"You mean Sister Yun? Director Ye called her away!" Qin Chuan said casually.
"Sister Yun, so you call each other that privately?" Li Ya, who was eating, paused.
"Yeah, Ye Meiyun is much older than me. If I don't call her 'sister', should I call her Auntie?" Qin Chuan looked confused.
Ye Meiyun was thirty-two years old, a full ten years older than Qin Chuan, so calling her 'sister' was the most appropriate. Calling her 'Auntie' would probably get him in trouble.
"Do you guys contact each other often? You seem to have a good relationship!" Li Ya asked as if by chance.
"It's okay. My relationship with Sister Yun is complicated. Besides being a lifesaver, we're now collaborating on a project, so we naturally keep in touch!"
"Collaborating on a project? What project? Why haven't I ever heard you mention it?" Li Ya stopped eating, putting down her chopsticks, because she realized she seemed to know less and less about Qin Chuan's affairs. When did Qin Chuan start another business project? She didn't know at all?
"Did I not tell you?" Qin Chuan blinked.
"Tell me what?"
"That it's a project called electronic lockers that I, Ye Meiyun, Xu Ronghua, and of course others, are researching together." Qin Chuan explained.
Li Ya shook her head, "No! You absolutely never told me about this."
Qin Chuan patted his head, "Then I must have forgotten. I'll tell you now." He then recounted the general situation of the electronic locker project to Li Ya.
Li Ya listened, stunned, and finally said, "According to you, you've completely finished this electronic locker project. Now you're just waiting to scale up production, launch it to the market, and see the results!"
"Right!" Qin Chuan nodded and smiled, "Otherwise, why do you think I would dare to casually take over the mess of Xinhua Electronics Factory? I'm not a fool to take on something without some certainty!"
Just as Qin Chuan was feeling smug, he noticed Liι opposite him looking conflicted, her expression complex.
"Sister, what's wrong?" Qin Chuan asked with concern.
"Nothing!" Li Ya waved her hand and said, "Xiao Chuan, I just realized I'm getting to know you less and less. I had no idea about something so significant."
"Perhaps you'll have bigger secrets hidden in the future, and I'll be completely unaware."
Qin Chuan, who had been smiling, suddenly showed a subtle stiffness in his expression. As the saying goes, a guilty conscience is a thief. Business matters were nothing compared to the real trouble with Teacher Yang. If Li Ya knew about Teacher Yang, no matter how much she liked him or how generous she was, she probably wouldn't be able to share her man with another woman. This was a knot he didn't know how to untangle, and for now, he could only take things one step at a time!
Speaking of Teacher Yang, in the past period, thanks to Qin Chuan's persistent efforts and daily messages to Teacher Yang at a fixed time on another phone, Teacher Yang had finally started talking to him again. It seemed that the incident of the forceful kiss was gradually fading, which was good news.
After dinner, Qin Chuan and Li Ya drove home together. As soon as they parked downstairs, they were surprised to see several cars parked at the adjacent small building and many people bustling about, seemingly packing or tidying up. Due to the lighting, their faces were unclear, but both Qin Chuan and Li Ya felt that the voices sounded familiar. The two exchanged glances and drove closer to park.
"Boss Qin, Director Li, you're back!" someone called out.
"Secretary Wang?" Qin Chuan and Li Ya exclaimed in unison, as the person who called out was Wang Ping'an. Not only that, but several familiar faces, people they had met in government offices, were standing next to Wang Ping'an.
"What... what are you all doing?" Li Ya asked curiously.
"Moving! Boss Qin, Director Li, you'll have a new neighbor from now on." Wang Ping'an said with a smile.
"New neighbor? What do you mean?" The two became even more confused.
Just then, a pleasant, magnetic voice suddenly sounded from not far away. A graceful figure, carrying a box of drinks, was enthusiastically handing them out.
"Thank you! Thank you, everyone!"
"Thank you for your hard work tonight!"
Qin Chuan and Li Ya exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of disbelief in each other's eyes. Could the new neighbor Wang Ping'an mentioned be...?
"Hey, Xiao Chuan, Li Ya, you're back?" At this moment, Ye Meiyun spotted Qin Chuan and Li Ya and walked over happily, handing them two bottles of drinks.
Qin Chuan took them, surprised, "Sister Yun, could it be that our new neighbor is you?"
"Yes, it's me!" Ye Meiyun nodded, "Actually, I didn't know you lived here. Secretary Wang told me, and he helped me find the house."
"Boss Qin, the owner of this house is a relative of a director in our unit. When he knew I was looking for a house, he actively recommended this place, saying that his relative was always away and the house in the county town had been vacant for a long time." Wang Ping'an explained.
"After I saw it, I realized it was right next door to your place. I thought it was quite suitable. It would be nice for Sister Meiyun and you to have company on your commute, and it would be safer."
Qin Chuan finally showed a look of understanding and smiled at Ye Meiyun, "Then we're truly neighbors from now on, neighbors at work and neighbors after work."
"Isn't that right!" Ye Meiyun seemed genuinely happy and said subconsciously, "Xiao Chuan, I think we have a very deep connection!"
Qin Chuan was about to reply when he suddenly noticed Li Ya, standing beside him, seemed a bit off. He quickly changed the subject, "Where is Director Ye? Isn't he coming?"
"My brother is on his way. He should be here soon!" As if on cue, car headlights appeared in the distance, and Ye Qingping arrived.
After meeting, there was more warm greeting.
"Director Ye, Sister Yun, and Brother Wang, let them continue with their work. Let's go to my place for some tea and sit for a while!" Qin Chuan invited. Li Ya, now back to normal, added her agreement.
"That sounds good. We haven't had the chance to visit Boss Qin's home yet!" Ye Qingping pondered for a moment and agreed.
"Please!"
A few minutes later, in the cozy home of Qin Chuan and Li Ya, the atmosphere was lively. Li Ya, as the hostess, was busy serving tea and fruits, while Qin Chuan accompanied Ye Qingping, Ye Meiyun, and Wang Ping'an in conversation.
"I'm telling the truth. Don't look at me now as having a considerable fortune and several businesses. The truth is, I don't even have a place to live myself. Even this place belongs to Li Ya, not me!" Qin Chuan said to everyone. If it were a man without any accomplishments saying this, it would have drawn contempt. However, when Qin Chuan said it, it only made the conversation more harmonious and humorous.