The meeting lasted most of the morning, with lunch delayed by nearly two hours. But when the boss was working hard alongside everyone, people seemed to have fewer complaints. Though Qi Shi'an ate a lot, he could handle hunger well. Even after most people had left, he chose to finish his summary first.

Zhang Yiming stood at the door, showing no loyalty: "I'm heading out, got a meeting with the Securities Commission at three."

Qi Shi'an didn't even look up, just waved his hand. He sat quietly at his desk doing summaries and arrangements, analyzing materials and data alone, while also writing an outline for the afternoon's training with the Consulting Department.

Annie brought in several lunch boxes, the thick carpet muffling her high heels. She set lunch on the table, softly reminding him: "Mr. Qi, please eat while it's hot."

Qi Shi'an still didn't look up: "Mm, go take a break, then organize this morning's meeting minutes."

Annie left silently again. With employees finished eating and resting in break rooms or offices, Qi Shi'an had a whole floor to himself, giving him a lonely feeling at the top.

"Mr. Qi, still not finished?"

Qi Shi'an finally looked up to see Shen Duoyi walking in while slurping a bottle of yogurt. He asked: "You're done eating?"

"Mm, treating you to yogurt." Shen Duoyi pulled another box of yogurt from his pocket.

Qi Shi'an called him out directly: "Monday's after-meal snacks are yogurt and kiwi, unlimited supply for everyone. How is this you treating me?"

Shen Duoyi sat down in the front row: "You even know the cafeteria menu? Then which cleaning auntie is on shift in the Consulting Department today?"

"Auntie Wang, probably." Qi Shi'an made it up, spinning his pen between his fingers. "You come in and distract me - I haven't finished writing yet."

The last few slurps were very loud as Shen Duoyi finished his yogurt: "If it's not company confidential, you dictate and I'll write. You eat first."

The pen moved to Shen Duoyi's hand, while Qi Shi'an's hand took up a spoon. In the empty conference room with just the two of them, Qi Shi'an would say a few words, take a few bites, while waiting for Shen Duoyi to finish writing.

"By the way, this afternoon when I'm training your department, I'm going to emphasize stop-loss - listen carefully."

"Yes, Teacher Qi." Shen Duoyi filled a page and turned it over. "Just don't suddenly call on me to answer questions."

In the afternoon, while the Investment Department divided into groups for data analysis, Qi Shi'an continued straight into training the Consulting Department. He stood before the large screen outputting information non-stop, with employees below attentively absorbing it.

"We'll stop here regarding circulation. The Investment Department constantly updates market data, and while market trends might change slightly, they won't differ much. Now let's talk about 'stop-loss.'"

Qi Shi'an suddenly turned mischievous: "Team Leader Shen, did you bring your previous solution proposal?"

Shen Duoyi hadn't brought it, but he always carried a USB drive to meetings for copying materials afterward, so he answered: "I have it on my USB drive. Do you need it now?"

Qi Shi'an directly opened the USB drive, finding among numerous files one titled "Health Diet for Hypertension Patients." Shen Duoyi embarrassedly scratched his chin, grateful he hadn't downloaded anything questionable.

"Team Leader Shen's proposal is very well done, with a section about 'stop-loss.' Though not very detailed, the ideas and approach are excellent," Qi Shi'an said. "Many clients don't understand 'stop-loss,' much less follow the crocodile principle, so implementation has always been difficult."

Shen Duoyi took careful notes, committing every point and solution Qi Shi'an presented to memory. After the meeting ended, it was time to go home. He retrieved his USB drive, copying Qi Shi'an's materials while at it.

During their brief exchange, Qi Shi'an asked quietly: "How was my presentation?"

Shen Duoyi whispered back: "I'd give you a hundred."

After work, everyone dispersed. Qi Shi'an returned to the thirtieth floor and sent Annie home after signing off on the meeting minutes. He planned to rest briefly before the evening precious metals market opened.

With a rare moment of leisure, he pulled out the yogurt from his pocket and decided to walk around sipping it to stretch his legs. He made a round of the break room where the cleaning aunt was on duty, and the Investment Department had already left, with the manager greeting him as he passed.

The next floor down was the Consulting Department, which should also be empty by this time. Qi Shi'an finished his yogurt and decided to go throw away his trash there.

Unexpectedly, the lights were still on, though the cubicles were empty. Scanning around, he saw Shen Duoyi's office door open. No one was in the office, so Qi Shi'an wandered to the break room, leaning against the doorframe openly watching Shen Duoyi peel a large pear.

Shen Duoyi had just finished peeling one round when he suddenly felt uneasy. Turning his head, he jumped: "Mr. Qi, couldn't you make some noise?"

"I didn't want to disturb you," Qi Shi'an said. "Having a pear before leaving work?"

Shen Duoyi lowered his head and continued peeling: "I'm working overtime. Team Leader Qi took leave, so I'm helping with some of his work."

Qi Shi'an pouted: "Then who gets the salary?"

"What are you saying," Shen Duoyi had peeled half and couldn't wait to take a bite. "Team Leader Qi is really busy preparing for his wedding. We're colleagues at the same level, helping each other is normal."

The person directly involved wasn’t tired, so there was no point in others worrying. Qi Shi’an, not wanting to irritate anyone, shifted the topic: “After talking all day, my throat hurts. I want a pear too.”

Shen Duoyi instructed him, “There’s one on my desk. Bring it over, and I’ll peel it in a bit.”

Qi Shi’an obediently went to get the pear. He walked to Shen Duoyi’s right and set the pear on the countertop in front of him. When he pulled back his hand, though, he found he couldn’t move away. Shen Duoyi was just an arm's reach in front of him — if he lifted his hand just a little, he could trap the other man in this tiny space.

When there was no movement for a while, Shen Duoyi turned around, curious. “I thought you’d disappeared into the ground.”

Qi Shi’an shot back, “I prefer ascending to the heavens, not vanishing into the ground.”

“Show-off. Just eat this first.” Shen Duoyi handed him a freshly peeled pear but then pulled it back. “Wait, no. I took a bite of this one. You’ll have to wait.”

He turned back to peel a second one, his straight shoulders motionless. Only his wrist moved, guiding the knife to peel the pear. Qi Shi’an stared at the back of his head and suddenly said, “Did you know, I used to work overtime alone?”

He continued, “My most exhausting time was the year I graduated, preparing to start a company with Zhang Yiming. I was always busy, often pulling all-nighters. He handled the social engagements while I took care of the technical projects. Late at night, it was just me and the data.”

Shen Duoyi replied, “I was the most tired in my first two years of work — juggling my job while studying for the final actuarial exams. It was just me facing countless problems in the dead of night. It was so frustrating.”

Qi Shi’an hadn’t finished. “Honestly, over the years, I often thought of you. Maybe because my life, on the whole, was pretty dull, while our first encounter was so romantic.”

Shen Duoyi chuckled. “You’re sure it was romantic?”

“I’m sure.” Qi Shi’an’s voice was serious. “Sometimes I missed you intensely; other times, it was just a faint thought. But not being able to see you or have you made the memory even more vivid. I once tried to file you away as a youthful romance, something to keep tucked in my heart, convinced that even if we met again, it wouldn’t disrupt me.”

He moved a little closer. “But now that we’ve really met again, now that you work under my nose every day, smiling and busying yourself in my view, peeling pears for me while I work late, I just want to turn that romance into reality.”

As soon as possible.

Qi Shi’an slowly reached out, wrapping his arm around Shen Duoyi from behind.

The knife blade slipped, and the long strip of pear peel broke. Shen Duoyi’s slender back leaned into a warm chest.