Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.\n
Fumaokaisi was putting on their first large-scale product exhibition in the mainland, so a lot of importance was placed on it. Not only was the venue spacious, but the design of the exhibition space was also novel and user-friendly. A grand stage was erected opposite the main doors, and a massive white projection screen formed its backdrop.\n
Many buyers turned up at the event. Wei Yiwen might seem a little unorthodox, but exceeded expectations when it came to customer relations. Many of his past customers had come only because of him. This time, the exhibition was also open to other parties, so there were many industry representatives who came over for a look. Among them were people from DM China and Huidi International.\n
Zhang Lingyi, who was dressed in a trim Western suit, was highly displeased as he looked upon a small, almost neglected figure in the crowd â Xu Guohui. He was struggling over whether to go up and give his âlittle brotherâ a kick.\n
After wrestling over this for a long while, he simply sighed in the end. For Wang Guangningâs sake, he would endure this.\n
He felt that someone as wretched as Xu Guohui shouldnât appear at a place as refined as this one set up by Wang Guangning. But since Fumaokaisi had opened up the event to everyone, and he himself was also from a competitor, he could only keep his biting comments to himself. He had no say in who could attend the exhibition, so the best he could do was plaster on a suave smile.\n
âI didnât think you would actually come and support Wang Guangning!â Xu Guohui had a hand in his pocket as he sauntered up to Zhang Lingyi. âI thought you guys were like fire and water. What a shock!â\n
Zhang Lingyi gave him an aloof glance: âSo sorry to disappoint you.â\n
Xu Guohui seemed not to have heard the sarcastic tone in Zhang Lingyiâs words, and continued by himself: âCome to think of it, I remember in university, when everyone thought you hated each otherâs guts, you were already standing up for Wang Guangning.â The memory of Zhang Lingyi mocking him on the forum would be with him forever. It was all because of that, that he became known as âF Uniâs No. 1 Loserâ. He was in a disgrace till graduation.\n
âYup, couldnât be helped. Handsome guys appreciate each other after all.â Zhang Lingyi shrugged, and added most politely: âIf Wang Guangning looked like you, I would never have stood up for him.â Zhang Lingyi meant this wholeheartedly. Heâd always thought that he fell in love with Wang Guangning so easily partly because of Wang Guangningâs looks.\n
Xu Guohui turned gloomy, and a look of disdain flashed across his face: *cough* âAppreciate each other? I think itâs not only that âŠâŠ but hey, you two are truly living at the cutting edge, keeping up with all the trends. It really makes me âŠâŠ stunned!â After saying his piece, he seemed to be gloating with derision.\n
Zhang Lingyi suddenly felt uneasy: âWhat do you mean by that?â\n
Xu Guohui smiled sourly: âIf you dared to do it, then you shouldnât be afraid of being found out. Zhang Lingyi, while you were doing those filthy things with Wang Guangning, didnât you realize youâd be discovered one day?â\n
Zhang Lingyi coldly replied: âXu Guohui. One should know oneâs limits.â\n
Xu Guohui turned even colder: âYou guys provoked me first.â\n
Zhang Lingyi wanted to say something else, but at that moment, a pleasant melody sounded across the venue. When it ended, a tall and beautiful female emcee dressed in a knee-length cocktail dress went onstage with a smile. She looked out at the audience who were turning their attention toward her, and said: âWelcome everyone to Fumaokaisiâs very first product exhibition in China. May I invite our CEO, Mr. Zhou, to address us?â\n
While applause was ringing out, Old Zhou smiled brightly as he went onstage. Old Zhou was the typical Taiwanese businessman. Past 50, a little overweight, with a kindly countenance, and whose slightly off-pitch Putonghua was accented by his Taiwanese dialect. In the audience were a few younger ladies who loved watching Taiwanese idol dramas â when they heard some sentences that were particularly accented, they couldnât help but giggle. However, Old Zhou was in a good mood today. Though the exhibition had only just started, the set-up, staff condition, and overall mood made it obvious that it was going to be a success. So, he didnât mind the light laughs that broke out now and then.\n
He didnât speak for long, and after he was done, it was time for Wang Guangning to introduce the company, its products and future mode of operations.\n
Wang Guangning came across as clean, cool, and capable, exuding the air of an elite from head to toe. He was relaxed onstage, professional yet not mechanical at all. His assistant was at the side helping with the slides that theyâd made themselves. The slide layout was clear and succinct, and he matched the slide content seamlessly, unhurried and smooth as he presented on what was unique about Fumaokaisiâs products and how the market was looking. He was economical with his words, precise in his articulation, and was even able to easily quote cases from past collaborations with clients, enlivening the content.\n
Everyone was captured by his presentation, and gave him their undivided attention. Zhang Lingyi was even more absorbed, all the while feeling as though he was also sharing the glory.\n
The person onstage who was so outstanding and full of confidence â that was his man.\n
