Chapter 8
Deep night. The lights of Shanhe Manor blazed brightly.
Pei Songji sat at his ebony desk, staring at the handkerchief.
It was Saturday, Jing Ciying’s day off. But he hadn’t wanted to attend the wedding alone, so he had selfishly dragged Jing Ciying along.
Such impulsive behavior was rare for him. Knowing he was in the wrong, he had offered triple overtime pay, which Jing Ciying readily accepted.
He had initially attributed his reluctance to attend the wedding to his grandfather’s insistence. He hated being forced into anything.
But during the ceremony, watching the couple exchange vows, a strange thought had crossed his mind.
If he ever got married, he realized he wanted the person standing beside him to be… Jing Ciying.
The thought startled him. Even though no one else knew what he was thinking, he instinctively glanced back.
He saw Jing Ciying quickly lower his head. Despite the swift movement, Pei Songji had seen the tears in his eyes.
He was stunned, wondering if he had imagined it. But Jing Ciying’s next action confirmed his observation.
Before he could think, he had offered his handkerchief.
Jing Ciying was clearly surprised, hesitating before accepting it.
Pei Songji was also surprised by his own actions. He hated sharing his belongings. But retracting the offer would have been even more awkward. He maintained a calm facade.
Jing Ciying took the handkerchief and wiped his eyes, then looked uncertain, unsure what to do with it.
Having worked for him for so long, Pei Songji knew what he was thinking.
Normally, he would have told him to throw it away.
But today, he took it back.
As expected, Jing Ciying looked astonished, as if he had witnessed a miracle.
Pei Songji knew he was being unusual.
The dampness of the handkerchief lingered in his hand. Usually, he would have discarded it immediately, but today, he simply clutched it tightly.
As he did so, he realized he was truly falling for Jing Ciying.
3:00 am. City outskirts.
Chu Yang stepped out of his car and saw Pei Songji leaning against his limited-edition Bugatti Veyron, lost in thought.
Having been dragged out of bed, Chu Yang was irritated. “Are you crazy? Dragging me out for a joyride at this hour? You have a death wish, but I don’t! Do you know how hard it was to sneak away from Li Shu Yin? If I’m not back before he wakes up…”
“What will happen?” Pei Songji finally looked at him, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
“I’ll be dead,” Chu Yang said, sitting on the hood of the sports car. “So, what’s going on?”
Having grown up together, Chu Yang was Pei Songji’s closest confidant.
Pei Songji was always level-headed and responsible, rarely engaging in reckless behavior. He only resorted to extreme measures like this when under immense pressure or facing an unsolvable problem.
Although his older brother was the designated heir, relieving him of the burden of the family business, Chu Yang knew the pressures of the corporate world. Pei Group had grown significantly under Elder Pei and Pei Songji’s leadership.
He hadn’t heard of any major issues at the company recently.
If it wasn’t business, it must be personal.
What could be troubling Pei Songji so much? He was intrigued.
But Pei Songji didn’t answer, staring into the distance, a rare look of vulnerability on his face.
Chu Yang’s expression turned serious. Recalling Pei Songji’s unusual questions during their last drinking session, he had a suspicion.
“Is it…” he began, watching Pei Songji’s reaction, a hunch forming.
Pei Songji’s glance confirmed his suspicion. Years of friendship had created an unspoken understanding between them.
“Who is it?” Chu Yang asked directly.
Pei Songji hesitated, unable to utter Jing Ciying’s name. “Someone… I shouldn’t like.”
“A man?” Chu Yang pressed.
Pei Songji gave a quiet “Yes.”
Although he had suspected as much, Chu Yang was still surprised. He had never noticed anything unusual about Pei Songji’s preferences. In fact, given his aversion to Li Shu Yin, he had assumed Pei Songji was homophobic.
He never thought he’d hear Pei Songji admit to liking a man.
He sighed, worried. “You know…”
“What?”
“I’m starting to think there’s something wrong with the feng shui of our ancestral graves.”
Pei Songji: “…”
After the joke, Chu Yang turned serious. “What are you going to do? This isn’t going to be easy. If you tell your grandfather you like a man, he’ll have a heart attack.”
“I know,” Pei Songji said, his expression unreadable.
“So you have a plan?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” Chu Yang felt a pang of regret for his friend. Finding someone who stirred Pei Songji’s emotions was rare. But he understood their situations were different. Pei Songji couldn’t be as reckless as he was.
He didn’t press further, patting the car hood. “Another round?”
“Sure.”
Pei Songji got into the car, looking ahead at the winding mountain road, stretching endlessly into the darkness.
Jing Ciying received a notice after work. A new personal assistant had been hired. Pei Songji was going on a business trip and wanted the new assistant to accompany him for training. Jing Ciying was told to stay behind.
“What about me?” he asked.
“Mr. Pei said you can take a two-week break and return after his trip.”
“I see…”
Jing Ciying was momentarily stunned, then quickly composed himself. “Alright, I’ll be going then.”
He packed his things and left the office, his smile fading as soon as he stepped outside.
He knew what this meant.
They didn’t want him anymore but couldn’t fire him directly, hoping he would resign.
Before his sister’s accident, he wouldn’t have hesitated. It was just a job.
