DBAG- Chapter 6

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Chapter 06 Stop asking!

    “Since when did you get so close to Ji Qian?”

    Leng Yunting took the parasol that Chi Ke handed over and personally shielded Xu Lemian from the sun.

    “Not really close.”

    The more you say, the more mistakes you make. After answering, Chi Ke took a step back, making sure not to disturb his boss’s private time.

    So the original host really wasn’t close to that guy.

    There were sleeping pills and antidepressants at home. The original host’s mental state before the suicide must have been bad. If he really had a friend like Ji Qian, he probably wouldn’t have reached that point.

    Chi Ke was a little puzzled—what was the author thinking when they wrote this character?

    How could they shamelessly use words like ‘inferiority’ and ‘introverted’ to describe him?

    Even more absurd—someone like that actually had a secret crush? [mfn]No idea why this point was suddenly mentioned. Even I don’t remember there being the mention of this in previous chapters, but, let’s wait for the future ones, maybe there will be some corelation.[/mfn]

    The more Chi Ke thought about it, the more he found it incomprehensible. He couldn’t help but glance back again.

    Who knew Ji Qian would somehow sense it, as if he had some kind of telepathic powers, and immediately look up with a dazzling smile?

    Chi Ke: “…”

    Is the lethality of working overtime all weekend so small? What’s he so happy about all the time?

    Speechless, Chi Ke moved to the side of a pillar, out of Ji Qian’s line of sight.

    In fact, he did not completely disbelieve in the concept of fate or destiny.

    After all, he had literally died and been reborn into a novel. How could he still be a hardcore materialist?

    But he didn’t think that fate should dictate every interaction. Meeting someone could be fate, but getting close to them? That’s a choice. Just because you cross paths doesn’t mean you’re meant to be in each other’s lives.

    After a few hours of interaction, he acknowledged Ji Qian’s professional competence and even his personality—at least what he had shown so far. But that wasn’t enough for him to consider further involvement.

    Same old reason: Chi Ke hated uncertainty in his life.

    Colleagues were one thing. But friends? If he made friends, his entire life would need an overhaul, which would be time-consuming, expensive, and exhausting.

    Putting aside whatever future connection the doctor and the novel’s protagonist might have, was Ji Qian himself even worth it? That was still up for debate.

    Chi Ke lazily yawned. Confident in the presence of the two-meter-tall bodyguards surrounding him, he leaned against the pillar with his arms crossed, completely at ease.

    Xu Lemian turned around and was momentarily stunned.

    Chi Ke’s shirt collar was a little messy. His head was slightly lowered, gold-rimmed glasses sliding down to the bridge of his nose. He stood casually, without a straight posture, but his narrow waist and slender back were not hunched. One leg slightly bent, pressing against the pillar, highlighting the curve of his waistline and hips.

    A bodyguard beside him leaned in to speak, but Chi Ke barely reacted, long lashes lowered in a mix of nonchalance and focus.

    Xu Lemian stared for a little too long.

    Leng Yunting lowered his head indulgently, “What is it?”

    “Nothing.” Xu Lemian shook his head, hiding the admiration in his eyes.

    Though Assistant Chi was thin, standing among a group of muscle-bound men, he was still the most eye-catching.

    They say clothes make the man, but some people’s aura transcends attire.

    And Chi Ke was exactly that kind of person. Even if he was wrapped in a sack, it couldn’t conceal his—

    Elegance.

    The moment Xu Lemian thought of this word, his heart clenched uncomfortably. A strange sense of unease crept up on him.

    Looking at Chi Ke again, he suddenly felt that none of these well-dressed bodyguards were even worthy of carrying his shoes.

    That didn’t make sense.

    How could a small-town assistant possess such natural grace?

    Had he always been this noticeable before…?

    “What are you staring at?” Leng Yunting’s tone grew sharp, “Is it really that hard to focus when you’re with me?”

    “Huh? No, no!” Xu Lemian quickly waved his hands, eyes turning red with panic.

