Qian Xiaoke said he was unhappy, but the smile on his face never stopped.
Jiang Tongyan said, “You’re really something—getting the benefits and still acting coy.”
‘Boss’s wife’ Qian Xiaoke straightened up, put on a serious expression, and said, “No, I’m genuinely worried.”
“I can’t tell,” Jiang Tongyan said. “You look pretty happy to me.”
Qian Xiaoke was grinning so wide his gums were almost showing. He had already started planning how he would deal with everyone calling him ‘boss’s wife’ once he got to the office the next day.
However, his expectations fell flat.
No one called him ‘boss’s wife’. Instead, several people crowded over and asked, “Xiaoke, how did you manage to win over Chairman Jiang?”
That immediately displeased Qian Xiaoke. “Why does it have to be me chasing him? Couldn’t he be the one chasing me?”
A coworker narrowed their eyes. “You are cute, sure, but someone like Chairman Jiang—a domineering CEO who’s seen the world—he must’ve seen plenty of cute people. Seems unlikely. Very unlikely.”
“Why is it unlikely?!” Qian Xiaoke pouted. “He was the one who chased me!”
After vaguely brushing off his coworkers, Qian Xiaoke sat there and began to reflect seriously on the development of his love story with Jiang Tongyan.
Who had chased whom first?
Who had fallen for whom first?
Qian Xiaoke puffed his cheeks and held his chin to think about life, and then he was called into the office by Cheng Sen.
The office area upstairs had finished renovations and would be put into use after New Year’s Day. Cheng Sen had called Qian Xiaoke over to discuss a job transfer—from this floor to the one upstairs.
From working in front of Cheng Sen…to working in front of Jiang Tongyan.
To be honest, Cheng Sen was rather reluctant. Qian Xiaoke had worked here for many years and had always done well. He was diligent, reliable, and quick-witted, and he was extremely well-suited for the job. Handing such a capable employee over to Jiang Tongyan just like that felt a bit wasteful.
Still, reluctant or not, he had been the one to bring it up first. A man had to keep his word.
Cheng Sen said, “After New Year’s Day, the upstairs offices will officially be in use. Tongyan’s side is hiring new staff, and there’s no suitable candidate for the front desk.”
He then played a small tactical move. “I figured I would see what you want. If you’re willing, you can go upstairs and help him. If you feel it’s inconvenient, you can stay here.”
He took a sip of tea and said in a very official manner, “After all, you’re one of our company’s outstanding employees. Any position transfer should prioritise your own wishes.”
What Cheng Sen was thinking was: if Qian Xiaoke didn’t want to go, he could reasonably keep him.
But how could Qian Xiaoke possibly be unwilling?
After hearing Cheng Sen out, Qian Xiaoke put on an affected, shy act. “Oh, but Old Jiang and I… oh dear…”
“You don’t want to?” Cheng Sen saw hope. “Then—”
“No!” Qian Xiaoke hurried to explain. “I’m not unwilling at all. I just got shy for a moment.”
Alright then.
Cheng Sen really should have expected this from the two of them.
“Okay, then it’s settled,” Cheng Sen said, reminding him, “But I still have to say this—although our company doesn’t prohibit office relationships, the two of you should… well, watch your boundaries.”
Cheng Sen was very serious when he said this.
Recently, he had noticed that the two of them were being a bit too clingy.
Jiang Tongyan was shameless enough to post intimate photos of the two of them on his Moments every day. At first, Cheng Sen had been puzzled—weren’t they supposed to be keeping things secret? Why was he posting photos so openly?
Only later did he learn that Jiang Tongyan had learned how to set up audience groups in Moments. Every time he posted, aside from himself and Qian Xiaoke, only two people could see them—Cheng Sen and Shen Huiming.
Childish. Extremely childish. He had never seen someone so childish at thirty years old.
Cheng Sen really wanted to complain—people like Jiang Tongyan deserved to be complained about for a thousand and one nights.
“Don’t worry, Chairman Cheng, really, don’t worry!” Qian Xiaoke raised his hand and swore to the heavens, making solemn promises. “We will absolutely control ourselves. Even though I’m a beauty, I will not be a femme fatale! Please rest assured!”
A beauty?
A femme fatale?
Cheng Sen looked at Qian Xiaoke and smiled faintly. “Alright. I’ll try.”
I’ll try to be reassured, but it’s not very promising.
Feeling extremely pleased, the so-called beauty turned femme fatale Qian Xiaoke returned to his seat and even began imagining various indecent scenarios of himself and Jiang Tongyan in different corners upstairs.
After finishing his daydream, Qian Xiaoke blushed and fell into self-reproach.
Qian Xiaoke, how could you think like that? You must love your job and respect your work. You absolutely cannot do such obscene, vulgar, shameful things in the workplace!
He took a deep breath and corrected his attitude.
After all, he was the boss’s wife now. He had to act like one.
==============
‘Boss’s wife’ Qian Xiaoke had a wonderful Christmas. While the other single coworkers went out for a group dinner, he went on a sweet date hand in hand with his boyfriend.
From the very beginning, the relationship between Jiang Tongyan and Qian Xiaoke had never followed the usual path. They had never really gone on a proper date, and Jiang Tongyan felt that simply wouldn’t do. If others had it, his Qian Xiaoke had to have it too. A cool, flashy, luxurious date—arrange it immediately.
Originally, Jiang Tongyan had planned to let Qian Xiaoke choose the restaurant, but then he suddenly realised that if he did, there was a good chance their Christmas would end up being spent in a snail noodle shop. He promptly abandoned the idea.
