He is only Gentle with Her - Chapter 02

In East City in August, before nine o’clock, the sunlight was so dazzling that it was almost blinding.

Ye Fenghua stood with a group of people at the foot of the Lan Corporation building, waiting for the customized piano-black Maserati to approach.

As the car came to a stop, he quickly stepped forward to open the door. When he saw the person getting out of the car, he slightly bent forward and formally called out, “President Lan.”

Lan Wanqing stepped out of the car, glanced at him lazily, and gave a faint “mm” as she handed her handbag to the intern assistant beside her. She then took the coffee from his hand and walked towards the Blue Building.

Lan Wanqing was only three years older than Ye Fenghua, but her presence made him feel as though she was at least thirty years his senior. That lazy glance she had just given him made his heart tremble.

Ye Fenghua clicked his tongue inwardly, pondering that this must be the result of someone who has been in power for years. Such people, accustomed to looking down from the pinnacle, exude an aura of authority even without uttering a word.

Logically, someone with her delicate features, beautiful like an ancient beauty kept in a secluded chamber, should appear non-threatening.

But this was not the case.

When Lan Wanqing pressed her lips together in silence, her expression was indifferent and cold, radiating a sense of aloofness that kept others at a distance.

But when she starts talking, you’ll notice a peculiar trait common to all businesspeople—talking to people like they were people and to ghosts like they were ghosts.

But that was only when the other party was beneficial to her. Conversely, if the situation were reversed, one might feel that it was better when she remained silent.

For example, right now,

“Ye Fenghua, go to HR in ten minutes to complete the paperwork.” Lan Wanqing took a couple of steps forward, noticing that the person who was supposed to be following her to report today’s schedule was not there. Turning around, she saw him standing still, seemingly lost in thought. She squinted at him and said, “I will handle things with Mr. Ye.”

For a businessman, every minute is as precious as gold.

Ye Fenghua: “……”

If he really dawdled like this, he would surely be beaten to death by his grandfather when he returned.

Having been by her side for over a year, it might not be accurate to say he understands her fully, but at least from the ten minutes she’s given him, it’s clear she’s still giving him a chance.

Ye Fenghua took two large steps to catch up with Lan Wanqing, opened his tablet, and began reporting today’s schedule.

“The assessment from A&G has arrived.”

“The financial report this morning will be in ten minutes,” he paused and corrected himself, “in eight minutes, since two minutes have already been wasted.”

Ye Fenghua felt a cold sweat on his forehead, pretending not to notice the “casual” glance Lan Wanqing shot his way, and continued speaking.

“Mr. Li from Lis Technology insists on discussing the issue of our acquisition of his company’s stock with you in person. He has called at least twenty times in the past hour.”

“Let him keep calling. We’ll talk when the stock price goes up by ten percent.”

Ye Fenghua replied, “Understood.”

“The secretary from Tianyue Construction called to reschedule the lunch meeting, hoping to move it to the evening.”

“That’s fine,” Lan Wanqing said as she walked into the elevator. “Change my flight tonight to tomorrow at ten.”

“Got it,” Ye Fenghua said, following her into the elevator. He continued, “The PR department said Ms. Lin Muxi, the editor of Century Weekly, wants to arrange an exclusive interview with you. She has already emailed the content of the interview. Do you want to accept the interview?”

“Decline.”

Although this was the expected answer, Ye Fenghua still swiped his tablet, unable to resist glancing up at her for confirmation. He almost spoke but swallowed the words back.

Forget it. Being beside Lan Wanqing, he learned not only business knowledge and social skills, but also the most important survival tactic in society—cherish life and avoid unnecessary trouble.

He continued reporting on today’s schedule. During the few seconds in the elevator, Lan Wanqing’s gaze never left the elevator’s LCD screen, but Ye Fenghua knew that every word he said, even each letter, was being meticulously noted by her.

When the elevator stopped, he followed Lan Wanqing out.

Her steps didn’t pause, nor did his report.

As they approached the conference room, the assistant secretary saw them coming and opened the door in advance. Lan Wanqing stopped at the entrance, and Ye Fenghua’s report ended just in time.

He sighed inwardly but maintained a professional smile on his face.

“Three thousand words of reflection,” Lan Wanqing said, looking at him sideways. “Send it to my email before work tomorrow.”

“…Yes.”

