Chapter 41: Jinjiang Literature City Releases Update 2 – Investment for Huo Qi

After finishing the dishes, Wen Shijin meticulously rinsed his hands and slowly dried his long, slender fingers, which were pale and delicate.

Once his fingers were clean, he reached up and gently tousled the chestnut-colored soft hair of the boy clinging to his arm. Unlike his usual casual strokes, this time, the gesture carried a tender fondness.

The boy’s short chestnut hair entwined around Wen Shijin’s elegant, pale fingertips. Satisfied, he softly played with the silky strands, his voice low and gentle as he asked,
“Am I just anyone to you?”

Ning Qingyan, feeling utterly comfortable from the head massage, licked her dry lips. Despite the intense pressure from Gu Si’s piercing gaze, she responded firmly,
“No, you’re not!”

Wen Shijin’s lips curled into a faint smile. Raising his eyes to meet Gu Si’s dark expression, his voice rang clear,
“Do you still have any objections?”

The meaning of his words was evident. It was a retort aimed at Gu Si’s earlier remarks: “Don’t cling to just anyone.” Now that Ning Qingyan had declared that Wen Shijin was not just anyone, he threw the question back at Gu Si.

Ning Qingyan, nodding in agreement, looked like a cheeky accomplice leaning on Wen Shijin’s authority, which almost made Gu Si laugh out of sheer anger.
“Ning Qingyan! That’s all you’re capable of? You can’t even tell who’s the real boss to cling to!”

Gu Si, puffing up his chest as if to prove his superiority, waited for Ning Qingyan to reconsider. However, all he got was her blunt reply:
“Too much muscle will crush me to death. You’re so heavy; I don’t want to be squashed. You need to lose weight, bro.”

Still recovering from being pinned down by Gu Si moments ago, Ning Qingyan made her feelings clear.

Gu Si, all muscle, was speechless.
“Lose weight?!”

“You’re lying! You’re just too weak!”

Flustered and exasperated, Gu Si pointed at Ning Qingyan, shouting,
“If you say another word, I swear I’ll act like a dog!”

After making his threat, Gu Si stormed off angrily.

Ning Qingyan froze.
Uh-oh. Did she really offend him with a simple “you need to lose weight”? Recalling how easily Gu Si’s favorability could be increased, she pondered deeply and decided she should smooth things over with him later.

Wen Shijin, reluctantly withdrawing his hand from Ning Qingyan’s soft hair, felt the sudden loss of its fluffy texture. His pale fingers curled slightly, absentmindedly pinching the air.

---

Returning to the living room, Ning Qingyan found that Gu Si was nowhere to be seen. Guessing he had gone upstairs to his bedroom, she didn’t rush after him. Instead, she went back to her room and accessed the Green Tea System.

Green Tea System: “Current favorability points available for exchange: 79. Would you like to redeem them?”

Ning Qingyan shook her head. Using favorability points to exchange for money was the least cost-effective option. For example, items like a “Time Rewinder,” which allowed her to go back 24 hours to save her life, only cost 50 favorability points.

In contrast, a mere 10 million RMB required 100 favorability points.

If billionaires knew about this system, they’d gladly pay any price for a life-saving tool. What’s a mere 10 million compared to that?

Thus, the idea of redeeming favorability points to invest in Huo Qi was quickly discarded.

Instead, she had a sudden inspiration and immediately called her father. As soon as the call connected, his energetic voice came through:
“My dear daughter! Who is this expert you mentioned? I need to thank them properly someday. Without their help, our company’s capital chain would’ve snapped, and we would’ve gone bankrupt!”

Ning Qingyan coughed awkwardly before replying clearly,
“This expert needs funds for a major project. Transfer all the liquid assets you can spare to me. With their support, Ning Corporation won’t go bankrupt.”

Her father hesitated but remembered how, just days ago, she had reassured him that the company wouldn’t collapse thanks to the expert’s assistance.

He hadn’t believed her at first. But then, the seemingly doomed capital chain had inexplicably recovered, and the company, on the brink of bankruptcy, had suddenly bounced back.

Realizing that her words had been true, and trusting the expert’s abilities, he finally agreed, albeit reluctantly.

After hanging up, Ning Qingyan used 30 favorability points from the Green Tea System to create a fake identity under the name “N.” With the system’s advanced hacking capabilities, she transferred the funds to Huo Qi’s account.

Good deeds should not go unnoticed. Along with the funds, she sent a contract to Huo Qi’s email, outlining her request for a 3% share of all his future assets in exchange for the investment.

She knew Huo Qi’s cautious nature would make him wary of funds with unclear origins. The contract explicitly stated her belief in his future potential, asking only for dividends, not actual shares.

Ning Qingyan dared to risk all of Ning Corporation’s liquid assets because the system had predicted the company would go bankrupt in about 80 days.

Since bankruptcy was inevitable, no matter what she did, it wouldn’t happen sooner. Even without liquid funds, another source of capital would temporarily appear to keep the company afloat.

The only downside was that the eventual bankruptcy would be more severe. Instead of being millions in debt, they might be billions in debt.

Ning Qingyan trusted Huo Qi’s abilities and didn’t see the growing debt as a problem.

---

Meanwhile, Huo Qi, busy analyzing stocks and limited by his lack of funds, suddenly heard a notification of a large sum deposited into his account.

He immediately assumed the worst:
Fraud?
A setup?
Misappropriation of funds?

Before he could think further, he saw the contract in his email.

3% of all his future assets as dividends.

Huo Qi, known for his cold and calculating demeanor, found the offer hard to believe. While he was confident in his eventual success, why would this mysterious person, “N,” gamble on him, someone currently at rock bottom?

He doubted anyone else would interpret this as anything but foolish generosity. Yet, instead of eagerly signing the contract, Huo Qi hesitated.

To him, the money’s unclear origins, and the implication of sharing dividends forever, made it a risky proposition. If he rose to success, the dividends could be astronomical.

For now, Huo Qi ignored the email and funds, focusing on his work.

---

On the other side, Ning Qingyan, informed by the system that Huo Qi hadn’t touched the money, frowned in disappointment.

But this was within her expectations. If Huo Qi had been reckless, he wouldn’t have built a business empire.

Sooner or later, as his funds faced another crisis caused by the Huo family, his resourcefulness would compel him to use the money.

Feeling relieved, Ning Qingyan picked up her phone and scrolled through social media.

Her Weibo followers had surpassed one million in just three days. Messages from entertainment companies flooded her inbox with offers to sign her as an artist.

Amused by their over-the-top promises, she deleted them all.

Becoming a public figure wasn’t an option. If Huo Qi and Gu Si—vindictive and petty as they were—ever discovered her true identity and her male disguise, they’d hate her for life.

Not to mention Wen Shijin, the nationally treasured scientist. If he didn’t investigate her, the government certainly would.

Her only plan was to vanish as soon as the variety show ended.