Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Eight: The Evolved Incapable Ruler
Xiao Yu got along very well with his colleagues at YL. So good that he would receive countless “h.e.l.lo chief” while he traveled between the third and thirtieth floor.
There weren’t many changes in terms of how he interacted with his colleagues. The reason why it developed to the current situation was purely because the att.i.tude of his YL colleagues were amazing – a far cry from his SI colleagues.
In the hearts of many YL employees, Mr. Mystery was like a G.o.d-like character. That was why they see Xiao Yu from a viewpoint of a fan by automatically highlighting his merits and dismissing his mistakes as ‘no one is perfect’.
He Xinjia was without a doubt, one of the two colleagues who were closest to Xiao Yu – knowing each other since way back and being able to have common topics because she was a fujos.h.i.+. The other person was Oliver, whose Chinese name was Jing Mo.
Jing Mo was the a.s.sistant that Yan Jin had specially arranged to a.s.sist Xiao Yu in his work. On the surface, he was to help Xiao Yu get accustomed to YL in his daily work. In actual fact, he was a spy ordered by the great Chairman Yan to supervise on his lover, preventing him from getting ask out for lunch dates by colleagues with ulterior motives.
From a certain perspective, Yan Jin was probably the person with most ulterior motives.
That was why Xiao Yu thought whenever Jing Mo told him that “Chairman is looking for you”.
The event that made Xiao Yu’s relations.h.i.+p with Jing Mo a lot closer was the day when he saw Jing Mo’s boyfriend coming to pick him up after work.
Although Jing Mo may look gentlemen and studious, his boyfriend was a muscular, 190 cm tall man with a buzzcut. While everyone else had put on a thin jacket with the recent weather, that man was wearing a short-sleeved s.h.i.+rt, waltzing his way into the doors of the design department. It was a big shock to Xiao Yu who was tidying up the design drafts near the office doorway.
Jing Mo had already packed his things up. While he was helping Xiao Yu to tidy up the sheets, he had been looking outside the door. When he noticed the person that he was antic.i.p.ating, he grinned and went up to him.
The muscular man pulled Jing Mo into an embrace and shot a cold glance at Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yu: “……”
“Hold your random jealousy. That’s our chief designer.” Jing Mo pinched the man in a reprimanding tone while he indirectly proved to Xiao Yu about their relations.h.i.+p.
“I’m not jealous.” The muscular man laughed it off and took another look at Xiao Yu again.
Xiao Yu wondered if it was his imagination, but he could sense the taunting in those eyes.
Just as expected, the next sentence by the muscular man proved Xiao Yu’s guess:
“Two bottoms can’t get together anyway.”
Xiao Yu: “……”
I-Is it really that obvious?
In conclusion, after that incident, Xiao Yu’s relations.h.i.+p with Jing Mo had gotten a lot better. Honestly speaking, it was like a friends.h.i.+p that only two bottoms would have.
“So, you mean it’s really obvious?”
On a sleepy afternoon, Xiao Yu suddenly asked Jing Mo that question.
Jing Mo answered with another question: “You mean the thing between you and Chairman Yan, or the fact that you’re a bottom?”
Xiao Yu: “…… B-Both.”
“If it’s the first issue, seeing how obvious Chairman Yan had been acting, it’s only natural to notice it. As for the second issue……” Jing Mo gave a slight smile, “It is pretty obvious.”
Xiao Yu: “……”
That’s it. It’s all because of Yan Jin’s indecency.
Daily blame-pus.h.i.+ng √
……
Coming back from the design department, Xiao Yu was immediately bathed in Yan Jin’s resentful gaze from the moment he pushed open the chairman’s office doors.
“What took you so long?” Yan Jin nudged the lunch box that was beside his hand, “It’s cold already.”
Xiao Yu then recalled that he had promised Yan Jin to accompany him for lunch. It was already 1.30 pm.
“I chatted with Jia Jia and gang.”
Yan Jin snorted in an enigmatic manner and pretend to look at his doc.u.ments again – he was obviously throwing tantrums again.
Xiao Yu was amused. He went up and poked Yan Jin’s arms and reached out for his pants in a spiteful manner. If it was in the past, Yan Jin would definitely grab those mischievous claws and bite on it as punishment. However, the jealous Chairman Yan would not relent no matter how he was manhandled. He would only pretend nothing had happened and continued to look through his doc.u.ments without being distracted.
“Hey, you’re really ignoring me? It’s just one hour late.”
Xiao Yu messed around for a while. He originally planned that if Yan Jin ignored him, he would just strip him naked. He did not expect Yan Jin to remain unfazed that he quickly felt bored to continue his actions.
There’s nothing to see anyway. It’s not like I’ve never seen him naked before.
Reluctantly, Xiao Yu was about to properly apologize when he suddenly remembered another issue. Instantly, he dropped the idea of apologizing.
“Wait. In fact, it’s all your fault that you have been meeting Jiajia in private all day long. Otherwise why would I end up talking to her for so long.”
“I’ve been meeting He Xinjia in private all day long?” Yan Jin repeated.
“And how dare you be jealous of everything. Where’s Jiajia? Where did you hide her?” Xiao Yu began to look around the room as if he was determined to search for his colleague.
“Hold on.” Yan Jin sensed that something was amiss and quickly pull his lover into his arms while locking those restless limbs moving around. He asked innocently: “Since when have I look for He Xinjia? And all day long?”
