Chapter 41: Let Him Be
Among all the employees of Kaihuang Group, Secretary Meng Rou was undoubtedly the epitome of beauty and kindness. Never did she rely on her status as Boss Yue's trusted aide to lord over others. Even the cleaning staff would receive a warm smile and a nod from her when they passed by.
Kaihuang Group boasted three beauties: the high-and-mighty Boss Yue, who was the dream lover everyone admired from afar; the receptionist Sui Yuemo, who was impervious to advances and would rebuff any suitor; and Secretary Meng, who was approachable and sincere, making it impossible for anyone to think ill of her. Among the three, Secretary Meng had the best rapport with everyone.
In everyone's memory, Secretary Meng had never lost her temper—until now. With a gaze that seemed to devour someone alive, she stared fiercely at Sun Daming, silencing all the laughter and chatter in an instant.
"Sec, Secretary Meng, I, I was just joking," Sun Daming stammered after a moment of stunned silence. He suddenly recalled what Zhang Wei had mentioned before: Li Nanfang had secured his position at Kaihuang Group through Secretary Meng's connections. Even Vice President Qi had to give her some face. No wonder she was furious now. Despite his influential background, he knew better than to provoke someone even Vice President Qi dared not cross. His face paled instantly.
"Ah, Secretary Meng," Zhang Wei, the leader of the fleet management department, quickly interjected upon noticing the cold sweat beading on Sun Daming's forehead. "Little Sun was just joking around with Li Nanfang, no hard feelings—"
"Is this how you joke?" Secretary Meng coldly cut Zhang Wei off, grabbing Li Nanfang's arm. "Let's go."
"Where to?" Li Nanfang playfully shook off her grip. "I'm about to eat. Zhang's treating us today."
Infuriated, Secretary Meng demanded, "Do you still have the audacity to eat here?"
"Hey, Secretary Meng, that's not fair," Li Nanfang feigned innocence. "Just because colleagues are teasing me, I can't eat here anymore?"
"Exactly, Secretary Meng, we were just joking," Zhang Wei chimed in again, trying to mediate. "Rest assured, I'll make sure no one teases Li Nanfang anymore."
There was no need for Sun Daming to spread the word further. Zhang Wei was confident that by the end of lunch, Li Nanfang's nickname "Pants-Wetting Knight" would be on everyone's lips at Kaihuang Group.
"You—just stay and eat then, you're really pissing me off!" Seeing Li Nanfang's apparent obtuseness, Secretary Meng was so angry she stuttered. She stamped her foot in frustration and stormed out.
"Sun Daming, what are you staring at? Hurry up and get your food! Didn't you hear Nan say he wants to eat pig trotters?" Zhang Wei, in a pleasant mood, had even started addressing Li Nanfang by his given name, "Nan."
"Nan, Nan, you'd better change your name to Stupid Pig!" As Zhang Wei called Li Nanfang "Nan," Secretary Meng, already at the restaurant entrance, cursed under her breath. The sound of her high heels quickened as she left.
She felt compelled to report the incident to Boss Yue. After all, Li Nanfang was Boss Yue's nephew. Even if he wasn't favored, the company had no right to allow employees to bully him.
When Secretary Meng knocked on the door of the president's office, Boss Yue was on the phone, her face uncharacteristically amiable. Her voice was much warmer than usual: "I'm warning you, hurry back and help me. I'm about to make a big move in the business world. Without your help, how can I get Kaihuang Group's branches all over the globe?"
Secretary Meng hesitated, preparing to leave, but Boss Yue ended the call and her smile faded. "My sister who's developing abroad—what's good at the cafeteria today?"
When Boss Yue wasn't dining out for official engagements, Secretary Meng would fetch her meals from the cafeteria.
"Tomatoes and eggs, and stir-fried mountain yam, as you specifically requested," Secretary Meng replied, placing the tray on the guest table. Boss Yue washed her hands, walked over, lifted the lid of the food box, picked up her chopsticks, and took a bite of the mountain yam. After chewing for a few moments, she shook her head and said, "Not very tasty."
Previously, Boss Yue had praised Old Dong's cooking as the best. How come it wasn't good anymore? Although curious, Secretary Meng didn't dare ask. While arranging Boss Yue's meal, she casually mentioned, "I ran into Li Nanfang at the cafeteria just now."
