Qi Ji certainly looked good in that outfit. Zong Lin cast another glance at the young man and couldn’t help but admire him.
Even for someone like Zong Lin, who had grown accustomed to professional runway shows, this visual presentation made him take notice.
Previously, he hadn’t known who the styled subject was and had relied on Pei Yusheng’s descriptions when selecting clothes. He hadn’t expected that Pei—usually so indifferent about fashion—would have such a sharp eye when choosing Qi Ji’s outfits.
“You’ve got a good eye for style when thinking like a gay man,” Zong Lin said sincerely, “much better than when you act like a straight man.”
The implication was subtle, and Qi Ji didn’t immediately catch it. When he looked up at the man being called “gay,” he showed no reaction, simply saying, “Thank you for your hard work.”
Pei’s calm response left little room for speculation. Qi Ji could only guess that “straight” and “gay” were perhaps just labels for measuring aesthetic taste. The “hard work” seemed directed at Zong Lin for his daily outfit coordination efforts.
“Not hard work at all,” Zong Lin replied, knowing that Pei meant he was doing the work of two people. After all, his pay had covered two people’s duties.
He glanced at Qi Ji again, quite satisfied. The outfit looked great—worth the second job, indeed. He waved, took the clothes, and left, leaving Qi Ji bewildered.
Before he could ask, Pei said, “It’s time. Get ready to go.”
Qi Ji tugged at his new outfit and was about to change shoes when Pei added, “There’s someone you’ll meet today.”
“Who?” Qi Ji asked.
“Later this afternoon,” Pei replied, without giving details.
At Yuntu Company, everyone had been busy since early morning. Tomorrow was the contract signing, and headquarters’ executives had arrived today, so Yuntu staff were handling the preparations.
The Qingpu Lake campus was massive—one of SeaStar’s next major plans. Rumors circulated that a high-profile guest would be coming, with some speculating it might even be SeaStar’s chairman, Xu Yuncheng. Though unconfirmed, whoever it was, the guest would surely be at least G20-level.
Anticipation ran high.
By late morning, aside from technical staff on duty, management and logistics teams were fully engaged in reception duties. Qi Ji was part of one team, working alongside colleagues he was familiar with. Beyond the work chat, they had a private group for “information exchange”—really just gossip.
It had been over a month since the company meeting, yet excitement over Pei Yusheng’s impressive display lingered. Naturally, gossip still revolved around him.
Around noon, as Qi Ji finished checking forms, a message popped up in the group chat.
【Hey, remember those titles used for Pei Yusheng at the last company meeting?】
Since everyone was free, replies came quickly.
【Titles? CEO?】
【Not just that, wasn’t there something about the board?】
【Yeah, he’s listed as a SeaStar board member and Yuntu CEO.】
Realization dawned:
【SeaStar board? That’s the headquarters board, right?】
【??? Headquarters???】
【Isn’t the HQ board only twenty members?】
【Yes! I just checked the official website—the list was updated recently, and Pei’s name is now included.】
Shock spread across the chat.
【He must be the youngest board member, right? The others are all over forty.】
【Incredible… under thirty and already on the board.】
【Probably because of the Qingpu Lake campus deal. Pei used his own company funds to acquire the land.】
【He’s only been at Yuntu for less than six months!】
Even with full recognition of Pei Yusheng’s abilities, joining the SeaStar board within half a year was astonishing. Curiosity about him continued to grow.
The chat buzzed on, but lunchtime arrived. A call from Li Anbei pulled Qi Ji’s attention away.
At the restaurant, Li Anbei and Chen Zixuan were already there. Li Anbei gasped on seeing him.
“Who is this? Are you even my Qi Qi? No hoodie!”
Qi Ji paused, then sighed, “…Senior.”
He had been borrowing clothes for days but hadn’t met them while running errands.
Chen Zixuan tilted her head, smiling: “Qi Ji looks really good today.”
Qi Ji, a bit embarrassed despite earlier compliments, said, “Thanks, senior.”
Li Anbei dramatically patted his chest: “I’m shocked and relieved. Qi Qi is finally done with hoodies and T-shirts. Listen to me—even your favorite outfit can’t be worn all the time—look at those programmers; they at least switch colors and lengths.”
