Chapter 398: Homebodies: Inseparable Shadows

The nanny room’s bed was small, but it was just right for two people.

Jiang Qin lay against the wall facing east, while Feng Nanshu semi-sat at the head of the bed, looking prim and proper.

This room was rarely used before, mainly for storage, but perhaps because the summer was too hot and the ventilation was poor, Yuan Youqin had installed a Haier air conditioner while Jiang Qin was away.

The new air conditioner was very powerful and soon the room temperature dropped.

The whooshing cool breeze continuously swept through, bringing a hint of coolness and comfort to the hot summer.

Jiang Qin sprawled wildly on the bed, fiddling with his old phone for a while, only to look up and discover Feng Nanshu’s pale foot swaying in front of him, fragrant and enticing.

Today she wore a white bear T-shirt and white shorts, one leg curled up, the other draped over, reading a children’s storybook titled “The Legend of the Mechanical Monkey,” her foot unconsciously swinging, her pink toes like smooth pearls.

Jiang Qin paused his tapping fingers, suddenly finding his phone less interesting.

“?”

The little rich girl, engrossed in her book, suddenly noticed the tapping had stopped and looked up dazedly, seeing Jiang Qin staring like a silly cat bewitched by a cat teaser, following her swinging foot.

Feng Nanshu was now playfully mischievous and quietly moved her foot closer to Jiang Qin’s mouth.

Then smack! Her foot was slapped, and she quickly retracted it with a yelp.

Fishing, huh?

Jiang Qin looked at her earnestly, noting the little rich girl’s eyes drifting guiltlessly as if to say, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, it wasn’t me.”

They spent the afternoon idly in the small room, only leaving to drink water and use the restroom, unmotivated to leave the confined space even as dusk settled outside the window.

The passage of time was evident from the changing light, especially at dusk when the room suddenly dimmed as if the sun’s descent hastened.

At some point, Feng Nanshu snuggled over, leaning against Jiang Qin, her storybook half-finished.

Jiang Qin had set aside his phone and absentmindedly joined her mid-way, not fully grasping the plot, yet found it surprisingly engrossing.

It’s funny; although the book was labeled for elementary students, it’s suitability for them might be debatable, but it oddly fit university students well.

Jiang Qin curled his left leg, twisted his neck, and adjusted to a more comfortable position, ready to read on, only to find the book suddenly closed.

“Done reading?”

“I need to pee. I’ll continue after.”

Feng Nanshu got off the bed, dragging her slippers out of the room, seizing the moment, Jiang Qin picked up the book intending to read ahead.

Since the little rich girl read quickly, he struggled to keep up, missing two to three lines per page.

Huh?

Why isn’t it interesting anymore?

Jiang Qin flipped through the pages, confused, then checked the book title, affirming it was indeed the same book.

A few minutes later, Feng Nanshu returned, climbing back onto the bed and snuggling against him, and mysteriously, the book became interesting again.

“Do you find this book interesting?”

“It wasn’t interesting when I was sitting over there, but it is now that I’ve moved here.”

As she spoke, Feng Nanshu picked up the book again, opened it, and shifted it toward Jiang Qin, believing the book’s appeal depended on where one sat.

Soon, they finished the storybook just as the sunset reached its most brilliant moment.

The little rich girl watched the remnants of the sunset stain a shadow on the white wall through the window grilles, tinting her eyes a magnificent fiery red, her eyelashes sparkling like golden threads.

The nanny room’s window frame was small, but the shadow cast on the wall magnified, framing both of them in the sunset’s glow.

Jiang Qin gazed at Feng Nanshu’s delicate and lively features, his eyes resting on her full red lips, suddenly discovering a secret that if revealed, would astonish the world.

It turns out it wasn’t just Room 207 and the maple forest that were ethical lowlands; even their old Jiang family’s tiny nanny room was sinking.

“Jiang Qin.”

“Hmm?”

“Show me the spare phone.”

Feng Nanshu looked at the white wall in front of her, commanding coolly.

Jiang Qin narrowed his eyes, “Little rich girl, I didn’t provoke you today, best not provoke me.”

Hearing this, Feng Nanshu hummed a bit and then gently burrowed into Jiang Qin’s embrace, slowly watching as the night sky crept over, her heart filled with joy and peace.

The following days were similar; a billionaire big boss not battling in the business sea, a stunning celestial not causing national calamity, both shrinking at home becoming homebodies together.