"Hmm, he insisted on coming to work today. I—oh, didn't I grant him three days off? This morning, he called me, saying he was bored at the hotel and insisted on coming to work."
Boss Yue nearly slipped up but quickly regained her composure, feigning disdain with a shrug: "Pfft, clearly a worker at heart. Claims the hotel's too dull."
Unaware of Boss Yue's subterfuge, Secretary Meng proceeded after Boss Yue finished speaking. "I overheard the drivers in the fleet management department calling him the 'Pants-Wetting Knight' in the cafeteria."
"What?" Boss Yue, who was about to sit down for her meal, furrowed her brows.
Secretary Meng whispered, "How his ordeal at the Municipal Bureau the other night got out to the fleet management department is anyone's guess. He had a fight the day before yesterday, and those people are deliberately retaliating by spreading the word that he was so badly beaten by a female officer that he wet his pants."
"Nonsense!" Boss Yue's face darkened as she slapped the table. "Who's been spreading these lies?"
Despite her disdain for Li Nanfang, Boss Yue subconsciously regarded him as "one of her own." Hearing others badmouth her own, she couldn't help but grow angry. She felt compelled to take a firm stand and immediately dismiss anyone who dared to slander him in public to protect his reputation.
Seeing through Boss Yue's intentions, Secretary Meng hesitated before softly adding, "Everyone in the fleet management department. And—"
Hearing that the entire fleet management department was involved in the gossip, Boss Yue was also troubled. It was well-known that the drivers were all "royalty" in their own right. No matter how assertive Boss Yue was, she couldn't possibly fire them all without offending the higher-ups in the company. That would be unwise.
Moreover, Secretary Meng had more to say. Under Boss Yue's inquiring gaze, she continued, "Moreover, Li Nanfang didn't seem angry at all; he even appeared rather proud. I tried to lead him away, but he refused to leave."
What a shameless fellow!
Boss Yue inwardly groaned, rubbing her face vigorously. She was at a loss. Even if she wanted to stand by him and uphold his masculine image, his shamelessness made it impossible.
"Forget it, let him do as he pleases," Boss Yue said dejectedly, waving her hand before picking up her chopsticks again. "Let's eat."
When someone else was treating him to a meal, Li Nanfang would eat as much as he wanted, disregarding the stares that might label him a glutton. The braised pig trotters in the cafeteria were particularly delicious. He had already eaten five and was still eager for more, complaining that there was too much bone and not enough meat.
Sun Daming, who had just been shouting about Li Nanfang being the "Pants-Wetting Knight," now realized that such talk could offend people. As soon as he finished his plate, he immediately offered Li Nanfang a cigarette.
Li Nanfang exhaled a smoke ring and, taking advantage of Zhang Wei's absence to settle the bill, said with a sigh, "Ah, Zhang Wei was really on a roll this morning. I lost a whopping four thousand bucks all by myself. I bet everyone else here lost a fair amount too. Tsk, tsk. A monthly salary of over ten thousand is enough for him to take his family on a short trip during the weekend. But he won't appreciate our generosity; he'll just mock us as careless spendthrifts."
Li Nanfang felt that while it was true the drivers had colluded to outwit him, there might not have been a concrete "profit-sharing plan" in place. After all, such matters relied heavily on luck. Today, Zhang Wei's luck was phenomenal, and even without collusion, he would have cleaned house—provided Li Nanfang wasn't cheating.
In this situation, Li Nanfang doubted that Zhang Wei, who usually wielded authority in the fleet management department, would willingly share his winnings with Sun Daming and the others.
To continue profiting from this group of "big spenders," one had to first use financial incentives to break their alliance. Sure enough, upon hearing Li Nanfang's words, Sun Daming and the others displayed thoughtful expressions.
"Are we playing this afternoon?" Li Nanfang stood up. "If we are, I'll borrow some money. If not, forget it."
Immediately, someone responded, "Of course we're playing. With such heavy rain today, the leaders aren't using any cars. What else would we do but play cards?"
"Great, I'll go borrow some money, and we'll continue!" the "Pants-Wetting Knight" said with a fierce expression, slapping the table before striding out of the restaurant.
