TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 10

On the drive back, Assistant Lin was in the driver’s seat, while Zhuang Yanyu and Wen Chenxi sat in the back.

Assistant Lin had an odd feeling, especially with the occasional conversation drifting up from the back.

“If it’s just a minor issue, it’s no big deal. Next time, you don’t need to go.”

“I can make that judgment myself.”

“Fine. When you forget priorities, then ask me.”

“You don’t want me working overtime?”

“Mm. I’m worried…” Wen Chenxi paused. “…worried you’ll get tired.”

Assistant Lin gripped the steering wheel tightly, forcing himself not to swerve.

Worried he’ll get tired?

A capitalist saying something like that?

Mr. Wen, do you remember I’m working overtime too?

Honestly, if not for the fact that his salary was twice the average for this role and came with hefty bonuses, he’d have resigned long ago!

The money kept the fatigue at bay, but it was still unbelievable to hear such words from Wen Chenxi.

For Zhuang Yanyu, however, those words struck a chord.

He looked at Wen Chenxi with a gaze filled with warmth and gratitude.

My friend is worried about me, he thought, feeling even more guilty.

Zhuang Yanyu: “I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have forgotten about our plans tonight.”

Wen Chenxi: “Don’t worry about it. It’s normal to forget when you’re busy.”

Zhuang Yanyu: “It’s not normal.”

Wen Chenxi glanced over at him.

The road from the port to the city was quiet, with only a few cars passing by. The street lights cast shadows through the car window, illuminating Zhuang Yanyu’s face and emphasizing the conflict in his expression.

Zhuang Yanyu was still puzzled, and in mild frustration, he tapped his forehead as if his brain were a lagging computer, thinking maybe a couple of taps would clear the lag.

Wen Chenxi smiled faintly, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Zhuang Yanyu was genuinely conflicted. He’d never forgotten anything before; he always remembered his plans clearly. His brain was like a clock, reminding him exactly when to do what. This was his first time forgetting.

Feeling a bit down, he wondered, Is this the difference between a human brain and a chip-based one?

When people focus intently on something, they can tune out everything else. Machines, however, are different; a system is always programmed to remind you at set times because the main processor manages everything.

Watching the conflicted young employee, Wen Chenxi felt a mix of helplessness and a secret sense of joy. The more Zhuang Yanyu struggled with this, the more it showed he valued their meeting tonight.

But soon, Zhuang Yanyu’s attention shifted to other things. He checked the time and muttered, “8:02 PM.”

Wen Chenxi: “Hmm, you mentioned that the pickup point at the bus station is open 24 hours?”

Zhuang Yanyu nodded. “Yes, we can pick up now.”

He looked down at his phone again. “8:03 PM.”

Wen Chenxi: “?”

Every minute, Zhuang Yanyu would check the time, and it seemed to Wen Chenxi that he looked precisely every 60 seconds, as if on cue.

Wen Chenxi thought about it and asked, “Do you have other plans tonight?”

Like a tired, outdated machine, Zhuang Yanyu replied with low energy, “No.”

Wen Chenxi: “Then why?”

Zhuang Yanyu sighed. “Dinner at 6:30, study at 7:00, and at 8:00, I usually do a review of the day’s study, the day’s work summary, and…” he trailed off, “…and the day’s friendship progress report.”

With even less energy, he added, “I haven’t done any of that tonight.”

When one thing goes wrong, the rest of the schedule falls apart.

By 9:00, he needed to shower, finish laundry by 9:30, soak his feet for 15 minutes—a healthy habit, supposedly—then read for 30 minutes before turning off the lights at 10:15 PM.

And today? It was already 8:05, and he hadn’t done a single thing since he’d clocked out!

Hearing this, Wen Chenxi was speechless. He looked at the now “low-energy” Zhuang Yanyu, whose schedule seemed to trigger some serious OCD.

Wen Chenxi: “Does dinner *have* to be at 6:30?”

Zhuang Yanyu: “According to scientific research, it’s best to have dinner between 5:00 and 7:00 PM. Given that most employees get off work around 5:00, excluding takeout and eating out, the most optimal time for a home-cooked meal is exactly 6:30 PM.”

Wen Chenxi: “…Hmm.”

Zhuang Yanyu, looking puzzled, asked, “Are you smiling?”

He noticed Wen Chenxi’s lips curve up, confused as to why his friend found this amusing.

Wen Chenxi held back a smile, recalling a report Zhuang Yanyu had written about declining cake. Had he worn this same serious expression then?

Imagining it, Wen Chenxi’s eyes softened with laughter.

Switching topics, he asked, “So, should we eat first or pick up the package?”

In a lackluster tone, Zhuang Yanyu answered, “Eat.”

Considering Zhuang Yanyu’s compulsive tendencies, Wen Chenxi didn’t choose a fancy restaurant, but rather a nearby one with a good environment so they could finish quickly and get the package.

While eating, Wen Chenxi discovered another quirk: Zhuang Yanyu chewed each bite 30 times, slowly and methodically, puffing out his cheeks as he did so. He’d start on the left side, then switch to the right, alternating 15 times on each side.

After observing this pattern, Wen Chenxi raised an eyebrow and discreetly looked it up on his phone, finding the following: “Scientific research shows that chewing each bite around 30 times promotes digestion…”

As expected, Wen Chenxi thought.

When Zhuang Yanyu finished eating, it took exactly 20 minutes. Wen Chenxi checked again, and the data showed that a meal ideally lasts about 20 minutes.

This OCD of his is on another level, Wen Chenxi mused. Even his compulsions are unique.

