NOVEL NEXT Chapter 29 - Scumbag at the Crematorium (2)
While Xiao Tang was busy cursing, He Dongchen had already arrived at the company.
Wang Hao, the assistant of the original owner, greeted him and briefly reported a few things before the meeting began.
The He Group operates extensively, involving media, technology, real estate, and other industries, with more than a dozen subsidiary companies of various sizes.
Considering such a large operation, it was understandable how busy He Dongchen was as the CEO.
2 hours later, the meeting ended, and a group of men in suits left the conference room noisily. He Dongchen walked in the central position, surrounded by his colleagues.
Turning to the door of an office, He Dongchen left the group under the watchful eyes of everyone. Wang Hao, as the assistant, followed and closed the door.
“President He, the house has been sorted out and can be transferred at any time. However, Miss Xiao hasn’t contacted me yet.”
He Dongchen, who had just undergone a brainstorming session, was stunned for a moment, then coldly said, “No need.”
Wang Hao was shocked and asked incredulously, “Why? Weren’t you preparing three houses as compensation?” Originally, it was two houses, then a villa was added. Wang Hao didn’t understand why President He suddenly changed his mind.
“I don’t want to give them. Is that not allowed?” He Dongchen glanced at him with a half-smile.
Wang Hao’s rationality told him to stop, but he couldn’t control himself and pressed on, “Why change your mind? After all, Miss Xiao has been with you for 3 years. Isn’t it a bit unkind to do that?”
He Dongchen slowly walked around to the back of the desk, sat in the swivel chair, looked up at him, and slightly opened his thin lips, “Are you teaching me how to do things?”
“…I wouldn’t dare.” Wang Hao squeezed out these two words.
“If you wouldn’t dare, then get out.”
“Yes.” Wang Hao left the office with a tense body and only realized he was drenched in sweat after closing the door.
Inside, He Dongchen tapped the desk absentmindedly, then picked up the phone and dialed the personnel department, succinctly saying, “Hire me an assistant.”
“Yes.” The person on the other end replied, their heart racing after hanging up. All six of the President’s assistant positions were filled. Why suddenly hire a new one? Did one of the special assistants anger the President?
As the chief assistant and a prominent figure beside the CEO, Wang Hao knew many people in the company. He quickly learned about President He’s intention to hire a new assistant and couldn’t help but tremble, feeling a sense of foreboding.
Did I just cross the line?
Wang Hao felt both scared and a bit aggrieved. Because President He didn’t care for Xiao Tang, over the past 3 years, Xiao Tang would communicate with President He through Wang Hao. For instance, she would ask him to relay messages like, ‘I’ve prepared a meal, when will you be home?’ or ‘Today is my birthday, can you come back to accompany me?’ and many more such requests.
Even though Wang Hao was a man, he felt heartbroken witnessing that. Seeing President He’s indifferent demeanor, he felt it was unfair to Xiao Tang.
With those thoughts in mind, he couldn’t help but lean towards Xiao Tang a bit. When he suddenly learned about the cancellation of the compensation, he instinctively asked a few questions.
Now, with a harsh wake-up call, Wang Hao suddenly realized what he was doing! Feeling sorry for someone else? I should first pity myself and worry about losing my job.
Wang Hao regretted it deeply, stopped mentioning Xiao Tang, and worked hard to try to salvage his reputation.
However, reality was cruel.
Some things couldn’t be fixed just because he wanted to. Within a short month, he was pushed out of the core team and gradually marginalized. Although he wasn’t fired, the feeling of being sidelined was extremely uncomfortable.
When the new assistant arrived, Wang Hao received a subtle hint from the HR manager.
Wang Hao couldn’t accept this outcome. In a moment of impulsiveness, he stormed into He Dongchen’s office.
“President, I’m sorry! I was wrong! Please give me another chance!”
The secretary who followed him looked troubled. “If you continue like this, we’ll have to call security.”
