If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong - Chapter 14
Chapter 14: The Fourth Day
Shenyin Technology.
In the sixteen-meter-high lobby, white robots moved around, inspecting the employees coming and going.
Every newcomer to Shenyin was awestruck by these lifelike robots, as if they had stepped straight out of a science fiction film. Even the employees who came to work every day would occasionally feel a sense of unreality as they watched the robots performing security checks and other tasks in the lobby.
—This was the foundation of Shenyin Technology’s confidence.
It gathered the top technical talents in the country and was constantly recruiting more.
Who would have thought that the founder of such a powerful company was once just an ordinary student, whose initial capital came entirely from selling her technology?
He Bai stood in front of the security gate, lowering his eyes and extending his hand for the robot to scan.
He remembered that when he had first entered university, Cheng Liu was already the most famous student on campus, known across all departments.
Coming from a privileged background, He Bai had naturally chosen to study finance. Just a month into his first year, he had already been forced to hear Cheng Liu’s name on various occasions, even his own professors mentioning her from time to time.
—Software engineering major, genius, and a money-maker.
This was He Bai’s entire impression of Cheng Liu before he met her.
A technically skilled person who was also good at business. He Bai could almost picture what she looked like.
They were always eloquent, highly emotionally intelligent, approachable, and careful not to reveal any weaknesses. But often, such people were also shrewd and calculating.
Having grown up surrounded by his parents' business associates, He Bai had seen plenty of such people.
Back then, He Bai hadn’t known that he would one day become one of Cheng Liu’s admirers.
Their first real encounter was three months later, at a brainstorming session organized by the Finance and Technology Association, with representatives from all three years attending.
He Bai was one of the three representatives from his freshman year. He wasn’t actually interested in these childish school discussions, finding them less informative than attending a single business banquet with his parents.
However, building good relationships with his classmates was a necessary part of university life, even if he didn’t care about it.
That evening, He Bai arrived early. There was only one other person in the classroom, sitting at the long, round table.
It was a girl with a low ponytail, her entire outfit probably costing no more than three hundred yuan, the most ordinary and unremarkable type of university student.
She was engrossed in her phone, not even looking up as He Bai pulled out a chair and sat across from her.
It wasn't until half an hour later, when she took a candy from her pocket, unwrapped it with one hand, and put it in her mouth, that she finally noticed his presence.
“Junior?” She looked at He Bai, then took out another candy and tossed it to him. “Have a candy.”
He Bai would always remember the casual look on Cheng Liu’s face and the smile in her eyes as she looked up at him.
“Thank you.” He Bai took the candy but didn't eat it.
After this brief exchange, they didn’t speak again until the others arrived.
He Bai didn’t know she was Cheng Liu at the time, but he noticed that everyone who entered would glance at her.
This was a rare occurrence for him.
With his handsome features and impeccable style, He Bai was always the center of attention. Whether male or female, he was always the first person people noticed.
The girl across from him was certainly beautiful, but her features were sharp and her clothes ordinary, making her seem approachable. Logically, such a person wouldn't attract so much attention.
…Perhaps she was some kind of influential figure?
He Bai speculated.
His speculation was soon confirmed when the president introduced her. This was the renowned Cheng Liu.
For a moment, He Bai felt a pang of disappointment.
Cheng Liu was completely different from what he had imagined. She wasn't a quirky tech geek nor a shrewd businesswoman.
She seemed too ordinary.
His disappointment grew during the brainstorming session. She seemed to have no opinions at all, remaining silent throughout.
Eventually, the discussion shifted to He Bai, who, unlike his seniors, had already been exposed to the business world and had more insightful perspectives.
Everyone listened quietly as he spoke, some even applauding. Finally, finding it pointless, He Bai stopped, intending to end the discussion.
Just then, Cheng Liu, who had been silent until now, spoke, raising a few questions about everything he had said.
Her tone wasn’t sharp, even rather calm, but her questions ruthlessly exposed the flaws in He Bai’s arguments, revealing to everyone that he had built a shaky foundation.
He Bai looked up at Cheng Liu, flustered, and finally saw the sharp intelligence in her eyes, something not found in ordinary people.
That night, he met the real Cheng Liu.
He Bai later told Cheng Liu about how his impression of her had changed that night.
Cheng Liu thought for a moment, then corrected him: “My entire outfit cost 136 yuan.”
