the highest tier we have."
Chu Zhishui responded officially: "Mr. Li, then I'm afraid we can't do business. New Perspective offers better terms."
"..." Li Longke's brows furrowed slightly. He seemed somewhat irritated as he emphasized, "Zhishui, but that's Dragon Knowledge Video - it's different."
Chu Zhishui gazed at his expression. Something crossed her mind, and she suddenly burst into laughter.
Li Longke was stunned. "What's so funny?"
"Sorry, I just realized not every man looks good when they frown and get angry," Chu Zhishui found his expression oddly familiar, which amused her. She quickly suppressed her smile and said apologetically, "I'm sorry for getting distracted. What were you saying, Mr. Li?"
"Are you mocking me?" Li Longke said angrily. "You find this amusing!?"
Chu Zhishui replied dismissively, "Not funny at all, not at all. I wasn't mocking you." He wasn't even worth mocking, she thought.
Li Longke had a sudden realization: "I get it now. You've been working with Wang Yiwen all along. You're the one who gave Qi Chang the idea to start a company that directly competes with Dragon Knowledge Video."
Chu Zhishui: "?"
Chu Zhishui was shocked: "Wait, how did this become my fault? If I could influence CEO Qi's decisions, I'd be an investor myself."
Li Longke burst out, "Weren't you just chatting with several investors today!"
Chu Zhishui: "..."
Seeing her speechless, Li Longke grew more self-righteous: "Dragon Knowledge Video was your brainchild after all. You built it from scratch. Do you really want to see it fail? Evil deeds will come back to haunt you. I really misjudged you!"
"Huh?" Chu Zhishui let out a soft laugh and asked with an ironic expression, "You misjudged me?"
"Yes, I thought you were so..."
"So stupid that I let you push me out of the team? So weak that I sold my shares and left? So foolish that I didn't stab you in the back after leaving?" Chu Zhishui's smile vanished. Her eyes were like cold water as she retorted emotionlessly, "If I wanted it to fail, Li Longke, you wouldn't be where you are today."
Li Longke was startled by her cold demeanor. He had never seen her like this before.
She was always smiling, seemingly never angry, yet she had this side to her.
"You really think I'm a saint? That because I have higher moral standards than you, I definitely won't deal with you?" Chu Zhishui sneered, "Yes, I look down on your methods, but that doesn't mean I won't use them. I haven't bothered with you all this time because I still cared about Dragon Knowledge Video."
She had known Dragon Knowledge Video wouldn't last long, but she couldn't bring herself to destroy it personally.
It was a trace of her precious years, like a familiar restaurant near home - even if the taste deteriorates, you still miss it when it's gone completely. She didn't create Dragon Knowledge Video just for money; it was a beautiful memory in her life. No matter how bad the ending, it couldn't negate everything.
People always have this foolish obsession, hoping precious things could last forever - ten years, hundred years, thousand years if possible. Yet they don't understand that letting go at the right time and choosing to end things might better align with the natural cycle of rise and fall.
She thought by staying uninvolved and detached, she could turn to a new chapter, but perhaps a spectacular downfall would be the perfect ending.
Chu Zhishui said calmly, "Mr. Li, you've reminded me - I created it with my own hands, so ending it with my own hands sounds quite interesting too."
Li Longke's face turned pale: "What do you mean?"
"Nothing much, but since you're already accusing me, I might as well live up to the charges."
Even after Chu Zhishui had walked away without looking back, Li Longke stood there dazed, still not recovered from the previous storm. He had no idea what she would do. Walking away in a trance, he suddenly caught sight of Xin Yunmao by the window.
The tall, slender man with black hair was still leaning against the window, his posture unchanged, like a thousand-year-old pine tree.
This man had an unusual relationship with Chu Zhishui, far beyond anyone else in the break room - this was Li Longke's inexplicable intuition.
Having just had a falling out with Chu Zhishui, Li Longke was now uncertain about the future. In his desperation, he approached the elegant man and said, "Please talk to Zhishui. She's the founder of Dragon Knowledge Video. She shouldn't do anything she'll regret."
