If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong - Chapter 9
Chapter 9: The Second Day
In the end, Ji Chaozhou didn’t continue working. He took off his lab coat, changed back into his own clothes, and slowly walked down the stairs.
As he emerged, he could see the bodyguard’s face in the car from afar. She had the window open and was looking down at her phone, her fingers moving across the screen. He wondered if she was reporting to Ji Mushan.
But soon, Ji Chaozhou realized she was messaging him, because his phone buzzed.
Number Six: [Still working?]
Ji Chaozhou didn’t reply. He exited WeChat and walked towards the car. Before he reached it, she seemed to sense his approach, turning her head and smiling brightly at him.
Then she got out of the car and opened the door for him, asking, “Have you had dinner?”
Ji Chaozhou cut her off: “I’m not hungry.”
Cheng Liu didn't press the matter and got into the car, preparing to take her boyfriend home.
As the car door closed, isolating them from the outside world, Ji Chaozhou felt her presence grow stronger. More importantly…
He turned his head, his beautiful eyes gazing calmly at the bodyguard who was driving: “Ranshan Midu?”
Cheng Liu immediately realized he was talking about the perfume she was wearing: “I happened to see it at the mall and bought it. But it doesn't smell as good as yours.”
Ji Chaozhou was silent for a moment, then asked, “You prefer the scent I’m wearing?”
I also like you, Cheng Liu added silently in her mind, but what she said aloud was, “Yes, the base notes aren’t as nice as yours.”
A flicker of surprise crossed Ji Chaozhou’s face, but it vanished too quickly for Cheng Liu, who was driving, to notice.
He had modified the base notes of the Midu he used, reducing the milky sandalwood scent, making it colder and more desolate.
Few people had ever noticed the difference, except for professional perfumers.
She…could tell?
“Do you know a lot about perfume?” Ji Chaozhou asked, taking the rare initiative to start a conversation.
“Perfume?” Cheng Liu quickly glanced at her boyfriend. “No.”
Ji Chaozhou’s long, clean fingers tapped lightly on his knee. She didn’t know about perfume, yet she could distinguish the difference. That meant her sense of smell was as acute as his, adept at discerning scents.
…
Arriving at Building Five of the Wenxing Residential Complex, Ji Chaozhou turned to Cheng Liu: “Come upstairs with me.”
Cheng Liu froze, her heart pounding: Late at night, her boyfriend was inviting her upstairs?
Wasn’t this a bit inappropriate?
Cheng Liu looked at her boyfriend’s face, which appeared even more handsome under the moonlight, and suddenly thought it was quite appropriate indeed.
For a fleeting moment, CEO Cheng was already envisioning which business partners to invite to their wedding.
After speaking, Ji Chaozhou didn't wait but walked straight towards the building entrance.
Cheng Liu hurriedly followed, discreetly opening her phone and typing quickly, trying to search for “what to do when visiting your boyfriend’s home for the first time.”
However, her boyfriend lived on the second floor. She had barely finished typing in the search bar, not even having time to click on the results, when they arrived at his door.
Ji Chaozhou opened the door and walked in.
Cheng Liu put away her phone and followed.
—Empty.
This was Cheng Liu’s first impression of her boyfriend’s home.
Apart from the lily-of-the-valley in a clear vase on the dining table, there were few signs of life in the entire living room.
It was even emptier than her own home.
Cheng Liu was a typical STEM woman, unconcerned with material possessions. Coupled with her busy work schedule, her home was basically a show apartment.
However, the areas Cheng Liu actually used were imbued with her distinct style, such as her study.
But this place…
Cheng Liu searched for the right word and finally settled on — desolate.
“This is the Midu I use. It’s different from the one sold at the mall.” Ji Chaozhou had turned around and was holding out a bottle of perfume towards Cheng Liu. “This is for you.”
Since she could tell the difference, as a perfumer, Ji Chaozhou was willing to give her a bottle.
Cheng Liu stared at the perfume bottle in his hand for a moment, then slowly raised her gaze to meet her boyfriend’s eyes, finally understanding: He had only brought her upstairs to give her perfume.
