If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong - Chapter 69
Chapter 69: The Twenty-Fourth Day
“Really? I thought CEO Ji’s son, although a bit cold, was easy to talk to. Now he’s completely wrapped around Cheng Liu’s finger,” Li Dong said, shaking his head. “How is she so successful in both love and business? She’s so lucky.”
Yang Fanyu glanced at Li Dong: “Who’s wrapped around whose finger is still unclear.”
“Obviously, Cheng Liu has CEO Ji’s son under her thumb,” Li Dong said, taking out his phone and messaging his friends, bragging about having lunch with Cheng Liu’s boyfriend. “Her ability to manipulate people…tsk tsk, I’ve rarely seen anyone like her.”
Yang Fanyu, exasperated – some people truly lacked social awareness, like her husband – said coldly, “Stop gossiping. Sooner or later, someone’s going to sew your mouth shut.”
“I didn’t say anything,” Li Dong said, having sent his messages, smugly waiting for his friends to inquire about Cheng Liu's boyfriend.
…
He Bai had received a message from Cheng Liu last night, saying she wouldn't be coming to work today. He knew, without asking, that she would be with Ji Chaozhou.
Even so, He Bai still went to work on time. He didn’t want Cheng Liu to doubt his work ethic.
Ever since their first encounter in university, He Bai had craved Cheng Liu’s approval, like a child seeking validation from an adult.
Cheng Liu was a good boss. Or rather, she was skilled at managing people, never stingy with praise, always calm and collected, even guiding her employees' growth.
She was more adept at this than some seasoned businessmen with decades of experience.
Cheng Liu was a natural leader.
Since the founding of Shenyin Technology, none of her employees had ever spoken ill of her, nor had anyone left.
He Bai knew that those veteran engineers had each received dozens of offers from headhunters, both domestic and international, each offer more lucrative than the last, with promises of equity.
Yet, no one had left.
Some of them had been mentored by Cheng Liu, others had been helped by her during difficult times. Even without those connections, anyone with common sense knew what the Shenyin Technology brand represented – a future at the forefront of the industry.
Leaving now would only create an opportunity for someone else.
Even the He family, initially opposed to He Bai working for Cheng Liu, now encouraged him to stay, to learn from her.
He Bai didn’t care about his family’s opinions. He only wanted Cheng Liu to acknowledge him, to look at him with admiration and respect.
But…He Bai, looking down at his nameplate, smiled wryly. He hadn’t achieved that in all these years.
He Bai sat alone in his office for a long time, then suddenly stood up, gathered his documents, and decided to visit the car company executives.
He looked at the file for Tianqi Automobile, then, after a moment’s hesitation, placed it on top of the others.
Even if Tianqi was Ji Chaozhou’s father’s company, he still had to do his job perfectly for Cheng Liu.
…
After visiting several companies, it was already afternoon. He Bai declined the executives’ dinner invitations, planning to grab a quick bite and organize his notes.
He sat at a corner table in a cafe, ordered a coffee and some pastries, and leaned back in his chair, watching the people and cars outside.
Across the street was a convenience store, filled with middle school students. He Bai watched them for a while, then, about to look away, noticed a young man emerging from the store, a bottle of water and a loaf of bread in hand.
He looked to be in his early twenties, wearing an ill-fitting, cheap suit, a name tag pinned to his chest, probably a salesperson. He Bai couldn’t make out the name from across the street.
Perhaps because the convenience store seats were occupied, the young man stood by the roadside, unwrapping the bread and eating it, occasionally taking a sip of water.
He Bai frowned. He had seen this young man before.
Years ago, in university, while retrieving something from Cheng Liu’s office, he had seen a photo in her drawer, a family photo, and the young man across the street had been in it, although older now.
He Bai took out his phone, then, after a moment, stood up and walked across the street, his gaze falling on the name tag: Cheng Gui.
“You…”
Before He Bai could speak, the young man, seeing him, froze, then looked around, visibly relaxing when he didn’t see anyone else.
“Cheng Liu’s brother?” He Bai asked, seeing his reaction, now certain of his identity.
Cheng Gui hadn’t met He Bai before, but he had seen him standing behind Cheng Liu during the live stream press conference. He gripped his water bottle, asking tentatively, “Is my sister at the company?”
“She’s not working today. I’m out on business,” He Bai said, gesturing at the half-eaten loaf of bread in Cheng Gui’s hand. “Is that all you’re eating for dinner?”
“I have to go to work soon. I’m short on time,” Cheng Gui said, his foot already turning to leave. He hesitated. “Please don’t tell her I’m here.”
He Bai was surprised: “Why?”
He didn't know much about Cheng Liu's family. She rarely talked about them. Or rather, she rarely talked about her personal life.
The young man was tall, but thin, his face tired, dark circles under his eyes, like any ordinary office worker. Apart from a slight resemblance in their features, he looked nothing like Cheng Liu.
He Bai had never seen Cheng Liu look so tired, even when she was overworked, even when her projects seemed hopeless.
“She’s busy,” Cheng Gui said. “I don’t want to interrupt her plans.”
He Bai shook his head, gesturing towards the cafe: “I already told her before I came out.”
