That day happened to be the summer solstice, theoretically the longest day of the year.

But this night in Bai Cheng, the night was still very long.

Unlike the wilderness in the mountains, there were no sounds of wild animals here, and the sound insulation of the floors was excellent. In the hotel room, there were only the sounds of breaths, moans and gasps that made people blush and heart race. After just an hour or two, the bed and the soft carpet were covered with marks from clawing hands.

Xie Dongcheng held onto Yu Zi’s thigh tightly, avoiding touching the scabs on his knees.

The continuous exhaustion made Yu Zi’s body unable to bear it anymore, and he seemed to be shedding sweat or tears in a trance.

Yu Zi seemed to have developed a strange habit at some point. Unlike others who indulged in drinking or smoking, Yu Zi was addicted to Xie Dongcheng’s body temperature.

Regardless of how they struggled every time, leaving bruises on each other, after everything settled down, Yu Zi would voluntarily retract his sharp claws and curl up in Xie Dongcheng’s embrace.

If a fox lost its sharp teeth and fiery eyes, it wouldn’t be much different from a fluffy little dog.

The next morning, the three set off on their way back early. Wang Jing had also had enough to eat and drink on this trip, and he had completed the task promised to Yu Zi, so his mood was much better than when he arrived. Yu Zi’s career had nothing to do with him in the end; he only knew that he had completed the first task, bringing him one step closer to not having to repay the 150,000 yuan.

The high-speed rail station in Bai Cheng was still sparsely populated, and the three managed to board the train smoothly without much queuing.

They sat in the same row of the same carriage, with Yu Zi by the window, Xie Dongcheng in the middle, and Wang Jing by the aisle.

Soon, the high-speed train shot out of Bai Cheng Station like an arrow. Smoking was not allowed in the carriage, and Wang Jing was an old smoker, so he felt uncomfortable after sitting for a while and was about to get up and go to the dining car. However, he was stopped by Yu Zi.

“What’s wrong?” Wang Jing had to sit back in his seat.

“How much do you know about Wei Yunli?” Yu Zi looked at him.

“You mean the female boss of the vineyard?”

“Yes.” Yu Zi nodded.

“What do you want to know? All I know is hearsay, and I dare not speak nonsense.”

Yu Zi glanced at him, “Stop beating around the bush.”

“It’s like this, originally, this vineyard belonged to her mother, and she also took her mother’s surname. Later, her mother fell seriously ill and passed away. The vineyard was the biggest asset in her family, but Wei Yunli’s father wanted control, so he gradually marginalized her. Her father only cared about the cash flow of the vineyard and didn’t understand winemaking at all. He sold a lot of the wine in the warehouse in bulk behind her back.”

Yu Zi didn’t expect to hear about this past event. After pondering for a moment, he continued to ask, “So, how come she’s managing the vineyard again now?”

“Tsk, it’s a case of ‘honor among thieves’, you see. It’s said that either last year or the year before, she personally kicked her father out of the vineyard’s management. Sent him back to retirement. It’s just a pity that her old man really has no business acumen. He turned what was once a good vineyard into one burdened with debt. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be in this situation now.”

Yu Zi listened and was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected Wei Yunli to have such decisive methods.

But it was thanks to her courage that Yu Zi’s negotiation trip went smoothly. If he had encountered her shortsighted father during the cooperation talks, he would likely have come back empty-handed.

After the high-speed train journey, the three of them boarded a plane. Wang Jing still sat alone in economy class.

The flight from Baiyun to the North City would pass over Muci City. As the plane descended to a lower altitude, Xie Dongcheng glanced out the window and caught sight of the lush green grassland below.

“Uncle Wu had a dream when he was still around.”

“What dream?” Yu Zi, feeling drowsy, heard his voice and asked casually.

“I wanted to drive with him to the grasslands.”

“It will come true.” Yu Zi replied sleepily.

As Xie Dongcheng was about to say something else, Yu Zi had already leaned back in his seat and fallen asleep. Xie Dongcheng could only smile helplessly and then helped Yu Zi put on his eye mask.

The journey was smooth without encountering any major turbulence. After three hours of flying, the plane landed smoothly.

When they came out with their luggage, the sky outside the terminal was already filled with the colors of the setting sun.

Wang Jing didn’t want to linger for a moment, picking up his luggage and running out.

Yu Zi gave him a sharp look and shouted two words at him, “Your phone.”

Wang Jing had to stop and turn back, asking, “What’s up?”

“Keep your phone on, waiting for my messages at all times. You still owe me two things to do.”

“I know, I know, young master.” Wang Jing hurriedly bowed to him, feeling like he was repaying a debt or worshiping an ancestor.

The first thing Yu Zi did upon returning to the North City was to register the company. Then he contacted Wei Yunli again, asking her for the brand and trademark authorization for Baiyun Wanli.

In addition to the legal representative, registering a company also required a supervisor. Yu Zi boldly wrote Xie Dongcheng’s name on the form.

Under the scorching sun, the two of them walked out of the administrative hall and got into Xie Dongcheng’s second-hand Toyota. Yu Zi held the freshly issued license, and the red seal of the stamp was not yet dry.

“Once the arrow is released, it cannot be brought back.” Yu Zi turned to Xie Dongcheng, who was driving.

“I’ll follow your lead.”

“Welcome to the beginning of a new journey, my number one employee.” Yu Zi pinched his cheek.

