This is way too awkward!
What on earth is going on here?!
Zong Cheng sat stiffly on the bench, as if his butt had been nailed down—completely frozen in place.
Right now, he wished he could dig a tunnel with his toes and crawl inside it himself!!!
He swore that if he had known there would ever be a day when he’d cooperate with the Yin Corporation, he would have memorized Yin Chen’s face in detail long ago!
If he had done that, this utterly embarrassing scene might never have happened!
Yin Chen’s expression remained calm. He tapped several times on the “+” sign by the tripe before finally looking up at Zong Cheng.
“President Zong, what would you like to eat? Aren’t you going to order anything?”
Zong Cheng forced himself to reply.
“It’s fine. President Yin can just order whatever you like.”
Yin Chen casually ordered another bottle of cola.
“Don’t worry, President Zong. I won’t hold back with you, but I’m only ordering my own portion. If you don’t order, you’ll probably just have to watch me eat this meal alone.”
Only then did Zong Cheng randomly flip through the menu and order the same portions as Yin Chen.
Seeing him overly tense, Yin Chen thought for a moment and tried to make a joke to lighten the mood.
“President Zong, you’re so nervous. Could it be that you didn’t expect that in the end, you’d be treating me to this meal? But since you’re eating half of it yourself, isn’t this deal better than you anticipated?”
Ahhhhh!
Please, stop talking!
Zong Cheng painfully closed his eyes and turned his head.
“President Yin, you’re joking. Being able to treat you to a meal is my honor.”
Hmm?
Seems like that had the opposite effect?
Yin Chen blinked, a little puzzled by Zong Cheng’s expression.
Shouldn’t it be more awkward for him, the one who openly says he likes men?
Why does Zong Cheng look like…
What’s that term again?
Yin Chen secretly pulled out his phone and checked the notes he had taken.
Ah! Got it!
Social death!
Exactly—Zong Cheng looked like the perfect example of it.
Well then, might as well get down to business.
Yin Chen thought for a moment and started the conversation.
“Speaking of which, planning to cooperate with your company actually has a bit of fate from that day.”
Zong Cheng’s ears twitched.
Cooperate?
He immediately straightened up and responded appropriately.
“Oh? How do you mean?”
Yin Chen briefly recounted the events of that day, then looked at Zong Cheng with appreciation.
“From the service back then, I could see your company’s potential. If President Zong can maintain your original intentions, I believe your future will be boundless.”
Housekeeping isn’t difficult.
But training properly and ensuring the quality of employees—that’s the hardest part.
Hearing this, Zong Cheng felt a subtle thrill.
This was Yin Chen! The leader of the Yin Corporation!
Hearing even a single word of praise from him was something most people could only envy.
“In that case, I wish President Yin a discerning eye and hope I can live up to your expectations.”
Zong Cheng’s words were a bit slippery, testing the waters.
Yin Chen noticed the tension hidden under Zong Cheng’s sharp brows, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
“Then I’ll take that as your kind words. But as for the future, we’ll have to see your sincerity tomorrow.”
Halfway done!
Zong Cheng let out a huge sigh of relief.
He had genuinely feared that Yin Chen might give up on this cooperation because of the previous incident!
Just then, the waiter knocked and brought the dishes. Though Zong Cheng was young and spirited, he could still save face in business.
He stood up, intending to pour wine and toast Yin Chen first.
But when he saw the dishes, he froze.
The two large bottles brought over weren’t the baijiu (white liquor) he expected.
They were—two 2-liter bottles of cola.
Zong Cheng’s face showed complete disbelief.
He stared, stunned, as Yin Chen effortlessly grabbed a bottle, opened it, poured a glass for himself, and drank half in one go.
The posture…
It looked exactly like himself after a long day of writing, chasing the simple joys of a couch potato life.
“Hmm?”
Yin Chen, enjoying the bubbles on his tongue, finally looked up, puzzled at Zong Cheng.
“President Zong, is something wrong?”
