QTIMP -Chapter 184 Character Persona – Overachiever (Part 16)

Song Huaiyi said gratefully, “Coming up by elevator wasn’t much trouble. I had our family pastry chef make some pastries and intentionally lowered the sweetness a bit—you can give them a try.”

As he spoke, his eyes flicked toward the office inside.

The young receptionist softly said, “She’s not in the office; it seems she’s in a meeting. You can wait in the lounge. Once Sister Si comes out, we’ll let her know.”

Even though they knew he was Si Qiu’s house manager, they didn’t dare let him enter her office alone.

Song Huaiyi’s face still held that gentle, friendly smile. “Alright, thank you. The pastries are freshly made, best eaten now while they’re still good.”

After saying goodbye to them, he walked straight into the lounge as if he were completely familiar with the place.

A group of young staff whispered among themselves. “Hey, do you think Butler Song has a thing for Sister Si?”

The receptionist rolled her eyes at him. “Do you even need to ask? That’s obvious! Besides, if he likes her, what’s so surprising about that?”

The girl who had taken a pastry nodded. “Exactly! Our Sister Si has the looks, the wealth, and the talent. Apart from that brother-in-law with the eye condition, who could resist her charm?”

The receptionist took out her own pastry and placed the rest on the table by the meeting room door. After the meeting, everyone could conveniently take their share.

In no time, the meeting ended, and people left one after another. At the door, with reminders, everyone took their pastries.

Si Qiu, however, hadn’t come out yet; she was discussing the company’s relocation with several key personnel.

The floor they were renting no longer met their office needs, but Si Qiu always felt uneasy about renting year after year. Signing a three- or five-year lease required more money than she had.

Just then, her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she frowned slightly—it was Tang Chaoyun.

She raised a hand to signal to the others, then stepped to the door to answer.

“Hello?”

“It’s me,” the man’s voice was slightly low and steady.

“What is it?” Si Qiu asked, a hint of impatience in her tone.

Tang Chaoyun noticed her impatience and paused briefly before stating his purpose directly. “Tomorrow’s Saturday. I was thinking we could take Che’er to the amusement park for a little outing.”

He wanted to gradually create distance between the old lady and Che’er. If he could mend the mother-son relationship a little, all the better. So as soon as his overseas contract was signed, he hurried back, eager to arrange some parent-child activities.

Hearing his suggestion, Si Qiu furrowed her brow slightly. “I’m quite busy lately. If you want to go, just take him yourself for now. When I’m done, I’ll take over and spend time with him.”

During the call, a few core members of her company were discussing the relocation, their voices gradually rising as the discussion got heated. Snippets of this reached Tang Chaoyun’s ears.

He was just thinking of how to persuade Si Qiu when he caught this information. Fingers tapping lightly on the table, he changed the tone of the conversation.

“So, your company wants to relocate—is the current office no longer suitable? What are your requirements for a new office?”

“You know that the Tang family has real estate businesses. If you ever need anything, you can tell me. After all, we’re married, and you’re Chun’er’s biological mother—there’s no need to be so distant.”

His words were… interesting. Si Qiu thought for a moment, then didn’t hold back and stated her request.

An hour later, an email arrived in her inbox. After discussing with her company staff, she immediately picked a 26-story building under the Tang Group.

The building has a base area of 12.2 acres, with a lobby, plaza, and underground parking all in place.

Although the building isn’t new and its location is slightly off, it had recently undergone structural renovations and interior maintenance.

Currently, only the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 9th, 12th, and 13th floors are rented; the rest are vacant. If possible, she wanted to buy the entire building.

She could then convert each floor into live-streaming studios, video shooting bases, recording rooms, dance studios, and more.

With her current finances, buying it outright was wishful thinking. But she at least wanted to rent all the remaining floors, so she could move the dance studios she rented elsewhere into this building.

Even for leasing, she wanted a three-to-five-year contract. With so many floors, the rent would definitely be high.

But how could she come up with that kind of money? And how could she negotiate with that wretched man?

Don’t be fooled by talk of marital affection—he’s a real businessman. His only measure is profit and loss; everything else serves that goal.

She circled the building she wanted on the computer and sent it over, waiting for Tang Chaoyun’s reply.

After lunch, Si Qiu received a call from Tang Chaoyun. When she answered, there was a moment of silence before he spoke.

“I can give you that building.”

After signing a document, Si Qiu leaned back in her chair, adopting a negotiation stance. “You mean as a gift?”

A low laugh came through the phone. “Wife, you and I are both businesspeople. You know that even a loss-making deal always has a purpose.”

Si Qiu held her phone in one hand and twirled a pen with the other. “Then what is it that you’re after, husband?”

Tang Chaoyun lowered his gaze slightly and gestured for his assistant to leave. “Che’er is still young. Over these years, I’ve failed him. I want to give him a complete home in the days ahead.”

Si Qiu’s brows gradually furrowed as she listened.

He sighed and continued, “I know that the current marriage holds little meaning for you. So, as long as you maintain a friendly husband-and-wife relationship with me until Che’er turns 18, we will divorce when he reaches 18. Apart from what was written in the premarital agreement, I’ll give you that building as divorce compensation. During these years, you can use it for free. Any subsidiary of the Tang Group can also provide your entertainment company with free support. After a few years, when Che’er is an adult, we can finally ease our hold.”

The benefits he offered were generous, but the 13-year timeline felt long, making Si Qiu uneasy.

Still, thinking of her own capital, and the subtle—or not-so-subtle—suppression by Si Shi, Jia Yu, and Zhuo Yuan, the two major entertainment companies, she hesitated.