At night, Qin Lie turned over in his sleep and felt that the side of the bed was empty.

He opened his eyes in the darkness and saw Chen Xi wearing his T-shirt, bare-legged, leaning against the bedroom balcony railing, smoking.

Bright moonlight flooded the quiet balcony.

Her silhouette with long hair flowing over her shoulders looked like a mermaid emerging from the sea.

Qin Lie got up and walked to the balcony, took the cigarette from her hand, and brought it to his lips for a drag.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

He leaned his elbow on the railing, looking at the quiet residential community in the dark night, his voice carrying the hoarseness of someone just awakened.

Chen Xi took the cigarette back from his hand and took a drag.

“Can’t sleep.”

She tilted her head back and gently exhaled smoke.

Qin Lie grabbed Chen Xi’s wrist and brought the cigarette to his lips for another drag.

He asked, “Why can’t you sleep?”

Chen Xi leaned against the railing, her voice low: “I had a nightmare.”

Qin Lie: “What dream?”

Chen Xi: “I dreamed that Grandpa Guan was gone, lying on a hospital bed covered with a white sheet. I didn’t dare look.”

She took a deep drag of the cigarette, feeling a chill run down her back.

Suddenly, Qin Lie wrapped his arms around her from behind, his warm chest pressing against her cold spine.

Chen Xi buried her face in Qin Lie’s strong arm, feeling an indescribable depression.

Qin Lie lowered his head and whispered in her ear, “This is inevitable. You need to prepare yourself mentally.”

Chen Xi nodded, holding back the moisture in her eyes.

She said quietly, “I know… but I still hate this feeling of helplessness.”

Qin Lie’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, but he didn’t speak.

He raised his hand and gently stroked the top of Chen Xi’s head.

“Come on, let’s go back to bed.”

The two returned to bed, with Chen Xi in Qin Lie’s embrace.

The nameless melancholy lingering in her heart was gradually dispelled by the warmth from his body.

She fell asleep again and didn’t have any more frightening dreams.

When Chen Xi woke up in the morning, she saw a pair of bright red slippers on the floor beside the bed.

This splash of color appearing in Qin Lie’s home created such a contrast that Chen Xi found it somewhat amusing.

The slight depression left from last night’s nightmare was suddenly cured.

She slipped on the slippers and strolled to the kitchen.

Qin Lie was frying eggs.

Chen Xi stood in the kitchen doorway, looking down at the slippers on her feet, and asked with a mixture of laughter and tears, “Where did you buy such ugly slippers?”

Qin Lie glanced back at the slippers on Chen Xi’s feet and said casually, “The small supermarket downstairs.”

Chen Xi: “This morning?”

Qin Lie: “Mm.”

Chen Xi: “Were there other colors?”

Qin Lie: “Bright pink.”

Chen Xi pressed her lips together, her expression somewhat speechless.

Qin Lie put the fried eggs on a plate and said casually, “Now that you have slippers, stay at my place tonight too.”

Chen Xi: “…”

Perhaps due to the keen aesthetic sense developed from painting, when Chen Xi first came to Qin Lie’s home, she discovered that although his lifestyle was rough, he had OCD when it came to aesthetics.

Just look at how perfect the color scheme of that PV segment was.

And there were his home’s bare, concrete-style gray walls that Qin Zhan and Liu Boyang complained about.

Chen Xi thought the color looked very sophisticated at first glance.

Including the furniture and lighting in his home, every piece was top quality.

Chen Xi knew better than anyone how uncompromising Qin Lie was about aesthetics.

But because of something Chen Xi said casually yesterday, this man ran downstairs this morning and bought a pair of slippers.

Such ugly, ugly slippers.

Chen Xi felt a mix of laughter and tears, looking down at the slippers on her feet.

After looking at them for a while, she started to think these ugly slippers were kind of cute.

Seeing Chen Xi’s speechless expression, Qin Lie said casually, “Make do for one day. Tonight we’ll go to a bigger supermarket to buy a pair.”

Chen Xi shook her head and smiled, “No need, let’s keep this pair.”

After breakfast, the two drove to the shop and spent the whole day busy with their respective work.

In the afternoon, Qin Lie strolled over and saw Chen Xi disassembling an engine, so he came to help.

Qin Lie had a good memory and had watched Chen Xi disassemble two engines before.

