My Boss Always Flirts With Me - Chapter 34
Chapter 34: Curiosity
Fang Ci didn’t have to wait long for Wei Lin, his breakthrough, to come to him.
It all started because their new product launch needed promotion. Wei Lin had a lot of business connections and was bored at home, so He Chi called him to the company to help.
Wei Lin made a condition with He Chi: “I’ll go, but can you satisfy my curiosity?”
He Chi said, “You can choose between stock options and gossip.”
Wei Lin was dumbfounded. “What’s the matter? You know I’m not short on money. Those few million in stock options aren’t enough to buy a sports car.”
He Chi said, “Zhuyun’s IPO valuation is over a billion.”
Wei Lin immediately shut up and went to the company to clock in the next day. Although he said he was going to work, he brought nothing but his phone.
He first went to He Chi’s office to express his inner shock: “Has your wife’s value already surpassed stock options?”
“Why are you so secretive? Are you afraid I’ll steal them?”
He Chi gave him a look and said, “You can try.”
Wei Lin instantly became a coward and muttered, “I don’t even know who it is. How can I try?”
He Chi got annoyed by his pestering. He paused and said, “When there’s a chance, I’ll introduce you.” The words were ambiguous and had no deadline, but if he didn’t dangle this carrot, Wei Lin would probably pester him to the ends of the earth.
Wei Lin was satisfied. “You said it! I’m holding you to it!” He was so stifled!
It wasn’t just him. The news of He Chi’s marriage had already spread throughout the second-generation circles. Friends were guessing, but unfortunately, not even He Chi’s own father knew, so no one else had a chance.
He Chi not saying anything had its benefits, saving him a lot of trouble, but it was very frustrating for Wei Lin. As one of He Chi’s few friends, he felt like he hadn’t received any special treatment! This was definitely not how good friends should be treated!
Now that he had a guarantee, he felt much better!
Wei Lin went to the AP project team to help, feeling light and happy.
When a rich second generation gets involved, the resources they can allocate are different from ordinary people. The scale is several times larger, saving time and effort, and the project’s progress was directly put on an accelerator.
Cheng Wen, Xiao Zhu, and the other team members only found out about Wei Lin’s background today.
They were obviously much more polite to him, thanking him repeatedly.
Wei Lin waved his hand. “It’s nothing. The department is counting on your project for performance, so work hard.”
Everyone went back to their own work.
Among the team members, he was most familiar with Fang Ci. He borrowed a computer and talked about the project’s progress, all with Fang Ci. He didn’t move from his spot all afternoon.
After Cheng Wen finished his work, he looked at the two of them and quietly sent a message to Xiao Zhu: [I think this Mr. Wei has a good relationship with our manager.]
Xiao Zhu: “Did they know each other before?”
Cheng Wen: “I asked Fang Ci. No, it’s the same as us. They’ve only met two or three times.”
Xiao Zhu turned her head when she heard this and watched them for a few seconds. Fang Ci seemed to be asking Wei Lin about something. Wei Lin was bent over listening, nodding from time to time, and answering very seriously. Most importantly, his face was full of smiles, and his lips never stopped smiling.
Is talking about products that interesting?
“Could he have a crush on little Ci Ci?”
“Is he that popular?” Cheng Wen didn’t believe it because he had no admirers himself.
Xiao Zhu said, “I think little Ci Ci is quite suitable to be a partner.”
Cheng Wen: “…” He was hurt.
However, Fang Ci’s popularity was indeed traceable.
Most product people are straightforward. Especially those related to R&D. Their hair starts to thin early, and their looks can easily fall off a cliff.
Fang Ci was an exception. Two years after graduation, he was getting better looking, full of youthful vigor, and had a good personality. Everyone liked him.
Occasionally, when there was a particularly difficult client, Fang Ci would handle them for a while, and their attitude would soften considerably.
There was an anonymous forum with a “Who is the most popular person in the company” ranking. The first place was He Chi because he was rich, handsome, and single. The second place was Fang Ci because he was young, handsome, and had a good personality, liked by both men and women.
Later, when CEO He got married, the first place was given to Fang Ci. Now, this post still pops up once in a while, getting a lot of attention.
Cheng Wen secretly sighed and combed his short hair in the mirror, wondering if he should grow it out and get a stylish haircut. Otherwise, staying next to Fang Ci for too long would make him look like a loner.
