Chapter 81 - Wouldn’t Dare!

Bonus ko-fi chapter

Canghuan’s headquarters was a huge circulation machine. Even at night, there were still many employees waiting for the elevator. They wore exquisite professional suits. From their hair to the soles of their feet, they exuded an elite atmosphere.

They were in a hurry. As soon as the elevator door opened, they went inside silently. Li Zhao followed them but when the last person came in, the elevator made a beep.

Li Zhao glanced at the last person with some embarra.s.sment and silently exited the elevator. Well, these were the people making money for Yan Ting. It was best to be nice to them.

Li Zhao waited for the next elevator. This time, Li Zhao didn’t have to give up the elevator s.p.a.ce. The people in the elevator went in and out until only he and a middle-aged woman in a suit were left.

“You aren’t a person from the company.” The middle-aged woman saw that Li Zhao’s face was tightly covered and pointed to the floor number Li Zhao was heading to. “Here, I advise you not to rush around.”

“Why?” Li Zhao asked with interest.

“Canghuan has the most professional bodyguards.” The woman looked at Li Zhao’s attire and determined he couldn’t hide anything before continuing to speak. “There is also a powerful team of lawyers.”

The last person who tried to sneak into the upper floors was now living a life eating steamed buns and drinking cold water every day.

“Thank you for reminding me.” Li Zhao laughed hoa.r.s.ely.

The woman sighed. “Your eyes are so good-looking. It is unfortunate.”

She pulled out her phone, ready to notify the guards that an outsider was going to the upper floors.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m a friend of Special a.s.sistant Qin from your company.” Li Zhao called Qin Xiao’s phone and the call was quickly connected.

“Mr Li?”

“Mr Qin, has Ting Ting got off work yet? I will wait at the company to pick him up.”

The woman looked at Li Zhao with surprise and put back the phone she secretly took out. Once Li Zhao hung up, she apologized with a smile. “Sorry, I misunderstood you.”

“it doesn’t matter. You’re also thinking about the company.”

Qin Xiao hung up the phone and he vaguely felt that something was wrong. He pushed up his gla.s.ses and got up to tell the boss that Li Zhao would come to him later.

Wrong. In Li Zhao’s mind, he was only the boss’ colleague. Even if Li Zhao wanted to find Mr Li, he wouldn’t tell Qin Xiao in advance. This wasn’t in line with Li Zhao’s usual style of conduct. Did the boss quarrel with Li Zhao? Think about it. Who could bear for a friend to gift them test papers? He wouldn’t be able to stand it either.

By the time Qin Xiao arrived at Yan Ting’s office, Yan Ting had just finished talking to two senior executives about some matters.

“My child does everything seriously. This time, he got 701 points on the university entrance examination and was surprised…”

Qin Xiao, “…”

Sir, you’ve already showed off Mr Li’s university entrance examination results in your circle of friends three times. There is no need to continue to brag about it in front of everyone.

“Sir.” Qin Xiao walked to Yan Ting’s side. “Mr Li called and said he is coming to pick you up from work.”

“This kid is really something. Didn’t I tell him to go back and rest early?” Yan Ting pretended to complain. “Arrange for someone to pick him up at the front desk. I’ll wait for him in the next office.”

“Don’t worry Sir. I’ve arranged for someone to wait at the front desk.”

He was complaining but the smile on his face was honest.

The person who went downstairs to meet Li Zhao took the special elevator. She didn’t find Li Zhao’s figure in the lobby and told the girl at the front desk, “Remember to tell me when Mr Li comes.”

“Zhao… Mr Li has arrived.” The girl at the front desk was surprised. “He already went up a few minutes ago.”

“A few minutes ago?” The secretary subconsciously felt that something was wrong and hastened to call Qin Xiao.

In the president’s office, Yan Ting put away his papers and got up to walk out. Qin Xiao’s phone rang. Yan Ting glanced at Qin Xiao and motioned for him to answer the phone.

“Mr Li went upstairs a few minutes ago?” Qin Xiao had just finished speaking when Yan Ting opened the door.

Outside the door, Li Zhao took off his hat and mask and met Yan Ting’s eyes. In the corridor, a light flickered, presumably because there was a problem with the circuit. However, Qin Xiao was currently feeling a chill. How could he explain to Mr Li that the boss was only pa.s.sing through this office and wasn’t the owner of this office?

Both executives noticed the unusual atmosphere and sat on the couch without speaking. The occasional quarrel between young people was normal.