This time, without Chen Xi having to remind him, he knew what tools to hand over, how to categorize parts, and when to lend a hand at which step.

He could even guess about seventy to eighty percent of what Chen Xi wanted to examine.

The two worked in perfect coordination. After finishing one engine, they saw the sky gradually darkening.

Chen Xi took off her gloves and threw them into the toolbox.

She joked, “In another year, you’ll graduate as a master.”

Qin Lie said disdainfully, “Won’t take a year.”

Chen Xi raised an eyebrow. “Quite the confident tone.”

Qin Lie: “Don’t believe me? Just wait and see.”

Chen Xi: “Stop joking. Seriously, what are your plans for the future?”

Qin Lie looked down at Chen Xi and didn’t answer.

But he knew that from now on, whatever plans he had would probably involve the woman in front of him.

Chen Xi felt she’d hit a dead end and smiled, “Come on, let’s go home.”

Just as she was about to go to the bathroom to wash her hands, Qin Lie’s phone suddenly rang.

Qin Lie looked at the caller ID—it was an unfamiliar number.

He answered and said a low “hello.”

A stranger’s voice came from the other end.

“Mr. Qin, I’m taking the liberty of calling you. I came to Dunhuang once in June with my child to experience your VR arcade, and we chatted for a while. I wonder if you remember.”

Qin Lie remembered that family of three. “Yes, I remember.”

The other person laughed and continued, “I’m in Dunhuang handling some business and wanted to take the opportunity to meet with you. Do you have time for dinner tonight?”

A flash of surprise crossed Qin Lie’s face. “Is there something you need from me?”

The other person smiled, “Last time was too rushed, and I didn’t get to chat with you properly. I felt quite regretful after going back.”

Qin Lie smiled, “Is that so?”

Chen Xi returned from washing her hands and heard Qin Lie say to the person on the phone, “See you later.”

Then he hung up.

Qin Lie looked at Chen Xi and said, “There’s a dinner engagement. Want to come along?”

Chen Xi: “With whom?”

Qin Lie: “Someone in internet information technology. He came to Dunhuang with his wife and child two months ago and even had his car repaired at your shop.”

Chen Xi: “Oh, him.”

She had a deep impression of this person, partly because his car was the most luxurious she’d ever repaired.

And partly because of what this person had said to Qin Lie at the VR arcade, which had quite shocked Chen Xi.

“He’s back in Dunhuang?”

Chen Xi asked curiously.

Qin Lie nodded, “Just staying one night, leaving tomorrow. Want to go?”

Chen Xi: “What does he want with you?”

Qin Lie: “Nothing much, just wants to chat.”

Chen Xi hesitated for a moment, then shook her head, “Never mind. I wouldn’t be able to contribute to your conversation anyway. You go. I’ll go home tonight to check on things.”

The two packed up their things and left together.

Qin Lie drove to the agreed restaurant while Chen Xi rode her motorcycle home.

The Chinese restaurant at Kailai International was brilliantly lit.

Qin Lie gave the room number and followed a hostess in a Chinese-style dress into an elegantly decorated private room.

The man from their previous meeting wore comfortable casual clothes with cloth shoes, warmly greeting him at the door.

“Mr. Qin, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to see me.”

He smiled as he welcomed Qin Lie into the room.

Qin Lie smiled and said casually, “I’m not busy, so there’s no need to thank me for taking time.”

The two sat down at a root-carved tea table, and Qin Lie asked, “How should I address you?”

The other person quickly smiled apologetically, “How rude of me. I should have introduced myself earlier. My name is Chen Yufan.”

As soon as this name was spoken, Qin Lie’s eyebrows rose slightly—no need for further self-introduction.

“Yufan Technology…”

Qin Lie looked up at the man sitting across from him, his expression slightly surprised.

The other person nodded with a smile, saying with gentle apology, “To be honest, after returning from Dunhuang last time, I had someone inquire, and only then did I learn that the person I met at the VR arcade was the CEO of Dawn.”

Qin Lie corrected, “Not anymore.”

Chen Yufan waved his hand, “Wang Danyang is good technical material, but when it comes to leading a team, it has to be you.”

Qin Lie lowered his eyes slightly and said nothing.

Chen Yufan poured the prepared kung fu tea and handed it to Qin Lie.