Although slightly disappointed, Cheng Liu accepted the perfume: “Thank you.”
This was the first gift her boyfriend had given her. She had to carefully consider where to display it in her home for maximum visibility.
“You don’t have to pick me up tomorrow,” Ji Chaozhou said, retracting his hand.
Ranshan was the business his mother had left behind. Now that it had regained public recognition with Midu, he needed to develop new fragrances and continue to expand its influence.
“Okay.” Cheng Liu understood that her boyfriend was dismissing her, but she wasn’t too disappointed. There was plenty of time.
As she turned to leave, holding the perfume, she caught sight of the flowers on the balcony out of the corner of her eye. Even shrouded in darkness, she could tell they were blooming profusely.
“I’m leaving,” Cheng Liu said, looking back at her boyfriend before closing the door.
Ji Chaozhou stood in the living room and nodded.
The door closed, the sound of footsteps fading away, and silence returned to the second floor.
…
Cheng Liu was very happy tonight. As soon as she got home, she began to think about where to put the gift her boyfriend had given her.
The most prominent spot in the living room?
Her living room was too large. A single perfume bottle wouldn’t stand out anywhere.
After much deliberation, Cheng Liu decided to place it on the bookshelf in her study, where it would be protected by glass and also be in the place she frequented the most.
Cheng Liu carefully placed her boyfriend's gift on the shelf, gazing at it for a long time.
As for the bottle of Midu she had bought at the mall, it was tossed casually onto the living room sofa, a stark contrast in treatment.
Cheng Liu thought for a moment and decided it still wasn’t enough.
Apart from her chief assistant occasionally, no one else entered her study. Her intention to show off hadn’t been fulfilled.
So, Cheng Liu picked up her phone, tried various angles, and finally took a photo of the perfume and posted it on her WeChat Moments, with the caption: [A gift from my boyfriend]
CEO Cheng rarely posted on Moments, so this post immediately attracted likes from various business partners and WeChat friends.
Cheng Liu watched with satisfaction as the number of likes continued to rise, successfully showing off.
She wanted those business partners to see that she also had a boyfriend, and they were very much in love!
She was certain that those nosy business partners would privately message her that very night, giving her another opportunity to boast about her boyfriend.
However, her hopes were soon dashed by a single comment.
Li Dong: [CEO Cheng, isn't this the perfume you bought at the mall yourself?]
Cheng Liu clicked on her Moments post excitedly, only to be met with this comment. Her heart sank. It was over.
Before she could reply, He Bai also commented: [CEO Cheng, isn't this the perfume you bought at the mall yourself?]
Many of the CEOs were connected on WeChat, all friends with each other. Li Dong’s comment immediately caught the attention of all the business partners, especially since Cheng Liu's chief assistant had echoed the same sentiment.
So, the business partners who had just liked her post all followed suit, leaving identical comments.
Cheng Liu: “…”
CEO Cheng immediately replied to Li Dong, the originator of the rumor: [I bought one, and then my boyfriend gave me another one.]
Li Dong: [Really?]
Those two simple words conveyed immense disbelief.
The comments once again echoed his skepticism.
Rarely seeing CEO Cheng at a disadvantage, these middle-aged business partners were like sharks smelling blood, all joining in the fray.
Some even went so far as to not only comment on Cheng Liu’s post but also call other CEOs who had already gone to bed, just to let them in on the fun.
Cheng Liu’s Moments post became increasingly lively.
Someone even predicted Cheng Liu’s next move, commenting: [I’ve already taken a screenshot. It’s no use deleting it, CEO Cheng.]
Cheng Liu felt a pang of frustration. She was about to retrieve the other bottle of perfume from the living room to take a photo with both bottles, ready to prove her innocence.
Suddenly, the tone of the comments shifted.
CEO Ji: [Is CEO Cheng planning to collaborate with Ranshan?]
This simple comment successfully diverted the attention of the gleeful business partners, who immediately regained their business acumen.
[I see! CEO Cheng, this is a clever marketing tactic. But what would Shenyin be collaborating with a perfume brand on?]
[Are intelligent robots going to start wearing perfume now? As expected of CEO Cheng, always ahead of the curve.]