Only after he left did Sun Daming and the others have the chance to discuss the profit-sharing with Zhang Wei. However, Li Nanfang was confident that even if Zhang Wei agreed to give up some of his winnings, it wouldn't satisfy Sun Daming and the others.
To borrow money, he needed to find Secretary Meng Rou. In just a couple of days, this thought had taken root in Li Nanfang's mind.
With a creak, Li Nanfang pushed open the door to the secretary's office. Secretary Meng was resting her chin on her arm, staring blankly at the computer screen. She quickly lifted her head upon hearing the door open.
"Sorry, sorry, I forgot to knock again," Li Nanfang said with an awkward smile. "I'll make sure to knock next time. Please forgive me, Secretary Meng."
What brings you here? Secretary Meng, who was still sulking at him, wanted to ask coldly but immediately recalled his kindness. She sighed inwardly and said, "Forget it, no need for false politeness. Have you eaten your fill? You must have devoured quite a bit, judging by the oil sheen on your lips."
"Hehe, Secretary Meng, as you can see, I had five pig trotters, four chicken legs, and a bowl of braised pork," Li Nanfang replied smugly, walking up to the desk and nonchalantly perching on the corner. There was a chair opposite Secretary Meng, but a man sitting on a chair in front of a beautiful woman—how could that compare to the boldness and flair of sitting on the desk?
"Ah, if I didn't hear it from you, I would have thought you were feeding a pig," Secretary Meng remarked with a slight皱 of her brow, too indifferent to chide him further.
Expecting a man who remained unfazed by public humiliation and even took pride in being called the "Pants-Wetting Knight" to care about his posture was futile.
"What do you want?" Secretary Meng asked, tidying up the documents on the desk. "Not here to borrow money again, are you?"
"Secretary Meng, are you a reincarnation of Zhuge Liang? I'm in awe, utterly in awe," Li Nanfang feigned astonishment, his exaggerated performance likely earning him an Oscar nod. However, Secretary Meng paid it no mind and directly asked, "What's the loan for?"
Chapter 42: Sell Me If You Will
Li Nanfang detested when people pried into the purpose of his borrowing. A loan is a loan—what he did with it was none of their business. They should simply respond with a yes or no. However, he couldn't bring himself to adopt such an attitude with Secretary Meng. This young lady might genuinely regard him as a friend; otherwise, she wouldn't have stood up for him in the cafeteria just now.
"One treats a friend as a friend is treated," Li Nanfang mused. After a moment's thought, he said, "If I lie, I'd say I'm borrowing money to buy some necessities. If I tell the truth, it's for gambling. Not too much, just three or five hundred. I'll return it with interest before the day is out. If this counts as an investment, we can split it thirty-seven, you take thirty, I'll take seventy—Secretary Meng, your fingers are quite lovely, like spring onions. But I don't understand, why are you pointing at the door with such an angry look on your face?"
"You, you get out!" Flustered and furious, Secretary Meng's face flushed red, and she began to stammer, an endearing sight.
Li Nanfang feigned confusion. "We were getting along just fine, why are you asking me to leave now?"
"Out!" Secretary Meng shot up from her chair, startling Li Nanfang into hopping off the desk with an awkward smile. "Secretary Meng, you're against gambling? Hehe, actually, gambling is a legitimate path to wealth—"
"Out! Get out!" Secretary Meng's stammer intensified as she made a motion to throw something at Li Nanfang.
Li Nanfang retreated, regretting his honesty: Why won't this girl believe my sincerity?
"What are you doing?" As Li Nanfang left the room and approached the door to the president's office, Secretary Meng quickly asked, "Going to borrow money from Boss Yue?"
Li Nanfang turned and said, "Yeah, I lost a solid four thousand this morning. I need to borrow some capital to turn a profit and get back on my feet."
"Forget it, don't bother Boss Yue. I'll lend you the money. How about that?"
Secretary Meng was exasperated with Li Nanfang's audacity to approach Boss Yue for a loan. Boss Yue was already annoyed with him for becoming the "Pants-Wetting Knight"; if he barged in now, he'd surely be scolded.
As she spoke, Secretary Meng took out all the money from her bag and slapped it heavily on the table—nine hundred yuan, her entire current fortune.
