The morning sun carried a hint of warmth as it shone down. The streets were damp from the watering trucks, and the air was filled with the scent of dust.
The two chatted sporadically, reaching the studio building in just a few minutes.
When they got out of the car, Xiao Linye said, "Let’s have lunch together."
"I’m afraid I can’t. I may need to go on a business trip today." I have to make a personal visit to Gongshan.
Chen Wei had already purchased the plane tickets.
Xiao Linye furrowed his brows. "You, a jack-of-all-trades, really need to go on a business trip?"
What’s that supposed to mean, looking down on jack-of-all-trades? Of course, having gotten to know him over the past few days, Ye Yuning understood that he didn’t mean it that way.
But frankly, that slip of the tongue just now really didn’t match his earlier rhetoric.
After pondering for a moment, she tried to make her reasons sound seamless. "Don’t jack-of-all-trades also have their specializations? I’m the boss’s right-hand jack-of-all-trades. If she has to travel today, naturally, I have to go too."
Her explanation sounded quite reasonable.
Xiao Linye nodded. "How long will you be gone?"
"To play it safe, usually three days, but the trip might end earlier."
Xiao Linye said nothing more and just added, "Alright, then be careful."
He watched her enter the building before driving away.
Ye Yuning arrived at the studio.
Chen Wei was already prepared. Ye Yuning already had her travel luggage in her office. When the studio first moved out, she was always flying here and there. Finding it a hassle to lug the luggage back and forth, she had left a suitcase in the office.
When Chen Wei saw her, she glanced at the time on her wristwatch. "We should probably get going."
Ye Yuning nodded. "Then let’s go!"
The two turned towards the elevator. Just as the doors opened, Lai Shuo stepped out.
Seeing them with their luggage, he couldn’t help stiffening. "Boss Ye, are you going on a business trip?"
Chen Wei replied, "Yes, we have to leave right now."
Lai Shuo’s teeth ached!
Chen Wei glanced at Ye Yuning, sensing why Lai Shuo had come at this time.
Ye Yuning, for her part, had lost the imposing manner she had the day before. After all, Xiao Li had forced Xiao Shuo to offer her that apology, which was incredibly sincere. No matter how furious she had been, wouldn’t her anger have to dissipate?
She glanced at Lai Shuo and said, "Let’s talk about the Nanjia Peak project when I get back."
"Boss Ye should be aware of this project, and we’re quite tight on time."
Ye Yuning nodded. "I know. Chen Wei will discuss the contractual matters over the phone with you. We’ll be in touch."
Hearing this, Lai Shuo’s previously tense heart finally relaxed. Fortunately, she had finally relented! It seemed that yesterday’s approach was quite effective. If only he’d known earlier, he would’ve had Second Master Xiao take that young heir down a peg right away!
Since she had said as much, he had no reason to continue the conversation and let Ye Yuning and Chen Wei leave.
As the two entered the elevator, Chen Wei, with a troubled expression, stared at Ye Yuning’s back. "Do we really have to continue working with the Xiao Corporation?"
In any case, she didn’t want to! Ever since their studio broke away from the Ye family, they hadn’t had much overtime work, and dealing with the Xiao Corporation was truly demanding.
Hearing the pitiful tone in Chen Wei’s voice, Ye Yuning chuckled lightly. "That’s not certain yet!"
Collaboration? The Xiao Corporation had put them through such misery before; any new collaboration would surely be fraught with major issues.
Chen Wei was taken aback by this.
Before she could speak, Ye Yuning added, "We’ll need to amend the contract. The penalty is too high."
Ye Yuning had only briefly mentioned the penalty clause before! Now, hearing her seriously mention revising the penalty, Chen Wei found it hard to believe.
"How much do you plan to change it to?"
"One hundred thousand, how about that?"
Chen Wei fell silent.
One hundred thousand? Was she serious? To think, the penalty clause in the current contract stipulated three million for a breach. And here she was, casually suggesting a mere 100,000! Wasn’t she afraid of angering the Xiao Corporation’s new president, who might just turn around and deal with her?
"The Xiao Corporation won’t agree to that, will they?" Chen Wei asked, somewhat uneasily.
It felt as though Ye Yuning was joking.
Ye Yuning, catching the implication in her voice, glanced at her and said, "Then that would be a perfect reason not to collaborate!"
No, not collaborate? So, she’d demanded accountability from the Xiao Corporation regarding Xiao Shuo and Ye Tong, only to immediately turn around and deliberately make an issue of the penalty clause? Whether they collaborated or not was entirely up to the Xiao Corporation? This was...!
Chen Wei didn’t realize that Ye Yuning was indeed doing this on purpose. After everything the Xiao Corporation had put her through, there was no way she would willingly pursue further involvement with them.
Xiao Shuo needed to be held accountable, and Ye Tong deserved punishment. But as for this collaboration... that had to be considered carefully!
Ye Yuning now felt quite content.
In just a few short days, the Liwangou project with the Xiao Corporation had concluded.
The Qin Family weren’t causing her trouble, Xiao Shuo dared not bother her, and Ye Tong had no time to bother her!
She went to Gongshan without a care in the world.
But for Ye Tong, things were going poorly!
No sooner had Xiao Shuo come to see her than she received two hefty bills for compensation.