On the other side, Wei Lin was still talking endlessly. He had been there all afternoon and didn’t miss a chance to cause a stir. After finishing his work, he started to chat.
“I was originally going to study foreign economics in college, but my dad forced me to change to engineering. If you don’t understand anything in R&D, you can ask me. I don’t do much with technology, but I know a lot of people. Maybe I can help you.”
He was the epitome of an outgoing and warm-hearted person.
This behavior was exactly what Fang Ci wanted. He needed him to be even more warm-hearted.
Just before getting off work, Fang Ci pretended to be disappointed and said, “It’s a shame we don’t have enough time today. I originally wanted to ask you about the software channels. How about I treat you to dinner another day?”
Wei Lin, being impatient, immediately fell for it and said, “What’s the big deal? The words ‘work’ and ‘off work’ aren’t in my dictionary.”
“Let’s go now.”
Fang Ci thought it wasn’t appropriate for just the two of them to go out, so he suggested that everyone go together and use the department’s budget to treat Wei Lin to dinner.
Wei Lin didn’t mind, and the team members were happy.
Everyone was eager for dinner and clocked out on time.
So when He Chi passed by the AP department at 6:30, he found that not a single person was there.
Yuan Cheng explained, “Mr. Wei took the AP team out for a meal.”
He Chi: “?”
On his phone, Fang Ci had left a message: [I’m out to dinner with the team members. I’ll watch the time and come back early.]
He Chi looked at it for a long time and replied, “Okay.”
Fang Ci and his team left the company and chose a lively barbecue restaurant. Since graduating from college, Wei Lin hadn’t been to a small restaurant like this. When he first entered, he found it quite new.
Cheng Wen introduced it to him: “This is a hidden gem for team dinners that Manager Fang found. It’s super delicious.”
There were only a few large round tables in the store. The decor was simple. There were no customers at this time, so it wasn’t noisy. When everyone was seated, Wei Lin ordered a few bottles of beer.
“Aren’t you driving?” Fang Ci said.
Wei Lin: “I’ll get a designated driver. It’s not easy to escape from my dad and He Chi’s clutches. I have to have a good drink.”
Fang Ci smiled. He wasn’t planning on drinking much, but he didn’t mind getting Wei Lin drunk to get information. This was a true “enemy” in the dark, and “I” was in the light. The most important thing wasn’t to build a good relationship but to get useful information.
They first played a round of a drinking game. Wei Lin lost the most, and beer was poured for him three times. After he finished drinking, they asked him to choose a punishment. Wei Lin chose “Truth.”
“Ask me whatever you want to know about me. I have no bottom line.”
Everyone laughed, but when they spoke, they didn’t ask about him. All the questions were about He Chi.
“Hey, hey, hey, respect me. He Chi isn’t even here. What’s there to talk about!”
Xiao Zhu: “There is! CEO He is so mysterious.”
They didn’t dare to ask these questions during dinner with other departments, but Wei Lin was so easygoing that he could get along with the employees. He had no intimidating aura, so they dared to gossip in front of him.
Wei Lin sighed to the heavens. “Fine, ask away! It’s all because your CEO He is so charming!”
Xiao Zhu said, “I want to see a photo of CEO He and his wife.”
Wei Lin laughed. “That falls under a dare. I don’t have one.”
Cheng Wen chimed in, “Xiao Zhu is just gossiping. I’m not. I just want to know if CEO He’s wife is a man or a woman?”
Fang Ci was drinking water and almost choked. Wei Lin patted him and handed him a tissue. He said helplessly, “I don’t know.”
Xiao Zhu, Cheng Wen: “…” Who said they were best friends with CEO He?
Wei Lin spread his hands and said truthfully, “Don’t ask me about CEO He’s spouse. I don’t know anything. Your CEO He is so tight-lipped.”
“But I can talk about other things, like whether CEO He has ever been in a relationship before.”
The team members’ eyes lit up: “!”
“So, has he?”
Wei Lin: “No.”
Not only were Xiao Zhu and Cheng Wen stunned, but everyone else was, including Fang Ci.
“My goodness, with CEO He looking like that, no one pursued him in school?”
Wei Lin: “There were people who pursued him, but he rejected all of them. He Chi’s face was cold, and he gave off a ‘do not enter’ vibe.”
Xiao Zhu bit on her tissue. “I wish I had met CEO He earlier. I’m curious about what he was like in college.”