    Leng Yunting softened instantly at the sight of those eyes.

    He thought: So alike.

    “Sorry, I was a bit harsh just now.” Leng Yunting took Xu Lemian’s hand saying, “Mianmian, when you’re with me, I don’t want you thinking about anyone else.”

    Xu Lemian smiled shyly and looked at the bustling parade outside, a hint of melancholy in his expression. “I was just wondering… when will Xiaoyun get to see something this lively?”

    Leng Yunting’s heart twisted uncomfortably.

    This kind of reaction was frustrating. He changed the subject awkwardly, “The parade’s about to end. Want to go do something fun?”

    Xu Lemian’s eyes lit up immediately, “Can we do the river raft ride?” [mfn]an attraction where a boat or raft plunges down a steep slope into the water, causing a dramatic splash. Do you know any better name for this? Do let me know.[/mfn]

    …

    “Theoretically, no.”

    Chi Ke stared blankly at the two overgrown children in front of him, voice utterly devoid of emotion.

    “No? Ha.” Leng Yunting sneered, “Assistant Chi, since when was it your place to question my decisions?”

    “It’s cold, and the water is freezing. The raft ride could make Mr. Xu sick.” Chi Ke remained unfazed, “I’m not questioning your decision, just relaying medical advice. The final call is still yours.”

    “You memorized the doctor’s orders so well, why didn’t you become a doctor yourself?” Leng Yunting mocked. Then he raised his voice towards a nearby figure slumped on a bench. “Hey, the one writing these prescriptions—get over here!”

    The so-called doctor was drowsily nodding off, head bobbing like an idiot. Startled by the sudden yell, he jerked awake, nearly toppling off his stool.

    Even through his ill-fitted glasses, Chi Ke could clearly see the fleeting irritation on Ji Qian’s face.

    But then, something bizarre happened.

    The moment Ji Qian met Chi Ke’s gaze, his expression shifted instantly. Before he even had time to blink, all traces of annoyance vanished—replaced by a bright, friendly smile.

    …Why the hell is he smiling again?

    Chi Ke found himself wondering, yet again.

    Ji Qian smoothed down a few stray hairs and strolled over at a leisurely pace, “CEO Leng, how many times have I told you? Lower your voice, you’ll scare the people around you.”

    Chi Ke internally: Oh?

    Looks like someone’s already catching feelings. That level of concern is suspiciously sweet.

    Xu Lemian waved a hand awkwardly, “I don’t mind. CEO Leng is very good.”

    Chi Ke internally: Oof.

    A classic case of ‘the falling flower pining for the running stream’. [mfn]“the falling flower pining for the running stream” (落花有意，流水无情) is a well-known Chinese idiom. It describes a one-sided or unreciprocated love—where one person (the falling flower) has deep feelings for another (the running stream), but the other remains indifferent and moves on without care.[/mfn]

    Leng Yunting scoffed triumphantly, “Dr. Ji, stay out of things that doesn’t concern you. Just do your job and write prescriptions.”

    Ji Qian hummed thoughtfully, “Didn’t I already explain it clearly this morning? Or is your reading comprehension too advanced to understand simple language? No worries, I do have a strong background in classical Chinese. If needed, I can translate it into classical Chinese for you.”

    Leng Yunting’s face twisted, “You—”

    “No need for that.” Chi Ke cut in, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire, “Dr. Ji, CEO Leng just wants to know if they can ride the river raft or not.”

    Ji Qian beamed, “Oh, that? Sure, go ahead.”

    Chi Ke raised an eyebrow. That was unexpected.

    Hadn’t he just said it was best not to catch a cold?

    Chi Ke was good at reading people.

    On the surface, this doctor seemed laid-back, but in reality, he was highly professional. How could he agree to something that directly contradicted his own medical advice? If Xu Lemian got sick again, wouldn’t that be considered medical negligence on Ji Qian’s part?

    He was pretty sure this part wasn’t in the original novel.

    Wait.