Recalling the past, a smile played on He Bai’s lips. However, despite her sharp insights in business, Cheng Liu was completely oblivious when it came to matters of the heart.
Last night, feigning drunkenness, he had subtly hinted at his feelings, even positioning himself strategically to expose his neck and collarbone, but Cheng Liu, completely clueless, had simply sent him home.
Remembering last night, He Bai sighed inwardly. She was probably naturally emotionally dense.
He wondered where she had heard about the need to please a boyfriend, going so far as to spend so much money on that jade planter.
As for Wang Hongyang…
He Bai didn't intend to directly expose his behavior. Rather than leaving Cheng Liu with the impression that he was meddling, it would be better to create an opportunity for her to see Wang Hongyang’s true nature for herself.
As her chief assistant, responsible for managing her schedule, this would be easy enough to arrange.
After clearing security, He Bai was about to continue walking when he heard a familiar voice behind him.
“Didn’t I say you had the day off yesterday?”
After her trip to the Wenxing Residential Complex, Cheng Liu had gone straight to the company. As soon as she entered, she saw her chief assistant, who had been drunk last night.
He Bai turned around with a smile. After Cheng Liu entered, he said somewhat helplessly, “I’m sober now. I apologize for my behavior last night.”
An employee passing through the security gate lowered their head, their eyes widening slightly. What had happened between CEO Cheng and Chief Assistant He?
“Working even when you’re hungover? Even I can’t keep up with you,” Cheng Liu said, walking briskly inside. “But your judgment is impaired after drinking, and that can lead to mistakes at work.”
He Bai nodded: “You’re right.”
The employee, passing by with their head down, looked up again: …So it was about work. They had thought they had stumbled upon some juicy gossip.
They entered the private elevator. He Bai pressed the button for the 26th floor, and Cheng Liu looked at him through the elevator’s mirror: “Go to your office first. I’m going to the Autonomous Driving Technology Department.”
“Okay.” He Bai pressed the button for the 17th floor.
A moment later, the elevator doors opened, and Cheng Liu stepped out.
The entire 17th floor was occupied by the Autonomous Driving Technology Department. There were only eleven employees, but they were all top talents in the industry.
Cheng Liu first passed by a three-hundred-square-meter glass room, where a scaled-down model of a city road network occupied two-thirds of the space. Two cabinets against the wall were filled with 1:18 scale model cars, each custom-made and functional.
Two engineers were inside, testing the autonomous driving software. The model cars moved along the roads, one engineer occasionally placing obstacles on the road while the other recorded the cars’ reactions.
This was just a rough test. The models were more of a stress-reliever for the engineers. Real testing required actual cars.
Cheng Liu watched for a while, then continued walking, the researchers’ main office being the third room down the corridor.
As she entered, three people on the right were focused on their computers, their fingers flying across the keyboards, seemingly engrossed in their work. Four people were sitting in the middle; two were staring blankly into space, one was banging their head against the table, and another was muttering to a stuffed toy. On the left, one person was bobbing their head to music, fingers resting on the keyboard, while another stood with their back to Cheng Liu, facing the printer, a thick stack of paper beside them.
The behavior of these employees was fairly typical. Cheng Liu understood the struggles of technical staff. But the person standing at the printer seemed out of place.
According to the company's supply usage records, the printer on this floor was rarely used. They usually submitted reports and other documents electronically.
Cheng Liu walked up behind the employee at the printer and asked, “What are you printing?”
The startled employee frantically grabbed the printed pages, but the printer continued spitting out paper, his face flushing red.
The employee explained, lowering his head: “Tomorrow is my fifth anniversary with my girlfriend, so I wanted to print out our entire chat history from the past five years. I didn’t have enough paper at home, so I had to come to the office to print it.”
Cheng Liu looked around the office, then lowered her voice and said to the employee, “Come outside with me.”
The employee’s face paled, guessing that he might have crossed a line, using company resources for personal gain. As soon as they were outside, he apologized to Cheng Liu: “I’m sorry, CEO Cheng. I shouldn’t have used the company printer for personal use.”
Cheng Liu waved her hand dismissively: “It’s just paper. What personal gain? Ask the administration department if you need more.”
The employee was stunned. He looked up hesitantly and asked, “Did you call me out…for something work-related?”
Cheng Liu cleared her throat and asked, “You said you and your girlfriend have been together for five years. Do you give her gifts every year?”
