Chapter 102: Scheming and Pretending Ignorance

Once he was certain that the other side had made their move, Zhao Fan finally let go of the tension he'd been holding in his heart. As the saying goes, it's not the thief who steals that's frightening, but the thief who keeps you in mind. The dust had settled, and that brought a sense of relief.

"Stick to the plan."

Just a couple of days after Shi Wenxuan’s call, Zhao Fan learned that the workers at the construction site had been poached. Shi Wenxuan, following the plan, halted construction at the site.

Not long after, Sangtian Design Company caught fire in the middle of the night. By the time the fire trucks arrived, the entire company was engulfed in flames, everything inside destroyed—including the design blueprints from various clients.

When Zhao Fan received news of the fire, he was silent for a long time. He had expected that the Bai and Yang families would destroy the design documents at most, but he never imagined they would burn down Sangtian Company entirely. This move was not only sudden but ruthlessly decisive, pushing Sangtian to the brink of ruin.

A company built on design, unable to safeguard its blueprints—one could imagine how furious their clients would be.

The news of the fire at Sangtian spread quickly through Yangcheng. Many lamented the bad luck of the company’s boss. One fire in the dead of night had not only wiped out the foundation of the company but severed any chance of recovery.

Everyone talked about it. For a while, most people in Yangcheng were engrossed in the incident, discussing, sighing, placing themselves above it all, relishing their own prominence.

Eventually, even students at school were talking.

"Hey, Fan, did you hear about it? Some company recently burned down—one that does design blueprints, supposedly really impressive," Chen Tianyu and Duan Gaoxuan rushed over to Zhao Fan, recounting the event and asking if the company was truly exceptional.

"It really is impressive. Right now, it’s the only one of its kind in the country," Zhao Fan replied.

Chen Tianyu and Duan Gaoxuan exchanged glances, surprise evident in both their eyes. A company that made design blueprints, the only one?

Noticing their astonishment, Zhao Fan smiled. "At present, only Sangtian does architectural design in the country."

Chen Tianyu was puzzled. "I thought they did interior design? Since when is it architectural design? Does architecture even need design?"

Duan Gaoxuan chimed in, "Yeah, does a building really need design? Aren’t they all pretty much the same—just slap something together?"

Zhao Fan laughed at their naivety. "Just slap something together? You think the school’s multi-story teaching building was put up without planning? Every brick is accounted for from the blueprint by the architect…"

He stopped mid-sentence and beckoned them over. When they leaned in, he lowered his voice. "Every blueprint commands a fee in the tens of thousands. Depending on the architect’s skill, reputation, and the size of the building, the price varies greatly. Do you understand?"

Chen Tianyu and Duan Gaoxuan exchanged another look, their surprise deepening. Neither had ever heard of a blueprint commanding such a price.

"How could it be so lucrative?" Duan Gaoxuan asked skeptically.

Zhao Fan replied, "Skill. Years of studying, honing one’s craft, that’s what brings in the money."

"Does the school teach this?" Chen Tianyu exclaimed.

"Of course, why wouldn’t it? There are schools for excavators now, let alone architecture."

"Alright, you two, stop daydreaming and get back to work," Zhao Fan said, shooing them away.

Chen Tianyu and Duan Gaoxuan huddled together, unable to resist whispering.

"Do you think Fan was telling the truth?" Duan Gaoxuan asked.

"Fan doesn’t lie. It must be true—a blueprint worth tens of thousands, that’s real money," Duan Gaoxuan replied.

Chen Tianyu pouted, "Are you tempted?"

Duan Gaoxuan rolled his eyes. "Don’t pretend you’re not. Working hard all year outside, you barely make a few tens of thousands. Draw a blueprint and you’re already there—what does that mean? Money—you don’t like money?"

Chen Tianyu was speechless. Of course he liked money, but the whole thing seemed unbelievable. Earning that much just by drawing a house plan—it was simply…

"Chen Tianyu, I’ve made up my mind!"

"Huh? About what?"

Duan Gaoxuan spoke with determination, "I’ve decided to study hard. No matter what, I’ll get into a good major—only then won’t I have to worry about making money."

Chen Tianyu was silent. He still felt that studying was exhausting.

From his seat in front, Zhao Fan glanced back, the corner of his mouth barely curving. Duan Gaoxuan had been motivated—it remained to be seen if he could sustain it. As for Chen Tianyu, he lacked Duan’s resolve; Zhao Fan would have to find another way to inspire him.

Elsewhere, Shi Wenxuan stared at the company reduced to ashes by the fire, his face dark and brooding. He had anticipated every possibility, but not that the company would be set ablaze.

The other employees stood behind Shi Wenxuan, exchanging uneasy glances, none daring to speak.

"How many of the blueprints on the computers have backups?"

"I have two—yesterday’s designs are with me."

"I have none."

"I have three…"

As each spoke up, Shi Wenxuan’s expression eased somewhat. At least not all the blueprints were lost.

"Gather what you have, then convene a meeting."

"Understood."

The group dispersed, all seasoned professionals who needed no further instruction. They quickly marked out the blueprints they had.

At the meeting, Shi Wenxuan compared the losses, cataloged missing designs, and prioritized their urgency.

"The company’s in trouble. You’ll all be working hard for a while, but I hope you can bear it. If we get through this, I’ll grant everyone two months’ salary as a bonus…"

Using the bonus as encouragement, Shi Wenxuan adjourned the meeting, and all Sangtian employees plunged into frantic work.

In the Bai family study, Bai Yongyuan glared at Bai Yu, who knelt trembling on the floor.

"I told you to deal with that blueprint. Instead, you dealt with the entire company. Bai Yu, where is your brain? Did a dog eat it?"

Bai Yu kept his head down, barely breathing.

Bai Yongyuan pointed at him, pacing with a cold face. The situation spiraling out of control gave even Bai Yongyuan a headache.

The steward entered. "Master, the head of the Yang family is here, waiting in the lounge."

Bai Yongyuan pressed his brow. "Bring him in directly."

"Yes, sir."

Yang Tiancheng entered and immediately saw Bai Yu kneeling. He raised an eyebrow. "What’s going on here, Bai Family Head?"

Bai Yongyuan sighed, frustration written all over his face. "What else? Disciplining a fool!"

Yang Tiancheng’s cheek twitched. If Bai Yu weren’t kneeling, he’d have thought Bai Yongyuan was insulting him by proxy.

"That’s a bit harsh. How could your son be a fool? At most, he missed a few details. Young people need room for mistakes, don’t you agree?"

Bai Yongyuan forced a smile. "You’re right, Yang Family Head. Young people do need some leeway for mistakes. What are your thoughts on Zhao Fan?"