“Really?” Qi Ji scratched his head. “I still find hoodies convenient and warm.”
Li Anbei, exasperated by his straight-man thinking, continued: “With looks like yours, hoodies and straight pants are a waste. You just need a boyfriend—or girlfriend—to pick clothes for you. Today’s outfit is proof…”
He paused, realizing something: “Wait, Qi Qi, did your significant other pick this outfit?”
Qi Ji, reaching for his meal card, dropped it in surprise.
Using the excuse to pick it up, he masked his expression: “…No, not at all.”
Li Anbei and Chen exchanged a glance. Chen nudged Li Anbei: “Stop standing there, go get your soup.”
“Oh, right, I’ll go.”
The “significant other” topic ended, and Qi Ji breathed a sigh of relief.
After getting food, Li Anbei and Chen resumed chatting.
“Zixuan, how did you make it here in time for lunch? Wasn’t Deputy Manager Zhang busy?”
“Busy,” Chen replied. “But he went to Hanlin Private Kitchen. They have small tables, not enough for all. He didn’t bring his secretary.”
“Private kitchen?” Li Anbei was curious. “Today they’re hosting HQ executives, but the deputy went there?”
“No, the flight arrives around 1 PM. The HQ execs will dine at the glass-top restaurant opposite. This was a separate reception, only a few people.”
Li Anbei’s curiosity grew: “Hanlin only serves made-to-order private meals, right? Only four tables per session? How could this fit into the schedule?”
Chen explained: “The HQ guests prefer Hanlin’s cuisine. The deputy went two hours early to place the order. You can’t book online.”
Li Anbei marveled: “Who are these people, that even Zhang Deputy has to go to such lengths?”
Chen, lowering her voice, explained: “It’s SeaStar’s Vice Chairwoman, Xu Yunchi.”
Li Anbei was stunned: “The chairman’s younger sister?”
“Yes,” Chen nodded.
“That explains it. If it’s her, a private dining setup is nothing—clearing Disney for a day wouldn’t be surprising either.”
Chen added: “The deputy’s been in a good mood these days, hence the early order.”
Li Anbei was still amazed: “Really her? We’ve never met this big shot, right?”
“Yes,” Chen confirmed. “Xu is low-profile, rarely appearing publicly.”
Qi Ji rarely spoke, but now chimed in: “Is she the 21-year-old who finished her PhD?”
“21?” Chen said. “I don’t know the exact age, but yes, she has a PhD.”
Li Anbei asked: “How do you know, Qi Qi?”
Qi Ji: “I read SeaStar’s history during design work.”
Li Anbei asked: “What else?”
Qi Ji summarized: “Xu is extremely accomplished—Stanford undergrad, MIT master’s and PhD. She published a high-impact SCI paper as an undergrad, and sixteen SCI papers during her grad studies. She graduated early at each stage.”
“Sixteen papers???” Li Anbei was dumbfounded.
Qi Ji explained the significance—most domestic PhDs require only two papers to graduate.
Li Anbei asked about her major. Qi Ji replied: “Communications engineering—rigorous, non-pluggable field, aligned with SeaStar’s focus. Some say she actually founded SeaStar.”
Chen confirmed: “Professionally, she’s the expert; the chairman is business-focused, Harvard MBA. Xu is the exception among the family heirs.”
Chen elaborated: Xu’s grandfather was a shipping magnate, her father a renowned tycoon. Other heirs managed the family business, but SeaStar started as Xu Yunchi’s birthday gift, unexpectedly growing into a major enterprise.
Li Anbei: “This is like a storybook princess in real life…”
Chen added: “By today’s economic standards, even foreign royalty might not match her wealth.”
Thus, the reception today would be truly grand.
Li Anbei asked about Pei: “Will Pei Yusheng also attend?”
Chen shook her head: “Not sure. His assistant rarely shares info with us. Tomorrow’s signing will keep him busy.”
Chen continued: “Assistant Zhou is incredible. Though new to SeaStar, he adapted fully in two weeks. But his personality… so cold, almost out-of-place—more mysterious than Pei himself.”
Qi Ji nodded, agreeing. Zhou’s mysterious nature was clear—he had never been seen outside the company, and Pei mostly contacted him by phone.
