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Chapter 29: “Do you know why Chen Wengang is leaving?”
Chen Wengang has returned from his memory. He teased, “How does Young Master Huo have time today?”
Huo Niansheng complained, “I’ve been away for so many days, and you didn’t even make a call, so I had to find you myself.”
Chen Wengang smiled, gently stroking the painted low wall outside the theater.
He had a cute clown by his side, and he affectionately outlined its face.
Huo Niansheng did miss him. He chuckled softly, “Who are you strolling around the amusement park with?”
Chen Wengang replied, “My younger cousin sister. She’s still in school, working hard on her exams, so I brought her out to relax a bit.”
“That’s perfect. The first of next month is a public holiday. Do you want to bring her to the yacht club for some fun?”
“A day of relaxation is just what she needs. We shouldn’t let our hearts wander too far. What’s the plan at the yacht club?”
“It’s just a gathering of a few friends. Remember? We agreed on it earlier, finding a time and inviting you to join us,” Huo Niansheng seems to remember, apologizing as he says, “Oh, I forgot to ask in advance. Will you have time then?”
Chen Wengang hesitates for a moment. He hasn’t made any plans himself. However, unfortunately, that day was Zheng Yucheng’s birthday.
Even if he didn’t celebrate with Zheng Yucheng, the Zheng family would host a banquet for their eldest son, and it wouldn’t look good if he were absent.
But Chen Wengang still said without hesitation, “I’ll try to make time.”
Huo Niansheng said, “My bad, I should have considered your schedule beforehand.”
The two fell into a brief silence for a moment.
For Chen Wengang, that strange and subtle feeling surfaced again.
He couldn’t quite tell if it was the way they were talking or the tone, but he found it difficult to discern. Every sentence from the other party felt like they were probing his emotions.
Huo Niansheng was probing his emotions—what was he up to?
At the same time, the other party spoke again, “By the way, I heard you don’t want to stay with the Zheng family anymore?”
Chen Wengang chuckled: “How did that news spread to you? It’s not that I don’t want to; I’m just considering changing jobs.”
Huo Niansheng also laughed, “I didn’t mean to intrude. I didn’t intentionally inquire about it. I just wanted to tell you that if you need help, whether it’s in your work or personal life, you can come to me… No need to be shy.”
At this point, someone behind Chen Wengang called him. It was Chen Xiangling, who had returned from the roller coaster and noticed that her cousin was no longer in the same spot.
He bid farewell to Huo Niansheng, hung up the phone, and stared at his mobile phone, his thoughts fluctuating.
Chen Xiangling ran over with rosy cheeks and asked, “Wengang-ge, why are you running around?”
The girl seemed to be in a good mood, laughing happily without any sense of propriety. “You made me think you got lost!”
Chen Wengang put away his phone, teasing her with a smile. The cousins went to a colorful canopy snack cart to buy sausages.
When they came out of the amusement park, the sky hadn’t turned completely dark yet. Chen Wengang escorted Chen Xiangling home.
Although the day was joyful and fulfilling, Chen Xiangling, being conscious, reminded Chen Wengang with a bit of cunning, “Last week, I asked the counselor. If I want to apply for a suspension of study at a vocational school, it requires a parent’s signature. What should we do?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll figure it out for you,” Chen Wengang said. “Just don’t tell your mom and dad.”
Otherwise, Uncle and Aunt would surely disapprove, oppose, and create a fuss. Chen Wengang found it troublesome, so he decided to act first and seek forgiveness later.
For Chen Xiangling, the feeling of doing something naughty was quite thrilling. Normally, she stayed at the vocational school during the week and returned home on weekends. Her parents always provided guidance, hoping she would intern in a good place next semester. No one knew she was already planning to drop out.
This matter was planned between the two of them, from conception to execution, and surprisingly, it was settled like this.
Chen Xiangling secretly gloated, “I reviewed the high school knowledge on my own, did a mock test, and my score was higher than I imagined. Shouldn’t that be enough? I think if I work hard, I might be able to pass the entrance exam in a year.”
Chen Wengang smiled wryly, “See? Studying is the simplest thing.”
On the way, he took an extra detour and brought Chen Xiangling to visit the tutoring school she would attend next semester.
