Chapter 155: It turns out you really are hiding your true capabilities.
The wedding photoshoot was split evenly between studio and outdoor settings. In keeping with the specific narrative theme, the outdoor location was set against an abandoned chapel situated right by the sea.
Strictly speaking, it probably shouldn’t even have been termed a traditional wedding photoshoot, given that neither of them actually wore a wedding gown. Instead, a photography assistant happened to be holding a piece of otherwise unused bridal veil; failing to maintain a firm grip as a sudden gust of wind swept past, the veil was swept high into the air, drifting down directly between the two individuals being photographed.
At that exact frame, Chen Wengang happened to be turning his head to look at Huo Niansheng, prompting the photographer to immediately release the shutter.
This specific shot became Chen Wengang’s absolute favorite, with the photographer himself declaring that the interplay of light, shadow, and composition was utterly flawless—making any attempt to replicate that exact ambiance practically impossible.
The photographer, Chris, held the title of “Photographer of the Year” in the professional art category of the International Photography Awards (IPA). He favored the natural impact of candid captures, ensuring that the entire portrait session remained entirely relaxed, without twisting the subjects like pretzels or demanding contrived, artificial poses. The chief coordinator later joked to Chen Wengang that the photographer was immensely satisfied with them, noting that they possessed an innate “sense of story.” If a subject chose to slouch or display rigid body language, forcing them into pretzel-like poses was the only remaining option. Ultimately, once the photographs were developed, it was a manifestation of mutual fulfillment between subject and artist, delivering results that were undeniably master-class quality.
The photographer personally delivered the prints to the Chen residence and was invited to stay for a meal.
Included as a bonus were several outtakes captured on the same day—toward the conclusion of the shoot, that identical piece of bridal veil had been placed over Harley’s head. Adorned in the white tulle, he poked an utterly bewildered snout out from beneath it, causing everyone to burst into roars of laughter, an incident that was unfortunately captured by the camera lens.
This specific photograph earned a prominent spot on the Chen family’s photo wall, with Chen Wengang removing a streetscape photograph he had personally captured to replace it.
Observing this with great interest, the photographer picked up Chen Wengang’s original photograph to examine it. “Did you capture these street photographs yourself?”
Chen Wengang accepted it back with both hands. “Just casual snapshots; nothing professional.”
“But they are quite remarkable. Have you studied fine arts?”
“I do possess a basic foundation.”
“That is wonderful. Understanding aesthetics is key; as for apertures, shutter speeds, and lenses, competence comes with consistent practice—there is no strict divide between insiders and outsiders.” Keeping his hands behind his back, the guest observed the photo wall. “Particularly these black-and-white pieces—look here, they carry a distinct flavor reminiscent of the documentary master, Henri Cartier-Bresson. Haha, in truth, my favorite genre is documentary photography. Whether it is a candid street capture or a family portrait like this, buried behind each frame is a story entirely unique to that individual and that family. I have always believed that the language of the lens serves as the finest artistic medium for documenting human life and expressing personal emotion. Consequently, no matter where I travel, I always find myself taking the liberty to browse through people’s family albums.”
“There are others in the house; please feel free to look around,” Chen Wengang smiled. “However, I must head off to prepare dinner first. Do you eat spicy food?”
“I certainly do,” the photographer replied. “My stomach has adapted to travel across the entire globe—I have even sampled chili sauce crafted from insects in Mexico!”
Having enjoyed a shared meal, browsed the albums, and secured the explicit consent of the homeowners, the photographer captured a few additional frames before departing with absolute satisfaction.
Subsequently, the digital copies of the collection were transmitted over. Chen Wengang and Huo Niansheng reviewed them together on the computer, selecting which frames required additional physical prints.
Two days later, during a routine briefing, a subordinate discovered that two fresh photo frames had appeared upon Chairman Huo’s desk.
The head secretary privately approached Amanda to discuss the development: “Is it necessary for us to stay on guard against staff spreading minor gossip?”
Amanda, however, hadn’t heard anything personally. “What is the matter? Has someone crossed a line with their comments?”
“No, nothing like that; it’s simply a matter of taking precautions.” The head secretary covered her mouth. “It’s just that it looks… could it be…”
“Looks like a wedding portrait?” Amanda added in a hushed tone. “In truth, it is a wedding portrait. Chairman Huo displayed it himself, so we can hardly forbid people from talking; he might even be looking to flaunt it. As long as the rumors aren’t malicious, there’s no need to intervene. You might as well guide everyone to offer a few pleasant compliments; who knows, he might increase the year-end bonuses out of sheer delight.”