Thinking of Pei reminded Qi Ji about the afternoon meeting. With HQ executives arriving and Vice Chairwoman Xu visiting, he wondered if there would be time to go out at all.
With that question in mind, Qi Ji finished lunch and returned to the office. The executives had just landed and would take time to arrive and dine; it wasn’t yet time for him to get busy. He opened his computer, planning to work on a draft during the lunch break.
Not long after he started working, the group chat exploded again.
The notifications were flying so fast that Qi Ji absentmindedly clicked open the chat, planning to set it to “Do Not Disturb” if nothing urgent appeared.
But the moment he glimpsed the conversation, he froze.
The first message, igniting a frenzy of discussion, read:
【Did you guys see the shocking news!!!!!!】
A line of exclamation marks forced the chat bubble to break onto a new line. Someone replied:
【What shocking news? Pei’s girlfriend exposed?!】
It was obviously a joke—the group had just spent the morning gossiping about Pei Yusheng—but the first poster responded:
【Ah? You all already know?!】
And just like that, a wave of messages surged. Qi Ji’s attention was drawn to a single word: girlfriend?
He realized that Pei Yusheng had never mentioned any such thing.
Having been his caretaker for so long, Qi Ji had even run into Pei’s mother once—but never Pei’s girlfriend. Perhaps, like Assistant Zhou, she was just connected to the Pei family through other channels?
Lost in thought, Qi Ji continued dragging his mouse across AE. To an observer, his movements seemed fluid and deliberate, gradually forming the outlines of the design. But anyone looking closely would notice he was acting mechanically, without real thought—if Lina saw, she’d probably make him redo it.
Meanwhile, new messages kept streaming in. Everyone was clearly captivated by Pei’s romantic life. Previously, gossip had stalled because Pei revealed almost nothing personal. Early on, rumors suggested he was a relative of SeaStar’s senior management—but no one in the executive team had the surname Pei. Interest had faded, only to revive as people became more intrigued by the young CEO.
Now, this “explosive” news set the chat ablaze. The first poster clarified:
【I saw it around noon, but it’s still speculation—everyone’s just guessing.】
Curious colleagues pressed: 【How do you know?】
【Apparently someone from the purchasing team saw it near the office complex. A coworker went shopping nearby and ran into them; now the news has spread.】
Encouraged by the group, they described it in detail:
【The colleague saw them outside the complex, apparently heading to lunch but didn’t go upstairs. They sat together in the back seat; Pei got out first, shielding the girl from bumping her head with his hand. When she got out, he offered his arm—very gentlemanly. They went to eat alone; even his assistant didn’t follow.】
The account was flattering but not definitive.
Someone asked: 【Are you sure she’s a girlfriend? Could she be HQ staff needing reception?】
Others dismissed it: 【HQ people just arrived, and they’re dining at the rooftop restaurant. Why would Pei eat alone without his assistant?】
The witness added: 【Judging from their position, maybe they went to Hanlin, that tough-to-get private kitchen.】
The group speculated: 【Private kitchen sounds like personal business, not official reception.】
【Yes, the colleague said Pei seemed relaxed with her, completely at ease.】
【True—Pei’s usually so composed. If he’s visibly relaxed, their relationship must be close.】
Then the more pressing question arose: 【What does she look like? Pretty?】
The poster relayed the description:
【Extremely, extremely, extremely beautiful!】
Three emphatic “extremely”s—high praise indeed.
【At first glance, I thought she was a celebrity. She dresses modestly, no visible designer brands, just a white dress. She’s so slim and fair, completely radiant—like a princess.】
The group reacted with awe: 【Wow, that beautiful?】
【Pei himself is striking—sounds like they’d make a perfect pair.】
The witness continued: 【She seems slightly older than Pei.】
Speculation followed: 【An age-gap romance?】
Discussion raged on, leaving Qi Ji unable to finish his draft. Notably, he never set the chat to silent.
After the HQ executives landed, they planned to tour the company and then hold a meeting. Reception duties were assigned to each team, but Qi Ji was summoned individually by the director.
The director asked him to go to the first-floor lobby, where the greeters were already prepared. Red carpets were laid, flanked by flower arrangements—an impressive scene.
