Chapter 40: The Contract
Although it was nearing autumn, the sun seemed determined to release all its heat from the entire year in the last few days, with temperatures reaching 34 degrees Celsius.
It was so hot that there were barely any people on the streets.
But Luo Jing’s heart felt cold.
Holding the document bag, he stood in front of the building, took a deep breath, mentally prepared himself, and finally walked in.
He had actually been back for a week or two.
But for certain reasons, he hadn’t told a certain someone.
But he hadn’t deliberately hidden it either, so Luo Jing wasn’t sure if the other person knew.
It was best if he didn’t.
After landing, before he could even spend a few days at home, Luo Feng dragged him to the company for an internship. He had chosen a relatively relaxed department, intending to take a good break.
The trauma from his graduation thesis and the seemingly endless deadlines loomed over him like a mountain. Even though some time had passed, those dark days could still make him feel faint whenever he recalled them.
He felt like it would take a lifetime to recover.
Most of the people in Luo Jing’s department were young, and the atmosphere was relaxed. Even though they knew he was the boss’s son, they weren’t overly reserved or flattering. Everyone was friendly, so Luo Jing quickly became familiar with them.
A girl in the department named Xu Jing was very enthusiastic and helped him familiarize himself with the company and department’s affairs on his first day. Later, while chatting, he learned that she had been following his Weibo for a long time.
So they naturally became friends.
Xu Jing had an external meeting this afternoon, going to another company to discuss the collaboration details and sign a contract for a drama they planned to film next quarter.
Everything had already been agreed upon, except for the profit-sharing aspect, which the higher-ups wanted to discuss further.
But since the drama’s budget wasn’t very high, and it wasn’t a major project for the company, even if the negotiation failed, it wasn’t a big deal. As long as the contract was signed, it was an easy task.
But Xu Jing’s father had accidentally fallen and fractured his leg today, and she needed to go to the hospital to take care of him, but she didn’t know who to ask to cover for her.
Luo Jing volunteered after learning about this.
Xu Jing gratefully handed him the prepared materials.
“It’s very simple, you just need to sign the contract with them,” she said, then hurriedly sent Luo Jing the address of the other company and left with her bag.
Seeing the address, the smile on Luo Jing’s face vanished.
…He slightly regretted volunteering.
Because.
If he remembered correctly.
That address was Huai Dan’s company.
Luo Jing looked at his colleagues helplessly, trying to find someone to take his place.
But why did everyone seem so busy today?
They were usually quite free.
He sighed, checked the time again, and left the office with a sense of resignation.
It was 2 p.m., the hottest time of the day. The sun was scorching outside, but the air conditioning in the company lobby was very strong.
Xu Jing had told him on WeChat to just wait in the lobby, and someone would come to find him at 2:30.
Luo Jing sat down and looked around. The lobby was bustling with people, but fortunately, he didn’t see any familiar figures.
…Of course, how could Huai Dan be down here at this hour? He must be in his office, working.
He probably wouldn’t know he was here.
Luo Jing comforted himself with this thought.
But the ominous premonition in his heart was strong. He thought for a moment, took out a mask and a baseball cap from his bag, and put them on.
An employee wearing an ID card glanced at him strangely.
Luo Jing met his gaze, turned his head, and looked at his reflection in the glass.
Mm, he didn’t look like he was here to sign a contract, but more like he was here to rob the place.
But with this disguise, even Luo Feng would have to take a second look to recognize him.
So Luo Jing was quite satisfied.
Time passed by, and after looking around nervously for ten minutes, Luo Jing gradually relaxed and started playing on his phone.
Just sign the contract and leave, it would be quick.
He thought.
Another five minutes passed, and Luo Jing was completely at ease.
How could Huai Dan come down? If he had something to do during work hours, he would definitely send his assistant. And he didn’t know he was coming today.
Thinking about how nervous he had been earlier, he couldn’t help but find it amusing.
Just then, a figure sat down opposite him.
The person was tall, with long legs, wearing a suit. Luo Jing was looking down at his phone, his vision slightly obstructed by the baseball cap, so he instinctively glanced over.
…Then this glance almost stopped his heart.
Using all his reflexes, he turned his head and looked towards the window beside him, at the world outside.
Then, unconsciously, he slowly raised his phone and opened the camera app.
This sun is really sunny, this tree is really a tree, this person is really a person, this car is really a car.
He suddenly seemed to be very interested in the surroundings of Huai Dan’s company, taking pictures non-stop.
People always pretended to be busy when they were embarrassed.
Luo Jing felt a bit dizzy.
He remembered checking the amount on the contract before leaving.
