Chapter 118 I Am Also Me (VI) I observe floating, as the universe observes me...
Two years later.
A sunny afternoon.
Zhang Deng was holding Xiao Mi and dozing off at his workstation with his eyes closed. Duoduo's alarm clock rang next to him. She was taking a nap at her desk with her head buried in it, her hair a mess. When she turned off the alarm clock, Zhang Deng also woke up.
Duoduo stretched and sat in the office chair to wake up.
The sun shone on Zhang Deng's face. He had grown his hair back and had it permed. Time seemed to have stopped for him, and he was still exactly the same as when he first entered society. Duoduo lay on the table, turned to look at Zhang Deng, and said, "You're reporting this afternoon, right?"
"Well," Zhang Deng said, "what's wrong?"
Duoduo said, "Boss Qi asked me to listen and learn how to present a PPT."
"Would you like to learn how to be flashy and superficial?" Zhang Deng woke up the computer screen and entered the working state seamlessly. The screen was full of colorful manuscript marks. He tapped on the keyboard and made a few annotations.
Duoduo said, "Excuse me, how old are you?"
"You're 29 years old," Zhang Deng asked. "Why, do you want to arrange a blind date for me?"
"I just thought that you never seem to be in love." Duoduo said.
Zhang Deng blankly sent back several drafts, edited a series of hypocritical emails, and then said, "You haven't talked about it either."
"Are you waiting for me?" Duoduo was horrified when she thought about it.
Zhang Deng glanced at her, and Duoduo immediately realized her mistake and said, "Okay, okay."
Xiao Mi lay beside Zhang Deng's hand. It was already an old cat. Sometimes it would urinate randomly or have diarrhea. When Zhang Deng was not busy, he would bring it to his workstation. Xiao Mi would be in much better condition when being with Zhang Deng.
Qi Lin walked out of the office and left in a hurry. After a while, he came back and asked Zhang Deng, "Are you busy tonight?"
Zhang Deng: “No.”
"Come out for dinner with me," Qi Lin said, "and I'll count it as overtime for you."
Zhang Deng stretched out a finger.
"A thousand dollars?"
Zhang Deng said, "You already owe me almost a hundred hours of compensatory leave."
A thousand dollars is nothing.
Qi Lin: “…”
He was speechless for a long time, then said, "Then you adjust it."
"You'll start your break tomorrow," Zhang Deng said, "so you better be prepared."
Qi Lin touched Xiao Mi and said with emotion: "I still miss the time when we first met, when everyone was so reserved and polite."
Duoduo said, "He clearly called you sick on the first day."
Qi Lin rested his arm on his workstation, which was lit by a lamp, and said, "How about this, don't take all the time off at once. I'll give you a week off, and we'll convert the rest into bonuses. A country can't be without a ruler for a day."
Duoduo: "Who is the boss?"
"It could be him," Qi Lin said, "Am I not a puppet emperor?"
After Qi Lin left, Duoduo said, "I think he even wants to give you XXX."
"That's disgusting," Zhang Deng said. "Don't say that next time."
At night, Zhang Deng was waiting for Qi Lin in the underground garage. Qi Lin arrived late and said, "Sorry, sorry, the accountant stopped me just now."
Over the course of two years, they moved offices, added a dozen employees, and expanded their business. Qi Lin became busier, but his income clearly didn't increase significantly. Costs piled up, and the pressure snowballed. Qi Lin's gym time was replaced by socializing, and he gained ten pounds in two years, a feat he managed to maintain.
Zhang Deng waved his car keys and asked, "Whose car are you driving?"
"I always forget," Qi Lin slapped his forehead, "You bought a car."
Zhang Deng bought a second-hand sports car. Before the novelty wore off, Qi Lin said, "Your car is beautiful. It won't break down along the way, will it?"
"Maybe," Zhang Deng said, "you should drive yours."
The boss sat in the back seat, driving with the lights on. Qi Lin suddenly remembered and asked, "Where's Xiao Mi?"
"I went back to deliver it this afternoon." Zhang Deng's driving skills were good enough now, and he wasn't panicking on the road. He skillfully drove the car out of the underground garage. He heard Qi Lin say, "I advised you not to buy that car. The cost of repairing it is more expensive than the purchase price."
Zhang Deng said, "It's cheap."
Qi Lin: "You earn too little?"
