If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong - Chapter 42
Chapter 42: The Fourteenth Day
No one from Shenyin Technology came out to greet them.
Cheng Liu had already informed He Bai yesterday that the program crew would be filming and that they would avoid certain departments, though they might visit some of the general areas.
But Cheng Liu happened to arrive during peak hours, and many employees turned to look as they passed by.
“This is our lobby. Everyone needs to go through security,” Cheng Liu said, turning to explain to Yun Fei.
Yun Fei, faced with the almost futuristic scene, couldn’t hide her surprise, despite her dislike for Cheng Liu. She had filmed in similar settings before, but those were all green screen backgrounds, created in post-production.
The high-ceilinged lobby, with its lifelike, intelligent robots scanning and patrolling, was a captivating sight for the viewers.
[I think I’ve traveled to the future.]
[Seeing this lobby, I finally understand Shenyin Technology’s rapid rise.]
[The future is now!]
“CEO Cheng,” a tall, handsome man in a black, tailored suit and an expensive watch said, walking towards them.
The director quickly signaled for the camera to focus on the newcomer.
“This is Assistant He. He’ll be showing you around Shenyin Technology today,” Cheng Liu said, introducing He Bai to the viewers.
He Bai walked over, standing slightly behind Cheng Liu, and waved to the camera with a smile: “Hello, everyone.”
[Damn, the assistant is hot!]
[Does CEO Cheng even have time for work with such a handsome assistant around?]
[You don’t understand. Beauty is the best motivation for work!]
[That watch on Assistant He’s wrist is worth at least a million. Are all Shenyin employees this rich, or just the assistant?]
“CEO Cheng, everyone’s saying you two are a perfect match,” Yun Fei said, stepping into the elevator, holding up her phone, and deliberately teasing Cheng Liu. “I think so too. You’re even dressed like a couple today.”
CEO Cheng, hearing this, seethed silently: This was the outfit her beloved had chosen for her!
It was all because she hadn't closed the door this morning. Otherwise, she could have proudly announced on the program that her neighbor had chosen her clothes.
Despite her inner turmoil, Cheng Liu remained calm: “Almost a third of the company wears black, and my jacket is gray, not black.”
[Haha, CEO Cheng is a true STEM boss, so precise with her data.]
[But CEO Cheng and Assistant He really are a perfect match!]
Yun Fei deliberately read the comments aloud, the camera focused on Cheng Liu.
“Don’t jump to conclusions. Just like Yun Fei, who has a long-time crush…” Cheng Liu placed her hand on Yun Fei's shoulder, then turned to the camera with a smile. “I have someone I like too.”
He Bai, standing behind Cheng Liu, lowered his head, his expression hidden from the camera.
He had arrived at the office early and had been watching the live stream since it began.
But he hadn’t expected Cheng Liu to climb over the wall from next door, or to hear a young man’s voice from the other side – the “genius perfumer of Ranshan” Yun Fei had mentioned.
Initially, He Bai didn’t know who it was. There was no information about him online, not even a name on the official website. He searched for Ranshan’s background and discovered a connection to Ji Mushan of Tianqi Automobile, then it suddenly clicked.
Ranshan's current CEO – Ji Chaozhou.
He had heard of him.
The He family held a certain status in S City, and industry gossip was often discussed at the dinner table. His sister had mentioned that Ji Mushan’s son had taken over Ranshan and, with a single perfume, had multiplied the company’s revenue several times over.
He vaguely remembered his sister saying, He’s truly Yun Ran and Ji Mushan’s son, inheriting all their best qualities.
A bad feeling settled over He Bai. He thought of Cheng Liu’s two Moments posts this year – one about perfume, the other about cooking and having dinner with her neighbor.
He immediately exited the live stream and called his sister.
“Do you have any photos of Ji Chaozhou?” He Bai asked as soon as the call connected.
He was the youngest in the family, his sister twenty-two years older than him, and everyone doted on him.
His sister thought for a moment: “Ji Mushan doesn’t usually bring his son to events, so I don’t have any photos. I’ve only met him once. Why are you suddenly asking about him?”
“Is he…good-looking?” He Bai asked, gripping his phone tightly.
In the past, He Bai wouldn't have cared about such things, but Cheng Liu’s sudden announcement six months ago that she was seeing someone had bothered him, and her recent behavior had been unusual.
“Ji Chaozhou?” his sister said without hesitation. “He’s incredibly handsome. Just standing there, he makes everyone else look ordinary. Girls are too intimidated to approach him.”
He Bai: “…” His sister never lied.
“Wait,” his sister said, suddenly remembering something. “My best friend’s daughter took a photo of him six months ago. It’s a bit blurry, but I’ll find it and send it to you.”
“Okay,” He Bai said, hanging up and waiting for the photo.
A few minutes later, his sister sent a blurry photo on WeChat.
—A strikingly handsome young man stood by the railing on a ship's deck, the sea breeze ruffling his hair, the surrounding lights seeming to fade in his presence.
He Bai quickly opened the photo and frowned. For a moment, he thought it was Wang Hongyang, but upon closer inspection, he realized it wasn't. Wang Hongyang's profile wasn't as refined and elegant.
