Extra Story - He Is the Moon in the Sky - Side by Side

Lu Chenyuan's invitation instantly ignited Ren Qian.

To hell with Lu Mingshi!

To hell with internal politics!

To hell with compromise and grievances!

So, he wasn't retreating.

He was paving the way for their new kingdom.

As long as she could continue by this man's side,

and build a brand new enterprise with him,

even if the road ahead was paved with thorns and fire, she was willing!

"I'll go!"

Ren Qian blurted out almost without a moment's hesitation.

Her eyes shone with a dazzling brilliance never seen before.

It wasn't just longing for a new venture.

It was more of a resolve to entrust everything she had to him, without looking back.

"Regarding salary and stock options..."

"I don't want them!"

Ren Qian immediately cut him off.

She stood up, her body trembling slightly with emotion.

"President Lu... no, Chenyuan."

Mustering the greatest courage of her life, she called him by his name for the first time in a work setting.

"You know me. It's not about the money."

"I just want... to build Yuanlong Tech with you."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Lu Chenyuan looked at the undisguised, fervent affection in her eyes.

He sighed softly in his heart.

"Director Ren."

He reverted to the formal, business-like address.

"A king's generous offer for a steed's bones. If your compensation is too low, what about the people under you?"

That form of address was like a bucket of lukewarm water, snapping Ren Qian back to reality.

The light in her eyes dimmed slightly.

A hint of indescribable bitterness welled up in her heart.

But she quickly masked this emotion.

She became the capable and decisive Director Ren once more.

"Understood. Set the salary at the highest market standard. I have no objections."

"Good." Lu Chenyuan nodded.

"Since you agree, start preparing from today. Handle the handover properly on the Lu Corporation side."

"Anyone willing to follow you, as long as you trust them, Yuanlong can take them all."

"Once you're at Yuanlong, meet with Lin Yuan as soon as possible to set up the company's framework. I need you both to complete the first round of hiring for core technical staff within a month."

"Understood."

Ren Qian regained her exceptional professionalism.

"I'll work overtime tonight to prepare the handover list."

"Thank you for your hard work." Lu Chenyuan stood up.

"You don't need to pay any more attention to Lu Mingshi."

"From now on, your battlefield is at Yuanlong."

Ren Qian nodded firmly.

She turned and left the office.

Only after the door closed again, and Ren Qian's figure disappeared behind it, did the calm on Lu Chenyuan's face slowly fade, replaced by a trace of complicated helplessness.

...

That day, Ren Qian carried her small cardboard box

and walked out of the commercial empire skyscraper she had admired and strived in for nearly three years.

The sunlight was just right.

She didn't look back.

There wasn't a shred of nostalgia in her heart.

Only the bold ambition and anticipation of heading to a new battlefield.

The scene from the top-floor conference room at Lu Corporation was still vivid in her mind.

Following Lu Chenyuan's resignation from all his positions at Lu Corporation, Ren Qian, leading a group of pivotal core members from the company, had submitted their resignations one after another.

That scene could be described in one word: exhilarating!

The stifling frustration that had weighed on Ren Qian's heart for days was swept clean away.

Yuanlong Tech's temporary office was rented in an emerging tech park in Jingzhou.

The space wasn't large, but it still covered one to two thousand square meters.

The decor was simple, adopting a minimalist style.

It was a world apart from the luxury and grandeur of Lu Corporation's headquarters.

But the air here was free, brimming with infinite possibilities.

When Ren Qian walked in carrying her box,

Lin Yuan was inside, directing workers installing office equipment.

He wore a simple T-shirt and jeans, sweat still on his forehead.

Quite different from his perpetually meticulous, suited style when he was a special assistant at Lu Corporation.

Seeing Ren Qian, Lin Yuan's eyes instantly lit up.

"Senior! You're here!"

He quickly walked up to her, naturally taking the box from her hands.

"Excellent! With you here, my mind is at ease."

His joy came from the heart.

"We're colleagues again."

Ren Qian looked at him and smiled.

"Call me Ren Qian, or, Director Ren."

"Got it, Sis Qian." Lin Yuan replied.

Ren Qian: ...

He led Ren Qian to the largest private office.

A nameplate was already affixed to the door.

"Chief Operating Officer COO Ren Qian".

"This is your office." Lin Yuan said.

"I had it cleaned in advance. See if anything's missing, I'll go buy it right away."

Seeing his thoughtful and thorough manner, a warmth rose in Ren Qian's heart.

This man was still that quiet, understated junior from university who always delivered the best results.

"No need, it's perfect."

Ren Qian walked into the office.

The office was spotless.

On the desk, a pot of vibrant green pothos had even been placed.

"This..."

"President Lu's instructions." Lin Yuan adjusted his glasses.

"He told me to prepare everything in advance."

Lu Chenyuan again.

Ren Qian's heart was once again filled by this silent thoughtfulness.

She looked around at this brand new battlefield belonging to her, her heart swelling with ambition.

"Director Lin."

"Yes?"

"In half an hour, convene the first all-hands meeting of our Yuanlong Tech."

"Roger!"

...

Yuanlong's startup phase was arduous, yet burning with passion.

Lu Chenyuan delegated immense authority to them.

He only set the strategy and final goals.

All execution and implementation were entirely the responsibility of Ren Qian and Lin Yuan.

The two of them seemed to return to their university days, working on projects together.

Only this time, their battlefield was larger, and their responsibilities heavier.

They practically lived at the company.

Working over ten hours every day.

Their office lights were always the last to go out in the entire park.

Ren Qian fully demonstrated her formidable capabilities as a top-tier executive.

The company's organizational structure was mapped out by her over three days and nights.

The recruitment process, the compensation system—all were personally designed by her.

She personally vetted every single candidate in the first round of interviews for core technical staff.

She was like a goddess of war with boundless energy.

Rapidly transforming Yuanlong Tech, this initial makeshift team,

into an efficient and elite regular army.

And Lin Yuan was her most perfect partner.

For every one of Ren Qian's wildly imaginative ideas, Lin Yuan could devise the most pragmatic plan to execute it.

For any requirement Ren Qian raised in a meeting,

Lin Yuan could always produce the most detailed data and reports to support it in the shortest time.

Between them existed an almost instinctive tacit understanding.

A single glance, and they knew what the other was thinking.

Ren Qian thoroughly enjoyed this feeling of fighting side by side.

She simply attributed it to Lin Yuan's exceptional competence.

He was the best partner Lu Chenyuan had chosen for her.