120: Chapter 120 Two Names

Qiao Yichen arrived at the gym a few minutes past four, a little later than the appointed time.

He went to the locker room to change first, then walked quickly into the private training area. Tao Lege was already waiting inside, looking down at her phone.

"I'm late, sorry about that," Qiao Yichen said as he walked over, giving an apologetic smile.

Tao Lege looked up and waved her hand, her tone flat. "It's fine, just be on time next time."

After the warm-up, the physical training officially began—quick steps, jumping jacks, lunges, one set after another.

Tao Lege watched from the side, occasionally reaching out to support his waist to adjust his posture, and occasionally saying things like "five more," "hold for ten seconds," or "keep your core tight."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was clear and powerful. The abdominal training that followed was the same; she assisted while he exerted effort. During the stretching and relaxation, she also helped massage his tight muscles; her technique was professional and the pressure was just right.

An hour passed quickly, and Qiao Yichen was soaked in sweat. He went to the shower area to rinse off and changed into clean clothes.

When he came out, he happened to run into Tao Lege at the gym entrance.

"Coach Tao, are you off work?" Qiao Yichen asked casually.

Tao Lege gave a hum of affirmation, her tone still indifferent. "I have something to do, so I'm heading back first."

Seeing that she seemed to be in a hurry, Qiao Yichen followed up by asking, "Where are you going? I have my car, want a ride?"

She hesitated for a moment before giving an address. Qiao Yichen noted it wasn't far from where he was headed later and nodded. "It's right on my way, I'll give you a lift."

Tao Lege nodded and didn't refuse.

As he walked, Qiao Yichen looked down and sent a WeChat message to Zhou Qian, telling her he would be over to pick her up in a while.

Tao Lege followed quietly behind him; neither spoke further, their footsteps echoing softly in the parking lot.

After getting into the car, Qiao Yichen occasionally chatted about daily diet—whether people who work out always have to eat boiled chicken breast, or if they can indulge occasionally. Tao Lege responded briefly; she was silent most of the time, but it didn't feel awkward.

The car stopped at the location Tao Lege mentioned. She said thanks and pushed the door open to get out. After walking a few steps, a man came to meet her; they stood together talking, looking quite close.

Qiao Yichen glanced in the rearview mirror, thinking it was probably her boyfriend.

He didn't think much of it and started the car to head toward Zhou Qian's location.

Arriving at the location Zhou Qian specified, Qiao Yichen slowly pulled over to the curb.

Zhou Qian pulled the door open and sat in the passenger seat, holding a cup of honey pomelo tea. As soon as she was settled, she handed the cup over and said with a smile, "Here, for you."

Qiao Yichen was stunned for a moment and quickly took it. "Thanks, you're too kind."

Zhou Qian smiled, her tone casual yet slightly proud. "I bought it on the way. Give it a try, is it good? It's their signature drink, I quite like it."

Qiao Yichen inserted the straw and took a sip, then nodded. "Not bad, the sweetness is just right. It's quite good."

The corners of Zhou Qian's mouth curled up slightly. She didn't say anything else, but it was clear she was quite happy.

Qiao Yichen checked the navigation and chose a Wanda Plaza not far from where she lived. The car merged back into traffic.

By the time they reached the mall, it was already six o'clock. On the weekend, the mall was at its liveliest, with crowds teeming...

...and bustling; everywhere were families, couples on dates, and shoppers; there were lines even at the elevators.

Qiao Yichen turned to look at Zhou Qian and asked, "Shall we go up first and see what to eat? Is there anything in particular you want?"

Zhou Qian shook her head and walked beside him toward the elevator. "You decide, I'm not picky."

On the fourth-floor dining area, there were queues in front of every restaurant, and various aromas wafted through the air.

Qiao Yichen didn't overthink it and directly chose Tai Er Sauerkraut Fish—it was just right for two people, the environment was quiet, and they wouldn't have to wait too long.

"Is this place okay?" He pointed at the entrance.

Zhou Qian glanced at the people in line and nodded. "You decide, I'll go with whatever you say."

They took a number; there were still seven or eight tables ahead of them.

The two stood outside the shop waiting, chatting idly.

Qiao Yichen casually mentioned going to the gym today, saying the coach praised his fitness but that the workout was tiring. Zhou Qian listened intently, occasionally asking what exercises he did and if it was exhausting. Somehow, the topic shifted to embarrassing stories from his school days—nearly falling during a thousand-meter run, being forced to run laps by the teacher in PE class, or scoring an own goal in a basketball game.