Ignoring the sympathetic glance from the assistant secretary, Ye Fenghua followed Lan Wanqing and the others into the conference room.

When she received the call from Lin Muxi, Lan Wanqing was in the VIP lounge at the airport, flipping through the latest fashion magazine.

She glanced at the flashing screen, turned a couple more pages, and then picked up the phone.

“Lan Wanqing! You’ve turned down my interview request again!” Lin Muxi roared on the other end of the line, her voice like a lioness’s roar.

“You know, Mumu,” Lan Wanqing leisurely said, turning another page of the magazine. “Even if you shout until your throat hurts, I still won’t accept the interview.”

“Hey!” Lin Muxi slammed her hand against the desk at the other end of the line. “You have a significant stake in Century Weekly, don’t you? If my magazine does well, how could you possibly lose out?”

Lan Wanqing chuckled lightly. “Mumu, after all these years of knowing each other, do you think I’m the kind of person who would sell myself just for a little money?”

Lin Muxi was momentarily at a loss for words.

She knew she wasn’t.

Lan Wanqing was destined to be a prominent figure from birth—independent, self-sufficient, bold, and possessing remarkable business acumen. During her sophomore year, she began interning at her family’s Lan Corporation, starting from the bottom. By the winter break of her junior year, she had developed a perfect acquisition plan that earned the company nearly ten million profit, leading to her appointment as the manager of the investment department.

By the second semester of her junior year, she had completed all required credits and was granted an early graduation certificate by the school.

That same year, she went to Harvard to pursue an MBA, and she returned successfully after two years.

After returning to the country, Lan Wanqing directly took over the vast Lan Corporation from her grandfather, Lan Hongtao. In the four years since taking over, the company has soared to new heights.

Those who initially doubted Lan Hongtao’s bold decision to entrust such a huge enterprise to a young girl were surprised. Later, Lan Wanqing became known as a dark horse in the East City business circle.

No one dared to underestimate her anymore. Any company that cooperated with the Lan Corporation found it hard to believe that not only was its leader so young but also so beautiful.

As a result, those seeking to form marital alliances with the Lan family in the past two years have likely worn out the doors of the Lan family mansion.

To refuse all marriage proposals without offending anyone, Lin Muxi could only admire Lan Wanqing—there was no one else like her.

What did she say to her back then?

Oh, right.

She said that she was determined to make her way in this circle. It wasn’t that she was afraid of offending anyone, but that fewer rivals meant less unnecessary trouble.

Lan Wanqing’s arm holding the phone was getting sore, and she still hadn’t heard Lin Muxi speak.

She sighed. “Mumu, I’m hanging up.”

Lin Muxi snapped out of her thoughts, raised her voice slightly, and asked, “Are you at the airport right now?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Going to Maldives?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Miss Lan, you really do balance work and relaxation,” Lin Muxi marveled.

When it comes to work, she can be so focused that she seems to forget her family, but when it’s time to rest, she firmly sticks to her own schedule despite others’ opinions. It’s truly impressive.

“The body is the capital of revolution; that’s my unwavering belief,” Lan Wanqing joked lightly.

“So what about this issue of the magazine?” Lin Muxi lamented. “I was counting on your interview to make it a hit!”

Lan Wanqing couldn’t help but laugh. “How about this: let the little madman do the interview. He’ll eventually have to stand on his own at Ye Corporation, and it’s a good opportunity for him to get some exposure. Plus, he’s my secretary now, so he counts as someone close to me. Those two angles should be enough for you, right?”

Lin Muxi, on the other end of the line, gave a loud kiss to the microphone and said, “Qing’er, I knew you’d be the most loyal!” But then she asked with some concern, “But will that little madman agree to the interview?”

“Does he have a chance to refuse?”

Lin Muxi: “……”

Indeed, Ye Fenghua probably fears only two people in this world: his grandfather and Lan Wanqing.

As the airport announcement signaled that boarding time had arrived, Lan Wanqing bid farewell to Lin Muxi and hung up.

As Lan Wanqing stood up, she thought about Lin Muxi’s last comment, wishing her an exotic romance, and smiled slightly.

If only that could really happen.

She has never forced herself in matters of the heart. It’s not that she doesn’t want to fall in love; she just has never met anyone who sparks her interest.

She’s not willing to settle for something less for a lifetime.

It’s just too difficult. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have waited for 27 years.