Chapter 33: Son

Qin Fanghao became the new employee at the studio. Her work was varied, covering administration and operations, and occasionally filling in at the front desk.

It was completely unrelated to her previous job, but Qin Qing put her there and told her to give it a try. Out of trust in Qin Qing, she did.

Qin Qing had told her in advance that because she would be wearing multiple hats, her salary would increase later as her workload became more saturated.

Working at the front desk only required meticulousness and patience, which Qin Fanghao could handle.

Administration and operations were indeed zero-experience fields for her.

However, the studio had few people, and she was enthusiastic enough that she could overcome the administrative work.

The most challenging part was operations. She was completely fumbling her way forward. Han Jun and Yang Sang had some experience and could guide her, but she needed to learn and improve the more professional aspects herself.

Gradually, she discovered that this unfamiliar work was not as difficult as she had imagined.

She found joy in planning. Her colleagues all said the photos she casually took looked good. Ordinary photos, after passing through her hands, weren’t overly Photoshopped but still had more distinctiveness than others’. Although she only knew basic editing, she had an explosion of ideas in her mind when she got a video…

After the initial exploratory phase, she precisely understood which basic Skills she needed to improve. She found a satisfactory teaching course online and, with a firm resolve, swiped her credit card to pay for it.

When Qin Qing found out, she paid for it from the studio’s account. She also made it clear that all future expenses for job Skill improvement would be covered by the company.

Everyone at the studio witnessed Qin Fanghao’s growth, and they all found it amazing, including herself.

The content she posted on the studio’s operational account saw increased readership with every update, and she could feel that each one was better than the last. Followers grew steadily; though not many, they were highly engaged and very active.

She gained a tremendous sense of accomplishment from these visible improvements and feedback.

A while ago, she just felt that she could avoid living a mechanical and numb life, but now it seemed as if a fog in front of her was being blown away by something, and she could see more tangible possibilities for the future.

She was even more grateful to her boss, Qin Qing, and thanked her formally.

Qin Qing, however, said, “As long as you’re happy with your work. If you have a new career plan and want to leave, remember to tell me in advance.”

Qin Fanghao instinctively promised, “I didn’t think of leaving, Teacher Qin. You are my benefactor, my noble person for this lifetime. As long as the studio needs me, as long as you need me…”

Qin Qing didn’t let her finish: “You can’t say for sure about the future. Just know that I’m not a demanding boss.”

“I don’t know why you’re saying that, but I still want to say, you saved my life.”

Qin Qing shook her head: “You’re wrong. You saved yourself. Go to work. Remember to tell me if you have any ideas.”

Qin Fanghao said blankly, “Okay.”

Qin Fanghao was satisfied and joyful with her current life, but Qin Qing felt a sense of pity.

In reality, all three of Qin Fanghao’s Talent Slots were filled, which was very rare. Most people didn’t even have one Talent worthy of being written in a Talent Slot.

[Talent1: Visual Perception Ability – 85]

[Talent2: Spatial Perception Ability – 80]

[Talent3: Emotional Perception Ability – 75]

If she had sufficient conditions for growth, Qin Fanghao could have become an excellent artist or architect. Her emotional perception ability made it easier for her audience to resonate with her, which was why the followers of the account she managed were so engaged.

But her family was unable to afford for her to pursue things that couldn’t directly generate income, like castles in the air. For the first thirty years of her life, she didn’t even know she had such aptitudes.

In such harsh living conditions, her emotional perception ability became a burden instead, making her more sensitive to malice, yet she was powerless to break free and change, thus entering a vicious cycle of pain and hopelessness.

A person who could have been an artist of exceptional Talent now could only watch photos and videos being taken in a small studio, and be overjoyed by the growth of followers on a self-media account. How could one not feel pity?

Qin Qing wouldn’t tell her these things; it would only make her more miserable.

Besides Qin Fanghao, a financial officer was also hired. She was a warm-hearted sister named Lou Xinyue, thirty-six years old, who had just finished her maternity leave.

