Manager Cui and President Wang came to Public Relations together. Manager Cui clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. “Listen up. For the next stretch, in order to ensure the successful launch of the new product, everyone in Public Relations will be under my direction, including all of you.” His eyes swept quickly over Mai Ding and the others. “Your Manager An needs some time to rest and calm down. Until this project is successfully completed, all of you will report your progress directly to me.”
“Understood.” Satisfied with the answer, Manager Cui nodded, then turned to President Wang. “President Wang, I’ll get back to work.” President Wang said nothing. He walked into An Zi Yan’s office and slammed the door. “What the hell happened to you? You’ve caused me a huge mess.”
“Even I have lines people aren’t allowed to cross.”
“What did he say that made you lose your head? That isn’t like you. You need to understand that I can’t keep taking your side forever. If anything else happens, nobody will be able to protect you. For now, behave yourself. Don’t confront Old Cui head-on again.”
“I underestimated him. I didn’t expect him to dare use Grandpa’s death to provoke me.” An Zi Yan spoke flatly, completely unlike the person he had been in the conference room. President Wang paused. He knew about An Zi Yan’s grandfather, but he had not expected Old Cui to stoop so low as to use someone who had already passed away as a weapon. He changed the subject. “You got lucky. Even I didn’t expect Xiao Meng to step forward and speak for you. I’m saying it again, behave yourself for a while.” President Wang left after giving that final warning. An Zi Yan leaned back in his chair with both hands behind his head, using one foot against the floor to slowly turn the chair.
No one knew what he was thinking.
At the end of the workday, An Zi Yan went home first, while Manager Cui kept Mai Ding and the others behind for overtime. To them, Manager Cui’s face practically radiated the smugness of a petty man who had finally gotten his way. Surely the situation should have satisfied him now. But people were greedy. Manager Cui’s real target was not An Zi Yan at all, but President Wang. Once he forced President Wang out and took his position, what would An Zi Yan amount to? For now, he merely wanted An Zi Yan to learn what it felt like to oppose him.
The office turned oppressive again. Anyone who said a single sentence unrelated to work was immediately reprimanded by Manager Cui. He was determined to make this proposal absolutely perfect.
After being tormented until eight o’clock, Mai Ding could only buy ready-made food on the way home. Seeing An Zi Yan stretched out on the sofa reading finally let him relax. Mindful of An Zi Yan’s mood, he said considerately, “Sorry I’m back so late. You must be hungry.” An Zi Yan did not appreciate the concern at all. “Who are you?”
“I’m Mai Ding, obviously. Who else would I be?!”
“An impostor, probably.”
“Who would ever want to impersonate me?”
“True.”
Great. An Zi Yan clearly had not been affected. Mai Ding had been worried a setback like this might make him sink into depression. As Mai Ding took bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen and transferred the takeout food onto plates, he said, “Don’t take what happened today to heart. You’re still young. Pull yourself together, show those executives your best side, and make them look at you differently. Starting tomorrow, get up early for work and put in some real effort…”
“No.”
“This is exactly when you should be performing your best!”
“Too much trouble.” An Zi Yan lazily rolled over, changing television channels with his left hand while turning a page of his book with his right. Mai Ding could hardly believe his eyes. From the look of An Zi Yan, he actually preferred having nothing to do like this. Mai Ding could not simply stand by and watch. He had to save An Zi Yan from being satisfied with his current situation. “We can make a comeback. Maybe not immediately, but if you put in a little effort at a time…” An Zi Yan interrupted him again. “Do I have to kill you before you’ll be quiet?”
“Violent man!”
After they finished their simple dinner, An Zi Yan seemed to remember something. He pulled open the drawer beneath the coffee table, rummaged around, and took out a USB drive. “Here.” Mai Ding accepted it with almost reverent caution. Apparently An Zi Yan had no intention of giving up after all. He must be planning something again.
“What’s on the USB drive? Never mind, you don’t have to answer. If you don’t want to tell me yet, that’s fine. What do you need me to do? I can handle it.”
“Take the USB drive…”
“Mm-hm, mm-hm. What do I do with it?”
“Plug it into the computer…”
“Mm-hm. And then?”
“Download LOL onto it. I’m taking it to the office tomorrow so I can play.”
“Mm-hm, download LOL…” Mai Ding stopped. He flung the USB drive onto the sofa. “Play what?! Don’t play games during work hours. You’re a supervisor. You should set an example!” An Zi Yan was not going to reflect just because Mai Ding lectured him. “I don’t have anything to do anyway.”
“If you have nothing to do, find something! Your subordinates are working themselves exhausted for Cui Ass. You should be angry and unwilling to accept it.”
“They’re the ones exhausted, not me.”
“Cold-blooded!” Mai Ding had assumed An Zi Yan was planning some scheme, and it turned out he only wanted to play games. An Zi Yan looked at the discarded USB drive, then at Mai Ding. “Do I have to kill you before you’ll listen?” Mai Ding glared. “Do you have to kill me before you’re satisfied?” Even so, he picked up the USB drive and went into the bedroom, muttering under his breath, “If you get fired someday, don’t expect me to feel sorry for you.” Once the game started downloading, Mai Ding took a change of clothes from the wardrobe and went into the bathroom. He glanced at the nearly empty shampoo bottle. Damn it. He had reminded himself that morning, yet still forgot to buy more. It was too late to go out now. Mai Ding picked up the bottle, shook it, then opened the cap and poured in plenty of water. That should make it last another two days. An Zi Yan happened to see him. He said nothing, so Mai Ding praised himself with complete righteousness. “What are you looking at? This is called saving money. You should be ashamed. Think about all your traffic violations, then look at how frugal I am. Aren’t you embarrassed?”
“I am.” An Zi Yan actually admitted it. That could not possibly lead anywhere good. Sure enough, he walked into the bathroom too and began taking off his shirt as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Showering together will save plenty of water.”