Zong Cheng sat down slowly.
He clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and psyching himself up.
A bit stiffly, he grabbed the cola, filled his glass, and put on a perfectly measured smile.
“President Yin, although this began by chance, I am grateful that you are giving our company an opportunity to cooperate. However, since you don’t seem fond of alcohol, I’ll toast you with cola instead.”
He said this and promptly drank a full glass in one gulp.
Watching this, a flicker of admiration appeared in Yin Chen’s eyes.
This happy couch potato cola had quite an aftereffect!
Yin Chen only dared to drink half a glass himself; Zong Cheng was ruthless—a true wolf!
Yin Chen secretly referenced his notes in real-time.
Meanwhile, Zong Cheng’s expression gradually became strange.
His hands gripped the table tightly beneath him.
Veins bulged on his neck.
Three seconds later…
“Hic~”
…damn!
Zong Cheng literally buried his face on the table.
He wished he could die on the spot!!!
“Pfft.”
Yin Chen’s quiet voice sounded.
Zong Cheng’s face flushed red, yet he still raised his head to apologize.
“Sorry, President Yin, that was my lapse in etiquette…”
Looking up, Yin Chen’s side profile, holding back laughter, appeared hazy in the hot pot steam.
Zong Cheng froze.
Zong Cheng slowly shut his mouth.
Zong Cheng was too shy to lift his head.
Shut up, Zong Cheng!
Give yourself a break!
Tonight, just stop embarrassing yourself!
Until he watched Yin Chen shovel another pile of tripe into the pot and finish the bottle of cola, he didn’t dare to speak again.
At checkout, he passed by the restroom, his stiff legs instinctively hastening their pace.
Once he drove back to the apartment next to the company, Zong Cheng washed off the hot pot smell and dove headfirst into the blanket.
What?
There’s more updates unwritten?
Abandoned!
Tonight, he felt unworthy of existing in this world!
The next day…
Zong Cheng dragged himself out of bed, dark circles under his eyes.
Being human is truly hard.
He forced himself to get into gear, driving to the company with a haggard face.
There was still plenty to check before the formal afternoon meeting with Yin Chen.
He entered the office and immediately called his assistant over to assign tasks.
The assistant was startled at the sight of him.
He could only nod repeatedly.
“That’s all. Before the afternoon, check everything yourself once more. Then we’ll go to Yin Corporation together.”
When Zong Cheng mentioned Yin Corporation, his expression twitched subconsciously.
“No problem, President Zong. I’ll get right on it.”
The assistant carefully studied Zong Cheng’s expression. “By the way, President Zong, there’s something I’m not sure if I should mention…”
In his mind, he guessed: did the cooperation with Yin Corporation fall through?
Otherwise, why would President Zong look so despondent?
“What is it?”
Zong Cheng replied mechanically.
“Well, I heard a little rumor. Apparently, President Yin very likely likes men. You…”
The assistant trailed off as their eyes met Zong Cheng’s. He gradually fell silent.
Ah, what?
No way!
Zong Cheng slumped, running a hand through his hair.
“I already know.”
He really knew? How could President Zong know?
The assistant’s mind was filled with gossip, but he didn’t dare ask a single word.
After hesitating, he carefully probed.
“Did your meeting with President Yin go poorly? Will the cooperation proceed smoothly this afternoon?”
Did President Yin see their handsome President Zong and intend to use some hidden agenda, then got exposed?
Zong Cheng refused to give in. Even if Yin Chen had thrown the contract at him to sign, the veteran homophobe Zong Cheng stood firm.
In the end, did it fail?
The assistant secretly wiped sweat from his brow.
President Zong!
For the company’s future, you’ve sacrificed so much!
I support you!
Zong Cheng irritably twirled a pen twice and unconsciously replied.
“That’s not it. President Yin’s intention is that he’s optimistic about our cooperation. After visiting Yin Corporation this afternoon and working hard to satisfy them with data, this deal should largely go through.”
