Chapter Twenty-Nine: Busy Days

Zhou Chen had actually long since formed a clear concept for the new Saima Group headquarters—it was a fairly conventional, standard approach. However, after he submitted his preliminary proposal, Fang Yuanyang had disagreed with it, insisting on making changes everywhere until the final result was a chaotic mess. It could be said that the reason the matter remained unresolved was that neither side was willing to compromise. While it is true that in such matters the client’s wishes should come first, designers also have their own principles and choices. This was precisely why Director Lin had not forced the issue, even knowing that Zhou Chen was resistant.

Since he had decided to provide Fang Yuanyang with the best possible design proposal before leaving, Zhou Chen was determined to give it his all. Sitting at his desk, he recalled that in the original storyline, the reason the proposal had managed to impress Fang Yuanyang was that Xia Junshan had tailored the design based on Fang’s life experiences. It might sound absurd—how does one integrate life experiences into architectural design? In reality, it was far from nonsense. Everyone possesses a unique character and style; by inferring what kind of person someone is based on their life story, one can then apply a targeted design method. Simply put, it is about matching the design to the person. It might not be the "best" in an objective sense, but it is certainly the most appropriate. Just like a person’s head shape—the same haircut will yield different results on different people. Therefore, a skilled barber never follows a rigid template but instead designs a style according to the customer’s features. By that same logic, an excellent architect can weave a client’s life history and personal style into their designs.

Having settled on a direction, Zhou Chen began searching for information on Fang Yuanyang online. As a prominent wealthy businessman in Jiangzhou, Fang’s journey was legendary. It had taken him over twenty years to build a multi-billion-dollar conglomerate from humble beginnings. Coupled with his high-profile personality, he was incredibly famous in Jiangzhou, and there was no shortage of information available. At first, he didn't find much of substance, but he did uncover a mountain of gossip. Of course, this was a common trait among the vast majority of the wealthy; the only difference was whether or not it had been leaked to the public. Zhou Chen didn't consider himself that type of person, though he was currently striving toward that level of success.

For several consecutive days, Zhou Chen busied himself with the design proposal. He relied on his backlog of novel chapters, though his daily output had dropped from twenty thousand words to ten thousand. Perhaps the readers’ appetites had grown too large, as he was being absolutely savaged in the comments for "only" updating ten thousand words a day. Zhou Chen didn't pay it much mind, however. Writing novels was, after all, his side gig; his primary job had to come first. Besides, he planned to leave after finishing this one project, so he naturally wanted to wrap things up as soon as possible.

"Honey, you've been so busy lately?" Nan Li asked, her heart aching as she saw Zhou Chen still in the study, constantly sketching and gnawing on his pen after she had finished bathing the children and tucking them into bed. "It’s past ten already. Aren't you going to sleep?"

"Hmm, just a little longer."

Nan Li walked behind Zhou Chen, gently massaging his head, and asked with concern, "Honey, you’re busy with work and writing your novel every day. You're exhausted. Can't we just stop pushing ourselves so hard?"

Seeing him work until around midnight every day for the Saima Group project, Nan Li felt the strain right along with him. Zhou Chen took her hand and said softly, "It's alright. Things will be better once I get through this busy spell."

"Are you really planning on starting your own business?"

"Why wouldn't I? Did you think I was joking? I’ve given this a lot of thought. Think about it: even though I lead a small team at the design institute, it will take at least several more years to be promoted to the next level. Even then, it’s all about performance metrics. I might be even busier than I am now, but the pay won't increase all that much. Rather than working so hard for someone else, I might as well strike out on my own."

Zhou Chen felt confident because their current financial cushion was quite solid—they owned their home and their cars, and he had a hit novel providing a steady monthly income. As long as he didn't jump into something overly risky, they could handle the losses even if a typical business venture failed.

Nan Li frowned. "The logic is sound, but business is different from being an employee. It’s starting from scratch, and it will surely be very difficult and demanding in the beginning. If we're both that busy, what will happen to Huanhuan and Chaochao?"

Zhou Chen suggested, "Then just quit your job too, and we can do it together. That way, one of us can always look after the family."

Nan Li rolled her eyes. "I finally became an acting director, and I’m close to dropping the 'acting' title. How could I quit? Besides, if you're the one starting a business and I keep my job, even if your venture fails, I’ll still have a position to fall back on. We won't end up with nothing."

"You really have so little faith in your husband?" Although he had never done business before, he felt confident this time, yet Nan Li’s lack of belief left him feeling rather dejected.

Nan Li wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, resting her cheek against his, and whispered tenderly, "How could I not believe in you? My husband is the best. You made so much money with your first novel and earned a lot from your first investment, so even if this is your first time starting a business, you’re bound to be a huge success."

"Then you..."

"Honey, this position is something I’ve worked for years to achieve. There’s still room for advancement, and I truly love this job, so I don't want to give it up easily. But I will fully support you in your venture."

Glancing at Nan Li’s expression, Zhou Chen sighed inwardly. He knew how hard she had worked for that director position, but he also knew that she likely wouldn't keep it. The storyline made it clear that she wasn't the only candidate, and the situation involved higher-level power struggles within Wei Nuan. Otherwise, a single complaint from Tian Yulan wouldn't have been enough to cause Nan Li to lose her position and lead to the removal of her patron, the company president. However, Zhou Chen kept this to himself, knowing she wouldn't believe him anyway; she had worked too long to just let go.

"Fine. If things don't work out at Wei Nuan, then you can join me. Besides, I haven't decided exactly when to start the business. After I resign, I plan to finish the novel first and then gradually start the business."

Nan Li pretended to be angry. "Honey, can’t you wish me some good luck?"

Zhou Chen replied, "I’m just afraid of you being mistreated while working for others. If it were our own business, you’d be the queen, the president; you could do whatever you wanted. Wouldn’t that be better than working for someone else?"

Nan Li teased, "You’re just trying to sweet-talk me. 'Queen,' 'President'—at home, I’m just a drudge."

"Smack." Zhou Chen playfully swatted her mischievous hand away. "I still have to work."

"I’m part of your work, too."

"Stop messing around. Hey, hey, don't..."