DBAG- Chapter 14

This is the 2nd chapter for today.

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Chapter 14

    Yanping is a small county over two thousand kilometers away from S City.

    It was also Xu Lemian’s hometown, where he had lived for eighteen years.

    Who would’ve thought that the original host and the protagonist were from the same place?

    This might be a good opportunity to learn more about the original host.

    With that in mind, Chi Ke said, “Mr. Leng entrusted you with this task. If you don’t show up at all, wouldn’t that be inappropriate?”

    One of Zhenting Group’s core industries under development was mid-to-high-end new energy products for the mass market. Since the company’s target audience was the general public, they placed great importance on their corporate image. For years, the management had been carefully crafting a persona that was approachable, humble, and sincere.

    The old man had been preparing for this market for a long time, launching charity projects every year.

    As for Leng Baiyao, who was in charge of the overseas market, the press releases about him were always rainbow farts [mfn]It refers to excessive or exaggerated praise, often to a ridiculous or overly flattering degree. It’s like hyping someone up so much that it feels as if they’re being showered with rainbows.[/mfn] like: ‘A young business prodigy leading domestic brands to the world’.

    As for Leng Yunting, no matter where his name was mentioned, the public’s impression of him was always the same—’the flamboyant second young master of the Leng family, who was caught in a new scandal with a celebrity today and was spotted dating a socialite yesterday’. Aside from these, he had no other titles.

    Old Mr. Leng was worried sick about his grandson. This year, he handed over the well-established Yanping charity project to him, hoping to clean up his reputation.

    Zhenting had been running the Yanping charity project for years; it was highly mature. All Leng Yunting needed to do was show his face, shake hands with the county officials, and let the reporters take some photos.

    But Leng Yunting looked down on the project, thinking it was too poor, too shabby, and with zero profits. So, he refused to go to the countryside no matter what.

    Since he couldn’t defy his grandfather, he spent all his time scheming to offload the task onto someone else.

    Doing it himself would earn him a good reputation. Having someone else do it, however, meant only suffering and exhaustion. Naturally, no one was willing to take the job.

    He’d been racking his brains over who to dump this hot potato onto—until, unfortunately, Chi Ke walked straight into the line of fire.

    “I’ll find time to take a few pictures later. As long as it’s accounted for, that should be enough.” Leng Yunting waved him off impatiently. “That’s settled then. You’ll go at the end of the year—I have more important things to deal with here.”

    Chi Ke didn’t push any further. “A business trip to Yanping will take at least two weeks. It’s a busy time of the year. Who should I hand over my tasks to?”

    “That long? Tsk. Hand them over to Secretary Sun.” Leng Yunting was displeased with the timeframe. “Make it quick. Do a good job, and there’s a bonus. Come back soon, Assistant Chi, don’t stay away from me too long.”

    There it was again.

    That ‘raising-a-child’ feeling.

    Fortunately, there was only one giant baby. Barely within the limits of his patience.

    Chi Ke replied with a half-hearted “Alright” and played along with the whole ‘talented boss who discovered a promising subordinate’ act.

    Then, as soon as he turned around, he almost ran out the door.

    ***

    As the trip to Yanping approached, Chi Ke noticed that Leng Yunting was ramping up his pursuit of Xu Lemian.

    The flower deliveries increased from three times a week to once a day. The clothes and bags, from one set per week to one set every three days. His casual ‘I’ll go if I have time’ turned into ‘I won’t miss a single performance.’

    Despite the high-intensity efforts, Leng Yunting himself didn’t seem exhausted at all.

    Because all he had to do was move his lips a few times. The actual execution? All done by Chi Ke.

    Flowers? The assistant picked them. Bags? The assistant bought them. Restaurants? The assistant booked them. Performances? The assistant attended them.

    After a few weeks, Xu Lemian seemed to have developed the same inexplicable dependence on him as Leng Yunting had.

    Chi Ke was getting a headache.

    One giant baby was already draining enough. If another one showed up, he’d be dead in no more than two months.

    If anyone wants the privilege of being such a dad, they can have it. He sure didn’t.

    After handling Leng Yunting’s unreasonable requests for the seventeenth time, a new message from Xu Lemian arrived right on cue.