But…
He really didn’t want to meet Yin Chen again anytime soon!
Just thinking about what happened last night made his brain rattle.
Now he truly understood what readers meant by “social death”!
And it was so… embarrassing!
Too embarrassing!
He could carve a whole castle with his toes and it still wouldn’t capture it!
“Ah? Then why are you worried, President Zong…”
The assistant fell silent.
Ah?
No way, no way, no way…
Could it be that President Zong actually selflessly sacrificed himself for the company’s future?!
“I’m just worried about what comes after the cooperation. But don’t worry, our collaboration with Yin Corporation is practically guaranteed.”
Zong Cheng couldn’t bring himself to reveal his true feelings, so he only reassured the assistant and signaled him to leave.
Once the assistant left, Zong Cheng suddenly stood up.
He paced the office, his already wild hair becoming even more untamed under his own hands.
Finally, he heaved a long sigh, walked to his desk, and opened another computer.
Since it had come to this, he might as well channel this awkward feeling into his writing!
Perfect timing—the new plot required an embarrassing villain!
If the readers felt embarrassed for him, perhaps he wouldn’t feel embarrassed himself!
The afternoon meeting wasn’t as awkward as Zong Cheng had imagined.
Because it wasn’t Yin Chen himself meeting him; the people reviewing their company’s materials were Yin Chen’s assistant and other heads of the marketing department.
Seeing this formidable lineup, Zong Cheng let out a sigh of relief.
He spoke eloquently, quickly leaving the Yin Corporation staff very satisfied with the discussion.
When leaving the meeting room, Zong Cheng instinctively slowed his pace.
“By the way, is President Yin in the office? I’d like to treat him to a meal.”
As he said this, his pupils suddenly dilated.
What nonsense am I even saying???
A-Mao walked beside him and gave a kindly smile.
“President Yin has a bit of private business this afternoon, so he probably won’t have a suitable time. But if President Zong doesn’t mind, we’d like to treat you to a meal instead.”
Zong Cheng shook his head to clear it, letting reason take over.
“Assistant Zhong, you’re joking. It should be me treating, of course. If you don’t mind, how about tonight?”
No wonder President Yin valued 24time so highly.
The leader of the other party had intelligence, capability, and emotional intelligence. A person like that was bound to achieve great things if given the chance.
A-Mao silently evaluated him but kept her gentle smile.
“President Zong, you’re far too polite. Since it’s your offer, of course we’ll accept. However, why don’t we wait until the signing day for this meal? How does that sound?”
Zong Cheng’s heart skipped a beat.
He naturally wouldn’t refuse!
After leaving Yin Corporation and just getting into the car, his assistant couldn’t contain himself.
“President Zong! It looks like we’re practically guaranteed this deal!”
They had already said the meal would be on the signing day—this was almost certain!
The assistant buckled his seatbelt, feeling as if his year-end bonus had just grown a lot fatter!
Zong Cheng was equally thrilled internally, but he kept his face calm.
“It should be practically certain. Yin Corporation’s new product aligns perfectly with us, so barring any surprises, this deal should go through. Don’t get too excited—drive carefully.”
“Got it! I need to survive to claim this year’s bonus!”
The assistant drove at a snail’s pace, pretending to be calm while actually ecstatic.
Zong Cheng, seeing his faux-calm excitement, let him be.
But…
A thought flickered in his mind.
Private business for Yin Chen?
Is it… a personal relationship matter?
“We’d like to confirm again—are you sure you want the multi-element styling?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
Yin Chen nodded, slightly puzzled.
“What’s wrong? Your expressions look troubled.”
“No, no, not at all.”
Ali, the head of the wardrobe team, quickly shook her head.
“Not troubled at all. With your figure and features, President Yin, you can pull off any style. Even celebrities in the entertainment industry can’t match you—you’re naturally a clothes model.”
She simply hadn’t expected that someone who usually sticks to formal wear would suddenly want to branch out!
Although, this was huge news for her!
