Chapter 606 - 606: Please Trust Me

Zhao Yuan agreed, "Alright, I'll send the architectural drawings to your email in a bit. Is it still the same address?"

"No, I have a new email address." After Liu Xiaoya resigned, her former company had forcibly reclaimed her old one. The reason they gave was that the account contained a lot of company files. So now, she was using a new email she had just registered.

Liu Xiaoya read her new email address aloud.

Zhao Yuan summoned a pen and paper from his Storage Ring Space and jotted down the address.

Next, Liu Xiaoya asked about Zhao Yuan's preferred renovation style and other tastes, so that the final design would better suit his preferences.

After some thought, Zhao Yuan said, "In my opinion, the classical style you specialize in would be great. It has a certain charm. Of course, it would be best if you could also balance it with practicality and modern technology."

Liu Xiaoya agreed. She then recalled the strange requests Zhao Yuan had made when designing the medicinal herb base—things like the position and orientation of the buildings—and casually asked, "Do you have any requirements for the layout, Mr. Zhao?"

As it turned out, she had guessed correctly. Zhao Yuan was indeed planning to set up a few Arrays in the villa, just as he had with the medicinal herb base. However, he still needed to figure out which specific Arrays to use, so he said, "I do have some ideas, but I'll need to think them over before I can give you an answer. In the meantime, you can proceed with your own design ideas."

"Okay," Liu Xiaoya replied.

"Alright, that's everything for now. Start on the design and call me when you have something," Zhao Yuan said, preparing to hang up.

Liu Xiaoya quickly stopped him. "Mr. Zhao, wait a moment."

Zhao Yuan asked, "What is it? Is there something else? Do you need me to pay the design fee upfront?"

"No, the design fee is only paid after you're satisfied. It's just... I have a favor to ask..." Liu Xiaoya's voice was hesitant, as if she was embarrassed to bring it up.

His interest was piqued. "A favor? Go on, what is it?"

After a moment's hesitation, Liu Xiaoya finally said it. "Well, if anyone contacts you in the near future to slander me or spread rumors, I hope you won't believe them..."

"What, did you offend someone?" Zhao Yuan asked.

"I suppose so." Liu Xiaoya sighed, her expression pained.

Zhao Yuan pressed, "Can you tell me the details?"

Liu Xiaoya hesitated. She felt it was wrong to speak ill of someone behind their back, even if her former boss really wasn't a good person.

Seeing her hesitation, her friend grew anxious and chimed in, "Xiaoya, what's there to hide? You did nothing wrong; in fact, you're the victim here!" In her urgency, the friend snatched the phone and introduced herself. "Hello, Mr. Zhao. I'm Liu Xiaoya's friend and the partner in her new design studio. Here's what happened..."

She was very articulate and explained the whole story in just a few sentences.

"I see," Zhao Yuan said, nodding.

Although he hadn't interacted with Liu Xiaoya much, he could tell from their limited contact that she was an independent, capable, and strong-willed woman. She didn't seem like the type to fabricate lies to deceive him. Besides, she had no reason to. Was it really just so he wouldn't believe some rumors?

So he said, "Don't worry. I'm a good judge of character and can tell truth from lies."

"Thank you, Mr. Zhao." Liu Xiaoya breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhao Yuan's voice turned serious. "No need to thank me. But I should also remind you that if the design you come up with doesn't satisfy me, I will find someone else."

When it came to professional matters, confidence immediately returned to Liu Xiaoya's face. She said earnestly, "Don't worry, Mr. Zhao. I'm confident that my design will definitely satisfy you!"

"Good. In that case, I'll look forward to it," Zhao Yuan said with a smile.

After hanging up, Zhao Yuan first sent the architectural drawings to Liu Xiaoya's email. Then, he lit a stick of Soul-Stabilizing Incense and began his Cultivation of the Jingtun Technique. Over an hour later, he finished his session, lay down on his bed, and started studying the medical knowledge from the Information Leaf.

Meanwhile, at the real estate agency where Mu Han worked, everyone was packing up to go home.

The colleague who had made a bet with Tan Xiong earlier piped up, clamoring for Tan Xiong to treat everyone to a late-night meal.

"And why should I?" Tan Xiong asked, unwilling.

His colleague said, "You bet me this afternoon that if Mu Han closed the deal, you'd treat everyone to dinner. What, are you trying to go back on your word?"

Tan Xiong retorted, "Who said I'm going back on my word? The deal isn't closed yet!"

The colleague replied, "Mu Han has already scheduled a meeting with the homeowner for the client. They're coming in tomorrow morning to sign the sales contract. How does that not count as closing the deal?"

"Of course it doesn't count!" Tan Xiong said. "Until that sales contract is signed, the deal isn't closed! It's not like any of us haven't seen clients get flaked on at the last minute."

Tan Xiong had a point. Everyone there had experienced a situation like that before. After some thought, his colleague said, "Alright, fair enough. We'll wait until Mu Han officially closes the deal tomorrow, and then you can treat us to a feast. Don't you try to back out then."

"Don't worry, I'd never go back on my word!" Tan Xiong said, though inwardly he was already starting to feel regret.

'If Mu Han actually closes this deal, not only will I not see a single cent or benefit from it, I'll have to pay for everyone's dinner out of my own pocket... Fucking hell, what a raw and frustrating deal!'

All he could do now was pray that Zhao Yuan would stand Mu Han up tomorrow.

Mu Han, oblivious to his thoughts, stepped forward and said, "How could we let Brother Tan foot the bill? If the deal is successful, it should be my treat, of course. Besides, I have to thank Brother Tan. If he hadn't introduced the client to me, I never would have had the chance to land such a big deal."

Tan Xiong's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, but he couldn't get angry.

After all, Mu Han was just being kind and well-intentioned.

The colleagues around them found this hilarious. The one who had made the bet, in particular, shot Tan Xiong a teasing look and said, "Regretting it now? Let's see if you still judge a book by its cover in the future."

Tan Xiong snorted, grabbed his things, and stormed out of the office.

Once he was a good distance away, he looked back, spat on the ground in the direction of the office, and sneered, 'Just wait until you get stood up tomorrow. We'll see who's crying then!'