Chapter 5

translated by astrid83

For a moment, depression, confusion, helplessness, humiliation, and a myriad of other emotions crashed over him like a flood.

He broke down at once.

The chords in his brain were already stretched to the limit, and the slightest external tug snapped them.

At first, Cheng Yanqing’s eyes were only just a little red. He did not know if it was from anger or grievance, but when Manager Li said that he was crying, he could not hold it back in time and actually started crying. The tears fell, large drop by large drop, and they could not be stopped.

Even the ever-so-calm Manager Li was taken aback, then placed his head on his shoulder, stroking the fluffy, soft black hair while softly reassuring him.

Cheng Yanqing carelessly revealed a lot of complaints, mostly about Wu Lin, some about Chairman Cai. His grievance came in bursts, and when the stream of complaints was over, he also could not quite remember the content of them.

Manager Li patted his back: “Chengcheng is very cute, not sissy at all. Besides, we are all born into family conditions and background, it’s not as if it could be decided by you. Don’t be sad, alright?”

It was like coaxing a child.

And what man liked to be complimented for being cute……

Cheng Yanqing lowered his eyes and became even more downcast.

Manager Li continued to comfort him: “You are also very serious in your work, highly efficient, with strong occupational competence. No matter where Chengcheng decides to change jobs to, he will be the most welcome.” His tone was gentle and had the magic power to soothe people.

Cheng Yanqing responded softly: “ En ……”

When Manager Li saw that he had calmed down, he pulled out a tissue: “Lift your face up.”

Unconsciously, Cheng Yanqing lifted his chin slightly and allowed Manager Li to use the tissue he had pulled out to wipe his cheeks clean of the tears and snot.

“Alright, let’s not think about it anymore. Shall we go home?”

“ En ……”

Although his emotions were gradually stabilising, his brain is still confused.

In the midst of the chaos, Cheng Yanqing had only one thought in his heart: Manager Li was indeed worthy of being a businessman, his words of reassurance came from his mouth at the drop of a hat, his words were so sweet it was as if his mouth was coated with honey…… He thought about this and that, but he didn’t notice that Manager Li had only called him “Cheng Cheng” afterwards, and not “Little Cheng” as ordinary colleagues called him.

It carried a strange sense of intimacy.

At the end, he faintly heard Manager Li assure him, “She will get a taste of the pain.”

……

Manager Li sent him back to the entrance of his neighbourhood. Before he left, he stroked Chen Yanqing’s head.

The warmth from his palm lingered on his hair for a long time. Manager Li’s back was tall and straight, and even if the dim light from the street lamp only casted a shadow, the slender stature of his body could still be seen.

Actually, after getting into the car, Cheng Yanqing had already recovered from the incident earlier.

It was just that he did not want to face the truth that he had been crying in a man’s arms for almost two hours.

The feeling of shame permeated throughout his entire body, from head to toe.

If it were not for the dim street lamps, his flushed cheeks and earlobes would have been clearly visible.

At night, Cheng Yanqing buried his head in the bedding and wiggled around in it like a hamster.

The more he thought about it, the more embarrassed he became.

……It seemed like he would not be able to face Manager Li anymore.

……

Early next morning, Manager Li went into the General Manager’s office.

When he came out, the Operations Department got into trouble.

Wu Lin was the Operations Supervisor and also held the concurrent post of Procurement, only she herself knew how much profit the company makes. But regarding the matter of taking kickbacks, the entire Operations Department was well aware about it.

Although Wu Lin targeted this and made things difficult for that, she treated her own department well, the benefits and proceeds that they rightfully earned were paid out without any cuts. Since they enjoyed the welfare, they naturally would not report the matter.

Gifting red dates 1 to those who were on her side, while suppressing those who do not listen to her; this was what kept Wu Lin standing in the company for 25 years.

For the first time in more than 20 years, Wu Lin got caught 2 .

The breakdown and evidence of the purchases were all laid out, there was no way to deny it.

When the General Manager found out, he was bitter and hateful, and had a long talk with her for three hours.

As she left the office, Wu Lin’s complexion was pale.

Cheng Yanqing took half a day of annual leave, and before entering the company he was still in the dark about the change of a new era 3 . His rabbit red eyes were still swollen. No matter if it was crying so hard that he lost his voice or if it was complaining about his grievances yesterday, they were all particularly humiliating.

Manager Li did not go to eat lunch, seated as steadily as Mount Tai at his workstation.

When Cheng Yanqing saw the person he most wanted to avoid, he took one glance at him, then quickly averted his eyes.

The moment he ducked away, Cheng Yanqing missed the gaze of Manager Li that lingered on his face.

It went from concern, to bursting with amusement upon seeing his guilty conscience, then it changed to sort of a faintly discernible teasing.

Cheng Yanqing was too busy to care about that.

For soon, the next series of events were successful in diverting his attention.

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~cheerios, astrid83

Footnotes

I couldn’t find any meaning for this other than the symbolism of giving this to a lover to say you miss them so uh… just assume this means benefits >< 翻车 — lit flipped the car, used to mean something doesn’t go according to plan, fails, or backfires 变天 — lit. sky has changed, usually meaning something big and life-changing happened