On the bus, Yan Hai fastened his seatbelt and, feeling a bit sheepish, smiled at Jin Youtiao as she boarded. “Chairman Jin, we’re really imposing on you by tagging along!”

Jin Youtiao was a little puzzled.

She wasn’t stingy about sharing her company’s seats and resources, but she hadn’t expected the other party to accept her casual invitation so readily.

It made sense for Yan Hai to come along—he seemed like someone who wouldn’t miss an opportunity. But the billionaire Jiang Bai in the wheelchair? His notoriously peculiar temperament wasn’t something she imagined would be compatible with this kind of social activity.

Still, she kept her doubts to herself and smiled as if nothing were amiss. “It’s no big deal. The more, the merrier.”

The more, the merrier indeed. The employees of Mingde Company were already letting loose on the bus, with many pressing their faces against the windows, pointing outside and commenting:

“Is that truck carrying all our barbecue supplies?”

“Wow, that’s a big load.”

“Doesn’t the resort provide barbecue materials?”

“Are you stupid? The resort’s stuff can’t possibly be as good as what we bring ourselves.”

“True that.”

---

Jin Youtiao sat in the front, while Yan Hai, still feeling a little awkward, turned to Jiang Bai. “Brother Jiang, I didn’t expect you’d actually want to come along. Weren’t you saying earlier how busy you were today? After our meeting with Mingde, didn’t you have something else to handle?”

Jiang Bai stared blankly for a moment before replying, “When I heard the team-building event was at the Haishan Resort, I thought I’d like to visit again.”

The chatter of the Mingde employees seemed muffled, as though blocked by an invisible barrier.

Yan Hai, hearing Jiang Bai’s response, had a look of realization and sighed nostalgically. “Yeah, back then, they went to Haishan too. It’s a great spot, the best-developed scenic resort in the entire city. Remember how our company’s first team-building event was also there?”

Jiang Bai’s heart twinged briefly with pain.

“Those were the days. Every month, when we reviewed the reports, we’d get all ambitious about going public,” Yan Hai reminisced with a self-deprecating laugh. “At the year-end party two years ago, someone even suggested going back there again. You and I said that with our performance, the next team-building event would be even grander. Who’d have thought we wouldn’t even make it to the end of last year?”

Jiang Bai’s hand trembled slightly by his side. “Yeah.”

Yan Hai patted his shoulder. “Chairman Jin is generous to bring us along. Forget the past for now. Treat it as revisiting old grounds and take a good look at the place where our company rose.”

Jiang Bai chuckled faintly after a pause. “Yeah, one last good look.”

Xu Wan noticed Jin Youtiao board the bus with two young men. They had proper, honest faces and seemed familiar with her, which made Xu Wan take a few extra glances.

She was already troubled by two others—Luna and Ma Le—so who were these two?

Turning to her colleague from Mingde, she asked, “Are they friends of Chairman Jin?”

The colleague from HR glanced at the two men and recognized them immediately. Smiling, she explained, “Chairman Jin was looking for some helpers. These two were introduced by a headhunter but didn’t plan to stay after the interview. They heard about our team-building event and decided to tag along for fun. Why, Sister Xu? Something wrong?”

“Oh, nothing,” Xu Wan said, feeling reassured.

She leaned against the window and pulled out a book from her bag to read.

Her colleague noticed the book and raised an eyebrow. “Sister Xu, you’re reading a cookbook?”

Xu Wan nodded and held up the book titled Beginners, Don’t Be Scared! Learn Simple Home Cooking in 3 Minutes! “I’m learning to cook.”

The cookbook, a gift from Jin Youtiao, was indeed beginner-friendly. Xu Wan’s cooking had improved significantly after poring over it many times.

However, as she flipped to the next page, she froze briefly and leaned in closer.

How strange. While cooking stir-fried beef recently, she had accidentally splashed oil onto this very page, leaving a stubborn stain that couldn’t be wiped clean no matter how hard she tried.

Now, the oil stain was gone.

---

At Jingmao, before a meeting began, Jiang Sen stopped by Shen Qiming’s office. His assistant informed Shen Qiming, who was busy at his desk, reviewing a book.

Noticing the familiar, cutesy cover that he himself had meticulously inspected during delivery, the assistant was momentarily speechless. “… Mr. Shen, it’s time.”

Shen Qiming gave a quiet acknowledgment, naturally closing the book and stacking it neatly atop his notes before setting it aside.

It was only then that the assistant realized Shen Qiming had been taking notes while reading the cookbook.

Shen Qiming picked up his prepared files and walked out, noticing his assistant still standing there, staring at his desk with rare astonishment.

He frowned. “Why aren’t you moving?”

The assistant realized they had made a mistake and quickly recovered, worried about Shen Qiming’s dissatisfaction. They quickly asked a question to redirect attention: “Mr. Shen, did I find the correct book?”

Hearing the assistant double-checking their work, Shen Qiming’s furrowed brows relaxed. He nodded slightly. “That’s right. I couldn’t find it at two different stores, but you got it quickly. Good work.”

Jiang Sen, who was waiting nearby, laughed upon hearing this and teased the assistant, “Not bad, kid. Even our Mr. Shen couldn’t find the book, but you managed. Your work skills are really improving.”

The assistant responded awkwardly, “… Thank you, Mr. Shen. Thank you, Mr. Jiang.”

If being good at using Taobao counts as a strong work skill, then sure.

Jiang Sen didn’t ask what book Shen Qiming had requested, demonstrating his good sense of boundaries.

Besides, knowing Shen Qiming’s taste in hard-to-find books, Jiang Sen could guess.

If it wasn’t a financial publication, it must have been a rare antique book. For someone as dull as Shen Qiming, what else could it be?