Zhang Deng was very cautious: "That's all my life money."
"I know," Qi Lin said, "I didn't say anything else. I meant you don't have to be so frugal. You've been wearing these clothes for two years, right?"
Zhang Deng: "Wrong, three years."
Qi Lin said: "I'll give you two."
"No need," Zhang Deng said, "I prefer exquisite pieces."
Qi Lin: "Why do I feel like you are so cold to me now?"
"Really?" Zhang Deng stepped on the brakes, looked at the red light ahead, leaned back, and said, "I think you're a little sensitive."
"Okay," Qi Lin said without hesitation, "You don't have to drink too much today. Just listen to me. If we can poop, we'll poop. If not, I'll go back and bite my dad."
Zhang Deng: "I'm really worried about your father's health."
Qi Lin: "He has bad luck. There's nothing I can do about it. Who made him end up with me?"
Qi Lin was always humorous and good at making jokes. Soon they arrived at the place, which was a high-standard restaurant that mainly served Cantonese cuisine. The menu was pushed back and forth, and Qi Lin said, "Hey, why are you all so polite? I've already ordered twelve dishes. Come on, everyone, order more."
He handed the menu to Zhang Deng, who took it and ordered crab without hesitation, saying, "It's rare for a stingy guy to be so stingy, so everyone give him some face."
Everyone laughed. The table was full of young people, and someone ordered two more dishes. Qi Lin said, "It's not good to have an odd number. Waiter, can your chef make something like that? Stir-fried beef."
The waiter said, "I'll go ask."
Zhang Deng: "Oh, no need."
The manager behind him suddenly popped up and said, "Sure, we can make it. Our chef is the best at making this dish."
A woman said, "Mr. Qi loves to eat this."
"Some people like it," Qi Lin said vaguely, "I've eaten it twice and I think it's really good."
"Boss Qi, you're already such a big boss," someone said, "Why are you still bringing a boy out? Isn't your family worried?"
"Are you talking about my father?" Qi Lin didn't care much. "He has a bad life."
Zhang Deng said, "Boss Qi is a rare talent, so of course the old man is not worried. It's only someone like me who is neither high nor low that my parents would worry about."
"You're not a kid anymore."
"After my birthday, I'll be thirty," Zhang Deng said, "I don't even dare to go home."
Zhang Deng hurriedly said, "If you have a suitable girl, please introduce her to me. It would be a life-saving favor."
The topic was thus diverted away from Qi Lin. Qi Lin glanced at Zhang Deng. Zhang Deng was very good at being humble and getting along with everyone. Qi Lin discovered this later. In fact, Zhang Deng had both sufficient IQ and EQ.
Qi Lin sometimes wondered if his jokes with him were also a way of currying favor.
As time went by, more and more eyes were cast on him, and Qi Lin himself felt boring.
This was a job of attracting sponsors, so Qi Lin and Zhang Deng worked on both fronts. They said not to worry too much, but they were actually gathering their strength in their hearts, trying their best to win over the sponsors, issuing military orders, flattering them, and serving them obediently.
After drinking until past eleven o'clock, Zhang Deng called designated drivers for all the bosses one by one. Qi Lin and he had both drunk a little too much, and they stood at the door of the hotel with unsteady steps to see them off one by one.
After seeing off the last one, Zhang Deng said, "You can go too, Mr. Qi."
Qi Lin asked, "What about you?"
"I'm sending you home?" Zhang Deng said with a look of "are you crazy?" "Of course I'm going home to sleep."
Qi Lin said: "What I mean is, I'll just take you back."
"No," Zhang Deng said, "I've seen your face too many times today. I need some quiet time."
"Is it interesting?" Qi Lin suddenly said.
Zhang Deng glanced at him in the darkness.
Qi Lin said, "I mean well. Is it annoying if you keep saying this? I don't think I'm annoying you that much, so why do you keep talking like this?"
"Oh," Zhang Deng said, "I'm sorry."
Qi Lin: "I know you don't mean that, but it's really annoying that you always talk like that."
Zhang Deng said, "That's actually what I meant."
"I don't think it's good to get too close to you," Zhang Deng said without emotion. "My colleagues would find it strange too."
"You're drunk, so I just asked the designated driver to take you home," Qi Lin sneered. "Does that sound weird? Does that count as being close?"
Zhang Deng didn't answer.
