After coming out of the CEO’s office, He Wenqi went to the pantry to pour some water. Ling Chen, the “Gossip Pager,” followed the scent and felt his way over.
“He Wenqi, are you okay? What did President Han say to you?”
Not knowing where to start, He Wenqi blew on the steam of the boiling water: “Is there something wrong with me? What was he supposed to say?”
Ling Chen stepped to the doorway, poked his head out to check that no one was there, then shrank back into the room and whispered in his ear: “The thing about Manager Fang…”
Having heard Fang Zhenkang and Han Ji arguing at the office door earlier, He Wenqi didn’t know the cause. He shook his head: “What happened to him?”
Ling Chen looked at him in surprise: “You just went to the CEO’s office and didn’t hear anything? You were in there so long; didn’t President Han say anything?”
He Wenqi’s patience was exhausted: “What was he supposed to say? No, what exactly are you trying to say?”
Ling Chen took a deep breath: “Fang Zhenkang’s wife just caused a scene at the company. It’s a good thing you were out and weren’t here.”
He Wenqi listened, puzzled: “So?”
Ling Chen swallowed: “Fang Zhenkang had an affair. His wife found out and came to the company looking for someone.”
Ling Chen shook his head as he spoke: “Tsk, tsk, tsk, quite a scene. President Han spoke up and said, ‘The company will not keep people with flawed private morals,’ meaning either he’s fired or Fang Zhenkang has to resign voluntarily. If the company fires him, it surely won’t sound good if word gets out, so I guess Fang Zhenkang still has to leave on his own.”
“An affair? Someone from our company?”
He Wenqi knew Fang Zhenkang’s character was poor, but Fang Zhenkang was very careful and hid it deep. If he hadn’t recently revealed his improper intentions toward He Wenqi himself, it probably wouldn’t have been easy to discover.
“He Wenqi, did you really…” Ling Chen was bursting with anxiety; he wasn’t someone who could keep things inside, so he spilled the beans directly.
“His wife came to the company looking for you, saying the person Fang Zhenkang had the affair with was you.”
He Wenqi brought the water cup to his lips and nearly spat the water back into the cup: “Me? With Fang Zhenkang?”
Ling Chen stated his stance: “I definitely don’t believe it. There’s a misunderstanding, right?”
Naturally, there was a misunderstanding. Fang Zhenkang had ill intentions toward him, but the other party hadn’t actually acted on them. How could it be pinned on him, with someone even coming to find him by name?
Ling Chen was still rattling on: “Never mind the affair, you say he’s married and has kids, how could he have… that kind of connection with a man? Could it be he’s also gay? Being gay isn’t strange, but then why be with a woman? What is that, a sham marriage? Or can he do both men and women…”
After talking to himself for a while, he realized the person beside him wasn’t moving. Ling Chen quickly changed his tune: “Anyway, I’m not talking about you, it’s just… this… it’s beyond my range of knowledge…”
He Wenqi had never proactively mentioned his orientation, but he didn’t avoid the subject either.
When he first came to the company, there were single young women who tried to test the waters with him. He kept a polite social distance from everyone, and the sensible ones naturally backed off.
He and Ling Chen were considered close in the company. Sometimes when eating and chatting, the topic would touch upon this area, and Ling Chen had guessed it himself.
He Wenqi lowered his head in silence, thinking about the words Fang Zhenkang used to question Han Ji in the office. Did the meaning imply that Han Ji had done something behind the scenes? Was it because it involved him?
He and Fang Zhenkang were perfectly clean; what “leverage” could Fang Zhenkang’s wife have grasped?
…
After work, He Wenqi bought a takeout meal and brought it home. Qiao Yuan wasn’t there; he had gone to work at “Ye Se” (Night Scenery).
He Wenqi fed the two fur-babies, uncovered the takeout lid, and picked at the rice noodles inside, eating them one by one.
The rice noodles were bought from a newly opened shop downstairs. He didn’t cook; being alone, he didn’t know what to eat, so he bought them on the way back to try.
The taste wasn’t great; it could only be considered filling the stomach. It was far inferior to what he had eaten at lunch. Although the stir-fried beef had been mixed with the bell peppers and celery he disliked, all the other dishes were things he loved.
Han Ji had originally called a moving company to have him move tonight. Regarding this matter, He Wenqi hadn’t made up his mind and said he needed to consider it. Besides, if he really wanted to move, he wouldn’t need a moving company; his most abundant possessions were his drawings and books, which could fit in two cardboard boxes. He didn’t have many clothes left.
Han Ji’s proposal was good, but this would mean living together.
The question was: Is it really okay to live with Han Ji?
Adolescent love is a seed buried deep in the heart. Although it was cut short and didn’t grow into a tree, with Han Ji’s reappearance, it was hard to say it wouldn’t be the medicine that makes it rise from the ashes—especially since this medicine was already gradually taking effect.
He Wenqi stirred the bowl of mushy rice noodles that had soaked up all the broth, feeling absent-minded.
Last night, watching those portraits while doing that embarrassing thing… physical pleasure was brief and couldn’t fill the void in his heart. The more stimulation, the more loss. How was he to restrain this devotion that was destined to end in nothing?
Time and again, he couldn’t avoid the man at the company; he couldn’t let it be like this in his personal life too.
Having no appetite, He Wenqi threw down his chopsticks.