She had given birth at an older age, and her health wasn’t good. She took a lot of leave during pregnancy and after maternity leave. The head of finance at her original company was quite displeased. Before her maternity leave, they had her hand over her work to an unmarried male colleague. After her maternity leave, they did not restore her original job duties and, claiming to be considerate of her, assigned her to a general duties position within the department, citing the need for her to take care of her family more. Because it was all miscellaneous work, the performance bonuses she could get were not much.

She believed that raising a child would not affect her work and repeatedly suggested taking on more tasks to her department supervisor, but the supervisor refused, citing that she shouldn’t be too tired during lactation.

When her lactation period ended, she happened to face the mid-year performance review.

HR found her and regretfully informed her that due to her lowest contribution value to the department in the past year, she was deemed incompetent for her original departmental position. They presented performance data as evidence.

They also said that the company was nostalgic and, out of humanitarian consideration, would transfer her to customer service or sales.

Sending an employee with over ten years of financial experience to customer service and sales was essentially a disguised dismissal.

Lou Xinyue wanted to say that the truth wasn’t like that, but she couldn’t produce evidence. Since her desk was close to her supervisor’s, every communication was verbal, with no written records. They were hired at the same time and usually had a good relationship, so she hadn’t been on guard, not expecting to be backstabbed.

The older sister resigned and was then picked up by Qin Qing.

Not many sales representatives were recruited because there was a group of enthusiastic laborers, mostly students, eager to work as summer interns.

Liang Jian, Lu Yang, and Chen Daguang’s two children, Chen Shuhan and Chen Moqing.

The accumulated cat-finding orders were quickly consumed. Most cats were found, but some were not found because too much time had passed.

Such results naturally led to scolding and extortion. However, these matters never escalated to the point where Qin Qing had to intervene; the young, almost childlike, sales representatives resolved them. It was somewhat unexpected that even the seemingly naive Young Master Lu managed to handle things smoothly without being extorted.

The studio’s performance soared, but the System Panel remained motionless. The only thing Qin Qing gained was wealth.

However, an unexpected, delayed settlement arrived.

[Directly assisted in safeguarding Liu Xingchen’s life, indirectly preventing subsequent negative impacts, rewarded 27 Experience Points.]

[Level 5 (Experience Points 29/160)]

!

Qin Qing had thought that this matter, like finding cats, would not yield any rewards. It took almost a month for the result to come, and it brought 27 experience points at once.

This meant that if she hadn’t intervened, in Liu Xingchen’s original life trajectory, he would indeed have been killed. And his death would have affected other stakeholders.

What exactly those impacts were is now unknown.

She found it quite strange why the settlement was happening now, as the cases of Hang Jie, Nana, and others hadn’t even reached a court judgment.

Liang Jinguo gave her the answer.

“Xingchen was discharged from the hospital today after finishing his psychological treatment. His mother can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Miss Qin, I wonder if you’re free tomorrow to honor us with your presence at a meal. His mother and he want to formally thank you.”

So the System Panel only settled her reward after confirming Liu Xingchen’s physical and psychological well-being.

Why?

Arresting high-crime-value individuals can prevent crime in a timely manner, but saving people requires considering future developments?

As for the dinner, Qin Qing was impatient with such social engagements.

As if knowing what she was thinking, Liang Jinguo introduced, “Mr. Liu has his own clubhouse, specializing in high-end receptions. The cuisine is innovative fusion, very famous in the circle. But because it’s membership-based, ordinary people can’t get in.”

Liang Jinguo sounded like he was introducing a newly discovered gourmet spot to an old friend, his tone comfortable. It didn’t feel like she was being persuaded or forced.

Did he think rare delicacies could attract her?

Well, yes, they really could.

Fusion cuisine, if done poorly, is a mess; if done well, it creates a new style.

Since Liang Jinguo dared to say this, it must be the latter, and the taste must be excellent.

Damn it, it was tempting.

She didn’t want to go to the dinner.

But if it was to try new food, then yes!