“Haha, are they genuinely getting married?”
“What do you mean ‘going to’? They secretly registered abroad a long time ago; this is merely organizing a formal ceremony to complement it.”
“My goodness, then Mr. Chen the last time… this is far too low-profile. I must reflect on whether I’ve uttered anything inappropriate.”
“Let me share a secret with you.” Amanda glanced around, lowering her voice even further. “Of course, it’s purely an intuitive feeling, but not long after those two first met, for some reason, I felt they were destined to end up together. How did this romantic marathon manage to stretch on for so long? Their feet must have developed full calluses from the journey.”
Chen Wengang led Harley along to work at the Niangang Foundation, with Harley bounding ahead into the small building.
Upon entering the main lobby, he was entirely surprised to find Pan Zhengyang present as well.
As it was currently the lunch break, Pan Zhengyang was seated inside the reception lounge, encircled by a cluster of staff members who hadn’t yet resumed their duties. The lounge table was laden with an array of multi-colored cakes, punctuated by bursts of laughter from the group. Rising to his feet, he offered Chen Wengang a well-intentioned smile: “It has been a while since we last crossed paths.”
Chen Wengang smiled as well, nodding toward him. “It is a rare honor to have Director Pan grace us with his presence. What is all this?”
He was carrying a fairly substantial paper bag in his hand, drawing Pan Zhengyang’s gaze downward naturally. Harley attempted to approach, but Chen Wengang shifted the bag to his other hand to keep it out of reach. Pan Zhengyang smiled, making clicking sounds toward Harley, but Harley showed no mercy whatsoever, letting out a massive sneeze instead.
A colleague stepped in to explain the origin of the assortment of desserts: “Through our collaboration over this period, Director Pan observed that many children within the orphanages never receive an opportunity to celebrate birthdays—in fact, many lack a definitive birth date. He proposed establishing a pilot agreement through our foundation with a selection of orphanages to supply a batch of small cakes for the children each month. As for the specific logistics of delivery, that is exactly what everyone was discussing just now.”
Chen Wengang offered a relaxed piece of banter: “That is an excellent initiative. Regardless of how the details materialize, my thanks to Boss Pan in advance.”
Pan Zhengyang laughed. “Naturally, the remaining details can be deliberated upon gradually. Personal opinion dictates that health and safety standards must be guaranteed; these cakes were brought along precisely for everyone to evaluate. I possess absolute confidence regarding both the flavor and the ingredients. Putting everything else aside, Wengang, why don’t you sample one first?”
This form of address carried an overly intimate undertone, delivered in a lingering cadence. A few individuals turned their heads to glance at Pan Zhengyang.
During the preceding period, his pursuit of Chen Wengang was common knowledge among the staff; the influx of sweet gestures delivered from upstairs to downstairs was hardly a secret.
Stunned for a moment, Chen Wengang burst into laughter. “It seems my thunder is bound to be stolen by Director Pan today.”
Pan Zhengyang maintained his smile.
He set his bag down onto the table. “I originally intended to distribute wedding candies to everyone. However…”
Before he could finish his sentence, the colleagues erupted into an uproar, with an absolute barrage of inquiries drowning out the space—
“How can you spring a wedding on us as a surprise attack? An event of this magnitude, and you didn’t share a single word with everyone?”
“That’s not fair; you’re treating us like outsiders here.”
“You’ve been sporting that ring for several years; has it finally borne fruit?”
“Hurry up and reveal the details! This feels exactly like underground espionage. Who exactly is the partner of our secretary, and do you have a photograph?”
Chen Wengang merely laughed, unboxing the package under the eager encirclement of the crowd. Inside his large paper bag were individually portioned packages of chocolate candies, housed within beautiful small black boxes. As the last of them were distributed, two photo frames were revealed right at the very bottom.
Huo Niansheng had claimed two to display in his office, and Chen Wengang had hesitated briefly before packing the remaining two along before arriving.
His relationship with Huo Niansheng was merely low-profile, which did not equate to a deliberate attempt at secrecy. A handful of close colleagues were already aware of the situation, though out of mutual respect, those in the know had refrained from broadcasting it. Yet regardless of the timing, Huo Niansheng was his partner—not a shameful secret to be hidden away.
Clutching a box of the distributed chocolates, Pan Zhengyang gestured toward the frames with his chin, a smile on his face. “What’s this? Are these the photographs?”
