Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
âThere are three phases of being a businessman, and this is phase one. Itâs the initial accumulation phase by making money unscrupulously, and going against conscience and moralsâ¦â
Xiao Luo was explaining the three main phases of being a businessman to Luo Qi, which was told to him by Zhang Dashan before, âIâm right now at phase one. Taste Buds started the unfair competition, I shall respond to it in the same way they started it, an eye for an eye.â
âYouâve suddenly become terrifying, big boss!â Luo Qi thought out aloud.
Smart with tricks, courageous, insightful, highly capable, and, most importantly, fierce. One couldnât tell until one had known Xiao Long for long enough, then his qualities become apparent.
âThen, would you still want to work for me?â Xiao Luo said cheekily, putting on a frowning face.
âOf course I would, the word âterrifyingâ Iâve just used, was meant to be a compliment, not about the big boss being really scary.â Luo Qi stressed her point strongly.
âA compliment?â
âSometimes, I canât understand what you creative people are saying.â Xiao Luo chuckled, and his face brightened up.
Luo Qi grinned.
âOh right, how many of them remain?â Xiao Luo asked.
Luo Qi opened the folder and glanced through the list, then raising her head she answered, âJust one more, itâs Jiang Yongchun, the boss of Yingtong Plastic Factory, this fella seems to be difficult to deal with.â
âWhy?â
âJiang Yongchun happens to be Taste Budsâ most loyal customer. He doesnât have any special interests in particular, but only that heâs very fond of cigarettes and fine wine. By the way, heâs still single and doesnât seem to be interested in women. Someone once sent him women to curry favors, but she ended up getting chased out by him.â Luo Qi said.
Xiao Luo sat on the backseat and was tapping lightly along the frame of the car window. âHeâs loaded, he wouldnât have a problem acquiring any kinds of cigarettes or fine wine, so these arenât enough to deal with him. However, it surprised me a little that heâs not interested in women.â Xiao Luo thought.
âWhyâd you say that?â Luo Qi asked with her big charming eyes blinking.
âItâs ok for a man not to love cigarettes, fine wine, and even sports cars, but itâs impossible for him not to love pretty ladies. Itâs the nature of man; itâs a code written in our genes. As long as a man is normal, he couldnât possibly be unattracted to pretty ladies.â Xiao Luo said.
Upon hearing that, Luo Qi blushed and countered, âBut arenât big boss yourself uninterested in pretty ladies?â
âAm I?â Xiao Luo asked back.
âOf course, you are.â
Luo Qi thrust her chest up and pouted slightly, exposing her charming and flirtatious side. She meant that Xiao Luo would react similarly, should a woman be sent over to him for such a purpose.
Xiao Luo blushed unexpectedly, feeling like the young girl was teasing him.
âWow, big boss, so you have a shy side.â Luo Qi laughed infectiously, Overjoyed by her little discovery.
Xiao Luo pretended to clear his throat with a cough, then sounding like Xu Guansong, he said in a serious tone, âdonât fool around, be more serious.â
âRoger, teeheeâ¦â Luo Qi made a salutation pose.
Xiao Luo quickly changed the subject, going back to the previous topic, âA normal man wouldnât be able to resist pretty ladies, unless that Jiang Yongchun has issues down there.â
âBig boss, youâre saying his willyâs incapable?â
It seemed like Luo Qi was not embarrassed by asking this question at all, and with her big round eyes, she stared directly at Xiao Luo, curious for a response.
Xiao Luo nodded, affirming what she had just said. He appeared to have found a way to deal with Jiang Yongchun.
âDING, DING, DINGâ
Just at that moment, a familiar, monotonous ring interrupted the discussion.
Xiao Luo took out his phone to check, and it was an unfamiliar number, not saved in his contact list. As he pressed the answer button and about to ask who the caller was, an urgent voice came from the other end of the phone call.
âWhyâs he not picking up, whyâs he not picking upâ¦Hello, is this Xiao Luo?â the speaker Sounded relieved that she got through.
It was a ladyâs voice!
âIâm, whoâs this?â Xiao Luo asked softly.
âCome quickly to the city affiliated hospital, Mengqiâs hospitalized.â The woman said anxiously.
Zhao Mengqi?!
Xiao Luo frowned, and said with a cynical smile, âYou got the wrong guy, right?â
He was about to hang up.
âDonât hang up, Mengqiâs seriously ill, and the doctor said she might not make it. Sheâs in a coma now and keeps crying your name. I only found your number by checking the contact list on her phone. Please come quickly.â The woman on the other end of the line was anxious. She almost sounded like she was in tears.
Xiao Luo stayed silent for a while.
âWhatâs the room number?â
Xiao Luo was not a heartless person. Even if he was not in a relationship with Zhao Mengqi, he could not change the fact that they used to be college mates. She was now critically ill and in a coma, and it would be against his nature not to pay a visit.
âICU, Room 306!â
After being informed of Zhao Mengqiâs whereabouts, Xiao Luo hung up, and he was speechless. I would not have happened if he had not given his number to Zhao Mengqit so quickly, even if it was unintentional. It was now impossible for him to ignore that Zhao Mengqi was critically ill and in a coma.
âIs there a situation, big boss?â Luo Qi asked.
âA friendâs been hospitalized.â
Xiao Luo did not lie to her as there was nothing to hide. Zhao Mengqi was but one of many who had come into his life and would not be the last. It was time to cut her off completely. He did not want her to make contact again in the future.
âYou go back to the office first. Iâll take a look.â
âRemember to get a bouquet. Thatâs the proper thing to do when visiting patients.â Luo Qi reminded.
âWhat kind of flowers are suitable?â
Xiao Luo was not very familiar with such matters.
âBringing flowers when visiting someone in a hospital is meant to cheer them up. It shows care and concern, a wish for them to be safe, and to get well soon. You should choose flowers that are elegant, brightly colored, and fragrant, such as calamus, orchids, kumquats, Peruvian lilies, roses, carnations.â.. Luo Qi rattled off the list with ease.
Xiao Luo felt that it was a little too complicated, âNever mind, Iâll go empty-handed.â
Besides, he was just visiting for a while and didnât want to over-complicate a simple visit.
He arrived at the city-affiliated public hospital by taxi.
Xiao Luo headed directly to ICU room 306 and knocked on the door lightly.
A woman appeared at the door, her face framed in wavy hair. She asked, in anticipation, âAre you Xiao Luo?â
Her concerned eyes brightened up when she saw Xiao Luo at the door.
Xiao Luo nodded and entered the room. There he saw Zhao Mengqi lying on the hospital bed. She had an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. She looked pale, so unlike the raving beauty he remembered,
âWhat happened to her?â He asked in a detached tone as if speaking to a stranger.
âItâs acute appendicitis. The doctor said her appendix was ruptured. Itâs life-threatening. She has just undergone emergency surgery, and her condition is stable for now. But the follow-up treatment still requires about seventy to eighty thousand.â The woman with the wavy hair replied urgently. She appeared edgy and stressed.
âWhat about Hua Haifeng, her boyfriend?â
â He broke up with her when she fell ill. He even called to tell her itâs better to die, as he wouldnât be paying a penny for her treatment.â The woman said, biting her lips in anger.
Xiao Luo shook his head and sneered. Hearing about what a douchebag Hua Haifeng was infuriated him.