"I've advised her many times."
Li Longke anxiously said, "Then please try again..."
"If she hadn't refused, do you think you'd still be able to act so arrogantly?" Xin Yunmao let out a cold laugh, revealing a mysterious smile as he mocked, "You would have been tortured by the five poisons and eight sufferings long ago."
He had advised her to make a wish before. If she had acted then, Li Longke, consumed by desire, wouldn't have been able to be so aggressive now.
But she had refused.
Li Longke was startled by these words. He instinctively stepped back, sensing an inexplicable dangerous aura.
"Although I wish she would rely on me, she's always been like this, unwilling to use demon energy to solve problems," he said with a hint of disappointment, looking up at Li Longke with disdain. "If I were to deal with you myself, it would be looking down on her. It's better to let her handle it."
Hu Chenrui and other demons would try everything to keep her from leaving, but he understood her personality and knew she wouldn't leave.
Therefore, he wouldn't directly reflect the five poisons and eight sufferings back onto Li Longke like he would with others. He wanted to witness her complete this herself.
If he viewed her as a helpless human who needed him to solve everything, that would be a huge insult to her, completely tarnishing the name "Chu Zhishui."
He felt frustrated that he couldn't find her wish, always hoping to help her with many things, yet knowing some things shouldn't be done. That would only destroy what she had carefully maintained until now - the driving force she had been fighting for.
Xin Yunmao's eyes were like a cold pond as he stared at the fearful Li Longke, as if looking at a dying tree trunk.
A crisp snap of fingers.
When Li Longke came to his senses, he was already standing outside the Observation Bureau, vaguely feeling a gap in his memory. He only remembered having a big argument with Chu Zhishui but could no longer recall the conversation with the strange man.
That night, after being provoked by Li Longke's troublemaking, Chu Zhishui finished messaging Wang Yiwen and started scrolling through her contacts, calling each selected person one by one.
Since she had been labeled as a villain, she might as well act like one. Sowing discord wasn't beyond her capabilities.
"Hey, Brother Sun Qiang, are you still at Dragon Knowledge Video? Oh, you just resigned? Are you taking a break, or do you already have new plans? Actually, a company recently contacted me, but I think you'd be more suitable..."
"Is Qianqian still doing operations at Dragon Knowledge Video? Transferred to another department? But I remember you were good at operations?"
"Oh well, can't help it if it's company arrangements. Since you're in a new department anyway, why not try a new environment? Remember Yiwen? She just joined New Perspective and is building a team. You two rarely met at the company before, but I always thought you'd get along well."
"A friend wants to change jobs but doesn't get along with Yiwen? Well, she can come too! Arguments at work are normal. When leadership can't manage well, everything becomes chaotic below. It's mainly because Mr. Li is incompetent. Yiwen definitely won't mind."
"Yiwen's at a different level now, and her mindset is different from Mr. Li's. We're all former colleagues after all."
Chu Zhishui spent the whole night making calls in sequence, specifically targeting Dragon Knowledge Video's core members. With New Perspective's salary package on the table, only a fool would pass up the money. She didn't believe they wouldn't be tempted.
It's not easy for outsiders to poach employees - just collecting information takes time, let alone persuading people to interview. After all, new companies come with risks, and many people don't dare to try rashly.
However, Chu Zhishui had held high prestige at Dragon Knowledge Video before, and hadn't had any scandals since leaving. This gave her a natural advantage and made her convincing.
Former colleagues expressed regret that she wasn't at New Perspective - they might have been more motivated if she were there. But they understood when they learned she had become a civil servant. After all, a government position is the ultimate career goal.
In just one night, Chu Zhishui went on a poaching spree, taking away many of Li Longke's capable subordinates.
Wang Yiwen was surprised: "But you could have done this much earlier. Why suddenly decide to do this now?"
Chu Zhishui didn't mention Li Longke at all, saying coldly, "I've been thinking about renovating my courtyard lately. I'll earn some headhunting fees from CEO Qi first, then I'll have money to buy furniture."
