I went back and reread this. Wooo. I can smack myself on the head but I won’t. Grow and learn you know. I made editorial changes, rephrased this and that. Certain words… sigh. What was I even thinking? Who even speaks like that in modern English? I went back and changed the naming convention to a more natural American style. Generally used first names when speaking in narration but held onto proper etiquette when writing in dialogue to preserve the atmosphere. Um, yeah there are some other stuff as well. But mostly just fixed some dubious translations. Glad I notated all the places I had misgivings about. My early translations… it’s nice to know I’ve improved since. If you happened to reread and are wondering: it’s been so long…what changes, I didn’t notice any.
Good! Good! I’m glad you forgot the erroneous parts. Just completely clear them out of your memory. Thanks! Yeah… Now for some fluffies! Fufufufu.
[Translator/Editor: otwentyfirst]
[Host: justreads.net]
[Apr, 18th 2019]
...
Qingge was still asleep when Yujing woke up the next morning. He was asleep on his side with his one cheek pressed into the pillow. Yujing couldn’t bear to disturb his rest so he knelt down and rubbed his nose against Qingge’s, breathing in the other’s scent. After a quick peck, he got up and quietly made his way downstairs.
In the kitchen Yujing easily made a pot of red bean porridge and a jujube cake. It made the whole downstairs smell wonderful, truly mouth-watering. Once done with those two dishes he made a small pot of soup and a bowl of fresh fruit salad. He also washed and prepped a bunch of ingredients he knew Little Yuchen liked to cook with. He left those on the table as well.
They could certainly afford a cook and housekeeper, but neither brothers felt it necessary. Both were in the habit of cooking and cleaning after themselves. In fact they normally allotted some free time on the weekends to tidying up the house. Considering all they went through after their parents pa.s.sed away, these simple ch.o.r.es were neither demeaning nor burdensome.
That’s not to say they pinched pennies. They ate and dressed well, pursuing their own joys in life. It was just that the things they enjoyed were different from others with wealth.
After getting everything ready Yujing left the house at around 8:30.
...
It was 9 by the time when Qingge woke up. He gingerly took inventory of his body and found it wasn’t too sore, so he got out of bed and proceeded to wash his face and brush his teeth before heading downstairs.
He found breakfast already laid out on the dining table. There was the red bean porridge he requested, along with a slice of jujube cake; both lay under a protective food mesh. Qingge grabbed the bowl of porridge and brought it over to the computer.
He checked his stocks as he sipped on the porridge breakfast that was lovingly made for him. After satisfying himself that both stocks were doing as expected, he turned his attention to his novel. He logged onto Jinjiang and began drafting replies to the comments he ignored yesterday, effectively exciting some of the more active readers.
After that he went back upstairs to change for his visit.
Since Yujing owned the company he decided to go with business casual, opting to wear a b.u.t.toned up long-sleeved shirt and gray jeans. He noticed a sticky note on the bedside table when he picked up the keycard and housekeys left for him. On it was a reminder to bring the soup and fruit salad in the fridge. Afraid Qingge would be bored at the office, Duan Yujing was trying to coax him with food.
The intention behind the message was obvious. Smiling Qingge went to the kitchen and packed the prepared lunch into a bento box. He carefully layered everything together, and after making sure nothing leaked, locked the sides down and closed the box.
He had everything he needed: the keys, the card, the lunch. Yujing had thought of everything and prepared it all so Qingge’s trip would be a breeze. All he had to do was hail a cab and make his way to the company.
...
The day was gorgeous with the sun shining its mellow light on everything, not too hot, not too cold. Qingge paid the fare, grabbed the bento box and got out of the cab.
There were many people about in the lobby, running errands, chatting, meeting, and making appointments. Despite the crowd, eyes turned his way the moment he stepped into the building. His mood turned gloomy as he became self-conscious. Why were so many people looking at him?
He caught their attention simply because he stood out. It was unusual to have such a poised, well-dressed teenager in the lobby of the office building.
The young receptionist smiled a genuine greeting at him. “h.e.l.lo. Do you have an appointment with someone in this building?”
Qingge fished out the card from his pocket and showed it to her. “I’m looking for your CEO’s office. Can you tell me how to get there?”
A VIP keycard? Only two people in the entire company has one. And he wants to get to the Chief’s office on the top floor? Top floor access is pretty limited. You’d have to be a big shot. Hm… The receptionist’s heart ignited with the fiery flames of gossip. Outwardly she remained calm and professional as she pointed Qingge to a bank of elevators. “Those elevators will take you where you need to go. You’ll find the Chief’s office on the 32nd floor. The key card should give you access to it directly.”
Qingge politely thanked her and left in the direction of the elevators with his bento box.
The VIP keycard was a big deal because it not only allowed direct access to the top floor, but also acted as a key to the Yujing’s office and to the locked safe inside. That Yujing gave it to Qingge showed a remarkable amount of trust.
People were naturally curious about Qingge since it was the first time anyone had seen him in the building. Maybe he was the President’s younger brother here to deliver lunch? But how could that be? It wasn’t lunch time yet…
Qingge ignored their curious gazes and followed directions to get to Yujing’s office. He swiped the card once inside the elevator and eventually got off on the correct floor.
Those on 32nd floor were still registering his presence when he walked directly to the door marked “CEO” and swiped the keycard to get inside.
Once the shock wore off everyone was in a furor. A boy just walked into the Chief’s office! The office where only three people were allowed in: a.s.sistant Chen, Deputy Chief Shen, and of course the Chief himself!
a.s.sistant Chen returned to find bewildered looks on everyone’s faces. I wasn’t gone that long. Did something happen while I was away? “What happened?”
A staff member whispered, “A beautiful young man just went into the Chief’s office - using the VIP keycard!”
A beautiful young man? Oh- a.s.sistant Chen nodded, remembering the pretty young man he met at the Boss’s house yesterday when he had gone to drop off some clothes. “Right! That’s the Boss’s beau. Treat him well. Can’t say for sure, but if the Boss is happy you all might get a raise.”
When he remembered the lovey-dovey, solicitous way his boss behaved last night, a.s.sistant Chen lit a candle in his heart, silently resigning his single self to more public displays of affection between his Boss and his new love. This relationship is going to be a keeper. Boss is clearly whipped. Very house trained, very house trained. Hahaha! I bet no one here knows its flipped; the Boss is actually the perfect wife: socially proper and diligently servile.
The group was dumbstruck. The Chief’s beau? That hot young thing was the Chief’s beau?! Everyone knew their Chief was a great catch: capable, rich, and decent. He’d been an eligible bachelor for so long, the news of a love interest was completely unexpected.