    Chi Ke was about to find an excuse to slip away, but when Leng Yunting heard that Sima Yichen was currently with Xu Lemian, he outright refused to approve any leave.

    And so, the miserable corporate slave had no choice but to suppress his frustration and rush ten kilometers across the city to Nanyang University.

    The company car was being used by Secretary Sun, so while waiting for a ride at the office entrance, a sleek red sports car pulled up nearby.

    Chi Ke immediately pulled his cap down, put on a mask, and hid behind a pillar.

    He’d been busy lately and had turned down multiple dinner invitations from a certain someone. Every time they met, it was only in the director’s office at the Shenghai Medical Center [mfn]ML’s hospital[/mfn].

    Rejecting someone over text was easy, but rejecting them face-to-face? Not so much.

    Especially when those big, puppy-like eyes blinked at him. Who could bear to say something heartless to him?

    Chi Ke ducked his head further, covering everything except half an eye.

    I’m bundled up this well. There’s no way he’ll recognize me at a glance, right?

    But,

    Murphy’s Law—what you fear most will always happen.

    The valet jogged over to open the car door, and the owner stepped out flamboyantly. The moment he got out, his gaze locked onto Chi Ke’s hiding spot.

    With a bright smile, he lifted his hand in greeting, clearly about to walk over.

    He looked more like an enthusiastic political leader on a rural visit than someone dragging himself to work.

    Since when was he this passionate about his job?

    As the warm presence approached, Chi Ke’s internal alarms blared.

    Spotting an approaching taxi, his brain short-circuited. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, forming a giant ‘X’.

    As the other party froze in place, he quickly sent a message.

    [K: I see you, but my ride’s here. No need to come over.]

    [K: Morning.]

    Just before getting into the taxi, he glanced back and saw Ji Qian standing motionless, phone in hand.

    When he unlocked his screen and read the messages, Chi Ke could practically hear something shattering inside him.

    [The Great Ji Gatsby: /Stunned and tearful.jpg/]

    [The Great Ji Gatsby: Morning~]

    [The Great Ji Gatsby: I was one step too late…]

    [The Great Ji Gatsby: What a pity! I knew I’d see you today, so I spent over half an hour picking my outfit. You’re nearsighted, aren’t you? Did you even see it clearly…]

    [The Great Ji Gatsby: /Alaska collapsing.jpg/]

    His phone kept buzzing. Even through the screen, he felt as if he could hear his voice.

    Chi Ke rubbed his neck guiltily, the corners of his lips unconsciously lifting under his mask. His mood lightened for no apparent reason.

    It was obvious—Ji Qian had long realized that he was deliberately keeping his distance.

    And yet, he still insisted on being this warm and persistent. It was almost unrealistic. There was no way a normal person would find him annoying.

    Chi Ke was no exception.

    Just because he didn’t like associating with people like Ji Qian didn’t mean he disliked him.

    If he didn’t admire Ji Qian, he wouldn’t have broken his usual rules to meddle in someone else’s affairs. He knew full well that the Ji family was a mess, like a ridiculous soap opera, yet he still chose to step in—tirelessly teaching Ji Qian from scratch how to manage a hospital.

    [K: Got my glasses on, crystal clear.]

    [K: Dr. Ji, looking good as ever.]

    [K: I’ll be out today. If you need Mr. Leng, just head straight to his office on the top-floor.]

    The heartbroken Ji Qian read those two lines—and then promptly glued himself back together.

    With superglue. Sticking together real tight.

    Humming a little tune, he strolled into the elevator, and then into Leng Yunting’s office.

    “Mr. Leng, what did you call me here for?”

    “Sit,” Leng Yunting gestured toward the sofa. “I wanted to—tch, can you sit properly? Have some dignity?”

    The moment Ji Qian entered, he had already shed his flashy outer coat, now lounging on the sofa in just a simple long-sleeved shirt. He was sprawled out like an amorphous blob of slime—flexible, shapeless.

    Forget dignity—it was a miracle he still looked remotely human.

    “It’s just the two of us here. Who am I supposed to keep up an appearance for?” Ji Qian yawned, grabbing a sheet of paper from the coffee table. “This month’s attendance record?”