He Dongchen shifted his attention from the document and looked at Wang Hao, whose face was flushed. He said calmly, “I don’t welcome people who can’t separate personal and professional matters.”
Wang Hao’s face turned pale, and his lips trembled. Realizing there was no room for negotiation, he was pulled out by the secretary.
He Dongchen remained indifferent. In the adult world, there was no hysteria, only silent endurance.
Tearing one’s face off might bring momentary satisfaction, but it also brings a series of troubles.
Wang Hao was indeed a proper assistant, playing the role of a helper in the original story. After the divorce, aside from feeling temporarily unaccustomed, the original owner had already slowly forgotten Xiao Tang. After all, a couple who hadn’t slept in the same room for 3 years wouldn’t have much to get used to.
Wang Hao occasionally revealed what Xiao Tang was up to, or whom she was rumored to be having an affair with. This piqued He Dongchen’s curiosity.
After all, men tend to be possessive by nature.
Even if Xiao Tang was just a former wife in name, there was still a natural sense of possessiveness. When the original owner learned that Xiao Tang was living a vibrant life after the divorce and was involved in various scandals with different men, his possessiveness flared up. He went from secretly keeping tabs on her to helping her solve problems, and from there, he gradually became entangled.
He Dongchen didn’t want to be constantly updated about Xiao Tang, so he decisively fired Wang Hao.
With no one to disturb him, the office returned to its quiet state, and He Dongchen continued his work.
***
The system popped up on the computer, diligently working as well. [Boss, there’s a new special item in the mall, an intelligent butler! It can help manage your work, so you won’t have to be busy anymore. You can be a CEO who spends every day in romance!]
He Dongchen elegantly rolled his eyes. “Why not come up with an item that helps me stay alive?”
The system choked.
“Work is such an interesting thing,” He Dongchen said, quickly scanning a document and signing his name with a flourish. “I like working; work makes me happy!”
The system fell silent, sobbing internally. The boss’s persona was so unpredictable. In the last world, he spent his life idling, going to great lengths to ensure the old Emperor lived a long life just to avoid the burden of being an emperor himself. How did he turn into a workaholic in this life?
It was frustrating!
The system vented its frustrations to its fellow companions.
But the companions just thought it was showing off.
Not worrying about failing tasks, not worrying about a troublesome host, just getting by with acting cute and pitiful and raking in tons of achievements; What more could it want? What more could you want!!!
The system logged off amidst a flood of complaints.
Watching the boss seriously at work, it couldn’t help but smile foolishly.
As it approached lunchtime, the assistant came in to remind him, “You have an appointment with President Gu from Anxin Materials for lunch.”
He Dongchen looked up from his complex work, relaxed his eyebrows, stood up, and put on his vintage plaid suit jacket, slowly buttoning it. He asked, “Have the flowers I ordered arrived?”
The assistant smiled, “They’re already in the car.”
“Good, thank you,” He Dongchen said casually. He strode towards the elevator, taking long steps.
Employees nodded respectfully along the way, thinking to themselves that the President seemed a bit happy today. Although his face remained as impassive as ever, his pace was quicker, and he didn’t appear to be rushing for urgent matters but rather seemed to be heading to a date.
Some informed employees couldn’t help but gossip internally. Wasn’t the President just recently divorced from his secret wife? And now he’s already in a new relationship?
Sure enough, a scumbag!
Of course, those in the know were few and tight-lipped, not spreading rumors. Most people still believed their President was a single aristocrat with a budding romantic interest.
***
Half an hour later, He Dongchen, holding a bouquet of fiery red roses, stepped into a romantic restaurant.
Gu Huan, the President of Anxin Materials, was a newly acquainted business partner. She was intelligent, capable, smart, and sensible, sharing the same passion for work, with unique insights and novel viewpoints. They had endless topics to discuss and enjoyed their conversations immensely. After several interactions, their relationship deepened step by step, and an air of ambiguity surrounded them.