Liu Simin was the host, with Liang Jinguo and his son accompanying.

The dishes were indeed good. After the main courses were served, the chef even personally came to toast. Qin Qing took the opportunity to glance at him: Cooking Skill 75!

This chef’s cooking style leaned towards Cantonese cuisine, and what Qin Qing found delicious tended to be sweet.

Plum-braised pork, honey-glazed char siu, exquisite roasted goose, stir-fried beef ribs with sauce…

His meat was not at all tough, fresh, tender, and juicy, yet incredibly flavorful, with no hint of gamey taste, just an irresistible sweetness that made you crave more.

It was a pity that ordinary people couldn’t enter this membership-based place.

Qin Qing made no secret of her fondness for these dishes. She unceremoniously took out her phone to take pictures, casually explaining, “I have a Little Red Book account, specifically for food exploration.”

She hadn’t updated it in a long time, she realized.

She took a few photos herself and wasn’t very satisfied. She wished she had brought Qin Fanghao along; his casual shots were more appealing than her carefully composed ones.

Liu Simin and Liang Jinguo watched her fuss with amused smiles.

Liu Simin said, “I didn’t expect Teacher Qin to be so…” She seemed to struggle for the right word, “…modern.”

This was probably another person who thought she was from an ancient Taoist Sect.

She recalled how Chen Daguang, when he first met her, spoke in a half-classical, half-modern, flowery way, which showed people’s stereotypes.

“I don’t live in the deep mountains and old forests. I’m no different from an ordinary fresh graduate.”

Liu Simin complimented, “Ordinary fresh graduates don’t have Teacher Qin’s abilities.” Then, playing along, she added, “I wonder what your Little Red Book account is called, Teacher. With your capabilities, it must be exceptionally good. I’m dying of curiosity.”

There was nothing to hide, so she casually replied, “Thirty-Six Junwang.”

“Oh, how domineering,” Liu Simin said.

Liu Xingchen also craned his neck to look.

Soon after, Qin Qing noticed that her Little Red Book interface, which she had just cleared of notifications, had several new followers, all with local IPs and new accounts with 0 followers and 0 notes.

Uh… these zombie-like followers weren’t that bad.

Liu Simin: “Teacher Qin has so many followers, my small clubhouse is benefiting from it.”

The flattery was quite obvious.

Qin Qing’s fan base and the clubhouse’s target audience were not the same group of people.

No matter how curious or tempted these fans were, they could only drool from behind their screens.

When they had eaten enough, tea and fruit were served.

Liu Simin held a cup of tea in her hand and said solemnly, “The police later told me that they used an AI model to simulate the case. If Teacher Qin hadn’t provided timely information, my Xingchen… there was a high probability he would have been lost forever in that ruin and never come back. Moreover, you personally went so close to the perpetrator. You are his savior, a kindness as great as rebirth, like a second parent.

“According to the custom of my hometown, such a kindness requires the child to kowtow and acknowledge you as a godparent, so he will remember you and be filial to you for life.”

???

Qin Qing suspected she had misheard.

Then she saw Liu Simin hand the teacup to Liu Xingchen, urging, “Xingchen.”

The child obediently walked up to Qin Qing, his small face taut, his small mouth straight.

He knelt down directly, his small knees hitting the ground with a dull thud. He probably couldn’t control the force himself, and his expression twisted in pain for a moment. But he quickly adjusted, holding the tea with both hands, raising it above his head.

He clearly called out, “Godfather, please drink tea.”

What the hell.

What was going on? What father? Who was the father?

Qin Qing felt like she was hallucinating. When she realized the child was indeed calling her, her body moved faster than her mouth, instinctively reaching out to help the child up.

The 8-year-old child was a bit chubby and had strength. He struggled, refusing to get up.

He repeated, “Godfather, please drink tea.”

This sentence was uttered with a stubbornness that made one’s face flush.

Qin Qing: “…”

She was a fine young woman and did not want such a “son” who was almost as tall as her.

And, child, are you sure you didn’t misspeak?