    Actually, in the original novel, Xu Lemin had also wanted to go on the ride—but in the end, he didn’t.

    Why was that?

    For the first time, Chi Ke regretted skimming the story too quickly. He’d barely paid attention to any plot points that didn’t involve ‘Assistant Chi’.

    Judging by how many times his fingers shifted through the pages on the screen back then, this scene had taken up a decent chunk of the novel.

    And the most common type of plots in a melodramatic domineering president novel were:

    Either a love triangle with multiple suitors fighting over one person,

    Or the villain bullying the protagonist, only to get humiliated in return.

    Chi Ke’s right eyelid twitched. Since there weren’t many love triangles before Leng Yunting truly fell in love, today’s event could only be the latter.

    Which villain was about to make an appearance?

    “Assistant Chi, step aside,” Leng Yunting declared, gripping Xu Lemin’s hand and tilting his chin up at Chi Ke like a victorious rooster, “The doctor said it’s fine.”

    Chi Ke chuckled and stepped aside, “After you Boss Leng.”

    What’s he showing off for?

    He only spoke up because, as an assistant, it was his duty to remind his boss to take care of his health. But if the boss insisted on courting disaster, why should he care? Did the capitalist really think a mere employee would be concerned about his well-being?

    Hearing that, Boss Leng snorted, “Come back later. I don’t want to see you right now.”

    Chi Ke: …

    Silently, he watched as the domineering CEO and his delicate little white flower strode off together.

    “You want some?”

    Ji Qian popped up again, holding two sticks of cotton candy.

    The sweet aroma was too overwhelming. Chi Ke scowled and refused outright, “No.”

    This shameless doctor, who so casually altered medical advices, was unpredictable and unreliable.

    Ji Qian insisted, “It’s super sweet.”

    Chi Ke: “I don’t like sweets.”

    Ji Qian paused, “You don’t like sweets?”

    “Is that a problem?” Chi Ke shot back. Then, for a brief moment, his own expression turned odd.

    He’d forgotten that in the novel, the original character’s few mentioned preferences all revolved around sweets. That guy was practically addicted to sugar.

    …Damn it.

    This was Ji Qian’s fault for annoying him so much that he’d forgotten this detail—he had been so preoccupied with distancing himself that he hadn’t even considered how well Ji Qian must know the original character after working together for so long.

    Chi Ke stiffly added, “Just not today.”

    “Got it.”

    Ji Qian didn’t seem disappointed, just slightly troubled as he stared at the cotton candy.

    He didn’t like sweets either—he’d bought two so that Chi Ke wouldn’t have to eat alone.

But since Chi Ke wasn’t eating, there was no reason for him to either. Throwing them away would be a waste…

    “You want one?”

    Then the ‘angel in white’ went around offering the cotton candy to nearby staff members. Chi Ke watched, a vein in his forehead twitching.

    How could someone be this outrageously extroverted?

    He didn’t get it. He really didn’t get it.

    “All taken care of. No need to thank me,” Ji Qian returned with a relaxed grin, “Assistant Chi, what do you like today then?”

    Chi Ke replied offhandedly, “Money.”

    Ji Qian’s eyes lit up, “What a coincidence!”

    Chi Ke: “?!”

    What the hell kind of coincidence?

    Ji Qian beamed, “I like money too!”

    Chi Ke: “I refuse to share interests with you.”

    Ji Qian: “Which currency? I can switch.” [mfn]This what I overall understood from this convo- he pretends to misunderstand Chi Ke’s rejection as being about currency rather than a personal dislike, his reply making it seem like he’s so eager (or shameless) that he’s willing to change currencies just to keep the ‘shared interest’ going[/mfn]

    Chi Ke took two deep breaths, then exhaled with a speechless laugh, “Dr. Ji, your hospital’s cardiothoracic surgery department really breeds talent.”

    First that crazy Dr. Jin, and now this Ji Qian.

    Doctors really couldn’t heal themselves.