Chen Wengang retrieved the frames, displaying them openly before the crowd.
The moment he turned the frames over, his heart suddenly began to thud rapidly, though a trace of a smile slipped onto his features nonetheless.
The surroundings fell into an instant hush. With the corners of his lips curling upward, Chen Wengang traced the pad of his finger over Huo Niansheng’s face in the portrait, his gaze profoundly tender. “In truth, it wasn’t a deliberate attempt to keep everyone in the dark. It’s simply that our benefactor rarely visits the premises, leaving few opportunities for us to work together. The rings he and I wear have always been present. I will certainly host a dinner for everyone next time.”
The surrounding colleagues snapped back to life, and the frames were suddenly snatched away. “Is this genuinely our big boss?”
“Seriously? Let me see.”
“I refuse to believe it; it’s merely a striking resemblance.”
“Nonsense, that is absolutely the man himself.”
“Who has a phone? Hand it over; let’s execute a live search to compare the faces right now.”
Chen Wengang continued to laugh, pinned down by a colleague who locked an arm around his neck: “You still have the nerve to laugh! If this isn’t called keeping a secret, then what is? Speak honestly—what other secrets do you need to confess?”
Despite their initial astonishment, having worked together for several years had forged a deep bond of familiarity, allowing the crowd to accept the reality before long.
Left on the periphery, Pan Zhengyang lacked that shared history and unspoken rapport, rendering him temporarily incapable of chiming in as he stood silently by.
Wedged in the center of the crowd, Chen Wengang jokingly begged for mercy: “Yes, yes, I am indeed a beneficiary of nepotism. I refrained from seeking promotions previously out of fear that everyone would overlook my stellar professional competence, hence my decision to work under an alias. Now that the appropriate moment has arrived, it is only fitting to make it public. I ask for everyone’s understanding; please redirect your focus to our tasks and refrain from impeaching me.”
The remainder of the afternoon proved intensely chaotic. The office of the deputy secretary-general resembled a bustling marketplace, with waves of colleagues rushing to Chen Wengang’s desk to probe for details. The influx was so relentless that his official duties were practically neglected, with a semblance of tranquility only returning as the closing hours approached.
Past six-thirty, the small building had emptied entirely. Chen Wengang finally breathed a sigh of relief, shutting down his computer and calling out to Harley.
Leading the dog outdoors, he spotted a figure standing within the garden, facing the entrance from a distance with his head lowered over his phone.
Stunned for a moment, Chen Wengang maintained his pace, closing the distance before calling out, “Director Pan.”
Lifting his head to look at him, Pan Zhengyang offered a faint smile. “I must admit, you truly are a man of hidden depths.”
Hearing this, Chen Wengang let out a soft laugh. “Director Pan, do you genuinely favor that phrase, or are you simply incapable of conjuring alternative vocabulary? How many times does this make that you’ve utilized that exact expression to describe me?”
Pan Zhengyang narrowed his eyes. “Perhaps I simply cannot conceive a more fitting descriptor.”
Surveying the sky, he remarked, “I hadn’t even realized that darkness was falling.” He then gestured toward the ground beneath his feet. “I have been standing right here since I stepped out this afternoon, searching your boyfriend’s name and investigating the origin of your foundation’s establishment. Only now have I realized that I was the one who failed to see through it all. Initially, I presumed you were merely a doctoral student engaging in part-time work here. Later, I discovered that wasn’t the case, and that you actually possessed ties to a wealthy family. At the time, while I harbored an interest in you, I struggled to comprehend why you would forgo a life of luxury to treasure an seemingly ordinary boyfriend like a prize. Of course, you did offer hints, noting that he surely possessed extraordinary qualities, but I selectively ignored those words. The realization has only crystallized now—and I blame myself; I am terrible with faces, failing to recognize the man even after meeting him in person. As for the name of Young Master Huo, I have certainly heard of it, but when people spoke of a ‘Mr. Chen,’ I failed to draw the connection to you. Niangang, Niangang… so this turns out to be your own family enterprise, perhaps even established by him specifically to win your affection. I understand now; it is indeed something I cannot compete with.”
Chen Wengang felt somewhat helpless. “I believe you actually haven’t understood at all.”
Pan Zhengyang countered, “Is that so?”
Harley let out a wide yawn, listlessly pawing at the ground before trotting off toward the opposite side. Shifting the leash to his other hand, Chen Wengang replied, “Yes. But forget it; it is no longer important. Have a safe trip home, Director Pan.”
