Xiao Anjing stared at him in disbelief for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Are you out of your mind? You actually believe that? I think you've been fooled."
"Believe it or not, I'll hit you. Are you going to write or not?" Qin Tianyi said with a cold face, exuding a terrifying aura.
Although Xiao Anjing wasn't afraid of his tactics, seeing how serious he was, he solemnly wrote the character "smile" on the talisman paper and handed the pen back to him. "How's my handwriting?"
"It's obvious you didn't practice calligraphy diligently when you were young. It looks like chicken claws," Qin Tianyi said with satisfaction as he sat back down at his desk, not forgetting to insult him.
Xiao Anjing was about to retort indignantly when he noticed that the talisman paper had more than just the character "smile" written on it. There were several, in various fonts, and indeed, the handwriting of some calligraphy masters was present.
He was momentarily speechless. He walked to Qin Tianyi's desk and tapped the surface, saying, "Alright, how many people have you forced to write this?"
"Everyone who enters my office has to leave some of their calligraphy," Qin Tianyi replied, still with a stern, unsmiling face.
Xiao Anjing couldn't help but chuckle and asked, "Who gave you this terrible idea? Is your little princess acting up again?"
"Anyway, I heard this method is effective. Once a hundred 'smile' characters are written, I'll take this 'No-Cry Talisman' back and place it by her crib. That way, Su Su and I can also get a good night's sleep," Tianyi said with firm belief.
Xiao Anjing stopped pouring cold water on him, but he didn't believe that this kind of feudal superstition would work. He teased, "How does it feel to be a dad again?"
"Seeing her smile at me, babbling as if she's about to call me 'Daddy,' that feeling is wonderful," Qin Tianyi's facial features finally softened. "Now, at night, whenever she cries, I'm the one holding and comforting her. Watching her finally fall asleep in my arms, her little nose and eyes so much like Su Su's, and her mouth like mine, brings an indescribable joy."
Hearing this, Xiao Anjing couldn't help but think how wonderful it would be if he and Lan Yu could have a child, preferably a daughter.
But Lan Yu had said she couldn't have children at all, which was why the Xie family had kicked her out.
"You wouldn't understand, not having been a father yourself," Qin Tianyi noticed his interest and quickly asked, "Have you booked your flight to see your mother abroad? You've been asking about these things lately. Have you found someone you like? Did your mother introduce you?"
"What are you talking about? I'm not interested in those girls she introduces. I do want to go see her and spend some time with her, though."
Tianyi felt he wasn't telling the whole truth. From his demeanor, he clearly had someone he liked, but he was very tight-lipped and unwilling to reveal who it was.
"You've been given six months of leave, which should be enough time to spend with your mother," Qin Tianyi said, not wanting to delay his vacation. "What is this unhanded project? Tell me quickly."
Xiao Anjing remembered the important matter and immediately told him about the land they had won in the bid. Due to insufficient funds, development had not yet begun.
Qin Tianyi looked at the information he provided. The location of this land was truly excellent, not far from the river. If it were developed for real estate, it could be used for high-rise buildings with river views, catering to the high-end market and attracting wealthy individuals who wanted to buy luxury homes.
He was silent for a moment, mentally reviewing the details. He also felt that starting this project would require significant capital.
"Not bad. How did you manage to win the bid for such a prime location?"
Xiao Anjing said excitedly, "Probably luck. I didn't have much hope for bidding on this land, but unexpectedly, we won the bid. A company with strong real estate capabilities had its bid disqualified due to issues with its submission. Moreover, the price we won at wasn't too high. This location is practically a steal."
"Alright, I understand. I'll look at this information again and initiate this project at the appropriate time." Qin Tianyi didn't believe in manna from heaven and needed to carefully study this land to see if there were any problems.
"Then I've handed over all my current tasks. I won't be coming to the group tomorrow."
"Got it. Go and enjoy your vacation." Qin Tianyi found him bothersome.
Xiao Anjing waved goodbye and walked out.
Qin Tianyi set aside the materials he brought and continued to process the documents on his desk.
A few steps out of his office, Xiao Anjing saw a senior executive heading to see Tianyi. He quickly stopped him and asked, "Mr. Tang, are you looking for Mr. Qin?"
"Nonsense. Why else would I be here?"
Xiao Anjing made a gesture of holding a pen and writing, asking, "Have you written it yet? Have you practiced calligraphy?"
Mr. Tang found him inexplicable and said anxiously, "Mr. Xiao, I have urgent matters to discuss with Mr. Qin. Please don't joke with me."
Seeing his reaction, Xiao Anjing realized he hadn't been caught by Qin Tianyi to write yet. He asked, "How long has it been since you last entered Mr. Qin's office?"
"What's wrong? I haven't been to see Mr. Qin for a few days. Our department can resolve its own issues and never bothers Mr. Qin easily. We ensure we complete our tasks properly..."
Before he could finish his loyalty pledge, Xiao Anjing, unimpressed, patted his shoulder forcefully and said, "Write well when you go in. Don't let the calligraphy of others outshine yours."
"Mr. Xiao, what do you mean?"
"You'll understand when you go in," Xiao Anjing said with a sly smile, returning to his own office and leaving the bewildered senior executive, Mr. Tang, behind.
Mr. Tang stared blankly for a few seconds, then finally entered. As expected, he also had to write the character "smile" first.
Xiao Anjing sat in his office chair, still laughing. Who would have thought that the usually noble and serious Qin Tianyi would make all the senior executives of the group nervously help him write calligraphy for his beloved daughter?
But after enjoying his private amusement for a while, he thought that if he had a daughter, he might do even more absurd things than Tianyi to make her happy.
The thought prompted him to call Lan Yu again. Although she had said she couldn't have children, he was still unwilling to give up and wanted to try to conceive with her.
Perhaps the problem wasn't with her, but with that young master from the Xie family. Who could say for sure?
The other end answered, her voice cool, "What is it? I'm busy."
Xiao Anjing's voice was suggestive as he said, "Come back early after class. I'll be waiting for you."
"Okay," she replied with a single word, then hung up immediately.
Xiao Anjing put down his phone, feeling that the woman was still reluctant.
Lan Yu's constant attitude was like a very fine needle repeatedly pricking his heart, causing him a dull, uncomfortable ache.
Xiao Anjing tried his best to ignore this inner feeling and began to pack up his office.
Having followed Tianyi for so many years, it was rare to get a six-month vacation. He had already booked his flight to visit his mother abroad next week, and he had booked two tickets.
He planned to take Lan Yu with him to meet his mother, so his mother would know he was married and wouldn't have to worry about matchmaking for him anymore.