Zhou Qian couldn't help but laugh at his stories, but felt a bit embarrassed after she finished laughing.

By the time their number was called, the sense of distance they had when they first met was gone.

They entered the restaurant and took their seats, and the waiter handed over the menu.

Zhou Qian didn't take it, instead pushing it back. "You order. Anything's fine with me, just get whatever you think is good."

Qiao Yichen didn't decline and quickly checked off a few dishes—sauerkraut fish, spicy chicken, and crispy pork—then handed the menu back to the waiter.

While waiting for the food, Zhou Qian suddenly spoke up, her tone a bit more serious than before. "Are you always this busy on weekends?"

Qiao Yichen was looking down at his phone and looked up at her words. "Hmm?"

Zhou Qian pointed at his phone, her eyes filled with curiosity. "I see you've been typing away. What are you busy with?"

Qiao Yichen waved his phone screen and gave a helpless smile. "A client contacted me out of the blue to finalize some materials and contract details. There's no peace even on the weekend."

Zhou Qian leaned forward curiously. "Clients still look for you on weekends? Your company is that hardworking? Do you get overtime pay?"

"It's not for the company," Qiao Yichen put down his phone and explained casually. "It's just some freelance work I took on—traffic generation windows and such, helping people promote ads to earn some extra cash."

Zhou Qian blinked, only half-understanding. "Oh... then you're actually quite impressive, being able to take on freelance work. How did you get started?"

Qiao Yichen waved it off modestly. "It's just okay, just earning some pocket money. Once you know enough people, the work naturally comes your way."

Zhou Qian pressed further, her eyes sparkling. "Then for this kind of freelance work, how much can you make per order? Is it convenient to say?"

Qiao Yichen thought about it and said truthfully, "A few thousand for the smaller ones, maybe ten or twenty thousand for the larger ones, depending on the client's budget and the size of the project."

"

Zhou Qian's eyes brightened even more, her tone filled with surprise. "That much? That's higher than a month's salary?"

Qiao Yichen was amused by her reaction and added, "It's not every month though, it depends on luck. Sometimes I get several orders in a month, and sometimes none at all. It's unstable."

Zhou Qian nodded and looked at him thoughtfully, something unidentifiable in her gaze.

The food arrived; the sauerkraut fish was steaming and fragrant, and the spicy aroma of the chicken wafted over. The two picked up their chopsticks and chatted as they ate.

Just as the atmosphere was getting lively, Qiao Yichen suddenly changed the subject, his tone as casual as if he were just making small talk. "By the way, when I went to your company for research a few days ago, I met someone from the Marketing Department. While chatting with him, I heard that your company's Mr. Vice President Wang Yiming and Mr. Li Fan seem to be arch-rivals?"

Zhou Qian's chopsticks paused, and she glanced at him, a bit surprised. "Why are you interested in that?"

Qiao Yichen didn't panic; he picked up a slice of fish, put it in his mouth, and after chewing, said slowly, "Our company's Mr. General Manager Zhao Qiming—the one who led the team there that day—complained during a meeting after we got back. He said Mr. Li is quite difficult to deal with and that his suggestions are a bit fanciful and completely impractical."

He lowered his voice and leaned in closer, as if sharing a little secret. "Our Mr. Zhao is famous for his good temper. For him to say something like that, just think about it."

Zhou Qian caught his drift and didn't think much of it; instead, she became interested in the conversation. She put down her chopsticks and lowered her voice. "We in the HR Department don't have much contact with Li Fan, but we've been given a hard time by him a few times." Her tone carried a hint of complaining. "This guy... many people say he's an amateur. Not only does he have poor relations with other departments, but he also doesn't get along with his own people. Yet, word is he has backing, so even if he does a mediocre job, he's fine—no one can touch him."

Qiao Yichen listened intently and chimed in at the right moment, "Then his popularity is indeed quite poor. It's quite a feat to manage that."

Zhou Qian nodded and continued, "Originally, Director Director Zhang He from his department was supposed to be promoted. He's capable and has enough seniority. But then Li Fan was parachuted in and snatched his position directly. Do you think Director Zhang He would be happy? He's been tripping him up both openly and secretly, and the relationship between the two is extremely strained."

