The German didn’t ask further. Chen Yi went to the restroom, and as he was washing his hands on the way out, he happened to run into the German project’s manager.
Seeing Chen Yi, the man persistently tried again, “Chen Yi, I heard you only recently joined this company. Switching to a better work environment might not be such a bad idea.”
“Besides, our side offers a much higher salary. It might be a better choice for you.”
Since no one else was around, he didn’t bother being subtle, “After work, I really need time for weight loss and body sculpting, and I heard that while your company offers great opportunities for advancement, the workload is quite intense. Looking at my current condition, I’m genuinely afraid something might happen to me on the job.”
The German glanced at Chen Yi from head to toe. Chen Yi did look overweight.
“That’s quite a pity.”
“Here’s my business card. If you ever change your mind, feel free to contact me anytime.”
Chen Yi looked at the card in his hand, and just as he was about to put it away, another restroom door opened. Xie Yaohui stepped out and patted Chen Yi on the shoulder.
It was as if he said something, yet nothing at all.
“Manager Xie, I…”
“People strive upwards, water flows downwards. It’s only natural. No worries.”
Xie Yaohui smiled faintly, washed his hands, and left.
Chen Yi pressed his lips together and casually stuffed the card into his pocket.
Back at the office, Xie Yaohui began to ignore Chen Yi. He understood that the manager might be worried he was about to switch jobs, so he acted this way. Still, Chen Yi didn’t seek any special attention.
At noon, while climbing the stairs for exercise, he received a call from the German side.
“Lunch?”
“Sorry, I’m currently on a weight loss and body sculpting plan. I can’t eat anything high in fat or sugar. You go ahead. Maybe next time, I’ll have our leader treat you.”
As Chen Yi came upstairs, he met Zhang Fei’s eyes. Zhang Fei’s expression looked odd, but Chen Yi didn’t think much of it. He wiped the sweat from his face and left.
However, Zhang Fei’s imagination started to run wild. Why would the Germans invite Chen Yi to lunch?
Could it be… Chen Yi was really going to switch jobs?
Chen Yi had secured the cooperation project with the Germans. Logically, Xie Yaohui should have been praising him highly, but back at the company, his attitude had turned lukewarm.
Clearly, Xie Yaohui must know that Chen Yi was considering a job change.
In the pantry, Zhang Fei almost bumped into a colleague while holding a teacup. “Sorry, I just zoned out.”
“Zhang Fei, what’s wrong with you today? You’re so out of it. If you’re not feeling well, take a day off.”
Zhang Fei gave a bitter smile and looked around before whispering, “I just overheard Chen Yi talking with the Germans. They invited him to lunch. Tell me, why wouldn’t they invite Manager Xie instead? Why specifically Chen Yi? Isn’t Manager Xie the one in charge?”
That immediately sparked the colleague’s curiosity. “What do you mean?”
Zhang Fei said mysteriously, “What else could it mean? If the Germans are inviting him to lunch, it means they’re interested in him. I think he’s about to leave the company.”
“I’m just guessing, though. Don’t spread it. I have to get back to work.”
After Zhang Fei left, the colleague stared thoughtfully at his retreating figure.
In the afternoon, Chen Yi had already completed his tasks, so he was relaxing at his desk.
But seeing him so carefree only reinforced the rumor that he was about to jump ship. Otherwise, how could he be this relaxed?
“Some people are just so lucky. One project, and they immediately get better offers. Unlike us, still grinding away at this company until retirement.”
“Exactly. Even though we’re on the same team, we still have to be cautious. Everyone should protect their data. If anything goes wrong, good luck finding the person responsible.”
At first, Chen Yi didn’t think those comments were aimed at him. But when someone deliberately cut in line in front of him at the printer, and when he went to get water and overheard more veiled jabs, he finally realized—rumors about him had started circulating in the office again.
Some coworkers even shut off their screens when he passed by, clearly not wanting him to see their work.
Chen Yi couldn’t hold back anymore. He found it amusing. “What’s the point of hiding it? With what you’ve got, I could finish it in ten minutes.”
The coworker turned red with anger. “Yeah, yeah, unlike you, landing the German project and maybe even about to start working with them!”
“And by the way, your second line of code has a problem. Don’t hand in that mess to the boss unless you want to get scolded.”
He raised his voice across the workspace, “You don’t need to hide your files—I’m not interested. Instead of worrying about why I’m so relaxed, maybe focus on finishing your own work first.”
Just then, Xie Yaohui stepped out of his office holding a cup. Of course, he had heard everything Chen Yi just said.
“Chen Yi, the tallest trees catch the most wind. Sometimes, it’s better to stay low-key.”
The other coworkers smirked, thinking Chen Yi had been put in his place.
Chen Yi said, “Manager Xie, I’m not trying to exaggerate, but just now, the German project manager called to say the project has officially been approved.”
“To celebrate the collaboration, they invited both of us to dinner. If I’m not mistaken, you should’ve received their invite too, right? But I declined because I’m busy with weight loss and exercise. It doesn’t matter who goes, as long as someone from our company attends.”
Xie Yaohui’s face froze.
Chen Yi waved his phone in the air, then turned his gaze to Zhang Fei and shot him a smug look.
Zhang Fei stiffened, lowered his head, and silently focused on his work.
So that’s why there were suddenly so many rumors—turned out it was one rotten apple spoiling the whole pot.
“Zhang Fei, why don’t you go with Manager Xie to the German dinner? You speak German, after all. I’m sure you can help translate anything he doesn’t understand!”
Zhang Fei looked up, his face twitching with reluctance. He forced an awkward smile, “Chen Yi, you really know how to joke. This project was something you and Manager Xie worked hard to secure.”
Chen Yi snorted coldly, “Oh? So you do know that!”
[Ding! Hidden achievement ‘Small Figure’ activated.]
[Congratulations to the host for unlocking the ‘Crush the Scum’ achievement.]
[Successfully humiliating five people will result in a level-up and generous rewards. With each level-up, the rewards become richer.]