    “The doctors there are indeed among the best in the industry. At the very least, most have an elite domestic university or an overseas master’s degree,” Ji Qian paused before adding with a smirk, “But if we’re talking about degrees, back when I was still employed, I was the best of the best.”

    Chi Ke glanced up.

    Although a master’s degree from Columbia University is great, but calling himself the top of the top in a hospital full of elites seems a bit too much.

    Ji Qian kept boasting, “I studied at Harvard—”

    His voice cut off abruptly.

    Chi Ke frowned. “Studied what?”

    “…Oh,” Ji Qian just chuckled, “I did a fellowship at Harvard last year.”

    For the first time, Chi Ke saw a rare hint of resignation in his expression. But Ji Qian didn’t seem like the type to show that kind of emotion.

    Shaking off his curiosity, Chi Ke reminded himself not to pry into others’ business. That would be rude.

    “Studying medicine is impressive,” he admitted openly. “Sticking with it takes real determination.”

    Rather than acting modest, Ji Qian confidently accepted the praise, “Yeah, I think so too.”

    Beautiful, self-aware, confident, and flamboyant—just like a peacock.

    Chi Ke turned his head slightly, his eyelashes fluttering.

    “Oh, almost lost track of time.” Ji Qian raised his wrist, showing off his Audemars Piguet [mfn]Audemars Piguet (AP) is a Swiss luxury watch brand[/mfn]. “Assistant Chi, I have to step out for a bit. I’ll leave Mr. Leng to you.”

    “It’s no trouble. Just part of my job.” Chi Ke turned away impassively, facing the clear sky.

    The Royal Oak Concept [mfn]a high-end, avant-garde version of the classic Royal Oak series from Audemars Piguet[/mfn] on Ji Qian’s wrist had a market price of over two hundred grand.

    The entire Audemars Piguet line was gorgeous. Chi Ke had wanted one in his past life, but before he could even decide on a model, he died.

    Who knew when he’d finally be able to afford one in this life?

    Hah. Damn rich kids.

    One day, I’ll take you all down.

    …

    After Ji Qian left, Chi Ke received a frantic call from Leng Yunting.

    “What the hell happened? Had I not made it clear that no one is allowed to come in and disturb us?”

    Hearing that, Chi Ke hurried toward the Rafting place, slipping his phone into his pocket. Even without the speaker mode on, Leng Yunting’s voice was crystal clear.

    That voice of his was honestly suitable for hawking goods in a busy market street. No need for a loudspeaker—just a couple of shouts, and no one within a ten-meter radius could outmatch him.

    “Apologies, Mr. Leng. I made sure to relay your orders explicitly, but there must have been an oversight in execution by the staff. It was my failure in supervision. I’ll conduct an internal review immediately.”

    His response was smooth—neither defensive nor aggrieved. He simply took responsibility and expressed the proper attitude of accountability.

    “The situation is urgent. I’m on my way to handle it now,” he added. “Mr. Leng, may I ask who disturbed you?”

    After much coaxing and apologizing, he finally got Leng Yunting’s volume to drop.

    The CEO gave a cold snort before spitting out two frosty syllables, “Meng Zao.”

    Chi Ke stumbled on the stairs.

    Meng Zao—currently the hottest top-tier idol, with labels like sweet, cute, quirky, and mischievous following her wherever she went. The perfect childhood sweetheart in every cliche CEO romance.

    The dominant CEO from a business empire and the refined heiress from a scholarly family—a perfect match on paper. They grew up together, and the whole world knew about her feelings for him. Everyone thought it was a match made in heaven, and even their families were just waiting for their engagement.

    Too bad this so-called ‘match made in heaven’ was nothing more than a one-sided wishful thinking.

    In the early chapters of the original novel, Leng Yunting wasn’t exactly hostile toward Meng Zao. He maintained a lukewarm attitude—to put it nicely, he was polite, and to put it bluntly, he simply looked down on her.

    He saw her as just another privileged rich girl—pretty, petite, academically excellent, multi-talented, and socially adept, but ultimately, nothing special.