They watched TV, read books, and played games on 4399 together.

If media were to interview Jiang Qin after the group-buying market battle, asking what troubled President Jiang the most during the fiercest phase of group buying?

Jiang Qin would say, during summer break, he and Feng Nanshu played Forest Ice-Fire Men on 4399. The biggest headache was explaining to Feng Nanshu the game required splitting up and cooperating rather than having her character always follow his.

Also, in Death vs. Naruto, it was about me hitting you and you hitting me, not your character and mine huddling together.

It was August 28, just a few days before school resumed.

Jiang Qin finally took Feng Nanshu out, got her a haircut, had hotpot, and visited the zoo.

The new district planning had begun, and the old district’s transformation was in full swing. Jizhou was changing daily, many streets and buildings soon to vanish.

Boss Jiang specifically took the little rich girl to those places for a check-in, snapping photos for memories.

Feng Nanshu couldn’t forget the braised noodles she had outside South City High last time, wishing to have them again, but sadly, with South City’s relocation, that shop’s whereabouts were now unknown.

Social progress and epochal change inevitably sacrifice some sentimental things; it’s unstoppable.

“Jiang Qin, your phone is vibrating.”

“?”

Jiang Qin glanced down at his crotch, thinking how could it be, I’m reminiscing, a pure spiritual activity, not being flirty.

Then he saw Feng Nanshu opening her bag, pulling out her chipped Nokia, the screen showing Tan Qing’s number in Shanghai.

As Jiang Qin anticipated, recently, major group-buy websites had been very active.

Among them, Nuomi and LaShou had dispatched professional teams to Shanghai, setting up tents in the past few days with an influx of different flyers and posters, both sites launching with a 40% discount.

Moreover, LaShou and Nuomi started appearing in some traffic radio programs and local TV stations.

Meanwhile, Pintuan had prepared early, pulling back the undercover Breadmen while destroying two work cards.

“Boss, you really called it. But why have these two sites suddenly targeted Shanghai?”

“It’s normal market competition, devoid of personal grudges. Even if the competition is fierce, bosses can still sit together, drink, and boast. This is called vision. But Suixin messed up by going to Shanghai.”

Jiang Qin holding his phone spoke, “LaShou poached an entire market team from Suixin; it’s a deep-seated grudge with no chance of reconciliation, but Suixin shouldn’t have gone to Shanghai.”

Tan Qing had a realization: “Because of Nuomi.”

“Right, you should know, the merchant resources in your hand were sold to Nuomi. Nuomi isn’t foolish. I’ll contain LaShou for you; you give me the Shanghai resources. Although there’s no formal cooperation, there exists a cooperative essence.”

“But what’s your situation now? You’ve caught your breath, and suddenly you’re planning a backstab; what was initially cooperation becomes deep-seated enmity.”

“Two deep enmities…”

Jiang Qin nodded, “If you have an equal opponent, there’s no need to fear. Even if they want to undermine you, they’d consider the damage they might incur.”

“But having two equal opponents is different.”

“Others like LaShou and Nuomi fighting fiercely is fair competition. They have no enmities; they would collaborate. Suixin is a bit weaker, but that’s also a market forged with millions of dollars—enticing, isn’t it?”

Tan Qing pondered then said, “But, from the 20th to the 28th, isn’t that too quick?”

“Recently, Suixin got its second round of financing; shortly after, didn’t LaShou and Nuomi also secure their second rounds? Any clauses in the agreements?”

“Nothing’s leaked yet, but it’s rumored LaShou secured twenty million to be received in three phases, while Nuomi got ten million in two phases.”

Jiang Qin nodded, “That’s right; it suggests their backers are a bit tired, demanding deliverables pretty clearly. They need them to speed things up. Why keep fighting in one city?”

Tan Qing understood, “They need to see returns.”

“Of course, besides those focusing on the market, who doesn’t want to see quick returns? Suixin just played with fire.”

“If LaShou and Nuomi beat Suixin, what then?”

“Their market slice grows, fewer divide it, money aligns, volume should skyrocket. Be prepared.”

Jiang Qin hung up, thinking: build walls high, store plenty of grain, and be slow to declare yourself king. This wisdom has passed from ancient times to now; why are there still those so rash?

Now, dear senior sister Ye, you hardly have a vanguard role left.