The emotions between a man and a woman were very mysterious. Sometimes, it’s just a glance in a crowd, signaling to each other; you are special.
He Dongchen followed the waiter to a seat by the window. Gu Huan was already there, wearing a smart white suit. Her long, curly hair was tied in a low ponytail, draped behind her back, looking both efficient and stylish.
Her delicate face was adorned with appropriate makeup, which balanced power with approachability. She was quietly sitting in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, slightly tilting her head to enjoy the scenery, showcasing the graceful curve of her profile.
He Dongchen smiled slightly, waved the waiter away, and approached the lady with light steps.
However, no matter how light his steps, the sound of leather shoes on the ceramic tiles clashed with the restaurant’s romantic music. As a result, the beauty was startled, turning to see who it was. Her bright face lit up with a deeper smile, especially when she saw the striking bouquet of fiery red roses.
Gu Huan came from a wealthy background and was now a distinguished president. She had countless suitors and had received every kind of flower, but if the flowers were from someone she liked, they were particularly pleasing.
He Dongchen, noticing that he had been spotted, and didn’t get annoyed. He presented the flowers to Gu Huan, saying, “Flowers for the beautiful lady.”
Gu Huan slightly raised an eyebrow and gracefully accepted the bouquet. She lowered her head to take a gentle sniff, the rich fragrance of the roses enveloping her.
She teased, “I didn’t know that the famously cold and heartless President He could also be so smooth-talking.”
He Dongchen sat down opposite her, unbuttoned his jacket, and corrected her earnestly, “This isn’t called smooth-talking; it’s called the correct way to pursue the one you love.”
Gu Huan laughed. If it weren’t for the fact that he had such a handsome face, she would have wanted to order a strong cleaning agent.
After ordering, they started chatting. He Dongchen poured her a cup of stomach-friendly floral tea and asked, “How long have you been here?”
“Not long. I had a meeting nearby this morning, and I came over after it ended.” Gu Huan picked up the cup of tea and took a sip. The light floral fragrance was very pleasant, completely eliminating the bitter taste of the coffee she had drunk earlier that morning.
Generally, the more a person lacks something, the more they wanted to prove they have it. In ambiguous relationships, women often act reserved and passive, deliberately arriving late to dates to see the man wait anxiously, gaining confidence and satisfaction from it.
Gu Huan was different. Her confidence and composure, cultivated from her upbringing, made her indifferent to who arrived first at a date. She came when the time was right, straightforward and unpretentious, not feeling that this would diminish her value.
He Dongchen greatly appreciated that trait. Confident women were always the most beautiful. They didn’t overly concern themselves with gains and losses, were passionately invested when involved, and could leave gracefully when needed.
After a few casual conversations, they gradually started discussing the company’s collaborative project.
The He Group was leading the construction of an offshore luxury property, a massive project requiring a lot of new materials. Anxin Materials was responsible for providing these materials, necessitating numerous discussions and negotiations. The two companies were now closely connected, entering a honeymoon period.
Gu Huan casually mentioned, “I heard you fired an assistant today for mixing personal feelings with work.”
“That’s right. I don’t like employees who bring their personal emotions into their professional work. So, you can rest assured and not feel constrained by our collaboration. I hope you accept me because you like me, not just for simple business considerations.”
He Dongchen’s attitude was frank. After speaking, he suddenly gave a playful smile and leaned closer to Gu Huan, his eyes curved with amusement. “It seems you’re quite interested in me. I only fired my assistant 2 hours ago, and now you already know.”
Gu Huan showed no sign of being caught off guard. She smiled and explained, “There were some matters to attend to this morning. When my assistant called over, they found out that Assistant Wang, who used to handle this project, had resigned.”
He Dongchen’s attempt at teasing failed. He leaned back against the chair and was about to speak when a striking woman in a flamboyant red dress caught his eye.