If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong - Chapter 5
Chapter 5: The Second Day
He Bai didn’t stay at Cheng Liu’s home for long. After applying the medicine and expressing his astonishment at her indifference towards her boyfriend, along with a few teasing remarks, he left.
Cheng Liu deeply understood her boyfriend’s current cold attitude.
She was in the wrong.
However, right after her self-reflection, Cheng Liu went straight to her study, printed out the quarterly summary report, and forced herself to finish reading it before going to bed.
The next morning, Cheng Liu went to the company.
Shenyin was a technology company specializing in artificial intelligence, founded by Cheng Liu herself.
With the success of Shenyin Technology’s AI collaborations in various fields in recent years, Cheng Liu’s net worth had soared.
Starting this year, Shenyin Technology was preparing to enter the field of self-driving cars. The lab Cheng Liu had visited yesterday morning in G City belonged to an automobile company, specifically dedicated to the research and development of self-driving technology.
The results hadn’t been good.
Currently, the entire automobile industry was engaged in self-driving research. Some companies were collaborating with AI technology companies like Shenyin, adopting their systems. Others, flush with cash, were poaching talent and developing their own systems.
However, regardless of the company, so far, no one had even achieved Level 4 autonomous driving technology.
There was still a long way to go before fully automated driving could be realized.
Cheng Liu stood in Shenyin’s R&D lab, looking at the experimental equipment. Her company was close to overcoming the key technical hurdles.
“That automobile company in G City sent an email,” He Bai said, standing beside Cheng Liu and handing her a tablet. “Their contract expires next month, and they don’t intend to renew.”
Cheng Liu took the tablet, scrolling through the email contents. Her expression remained neutral: “They can’t afford to wait any longer.”
After the final experimental test failed yesterday morning, everyone present, except for her, had looked extremely grim.
She assumed the company executives had held a meeting as soon as she left, ultimately deciding to suspend the development of their self-driving project.
Having seen the executives’ expressions yesterday, Cheng Liu had already anticipated this, so she wasn’t surprised.
“There are two other automobile companies in G City, similar in size, and one of them has an even better R&D department,” He Bai said, pushing up his rimless glasses. “Should I contact them?”
Cheng Liu handed the tablet back to her chief assistant: “No rush. Let’s wait until we completely overcome our technical hurdles before deciding which company to partner with.”
She turned to He Bai, her gaze lingering on his glasses for a few seconds: “Besides, it’s not like G City is the only place with automobile companies. I recall there’s a large one in S City as well.”
“Alright, then I’ll discuss the termination of the contract with them first.” He Bai then raised an eyebrow, changing the subject: “Why are you looking at me like that today, CEO Cheng?”
“You’re wearing new glasses,” Cheng Liu stated.
Not only were his glasses new, but he was also wearing a high-quality black suit and a dark red patterned tie, which accentuated his broad shoulders and long legs, making him look refined and handsome.
The lab’s overhead lights illuminated He Bai, making him look like a male model who had just stepped off the runway, a natural clothes hanger.
If Cheng Liu had paid closer attention, she would have noticed that her chief assistant never wore the same suit twice, let alone how many pairs of glasses he owned.
“It’s rare for you to notice I’ve changed my glasses, CEO Cheng,” He Bai said with a smile. “It seems these glasses suit me better.”
Cheng Liu turned back to look at He Bai quizzically: “The frames of the glasses you were wearing last night were too flashy. They looked like two headlights.”
The smile on He Bai’s lips froze: “…Why didn't you mention it last night?”
“You seemed quite happy wearing them, so I didn’t say anything.” Cheng Liu slowed down, patted her chief assistant on the shoulder, and said consolingly, “I can handle the flashing lights of the media, let alone a mere pair of glasses.”
“…”
A mere pair of glasses!
Every word was a blow.
Chief Assistant He gripped the railing, closed his eyes tightly, and took a deep breath: “Thank you very much.”
When he opened his eyes again, Cheng Liu was already gone.
…
As a workaholic, Cheng Liu wouldn't leave work early even if there was nothing to do. She could spend 24 hours a day at the company.
Today was slightly different because Cheng Liu received a message from her boyfriend at 10 am.
Boyfriend: [Pick me up at 11 am.]
Cheng Liu was listening to a department manager’s progress report when she received the message.
She sat at her desk, twirling a black pen in one hand, occasionally brushing the tip against her sleeve without a care, while casually flipping through the progress report with the other. Her eyes drifted towards her lit-up phone screen, and she immediately sat up straight.
Her boyfriend had contacted her!
She absolutely couldn’t ignore him this time. She would fulfill all his requests!
The department manager, in the midst of his enthusiastic report, noticed Cheng Liu’s sudden movement and, assuming he had hit a key point, raised his voice several notches.
Cheng Liu checked the time and gestured for the department manager to stop: “I understand. You can go back now. We’ll talk next time.”
“Huh?” The department manager left in a daze. He hadn’t finished yet.
Cheng Liu sat in her chair, staring at the message, recalling her boyfriend from last night at the restaurant. Her heart began to pound.
Sitting up straight, she immediately replied: [Okay!]
To express her determination, she added a saluting emoji.
Then Cheng Liu stood up, preparing to leave early.
Shenyin Technology was quite far from the Wenxing Residential Complex. Since Cheng Liu had decided to be a perfect girlfriend, she absolutely couldn’t be late.
Outside Cheng Liu’s office was another office, where Chief Assistant He Bai sat. He looked up and saw her coming out with her computer bag and asked instinctively, “Where are you going?”
Her schedule was managed by He Bai, and there were no plans for her to go out at this time.