Fang Ci also wondered. The first time he met He Chi, He Chi had already started his business. He didn’t seem to have any photo albums at home…
Wei Lin was getting drunk, and his cheeks were flushed. He grinned, waved to them, and said, “That’s easy. Here, I’ll show you!”
Everyone gathered around. Wei Lin opened his cloud album and found a few old photos.
There were photos of him playing basketball and a photo of the two of them. He Chi was still cool, looking like he was 18 or 19. He was more immature than now, and when his face was expressionless, there was no sense of oppression. Instead, there was a kind of adorable contrast. Wei Lin was a stark contrast to him, smiling especially brightly.
A few of the photos were clearly taken by Wei Lin forcing He Chi to pose. He Chi was reluctant, his brows were furrowed, and the focus was blurry.
Xiao Zhu and the others muttered, “He’s indeed handsome enough. Even with such a blurry photo, you can’t block his good looks.”
Wei Lin: “…Why do I feel like you’re mocking me…”
Everyone laughed.
Fang Ci was still looking at the album and didn’t join the conversation. Every photo in the album was unique. He had never seen them before and couldn’t help but look at them a few more times. He was so tempted that he secretly took a picture while no one was paying attention.
On the other side, Xiao Zhu was still brainstorming. “Tsk, with that expression on CEO He’s face… I can imagine him rejecting a love letter!”
When Wei Lin heard this, he suddenly got excited. He slapped his thigh, threw his phone on the table, and said, “I know about this! I’ll act it out for you.”
Everyone clapped and cheered.
Wei Lin played two roles, moving around. He walked to the left to act as He Chi and then ran to the right to act as the person giving the love letter.
“He Chi, I like you. Can you accept my feelings? I’ve been watching you for a long time! I really, really like you!” He said in a high-pitched voice.
Then he took a step to the left: “Thank you, I’m not interested in a relationship.”
Then he moved to the right: “Then when do you want to be in a relationship? I can wait for you. I can wait until we graduate! I can wait even after graduation.”
He moved back to the left and cleared his throat. “I won’t be in a relationship. Don’t wait for me.”
Xiao Zhu said, “Ah, that’s too cruel!”
Fang Ci took a sip of beer from his lips. The corner of his mouth was a little dry.
Cheng Wen was not bothered and said, “He was young back then. With CEO He’s ambition, it’s normal for him not to be in a relationship. He’s married now anyway.”
Xiao Zhu added, “That’s true. Time is a good teacher. CEO He must have found someone he likes to get married.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Fang Ci’s heart was like a small flame, flickering dimly at times and shining like a star at others.
No need to be afraid. At least the current He Chi is more gentle than the cold senior who only cared about his studies back then. He brainwashed himself.
“Quick, let’s bet! Let’s bet that we’ll get to see CEO He’s sweetheart this year!” Having had a fruitful night, Cheng Wen suddenly got excited.
Xiao Zhu: “You’re never going to stop betting! I bet we’ll see her this month!”
Others said, “I don’t believe it!”
“I don’t believe it.” “I’m with Cheng!”
Xiao Zhu pulled Fang Ci. “Little Ci Ci, whose side are you on?”
Fang Ci said truthfully, “I suggest you bet on something else.”
Cheng Wen: “Bet on what?”
Fang Ci said, “Bet on how many units of AP will sell.”
Cheng Wen: “Don’t, sir! Why would you bring up work! You’re a devil!”
Fang Ci held his beer bottle and smiled.
He could bet on whether they could get together. The stake was there. For example, if he successfully confessed this month, he would… He hadn’t thought about it yet. He would think about it later.
Given the reality of their secret marriage, Cheng Wen and the others probably wouldn’t get a chance to meet “CEO He’s partner” in this lifetime. Maybe I can secretly give them a signed photo? Thinking this, he couldn’t help but laugh, and his mood instantly brightened.
Everyone was chatting excitedly and had long forgotten about the game and the punishment.
But Fang Ci still remembered his mission. The fruit wine mixed with beer had a strong kick. After Wei Lin was done with his fun, he was completely drunk. He was holding his glass and was about to pour more wine when Fang Ci stopped him. “Wei, you should drink less.”
Wei Lin just kept laughing and waved his hand. “I’m not drunk.”
Fang Ci made a gesture with his fingers. “What number is this?”
“…2.”
Not bad. He’s conscious. We can still talk.
Fang Ci then tried to coax him: “Wei, does CEO He usually control you?”