The next second, Cheng Gui’s phone rang. It was Cheng Liu.
“Sister,” Cheng Gui said, glancing at He Bai, then answering the call.
“Dinner tonight,” Cheng Liu said, not explaining anything else, then hung up.
Cheng Gui didn’t even have a chance to refuse. Just then, He Bai also received a message from Cheng Liu, asking him to bring Cheng Gui to her villa.
He Bai agreed, then said to Cheng Gui, “Your sister asked me to bring you over.”
Cheng Gui hesitated. He didn't really want to go.
“Your sister moved. Don’t you want to see her new place?” He Bai asked.
“She moved?” Cheng Gui asked, turning to He Bai. “Why? Is there a problem with the company?”
He had been to Cheng Liu’s apartment once with his parents and older sister. It was in a good location, a typical affluent area.
“No problem with the company. She just wanted a change of scenery,” He Bai said, gesturing for him to follow. “You can go see it today.”
Once in He Bai’s car, Cheng Gui asked, “That incident…it didn’t affect Shenyin?”
He Bai, after turning the car around, looked at Cheng Gui in the rearview mirror: “It did, but in a good way. You don’t have to worry.”
After that brief exchange, Cheng Gui fell silent, looking slightly uncomfortable in the car.
He Bai, watching him through the rearview mirror, couldn't help but notice the difference between him and Cheng Liu.
…
Cheng Liu, having picked up her new car and obtained temporary license plates, was on her way back to the villa after having her old car towed away, when she received a message from He Bai, saying he had run into her brother.
Cheng Liu frowned. He Bai wouldn't lie, but wasn't Cheng Gui in City A?
Then she remembered that she hadn’t video called Cheng Gui since his graduation last July. Most of her news about him came from her parents.
She called Cheng Gui and told him to come over for dinner that night. Just as she put away her phone, she saw Ji Chaozhou standing outside her gate.
Ji Chaozhou had come to invite her to dinner, perhaps indulging in this undefined state between them.
But before he could enter, he heard Cheng Liu inviting someone else.
“Want to have dinner together?” Ji Chaozhou asked, then, seeing her hesitation, he took a few steps back. “It’s fine if you’re busy.”
He turned to leave.
“Wait,” Cheng Liu said, running after him and taking his hand. “My brother’s coming over later. You can join us, if you don’t mind.”
Ji Chaozhou paused. He remembered Cheng Liu mentioning her siblings.
“It might be a bit noisy,” Cheng Liu said, preparing him, having originally intended to maintain a good image in front of Ji Chaozhou.
She didn't know what Cheng Gui was up to.
“Your brother’s coming. Are you still planning to order takeout?” Ji Chaozhou asked suddenly.
Cheng Liu smiled sheepishly: “You’ve seen my cooking skills. Takeout is better.”
She was a master of improvisation.
“We still have time to go grocery shopping,” Ji Chaozhou said, withdrawing his hand.
Cheng Liu’s eyes lit up: “You’ll cook?”
Ji Chaozhou slowly nodded.
As they returned from the supermarket, groceries in hand, He Bai arrived with Cheng Gui.
“Sister,” Cheng Gui said, his gaze fixed on Ji Chaozhou. He had seen the trending photos of Ji Chaozhou and his sister. Before that, he had assumed there was something between Cheng Liu and He Bai.
Unlike He Bai, who had eagerly crossed the street to greet him, Ji Chaozhou simply nodded, not even glancing at Cheng Gui.
“Come in,” Cheng Liu said, leading the way, groceries in her arms.
Since both she and Ji Chaozhou were carrying bags, He Bai stepped forward and opened the gate.
“Chaozhou will be cooking tonight. We’ll help,” Cheng Liu said, quickly assigning tasks, some washing vegetables, others chopping.
The kitchen, although spacious, suddenly felt crowded with four people inside.
Cheng Gui, silently chopping vegetables, kept to himself. Cheng Liu didn’t speak, and neither did he.
He Bai, sensing the awkward atmosphere, chattered non-stop, trying to lighten the mood.
Once the vegetables were washed and chopped, Cheng Liu suddenly asked Cheng Gui to come outside with her.
Cheng Gui put down his knife and silently followed her out. He Bai stayed in the kitchen.
“That’s her brother, Cheng Gui,” He Bai said to Ji Chaozhou, standing beside him, as if making casual conversation. “Quite different from Cheng Liu, isn’t he?”
Ji Chaozhou, placing the lid on a pot, didn’t reply.
“He’s stubborn. After graduation, he came to S City without telling Cheng Liu,” He Bai continued, shaking his head. “I saw him eating a cold loaf of bread by the roadside earlier.”
“Does Cheng Liu know you’re gossiping about her family?” Ji Chaozhou asked coldly, turning to He Bai.
He Bai froze, then laughed, exasperated. He had only wanted to provoke Ji Chaozhou, but he had already given up.
“It was just casual conversation,” He Bai said, looking at Ji Chaozhou. “You’re right. I shouldn’t talk about people behind their backs.”
He didn’t need to mention Cheng Liu’s mistake of mistaking Ji Chaozhou for Wang Hongyang, did he?
Tysm for the translations!! Makes my day
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