“There’s nothing else for me to do today,” Cheng Liu said, walking briskly. “I’m going to see my boyfriend.”
He Bai was stunned. It wasn’t until Cheng Liu had left that he slowly processed what she had just said.
Hadn’t she always been indifferent towards her boyfriend? What had changed since her return?
…
Unaware of her chief assistant’s thoughts, Cheng Liu drove excitedly to the Wenxing Residential Complex, parked downstairs, and messaged her boyfriend.
Number Six: [I’m here!]
Upstairs.
When his phone vibrated, Ji Chaozhou was sitting at his desk, his long, slender fingers wrapping a paper ribbon around the stems of the lily-of-the-valley.
Having decided last night not to ask Ji Mushan to recall the bodyguard, Ji Chaozhou had decided to make use of her, so he had sent her a message this morning.
He was going to visit Aunt Yun.
…
Cheng Liu sat in her car, glancing towards the building entrance from time to time, wondering when her boyfriend would come down.
After about ten minutes, Cheng Liu finally saw her boyfriend emerge. And at that sight, she was stunned.
Her boyfriend was wearing a thin black trench coat, all the buttons neatly fastened. Underneath, he wore a white shirt with a high, ruffled collar that framed his long neck. Black trousers and white shoes completed his outfit, and in his hand, he held a familiar bouquet of white lily-of-the-valley.
As he walked from the shadows into the sunlight, he looked like a young nobleman stepping out of a medieval painting.
Although he was almost completely covered, only the lower half of his long neck and a sliver of his pale, delicate wrist were exposed.
Yet, Cheng Liu felt dizzy. Her boyfriend was simply…too sexy.
Snapping back to reality, she immediately got out of the car and opened the door for him. However, the close-up view of his beauty was too much for Cheng Liu to handle. She felt a warmth in her nose and instinctively touched it – it was covered in blood.
Ji Chaozhou, seeing that the bodyguard was once again opening the passenger door, was about to tell her he would sit in the back when he noticed her nosebleed. He frowned: “Are you…alright?”
Cheng Liu covered her nose, her voice muffled: “I’m fine. You get in first.”
As soon as Ji Chaozhou closed the door, Cheng Liu got in from the other side. She opened the center console, pulled out several tissues, and wiped her nose.
Thankfully, the bleeding had stopped. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Cheng Liu then turned and rummaged around until she found a wet wipe to clean her fingers.
Noticing her boyfriend staring at her, Cheng Liu instinctively explained: “I’ve been staying up late.” Definitely not because she was so captivated by his looks that she had a nosebleed. It was simply from overwork. It had to be.
Ji Chaozhou slowly looked away. This bodyguard seemed very young. Perhaps her child was still very small, which was why she often had to stay up late caring for them.
“You don’t have to come if you’re busy,” Ji Chaozhou said, looking out the window. He had only called her so she could report back to Ji Mushan.
Upon hearing this, Cheng Liu immediately said seriously, “I’m always available. You can call me anytime, for anything.”
Ji Chaozhou didn’t respond, simply giving her an address before closing his eyes and leaning back against the seat, holding the lily-of-the-valley.
Cheng Liu quickly glanced at her boyfriend, not daring to look longer for fear of another nosebleed.
How embarrassing!
…
Their destination was somewhat remote, but the surroundings were beautiful. Cheng Liu finally stopped in front of a villa.
Before she could open the door for him, her boyfriend got out of the car himself.
Cheng Liu hurriedly followed.
Her boyfriend seemed familiar with the place, walking straight through the villa towards the garden.
Cheng Liu followed behind him, noticing that his pace was slowing. She looked up.
A woman in a pale green cheongsam was sitting in a wheelchair, a deep red shawl draped over her shoulders. She was bending over, watering the flowers. Her hair was neatly pinned up, adorned with a jade hairpin, and pearl earrings dangled from her ears. Although her face was thin, traces of her former beauty were still evident.
A caregiver stood beside her.
“Aunt Yun.”
Hearing the voice, the woman in the wheelchair turned around. Despite her illness, her face still retained a certain elegance. Seeing Ji Chaozhou, she smiled warmly: “Why are you here today?”
“Didn’t you say you wanted some of the lily-of-the-valley I’m growing?” Ji Chaozhou stepped forward and handed her the bouquet.
The woman in the wheelchair took the flowers with a smile, lowering her head to smell them: “I only mentioned it in passing. Did Yun Fei bother you again?”
Ji Chaozhou's usually aloof and indifferent face softened slightly: “It’s no bother when it concerns you.”
Cheng Liu, standing behind him, looked at their somewhat similar faces, lost in thought: Her boyfriend seemed to have brought her to meet his family, and she hadn’t even brought a gift.
Just then, the woman in the wheelchair noticed Cheng Liu and turned to Ji Chaozhou: “And this is…?”
“My bodyguard,” Ji Chaozhou said, moving behind Aunt Yun to push her wheelchair.
Yun Se was slightly taken aback, but she wasn’t particularly interested in the bodyguard. Wanting to speak with Chaozhou alone, she said to the caregiver, “Please take her to the living room to sit for a while.”
Cheng Liu had clearly heard her boyfriend introduce her as his bodyguard, but she didn't react, even feeling a sense of relief.
Several business partners had mentioned that when their wives were angry, they would sometimes deliberately call them by a different name, pretending not to know them.
It was a way of adding some spice to their relationship!
Besides, she hadn’t brought a gift this time.
‘Bodyguard’ didn't sound too bad.
They're so in sync with their respective misunderstandings <3 truly beautiful, fated to be
ReplyDelete