Ignoring Secretary Meng's visibly disappointed expression, Li Nanfang returned, counted the bills, and said, "Nine hundred in total. Since you're so supportive, I'll split it with you fifty-fifty."
"Leave, Li Nanfang. Please, just go. And remember to close the door behind you," Secretary Meng slumped into her chair, her head resting on her arms, unwilling to look at him another moment.
Seeing the girl like this, Li Nanfang felt a pang of guilt. He immediately vowed to earn at least two thousand yuan in profit for Secretary Meng—otherwise, he'd face her personally. This so angered Secretary Meng that she abandoned her ladylike demeanor and kicked him fiercely.
Men are such creatures; being kicked by a beautiful woman doesn't anger them but rather uplifts their spirits. Li Nanfang whistled his way back to the fleet management office, where Zhang Wei and the others were waiting.
As Li Nanfang had anticipated, after he left, Sun Daming and the rest probed Zhang Wei about dividing the winnings. The outcome was less than satisfactory; Zhang Wei only agreed to contribute a thousand yuan, citing that he had already treated everyone to lunch and spent several hundred more.
Disheartened by Zhang Wei's lack of generosity, Sun Daming and the others decided to no longer heed his calls. When the afternoon game resumed, they would each fight their own battles, regardless of kinship or connections—victory would be theirs alone.
Zhang Wei didn't mind; he was now in the zone again and ready to dominate once more. Bring it on, he thought—who's afraid of whom?
As expected, as soon as Li Nanfang entered, the game began. Over a dozen people participated, shouting, cursing, laughing, and glaring—every manner of expression was on display, but their determination to "fight to the death" was unwavering.
Zhang Wei, who had dominated in the morning, was completely ruined in the afternoon. Not only did he lose all his morning winnings, but he also part with over a thousand more.
Others had varying fortunes, with Sun Daming winning the most—around seven or eight thousand yuan.
Li Nanfang, of course, also won, but came in second with exactly six thousand yuan.
"Out!" Zhang Wei threw down his cards and exited the fray.
As it was nearing the end of the workday and the rain had ceased, everyone had to go out to clean up. The group dispersed, each nursing their own grievances, planning to reconvene the next day.
Li Nanfang, naturally, had no objections. While others were busy cleaning, he made his way to the secretary's office again.
The office door was open. Secretary Meng was inside, tidying up while regretting her decision: Why did I give him all my money? Where am I supposed to eat dinner now? I can't keep borrowing from the finance department every time.
"Secretary Meng, getting ready to leave?" Li Nanfang entered with a near-sycophantic grin.
Seeing his smile, Secretary Meng sighed, "Sigh, did you lose everything again?"
"Perceptive, Secretary Meng. You truly are a modern-day Zhuge Liang."
Li Nanfang raised his right thumb, feigning amazement, "Have you studied the Bagua or the I Ching? Hmm, you must have, otherwise how could you be so spot-on every time?"
"Study your head off," Secretary Meng retorted, now too drained to even muster anger. She languidly asked, "Looking to borrow more money?"
"We're going for an all-nighter!" Li Nanfang declared fiercely, "Secretary Meng, lend me another thousand, and I'll make sure those big spenders lose their pants. I've got the confidence and the skills!"
Without a word, Secretary Meng took a piece of paper, wrote a few characters, and handed it to Li Nanfang.
"What's this about?" Li Nanfang read the three characters for 'one thousand yuan' and questioned, "Secretary Meng, do you think this IOU is worth a thousand bucks?"
Secretary Meng pointed to her own head and said, "Put it here, then take me to the farmers' market. If you can cheer me up, I reckon that thousand might just be within reach."
"Ha!" Li Nanfang hadn't anticipated such wit from such a gentle and lovely girl. He couldn't bear to tease her further and took out a stack of bills, slapping them on the table: "This afternoon, I went all out and won exactly six grand. As per our prior agreement, a fifty-fifty split, plus your initial stake, that's a total of three thousand nine hundred. Please review."
Secretary Meng was stunned: "You—you actually won money?"
"Of course. Even with my eyes closed, those guys would willingly hand over their cash. If it weren't for their families to support, I'd drain their last penny too," Li Nanfang boasted, his pride evident. Then he added, "Naturally, if Secretary Meng feels the money is ill-gotten, you can just take back your principal. I don't care; money's money—it's all spendable."