After dinner, as he wiped his mouth, Zhuang Yanyu cautioned, “You don’t focus enough while eating, which can increase the load on your stomach. Over time, it might lead to stomach issues.”

He must have noticed that Wen Chenxi had been watching him closely. But unlike others who might feel nervous or shy under Wen Chenxi’s gaze, Zhuang Yanyu had only reached a logical conclusion: My friend eats too distractedly! What if he chokes on a fish bone someday?

Suppressing a laugh, Wen Chenxi replied, “Alright, I’ll be more careful.”

Seeing his friend listen so earnestly, Zhuang Yanyu felt relieved; maybe this adjustment period wouldn’t be so hard after all.

After dinner, they finally had time to pick up the fruit that Old Zhuang had sent into the city.

Old Zhuang had sent over a huge woven sack, and upon opening it, they found a mix of fruits—seasonal, non-seasonal, from the north, from the south—everything was in there.

Next to it was a small foam box filled with grapes that needed extra care to avoid being crushed.

“These are all grown by my dad,” Zhuang Yanyu said proudly.

Assistant Lin, who had been acting as if he were invisible, finally stepped up without needing any instruction from President Wen, and went over to lift the sack of fruit by himself.

But… he couldn’t budge it.

Assistant Lin: “…”

Zhuang Yanyu: “My dad said it was a bit heavy and told me to get someone to help carry it.”

Assistant Lin thought about it and understood. The sack was filled with heavy fruits like apples and dragon fruit and might easily weigh over a hundred pounds, with a few massive watermelons inside nearing ten pounds each.

For someone who spends most of his time in an office, failing to lift it was only natural.

“Let’s lift it together.”

Just as Zhuang Yanyu was about to step forward to help Assistant Lin, a suit jacket was tossed into his hands.

Wen Chenxi said, “You hold the clothes; I’ll handle this.”

Without waiting for Zhuang Yanyu’s response, Wen Chenxi walked over, took Assistant Lin’s place, and hoisted the enormous sack while Assistant Lin supported it from behind.

At 10 PM in summer, a breeze brought some relief from the day’s heat, adding a bit of coolness.

Their attire—suits and dress shirts—stood in amusing contrast to the rustic-looking sack they were carrying, attracting curious stares from passersby near the cargo station.

Assisting with the sack, Assistant Lin thought numbly: Did President Wen really come here tonight just to carry… fruit worth maybe less than a thousand yuan, and put it in his six-million-yuan luxury car?

Sneaking a glance behind, he saw Zhuang Yanyu holding the box of grapes and the expensive suit jacket, calmly following without a hint of surprise, as if it were only natural for a billionaire CEO to do such a thing for him.

Assistant Lin took a deep breath. This Zhuang Yanyu… formidable indeed!

Old Zhuang was a hospitable man, and last time at the farm, Ji Zhiyuan had sweet-talked him, saying that Old Zhuang’s fruits tasted better than others, which made him very happy.

Plus, Ji Zhiyuan and Li Xi were both friends of Wen Chenxi, and hence friends of his son’s good buddy. So this time, when sending the fruits, Old Zhuang specifically told Zhuang Yanyu to make sure Ji Zhiyuan and Li Xi each got some.

So, the sack of fruit was first delivered to the entrance of Zhuang Yanyu’s neighborhood. He went home to get some bags and started sorting the fruit on the spot.

Carrying the whole sack home to sort would’ve been silly, and he didn’t want to make his friends do that.

“This one’s good; this one’s for you,” he said, sorting the best fruits into the bag meant for Wen Chenxi.

The remaining ones he divided into bags for Ji Zhiyuan and Li Xi.

Wen Chenxi didn’t stop him, allowing Zhuang Yanyu to blatantly favor him.

Finally, the big sack was divided, with Wen Chenxi’s bag containing the best, freshest-looking fruits, taking up a third of the entire haul.

The remaining two-thirds were divided into four portions, with one each for Ji Zhiyuan, Li Xi, Zhuang Yanyu himself, and Assistant Lin.

Assistant Lin, touched, said, “Thank you, Mr. Zhuang.”

Zhuang Yanyu replied, “No problem. Thanks for the hard work.”

Assistant Lin: “No, no, it’s nothing.”

It was close to 11 PM by the time they finished. Noticing that Zhuang Yanyu was yawning frequently, Wen Chenxi urged him to go to bed, promising he and Assistant Lin would deliver the fruit to the others.

Zhuang Yanyu suggested they could deliver it tomorrow, telling him to be careful.

After saying goodbye, Wen Chenxi and Assistant Lin took the fruit and left.

When they got out of the car, Wen Chenxi glanced at the large sack of fruit he was carrying and then, seemingly casually, at Assistant Lin’s small bag.

Wen Chenxi said, “My bag must weigh over thirty pounds.”

Assistant Lin, holding a bag under ten pounds, thought: “??”

Was it too heavy?

Assistant Lin: “You rest, sir; let me carry it for you!”

But Wen Chenxi avoided his hand and glanced at the assistant’s small bag again. “How much does yours weigh?”

Suddenly catching on, Assistant Lin replied quickly, “Oh, President Wen, I can’t compare to you! Your relationship with Mr. Zhuang is on a whole different level. Mr. Zhuang even sharing a little with me feels like a huge honor. I heard these fruits are homegrown, pure, natural, pesticide-free—the kind that would sell for a high price!”

With a smile, Wen Chenxi said warmly, “Yes, head home early. Today’s overtime pay will be triple.”

Assistant Lin was immediately excited. “Thank you, President Wen!”

—

Author’s Note:

PS—

Wen Chenxi: I got the most, the best, the biggest.

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