Xie Dongcheng ignited the engine, stepped on the gas pedal, and the car drove forward along the wide avenue.

As the car turned at the next intersection, it happened to encounter a red light.

Suddenly, Yu Zi remembered something and asked, “Shouldn’t I give you a proper position?”

Xie Dongcheng stared straight ahead at the intersection, smiled, and replied, “What position do you think suits me? Your driver?”

Yu Zi shook his head, “Being a driver is too boring.”

Xie Dongcheng glanced at him through the rearview mirror, and that mischievous and cunning look returned.

Twenty minutes later, the car entered the parking lot of Fangjiyuan. Xie Dongcheng reversed the car into a parking space, then turned off the engine.

Xie Dongcheng was about to unfasten his seatbelt and open the door to get out when Yu Zi suddenly reached over and held his shoulder.

Xie Dongcheng was startled, “What’s wrong?”

“I’ve decided on your position.”

“What position?” Xie Dongcheng looked at him. Yu Zi’s nose was less than an inch away from his.

Then he saw Yu Zi’s lips curve up, “From today onwards, you’re my personal secretary.”

Xie Dongcheng looked at his lips, feeling a tingling sensation in his heart. Unable to resist, he raised his head and lightly kissed Yu Zi’s lips.

“You call the shots.”

Suddenly being kissed, Yu Zi’s beautiful eyes narrowed, “How come the newly appointed secretary dares to take liberties?”

“As a secretary, there aren’t many rules,” Xie Dongcheng sincerely replied.

“But being a personal secretary is different.” Yu Zi decisively squeezed into the driver’s seat, straddling him.

Although the car was parked in a secluded spot, the windshield in front was wiped clean. If anyone passed by the window, they would inevitably see the strange posture of the two. For a moment, Xie Dongcheng couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

“A personal secretary is different from an ordinary one. You have to be on call at all times. You can’t be late or leave early,” Yu Zi’s fingertips roamed on his cheek, “When the boss goes left, you can’t go right, and you certainly can’t refuse the boss’s requests.”

Xie Dongcheng heard the hidden meaning in his words, “I only refused once…”

Yu Zi suddenly turned serious, his eyes becoming exceptionally straightforward, “I’m talking about work-related requests. What are you talking about?”

Xie Dongcheng realized he had been led into a trap again. He thought he should buy a book on debating to figure out how to outsmart the eloquent man in front of him.

Seeing Xie Dongcheng tongue-tied, Yu Zi let go of him and sat back in the passenger seat. Then he began to calculate in a businesslike manner, “For a startup company, I won’t give you a high salary. Eight thousand before tax for the first year. But considering that you mortgaged your house to invest, I’ll count you as a minor shareholder. You’ll receive dividends at the end of the year.”

Seeing him change the subject, Xie Dongcheng breathed a sigh of relief, “I don’t need a salary.”

Yu Zi glanced at him, “Don’t pull that with me. I won’t fall for it. Take the money I give you.”

“But what are your plans for that four hundred thousand?” Xie Dongcheng remembered Wei Yunli’s request and asked.

“Mr. Supervisor, are you already meddling in company finances?” Yu Zi teased him.

“I’m just thinking, if the current funds aren’t enough. I can release the mortgage on Fangjiyuan first, then reevaluate it with a bank. We can borrow up to 70% of the assessed value. This way, our startup capital will be sufficient.”

Yu Zi paused for half a minute before speaking, “When did you find out about all this?”

Xie Dongcheng, feeling somewhat embarrassed, touched his earlobe, “I can’t just not learn anything, can I?”

All along, Yu Zi hadn’t told Xie Dongcheng too much about the finances, partly because he didn’t want to pressure him and partly because he believed he could handle it himself.

But he hadn’t expected Xie Dongcheng to calculate so much on his own.

“What’s wrong?” Xie Dongcheng waved his hand in front of his eyes.

Yu Zi’s Adam’s apple bobbed, “Nothing.”

After a few more seconds, he shook his head at Xie Dongcheng, “There’s no need to re-mortgage. With the fifteen thousand Wang Jing returned and the restaurant’s monthly income, I should be able to gather around four hundred thousand. And Wei Yunli didn’t say it had to be paid all at once. She intends to use it for the daily maintenance of the vineyard, so paying in installments shouldn’t be a problem.”

Xie Dongcheng nodded, “But what about other expenses afterward, like hiring people, marketing, etc.? What if we don’t have enough initial funds?”

“Tsk, little secretary, you’ve learned quite a bit behind my back, huh?” Yu Zi raised an eyebrow.

“Isn’t it natural to learn from you?” Xie Dongcheng replied.

Yu Zi chuckled and shook his head at him, “No matter how we manage to gather our money, it won’t be enough. Pushing Shandai into the market for Wei Yunli is a huge move. It might require close to seven figures.”

Xie Dongcheng counted in his mind, “So much money?!”

Yu Zi nodded, “Yes. Brand positioning, market development, everything in the early stages requires money.”

When it came to business, Yu Zi’s gaze sharpened again, “So, we can’t use our own money. The risk of going it alone is too high.”

“But where do we find so much money?” Xie Dongcheng furrowed his brow.

Yu Zi gently smoothed out the wrinkles between his eyebrows, “We find big investors.”

“Who do we find?” Xie Dongcheng asked.

Yu Zi already had his own plan in mind.

“Paul.”