He smiled and said, “Don’t be angry, Mr. Qin. I’ve always been quite direct in my speech.”

Qin Lie smiled, “So I’ve heard. What did Mr. Chen want to discuss by calling me here?”

Chen Yufan: “Then I’ll get straight to the point. Are you interested in collaborating with me?”

Qin Lie showed no reaction, only asking flatly, “Collaborate on what?”

Chen Yufan: “Together, we’ll create the metaverse.”

Qin Lie smiled, “The metaverse, so far, is just a gimmick. There’s nothing much to work on.”

Chen Yufan suddenly smiled mysteriously, “You’re right, but if we add VR technology, it becomes an entirely different prospect.”

Qin Lie drank his tea and looked up at Chen Yufan, his deep gaze now carrying a hint of interest.

“Oh, so why are you looking for me?”

Chen Yufan poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and said unhurriedly, “Let me tell you a story.”

Qin Lie smiled and listened attentively.

Chen Yufan: “There was a young man, a top graduate from a 985 university, majoring in mechanical and electronic engineering. After graduation, he went to a company doing virtual reality technology.”

“The company he joined was among the early batch in Beijing working in the VR industry, but due to poor management decisions, the company collapsed within three years of the young man’s employment.”

“But this young man saw the position VR technology would hold in future technology fields, so he went all in and, together with two like-minded colleagues from the company, established his own tech company.”

Qin Lie listened quietly, his gaze remaining calm and undisturbed.

Chen Yufan took a sip of tea and continued unhurriedly, “The three young men were determined to create world-class virtual reality products and lead future lifestyles.”

“They named their company Sanshi, meaning the company’s VR software and hardware platform, VR audiovisual content service platform, and VR technology research and development.”

He shook his head and smiled with emotion.

“The young man had good ideas, good vision, and strong capabilities, but VR hardware research and development requires real money. Without substantial capital investment, VR hardware cannot achieve qualitative breakthroughs.”

“So this young man looked everywhere for financing opportunities, but the capital market looks for short-term returns, and few people were interested in his project.”

“So after his company was established, it could only spin its wheels, struggling for five years and remaining a small company teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.”

Chen Yufan refilled Qin Lie’s tea cup and smiled with emotion.

“This young man also approached me back then, but I was more optimistic about another project at the time, so I missed them.”

“I never expected that in just a few short years, they would develop from a barely surviving small company to today’s scale.”

Qin Lie smiled, “It’s normal for Mr. Chen to look down on such small projects.”

Chen Yufan shook his head.

“In the era of information technology, nothing new should be underestimated. You achieved it, didn’t you?”

Their eyes met, and Chen Yufan smiled knowingly at Qin Lie.

Qin Lie remained expressionless.

“Let me continue.”

Chen Yufan set down the teapot and continued his narrative.

“Four years ago, this company received an investment. If I remember correctly, the financier was Dawn.”

“It was Mr. Qin who insisted against all opposition, giving this unknown small company a lifeline and helping them survive.”

Qin Lie lightly hummed, “That happened.”

Chen Yufan: “They lived up to expectations and produced a VR headset that year, attracting industry attention.”

Qin Lie nodded and said, “Sanshi Solar System.”

Chen Yufan: “Right, that’s the product. According to their plan, they would later develop Galaxy, Nebula, Universe—a whole series of products requiring enormous capital investment.”

Qin Lie nodded silently.

Chen Yufan: “The following year, three years ago, Mr. Qin stepped down as CEO of Dawn due to disagreements over investment direction.”

“That same year, the company called Sanshi changed its name to FutureWorld, abbreviated as FW.”

“Then this company’s VR technology research and development took off like a rocket. Product iterations emerged endlessly, and in just three years, it joined the first tier of world VR technology companies.”

He suddenly stopped speaking and looked steadily at Qin Lie.

“Mr. Qin, this isn’t a coincidence, is it?”

Qin Lie said nothing, looking at Chen Yufan.

After a moment of standoff, Chen Yufan finally broke through this layer of pretense.

“The major financier behind FW is you, isn’t it, Mr. Qin?”

After a moment of silence, Qin Lie smiled and said, “Does it seem like it?”

Chen Yufan: “This trip to Dunhuang, I never expected such an adventure. I suppose there’s a fate between us two. How about it, Mr. Qin? Want to collaborate?”