“Is your work done?” Li Zhao stared at Yan Ting for a few seconds and opened his mouth first.

Yan Ting’s fingers pressed against his clothes shook. “En.”

“If it’s done then go home.” Li Zhao turned around and left.

This was the first time that he didn’t take the initiative to greet Qin Xiao. Qin Xiao, who cheated him along with Yan Ting, took a few steps back silently.

However, Li Zhao didn’t let him go. After taking a few steps, Li Zhao suddenly glanced back at him. “Mr Qin really deserves to be the big boss’ special help.”

Qin Xiao, “…”

He had been in the industry for many years but this was the first time Qin Xiao felt an occupational crisis.

Offending the boss’ favourite person was tantamount to offending the boss. In ancient times, the emperor spent thousands just for a smile. Now, the boss wanted to court his lover and he helped as the a.s.sistant.

Life was so hard.

“Special a.s.sistant Qin worked hard.”

“It isn’t hard to serve the boss.” Qin Xiao reflexively answered.

Li Zhao smiled.

Qin Xiao, “…”

Was this a friendly smile or a smile hiding a knife?

Li Zhao didn’t speak as he took Yan Ting to the staff elevator. Yan Ting followed him silently. Only the two of them were standing at the door of the elevator. Li Zhao looked at the constantly changing numbers on the display screen and his face was full of anger.

The white light cast on the ground could be discerned and it chilled the entire floor. Seeing that the elevator was about to arrive, Li Zhao suddenly sighed and turned to the executive only elevator. Behind him was the sound of light footsteps. He knew that Yan Ting was following behind him.

Before coming, he had many thoughts. He wanted to ask why Yan Ting lied to him and what Yan Ting wanted to do. However, when he stood at the door and saw Yan Ting pale with fright after seeing him, Li Zhao’s heart had already softened.

At this time, Yan Ting was like a child who did something bad and didn’t know how to make up for it. He was just afraid of being hated so he couldn’t say anything. Once they arrived at the special elevator, Yan Ting opened it with his fingerprints without Li Zhao’s prompting.

The two people walked into the elevator and Li Zhao smelled the faint scent of blood. He frowned and turned to look at Yan Ting. “Give me your hand.”

Yan Ting didn’t move.

“The game that the big boss is playing is dismantled and you don’t want to play with me anymore?” Li Zhao was furious in his heart. “Yes, I’m just an actor and I’m not qualified to be friends with the big boss of Canghuan…”

Before he finished, Yan Ting extended his hands. The good-looking white palms were covered with blood from where it had been punctured by fingernails. Yan Ting’s nails were trimmed and clean. How much strength did he use to break the skin of his palm with such nails?

“What are you doing?” Looking at the b.l.o.o.d.y palms, Li Zhao’s anger rushed out. “Are you a fool? Don’t you know how to protect yourself?”

“I didn’t scold you or hit you. Why are you hurting yourself?”

Yan Ting stared at him with dark eyes and there was no pain on his calm face.

“What are you doing?” There was no disinfectant on his body and the elevator was slow. Li Zhao couldn’t help scolding this person. “If you do something wrong then apologize. Is it useful to hurt yourself to make up for it? Eh? I asked if it was useful!”

The elevator doors slowly opened. Once the high level executives outside the elevator heard the scolding and saw it was the big boss being scolded, they silently stepped back and didn’t dare enter the elevator.

Once the elevator door, Li Zhao continued the scolding.

“Don’t be silent. Speak!”

“I’m sorry, I was wrong.” The hoa.r.s.e voice was full of uneasy caution. “Zhao Zhao, don’t leave me.”

His hands trembled slightly and he was visibly in a state of utter uneasiness as his eyes were fixed on Li Zhao. Li Zhao was angry but he couldn’t speak in front of such eyes. He remembered Song Yu’s words.

[I haven’t even told you that this nephew witnessed his mother go crazy and kill his father. His mother stabbed him and then herself before trying to pull him commit suicide with her by jumping down the stairs.]

Finally, he watched his mother jump from upstairs.

“If you know that you’re wrong then you should reflect on it.” The more Li Zhao looked at the b.l.o.o.d.y palms, the more uncomfortable he felt. His tone became gentle. “Does it hurt?”

Yan Ting shook his head.

The elevator reached the parking lot level. Yan Ting’s driver had parked the car outside. Li Zhao opened the trunk, took out the medicine box and looked up at Yan Ting. “Put out your hands.”

He wiped the blood stained palms with a medicinal alcohol cotton swab and frowned. “How did you pierce it so deeply?”