    He skimmed through it lazily, and then his smile vanished. Frowning, he read through it again, carefully this time.

    “Why isn’t Chi Ke here?”

    Without even looking up, Leng Yunting casually said, “He took half a day of sick leave last Thursday.”

    “Sick leave?” The said person’s private doctor shot up from the sofa, outraged that his client had hidden his condition from him. “And why the hell wasn’t I informed?!”

    Leng Yunting looked at him as if he was crazy, “Why should you be?”

    “And why shouldn’t I be? It is every doctor’s duty to care about their patient’s health!” Ji Qian fired back, “Anyway, what happened? Spill!”

    “Afternoon tea at the office that day was iced coconut milk with fruit. He overindulged and got himself sick. Who’s to blame?” Leng Yunting said indifferently. “It wasn’t anything serious. Why are you so worked up? He was back at work the next day, full of energy.”

    Ji Qian: “…”

    He clenched his teeth and muttered under his breath, “I’ve told him a thousand and one times—no cold drinks, no spicy, no cold food. But does he listen?”

    Leng Yunting: “What did you just say?”

    “Nothing.” Ji Qian silently made a mental note to settle accounts with a certain patient later. Then, looking back at Leng Yunting, he said, “Seriously though, he only took one sick leave, and you’re docking his perfect attendance bonus?”

    Leng Yunting froze, eyes widening in disbelief. He put down his paperwork, set aside his coffee, and said, “Excuse me? What’s with your tone? Are you criticizing me?!” He shouted back, louder.

    Ji Qian: “…”

    Oh no.

    Reining in his irritation at his patient, Ji Qian forced a gentle smile and changed his approach.

    “Mr. Leng, you should cut back on the coffee. How about I pour you a cup of honey tea instead?”

    Leng Yunting scowled, “No need!”

    Dr. Ji: “Excessive intake of highly concentrated coffee has significant negative effects on people with gastrointestinal issues, heart conditions, and anxiety-induced insomnia.”

    Oh.

    So, he was actually showing concern.

    Leng Yunting didn’t get mad anymore. Instead, he pushed his cup over. “Fine.”

    Ji Qian then prepared an insanely sweet honey tea for him. After doing all that, his germaphobe nature came back, as he washed his hands twice after touching someone else’s cup before retracting them. Smiling, he said, “By the way, do you know how many cups of coffee Chi Ke drinks in a day?”

    Leng Yunting: “?”

    Ji Qian sighed dramatically, “After all this time working together, I can tell you—at least three Americanos a day. He only sleeps three hours a night. Every waking moment, he’s drowning in the workload you give him.”

    He seemed genuinely moved by his own words. Without a care that his hands were still damp from washing, he smacked his chest in a show of heartfelt sympathy. The wet palm prints on his shirt added to the tragic atmosphere, making the scene all the more immersive.

    Then, in an impassioned tone, he continued, “I even checked his recent health report. Heart issues, low blood sugar, chronic gastritis, poor metabolism, low platelet count, insomnia, anxiety—he’s literally working himself sick, Mr. Leng. A model employee like him takes just one small sick leave, and you really have the heart to dock his pay?”

    Leng Yunting fell silent, his deep voice carrying a trace of guilt. But still, he stubbornly said, “Are you my personal doctor or his? Enough nonsense—let’s get back to business. As for Xu Lemian, I don’t intend to drag this out any longer.”

    At the mention of Xu Lemian, Ji Qian’s expression immediately switched from solemn sympathy to casual nonchalance. He flopped back onto the sofa.

    “And how exactly do you plan to handle it?”

    “Nothing in life comes for free. I’ve been treating him well for long enough—he should start getting the message,” Leng Yunting smirked, with a touch of cruelty on his face. “New Year’s is my deadline. I plan to confess. Any suggestions?”

    “Oh…” Ji Qian mused, “Did you consult Chi Ke about it?”

    “I did, but the guy has zero sense of romance. The advice he gave me was ridiculous!” Leng Yunting fumed. “He actually suggested saying it directly—as if that’s sincere?! Me, lowering myself to do something so humiliating? Absolutely not!”

