Chapter 36
Translator: Aafkee
Proofreader: Superclubs2
Lu Chuiqing had a dream that night. He dreamt of the day when the accident happened, he was sitting quietly at the bar all alone and it was raining heavily outside.
When he left the bar and wanted to go to his car, he saw a man carrying an umbrella and standing in the rain instead. The light from the streetlamp made it as if there was a thin mist of golden halo on top of the man’s umbrella. That person took slow steps and started towards him.
The person under the umbrella was Xiao Zhan, he moved the umbrella towards Lu Chuiqing, blocking the rain for him. The shadow from the umbrella was cast on the top of Lu Chuiqing’s head, isolating the surrounding ice-cold raindrops outside.
The dream ended at that scene. Lu Chuiqing squints open his eyes and stares at the pillow and the carpet under the bed vacantly as he feels the headache from his hangover rushing to his brain.
Lu Chuiqing moves his body for a bit and suddenly realises that he is hugging something in his arms. He lowers his head, only to realise that he is being embraced from behind and his arms are hugging a pair of arms that are currently encircling his waist.
Lu Chuiqing turns his head back lightly. Xiao Zhan is very close to him, so close that he can almost count the strands of his long and delicate eyelashes. The monitor of a humidifier nearby not far away is displaying the time, it is only early morning.
Lu Chuiqing looks blankly for a moment as the dream from just now appears vaguely in his mind. He turns his head back, hugs the arms around him just a little tighter before he falls slowly back to sleep.
The sun is bright and hanging high up in the sky the next time Lu Chuiqing wakes up. After he washes up, he walks down the stairs as he rubs his temples and sees Xiao Zhan’s housekeeper auntie busying herself in the kitchen. Upon spotting Lu Chuiqing, the auntie says, “Mr Lu, the breakfast is ready for you.”
“Thank you.” Lu Chuiqing looks around, “Where’s Xiao Zhan?”
“Boss said he has something to sort out in the office, he will be back in the afternoon.”
Lu Chuiqing has nothing much to do after finishing his breakfast so he plays with Lil Friend for a while before he decides to go out to walk around and see if there is anything he needs to buy.
There is a relatively big shopping mall 20 minutes walk away, near Honey Fragrant Hill. Seeing that the weather is pretty good today, Lu Chuiqing wants to move and stretch his muscles and bones so he does not contact Uncle Wang, leaving the house straight away.
When he reaches the living district’s main entrance, Lu Chuiqing can easily see a sapphire-blue sports car parked on the side of the boulevard leading from the district entrance to the outside. The colour is extremely bright and eye-catching, enough to attract the attention of anyone passing by.
This is mostly a rich-people district, it is common to see sports cars in the area so Lu Chuiqing’s gaze is only briefly attracted by the colour of the car.
The second Lu Chuiqing casts his gaze towards the car, the driver starts up the engine and drives over a pile of dried leaves as it leaves the entrance of the district, accompanied by the distinct revving sound of a sports car.
Su Weiyu, sitting at the driver’s seat, watches Lu Chuiqing retreating back through his rear mirror, his pairs of depressed eyes chilling even further.
It is not difficult for Su Weiyu to ask about and find out where Xiao Zhan lives. Although his family has not been able to squeeze themselves into the upper class of the capital and investment circle, he does have a notable network built up for himself relying on his relationship with Xia Hao.
Su Weiyu’s father, Su Rende, is a member of the higher management of a mainstream accountancy firm. His mother has long divorced his father over ten years ago because she could no longer bear the physical and verbal abuse from his father, leaving Su Weiyu’s custody to Su Rende.
Su Weiyu has always been given the cold shoulder and treated with violence by his father just because he is an omega. His father would leave him at home without care and spend his night with one of his many lovers outside, leaving him to different housekeepers to take care of him until he grew into adulthood.
Su Weiyu has also started his own business since he broke up with Xiao Zhan. The company is not large in scale, it is at least big enough to give him confidence when he faces his father. He is finally free of living on the charity of others by ending his revolting and scandalous relationship with Xia Hao.