Qiao Yichen's heart stirred—Director Zhang He, he noted the name.

On the surface, he feigned a surprised expression and sighed, "Your group really has a lot going on. Our small company is much simpler, without all these twists and turns."

Zhou Qian blinked and laughed. "It's normal, all big companies are like this. You hear a lot of this kind of gossip in the breakroom. I only know so much because I've heard it so often."

Qiao Yichen took the opportunity to say, "By the way, next Tuesday the 20th, we might have to go to your group for another research trip."

Zhou Qian looked at him without speaking, her eyes questioning.

Qiao Yichen smiled, his tone natural. "If there's a chance, shall we have lunch together? If you're not busy, that is."

Zhou Qian nodded, the corners of her mouth curling slightly. "Sure, just let me know in advance."

The conversation then circled back to Qiao Yichen. As they ate and talked, Zhou Qian intentionally or unintentionally asked about his situation—where he lived, how he usually commuted, whether he rented or owned his place, and how long he had been in Hangzhou.

Qiao Yichen didn't hide anything and casually revealed some details: he lived in the Residential Area, usually drove to work, and owned his apartment.

As Zhou Qian listened, the way she looked at him became increasingly different.

Strangely enough, Qiao Yichen felt that chatting with Zhou Qian was becoming more and more harmonious, without the stiffness of forced conversation.

When they finished eating and came out, it was still early, not even eight o'clock.

Qiao Yichen and Zhou Qian walked downstairs together, strolling side by side and chatting idly.

Without realizing when it started, the distance between them closed, and their shoulders would occasionally brush against each other.

Qiao Yichen would say something to tease her from time to time, making Zhou Qian laugh out loud. After laughing, she would feel embarrassed and turn her head away, but her mouth was still curled in a smile.

Passing by a women's clothing store, Zhou Qian's footsteps paused, and her gaze lingered on the display window for a few extra seconds.

Qiao Yichen followed her gaze and said casually, "Want to go in and take a look? Since the weather is getting hot anyway, it's a good time to look at summer clothes."

Zhou Qian hesitated, and before she could speak, Qiao Yichen had already reached out and gently pulled her wrist, leading her inside.

Zhou Qian allowed herself to be led, not pulling away, and simply followed him in.

Once inside, they strolled slowly between the clothing racks.

Zhou Qian would pick up a garment to look at and hold it up in front of the mirror, while Qiao Yichen would offer opinions like "this color looks good" or "that style suits you."

Zhou Qian picked a few items and went to the fitting room. When she came out, she twirled in front of the mirror and asked him what he thought. Qiao Yichen observed and commented seriously, and time slowly passed in this manner.

While Zhou Qian went in to try on clothes again, Qiao Yichen stood outside waiting.

He accidentally caught a glimpse of her phone screen lighting up on the chair—the caller ID showed: Lin Ze.

Just as he saw it, Zhou Qian happened to come out of the fitting room. She walked over quickly, glanced at her phone, and her expression changed slightly.

She instinctively turned her body to hide the screen, then looked up and gave Qiao Yichen an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I need to take a call."

With that, she walked quickly to a corner and took the call with her back to him for less than two minutes.

When she returned after hanging up, her face had clearly darkened, and the relaxed expression from before was gone.

Zhou Qian put her phone in her bag and looked up at him, her tone a bit forced. "How about... we call it a day? I want to go back."

Qiao Yichen nodded, not asking or saying much. "Alright, I'll take you back."

The two left the store and headed to the parking lot.

On the way back, Zhou Qian leaned against the passenger seat and didn't say much.

Qiao Yichen didn't try to force a conversation either, occasionally asking if she was cold or if she wanted to adjust the air conditioning, to which she only gave brief responses.

Regardless of whether that call was from a boyfriend or someone else, Qiao Yichen didn't ask or show excessive concern.

He had already gathered quite a bit of information tonight—Vice President Wang Yiming and Li Fan were arch-rivals, and Director Zhang He was the person whose position Li Fan had snatched. These two names were enough.

The car drove steadily to the place where he had picked her up and slowly pulled over.

Zhou Qian unbuckled her seatbelt, pushed the car door open, and looked back at him. "I'm heading in then."

Qiao Yichen nodded to her. "Okay, get some rest."

Zhou Qian curled her lips in a slight smile, then pushed the door and got out.

Qiao Yichen watched her figure disappear into the entrance of the residential complex before starting the car and leaving.