An investment of one million yuan, and it required the boss to come personally?
Did he miss two zeros?
But if it were two more zeros, wouldn’t the meeting be in a conference room, not the lobby?
He thought dizzily.
Then his consciousness gradually returned, and Luo Jing wanted to find a hole to hide in.
Why… why did he actually come?
Wasn’t Murphy’s Law just superstition?
“Done taking pictures?” After waiting patiently for a while, the man’s voice sounded, deep and with a hint of amusement.
But Luo Jing was currently in shock, so he didn’t notice.
When people are desperate, they always try to think positively, giving themselves a sliver of hope. This was probably a sign of desperation.
For example, Luo Jing currently believed, hoped, and with a bit of wishful thinking, that Huai Dan wouldn’t recognize him in this disguise.
Thinking this, he slowly turned back, slightly lowering his head, trying to use the brim of his baseball cap to block the man’s gaze, looking very withdrawn.
Luo Jing lowered his voice, making it sound muffled: “Br… cough, Mr. Huai.”
From the corner of his eye, he saw the man nod slightly in acknowledgment, sitting there with his legs crossed, seemingly at ease, and he didn’t know if he was observing him…
Luo Jing paused, not wanting to say anything more, and simply opened the contract on the table and pushed it towards Huai Dan.
…He really wished he could pretend to be mute right now, but he had a task to complete.
He closed his eyes and finally spoke, his voice strained: “The percentage printed on this contract is our company’s proposal. Of course, if…”
Huai Dan signed the contract without even looking at it, the whole process taking only two seconds, his handwriting elegant and flowing.
Luo Jing: “…”
Luo Jing: “!”
Victory was in sight, and Luo Jing, unable to contain his excitement, reached out to take the contract back: “Thank you very much…”
But Huai Dan stopped him.
Luo Jing: “?”
He instinctively looked up at Huai Dan, but quickly looked away the moment their eyes met.
“I have another condition,” Huai Dan said.
Luo Jing didn’t dare to look up, only nodding to indicate he had heard, mentally prepared to agree to anything with an “mm.” Even if Huai Dan suddenly wanted to change the contract… no, even if he wanted to withdraw the investment, it was fine. He would pay for it from his own allowance.
This meant… he didn’t recognize him, right?
Huai Dan, however, didn’t immediately state his request but suddenly asked, “Are you an intern?”
Luo Jing: “…Mm.”
Huai Dan chuckled: “Want to come work for your brother?”
Luo Jing: “…”
He paused, then resignedly took off his disguise and looked at Huai Dan, his tone slightly accusatory: “Brother, you knew it was me.”
Then why didn’t he say anything earlier?
Huai Dan’s eyes crinkled with amusement, and he reached out to smooth Luo Jing’s slightly messy hair, which had been flattened by the baseball cap: “I wanted to see how long you planned to hide it from me.”
“…” Actually, he had planned to hide it forever.
These words had a double meaning, and Luo Jing didn’t dare to overthink whether there was a deeper meaning, so he pretended he hadn’t heard.
Luo Jing’s heart raced from the sudden touch, but he couldn’t react, so he could only sit there stiffly, waiting for Huai Dan to finish.
They were silent for a moment as Huai Dan fixed his hair, the atmosphere gradually becoming awkward.
“Okay.” After a while, Huai Dan gently ruffled his hair and withdrew his hand.
Luo Jing leaned back slightly, lowering his eyes, a sense of nervousness slowly rising in his heart.
He suddenly worried that Huai Dan would ask him why he hadn’t told him he was back.
After all, he had been avoiding him quite obviously recently.
Since… his “second sister” broke up with him.
After the initial shock, the guilt returned, mixing with his nervousness and eventually taking over.
He wanted to leave even more now.
“Y-you… what’s your condition?” Luo Jing paused and brought the conversation back on track, trying to prevent it from going astray.
“Come work for me,” Huai Dan chuckled. “But this isn’t an additional condition for the contract.”
Just teasing you.
“You can take the contract without any changes,” he said.
“Thank you, brother, then I’ll…” Luo Jing tried to escape.
Actually, the reason he hadn’t told Huai Dan he was back was that he wasn’t ready to see him.
This meeting was too sudden, and Luo Jing felt he couldn’t handle it.
Don’t ask, please don’t ask anything.
Luo Jing prayed silently in his heart, putting the contract into his backpack.
But Huai Dan clearly wasn’t going to give him this opportunity.
“Avoiding me?”
Luo Jing froze as if hit by a petrification spell, immediately sitting back down obediently, wishing he could put his baseball cap back on.
“N-no,” he said guiltily.