---

At the Haishan resort area near the leisure campgrounds, the cooking equipment delivered earlier was neatly arranged alongside the equipment provided by the resort.

The employees of Mingde Company, who seemed like wild dogs let loose, ran around the campgrounds and mountain trails, dragging Jin Yaotiao along.

“Chairwoman Jin, come with us!”

“Before coming here, the office checked out guides to the Haishan resort area. They all said the Haishan Cliff up ahead is breathtaking and super popular with influencers. You must come and see it!”

Jin Yaotiao had been especially busy lately and rarely had time to relax. Feeling in good spirits, she agreed and followed them.

The Haishan Cliff was a magnificent natural wonder formed by massive rocks. It was indeed beautiful. Looking out, the deep canyon below revealed an endless expanse of stone beaches glistening in the sunlight.

Those afraid of heights stayed far away.

Leaning against the guardrail, Jin Yaotiao looked down a few more times, her heart tightening as she reminded the employees nearby, “Be careful. Don’t get too close.”

Just as she spoke, she turned her head and saw Jiang Bai leaning over the railing, looking out.

Not in his wheelchair this time, Jiang Bai stood tall—though not as towering as Shen Qiming, he was easily over 1.8 meters. Leaning out like that made it seem like he was about to fall.

It startled Jin Yaotiao. “Mr. Jiang!”

Hearing her voice, Yan Hai, Jiang Bai’s business partner, rushed over. But before he could reach him, Jiang Bai had already straightened up.

Jiang Bai turned to meet Jin Yaotiao’s gaze and smiled. “Did you need something, Chairwoman Jin?”

Frowning, Jin Yaotiao studied him closely once again, sensing something was off.

The emotion in his eyes was like a dead, stagnant pool—completely lifeless.

She grew cautious and told the employees, “Let’s head back to the camp.”

On the way back, Yan Hai nervously glanced at Jiang Bai. “Brother Jiang, you weren’t just now…?”

Jiang Bai smiled faintly at him. “What are you thinking?”

Yan Hai felt slightly reassured. “I thought so. Someone as resilient as you wouldn’t do anything foolish.”

Jiang Bai glanced back at the Haishan Cliff behind them and murmured, “I wouldn’t trouble Mingde like that.”

There would always be other opportunities to come here, wouldn’t there?

---

Back at the camp, Ma Le was using a blowtorch to light a charcoal fire. As flames roared, he shouted, “It’s going! It’s going!”

The sound of the fire crackling drew cheers and applause from the surrounding employees, who hailed him as a hero.

Feeling triumphant, Ma Le put his hands on his hips and grinned at Jin Yaotiao as she returned. “How’s that? I’m pretty good at lighting a fire, right?”

Expressionless, Jin Yaotiao clapped lightly for him.

Satisfied, Ma Le began ordering people around. “Alright, start bringing all the supplies over!”

Boxes of barbecue skewers specially prepared by Mingde were brought out.

Jiang Bai, who had been quiet on the way back, finally reacted when his partner exclaimed, “Chairwoman Jin, is that pig nose tendon? It’s so rare to see this in the city!”

Hearing the name, Jiang Bai turned his head to look. Sure enough, skewers of pig nose tendons were already being placed on the grill by Mingde employees.

These were ingredients Jin Yaotiao had her father fly in from another region. With China’s vast variety of food, even someone as experienced as Ma Le didn’t immediately recognize pig nose tendons.

When Yan Hai asked, Jin Yaotiao smiled. “You’re familiar with this?”

“Of course!” Yan Hai laughed and nudged Jiang Bai. “Back when we were undergrads in Chongqing, a group of us would treat ourselves to late-night snacks with this whenever we got paid or received scholarship money. Right, Brother Jiang?”

For the first time, Jiang Bai’s smile widened, and his eyes flickered with nostalgia. “Yes, I haven’t had it since moving to the city after graduation.”

He’d been too busy working and wasn’t the type to crave particular foods.

When the company was thriving, he had no shortage of money or lavish meals. Gourmet delicacies filled his daily life, leaving little room to miss simpler dishes.

Yet now, seeing these humble skewers of pig nose tendons, memories flooded back like an unexpected tide.

Ma Le, who prided himself on precision in cooking, felt out of place grilling. Watching him flustered, Jin Yaotiao stepped forward to guide him.

But this time, Jin Youtiao didn’t have to put in much effort.

The employees of Mingde swarmed in, eagerly taking over the tasks.

When it comes to barbecues, food always tastes best when you grill it yourself.

Seeing this, Jin Youtiao invited Jiang Bai and Yan Hai, “Care to join in?”

The food sizzled on the grill, including pork tendons, skewers of lamb, beef, chicken, vegetables, seafood, and even small cubes of beef fat and sausages.

The sight of the neatly cut beef fat brought back memories for Jiang Bai—this and sausages were his go-to snacks during his university days.

He could almost taste it just by looking at it.

After watching for a while, he slowly rolled up his sleeves.

The meat had been marinated in advance, with the beef fat and pork tendons prepared particularly meticulously.

As the heat worked its magic, the surface of the small beef fat cubes started to bubble. The melting fat dripped onto the charcoal, releasing a smoky aroma.

It was as if he’d traveled back in time to the bustling street food stalls of his youth, where a group of broke young people clutched a few hard-earned bills, sipping the cheapest beer and dreaming ambitiously about the future.

The seasonings were, of course, brought from Mingde.

Though barbecue wasn’t something Jin Youtiao usually cooked, her mastery of seasoning made it a breeze.

The seasonings soaked into the fat, and the once-fingertip-sized cubes of beef fat shrank to a third of their original size. Jin Youtiao timed everything perfectly, with Marler monitoring and giving reminders to each person, until it was Jiang Bai’s turn.

Next to him, Yan Hai couldn’t wait and took a bite.