However, Su Weiyu is unable to move on from the past easily, nor does he have the intention to. From that man who is blood-related to him and always seems to be all high and mighty in front of him, to Xia Hao, he remembers every single thing they have done to him.
In all honesty, Su Weiyu was indeed surprised to run into Xiao Zhan’s new lover last time during Xia Hao’s birthday banquet. Although he has not been beside Xiao Zhan for many years, that does not mean that he has no idea what kinds of people have been beside him.
There was once a little part-time singer from a bar, a student from a third-rated university who only knew how to idle about, a part-time actor who only plays small roles in films, most of them have a beautiful and charming appearance, clingy and obedient, all of them knew how to make him happy–
But this new lover, Lu Chuiqing, a master’s degree holder from an excellent and well-known university, a registered accountant, currently working for one of the best funding companies nationally at Zhong Ming Funding as a researcher in the stock funding department with plenty of opportunities for promotion in the future.
Lu Chuiqing left the entrance of Honey Fragrant Hill just now, he obviously stayed the night at Xiao Zhan’s house.
The two of them most likely got to know each other through Zhong Ming Funding, especially since the Chairman of Zhong Ming Funding is Xiao Zhan’s blood-related uncle after all.
Is Lu Chuiqing selling his body for his career?
Right at that moment, Su Weiyu’s phone rings. He glances at the screen before he presses a button on the earphone in his ear.
After listening to the other party from the other side of the line, Su Weiyu answers, “Wait for me right there, I’ll head over right now. Don’t worry, this matter won’t affect you since you’ve already resigned for so long now.”
An undercurrent can be seen bubbling in Su Weiyu’s eyes after he hangs up the phone. He steps on the gas pedal and the car moves speedily forward with vroom.
Time passes by quickly and soon, it is already the start of November and Lu Chuiqing has already been working in Zhong Ming Funding for almost a year now. At the same time last year, he was still busy with his onboarding in the company and everything was still a new start, he was still a newbie in the work arena, even his relationship was still unknown.
Lu Chuiqing never thought that there would be such an enormous change in his life in only one year.
Although work ends slightly early today, both Lu Chuiqing and Song Wenxin still have something left to discuss regarding their investment report, so they have decided to discuss it over their dinner at White Bird Western restaurant near their office.
Lu Chuiqing has not gone to this restaurant for more than half a year since he met Xiao Zhan here in April earlier this year. He and Song Wenxin walk through the restaurant entrance as the server at the entrance says “Welcome” but there is no continuation afterwards as the server stares right at Lu Chuiqing.
Lu Chuiqing turns his head doubtfully and he is stunned momentarily the moment he sees who the server is.
Qiu Nai, who is currently wearing the restaurant's uniform and apron, is glaring at Lu Chuiqing with an unhappy expression on his face, his feelings of despise and jealousy blatantly displayed in his eyes. Only when the lobby manager is making his rounds towards them, does Qiu Nai finally roll his eyes and ask in a bad mood, “How many of you?”
Song Wenxin does not realise the awkward atmosphere between them and answers, “Two.”
Qiu Nai turns around and leads them to their seats.
Lu Chuiqing follows behind Qiu Nai as he stares at him, slightly surprised.
The last time he saw Qiu Nai was two months ago, has he been working here since then?
When the two are led to their seats, Song Wenxin leaves for a toilet break. Qiu Nai brings the menu over and tosses it on the table coldly. When he brings the jar of lemon flavoured water next, he slams down the jar on the table in front of Lu Chuiqing, indicating for him to pour for himself.
Lu Chuiqing creases his brows and stares at him, “You know I can make an official complaint, right?”
“Suit yourself.” Qiu Nai looks at him expressionlessly, “White collars like you in this financial street always look down on servers like me who carry plates around in restaurants anyway, complain all you want.”
“I’m complaining because of your bad service attitude, not because I look down on you.” Lu Chuiqing lets out a sigh, flips open the menu before he replies even-tempered, “Did you start working here because it’s near Value Scan?”