When he heard this, Wei Lin wasn’t sleepy anymore. His face was flushed, and he said with great injustice, “Yes, my dad controls me at home, and He Chi controls me when I’m out. It started when we were roommates in college. If I didn’t want to study, he would threaten me with my dad, saying he would cut my cards and I wouldn’t be able to buy a car or a watch.”
That’s so scary? Fang Ci felt sorry for him but also wanted to laugh. “Is CEO He always so rigid? Did he ever like anyone before?”
This wasn’t the same as being in a relationship. What if he had a secret crush?
Wei Lin was completely following his lead. He changed the topic and thought for a moment before answering, “Yes.”
Fang Ci was stunned: Really?
Wei Lin: “Kirby and Steve.”
Fang Ci: …
Wei Lin: “He really likes their products. They’re groundbreaking. If he ever has a tombstone, their names will definitely be carved on it.”
Fang Ci: …
He saw that Wei Lin was about to continue and quickly cut him off, trying to guide the conversation back: “What about his rebellious phase? Like when he rode a motorcycle…”
Wei Lin was stunned when he heard this. “Huh? He rode a motorcycle?”
Fang Ci came to a halt.
Wei Lin’s eyes widened. “When did he learn?”
Fang Ci covered his forehead. “…I heard it was… in middle school.”
Wei Lin almost bit his tongue. “Are you serious? I thought he only liked to study, like an AI?”
Fang Ci: “…I just heard it from someone…” Why do I feel like Wei Lin knows even less about He Chi than I do?!
Oh, right. Wei Lin didn’t even know that Zhuyun Tech moved to a new floor… I guess I asked the wrong person.
Fang Ci took a deep breath, drank half a glass of beer to calm down, and shut his mouth.
The barbecue restaurant was getting more and more lively. Wei Lin saw that Fang Ci was silent, so he continued to have fun. He turned around and ordered two more cases of beer. Just as he was getting everyone to play a game, his phone suddenly rang.
He took it out shakily and put it to his ear. A roar suddenly came from the phone: “Are you going to work or to play?”
The voice was so loud there was no need for speakerphone. Everyone at the table could hear it.
Wei Lin sobered up from the roar. “Dad…”
“Look at the time. Come home!”
Wei Lin was stunned, and so was Fang Ci. He looked down and saw that the clock was pointing to 12 a.m.
“Damn!” Wei Lin grabbed his hair.
The voice on the other end said sternly, “Did I not tell you to get your act together! If He Chi hadn’t called to tell me you were still at a party, what, were you going to sleep at another club tonight?”
Wei Lin was completely sober. He covered the phone with his hand. “Dad, keep your voice down! Your son still wants to save face!”
“I’m 30 years old. Can you worry less about me?”
There was a moment of silence. The table was dead quiet.
“Get back here!”
Wei Lin: “…Okay.”
After hanging up, he drooped his eyebrows and said with a mournful face, “Let’s call it a night. I’m going back. We’ll get together another time.”
When the highest-ranking person was about to leave, the others naturally dispersed as well.
“Little Ci Ci, do you want to take my car?” Xiao Zhu asked. She remembered that Fang Ci lived in the same direction as her and they could get a designated driver together.
Fang Ci: “No, thanks. I live in a different place now. I just called a car.”
Xiao Zhu was surprised. “You have your own place, so why were you renting a room?”
Fang Ci didn’t explain. Xiao Zhu’s car had arrived in front of them. He helped her open the door and told her to be careful. After all the team members left, he called for a car.
The taxi came quickly. He turned to say goodbye to Wei Lin, but he saw that he was on the phone. The night wind blew, and he could faintly hear a sentence: “…He Chi, you’re a psychopath!”
Fang Ci touched his nose and then smiled.
[Did you get in the car?]
The top-pinned WeChat message popped up right after.
Fang Ci quickly replied: [I’m on my way home.]
[Okay.]
Fang Ci stared at the screen, thinking that there would definitely be more than one word.
As expected, Teacher He’s lecture came: [Don’t stay out too late for gatherings in the future.]
Fang Ci knew that he had broken his promise to come back early. He was super obedient and admitted his mistake: [Teacher He, I was wrong. I’m sorry for delaying your rest.]
A few seconds later, his phone vibrated: [It has nothing to do with my rest.]
It vibrated again: [It’s not safe on the road when it’s so late.]
[I’ll be worried.]