“Hmph, you’ve finally noticed me? I bet you’re guilty of it.” Xiao Yu adjusted himself into a comfortable position in Yan Jin’s arms and leaned backwards contently. He spoke with displeasure: “Jiajia personally told me that she has been helping out with your orders every single day lately. I even had to sign several days of leave approval for her. Spill it, what is up your sleeve?”
Yan Jin drew a deep breath in horror and replied unhesitatingly: “This is an accusation. Blatant accusation.”
“But Jiajia…”
“You have been with me in the same office. Have you seen He Xinjia in here for the past few days? Or you can view the CCTV directly and see where she goes after leaving the design department.”
Yan Jin solemn att.i.tude made Xiao Yu felt unsure of his guess. On one hand, he did not think that He Xinjia would lie to him, but on the other hand, Yan Jin’s argument was indeed reasonable.
“She’s probably finding excuses for herself to leave early.”
“Is that so…”
Xiao Yu was still doubtful: “But if she’s not helping you on your orders then why did you purposely help her to find ghost-drafters for her drawings?”
That b.i.t.c.h.
Yan Jin silently ridiculed He Xinjia in his heart and decided to take away all her bonus for this year.
“That’s the arrangement when the company just started to set in motion. We had too many things waiting to do done and was left with no choice but to make this unwise decision.”
“But YL have already went on track now, so why are we still doing such things?” Xiao Yu press on further seeing Yan Jin’s avoiding gaze: “And how dare you claim that there’s nothing between you and Jiajia – she’s even willing to do illegal things for you. Tell me what relations.h.i.+p you have with her or else don’t ever climb onto my bed again.”
In a moment of desperation, Xiao Yu conveniently forgot that that bed he sleeps at night belonged to Yan Jin all along.
“……”
Yan Jin was unsure how much He Xinjia had revealed and did not dare to take the risk. With no other choice, he could only use his trump card by sneaking his arms around Xiao Yu’s waist, turning him around to face him. His other hand would then prop against the desk, making sure that his lover could not escape.
A light breeze blew past.
Just like that light kiss on the lips.
Xiao Yu was immersed in that kiss that had nothing to do with desire. Yet the light touch on the lips was the kind that would summon his l.u.s.t from deep within.
He always felt like there was a layer of barrier between them. Only when their lips touched one another, that barrier would then disappear momentarily.
If he wanted to let it disappear for a longer time, he would need to do something even more intimate.
“I know you have something that you’re hiding from me. It’s fine just this once since it’s definitely not something I could help you with.” Xiao Yu sighed and continued: “But at least when it comes to this…”
Xiao Yu nudged his knee in between Yan Jin’s legs.
“You should at least let me express myself?”
……
After a series of office-play.
Xiao Yu rolled around on that s.p.a.cious couch in satisfaction. He pointed to the drawings on the desk: “There’s something wrong with your new product releases for the spring season. Aside from re-promoting the Luxuriant Flowers series, there isn’t much issue with the rest. But we should see if we are able to refine it before the drawings for the summer season are out. I have also sort out the new drawings – I kept one-third of them. Have a look and see which ones you want.”
Yan Jin paid no attention: “I’ll leave it to you to decide.”
“You’re not putting any distinction between work and private. Be careful or you’ll be deserted by your followers, you incapable ruler.”
“Are you trying to say that you’re the demon imperial concubine?” Yan Jin teased: “I don’t care if I am deserted by them. King Zhou of Shang could even fool his monarchs around three times to entertain his concubine¹, why can’t I do that?”
“Tch. Stop joking around, you incapable Majesty.”
“Such harsh words, my beloved darling.”
“Pfft.” Xiao Yu picked up the apple near him and threw it over, “Be more serious when we’re talking serious matters.”
“I’ve always been serious.”
“Fine, fine. I admit my defeat.” Xiao Yu raised both his hands in surrender: “Although I’ve been mocking about Zhou Jinrong’s aesthetic point of view when I was in SI- don’t give me that look, your aesthetic point of view isn’t half as good… then again, I do think that the chairman should be the one doing the final selections.”
“You’re just avoiding the responsibility to reject their work.” Yan Jin hit the nail on the head: “You should have more confidence in YL. So long as I’m here, I’ll never let what you’ve experienced in SI repeat itself.”
Yan Jin may not know everything that had happened to Xiao Yu when he was in SI, but his understanding was not too far away. He knew for sure that after his lover had been set up, he unknowingly offended many of his colleagues, and was completely unaware of it himself. That explained a lot why no one had spoken up for him when Zhou Jinrong had humiliated him in the end.
As for those things, Xiao Yu have already acknowledged and clarified what he needed to know.
Xiao Yu scratched the back of his head and replied hesitantly: “I know what you mean. But I just can’t overcome my own insecurities. Can we deal with it some time later? Moreover, I’m giving you face to let you do the drawing selection. You should be grateful.”
“I thought you’d dislike my aesthetics?”
“I’ll close my eyes.” Xiao Yu covered his eyes with both hands.
Yan Jin: “……”
“But I think still think it’s better if you do the selection under my supervision.” Xiao Yu added.
“Then what’s the difference from letting you select?”
“Oh, that’s right.” Xiao Yu suddenly realized: “Forget it then. It’s better if I don’t watch.”
“How about this,” Yan Jin casually took a can of beer out from the mini fridge at the side of his legs, “let’s change the form of it and you should be able to get rid of that trauma.”