He would arrange this date and take Qian Xiaoke out to properly ‘see the world’.
So after work, Jiang Tongyan wrapped an arm around his ‘little darling wife’ and swaggered out of the office building, openly showing off their affection as if no one else existed.
Qian Xiaoke said, “Old Jiang, you know, here in China, when people are gay, they usually aren’t this open.”
“So what?” Jiang Tongyan shot him a sideways glance. “What does it have to do with me whether they’re open or not?”
Qian Xiaoke poked him. “I just mean people usually keep a low profile.”
“Then let them keep a low profile.” Standing by the roadside, Jiang Tongyan waved down a car. “I’ll be able to pick up my car the day after tomorrow. After that, we won’t have to take taxis to work every day.”
He raised an eyebrow at Qian Xiaoke and smiled. “The gas money gets reimbursed by Cheng Sen.”
Qian Xiaoke blinked. “Isn’t that kind of like fleecing the company?”
“I raised this sheep myself. What’s wrong with shearing a bit of wool?” Jiang Tongyan opened the car door and let him get in. “You need to start adjusting your mindset now.”
“What mindset?” Qian Xiaoke fell silent, calculating in his head. He felt this couldn’t go on forever. Ever since they got together, it seemed he had been constantly taking advantage of Jiang Tongyan.
Living in his rented apartment, using his car, and soon even taking a salary paid by him.
Qian Xiaoke understood that Jiang Tongyan did all this because he liked him, but he still felt uneasy accepting it so readily.
Since childhood, his parents had taught him not to owe others. Even in a romantic relationship, giving and receiving should be equal. Qian Xiaoke truly couldn’t accept all this with a clear conscience.
For days now, he had been thinking about what he could do to respond to Jiang Tongyan’s efforts.
But he was honestly confused.
Jiang Tongyan was better than him in every way and lacked nothing. Aside from love, what else could he possibly give?
Qian Xiaoke felt incredibly foolish. He felt so foolish that he couldn’t even handle something like this, and it made him feel miserable.
“What are you thinking about?” Jiang Tongyan noticed his distraction and thought he might be hungry. “It’s not far. Hang in there a bit longer. Eat more later.”
Qian Xiaoke tilted his head to look at him and nodded heavily, full of worry.
Jiang Tongyan had been quite busy lately. The two of them rarely went out to eat. Even when they did, it was usually just a simple late-night snack at a small restaurant downstairs from their place.
He found it refreshing. Late at night, wrapped in coats, the two of them would run downstairs to eat a bowl of noodles. It felt full of everyday charm.
He realised that he had already adapted to Qian Xiaoke’s way of life—frugal, careful, treating everything and everyone seriously.
Growing up, Jiang Tongyan had always been extravagant with money. Having never lacked money, he had no real concept of ‘saving’. And precisely because of that, he rarely felt an intense desire for anything, because if he wanted something, he could easily get it.
After getting together with Qian Xiaoke, Jiang Tongyan felt that he had drawn closer to real life.
Still, after walking close to the ground for a while, he wanted to take the one he loved up into the sky for a bit.
Qian Xiaoke had taken Jiang Tongyan to ‘see the world’ in his own way, and Jiang Tongyan also wanted Qian Xiaoke to experience things he’d never experienced before.
He wanted to lay out everything good in front of Qian Xiaoke and let him choose freely.
Back when they had just gotten together, Jiang Tongyan had proudly said to him with his tail practically in the air, “Comrade Qian Xiaoke, you’ve now latched onto a rich man. You can spend freely. If there’s anything you’ve always wanted but couldn’t afford, say the word—this rich man will make your wish come true!”
But Qian Xiaoke’s response back then had shocked Jiang Tongyan so much that his jaw nearly dropped.
Qian Xiaoke had said, “I don’t want you to help me fulfil my wishes.”
At the time, Qian Xiaoke was naked, curled lazily in Jiang Tongyan’s arms. He yawned languidly like a little cat and snuggled closer.
“Why?” Jiang Tongyan asked.
Poking Jiang Tongyan’s belly button, Qian Xiaoke said, “You’re not Santa Claus. I’m not with you to collect gifts or have my wishes granted.”
“I know,” Jiang Tongyan said. “I just feel like now that you have me, you can have whatever you want.”
Qian Xiaoke looked at him and smiled. “Nope.”
Smiling sweetly, Qian Xiaoke climbed onto Jiang Tongyan and pressed him down until Jiang Tongyan let out an ‘ow’.
Qian Xiaoke said, “You’re here to satisfy my desire for love, not my material desires. The things I want, I’ll work hard to earn myself. I don’t want to rely on you.”
Jiang Tongyan was a lover, not a tool for making wishes come true.
Qian Xiaoke was very clear about that.
Still, many things really couldn’t be avoided, simply because the gap between them in so many aspects was too wide.
At this moment, the two of them sat in the taxi as countless Santas passed by outside the window, handing out small gifts to pedestrians.
Qian Xiaoke said, “Oh right, I also prepared a gift for you.”
Jiang Tongyan was a little surprised. “Aren’t you the reindeer? Giving Christmas presents is Santa’s job.”
“The reindeer also wants to give his Santa a present!” Qian Xiaoke said. “I’ll give it to you when we get home tonight. You’re not allowed to dislike it!”
Jiang Tongyan smiled at him and pinched his little nose. “I’ll think about it and decide depending on the situation!”
Even though he said that, even if Qian Xiaoke only bought Jiang Tongyan a pair of three-yuan socks, Jiang Tongyan would treasure them like a priceless heirloom.
Love really did make people blind.
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