The campus environment was good, and the management was comprehensive. There was a security guard at the entrance, preventing outsiders from entering casually.
Unable to get in alone, luckily, as they were about to leave, Chen Wengang ran into the enrollment teacher he had contacted at the entrance. The teacher warmly invited them to the office, poured tea, handed them a form to fill out, and asked about the student’s academic progress to show their professionalism.
Sitting on the sofa with a disposable cup in hand, Chen Wengang felt a sense of being a parent.
After dropping Chen Xiangling off at Chuntao Street, when they were parting ways, he reminded her to “study well.” Feeling it unnecessary to emphasize further, he changed his words:
“You have your own money; don’t skimp on meals. Buy what you like. By the way, is the money enough? Let me give you some more.”
“It’s enough; it’s enough; I haven’t used it all yet.”
“Don’t stay up late when the dormitory lights are out. Take care of your eyes.”
“Ge, you’re really nagging.”
“It’s okay even if you find it annoying.” Chen Wengang said, “Especially remember… no early relationships. It will affect your grades.”
This was a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Actually, at the age of eighteen, he had a relationship with Zheng Yucheng, but it didn’t end well. Might as well implement a one-size-fits-all policy.
“I won’t!” Chen Xiangling declared, “The guys I know of the same age—they’re either arrogant or dumb. Some are even several years older than me, but they’re either self-righteous or ridiculously dense. I don’t find any of them appealing. Of course, Ge, you’re not included.”
The feeling of being an older brother was quite gratifying. “Hmm, this is my sister.”
***
Regarding Zheng Yucheng’s birthday arrangements, the next day during dinner, Huo Meijie took the initiative to bring it up at the dining table.
She discussed with Zheng Bingyi the scale of the birthday party for his eldest son and which guests to invite.
However, when Zheng Yucheng glanced at her and said unappreciative: “No need to organize. I’ll be on a business trip.”
Huo Meijie seamlessly changed to a smiling face, “Where are you going? What are you going to do?”
Zheng Yucheng couldn’t be bothered to respond. Because whenever Huo Meijie heard about these things—whether the clients he met—did Zheng Maoxun have any involvement? Did Zheng Maoxun have any involvement in the projects he was working on? She only had that bit of insight and found eight out of ten things laughable.
Undeterred, Huo Meijie turned to Zheng Bingyi, and this time she got an answer from her husband.
Zheng Yucheng’s business trip was indeed important; he was going to Singapore with a few executives to negotiate a new air route.
Apparently, this made Huo Meijie uneasy. Evidence of this was that her smile looked less appealing, and the lines around her mouth became more pronounced.
Chen Wengang lowered his head, maintaining a calm demeanor, and picked up a piece of crispy roast goose from the plate in front of him.
This would be the eleventh birthday that Zheng Yucheng was going to spend with him.
In his past life, Chen Wengang had actually celebrated it with him in advance. They drove to a distant seaside, a place with numerous reefs and roaring tides. They hid in a tent, gazing at the blurry sky, as if escaping to the ends of the earth, abandoning their responsibilities.
After that night, they returned to the mundane world on the first day, and nothing in the earthly realm had changed.
Suddenly, Mu Qing spoke up, asking Zheng Yucheng, “Are you going with Miss He?”
His voice was not loud, but it created ripples on the dining table with as many thoughts as there were people.
Huo Meijie turned to ask, “Which Miss He? He Wanxin? Are you saying she’s going with Yucheng?”
Zheng Yucheng glared at him, “Where did you hear that? I’m going on a business trip, and it has nothing to do with her.”
“Oh, I see. That was my misunderstanding,” Mu Qing apologized. “I just happened to see her post on social media, saying she had made plans with an intimate friend to go on vacation in Singapore and celebrate a birthday… I thought she was talking about you. It seemed like you two were getting close.”
Huo Meijie reprimanded Mu Qing, “There is no evidence; don’t speak randomly. Reputation is important for a girl.”
On the matter of He Wanxin, Huo Meijie had a clear stance. Naturally, she didn’t want Zheng Yucheng to get married so soon. She would rather he and Chen Wengang continue their unclear relationship. A good marital alliance for Zheng Yucheng would be unfavorable for her. It would be even more troublesome when the next generation came into play.
