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Chapter 102: At least these people admitted he was “charming.”
“Chen-ge.”
“Mm, morning.”
Xiao Gao was caught red-handed; felling a bit embarrassed, he tried to explain, “I… worked overtime yesterday, and left late.”
Chen Wengang smiled gently without exposing him and turned back to his office.
In the morning, Xiao Li organized the foundation’s charter and management regulations for him, and he spent the entire morning reading these documents.
Listening to the sounds outside, Chen Wengang noted that Huo Lingchong didn’t arrive at the office until another hour had passed.
It wasn’t until after eleven that the 19th floor began to liven up. Three or four handsome and beautiful young people, decked out in flashy luxury brands, arrived at work, only to head directly to the cafeteria soon after.
When Chen Wengang also went to eat, he headed toward the regular employee dining area.
Xiao Gao hurriedly stopped him, “Chen-ge, didn’t you eat in the private room yesterday?”
“Mm, what about it?”
“So you’re… not going there today?”
“I don’t need to,” Chen Wengang said modestly. “That’s for the senior leaders. It’s more appropriate for us to eat outside.”
Xiao Gao was still unsure of his exact status.
Fang Qin was Xiao Gao’s boss, and she usually didn’t come to the office regularly. Since she had personally brought Chen Wengang over yesterday, Xiao Gao thought it was just a formality. These young scions of the family would usually take another week or two to start working leisurely.
As for meals, when Fang Qin did come to the foundation, she naturally dined in the private room with her husband and father-in-law.
Since she brought a relative, who was temporarily acting as the director, theoretically, he should follow the same routine, right?
Now it seemed to Xiao Gao that the relationship might not be that close.
He still rushed to get Chen Wengang’s meal, “Let’s eat in the management dining area.”
Chen Wengang understood that this young man had a bit of a hierarchy in mind. He poked at the fatty pork in his tray, feeling a bit nauseated, and ended up eating a few light stir-fried vegetables before finishing his meal quickly. “Thanks, next time I’ll get it myself.”
Xiao Gao noted his expression and responded.
After lunch was a long break.
Chen Wengang had reviewed the basic information about the Huo Foundation. In recent years, the charity projects focused on the cultural and artistic fields, promoting and popularizing art among audiences of all ages. Last year, Fang Qin’s main work included funding art exhibitions and conservation training programs. On the surface, this didn’t seem like a highly proactive charitable organization, but this couldn’t be entirely blamed on the chairwoman alone.
Above the chairwoman, the foundation’s president was Chairman Third Uncle Huo, and the financial movements involved funds from the parent company and various subsidiaries. The coming and going of these funds was so intricate that the young members, who showed up to work leisurely every day, might not even grasp the depth of it.
When Xiao Gao entered, he saw Chen Wengang resting his chin in thought, twirling a ballpoint pen in one hand, giving no indication of what he was thinking.
However, Chen Wengang had been constantly directing him to do tasks.
In the afternoon, he instructed Xiao Gao to find Vice Chairman and Secretary-General Huo Lingchong to get the mid-year business report and the financial income and expenditure statement.
Xiao Gao looked troubled, wanting to avoid the task. “Is that appropriate? He probably won’t agree.”
Chen Wengang gave him a stern look, displaying the authority of a leader. “Go ask him first.”
Xiao Gao mumbled and left, returning empty-handed within two minutes.
Chen Wengang called Fang Qin. About ten minutes later, Huo Lingchong entered his office with a sarcastic smile and placed a file box on his desk. “Do you need an explanation?”
Chen Wengang looked up calmly. “No, I’ll familiarize myself with it. If I have questions, I’ll ask you.”
During the coffee break, he went to make a cup of coffee and passed by the break room. Inside, Huo Lingchong and a few others had set up an elaborate afternoon tea.
They were laughing and chatting when, suddenly, he heard his name mentioned.
“Hey, he does look pretty good. No wonder he’s got Niansheng-ge wrapped around his finger. When I first heard from Ivy, I was shocked. A reformed playboy! Who could be that capable, not only getting into his bed but also living together?”
“Maybe he’s very scheming? I heard that yesterday, when Sister-in-law stumbled, he was quick to support her, very attentive.”
“Not really, is he good-looking? I didn’t see it. ‘Hello,’ ‘please,’ ‘thank you,’ a bit effeminate if you ask me.”
“You guys just can’t admit when another guy is better looking. I think he’s pretty good-looking, could even be a star, especially when he smiles, very charming. I understand why anyone would be captivated.”
“You’re exaggerating. Don’t romanticize him too much. Any male escort is charming. It’s part of their job. Don’t forget he’s been with men for money. Makes me sick just thinking about it. Hope he doesn’t touch me.”
“Maybe he actually likes being with men,” Huo Lingchong added with a cold laugh. “Making money is just a bonus.”
The break room erupted in chatter and laughter.
Suddenly, one by one, they fell silent.
Chen Wengang stood at the door with his cup, leaning against the doorframe. “Sorry, I got too close and overheard, and accidentally pressed the door open.”
He looked around the room, seeing one woman, two men, and Huo Lingchong.
The expressions varied—some were disdainful, some embarrassed. Only Huo Lingchong remained indifferent, his expression was contemptuous.
