CHAPTER 2125: CHAPTER 1947: PAYMENT RECEIVED

The next day.

Waking up.

"Ouch!"

Mu Youyou pinched herself.

Ouch.

After confirming it wasn’t a dream, she picked up the computer on the bedside and reread the email she had read dozens of times last night, with a silly smile on her face. It took her quite a while to return to normal.

"Xiaomei."

"Hurry."

"Stop sleeping."

The early-riser Mu Youyou patted Yan Xiaomei lying next to her. To save on rent, the two rented a studio with a toilet. The groggy Yan Xiaomei slowly opened her eyes.

"Let me sleep a little longer, I was just dreaming of eating lobster."

"It’s all your fault."

"The lobster is gone."

"..."

Mu Youyou was speechless; she fell back to sleep-confusion.

"Contract."

"Shanghai Stock Market."

"Millions."

Upon hearing this.

Yan Xiaomei was wide awake, she sat up abruptly, clenching her fists.

"Get up."

Wash up.

Eat breakfast.

Mu Youyou checked her mobile phone, whoa, once again, there were a bunch of missed calls, a cluster of WeChat and QQ friend requests, and the text message icon unbelievably showed 99+.

"..."

Alright then.

Kudos to your persistence.

But.

Why don’t you use that level of persistence on designing?

...

By noon.

The two women arrived at the Shanghai Stock Market, having no choice—it was their first time flying, so they got to the airport two and a half hours early for fear of missing the flight, and naturally, by the time they arrived, it was noon.

After more than an hour.

"So big."

Arriving at the entrance of the design institute, Mu Youyou marveled.

A bit out of the way.

However.

The area was indeed huge, looking less like a design institute and more like a factory, and a headquarters too. From the main entrance, in the distance was a uniquely shaped office building, but it was blocked by trees, obscuring a full view.

At the entrance.

"Excuse me, who are you looking for?"

"We are here to sign a contract; we have an appointment with your company. My name is Mu Youyou." Before setting out this morning, she had made a call, directly scheduling today’s afternoon work hours.

There’s still twenty minutes.

"Let me check."

After speaking.

The security guard pulled out a tablet from somewhere, operated it for a bit, and nodded, "Hmm, indeed you have an appointment. Alright, go inside, the road straight, find the reception at the entrance."

"Thank you."

Mu Youyou let out a sigh of relief.

Entering.

Glancing left.

Glancing right.

The two, being designers, naturally wanted to have a good look at this intriguingly mysterious design institute; it was a professional habit, and they couldn’t help but admire the impeccable design.

Soon.

Entering the building.

After explaining their purpose, the two were led to a reception room, right on the ground floor, like a private room, with a pond outside the floor-to-ceiling curtain wall, where fish of various colors swam in the shallow water.

Just looking at it felt soothing.

"Would you like something to drink?" asked a person dressed as a waiter walking up.

"Anything will do."

Upon hearing this.

The waiter smiled.

"You can choose something." With that, he placed his hand on the table between the two, and in an instant, the table lit up, turning from a clean black surface into an ordering panel.

At first sight.

A bit surprised, they were just too focused on the fish to notice that touching the table would make it light up. They couldn’t help but say: they were stunned by the high technology.

A closer look.

Many options.

Almost everything they could think of was there.

"Tie Guan Yin."

"Biluochun."

Hmm.

Though usually the two weren’t tea drinkers, they decided to order one suitable for the contract signing venue. Hearing this, the waiter smiled and said, "Okay, may I offer you some dessert? We have small cakes."

"..."

The two were taken aback.

Lowering their heads.

There were cakes, and only names without prices, making them anxious. Yan Xiaomei thought for a moment and asked softly, "Um, may I ask how much a piece of cake costs?"

Upon hearing this.

The waiter shook his head with a smile.

"Free."

"Then we’ll have one."

"One for each."

Free.

Too tempting to resist.

They naturally accepted. The airline meal at noon truly hadn’t filled them, and they marveled at how different a big company was—so lavish. Soon, the tea and cake arrived, and they began to savor them.

"Delicious."

"Tasty."

Upon finishing.

"I still want another piece," Yan Xiaomei whispered. Though it was called a small cake, it was actually not small. But it was just too delicious; even when full, they couldn’t resist wanting another piece, since it was free after all.

"Mind your image."

Mu Youyou wiped her mouth clean, reminding her.

"Oh."

After the waiter tidied up, the others came in, a man and a woman, dressed in suits, looking very capable. Mu Youyou and Yan Xiaomei quickly stood up to introduce themselves. "Please take a seat," the woman smiled.

"I assume you have reviewed the contract yesterday, are there any questions?"

"None."

Mu Youyou shook her head.

Perfect.

Not a single issue could be found.

"That’s good then."

"Take a look, and if there’s no issue, go ahead and sign." The woman handed over three paper copies of the contract, which the two began reviewing on the spot, mainly to verify there was nothing within to trick them.

Yet maintaining a prudent attitude.

After reading.

No issues.

They signed their names.

"Happy cooperation."

Handshake.

"We’ve seen your studio’s design competence, unique style, and extraordinary creativity, all remarkable works. In the future, we hope for more opportunities to cooperate."

"Certainly."

Mu Youyou smiled and said.

After chatting a bit more.

They left, without solicitation or affiliation requests, which relieved the two women enormously. If such requests had been made, refusing them would’ve been awkward; as it was, they felt incredibly relaxed.

"Let’s go."

"Where to?"

"Find a hotel to stay for now," Mu Youyou said boldly. The contract stated that within one business day after signing, one-tenth of the design fee would be transferred to their accounts.

Otherwise.

They wouldn’t dare to say hotel.

Instead, an inn.

As for the remainder, it would be paid in full once the client’s commissioning was completed. The client’s needs are very urgent, so at the latest, by the end of next month, they will receive the remaining balance.

Normally.

The client can’t pay each time a structure is marked.

Advance by the design institute?

Dream on.

More than 400 buildings, the total design fee exceeds 400 million, let alone this design institute, no institute nationwide could advance that amount; getting a tenth already speaks to integrity.

Full of sincerity.

Upon leaving.

The two found a nearby hotel.

Twin room.

"Get started on work."

Sitting side by side.

Opened their computers and got busy.

With a month left until the deadline, they still have time. If they work hard, they might design one or two pieces that the client likes, and that means money—real cash—how could they not be tempted?

Wanting to rest.

After the design fee arrives in a month, they could rest all they want.

Afternoon.

Six thirty.

"Ding Dong!"

The text message alert, Mu Youyou glanced at it and quickly picked up her mobile phone

"Ah!"

A scream startled Yan Xiaomei beside her, who upon understanding the reason, was overjoyed—it was just now that the tenth of the design advance payment was credited.

Three hundred and sixty thousand.

Higher than expected.