He Bai's heart sank.
He recognized the background. It was the cruise ship banquet six months ago.
The angle…He Bai remembered nodding to a young woman standing behind Cheng Liu at the banquet. It was his sister's best friend’s daughter, a few years younger than him. She had been holding a phone, taking photos.
Now that he thought about it, Ji Chaozhou had been standing where Wang Hongyang had been sitting later.
He Bai realized the likely scenario.
Had Cheng Liu…mistaken someone else for Wang Hongyang?
So, having realized her mistake, she had broken up with Wang Hongyang and moved next door to Ji Chaozhou?
The thought made He Bai uneasy.
When he finally calmed down and opened the live stream, Cheng Liu was answering Yun Fei's questions, her demeanor no different than usual.
He Bai went back to watch the replay, focusing on Cheng Liu’s initial appearance. He watched it several times, but couldn't detect any unusual emotions. Her expression was as composed as ever.
Had he been mistaken?
As he went downstairs to meet Cheng Liu and the program crew, He Bai was more determined than ever to visit her new home.
But he hadn't expected to hear Cheng Liu say those words.
He Bai clenched his fists: She had someone she liked?
At the same moment, in his living room, Ji Chaozhou, watching the live stream, seemed to meet Cheng Liu's gaze through the screen.
He paused, feeling a strange sense of disorientation, as if there was a hidden meaning in her words.
Cheng Liu had someone she liked…just like whom?
Ji Chaozhou hesitated for a moment, then exited the live stream, placed his phone on the coffee table, and hurried to his lab, trying to suppress his racing thoughts.
Meanwhile, Cheng Liu continued showing Yun Fei and the program crew around Shenyin Technology, He Bai following silently behind them.
The viewers watched, their attention focused on Shenyin's products.
But the GIF of CEO Cheng climbing over the wall was already circulating online, trending on social media with the help of various marketing accounts.
#ShenyinCEOWallClimbing
#ADayInTheLifeOfCEOsStartsWithWallClimbing
A few hours later, as the topic gained traction, memes of CEO Cheng squatting on the wall began to appear.
[What are you talking about? CEO Cheng Squatting on the Wall.jpg]
[Haha, caught me! CEO Cheng Squatting on the Wall.jpg]
In contrast, Yun Fei only had one meme – a blurry, close-up shot of her shocked face, about to drop her phone, her red lipstick and dress adding an unexpected comedic effect.
Li Dong, having successfully regained his status at home after getting out of the program, was diligently massaging his wife’s legs, occasionally accepting a piece of watermelon from her.
Yang Fanyu, scrolling through her phone, saw the trending GIF and almost choked on her watermelon: “This CEO Cheng…”
“What is it?” Li Dong asked, looking up. He remembered Cheng Liu was filming today.
“She’s trending,” Yang Fanyu said, still slightly shocked despite having seen her fair share of unusual things. “Number one.”
“Did she propose to her boyfriend? Or did the viewers fall for her face?” Li Dong asked, leaning over to look at his wife’s phone.
“What are you talking about?” Yang Fanyu said, pushing her phone towards him, a disgusted look on her face.
Li Dong took the phone, his eyes widening: “As expected of CEO Cheng. So wild!”
The middle-aged man's gossip senses tingling, Li Dong grabbed his own phone, saved countless new memes of CEO Cheng, and then proceeded to chat with everyone he knew, finding any opportunity to send the memes, explaining their origin when asked.
Not content with that, Li Dong, a true instigator, posted on his Moments, urging everyone to watch the program and support CEO Cheng.
The world of successful, middle-aged men was truly a strange place.
Ji Mushan saw Li Dong's post after a meeting. He had actually been hoping to find a glimpse of his son in Cheng Liu's Moments.
Instead, he saw the GIF Li Dong had posted.
Ji Mushan wasn’t blind. He could clearly see that Cheng Liu had climbed over from his son’s side.
Why climb a wall when there was a gate?
Ji Mushan was displeased with Cheng Liu's behavior. He followed the link in Li Dong's post, found the live stream, and then the replay.
And he heard his son’s voice.
Ji Mushan: “…”
How had Cheng Liu managed to become so close to Chaozhou in such a short time?
After calming down, Ji Mushan finally noticed Yun Fei, his stern face hardening.
He could see that Yun Fei had been deliberately manipulative.
Ji Mushan didn’t usually interfere in the younger generation’s affairs, but he wouldn’t tolerate anyone scheming against his son.
Even if she was Yun Se’s adopted daughter.
Ji Mushan left the company and went to see Yun Se, showing her the live stream.
“Chaozhou doesn’t like Yun Fei,” Ji Mushan said, standing in front of Yun Se. “Tell her to stop her little schemes, otherwise, even the entertainment industry won’t be able to protect her.”
Yun Se paused the video, rewound it, and watched it again before speaking: “I’ll warn Yun Fei. But Cheng Liu isn’t suitable for Chaozhou either.”
Ji Mushan’s frown deepened: “What does this have to do with Cheng Liu?”
Yun Se suddenly sneered: “Seeing her reminds me of you.”
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