“Just focus on your business trip.” Zheng Bingyi tapped his glass. “Don’t mix business and private matters.”
His impatience served as a signal to end the conversation, and the servants promptly served each person a bowl of sour and spicy old duck soup.
The rich and flavorful broth of the old duck soup was refreshing and appetizing. Brewing soup had always been a specialty of the kitchen’s Chef Zhang.
Everyone bowed their heads to enjoy the soup, each with their own posture.
Zheng Baoqiu looked around and asked, “Dad, since Dage isn’t celebrating his birthday for now, can I go out to hang out with friends?”
Zheng Bingyi’s expression softened slightly, and he kindly said, “Where are you going, and which friends are you meeting? Are you staying out overnight?”
“At the Yacht Club, Cousin rented a venue and invited many friends; it was just a regular holiday gathering.”
“Which cousin of yours?”
“Who else, Huo Niansheng.”
Zheng Bingyi neither agreed nor disagreed, seeming to hold a prejudice against that playboy: “Oh, him.”
He didn’t say yes or no.
Huo Meijie quickly explained, “Niansheng mentioned it to me as well. Don’t worry; he invited Maoxun, Baoqiu, and others to go together. The guests he invited are all well-connected individuals. Young people meeting each other, like a social gathering, won’t involve any dubious characters.”
Zheng Bingyi inquired further, “Who else did he invite?”
Chen Wengang interjected, “I should be going too.”
Zheng Yucheng—not only Zheng Yucheng, but everyone at the table looked at him for a moment.
Zheng Baoqiu was slightly surprised, with a hint of guilt. Huo Niansheng had asked her to call Chen Wengang, and she had initially intended to keep it a secret.
Seeing him also going, Zheng Bingyi finally nodded and instructed his daughter, “You’re a young girl. Even if you’re going out with acquaintances, you must not let your guard down. Don’t drink too much, and don’t accept cigarettes from others. Wengang, keep an eye on her.”
Zheng Baoqiu agreed but muttered quietly, “Who’s going to keep an eye on who remains to be seen?”
***
In fact, it was almost the end of the month. The holiday season was just around the corner, and whether students or office workers, everyone seemed to be infected with pre-holiday syndrome. Chen Wengang felt a restless excitement wherever he went, whether attending classes at school or working at the company.
This restlessness peaked on the last day before the holiday.
Chen Wengang knocked on Zheng Maoxun’s office door. Zheng Maoxun was immersed in documents, scribbling with a pen, looking like he was busy.
Although contemporary college students often alternated between bursts of enthusiasm and moments of lethargy, there was still some enthusiasm in them.
Chen Wengang looked at him with a gaze that said, “We haven’t seen each other for three days.” However, Zheng Maoxun stared back and asked, “What’s up?”
Chen Wengang handed him a sandwich and asked, “Why didn’t you have breakfast this morning?”
“Oh, you still know how to care about me,” Zheng Maoxun said.
He hadn’t been in a good mood lately, showing some subtle emotional fluctuations for a few days, but Chen Wengang was used to it and didn’t delve deeper.
However, in the afternoon, after a trip to the harbor, just as he returned to the headquarters and was still in the underground parking lot, he saw discussions happening in the department group chat (without leaders), saying that the young master and the second young master had clashed again, right inside Meeting Room 3.
It wasn’t an uncommon scene in the company, so when he went upstairs, only two interns looked bewildered.
The more experienced employees were unfazed and gathered outside, enjoying sandwiches and waiting for the start of the vacation.
Chen Wengang put down his briefcase and casually asked, “What happened this time?”
A colleague glanced inside and sighed, “Ah, they’ve kicked out Mr. Xiang’s whole shipment of goods, and he is not happy.”
The administrative intern, who had been absent for a couple of days, didn’t understand many technical terms and asked, “What does ‘kick out a shipment’ mean?”
Chen Wengang kindly explained to him that a ‘kick out’ refers to the rejection of a shipping container, typically used in maritime transport. Usually, when customers book cargo space, various reasons may lead to delays, and their goods might not make it on the ship. To ensure full capacity, shipping companies often release more reservations than the actual available space.
But if, in the end, none of the customers canceled, then there would be an overbooking situation, and someone lucky had to be kicked out.