[Perhaps it’s a collaboration on car fragrances? CEO Cheng has been focused on autonomous driving these past two years.]
Cheng Liu watched as the comments gradually shifted to discussions about the next five years of commercial development: “…”
She wasn't sure whether to thank this CEO Ji for successfully diverting everyone’s attention.
Defeated, CEO Cheng dejectedly exited WeChat Moments. Before she could immerse herself in work to heal her wounded pride, CEO Ji privately messaged her.
CEO Ji: [CEO Cheng, is Shenyin interested in collaborating with Ranshan?]
Cheng Liu was surprised. This was Ji Mushan, the CEO of Tianqi Automobile. They weren't very familiar, having only discussed autonomous driving briefly a while ago.
Why was he asking this?
Cheng Liu sat down at her desk and replied: [No, that perfume really was a gift from my boyfriend.]
She saw the “typing…” indicator appear for a while. After a moment, CEO Ji replied.
CEO Ji: [Ranshan is an excellent perfume brand. If CEO Cheng is considering car fragrances, you might want to consider Ranshan.]
Cheng Liu raised an eyebrow. Tianqi was a well-established automobile company, but she hadn’t heard of the Ji family owning any perfume businesses.
Besides, Shenyin currently didn’t have the capacity to develop a car production line; they only provided technology. Even if Shenyin successfully collaborated with an automobile company to develop a fully autonomous vehicle, car fragrances would be the car company’s concern, not hers.
Cheng Liu replied directly: [Shenyin isn't interested in collaborating with Ranshan. Perfume isn't within our area of expertise.]
CEO Ji: [If other partners are interested in such a collaboration, CEO Cheng could recommend Ranshan. It’s a good perfume brand.]
Cheng Liu replied with a simple “okay,” finding CEO Ji’s behavior rather strange today.
She had met him two years ago. He was handsome, tall, and stood out among the middle-aged business partners. But he had two deep frown lines between his eyebrows and remained serious throughout their meeting.
He didn't seem like someone who would meddle in other people's affairs. She wondered why he was messaging her today.
Cheng Liu put down her phone, not dwelling on it, and turned to gaze at the perfume in the glass cabinet, wondering what gift to give her boyfriend.
Ordinary things didn't seem worthy of him.
Cheng Liu picked up her phone and checked her schedule for the week. There wasn't anything major; she could deal with those documents in her spare time.
She opened her chief assistant’s WeChat and asked: [Are there any auctions in S City recently?]
She remembered Li Dong mentioning during dinner that he was accompanying his wife to a jewelry auction.
He Bai replied quickly: [Yes, tomorrow. Why?]
Cheng Liu immediately typed: [I want to go.]
He Bai stared at Cheng Liu’s message. After seeing her Moments post tonight, he felt a sense of absurdity. Had she actually developed feelings for that Wang Hongyang?
Impossible.
He Bai sat at the bar in his living room, recalling how Cheng Liu hadn’t even remembered Wang Hongyang’s name correctly that day, and chuckled softly. This was probably another one of Cheng Liu’s elementary school-level attempts at romance, learned from who knows where.
He took a sip of his red wine before replying: [You need an invitation to get into tomorrow’s jewelry auction, but I happen to have two. I’ll bring them to you tomorrow.]
Cheng Liu: [Okay.]
He Bai asked: [Do you need me to prepare an outfit for you for the auction?]
Cheng Liu immediately replied: [Why would I need to change clothes to buy something?]
Seeing this expected response, He Bai’s smile widened under the light. This was just like her, completely unconcerned with appearances, relying solely on her technical skills to break into the upper echelons and become the successful businesswoman she was today.
But he knew that Cheng Liu was also extremely ambitious, the kind of person who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals.
He had seen it too many times.
Wang Hongyang was too ordinary. Apart from his passable looks, he had nothing that matched Cheng Liu.
He Bai straightened his sleeves and casually stood up to retrieve the auction invitations.
Wang Hongyang was nothing more than a small pebble in the river of Cheng Liu’s life, unable to create any significant ripples.
He Bai... If you like her so much, you should've pursued her yourself. Now she's fallen for someone else fr, rip
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