The big-faced tabby cat named Zoro finished eating and rubbed against him. The other one, a long-haired orange cat named Simba, sat upright by the window slowly licking his fur.
Both cats were strays adopted by He Wenqi.
When He Wenqi encountered “Fat Tabby,” one of its eyes was already ruined, half its face was bloody, and its fur was matted with mud. It sat quietly in a dark corner of the residential complex. When he walked over, it tilted its head and opened its mouth silently at him.
He Wenqi picked it up and took it home.
By coincidence, the very next day, he encountered the long-haired orange cat.
“Big Orange” was an elderly cat with dry, messy fur, trembling with every step. He guessed it might have been abandoned due to old age. However, its sitting posture was upright, and its expression was dignified.
After He Wenqi took him home and cleaned him up, the bedraggled look vanished, and he regained his past majestic appearance.
Cats are miraculous creatures; they can soothe the human heart.
During many days and nights in Jing City, the two cats healed He Wenqi’s empty and lost heart. Besides the living conditions he had to face currently, he began to consider moving forward again to reclaim his small dream.
Giving up X University back then was out of necessity. Now, there was no way to attend anymore, but as long as he wanted to do it, he could always find an opportunity to return to school to study.
He Wenqi had accidentally discovered that the world-famous Sniford University of Art, which he had once looked up to, had a recommendation channel for the public. One could be recommended by a company designated by the school to participate in a professional assessment; upon passing, one could successfully enroll.
Sniford University of Art was the top hall of longing for art students, filled with outstanding art students from all over the world who had been screened.
Most importantly, he discovered that among the companies designated by Sniford University of Art, the China branch of this international communication company happened to be right here in Jing City.
He Wenqi’s dream of studying grew wildly and was reborn. Having missed the chance with X University back then, perhaps by changing paths, he could still reach that far-off place.
Coincidentally, the company was hiring, so He Wenqi took his resume and recommended himself. Unfortunately, the company’s threshold was too high, and he was nearly rejected. Ultimately, he was assigned to the front desk as an intern.
Obtaining the company’s recommendation was, of course, no easy task. There were conditions, and the slots were limited; competition would certainly not be small. He Wenqi wanted it. For his dream, why not give it his all?
No matter what, get into the company first, then look for opportunities to take it step by step later. Drawing line art, doing design, handling projects, proposing creative ideas… as long as he was given a chance, he would never let it go.
Now, this opportunity was coming soon. The talent selection provided by Han Ji would allow him to bypass the academic threshold and compete fairly with everyone.
Han Ji again. It seemed that in the major events of his life, he could never get around Han Ji.
He Wenqi dialed Han Ji’s phone: “I’ve thought about it and decided it’s better not to move over.”
There was no sound from the other side. After a long pause, Han Ji couldn’t imagine why he refused; clearly, the proposal he offered was perfect.
“The reason?”
What reason was needed? Not wanting to, not willing, not used to it—any would do.
Yet He Wenqi got stuck. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration hit him: “I have a boyfriend now; it would be inconvenient to move in with you.”
The words stuck in Han Ji’s throat for a long time: “You have a boyfriend? Since when?”
Yes, this was an excellent reason. He Wenqi continued without thinking: “Not for very long. If I’m with my boyfriend, it would be very inconvenient.”
“Inconvenient?” Han Ji felt himself getting a bit heated. “Is it convenient for you to live with Qiao Yuan?”
“Qiao Yuan’s working hours and mine are exactly offset; it’s convenient.”
Beep—
The call suddenly cut off.
Out of battery? He Wenqi looked at the phone, didn’t mind it, and tossed it aside.
He lay on the sofa with his eyes closed for a while. He Wenqi was very satisfied with his quick wit in the moment of urgency; it both easily refused Han Ji and allowed him to cut off his own lingering thoughts.
Suddenly hearing someone knock on the door, he opened his eyes and got up to open it, but there was no one outside.
Remembering the assessment design, He Wenqi went into his room, turned on the computer, and began to draft the sketches.
Before he could put pen to paper, he heard the knocking sound from outside again. He waited a bit longer, and once certain it was his own door making the sound, he walked out.
“Who is it?”
There was no response from outside.
He leaned down to look through the peephole, but there was nothing outside.
He Wenqi opened the door; there was still no one outside.
Strange.
He Wenqi relocked the door, stood behind it for a few seconds, shook his head, and went back to his room to continue thinking about the design.
He was very absorbed when drawing, sitting for several hours at a time until his cervical spine and wrists began to ache before he stood up to move a bit.
Looking at the line art he had drawn, he curled his lips in satisfaction.
He grabbed some clothes to take a shower.
Halfway through the shower, it suddenly occurred to him that this wasn’t just some excuse to refuse Han Ji—maybe he really should consider getting a boyfriend.
Having been single for so long, for the sake of physical and mental health—and to stop being influenced by Han Ji—it was time to seriously look for a boyfriend.
But as for his mother…
He Wenqi shook his head hard; keep it a secret for now.
After finishing his shower and coming out, he sent a message to Qiao Yuan.
As I Have Heard: Yuan, I remember you said before you wanted to introduce someone to me.
Yuan Treasure: Whoa, Ge, it’s been so long since that happened, didn’t you refuse?
As I Have Heard: Ask for me.
At the end, he added a sentence.
As I Have Heard: I want to go on a blind date.