    Ji Qian, well aware of Leng Yunting’s warped logic, swallowed his retort. “And then? Since you ignored his advice, what did he do?”

    “Under my guidance, he created something acceptable.” Leng Yunting grinned wickedly and pulled a ‘dancing sunflower’ out of his drawer.

    Ji Qian’s eyelids twitched.

    “It’s solar-powered. Has a rechargeable battery too.”

    Leng Yunting tapped the sunflower. It immediately wiggled and repeated, in a mechanical voice:

    [Mianmian, be with me.]

    Ji Qian: “…”

    “Chi Ke said that with this, Xu Lemian will feel my love in every moment of the day—just like sunlight, so radiant that even after sunset, the warmth still remains. I mean, I don’t love Xu Lemian, but the concept is decent.” After Leng Yunting said this, he even nodded his head approvingly. “The kid’s learning.”

    Ji Qian: “……”

    Can’t even roast this. That’s a real sales champion.

    A perfectly good Chi Ke, slowly being driven insane.

    Ji Qian’s heart ached, “If you’re that satisfied, at least give the guy his attendance bonus.”

    “Are you seriously still on this?!” Leng Yunting threw a pen at him in frustration. “Why do you care if I dock his salary? What are you, his wife?”

    “Hey, watch where you throw that. This pen is expensive!” Ji Qian fumbled to catch it—and immediately pocketed it. “Wife? Come on, don’t be ridiculous. I’m just really kindhearted.”

    “If you’re so kind, why don’t you just marry him and make money for him instead?” Leng Yunting shot back before impatiently waving him off. “Fine, no pay cuts, no leave deductions. Now shut up and get lost.”

    Assistant Chi, look, what a great colleague you have. No need to thank me.

    Ji Qian, mission accomplished, left feeling quite pleased.

    As he walked out of the office, he suddenly remembered Chi Ke’s sick leave and got annoyed at how the guy had hidden his condition. So, he sent him a message—dripping with sarcasm.

    [The Great Ji Gatsby]: Xiao Chi.

    [K]: ?

    [The Great Ji Gatsby]: Boss Leng has a dancing sunflower. If he has one, I want one too! CEO Ji also wants a sunflower~

    [K]: ……

    [K]: Are you getting addicted to cosplaying Boss Leng?

    Ever since they had become a team with shared interests, Chi Ke had stopped holding back on complaining about work in front of him.

    Ji Qian curved his eyes into a smile, sent a crying emoji as his parting shot, and didn’t think too much about Chi Ke after that. He quickly refocused on his work at the hospital.

    They were all adults, each with their own responsibilities. His concern for Chi Ke wasn’t to the extent of being obsessed.

    Doctors ask about their patients’ health, but they don’t check in on what they eat for dinner every night.

    However, that evening, the hospital’s front desk received a local courier addressed to Ji Qian.

    The sender was ‘K.’

    And the package note read: ‘A Dancing Sunflower.’

    At that moment, Ji Qian had just finished a surgery. The moment he heard about it, he dragged his exhausted legs and rushed downstairs to pick up the package.

    He tore it open and pressed the button.

    The sunflower wiggled and played a robotic voice imitating Leng Yunting: “Don’t copy everything Leng Yunting does.”

    Ji Qian laughed so hard that the interns almost sent him to the psych ward.

    When he got home, the sunflower joined his collection of oversized plush toys by his bed.

    Looking at it for a while longer…

    He felt that it was kinda cute.

    He then sent a message to thank the gift giver.

    [The Great Jiatsby]: 🌹

    A long time passed before he got a reply.

    [K]: 🥀

    Ji Qian hugged his phone, rolling around in bed amid his stuffed toys.

    Hmm…

    Maybe an excellent personal doctor should be well-informed about every aspect of their client’s work and life.

    [The Great Ji Gatsby ]: Heard someone had stomach pain last week from eating the wrong things and had to take a sick leave.

    [The Great Ji Gatsby]: What did the boss eat tonight? Report to your doctor immediately.

    [The Great Ji Gatsby]: 🚪👀 (Kicking the door down for an inspection kind of jpg).