Chapter 12: Li Qiuya

Yang Fan sat in the conference room, conversing with the senior management of the security company.

From their discussion, he learned that the company was in dire straits: there were almost no clients, and fewer than twenty employees remained on staff. Many workers had already resigned due to unpaid wages, leaving the company all but paralyzed.

“Mr. Yang, if you have no objections, we can sign the transfer contract right now,” the owner said, his face wreathed in a hopeful smile. In truth, he worried that Yang Fan might refuse. The company had barely any clients left, and restarting operations would mean recruiting new staff and drumming up business from scratch.

Yang Fan glanced around at those present. He tapped the table lightly, eyes sweeping over the management team. “Are you all planning to resign as well?”

If all the management were to leave, he’d have to hire an entirely new team, which would be a tremendous hassle.

“The company can’t even operate anymore. We have to make a living, so naturally we need to find other work,” a middle-aged man replied. The others felt much the same—without wages, they simply couldn’t afford to wait around for things to turn around.

“If I take over the company, you don’t need to resign. Stay and work for me; your salaries will be paid as before,” Yang Fan assured them, his gaze steady. “You have nothing to worry about—I will not default on your wages. You’ll be paid on time every month.”

His words left everyone momentarily stunned. None of them had expected Yang Fan to be so straightforward. Wasn’t he afraid of going bankrupt? But with the promise of steady work, who would turn him down? One after another, they agreed to stay.

Seeing Yang Fan truly intended to take over the company, the owner finally let out a sigh of relief.

In the end, Yang Fan signed the transfer contract and officially took charge of the security company. He stayed behind to hold a meeting with the management team, intent on gaining a deeper understanding of the company’s situation and brainstorming ways to spur its development.

Once responsibilities had been assigned, Yang Fan left. His next task was to find a place to settle down.

He bought an apartment in a high-end complex in Yuancheng. With keys in hand, he made his way to Qingyuan Gardens.

Qingyuan Gardens was home to the city’s wealthy elite—celebrities, even high-ranking officials lived here. As he walked toward Building Nine, he noticed a young woman ahead of him, also heading in the same direction. She was stylishly dressed and wore a baseball cap.

Yang Fan and the young woman entered the elevator together. As the doors closed, she shot him a look filled with annoyance. Yang Fan sensed her displeasure but ignored it.

The young woman pressed the button for the ninth floor, then moved as far away from him as possible, as if wary of a predator.

Noticing she was headed to the ninth floor as well, Yang Fan didn’t bother to press the button again.

“You people are unbelievable—following me around all day. It’s exhausting!” The woman finally lost her patience and berated Yang Fan.

Yang Fan looked at her, puzzled by her outburst. He had no idea what she was so upset about. Deciding not to engage, he simply stood his ground.

“Hmph, stop pretending. Your acting is terrible.” The woman took off her cap and sunglasses, facing him squarely. “That’s right, I am Li Qiuya. Isn’t it a photo you want? Hurry up and take it, then leave.”

Li Qiuya was a renowned singer, famous for her pop songs and a goddess to the younger generation. As a result, the media often tried to photograph her, openly or in secret. Some fanatics even stalked her, asking for autographs or photos. At times, she’d smile and accommodate these fans, but after a while, it became tiresome—especially today, when her mood was foul. Thus, Yang Fan became her unfortunate target, mistaken for an overzealous fan.

Yang Fan glanced at Li Qiuya, his gaze calm. He had to admit, she was truly beautiful—she’d score a nine out of ten. Her face was bare, with little makeup, her large eyes sparkling with vitality.

“I don’t even know who you are,” Yang Fan replied.

But Li Qiuya refused to believe him. In Yanhuang, she was a household name—young and old alike knew Li Qiuya.

“Please, spare me the act,” Li Qiuya sneered inwardly. She looked down on men like him—grown men who couldn’t admit the truth and lied shamelessly. To her, his aloofness was just an act, though a poorly executed one.

“If you want a photo, hurry up. If you want an autograph, hand over what you want signed. I’ll do it all at once,” Li Qiuya said impatiently, arms crossed.

Yang Fan was speechless. How had he ended up dealing with such a self-important woman?

“I told you, I don’t know you. Don’t flatter yourself,” he said, his tone equally impatient.

“Hmph, keep pretending. Let’s see how long you can keep it up,” Li Qiuya retorted with disdain.

The elevator continued its ascent, finally stopping at the twelfth floor. They both stepped out at the same time.

“Still claiming you’re not following me? Now we’re even getting off together. Don’t tell me you also live on the twelfth floor—that excuse is just pathetic,” Li Qiuya mocked.

Yang Fan glanced at her and said coolly, “I do live on the twelfth floor.”

“Oh really? Then show me—which apartment is yours?” Li Qiuya folded her arms, fixing him with a challenging look. If he was going to insist on this lie, she was determined to expose him.

She felt confident. Having lived here so long, she knew all her neighbors, and Yang Fan was a complete stranger.

Shrugging, Yang Fan pulled out his keys and walked to apartment 1208.

“Hah, no one lives there. You’ve slipped up now,” Li Qiuya taunted.

Ignoring her, Yang Fan unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Li Qiuya was dumbfounded.

Bang.

Yang Fan closed the door behind him.

It took Li Qiuya a moment to recover, her face flushed with embarrassment. “How mortifying! If this gets out, I’ll never live it down,” she muttered, recalling her earlier words. Her cheeks burned with shame at the unexpected turn of events.

Standing outside Yang Fan’s door, she hesitated, then finally summoned the courage to knock.

When Yang Fan opened the door and saw her, his expression was indifferent. “What is it?”

“A-about earlier, I didn’t mean it. Please don’t take it to heart,” Li Qiuya stammered, clearly embarrassed.

Yang Fan said nothing and closed the door.

Stunned, Li Qiuya stood there, feeling a mix of frustration and discomfort. She was a bona fide superstar, beautiful by any standard—men usually went out of their way to approach her. Yet Yang Fan had treated her as if she were invisible.

Waving a dainty fist at his door, Li Qiuya fumed inwardly. “He must be gay! Otherwise, how could he ignore a beauty like me? That’s it—he’s definitely gay.”

She had absolute confidence in her looks. Since Yang Fan showed none of the usual interest, it could only mean he was indifferent to women—or gay.