Chapter 009 Was I really that crazy?
*
The lobster thermidor arrived. Su Xian picked out the most perfect piece of meat, placed it on Li Chengshi's plate, and asked with a beaming smile, "Li Chengshi, what is it that you're happy to do? You haven't fallen in love with me, have you?"
Li Chengshi rolled his eyes at her.
"I know! You were defending me against the scumbag's attack, saving my face, right? So loyal! My respect for you has risen again."
"Were you panicking just now?"
"Why would I panic?"
"Were you afraid I'd genuinely fall in love with you and cling to you?"
"...A little. Good thing you haven't. I'm not right for you. Eat. I'll ask General Manager Liang to introduce you to some proper girls another day."
"Are you sick?"
"Shhh, don't let the scumbag hear."
**
Before work on Monday, the news of Su Xian and Li Chengshi's "date" had spread throughout Anliang Construction.
As soon as Su Xian appeared, Lao Zhang from the Structural Department leaned over and said, "Engineer Su, why are you not dating muscle men this time? Oh, I see, you've learned to rob the cradle."
She didn't even need to think about who was behind this.
"How can you believe Zhao Nanfeng's nonsense?"
"Zhao Nanfeng spoke nonsense, but Xiao Li admitted it."
"What?!"
You sneaky little puppy, what are you up to?!
Su Xian stormed over to Design Group 2. Li Chengshi stood up and handed her a cup of iced green tea, his smile bright like a refreshing, calming chamomile, saying cheerfully, "Good morning, Team Leader."
Zhao Nanfeng greeted them with a sarcastic tone: "Morning, newly reborn ex-girlfriend."
Xu Shuyi looked at Su Xian with an expression of "you did this behind my back," and Su Xian quickly made a "wait a minute" gesture to her. With the entire company's eyes on them, she didn't want to be the center of this kind of attention. She suppressed her anger, sat down at her desk, and quietly questioned Li Chengshi: "Are you insane?!"
Li Chengshi leaned in and whispered, "Engineer Zhao said you were using your position to seduce younger men, so I said I was the one who was pursuing you. This way, no one will think you have a problem. How about that, am I loyal enough?"
"You really know how to think on your feet," Su Xian said, speechless.
"Thank you." Li Chengshi pushed an egg sandwich toward her.
Su Xian was a bundle of jumbled anger, unable to concentrate on work, so she tore open the packaging and ate the sandwich.
"Doesn't Engineer Zhao hate us eating at our desks?"
"Who cares about him, the bastard."
Su Xian knew Zhao Nanfeng was looking in their direction and said this deliberately.
Li Chengshi bit his lower lip, a smug and restrained smile creeping onto his face.
**
The Monday regular meeting also served as an awards ceremony. Liang Wenya presented the 10,000 yuan bonus on the spot to those who completed the off-road obstacle race and specifically highlighted Li Chengshi's heroic rescue.
Zhao Nanfeng scoffed and said, "No wonder. You just love that kind of cliché drama."
"That's right, I do love it," Su Xian couldn't be bothered to explain to him.
"Su Xian, you personally present the award to Li Chengshi." Liang Wenya beckoned to her.
Instantly, the group of gossipy colleagues erupted in various rude cheers and whistles.
Li Chengshi stood on a cardboard box facing everyone, his face slightly red.
Su Xian walked forward confidently and announced loudly, "Li Chengshi, thank you for your timely rescue. Otherwise, Anliang's pillar of strength would have been washed away by the flood."
"You never forget to brag, do you?" Liang Wenya was clearly disgusted.
Su Xian raised the wreath, and Li Chengshi cooperated by lowering his head.
"All done."
Li Chengshi raised his head, his face even redder.
Su Xian took the red envelope handed to her by Liang Wenya and presented it with both hands. Li Chengshi, however, pulled open his jacket pocket, signaling her to slip it in there.
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Public flirting, huh? Young people really know how to play. The older employees stared collectively.
Su Xian wasn't afraid of that. She motioned for Li Chengshi to turn around, shoved the envelope into his back jeans pocket, then turned back, raised both hands, and loudly proclaimed, "Music up!"
The atmosphere instantly ignited.
Su Xian looked toward Zhao Nanfeng, whose face was charmingly unpleasant.
Zhao Nanfeng looked back at Su Xian, seeing two challenging gazes aimed at him simultaneously: one from Su Xian and one from Li Chengshi.
*
Liang Wenya called Su Xian into her office privately.
"What is going on with you? He's just a kid. How could you do this?"
Su Xian quickly explained the whole situation.
Liang Wenya let out a long sigh of relief. "Then I'm relieved. Zhao Nanfeng is indeed out of line, but you need to know when to stop acting. If you genuinely anger him and he takes his work to another company, we will suffer a huge loss."
"You still don't know him? Dacheng Construction is not even on his radar. He wouldn't throw a fit and refuse to recommend Anliang over something so trivial. Besides, he started this himself."
"Then manage it as you see fit. But I have to tell you something: Xiao Li is actually the child of my college classmate. Otherwise, I wouldn't have hired a completely inexperienced new employee for you to mentor. You absolutely cannot corrupt him."
"Ah?!" Su Xian was indignant. "General Manager Liang, that's too much. Back then, you hired Zhao Nanfeng with a high salary and asked me to work with him, hinting that I should pursue him so he'd stay at Anliang, which ended up making me miserable. Now, you silently expect me to help you mentor your classmate's son, and yet the moment you think I might be dating him, you jump out and say I can't corrupt him. How can you be so heartless?"
"Stop complaining! It was your fault back then for not being capable enough and letting Zhao Nanfeng quit."
"From the start, I knew that a small temple like Anliang couldn't keep a great monk like him. Didn't you know that deep down?"
Liang Wenya quickly tried to smooth things over: "Oh dear, I am heartless, but I’ve been paying you a good salary, haven’t I? And besides, did Zhao Nanfeng even need my prompting back then? You were so smitten with him, it was like you had eaten a poisonous mushroom; your eyes were practically shooting out little red hearts whenever you looked at him."
"Was I really that crazy?"
"Go ask Lao Zhang. The bystanders see clearly."
"Forget it. I accept the past. Now, just knowing this is enough. You don't need to specifically debunk the rumor. I want to let Zhao Nanfeng stew for a few days, and it'll naturally calm down later."
"I'll talk to Li Chengshi another day and see if he's willing to transfer to another department."
"Even if he stays in my group, I won't lay a hand on him. He's just a little kid; he's not my type at all!"
A phone call came in. Liang Wenya waved her hand, signaling Su Xian to leave.
**
When Zhao Nanfeng feels depressed in his personal life, he compensates by focusing on work. He was immersed in design all day. The proposal he had been dissatisfied with after several adjustments last week was now yielding infinite inspiration. He sketched a few drafts and sought Su Xian's opinion.
He had high achievements in the aesthetics and artistry of architectural design, while Su Xian, having always worked for small local companies like Anliang, mostly dealt with basic clients with low budgets but many demands, focusing heavily on a building's functional use. Thus, their collaboration was perfectly complementary. They didn't feel tired throughout the day; instead, they felt a sense of fulfilling satisfaction.
The other members of Design Group 2 had already left. The two of them were organizing documents while finalizing the next day's work items.
A little after ten o'clock, Liang Wenya came out of her office, chased out everyone still working late, and locked the security door.
As Su Xian drove her car out of the parking spot, Zhao Nanfeng was standing under a tree behind the spot, smoking. He gave her a casual wave.
*