Before he could finish, Secretary Meng snatched the money and retorted, "Why would I refuse? You promised a fifty-fifty split. This is what I'm owed. Only a fool would turn it down."
That's the spirit.
A girl who disdains money as mere dirt will forever be a spendthrift, despised by her future husband, and never know true happiness. Watching Secretary Meng's beaming face as she leaned on the table counting her cash, Li Nanfang smiled, turned, and left, leaving behind a dashing silhouette. He even recited a verse in a melodious voice, "When the task is done, I'll dust off my clothes, and keep my merits hidden from the world."
It's proven that shameless people always live happily.
Other drivers from the fleet management department stood obediently by their cars, waiting for their masters to appear. Li Nanfang, who loved driving despite lacking a license, strolled leisurely across the intersection with his hands in his pockets.
After the rain, the evening sky was ablaze with the hues of a magnificent sunset.
This was the scene that truly captivated Li Nanfang's heart—the epitome of China's golden age. Especially the women in short skirts on the streets, their fair, long legs were the most enchanting sights of this prosperous era, causing Mr. Li to nearly collide with a streetlamp several times.
That woman's derriere is enormous, like a millstone; I envy her man's joy in grinding away—As Li Nanfang stared at the back of a certain beautiful housewife and swallowed his saliva, a car horn blared behind him.
Turning around, he saw a bulky, sturdy black Mercedes-Benz cruising by the curb. Inside, a woman in sunglasses gazed at him expressionlessly.
Beneath the bus stop sign, many noticed the beauty in the car. Some looked on with贪婪, others with drooling hunger, and a few shyly peeked from the corners of their eyes, yet none dared to approach.
A girl driving such a two-million-yuan luxury car wasn't someone the common bus commuter could easily flirt with—unless someone dared, as everyone witnessed a guy shamelessly striding over, his left hand on the car roof and his right foot lifted, striking a nauseatingly cool pose as he asked, "Beautiful lady, can I hitch a ride?"
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the woman coldly replied, "Get in quickly if you want, or scram if you don't."
Damn, that worked?
Seeing the guy scramble into the car, onlookers were dumbfounded: He's not even as handsome as me. Why didn't I have the guts to ask for a ride? "Those fools are probably envious of my sudden luck with women, regretting their missed chance," Li Nanfang said with a self-satisfied grin, glancing back.
"Still, they might criticize me for being improper," Boss Yue remarked indifferently.
"You're very proper. Anyone who dares to call you improper or spread rumors about you taking the initiative to get into a man's bathtub, I'll—Okay, okay, I'll shut up," Li Nanfang raised his hands in surrender. "I give in to your intimidating eyes."
In just a few short days, Boss Yue had learned a valuable lesson: Never engage in a verbal battle with someone shameless. It's like fighting a dog over a bone—you might win, but you'll get bitten in the process.
"The 'Pants-Wetting Knight'—sounds mighty impressive, doesn't it?" Boss Yue commented.
"Sort of, I guess," Li Nanfang replied nonchalantly.
"Li Nanfang, can't you have any self-respect?" Boss Yue finally snapped, slapping the steering wheel.
"As long as I can eat my fill and live happily, self-respect is overrated," Li Nanfang chuckled, glancing into the rearview mirror.
Two cars followed behind—a black Chevrolet SUV. Li Nanfang had noticed it earlier when he disdainfully observed the crowd of toilers. His intuition told him they were being tailed. His smile faded. "Take the next right," he said.
"Right turn?" Boss Yue, still pondering Li Nanfang's previous remark, frowned. "Why a right turn?"
"Taking that route leads to a free-range chicken farm. I plan to let you savor authentic country-style chicken stew tonight," Li Nanfang replied. Yue couldn't refuse such a request. Although she nonchalantly turned up her nose, she made the right turn as instructed.
"Store-bought chickens these days look plump and tempting, but they're pumped full of hormones. They grow to this size in just a month or so. A brief stew turns them into a mushy soup—not tasty and not beneficial to health. For real chicken flavor, you need free-range chickens that forage for bugs," Li Nanfang expounded on the merits of free-range chicken as he glanced into the rearview mirror.