But his sister’s medical bills were astronomical. If he quit, he wouldn’t be able to find a comparable salary immediately. He wouldn’t be able to afford her care and would have to send her back to the long-term facility, the very thing he dreaded most. He couldn’t resign yet.
He couldn’t think of a solution, so he stalled, knowing it wasn’t sustainable. He couldn’t even afford to be anxious. At the hospital, he immediately started searching for new jobs online.
But jobs that matched his skills and salary expectations were as rare as “good men.” He searched until late at night, finding nothing suitable.
His eyes burned from staring at the screen. He knew worrying wouldn’t solve anything, so he closed his laptop, washed his face, and prepared for bed.
Feeling more alert, he replayed the day’s events, trying to understand what he had done wrong to displease Pei Songji.
He couldn’t find an answer. Exhausted, he gave up, returning to the ward and curling up on the cot beside his sister’s bed.
Although the company hadn’t explicitly fired him, he started looking for other options, just in case. Despite his two-week leave, he didn’t rest, spending his days caring for his sister and sending out resumes.
Perhaps because of the discrepancy between his work experience and his degree, his applications went unanswered.
Just as his anxiety peaked, the company called him back to work early.
Confused, he rushed back.
As he stepped out of the elevator on the 32nd floor, he saw a young man looking stressed, holding a cup of coffee, emerging from Pei Songji’s office.
This must be the new personal assistant.
The new secretary, noticing him, greeted him. “You must be Secretary Jing.”
“Yes, and you are…?”
“I’m the new personal secretary, Liang.”
“Hello.”
“Hello! Thank goodness you’re here!” Liang looked as if he was about to burst into tears. “He’s impossible to please! I’ve been a secretary for years, but I’ve never met such a demanding boss. I’ve brewed him coffee eight hundred times today, my hands are raw, and I still can’t get it right! You take over.”
He handed Jing Ciying the coffee.
Jing Ciying hesitated, then instinctively took the cup. He hadn’t been officially dismissed, so these were still his duties. He went to the pantry, expertly brewed a fresh cup, and headed to Pei Songji’s office.
A wave of nervousness washed over him as he reached the door.
He had never been away from Pei Songji for so long, except for holidays. He took a deep breath and knocked.
“Enter,” Pei Songji’s voice called out.
Jing Ciying, attuned to his boss’s moods, detected a distinct displeasure in his tone.
As he entered, he felt the palpable tension in the room, a heavy pressure emanating from Pei Songji, filling the vast office.
“Mr. Pei,” he said softly, placing the coffee on the desk.
Pei Songji, who had been reading a document, shifted slightly but didn’t look up, his mood unreadable.
But Jing Ciying felt the tension dissipate.
Pei Songji had been inexplicably irritable during Jing Ciying’s absence, a constant frustration simmering within him.
The moment Jing Ciying entered, the frustration began to fade.
He realized he had acted too hastily.
He hadn’t intended to fire Jing Ciying. He had simply become too reliant on him and wanted to create some distance, to adjust to life without him constantly by his side. The business trip had been an excuse.
He hadn’t anticipated such a strong reaction to the separation.
The more uncomfortable he felt, the more alarmed he became.
He had become accustomed to Jing Ciying’s presence.
Like the roots of a plant, removing him would be disruptive, even damaging.
He shouldn’t have rushed things.
“Mr. Pei…”
Jing Ciying spoke.
Pei Songji, anticipating his question, said, “Your workload has been too heavy. From today onwards, Secretary Liang will assist you.”
Jing Ciying understood. He was to train Liang.
Once Liang was proficient, it would likely be his time to leave.
A wave of sadness washed over him, but he maintained a neutral expression. His mind raced, searching for new job prospects.
Pei Songji hadn’t fired him yet; he still had time.
But how much time?
Life returned to a semblance of normalcy, but something had shifted.
Subtly, almost imperceptibly, Pei Songji seemed to be avoiding him.
Jing Ciying knew this was a sign, a gentle nudge towards resignation. But he pretended not to notice, continuing his work and training Liang.
But Pei Songji was a difficult boss to please, so Liang struggled, and Jing Ciying often found himself stepping in.
Pei Group was working on a major contract. Jing Ciying hadn’t been directly involved, but he saw the increasing hours Pei Songji was putting in, a clear indication of its importance.
With Liang as backup, he didn’t have to work late every night.
But he wasn’t idle, spending his evenings searching for jobs and sending out resumes.
After weeks of negotiations, the main points of the contract were finalized. Today was the day to iron out the details.
Liang wasn’t ready for such a high-stakes meeting, so Jing Ciying accompanied Pei Songji to Huaisi Group, their potential partner.
The other party also seemed to attach great importance to this collaboration. Someone was waiting for them as they arrived.
They took a private elevator to the 24th floor and entered the meeting room.
The room was already filled with people. To Jing Ciying’s surprise, Ji Shuhuai was sitting at the head of the table.
Before he could react, Ji Shuhuai approached them.
“Mr. Pei.”
“Mr. Ji.”
Jing Ciying was about to echo Pei Songji’s greeting when Ji Shuhuai looked at him, a warm smile on his face.
“Long time no see, Xiaoying.”