ââŠâŠ And thatâs Fumaokaisiâs product line-up, along with our unique selling points and the market outlook. Next up is the Q and A. If anyone would like clarification on something Iâve introduced, or more details, please feel free to ask.â Wang Guangning smiled at the audience.\n
Some buyers queried the quality and suitability of the products, and so on. Wang Guangning addressed each question patiently.\n
âWould anyone else like to ask a question?â Wang Guangning continued to smile after answering the buyersâ queries.\n
Xu Guohui raised his hand.\n
A staff member hurried over to pass the wireless microphone to him.\n
As the marketing manager of DM China, Xu Guohui was known by many in the audience. Usually, a competitorâs staff at such gatherings would only observe the proceedings, rather than participate in a Q and A session.\n
So when Xu Guohui raised his hand, everyone looked over to him.\n
âBefore I ask Manager Wang a question, I want to show everyone a little something âŠâŠâ Xu Guohui laughed in a way that sent shivers down the spine. âAllow me to borrow your companyâs projector.â As Xu Guohui said this, he bypassed the Fumaokaisi staff in charge of the projector, and with everyone watching, proceeded on his own to the control booth next to the stage, stuck a USB drive into the computer that Wang Guangningâs assistant was using, then took over the mouse and opened up a folder.\n
An untitled folder popped up on the projection screen. Xu Guohui clicked open the folder. Inside the folder were more than ten photos. Xu Guohui clicked one open.\n
Once the photo was onscreen, the audience was in an uproar.\n
It was a photo of Wang Guangning and Zhang Lingyi kissing on the street.\n
Everyone turned with one accord to look rather ambiguously at Wang Guangning onstage, then at Zhang Lingyi offstage, whispering fiercely all the while.\n
Old Zhou, who had been all smiles, now fell into a deep gloom. When upper management got into trouble, the company â especially one that was in the sensitive stage that Fumaokaisi was at â could be dealt a fatal blow.\n
Wang Guangning hadnât expected this sudden situation, and was left stunned onstage.\n
Though Zhang Lingyi had already intuited something was wrong while he was speaking with Xu Guohui, he hadnât thought that Xu Guohui had actually followed and caught them on camera. His initial reaction was shock. Then this turned into fury. He charged up, intending to give Xu Guohui a thrashing: âYou son of a btch!â\n
âHey, hey, hey~â Xu Guohui spoke into the microphone: âSurely Manager Zhang isnât someone who canât handle this?â His words were laced with smugness.\n
His voice was broadcast throughout the exhibition venue.\n
Zhang Lingyi halted his steps, stiffly. He held himself back. Everyone was looking on and listening. If he laid a hand on Xu Guohui, it would only make things more difficult for Wang Guangning.\n
Zhang Lingyi had never encountered anyone as despicable as Xu Guohui. In that moment, he didnât know how to deal with him.\n
Seeing how frustrated Zhang Lingyi looked as he held himself back despite being clearly furious, Xu Guohui was full of glee.\n
In their student days, Zhang Lingyi and Wang Guangning were the constant stars of F Uni. Girls were always surrounding them, and everything good was monopolized by them.\n
But someone mundane like him, whose studies and sports had always been ordinary, was only ever overlooked.\n
Werenât they all F Uni students? Then why were Wang Guangning and Zhang Lingyi gold, but he could only be a rock?\n
Even seizing on a little flaw of Wang Guangning and mocking him in a forum post led to being labelled the âNo. 1 Loserâ.\n
The humiliation and unhappiness from their suppression over all these years was finally soothed in this moment.\n
Zhang Lingyi, Wang Guangning â Iâll do anything to make you lose everything!\n
Xu Guohuiâs cackling made him look like a sinister, venomous snake.\n
âI heard a rumour in the industry that Fumaokaisiâs most promising marketing manager liked someone in Huidi Internationalâs HR department âŠâŠâ Xu Guohui looked over at Wang Guangning, who was still standing dumbfounded onstage. âBut it seems that no one knew who Manager Wang was talking about, till not too long ago, someone gave me these photos. Really, I donât know who could be so wicked, taking these photos in secret. Thatâs why I brought them out today, so Manager Wang and everyone else can check if theyâre authentic. Manager Wang, let us know, are these photos real or fake?â\n
Despite Xu Guohuiâs question, it was clear to everyone that whether Wang Guangning was going to confirm or deny it, there was no dodging the truth about this love affair.\n
So, those in the audience were either giving Wang Guangning an ambiguous look or a sympathetic one.\n
Actually, love scandals were common among the upper management of any company. To those who had been in the business world for a long time, this was nothing.\n
But if the news involved a same-sex scandal âŠâŠ that was quite fresh and exciting!\n
After a while, Wang Guangning managed to regain control of himself. He gazed calmly at Zhang Lingyi.\n
Zhang Lingyi met his gaze. They were not using words, but somehow understood the intentions expressed in each otherâs eyes.\n
Zhang Lingyi nodded. Wang Guangning took a deep breath. His smile not breaking, he looked out at the audience and said, âWhat everyone is seeing is indeed the truth. Iâm dating Zhang Lingyi right now.â\n
A commotion broke out. A woman even lost control and screamed.\n
Old Zhou felt faint, his body seemingly on the verge of collapse.\n
And Zhang Lingyi, under everyoneâs gaze, slowly made his way to the stage.