Little Puppy

Qin Corporation, top-floor office.

Li Jinchuan didn’t knock. He pushed open the door to Qin Ya’s office without warning.

His face was dark, like the sky before a storm.

He slammed a printed financial report onto Qin Ya’s desk with force.

“‘Horizon’ Foundation Receives Massive Investment—Qin Corporation Pours in 200 Million.”

The headline was like a needle, stinging his eyes.

“Why did you invest in Lu Qianqian?” he demanded, his voice tight with suppressed fury.

“She’s a Lu.”

“She’s Lu Chenyuan’s sister.”

Qin Ya was trimming a rare orchid.

She didn’t even look up at him.

The scissors in her hand snipped with a crisp click, shearing off an excess leaf.

The motion was elegant, and cold.

“So?” Qin Ya finally spoke, her tone as casual as if she were discussing the weather.

“We’re allies!” Li Jinchuan’s voice rose despite himself.

“The ‘Gale’ project exists to take down Lu Chenyuan. And now you’re funding his family? This is betrayal!”

Qin Ya set down the golden scissors.

She lifted her gaze, meeting Li Jinchuan’s eyes for the first time.

Her expression held no anger, no justification.

Only a frigid, all-seeing scrutiny.

“Li Jinchuan,” Qin Ya said slowly, her voice quiet yet dropping the temperature of the room by several degrees.

“What gave you the illusion that you have the right to question me?”

Li Jinchuan froze.

He had come armed with accusations and rage, but those words left him speechless.

Qin Ya stood.

Her crimson dress burned like fire.

She stepped toward him, one deliberate stride at a time.

“I gave you resources for ‘Gale’ because your plan benefited the Qin family. That’s called cooperation, not an alliance.”

“I invested in ‘Horizon’ because the project enhances the Qin name. That’s called business.”

“Every cent I spend serves the interests of the Qin family.”

She tilted her head slightly, staring up at the man who towered over her, her eyes brimming with disdain.

“You, Li Jinchuan, were once a blade I favored.”

“But now, that blade has dulled.”

“You can’t even graze Lu Chenyuan’s sleeve, yet here you are, hysterical over a charity project.”

“You disappoint me.”

Her words were a sharper blade, slicing through all his pretenses and piercing his most vulnerable pride.

The color drained from his face.

“Remember this.” Qin Ya’s voice was devoid of emotion.

“Everything you have now was given to you by the Qin family. You keep it only because I allow it. The moment I withdraw my favor, you are nothing.”

“Now, get out.”

Li Jinchuan’s fists clenched at his sides, nails biting into his palms.

He stared at Qin Ya’s beautiful, ice-cold face, his throat clogged as if stuffed with cotton.

In the end, he said nothing. He turned and walked out in silence.

His retreating figure, once sharp with ambition, now carried only defeat and desolation.

Qin Ya watched the door close before returning to her desk.

She remembered how, a year ago, this man had broken through every obstacle, standing before her with unshakable pride and ferocity.

He had vowed to be a blade, driving straight into the enemy’s heart.

Now, that blade was rusted, its hilt slipping from his grasp.

Qin Ya suddenly found it all… tiresome.

Knock knock.

The sound pulled her from her thoughts.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and a young man in a white T-shirt and a backpack peeked inside.

He looked no older than twenty, his smile bright—but his eyes held a cunning far beyond his years.

“Ya-jie!”

The moment he saw Qin Ya, his face lit up. He rushed forward, arms wide, ready to embrace her.

Qin Ya immediately raised a hand, pressing a single finger against his forehead to stop him.

“Huangfu Chengshi, you’re too old for this,” she said, exasperated.

The young man’s radiant smile collapsed instantly.

His eyes welled up with visible speed, tears shimmering on the brink of falling.

“Ya-jie… do you not love me anymore?” His voice trembled with a pitiful whimper.

“I just got back from A-country today, and the first thing I did was come see you! And you’re being mean!”

Qin Ya massaged her temples.

She had always been weak to Huangfu Chengshi’s act.

As a child, whenever he was bullied in the Huangfu family, he’d pull this exact stunt to soften her heart and make her defend him.

Some things never changed.

“Enough. Cut the act.” She waved a hand, though her tone had already gentled.

“State your business, or go back to class.”

Huangfu Chengshi’s tears vanished instantly, his mood shifting with the speed of a stage performer.

He dug into his backpack and pulled out a crumpled proposal, presenting it to Qin Ya like a treasure.

“Ya-jie, I’m here to ask for funding!”

"Investment?" Qin Ya was taken aback.

She picked up the proposal and skimmed through it.

"'Edge No.1' Quantitative Hedge Fund?" She read the name aloud, her surprise growing.

"Huangfu Chengshi, you're a computer science major—why are you diving into finance?"

"Computer science is a discipline; finance is an art," Huangfu Chengshi replied, sitting across from her. The earlier look of grievance had vanished, replaced by the radiant enthusiasm unique to a young man speaking of his dreams.

"I want to use the most advanced science to master the wildest art!"

Qin Ya stared at him, momentarily lost in thought.

She remembered how the complicated dynamics of the Huangfu family had forced this boy to learn how to shield himself with masks from an early age.

Now, he was finally ready to carve out his own path.

"How much do you need?" Qin Ya asked.

"Thirty million," Huangfu Chengshi held up three fingers.

"I'll give you fifty," Qin Ya said without hesitation.

"No," Huangfu Chengshi shook his head firmly. "Thirty million is enough. My models have calculated it—that's the optimal amount for the initial phase."

"Any more would compromise the strategy's flexibility. I'm not here to ask for pocket money, Ya-jie. This is my career."

Qin Ya was even more surprised now.

Looking at Huangfu Chengshi, she suddenly felt that everyone who graduated from Jingzhou University was… unusual.

"I remember Lu Chenyuan's sister, Lu Ruoxi, and that guy Su Yang—they were from your school too, weren’t they?" Qin Ya remarked casually.

"One studied math, the other integrated science, yet they jumped into artificial intelligence and made waves."

"And now you, a computer science major, are plunging into investment."

She shook her head, as if marveling at the absurdity.

"You Jingzhou University folks…"

Qin Ya didn’t elaborate further. Instead, she picked up the phone and called her assistant.

"Transfer thirty million to Huangfu Chengshi’s account. Use my personal funds."

After hanging up, she turned back to him.

"The money’s yours. Do whatever you want with it."

"Thank you, Ya-jie!" Huangfu Chengshi stood up, beaming, but his feet stayed rooted to the spot.

He looked at Qin Ya, a mix of nervousness and hope in his eyes, and asked tentatively:

"Ya-jie… to celebrate my first-ever venture investment… would you… maybe have dinner with me?"

Seeing her instinctively glance at her watch, he quickly added with a pitiful expression:

"Just one meal. I just got back to the country—I don’t have a single friend in Jingzhou."

His voice grew smaller, like a puppy begging for its owner’s affection.

Staring into those big, pleading eyes, Qin Ya finally sighed, her earlier irritation melting into reluctant fondness.

"...Fine."