Ouyang Qianqian's words made Ye Tiancheng feel a bit embarrassed, and he scratched his head awkwardly.
"That's true, but unfortunately, Miss Su isn't with me anymore. In my current situation, I'm probably not worthy of a rich young lady."
After Ye Tiancheng said this, Ouyang Qianqian became even happier, because as long as Ye Tiancheng was single, she had a chance.
She had fallen in love with Ye Tiancheng at first sight. The moment she saw him in the bar, she thought he was a handsome and extraordinary young man.
Now that she knew he was a former young entrepreneur, she understood why Ye Tiancheng had such a good demeanor.
Someone who had once earned billions must have an exceptional mind; a businessman's brain couldn't be like that of an ordinary person.
Although Ye Tiancheng was down on his luck now, he had potential. A man who was both handsome and capable of making money was an excellent prospect.
"Don't say that. Didn't I just tell you that it's hard for rich young ladies to find boyfriends? They're always worried that people are after their money. You should introduce some good prospects to me. I'm worried about not getting married."
"Don't worry, Miss Ouyang. We'll push the best male friends resources to you."
Seeing that Ye Tiancheng was still quite enthusiastic towards her, Ouyang Qianqian felt very pleased.
It was difficult for a woman to directly express her interest in Ye Tiancheng, so she had to hint at it, strongly conveying her desire to find a boyfriend, hoping Ye Tiancheng would understand her intentions.
"Actually, I've wanted to find a boyfriend for a long time. I did waste some time before, and it was quite a failure."
"There's nothing to be ashamed of. Being single is being a noble. I think, as a successful woman, being born into the wealthy Ouyang family is already a success. There's no need to talk about relationships; you can focus on business with a clear mind."
Before, Ouyang Qianqian had followed Ye Tiancheng's advice and didn't want to find a boyfriend, feeling that having one would restrict her. Being single was more relaxing.
She could drink heavily with her friends, or pack her bags and go on a trip without needing anyone's permission.
If she had a boyfriend, it would be different, and if she got married and had children, she would be even less free.
This was Ouyang Qianqian's twenty-six-year commitment to singlehood. However, she didn't expect youth to slip away so quickly. Looking back, twenty-six years had passed in the blink of an eye, and she was starting to feel anxious.
Ye Tiancheng's appearance had rekindled Ouyang Qianqian's hope of finding a boyfriend.
"I definitely have to pursue my career, but I also want to find a boyfriend."
"Don't worry, girls with your qualifications can find boyfriends with ease. I'm afraid men will be scrambling for your attention."
This was Ye Tiancheng's genuine thought, not an attempt to flatter the Ouyang family. He had an irreconcilable feud with the Ouyang family, so flattery would be useless.
Fortunately, this girl was quite understanding and hadn't become his enemy because of the matter with his sister-in-law.
They chatted quite happily. In the blink of an eye, their coffee was finished, and Ye Tiancheng had to return to the company. Ye Tiancheng specifically explained to Ouyang Qianqian that he was currently an assistant and couldn't be out for too long, otherwise, he might be caught making mistakes, and if his bonus was deducted as a penalty, it would be another blow to his already tight finances.
"I understand. Then hurry back to work. We'll arrange another meeting later. I've already saved your contact information."
As a man, and having promised to treat Ouyang Qianqian to coffee, Ye Tiancheng was naturally expected to pay. However, the two cups of coffee cost 128 yuan, which was a big problem for Ye Tiancheng, who had only brought 100 yuan to buy books.
"Uh, may I ask if this can be a bit cheaper? Is 100 yuan okay?"
Haggling prices at a flea market might be considered thrifty, but haggling at a coffee shop like this, Ye Tiancheng was probably the first.
"I'm a member here, so it shouldn't be that expensive. I'll pay."
Ye Tiancheng didn't feel embarrassed at first, but Ouyang Qianqian truly didn't have the bad habits of rich young ladies; her entire demeanor was very pleasant.
Moreover, Ye Tiancheng greatly admired Ouyang Qianqian, finding her decisive and courageous in her actions.
"Miss Ouyang, you're so decisive, beautiful, and capable. If you don't succeed, who will?"
Because of Ye Tiancheng's kind words, Ouyang Qianqian didn't say much that day, but the next day, she directly presented a major project, also with the intention of pursuing Ye Tiancheng.
With the help of a woman, Ye Tiancheng was directly promoted to assistant director in the marketing department.
The company's system was clear about rewards and punishments. Since Ye Tiancheng had secured a major project, he was bound to be promoted. Ye Tiancheng felt a little nervous facing his new colleagues in the marketing department.
"Let me introduce myself. I am the new assistant director of our marketing department. My name is Ye Tiancheng."
After Ye Tiancheng finished speaking, everyone started to applaud. What made Ye Tiancheng happiest was that his salary had doubled after his promotion. Once he received his salary this month, he would finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Alright, thank you for your hard work. After welcoming our new colleague, everyone should return to their posts. Our tasks today are very tight."