Yan Ting didn’t speak. He just looked at Li Zhao carefully treating his wounds with dark eyes. What was this skin injury as long as Zhao Zhao didn’t leave him?

Li Zhao looked much better after dealing with the wound. “Why did you lie to me?”

“At first… I didn’t want to embarra.s.s you.” Yan Ting lowered his head. “You helped me so bravely with a beautiful smile.”

Li Zhao, “……”

It turned out to originally be his fault?

“I’m to blame. I had many opportunities to explain but…” Yan Ting lowered his eyelids. “Zhao Zhao, do you know how the outside world evaluates me?”

“I want to keep your… friendship with me too much.” Yan Ting put his hand over the back of Li Zhao’s hand. Li Zhao didn’t push his hand away out of fear of hurting him.

“Too many people call me cold-hearted and ruthless. They call me a madman, a lunatic, an indifferent monster.” Yan Ting’s voice trembled slightly. “Zhao Zhao, I dare not let you know that I’m the ruthless monster in their mouths.”

“That’s nonsense. All those people are jealous of you!” Li Zhao didn’t expect Yan Ting to bear so many curses. He was so angry that his face turned red. His Ting Ting had suffered from misfortune since he was a child. It wasn’t easy at all yet Ting Ting was hurt behind his back?

“What are you thinking? How can I misunderstand you because of other people’s words?” Li Zhao was so angry that he wanted to find those who scolded Yan Ting and fight with them on the spot. “What were you thinking?”

“Zhao Zhao, you are the only friend who treats me sincerely. I can’t afford to gamble or lose.”

“Are you a fool?” The anger was gone and only heartache filled Li Zhao’s mind. “Yan Ting, the way you look in other people’s eyes is their business. I only believe in you. You were hiding it from me for so long because of such a trivial thing?”

“For me, it isn’t a trivial matter.” Yan Ting held Li Zhao’s hand. “Zhao Zhao, I’m sorry. Maybe they’re right. People like me aren’t worthy of genuine friendship…”

“That is their nonsense. Who says you don’t deserve it?” Li Zhao was extremely distressed. “You deserve it. You deserve it the most!”

There was nothing good about that nonsense!

“Zhao Zhao, are you saying this because you sympathize with me?” Yan Ting let go of Li Zhao’s hand and looked away bitterly, as if he was forcing himself to leave Li Zhao. “If you’re with me, you will feel bad. Then I will… I will…”

“What will you be?” Li Zhao grabbed Yan Ting’s wrist.”Don’t worry about what that idiot said. What does sympathy have to do with our relationship?”

“Really?”

“Really.” Li Zhao nodded heavily. “Who would joke about friendship?”

The driver sitting in the front of the car didn’t dare speak. It was the first time he knew that the boss could sell misery so much. He was a bit afraid that he would be killed by the boss for seeing such a thing.

“Zhao Zhao, thank you.” Yan Ting wrapped a hand around Li Zhao’s hand. His wound stung but this didn’t make him feel uncomfortable. Instead he was at ease.

He could do anything as long as Zhao Zhao was willing to stay with him.

Such an ugly self…

He lowered his eyes. Even if he was ugly, he would do anything as long as Zhao Zhao didn’t leave.

***

After the dinner with the Sky Song crew, a photo was posted on the official Weibo of the TV drama. In the photo, the crew were full of smiles but someone found that there was an actor’s cup on Director Yang’s table with something different.

“Director, I found a traitor among you. He is drinking juice!”

“Yes, I found it too!”

“I can’t believe it. The Li fans are more ruthless than the sunspots.”

“I’m not a real fan and didn’t discover that Li Zhao was drinking something different from everyone else. Hahaha.”

“I’m going to laugh to death. Did you see the content when Lu Hao forwarded this post. Lu Hao said that the juice was given by him and Fenfen because Li Zhao isn’t the legal age for marriage and shouldn’t drink.”

“Hahaha, he isn’t the legal age, hahahahahaha!”

“Yes, our Zhao Zhao is only 20 years old this year. It doesn’t seem too humiliating to drink some juice.”

“This crew looks good. I haven’t heard that Liu Fen is the female lead of this drama.”

“Liu Fen and the director have a good relationship. She played a guest role in the drama and is basically helping the director.”

Sky Song hadn’t aired but the photo on the official Weibo showed its presence on the Internet due to ‘the traitor who doesn’t drink at the table’.