Oh my!
When she first saw President Yin, she was completely stunned.
Unfortunately, her perfect muse had insisted on formal wear only.
He had a face that seemed blessed by the gods, talent that went beyond ordinary, and status so high that she didn’t dare suggest experimenting with other styles.
But now!
Things were different!
Ali hurriedly pulled out several sketches she had brought.
“President Yin, please take a look. These styles also suit daily wear—would you like to consider them?”
Yin Chen took a glance at the sketches.
He looked serious.
Ali was nervous.
She even held her breath for a moment, afraid he might give a negative answer next.
“These… and this one,” Yin Chen finally spoke, pulling out two of the sketches, “too flashy. Let’s remove these. The rest can be arranged.”
Ali looked—it was the hip-hop style and Japanese style.
She felt a tiny pang of disappointment.
Honestly, with Yin Chen’s figure and face, these styles would have looked amazing!
But… well, one had to be content.
Ali nodded in understanding. “I’ll arrange it immediately.”
Her mind raced with countless ideas suitable for her muse.
She wanted to see them all on him right now!
“Wait.”
Yin Chen calmly stopped her.
Ali turned.
“Ah?”
“Also, my personal undergarments. Please arrange those too—the previous ones aren’t suitable for sleeping.”
Yin Chen said it naturally.
After all, he had a team for this purpose—to handle all his needs.
Ali instinctively wanted to cover her nose.
Ah! Ah—!
Her muse was asking her to prepare personal undergarments!
Not suitable for sleep?
Does this mean she could recommend some very ‘sleep-friendly’ clothing for her muse?
Just imagining it, Ali felt like her brain would explode on the spot.
Thankfully, her rational side and her desire to continue admiring her muse were strong enough, so she stammered,
“N-no problem! I’ll arrange it immediately!”
Yin Chen nodded and waved her off.
Ali gave him a long, deep look and left without looking back.
After she left, a faint smile appeared on Yin Chen’s face.
He eagerly picked up his phone and browsed. The previous page had just stopped at a segment:
She looked at the walk-in closet of over one hundred square meters, filled with clothes, accessories, shoes, and bags, and immediately felt a huge sense of satisfaction!
So this is what it feels like to be a rich lady? This is so happy!
Reading it with interest, Yin Chen then checked the comments.
Xiao Xiao Loves to Laugh: Ahhh! I’m so jealous! Lemons on the tree, but under the tree, it’s only me! I want such a huge closet too! So happy!
Moonlike Hook: Agree +1, I… sniff sniff, who wouldn’t want such a walk-in closet?
I Am a Salted Fish Bowl: Envious! Is this the joy of a rich lady? Learning failed! May I be transmigrated as the heroine now? Please, immediately!
Yin Chen tapped his notes to record the new vocabulary, smiling.
Somehow, even without checking, he could guess the meaning of these fresh words. Almost all of them were quite fun!
After catching up on several serialized novels, he reluctantly exited, only to notice…
Ah, The Eye of the Abyss.
Seeing this, Yin Chen couldn’t help but click it.
He had already learned what the “plum blossom mat” was, thanks to the readers.
Curious, he wondered what kind of novel had attracted so many readers.
Would it be as funny and engaging as the others?
He started reading.
An hour later, a small, inconspicuous comment appeared in the reviews:
I Am a Tyrant CEO: QWQ, the author writes so well, I can’t seem to sleep now…
Underneath, other readers immediately flocked, trembling together.
Before bedtime, Zong Cheng, used to checking reviews, saw this comment’s ID.
I Am a Tyrant CEO?
His mind inexplicably pictured Yin Chen.
Someone as perfect as Yin Chen—that’s a real tyrant CEO.
The quintessential standard of a CEO novel.
?
Wait.
Why did he think of him again?
Zong Cheng ran a hand through his hair, lay down, and closed his eyes.
…
But really, Yin Chen actually likes hot pot and cola?
Somehow… it seemed kind of cute.