Qi Lin said: "Do you think I'm a bootlicker?"
"Can't you get over this?" Qi Lin rubbed his head and said, "I told you I like you, but you rejected me, didn't you? Can't you get along with me properly? Just because I like you."
The wind flowed silently between the two people.
After an unknown amount of time, Qi Lin didn't want to pursue the issue anymore, and Zhang Deng suddenly spoke.
"Um."
"It can't be the same as before," Zhang Deng said. "I don't know how to get along with you anymore."
Qi Lin found it ridiculous. He kicked the road pole and cursed cowardly, "Fuck you."
In the night, he saw Zhang Deng standing under the street light, the neon night light shining on his thin figure. He was lonely, thin, stubborn and beautiful. Qi Lin questioned himself, even from the deepest part of his heart, he did not hate him at all.
Zhang Deng is so exciting that Qi Lin can't even find a replacement for him in this era of such homogeneity.
"I admit that I still have some evil intentions towards you." Qi Lin said helplessly.
Zhang Deng: "I see."
"Let me ask you a question," Qi Lin said, "What are you thinking? Are you trying to keep me hanging, or are you really not interested in me? Is there no hope at all?"
Zhang Deng said, "No chance."
"Why?"
Qi Lin asked, "What's wrong with me?"
Qi Lin thought that he was in pretty good shape. Not only did he come from a wealthy family, he was also ambitious, had a good figure, and looked decent. Qi Lin had never been rejected so thoroughly before.
Zhang Deng said, "I don't like your type."
"What type am I?"
"So handsome," Zhang Deng said, "smart and rich. I don't like that."
Qi Lin: "Are you human?"
Zhang Deng smiled and said, "Anyway, I don't like this."
"If you're sick, just go get treatment, okay?" Qi Lin asked, "Are you talking like a human being?"
"I'm not lying to you," Zhang Deng said, "and I don't really want to be in a relationship right now. It's boring."
"Then what's interesting? Is it interesting to go home and raise a cat?"
Zhang Deng didn't really know how to answer this question. He felt like nothing was interesting. He said, "It's hard for me to find anything interesting anymore, but the price of falling in love is too high. I can't afford that price anymore."
"Have you been through anything?"
"Not bad," Zhang Deng raised his wrist to check his watch and said calmly, "The designated driver is almost here. Let's get in the car. I'll go back with you."
But Qi Lin rarely spoke openly. He grabbed Zhang Deng's wrist and said, "Let's make this clear today."
"How do I explain it clearly?" Zhang Deng suddenly asked him. His gaze was calm, and his question left Qi Lin speechless. "If I explain it clearly, will you stop liking me?"
Zhang Deng said, "If I tell you there's no hope for the two of us, will you give up?"
Qi Lin said: "Can you at least tell me why? How was I eliminated?"
"I can't explain it," Zhang Deng said. "I don't know why I don't want to accept you."
Zhang Deng asked, "How can you explain feelings clearly? Have you ever been in love? Can you figure out who's right and who's wrong every time we break up?"
"Is this a lawsuit?" Zhang Deng asked. "It's all black and white, love or hate. Don't you have any middle ground?"
Qi Lin: “…”
Qi Lin sighed, took a puff of his cigarette, and shook his head, "You have such a bad mouth."
"Just think of it as me mourning for my last relationship," Zhang Deng said, feeling exhausted. "Give me a cigarette."
He took a cigarette from Qi Lin's cigarette box, and Qi Lin lit it for him. Zhang Deng blew out a puff of smoke and said, "It's so fucking tiring."
Qi Lin laughed and said, "This is the first time I've heard you swear."
"I'm quite pretentious."
The designated driver arrived, and Zhang Deng waved and greeted him. Qi Lin handed the keys to the driver and said to him, "Please wait until we finish this."
Qi Lin: "Please give me a chance. I really can't stand it anymore. You hang around me every day, but I can see you but can't touch you. It's too much suffering."
"Isn't your novel being proofread?" Qi Lin said, "Just break the contract and let my father's company publish it. They have recommended spots in bookstores and guarantee it will be a hit."
Qi Lin looked at Zhang Deng's expression and said guiltily, "Don't think I'm shameless. There's nothing wrong with fighting for my own happiness, right?"
Zhang Deng said, "Put away your magical powers, Great Sage."
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