    Yet, this dismissive attitude only fueled Meng Zao’s stubborn devotion. She was determined to marry Leng Yunting, even if it meant giving up a promising career path after graduation just to work at his then-struggling film company.

    It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Leng Yunting’s entertainment empire, Xingmian Entertainment, owed at least half of its current success to this top-tier idol.

    She knew about Leng Yunting’s ‘white moonlight’—the unattainable first love. She knew about his string of flings. She had even watched him keep mistresses who resembled that person.

    And yet, she stayed devoted, unwavering in her love.

    But in the end, she still became nothing more than a plot device in the love story between Leng Yunting and Xu Lemian.

    At first, she played the role of the ‘vicious love rival’ who made the CEO cherish his delicate white flower [mfn]Xu Lemian[/mfn] even more. Later, she became the ‘fiancée obstacle’ that forced the couple to confront their true feelings. Readers in the novel’s comment section mocked her as the biggest ‘clown’ of the story.

    Chi Ke had downvoted every single one of those comments.

    It wasn’t about Meng Zao herself—he just found that kind of mockery uncultured and ill-mannered.

    Right now, Leng Yunting hadn’t yet realized his feelings for Xu Lemian, and Meng Zao hadn’t been completely cast aside. He was maintaining a passive stance—neither pursuing nor rejecting her.

    But Leng Yunting had little regard for social etiquette and was outright rude to those he looked down on.

    Thinking of this, Chi Ke called for two bodyguards and quickened his pace.

    From about two hundred meters away, he spotted three figures near the water.

    Leng Yunting and Xu Lemian stood on one side, while opposite them was Meng Zao, dressed in a white dress.

     The celebrity’s long black hair billowed in the wind, making her look even more fragile in this chilly atmosphere. Behind her, the roaring machinery of the raft ride made her hair even messier.

    Chi Ke frowned, “Mr. Leng and Mr. Xu are down here, so who’s in the ride up top?”

    A bodyguard beside him explained, “Mr. Xu said it was boring to ride alone, so Mr. Leng had anyone with free time join in.”

    Chi Ke had a bad feeling about this.

    At an amusement park, no one walks away from a raft ride dry. Players get soaked, and even spectators standing too close—

    The next moment, the massive boat, packed with people, hurtled down from above. Seeing that, Chi Ke’s pupils shrank.

    No way. Was this actually going to be one of those cliché face-slapping moments?

    If they really wanted to enjoy the aftermath of the splash, couldn’t they just go to the special transparent observation deck?

    Leng Yunting’s bodyguards were already holding up transparent umbrellas, fully shielding their boss and his beloved.

    Meanwhile, Meng Zao stood rooted on the spot, staring blankly at the incoming wave as if she were possessed.

    The screams from the ride pierced the air, making Chi Ke’s head throb. He didn’t have time to think—he just tossed off his jacket and lunged forward—

    “AAAAHHHH!”

    Water splashed everywhere, mixing with the high-pitched shrieks.

    Chi Ke scowled.

    Yell, yell, yell—just yell!

    Congratulations, now the whole world knows you all have perfectly functioning vocal cords.

    Irritated, he opened his eyes, peeled off his fogged-up glasses, and brushed his soaked bangs back.

    At this moment, he was radiating so much resentment that he could sustain an entire villain arc by himself.

    “Miss Meng.” He pulled back his hand from her shoulder, took off the damp jacket he had used to shield her, and said coldly, “Apologies for the intrusion.”

    Meng Zao’s big, tear-filled eyes blinked rapidly, blurring the tiny mole at the corner of her eye. Her hair was a mess, but miraculously, she was barely wet.

    Of course. All the damn water had splashed onto him instead.

    “T-Thank you.” She was still dazed, subconsciously expressing gratitude, though her gaze was locked on—

    His semi-transparent white shirt. Or rather, his well-defined muscles underneath.

    Meng Zao felt lightheaded.

    Was she losing her mind? Why did she suddenly want to reach out and touch a stranger’s abs?

    No. No touching!