The Director Chen who spoke was a good person with an excellent reputation in the company. Otherwise, he wouldn't have held the position of marketing director for three consecutive years.
Director Chen was nearing fifty but remained unmarried. At his age, what was there to talk about in relationships? It was rumored that he had suffered setbacks in his past relationships, and he was also a non-marriage advocate, likely to live alone for the rest of his life, which would be less troublesome.
Of course, that was just on the surface. Ye Tiancheng was unlucky. Just two days after being transferred to the marketing department, due to work, he had to treat a client to dinner at a restaurant. There, he saw Director Chen on a blind date with an older woman.
This was a socially fatal incident. In fact, the most embarrassing person when their superior was caught on a blind date was the superior. Ye Tiancheng feared that Director Chen would find ways to make things difficult for him.
Ye Tiancheng knew something was wrong, so he was deliberately cautious, but he still couldn't escape. That day, after his colleagues had left, the director kept Ye Tiancheng to work overtime and then, intentionally or unintentionally, brought up a topic.
"You think, at my age, I shouldn't get married anymore?"
"Director, you haven't brought this up before. I think it's quite meaningful. With your current health, you're still young. If you want to find someone, you can definitely look for a partner."
Seeing Ye Tiancheng say this, the director's expression improved considerably. Otherwise, he might have worried that Ye Tiancheng would look down on him, acting one way in front of him and another behind his back, advocating singlehood publicly while going on blind dates privately.
"What about you? Aren't you about to get married to Miss Hou? Do you two plan to have children in the future?"
This question, if answered poorly, could also be a fatal one: "I love children the most, but this depends on what Mingzhu thinks. It would be wonderful if we could have a little girl."
Ye Tiancheng said these words without any real conviction, just to appease Director Chen, fearing that if their opinions on marriage and relationships clashed, it would create a bad impression of him in the leader's eyes, leading to further trouble.
"Then what do you think? Do I look old?"
Ye Tiancheng hadn't considered this question before, but now he had to. Director Chen was nearly fifty. He didn't look particularly old, but the traces of time were evident.
Even with excellent grooming, he must have been over forty. His clothing was stylish, making him look quite young, and he wore an expensive watch, giving him an air of wealth. Wealth naturally brought charisma.
Ye Tiancheng carefully considered that he was currently working under someone else and should abide by the rules, not be as outspoken as he was before.
Now, he had to think before speaking. People needed to be more adaptable to get by in society.
One must flatter their superiors. He was just a minor employee. If the director was displeased, Hou Mingzhu wouldn't truly protect him, and Ye Tiancheng worried about losing his livelihood.
Amidst a series of unfortunate events, there was some good news. In the afternoon, Fatty woke up. After waking, he would face a hefty medical bill, so Ye Tiancheng had to consider things more carefully. In short, he couldn't be willful and had to tell the truth.
"Director Chen, are you really forty-six? You don't look it. I feel like your face is particularly youthful and energetic. You look only in your early thirties."
After saying this, Ye Tiancheng felt disgusted with himself. It seemed that flattering wasn't easy, and the hardest part was overcoming his own conscience.
"I'll tell you the truth, I don't consider you an outsider. We get along quite well, and I see you as a friend. I recently went on a blind date with a lady who seemed to be a good match in all aspects, except I think she looks a bit unfashionable."
Flattery proved to be quite effective. Through Ye Tiancheng's persistent flattery, Director Chen's distance from him instantly closed, and they could even share more intimate conversations.
"What is she like? Can you show me?"
Director Chen took out the photo of the blind date lady from his phone and showed it to Ye Tiancheng. Ye Tiancheng then remembered that it was the same lady he had bumped into on the blind date that day.
She did look a bit unfashionable, but she appeared very virtuous and had a proper face.
"Doesn't she look quite likable? Director Chen, I think you shouldn't be too picky. The most important thing when marrying a woman is to marry someone virtuous. If not, you can consider plastic surgery. Many cosmetic procedures are very popular now; they can completely transform a person. With your wealth, you can help her get some work done. Ladies love beauty, and I'm sure she'd be willing."
Director Chen couldn't stop praising Ye Tiancheng for being smart and resourceful. The suggestion was indeed feasible and solved his urgent problem.
"That's great! That lady actually mentioned wanting to change her appearance, but I thought it was a bit unreliable."
"I know a very good plastic surgeon. That surgeon has many successful cases. We can get your girlfriend a nose job and jaw reduction; it would only cost a few hundred thousand yuan for you, which is pocket change. It will definitely guarantee to make her look ten years younger. You're not short of money for this."
After Ye Tiancheng's suggestion, a plastic surgeon was quickly arranged. Even before the swelling subsided from the recent procedure, the results greatly pleased Director Chen, who immediately sent Ye Tiancheng a large red envelope of 20,000 yuan.