Lu Hao and Li Zhao were both actors who attracted good feelings from pa.s.sersby. Thus, many people were looking forward to the broadcast of the drama.

Xu Bei was red with envy when he saw the post forwarded by Liu Fen and Lu Hao. Chen Hang had alienated him recently and he failed to win several resources that he knew would be hot. After seeing Li Zhao go to the crew dinner and not even drinking a single gla.s.s of wine, Xu Bei’s mentality collapsed.

How could a woman like Liu Fen be so protective of a company’s newcomer? She must be paying attention to Li Zhao because she knew Li Zhao had Qin Xiao behind him. In addition, these Li fans shouted ‘baby, baby’ all day. Did they know that Li Zhao was Qin Xiao’s pretty boy plaything?

The thing that made him even angrier was that Song Yu’s team seemed to be dead. None of the negative materials about Li Zhao had been released. Instead, they stirred up the brotherhood between Song Yu and Li Zhao.

Bah, wasn’t this just rubbing Li Zhao’s heat? Since Song Yu wasn’t willing to release the news then Xu Bei would do it. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t kill two birds with one stone. In any case, Song Yu was full of black materials. Once he finished off Li Zhao, he would watch Song Yu.

Half an hour later, big news burst on the Internet.

Unknown Gossip: An inspirational young actor backed by the special a.s.sistant of the president of a well-known familiar business. He lives in a luxury house and drives a famous car. He has also signed to a first-cla.s.s entertainment company in the circle and enjoys the treatment of first-tier famous actors and wins fashion resources. At present, even the famous elites in the industry have to be considered. It is said that this special a.s.sistant wanted to support his young lover and took the lover to the same table as the company’s seniors. This scared a high-ranked traffic artist who had a conflict with the young lover. As a result, he wrote a small composition overnight praising the young actor. This big traffic star is pitiful. After that time, the traffic star lost many big-name endors.e.m.e.nts and this is a bad year. Who knows if he offended anyone?

After this came out, no one took it seriously at first. Then Lu Renyi’s fans noticed something wrong. The more they read, the more they felt… this unlucky traffic star seemed to be their brother.

Lu Renyi’s small composition on Li Zhao’s Weibo hadn’t been deleted. The netizens who saw the breaking news look back at this post and saw the full desire for survival between the lines.

Was the inspirational newcomer actor Li Zhao? Who was the special a.s.sistant of a well-known family business? Some netizens questioned how the president’s special a.s.sistance could have such great ability?

Unknown Gossip: Some melon eating friends are saying that I’m lying. They said that the president’s special a.s.sistant can’t have such great power. I want to say that the special a.s.sistants of other presidents might not be able to do this but this company is different. It is said that the boss of this company is usually very indifferent and trusts his special a.s.sistant very much. Many things are left to the special a.s.sistant. It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe it. In any case, the young man has no money and didn’t graduate from university. He can be forgiven for taking the wrong road for a while.

Unknown Gossip: There is an unknown netizen who provided a photo of the inspirational actor looking for the special a.s.sistant of this company [Photo]

In the photo, only half of Li Zhao’s face was shown. A man in a suit was walking in front of him. This man was tall and upright. He didn’t look very old. A good friend took the photo of this special a.s.sistant and sent it to the Internet.

“I might not know if this is true or false but this special a.s.sistant is very good-looking. He looks very elegant wearing gla.s.ses.

“Yes, in the comics, a person with this type of setting looks gentle on the surface but is actually very black-bellied.

“Emmmm… Maybe they aren’t in a foster relationship but they are true love.”

“What can this photo say? The editor of YXH has no bottom line.”

“The hype of Sky Song?”

“The sister above is thinking too much. Sky Song is being broadcasted on national TV and there is no need for such hype.”

“Li fans, don’t fool yourself. Your family hasn’t reached the legal age of marriage and is only drinking juice. Yet perhaps at this moment, your family’s Zhao Zhao who only drinks juice might be in the bed of another man right now.”

Qin Xiao saw the breaking news and his legs softened.

Li Zhao and him were in true love? No, he wasn’t worthy. Li Zhao in his bed? No, he wouldn’t dare!

It was over. He really put on the shoes of a husband this time. Who was it? He had no feud with these marketing accounts. Why harm him so cruelly?

The author has something to say:

Baby Ting Ting read through ‘Rules for Making Friends with Children’ and found the page ‘What to do if you make your friend angry?’ The answer: Be miserable, sell misery, do your utmost to sell misery, cry and drink milk.

Baby Ting Ting thoughtfully closed the little book.