In essence, which containers the shipping company decided to kick out was not based on a first-come, first-served basis. It depended on relationships and their importance. Those who get kicked out are usually considered less important customers—those with lower shipping fees, smaller cargo volumes, or weaker connections—and they must patiently wait for the next available shipping slot.
The intern, after hearing the explanation, hesitated and asked, “But the customers didn’t do anything wrong, did they?”
A colleague shrugged, “Because we are a shipping company, we have the upper hand. All shipping companies behave this way. Who compensates us for the space if the loading rate is not met? Our bills of lading even have disclaimers. It’s an industry norm. If you don’t agree, don’t use sea freight.”
Indeed, it was a common occurrence. However, on this day, Zheng Yucheng received a call from his brother-in-law, Xiang Hao.
Since Zheng Dongqing’s marriage, her husband, Xiang Hao, had built a freight forwarding company from scratch. In the freight forwarding business, success depended on both customer relationships and the favor of shipping companies. Xiang Hao had the support of the Zheng family, making his position strong. However, this time, Xiang Hao asked Zheng Yucheng why a batch of agricultural products imported from the United States had been booked for shipping but was unexpectedly unloaded.
Zheng Yucheng decided to investigate. It turned out that Xiang Hao’s cargo was unloaded because Norville Steel, a steel company from the United States, urgently needed to transport steel from the West Coast to China. This last-minute insertion of steel took up most of the container spaces, displacing Xiang Hao’s batch of agricultural products.
Norville Steel was related to Huo Meijie and was part of her plan to pave the way for her son.
This led to the scene where everyone was watching the drama outside the meeting room.
After a while, the two brothers walked out of the meeting room with serious expressions. Onlookers quickly lowered their heads and pretended to be busy.
After waiting for a while, Chen Wengang finally went to Zheng Maoxun’s office with a smile, “So, who won the argument?”
Following international conventions, there had to be a peacemaker. Even if Chen Wengang didn’t go, colleagues would come one after another to seek his help.
Zheng Maoxun shouted at him, “Did you see it? Is Zheng Yucheng going too far? That guy Xiang with his little company—how many benefits has he received from the Zheng family in the past? Why does he take it for granted? What can he achieve by unloading him once? Norville is a steel giant, and now is our chance to win this significant customer. Yet, Zheng Yucheng, for the sake of family, disregards the interests of his own company?”
“Don’t keep calling him ‘Xiang.’ He is your brother-in-law,” Chen Wengang said with a smile. “Managing clients is not solely your responsibility; you have the marketing and sales departments, the general manager’s approval, and your father overseeing everything. Why are you so upset?”
“I’m not upset,” Zheng Maoxun said stubbornly, “Are you here to help Zheng Yucheng blame me?”
“How could I not help you?” Chen Wengang teased, “I just came to ask who won between you two.”
His pleasant smile carried a hint of softness, slightly mocking but without malicious intent.
Zheng Maoxun met his gaze and found his temper suddenly suppressed. He impulsively threw himself onto the desk, burying his face in his arms.
“Don’t overthink it,” Chen Wengang consoled him, “Are you coming with us to the yacht club tomorrow?”
“No, I’m going to watch the Formula One race with my friends,” Zheng Maoxun replied.
“Alright, take care and have a great holiday. And, happy New Year.”
“…Same to you.”
Chen Wengang left the folder he was holding on Zheng Maoxun’s desk, containing information from colleagues outside.
After he left, Zheng Maoxun reached out, took a glance, lost interest after recognizing the content, and lazily threw it back onto the desk.
At this moment, Zheng Maoxun began to reflect on how Zheng Baoqiu usually interacted with Chen Wengang—she was like a little cotton-padded jacket at home. When she spoke, it was sweet and coquettish, always asking for this and that. Any request she made was easily fulfilled.
The problem was that he couldn’t pull off that kind of act, finding it too disgusting.
After their heated exchange just now, with the frustration still lingering in his heart, Zheng Maoxun almost shouted at Zheng Yucheng in an outburst of anger: “Do you know why Chen Wengang is leaving? It’s all because of you! He doesn’t want to see you at all, and you’re not even worthy of him!”
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cant wait for more chapters! thank you for the translations
Hahaha moaxun is really a Mao (cat) 🤣🤣. I love his character development ngl