Qiu Nai freezes as if Lu Chuiqing has guessed what is in his mind.
Lu Chuiqing is right, Qiu Nai has yet to give up completely from the bottom of his heart. He has thought it through. CEO Xiao stays in his company the majority of his time and the surrounding companies are all major companies so it is impossible for Qiu Nai to find a job in them. After some thought, Qiu Nai thinks that the only way to go about it is to work part-time in a nearby restaurant.
Qiu Nai is unwilling to endure any hardships in the first place. If he is willing, he would not have agreed to meet Xiao Zhan, did he not meet Xiao Zhan in the first place just so he can become his lover and get financial support from him?
But now, he has nearly spent all the money Xiao Zhan gave him, he has also lost his career as an extra actor completely, he has no choice but to feed himself now.
There is still hope in the bottom of his heart, thinking that given how close this restaurant is to Xiao Zhan’s company and the fact that the restaurant being a pretty high-class one, Xiao Zhan should come once in a while, won’t he?
Lu Chuiqing knows he was right the moment he sees Qiu Nai’s expression.
Lu Chuiqing, “You should stop thinking about this now that you have an income.”
“Ha, of course you’d say that.” Qiu Nai responds sarcastically, “Even if I’m not looking to gain Xiao Zhan’s attention, don’t you dare go around thinking that Xiao Zhan will only have you by his side in the future. Indeed, you’re better than me but there are way more people better than you too.”
Lu Chuiqing stares at him for a long moment before he lets out a sigh, “Take my order properly if you don’t want to receive a complaint.”
Other than for placing his orders, Lu Chuiqing has not spoken another word to Qiu Nai since Song Wenxin returns. After Qiu Nai left with the menu, Song Wenxin whispers, “Is that server new? His attitude seems so mediocre.”
Lu Chuiqing can only laugh it off.
As they are eating, Song Wenxin suddenly mentions, “Oh, right. Do you know about Xia Hao from Bo Da Materials?”
Lu Chuiqing lifts his head, slightly surprised, “I do, what about it?”
“He invested four, five hundred million in our company and became our VIP client.” Song Wenxin continues, “I heard he’s coming over on Friday to look around our company too.”
It is not a surprise for Xia Hao to look for a high-tiered funding manager to help manage his personal stocks and investment account. However, Lu Chuiqing can not help but feel a bit nauseous inside as he thinks about the relationship between Xia Hao and Xiao Zhan.
Friday is still a workday. How does he have free time to visit their company as the general manager of a listed company himself?
Lu Chuiqing has read from various financial gossip forums for a long time that Xia Hao’s title as a general manager merely serves as a title and there is actually another professional manager there to help settle his work.
How good is Xia Hao as a general manager is likely debatable.
White Bird Western restaurant currently has a campaign going on where new members can collect points and receive small gifts. Thinking that it’s free anyway, Lu Chuiqing decides to leave his phone number and registers for a member card.
Xiao Zhan happens to call him as he is paying the bill. As Lu Chuiqing has left his phone on the surface of the table, the caller ID flashes on his phone’s screen very obviously.
Qiu Nai, who is standing beside him, happens to look down and sees it, filling him with jealousy and bitterness, his hand clenching so hard that the leather cover in his hand squeaks due to the pressure on it.
Lu Chuiqing picks up the phone and pretends he does not see Qiu Nai’s expression. Xiao Zhan is only calling to see if he has eaten dinner, there isn’t anything special.
Only after Lu Chuiqing left the restaurant before he tells Xiao Zhan, “I met Qiu Nai just now in White Bird, he’s now working as a server there, I’m guessing he has yet to give up on you…”
Lu Chuiqing pauses, there is an obvious hint of sourness in his voice the next time he speaks, “How about… you stop coming here for your meals? I don’t want him to see you…”
“That’s not a problem.” Xiao Zhan chuckles, “But I can’t reject it if my clients invite me there.”
“Business meals are the only exceptions!”
Jajajjaja aunque son seguros obvio que no quieren que sean comidos con la mirada
ReplyDelete