One hundred times, that's over three hundred million!
Who gave him the confidence to dare ask for over three hundred million?
Gu Yan relayed the news to Qin Meimei.
"Why doesn't he just rob a bank?!" Qin Meimei cursed.
"These hackers, their names sound impressive, but they're actually just uncouth shut-ins, money-grubbers. You offered ten times the price right off the bat, naturally stirring their greed, leading them to hike up the price."
Her subsequent words were a reprimand to Gu Yan for her incompetence.
"I did check the market rates. Someone offered three times the price, and he refused. If we offer ten times, he'll definitely be tempted..." Gu Yan explained.
She actively offered Qin Meimei suggestions, her aim being to impress Qin Meimei.
She wanted Qin Meimei to know that when problems arose at home, she could be more useful than Gu Ze, whom Qin Meimei favored.
Therefore, when hiring, she had been particularly generous with the maximum budget.
She hadn't expected the other party to be so unreasonable!
"But now, our home and company's security systems are constantly being monitored, facing the constant threat of being breached. The situation is urgent. How about we increase the price by another three times..."
"No! Ten times the price is our limit. If he refuses, find someone else! If we can't find anyone domestically, we'll look abroad! I refuse to believe that our Gu family can't afford a mere hacker." Qin Meimei stated.
Even though she had said yesterday that she would pay any price to hire him.
But when it came to actually spending over three hundred million, she felt the deal wasn't worth it.
A merchant ultimately prioritized profit.
"Understood." Gu Yan nodded.
She also believed that the price they were offering was enough to find someone comparable to "Crow"!
---
Tian Yu.
After washing up, Yu He went downstairs and saw Qin Beiting coming out of the kitchen with a glass of warm milk.
Qin Beiting: "Morning."
He was wearing a black silk loungewear set over a grey apron, his well-built physique appearing tall and elegant, exuding a touch of domestic warmth amidst his noble aura.
The dining table was already set with a visually appealing and abundant breakfast.
Pan-fried shrimp, bacon, French sausages, steak, and more—all her favorites.
Yu He was somewhat surprised, "You made all this? You can cook."
The Qin family's upbringing for their descendants stipulated that daughters should excel in various talents, needing to be capable of both sophisticated social graces and domestic chores; for boys, the focus was on mastering management and finance, with the implication that a gentleman should keep his distance from the kitchen.
"Mm, if I hadn't learned to fend for myself, I wouldn't have survived well in the Qin family," Qin Beiting claimed, playing the victim.
Yu He: "..."
If it were a few days ago, she might have believed him.
But ever since he appeared at the Ye family with Lu Yiming that day, she no longer fell for his words as she used to.
The young master of the Lu family, one of the four great families, obeyed his every command. Was that considered "not surviving well"?
"Taste it. See how it is," Qin Beiting said, pulling out a chair for her, looking at her expectantly.
Yu He didn't stand on ceremony. She picked up a knife and fork, cut a piece of steak, and put it into her mouth. Instantly, her eyes lit up.
The steak was pan-seared to a perfect crisp on the outside and tender within, the meat soft and incredibly delicious.
Seeing her eyes slightly closed in enjoyment, Qin Beiting had a sudden idea. As she reached for her knife and fork again, he swiftly took the steak away from in front of her.
Yu He looked up, seeing Qin Beiting's faint smile. He asked, "How is it?"
"Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. The highest realm of steak," she praised without reservation.
"Do you want more?" Qin Beiting asked in a tone that tempted a child.
Yu He had only just tasted it and was still craving more. She nodded obediently, "Yes."
"Call me 'Ting Ge' and I'll give it to you."
After saying this, Qin Beiting suddenly felt that given the young girl's cool demeanor, he would likely only receive a cold stare in response.
However, facing such delicious food, Yu He had no resistance. Without any burden, she called out, "Ting Ge."
Qin Beiting's hand trembled imperceptibly, his throat tightening.
It was his own whim to have the young girl use a different form of address.
He had heard "Ting Ge" before; Lu Yiming and the others called him that.
But for some reason, hearing this address from Yu He's lips made his heart flutter inexplicably.
After uttering the address, Yu He's mind also felt a bit hazy, as if she had been so tempted by the food that she had lost all capacity for thought.
She had fallen for this man's trick.
Her thoughts were racing, but outwardly, she remained composed, accepting the steak from him and calmly continuing to eat.
The steak was truly delicious, and the bacon was too.
She was being so obedient solely for the food, with no other intentions.
Yes, that was it!
The two sat facing each other, each lost in their own thoughts as they ate breakfast, yet the atmosphere was surprisingly harmonious.
After breakfast, Yu He proactively began clearing the dishes.
"Leave them. The housekeeper will take care of them later. Tonight, you'll accompany me to meet someone," Qin Beiting said.
"Who?" Yu He asked, her hands not stopping their work. She was worried the little piggy would sneak back to eat leftover scraps.
"Qi Yuanyuan." Qin Beiting deliberately watched Yu He as he spoke the name.
She paused in her dish-clearing, then looked up and asked, "Why do you want me to see her?"
Yu He had some impression of Qi Yuanyuan. She had met her once during an international medical symposium and heard that she was hailed as a prodigy beauty in the domestic medical field in her teens.
Qin Beiting thought for a moment and chose a more plausible reason: "Help me assess her medical skills."
Yu He thought of something and became displeased, "You don't trust that I can cure your illness?"
"I trust you, but my elder brother arranged someone for me. He doesn't know about you," Qin Beiting explained.
His magnetic, pleasant voice deliberately lingered on the last syllable, sounding slightly aggrieved.
He was truly adept at finding opportunities to evoke pity.
"I refuse."
Her tone was firm and indifferent, a complete contrast to her earlier docility.
At this moment, she was like a scumbag who, after a satisfying meal and a wiped mouth, shows no recognition—no, a scumbag woman.
"I don't want to go either, but as a sickly person, I'm isolated in the Qin family. If I want to survive, I can only obediently follow the patriarch's arrangements. I have no choice," Qin Beiting continued.
"Clang—Bang—"
As soon as he finished speaking, a loud commotion came from the entryway.
The two turned to see the front door ajar. Chen Dong was sprawled on the floor, fruits scattered everywhere, mixed with the shards of a broken vase.
He had come to pick up Qin Beiting and had also bought some fruit. He had long had a key to the place; when Yu He wasn't around, he had been the one to take care of the little piggy most of the time, so he was accustomed to using his key to open the door.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered, he heard Qin Beiting's overly affectionate words and stumbled, tripping himself.
He fell hard.
The pain told him this was real, not a dream! Nor was he hallucinating!
He had actually heard with his own ears his aloof boss acting like a spoiled child with a minor.
Not only acting spoiled but also playing the victim!