    Outwardly, she looked calm, but inside, she was screaming.

    She loved Leng Yunting! If she were to touch anyone, it should be Leng Yunting!

    Resist. Resist. It’s just a wet-shirt temptation—how laughable—just a—

    “You’re welcome.” Chi Ke gave her a brief nod, noticing her dazed stare and feeling inexplicably puzzled, “Miss Meng? What are you looking at?”

    “Huh? Looking? At what? I wasn’t looking at anything!” Meng Zao snapped back to reality, stammering so badly she bit her tongue thrice.

    “Alright, excuse me.” Seeing that she was still in good spirits, Chi Ke couldn’t be bothered anymore. Completely unaware that he had nearly lost his dignity, he strode towards the stunned Leng Yunting.

    Leng Yunting, shocked and furious, exclaimed, “Assistant Chi! You protected her?! Are you my assistant or hers?!”

    Chi Ke curled his lips in a mocking smirk, his tone gentle despite the sinister edge to it, “Why make such distinctions, Mr. Leng? I belong to both of you.”

    Leng Yunting: “?”

    Before he could even process that, the hand he had been holding onto was suddenly pulled away.

    “I see.” Xu Lemian sounded utterly shattered, “Mr. Leng, why didn’t you tell me earlier that you and Miss Meng shared Chi Ke? If you had just said so sooner, I… I…”

    “Mianmian.” Leng Yunting shot a vicious glare at Chi Ke before quickly lowering his voice to coax him. “You’re misunderstanding. It’s not like that. Chi Ke’s salary is paid by my grandfather. I don’t even know the specifics, let alone how many paychecks he’s collecting.”

    “But you two—”

    “Trust me—”

    “Can I really trust you…?”

    “You can, Mianmian…”

    Chi Ke: “.”

    God, these words were so damn jarring on his ears.

    Throwing his soaked jacket over his shoulder, he walked away, leaving behind only his legacy.

    As he passed by the bodyguards, he left instructions, “Escort Miss Meng out. Be mindful of your attitude—she’s the eldest daughter of the Meng family. Also, when Mr. Leng asks about me, tell him I caught a cold, developed a fever, passed out, turned red all over like a lobster, rolled my eyes back, foamed at the mouth, convulsed, and am now in critical condition.”

    One of the bodyguards, ever the professional, said solemnly, “I am an honest man. I never lie.”

    Chi Ke: “I’ll split the medical and emotional distress compensation with you.”

    “Assistant Chi,” the bodyguard’s expression turned resolute, “Consider yourself dead to me from this moment on.”

    Chi Ke: “…Much appreciated.”

    With Leng Yunting and Xu Lemian still busy being dramatic, Chi Ke’s headache worsened. He wanted nothing more than to find a changing room and get out of these soaked clothes.

    He scanned his surroundings for a sign.

    But instead of a direction sign, he found Ji Qian.

    Ji Qian stood there, holding a large bath towel, staring at him in a daze.

    Chi Ke silently stared at the towel, then walked towards him.

    Ji Qian snapped out of his trance and quickly ran forward, draping the bath towel over Chi Ke’s shoulders, “How long have you been standing in the wind? It’s freezing—be careful not to get sick. I’ll grab you some cold medicine, and you should make yourself some ginger tea later.”

    The warm, slightly rough towel wrapped around him snugly, making Chi Ke squint in comfort.

    His face looked calm, but his words were cold, “Dr. Ji, did you already know this would happen?”

    Ji Qian’s fingers, which had been holding the edge of the towel, froze mid-air.

    After a long pause, he sighed helplessly, “Sigh… This whole situation…”

    Chi Ke held his breath, ready to listen.

    But then, Ji Qian suddenly switched to cosplaying Leng Yunting and said, “Assistant Chi! You are not allowed to ask anymore!”

    Chi Ke: “…………”

    Faced with the choice between stubbornly denying everything or running away like a coward, Ji Qian, in a stroke of genius, chose to run away… in the most stubborn and dramatic way possible.

 

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