When Qin Chuan rushed out in a hurry, he happened to see Alisha entering the elevator. He sprinted at his fastest speed but was still a step too late. The elevator doors slowly closed.
Through the gap in the elevator doors, Qin Chuan's gaze met Alisha's. He saw that Alisha was actually crying, and she exuded a profound sadness.
The entire process took only two or three seconds, but these brief moments delivered a significant emotional blow to Qin Chuan.
As the elevator doors closed, Qin Chuan, almost at his fastest, dashed towards the stairwell.
They were on the thirty-sixth floor, but Qin Chuan no longer cared.
His mind was filled with a single thought: he had to stop Alisha no matter what and explain everything. He hadn't used her and hadn't intentionally deceived her.
Now, Qin Chuan could only pray that the building was bustling with people, especially since it was dinner rush hour, with people entering and exiting every floor. This would delay her, giving him enough time to race down from the thirty-sixth floor.
Time ticked by. When Qin Chuan reached the twentieth floor, his speed was so great that he slipped and tumbled down the stairs.
The pain made him grimace and gasp, while his once clean suit became dirty and stained.
But he ignored the pain and didn't bother to tidy his clothes. He got up again and rushed down the stairs with the fastest speed he had ever displayed.
When Qin Chuan reached the first floor, he found the elevator doors already open, with a stream of people heading outside.
His eyes quickly scanned the spacious lobby but couldn't find the figure he was looking for.
"Alisha!"
"Alisha!"
Qin Chuan shouted, startling many people who turned to look, surprised at the frantic Asian youth.
"Alisha!"
"Alisha!"
Qin Chuan ignored the varied glances around him, running and yelling with all his might. His voice carried far and wide.
He ran outside the building to a busy street, bustling with traffic.
If Alisha had really left, it would be like finding a needle in a haystack; finding her again would be nearly impossible.
Looking at the bustling street, Qin Chuan's expression turned vacant. Passersby, young and old, pointed at him, some even remarking that the young man had gone mad from the shock.
After an unknown amount of time, Qin Chuan slowly came back to his senses. A look of unprecedented dejection washed over his face. He slumped onto the steps, pulled out a cigarette and a lighter from his pocket.
To his surprise, whether it was fate or a prank, the lighter, which usually worked fine, refused to ignite. Enraged, he flung it far away.
"Damn it!"
If Alisha chose to cut ties with him now, it would mean his trip to America had utterly failed, all his efforts wasted.
Thinking of Fang Rumei and the others waiting expectantly in the hotel, and the bold promises he had made, Qin Chuan's lips curled into a bitter smile.
Since his rebirth, this was seemingly the first time he had experienced failure.
Everything had gone smoothly since he was reborn, both in terms of connections and business. Although there were minor hiccups, they were all insignificant.
But this time, with Alisha, he was reliving his entrepreneurial struggles from his past life.
In that life, he had failed countless times. In the early stages, to build a team and earn his first fortune, he had failed no less than ten times.
But he had persevered through sheer grit!
"Where did it all go wrong?"
After a brief moment of despair, the pain of muscle strain in his thighs helped Qin Chuan calm down. He sat on the steps and began to reflect.
He asked himself if he had done anything out of line that evening. Everything had proceeded according to his plan, which was why he had chosen such a high-end and atmospheric place.
However, an accident had occurred. It was truly baffling!
On the steps, Qin Chuan meticulously recalled the entire process of his date with Alisha that evening. After a long while, he suddenly slapped his thigh. He hissed in pain first, then his face contorted with immense regret.
He knew where the problem lay!
Alisha's outburst had started immediately after he had honestly recounted the entire story.
Although Qin Chuan hadn't known Alisha for long, their relationship had developed at an astonishing pace. With his experience and insight from two lifetimes, he could tell that Alisha was a remarkable woman.
Perhaps, as a top-tier technical talent, she possessed a sense of pride and aloofness, disdainful of worldly matters. Her demeanor exuded an intimidating coolness.
But deep down, she was passionate and bold. Like many women, she enjoyed dressing up, wearing beautiful clothes, and showcasing her perfect figure.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have broken through their physical intimacy so quickly after meeting, becoming inseparable and utterly devoted to each other.
"I'm such a stupid pig. Knowing that Alisha, like many top talents, possesses a shared sense of pride and disdain for worldly affairs, how could I have put money first right from the start?"
Qin Chuan sat on the steps, muttering to himself, his expression filled with regret and remorse.
If Alisha were truly someone who valued money above all else, she wouldn't have angrily resigned from the Dimeng company. With her capabilities, S3 would undoubtedly have offered her a substantial sum to poach her.
Yet, Alisha had refused. This was enough to prove that she was a genuinely professional, top-tier talent, possessing the pride and perhaps even the stubbornness of many intellectuals.
Qin Chuan felt that if he had approached it differently that evening, for example, during their date, he could have casually mentioned that he was traveling in Los Angeles and unintentionally discovered the MP3 project had great market potential, with no existing presence in China.
He could have asked Alisha for her help in setting up a factory in China, co-developing the technology, and perhaps even enjoying a change of scenery. In that case, Alisha might not have refused.
"Alas, you've lived two lives, yet you made such a basic mistake!"
"Different personalities require different approaches!"
"Isn't 'speak to each according to his kind' the most fundamental skill of a businessman?"
Qin Chuan mumbled to himself, his face etched with self-mockery.
"Qin Chuan, Qin Chuan, how have you become so kind? Is it because you slept with her that you feel a sense of pity and subconsciously don't want to deceive her, so you honestly revealed your true intentions?"
As he was muttering to himself, reflecting and mocking, Qin Chuan's nose twitched. He detected a familiar perfume.
At the same time, he sensed someone standing behind him, watching him.
Qin Chuan stiffened his neck and slowly turned his head. Then, he saw a figure with a frosty expression standing motionlessly a few meters away.
Their eyes met in mid-air. Alisha immediately averted her gaze, let out a cold snort, and turned to leave.
"Alisha!"
Qin Chuan was invigorated, jumping up from the ground at his fastest speed and chasing after her.