Qi Ji found the person in charge: Chen Zixuan.
“You did the SeaStar snacks project, right? It made a notable impression at HQ. That’s why they called you separately—some executives might want to meet you,” she explained.
“Meet me?” Qi Ji was surprised.
“Probably just to commend you. Don’t be nervous—it’s a good thing. But it depends on whether the executives have time. Just follow me; if nothing happens, you can head back afterward.”
Deputy Manager Zhang had another assistant, while Chen positioned Qi Ji in a visible spot on the red carpet.
Soon, the first car arrived: a silver Cayenne sparkling under the winter sun. The figure stepping out immediately captured everyone’s attention.
It was Pei Yusheng.
He wore a blue-gray suit, perfectly tailored to his lean, tall frame. Instead of stepping forward, he circled the car and opened the rear door.
Everyone stared, astonished that Pei himself was assisting someone from the car. Only Qi Ji quietly understood the full scene.
From his vantage point, he saw every detail—Pei shielding the car roof, offering his arm, guiding the other person down.
It perfectly matched the gossip about Pei’s “girlfriend.”
She stepped out, arm linked with Pei’s. The Cayenne rolled away slowly, exposing her to all eyes.
Qi Ji’s breath caught.
Before his mind fully processed it, his body had instinctively gone still. The woman before him was dazzling—like a pearl cradled in an oyster, her fair, luminous skin practically glowing.
As a designer accustomed to analyzing aesthetics, Qi Ji abandoned all technique. He simply felt that her beauty was pleasant and magnetic.
It was stunning without being overwhelming. Her aura was gentle, elegant—something only a person from a prominent family could naturally exude.
She drew every gaze effortlessly.
The room fell silent; even the prepared flowers and applause seemed frozen.
It wasn’t until Deputy Manager Zhang’s car arrived that people recovered and began clapping.
Executives arrived one by one, but attention lingered on the first guest. Most had no idea who she was, only guessing from her interaction with the Yuntu management that she must be a visiting HQ manager.
Chen Zixuan whispered in curiosity: “She looks… familiar?”
Noticing Qi Ji staring, Chen whispered to him while clapping: “I remember—she took a photo with Deputy Zhang.”
“Photo?”
“Yes. That photo is still on his desk, in the most prominent spot.”
Recalling the private lunch, Chen realized: “Oh, so this must be Vice Chairwoman Xu.”
“Wow…” she exclaimed, “I thought the photo was retouched. She’s even prettier in person.”
Qi Ji, puzzled, thought: “But the chairman… isn’t he in his fifties?”
Xu Yunchi was the chairman’s younger sister—probably over forty. Yet before him stood someone who looked nothing like middle-aged.
Chen teased him: “Don’t ask a woman’s age—it’s forever a secret.”
Qi Ji looked at the guest again—and their eyes met.
Before he could react, she smiled at him. Gentle, soft, like a spring breeze.
Qi Ji froze, his ears burning. She… was unbelievably beautiful.
After smiling at Qi Ji, Xu turned to speak quietly with Pei Yusheng. He looked at Qi Ji in turn.
Qi Ji hadn’t yet processed being observed by both, when Pei suddenly extended his hand toward him.
Startled, Qi Ji pointed at himself. Pei nodded.
All eyes were on him now. Chen whispered: “Go, Qi Ji.”
His steps onto the soft red carpet were stiff, cautious. As he approached, Pei’s hand rested naturally on his back, warm and reassuring—but Qi Ji felt no comfort.
Seeing Xu Yunchi up close only heightened his nerves. He had no idea why he was summoned. Pei didn’t introduce him, merely said:
“This is the person I wanted you to meet today.”
Qi Ji didn’t understand—but Xu smiled at him again, as gentle as before.
“Qi Qi, right? Hello.”
Hearing that voice, Qi Ji froze completely.
His memory was flawless, and the impression was too vivid. Instantly, he recognized the voice—
The same Miss Xu he’d heard at the sanatorium, when he had curled against Pei Yusheng, separated only by a blanket.
Qi Ji never expected that the legendary genius, Vice Chairwoman Xu Yunchi of SeaStar—
Was… Pei Yusheng’s mother.