Chen Wengang smiled gently, fixing his gaze on Huo Lingchong. “Either speak louder so I can hear you outside if you’re targeting me, or close the door and keep it down to avoid disturbing other colleagues’ work.”
After saying that, he closed the door for them and returned to his office.
Before the door latch clicked into place, murmurs resumed inside—
Someone vaguely asked if he would go back and tell on them to Huo Niansheng.
They dared to mock Chen Wengang but refrained from saying much about Huo Niansheng. His temper and methods were notoriously hard to handle, so they were careful.
However, telling on them was the last thing on Chen Wengang’s mind.
In his life experience, this level of gossip lacked any real impact. The paparazzi and onlookers in his previous life had said far worse. They would have been shocked, questioning what had happened to make Mr. Huo develop such peculiar tastes, wondering how he could sleep next to someone so ugly. At least these people begrudgingly admitted he was “charming.”
Within two weeks, Chen Wengang quickly adapted to his new work environment.
The leisurely work pace and sycophantic relationships were starkly different from his previous job at the special education school.
During this half-month, Chen Wengang noticed Xiao Gao’s changing behavior.
In the first week, Xiao Gao realized Chen Wengang was despised by the young elites and treated him poorly, following orders with a sullen face. By the second week, after Huo Niansheng visited the foundation and gossip about their relationship spread, Xiao Gao eagerly started fetching meals for Chen Wengang again.
When Huo Niansheng visited that day, Xiao Gao didn’t realize he was in danger. “How can a mere assistant dare to give you attitude?”
Chen Wengang smiled mysteriously. “It’s natural for him not to like me. Who likes someone who constantly orders them around?”
Huo Niansheng sat on his desk. “Oh, so you’re going to handle him yourself?”
Chen Wengang found it amusing. “Our sister-in-law’s two assistants are easy to read. Xiao Gao is slick and loves to show off, while Xiao Li is honest and diligent, often burdened with Xiao Gao’s tasks. Quiet, hardworking kids suffer in the workplace. While I’m here, I’ll help her out.”
Huo Niansheng, amused by his cunning look, leaned down to kiss him.
Chen Wengang feigned a stern face and pushed him away. “There are cameras.”
Huo Niansheng jumped off the desk. “I’ll go catch up with Huo Lingchong and the others.”
The next day, Huo Lingchong visited Chen Wengang’s office, adopting a professional demeanor and subtly conceding.
Chen Wengang nodded and asked if there was anything else.
Huo Lingchong pursed his lips and complimented him, “You handle things quite well.”
Xiao Gao was still unaware that he was being targeted, unable to discern Chen Wengang’s intentions. At the foundation, Chen Wengang constantly tasked Xiao Gao with various things, from this year’s business plans to past financial statements, property inventories, and audit reports. If something wasn’t available from Fang Qin’s office, he would go to Huo Lingchong for it. If Huo Lingchong refused, Chen Wengang would report it, insisting on seeing whatever he thought of.
It was even the first time Xiao Gao had seen someone actually work diligently here. It could be said that he was overly ambitious.
Even so, there was much more free time than before.
Chen Wengang shifted his focus back to his studies, polishing his graduation thesis and preparing for future graduate school applications.
During his free time, he continued volunteering at the welfare home. Tongtong and Diandian had developed a certain level of acceptance toward Huo Niansheng. A popular movie had recently been released, so they even went to the cinema with the volunteer Auntie Huang. The two children had been watching some family drama recently and made him promise several times that “even if you get married, you’ll still love us the same.”
***
The news of the engagement between the Zheng and He families was reported as scheduled.
The anger and humiliation of being betrayed and let down in his past life had been completely washed away by time. When Chen Wengang saw the newspaper, he only thought of it as good news for both families’ stock prices.
The engagement ceremony was still held at the Crown Hotel.
Although it was just an engagement, the ceremony was quite grand. Many media outlets attended, and entertainment stars and relatives from both sides were invited.
However, considering the status of the families, it couldn’t be said that the cream of society had gathered there.
Despite this, Chen Wengang still attended, handing the creased invitation to the greeter, who then escorted him into the banquet hall.
From a distance, Chen Wengang saw Zheng Bingyi, accompanied by Huo Meijie, looking elegant and graceful beside him. Zheng Bingyi also saw his adopted son, and nodded at him without any displeasure, but didn’t specifically come over to greet him. Zheng Baoqiu and Zheng Maoxun, on the other hand, were happy to see him, pulling Chen Wengang aside to chat.
Looking around, Chen Wengang also noticed Mu Qing, appearing in public for the first time after the previous drama he had experienced.
Zheng Baoqiu scoffed, “It’s just that Dad has a soft heart, thinking that Auntie’s only son is here after all, so he had to invite him.”
Standing in the corner, Chen Wengang whispered to her, “Don’t make a scene. I’m not welcome here either. I’ll just stay here for a while and then leave.”
After waiting for a while, the engaged couple appeared, He Wanxin and Zheng Yucheng, a golden couple, appeared in front of everyone.
Despite Huo Niansheng’s eagerness to attend, Chen Wengang still didn’t agree to let him accompany him. Moreover, given his relationship with the He family, people didn’t know if he was there to witness the occasion or cause trouble. He simply lacked self-awareness.
After a multinational video conference at the company, Huo Niansheng glanced at his phone and noticed several missed calls.
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