Chapter 072　 You're way too pathetic.

  *

  Summer break was approaching in Japan. In the office, the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant as everyone discussed their holiday plans.

  A video conference had just ended, and Su Xian was disconnecting her laptop from the large screen. Zhao Nanfeng said, "I heard you and Li Chengshi are going to Karuizawa to escape the heat. Take me with you, won't you?"

  Su Xian gave a cold laugh. "Are you insane?"

  "I heard the villa you booked has a tennis court. Li Chengshi doesn't know how to play, so if I go, we can have a few matches."

  "I can teach him. Do you even understand the joy of the 'nurturing' type of relationship?"

  "Heh, aren't you my 'representative work' yourself?"

  Su Xian clenched her fists, making her knuckles crack loudly.

  Zhao Nanfeng immediately raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'll stop."

  Su Xian continued packing her things. He had been relatively well-behaved lately, and besides, she couldn't just hit him all the time.

  "Can't you show some concern for how a lonely old man like me spends his summer break?"

  "Stop joking; you have a girlfriend." It wasn't that she didn't care; she was just afraid that showing concern would invite trouble.

  "She’s going to South Korea with friends for the holiday—concerts, fangirling, and some cosmetic procedures."

  "Oh, so you've been dumped."

  "Stop gloating. She invited me, but I wasn't interested in going. I did, however, pay for the flights and hotels for both of them."

  Su Xian gave him a thumb-up, then picked up her laptop and drawings, ready to leave.

  "I’m not finished yet." Zhao Nanfeng signaled for her to sit back down.

  *

  Su Xian sat with her arms full of materials. "Say whatever you have to say, and make it quick."

  He crossed his hands, looking hesitant.

  "Seriously? Since when did you become so reserved? That’s not your style."

  "I think," he said, sounding like it was hard to voice, "I’m being played by her."

  Su Xian looked at him with a question mark on her face.

  "The other day, she was on the phone with a friend and accidentally hit the speakerphone. I was wearing headphones listening to a technical lecture, but it happened during a break, so I heard everything clearly. I recognized the voice on the other end. It was Kobayashi Ria, a girl I dated three years ago."

  "So your two girlfriends know each other? What’s so strange about that?"

  "It’s not just that they know each other. I observed carefully afterward and figured out her passcode. While she was in the bathroom, I peeked at their chat history. I discovered that her applying to Towa Design was actually Kobayashi Ria’s recommendation. She told her that the boss is handsome, good in bed, willing to spend money, and introduces jobs and connections—plus, he has zero possessiveness, never gets jealous, and breakups are decent; you might even get a severance fee."

  Su Xian burst into laughter, so hard that the top drawing slid off her pile. "Your reputation is excellent. I'm proud of you."

  Zhao Nanfeng remained silent.

  "Why the melancholy? Who cares how she got here? She’s young and beautiful, she provides the value you need, and she satisfies you. Isn't that enough?"

  "That may be true, but I saw her send that video you took of us on Shodoshima to Kobayashi Ria. The two of them even critiqued my kissing technique..."

  "What did they say?" Su Xian put her things back on the table, her gossip instincts fully piqued.

  "It was all positive reviews, but I still feel a chill down my spine."

  "Why?"

  "I didn't have time to scroll further, but I bet they definitely discuss that topic too..."

  "What are you afraid of? Isn't that your strength?"

  "True, I'm not worried about them giving me low marks, but I don't want to be analyzed frame-by-frame, with them saying my moves are just 'routines,' you know?"

  "Are you telling me you’ve never critiqued your female partners with your so-called 'bad influence' friends?"

  "I swear I haven't. My choices are basically within the professional circle; even Ono Mari was an architecture graduate, which is why we hit it off. Fujikawa Koki said they have a small circle where they price those kinds of girls like commodities. He invited me to join once, but I refused."

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  Su Xian shrugged. "How noble of you."

  "Don't be sarcastic."

  "So, do you want some comfort from me?"

  "Go ahead."

  "The reason you feel uncomfortable is that you’ve projected yourself as the commodity in the eyes of people like Fujikawa. You feel watched and judged, and your ego is bruised. But in reality, the two are completely different."

  "How so?" He looked expectant, hoping Su Xian could solve his dilemma.

  "The moguls treat gold-diggers like commodities, so they pay to buy. But you? You pay to sell yourself. You're way too pathetic."

  He should have known nothing good would come out of her mouth. Zhao Nanfeng’s face fell. "Get out."

  "Don't be angry, Boss. I'm leaving right now." She grabbed her pile of things and walked out of the meeting room with a beaming smile.

  **

  Li Chengshi met her and took the items from her hands. "Why so happy?"

  "Wait until we have dinner at home tonight. I’ll give you all the juicy details."

  Seeing there was gossip, he smiled and organized the materials.

  "By the way, did you tell the Boss we’re going to Karuizawa?"

  "He asked, so I told him. But I didn't tell him Honda-san is coming with us, so he wouldn't feel like we’re intentionally excluding him."

  "Baby, you're so smart."

  **

  August 12th marked the one-year anniversary of Su Xian and Li Chengshi’s arrival in Japan. To avoid the peak traffic, they hit the road early in the morning. They picked up Honda at the agreed location and sang along to the radio all the way. The vacation atmosphere was incredibly thick as they drove into the lush greenery of Karuizawa.

  Crossing a babbling brook, the car entered a quiet villa area. Due to local building codes, each villa maintained a certain distance from the others, and height limits kept them below the tree line. As a result, the villas looked like little cottages hidden in a fairytale forest.

  Su Xian drove the final stretch. She slowed down, soaking in the breath of nature. The sunlight filtering through the leaves moved through the woods like wandering sprites, making everything so pleasant. Meanwhile, Honda and Li Chengshi were like kids at a safari park, shouting "Monkeys! Monkeys!" and "Deer! Deer!"—excited like two elementary schoolers.

  *

  After picking up the keys to Villa C22 and a list of precautions from the management office, they drove another two kilometers to their destination.

  It was a rustic two-story wooden villa with two parking spots in front, a BBQ grill in the back, and three bicycles provided for them.

  After settling their luggage, they went to the supermarket. Since it wasn't very close, they bought a large quantity of food all at once. For the next few days, they planned to stay in the villa, watch movies, play cards, cook delicious meals, listen to the wind, and look at the trees—enjoying true leisure.

  *

  The second floor had a bedroom and a living room with a huge terrace. Honda said she would definitely give a heads-up before coming up to ensure Su Xian and Li Chengshi could use the space "freely and uninhibitedly." She really was a considerate girl.

  It was after 10:00 PM when they finished the movie, but they weren't sleepy at all. The night breeze was a bit chilly, so Li Chengshi brought a large sheet and wrapped himself and Su Xian together. They sat on the terrace bench, watching the stars.

  "Team Leader." He leaned against her softly.

  "What is it, baby?"

  "Thank you for letting me live such a good life."

  "It didn't cost that much."

  "How is that possible? If I had to spend my own salary, I wouldn't be able to bear playing like this."

  "Hmph, then make sure to repay me properly in a bit."

  "That’s for sure. And besides that, I want to say—I want to take another step forward in my career. You’ve taught me so much this year, and now I’ve completely transitioned into design. So, next year, I want to challenge the Architect exam. Would you be willing to tutor me?"

  "No," Su Xian refused flatly.

  *