The employee didn't understand what Cheng Liu meant, but he nodded honestly: “We exchange gifts on every anniversary, as well as birthdays and other holidays.”
Cheng Liu mused: “Then you must be very experienced in giving gifts to your girlfriend.”
“I wouldn’t say experienced.” The engineer scratched his head sheepishly. “I always worry that she won’t like the gifts I choose.”
CEO Cheng suddenly felt like she had found a kindred spirit. She patted the employee on the shoulder and sighed, “I also find gift-giving incredibly difficult. My boyfriend didn't like the gift I gave him.”
“…But my girlfriend always says she likes the gifts I give her,” the employee finished his sentence, looking bewildered.
“…” Cheng Liu quickly retracted her hand, feeling a pang of jealousy, but feigning indifference: “Really? That’s good.”
“CEO Cheng, you…have a boyfriend?” The employee couldn't believe that CEO Cheng had called him out to share such explosive news.
At the mention of her boyfriend, Cheng Liu said proudly, “Yes, and he’s very handsome.”
“…Is it Chief Assistant He?” the employee asked softly.
There were already rumors circulating in the company’s internal chat groups about their close relationship. One was the CEO, the other the chief assistant, and both were single. Moreover, it was said that Chief Assistant He had been by CEO Cheng’s side since the founding of Shenyin Technology.
Cheng Liu frowned: “Don't be ridiculous. I’m a respectable person.”
Then she added firmly, “My boyfriend is even more handsome than He Bai.”
“I-is that so?” The employee silently noted this explosive news, planning to share it in the group chat later.
“What kind of gifts do you give your girlfriend? I need some inspiration,” Cheng Liu said, revealing her true motive.
The employee recalled, “For our first anniversary, I gave her a gemstone necklace. For our second, I bought two plane tickets and took her to Norway to see the Northern Lights. For our third, I hired a drone show and had them fly around her workplace at night. For our fourth, I gave her a ticket to her favorite concert. And this year, it’s the chat history.”
Cheng Liu thought for a moment and said, puzzled, “Why are your gifts getting cheaper each year?”
The employee: “…It’s not about being cheaper, but about understanding what she wants and giving her that for our anniversary.”
“Really?” Cheng Liu was skeptical.
Seeing this, the employee asked, “CEO Cheng, what gift did you give your boyfriend that he didn’t like?”
“A jade planter I won at an auction,” Cheng Liu said, thinking of the rejected gift in her trunk.
“Auction items aren't cheap, are they?” the employee asked.
Cheng Liu said absently, “Not really. Just over five million.”
Just over five million? Not really? As expected of CEO Cheng.
The employee said earnestly, “CEO Cheng, you see, even such an expensive gift couldn't impress your boyfriend. This shows that gifts aren't necessarily better when they’re more expensive.”
“Really?” Cheng Liu didn't understand. How could an inexpensive gift convey sincerity?
“Of course.” The employee spoke with the wisdom of experience. “And you shouldn’t ask him what he wants. You have to subtly observe what he likes. If you can't figure it out, then the gift should express the sentiment between you two.”
Cheng Liu thought about it carefully and still felt he wasn't entirely reliable: “You’ve been with your girlfriend for five years. Why haven’t you gotten married yet?”
The employee chuckled: “Besides the five years of chat history, I’m also planning to propose to my girlfriend tomorrow. I’ve already set up the venue and bought the ring.”
Cheng Liu suddenly felt a pang of envy: “You’re moving pretty fast.”
“My girlfriend wants a sense of security this year,” the employee said seriously. “So, I want to give her a home.”
Cheng Liu finally felt that this employee might actually be somewhat reliable.
“Alright, I’ll invite you to be a witness at my wedding,” Cheng Liu boasted.
The employee looked flattered as he watched CEO Cheng leave.
A few minutes later, the company’s internal chat group, which didn't include Cheng Liu or He Bai, exploded with news: [CEO Cheng has a boyfriend! It’s not Chief Assistant He! And he’s supposedly even more handsome!]
Meanwhile, Cheng Liu had returned to her office, He Bai in the outer office.
Sitting at her desk, Cheng Liu thought for a long time. If she printed out her and her boyfriend’s chat history…he would probably break up with her on the spot.
However, she really should retrieve that phone. After all, it contained records of her boyfriend’s initial enthusiasm.
Cheng Liu called the hotel and asked them to mail it to her.
“Certainly,” the hotel manager said. “It should arrive tomorrow afternoon.”
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