TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 11

Due to staying up late the night before, when Zhuang Yanyu awoke at his usual time, he sat in bed for a full three minutes before his brain could function normally.

When he arrived at work, the Technical Services Department was, as usual, relatively quiet.

On the Engineering side, Supervisor Xu had thought of borrowing Zhuang Yanyu again but reconsidered, thinking he’d just worked late yesterday. It wouldn’t be appropriate to call him over so often, so he decided to let Zhuang Yanyu have a restful day.

Though the department was quiet, Zhuang Yanyu’s mind was anything but idle. His head was filled with ideas for optimizing the automated intelligent control system at the docks. With current technology, it could still be made faster without altering the original structure.

Zhou Quan came over, asking, “What are you working on, Brother Zhuang?”

Zhuang Yanyu replied, “Just working on something.”

Seeing the dense code on his screen, Zhou Quan decided it was best not to ask any more—Brother Zhuang might be developing some mini-program or app that he really shouldn’t peek at.

And he believed that Brother Zhuang was certainly capable of handling it with ease.

Zhou Quan looked away and said to Zhuang Yanyu, “Brother Zhuang, it’s a pity you couldn’t make it yesterday. Senior Qin took me to this seafood hot pot buffet that was delicious—and pricey! He’s very generous.”

Zhuang Yanyu’s hands didn’t pause. “Oh.”

Zhou Quan said eagerly, “Senior even asked if you’re free tonight, so we could go again.”

Zhuang Yanyu shook his head. “I’m not going; you guys go.”

Zhou Quan assumed Zhuang Yanyu wasn’t into seafood and asked, “Then what do you feel like eating? You’ve been with the company for a while now, and I don’t think we’ve ever had a meal together.”

Getting along with colleagues is one of the essential courses for humans since, except for children and retirees, everyone works for a living. And working means there’s a social circle of colleagues.

Initially, Zhuang Yanyu planned to refuse, but after thinking for a moment, his hands paused briefly before he nodded, saying, “Sure, let’s go after work. But I’ll need to go home right afterward.”

Plans shouldn’t get too disrupted; if he could start dinner at exactly 6:30, that would be ideal, he thought.

“Perfect!” Zhou Quan was thrilled. “So, what would you like? Seafood, Sichuan cuisine, Cantonese, Northeastern, or maybe some of our Southern specialties?”

Zhuang Yanyu replied, “Anything light is fine.”

Zhou Quan said, “So you prefer lighter food, huh? That limits a lot of other cuisines.”

Zhou Quan took out his phone, scrolling through nearby restaurants to find something that suited Zhuang Yanyu’s taste.

Zhou Quan genuinely wanted to treat Zhuang Yanyu to a meal; without him, he wouldn’t have had so many opportunities to learn from the Engineering Department. Supervisor Xu from Engineering invited him because he was close with Zhuang Yanyu!

Previously, Zhou Quan could only visit the Engineering Department once every week or two. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go; he just wasn’t that exceptional, so Engineering often preferred to borrow people they were more familiar with, like Zhuang Yanyu. Most of the time, they had their regulars, and only when those people weren’t around would Zhou Quan get his chance.

While Zhou Quan was looking for a restaurant, Qin Yiyuan messaged him on the company’s OA system about dinner, so Zhou Quan explained that he’d be dining with Zhuang Yanyu.

Qin Yiyuan: Let’s go together! Since he couldn’t come yesterday, today works out. I might be on a business trip tomorrow for a project.

Zhou Quan: I’ll check with Brother Zhuang first.

Zhou Quan looked up and asked, “Brother Zhuang, Senior Qin heard we’re having dinner tonight and wants to join. Would that be okay? He’ll likely be on a business trip tomorrow.”

For Zhuang Yanyu, dining with one colleague or two didn’t make much difference. “Sure.”

Zhou Quan happily said, “Great! I’ll let him know now!”

As they planned the dinner location, Zhuang Yanyu continued typing away at his code.

In the top-floor CEO’s office, Wen Chenxi called Ji Zhiyuan and Li Xi to let them know they could pick up some fruit.

Upon hearing it was sent by a farmer from the agritourism spot they visited last time, Ji Zhiyuan was incredulous. “They actually sent fruit all the way over?”

Ji Zhiyuan truly found it surprising. To a big boss like him, what’s the price of some fruit? For most people, the time spent delivering it would be worth more. Unless the giver was of a similar status, it wouldn’t make sense.

But clearly, the giver was just an ordinary farmer.

Wen Chenxi replied calmly, “Don’t want it? Then I’ll hang up.”

If he didn’t want it, Wen Chenxi wouldn’t feel inclined to share. If not for Zhuang Yanyu saying his dad wanted to give it, Wen Chenxi would’ve kept it all.

Ji Zhiyuan: “Hey, hey, hey! I didn’t say I didn’t want it! I’m just shocked, okay? No one’s ever sent me something like this! Should I pick it up from your house?”

Wen Chenxi: “Yes.”

Ji Zhiyuan: “Alright, I’ll come by after work, and we can grab dinner.”

Wen Chenxi: “Sure.”

After finishing, Wen Chenxi didn’t hang up, continuing to hold his phone.

Ji Zhiyuan: “??”

Ji Zhiyuan: “Lao Wen, is there something else? I’m in a meeting!”

Wen Chenxi calmly repeated, “The fruit was a gift from Zhuang Yanyu’s father.”

Ji Zhiyuan: “I know. You just said so.”

Wen Chenxi: “Aren’t you going to say thank you?”

Ji Zhiyuan: “…”

How was he supposed to thank him? Just say “thank you”?

He didn’t even have Zhuang Yanyu’s contact info. And it didn’t seem like Wen expected just a simple “thanks.”

Should he offer him a film audition? Or give him a house or car?

Considering that Zhuang Yanyu wasn’t in the entertainment industry, Ji Zhiyuan tentatively suggested, “Well… should I give him a house as a return gift?”

Ji Zhiyuan didn’t see anything odd about a few pounds of fruit in exchange for a house.

Wen Chenxi was speechless.

Did he lack housing? Or money? He didn’t need a house from Ji Zhiyuan.

But Ji Zhiyuan couldn’t think of anything else as a return gift; after all, that’s the kind of thing he’d typically give.

Wen Chenxi suggested, “You could invite him to dinner.”

Ji Zhiyuan: “Good idea! Let’s make it tonight! Let’s have Xiao Zhuang join us too; we all know each other, so why not? I’ll treat!”

Wen Chenxi received the answer he was looking for, gave an approving “Mm,” and ended the call with satisfaction before notifying Li Xi.

Li Xi, however, was more straightforward. Upon learning that the fruit was sent by Zhuang Yanyu’s father, he merely responded with slight surprise, “Old Mr. Zhuang has quite the thoughtful heart. This kid from your company has a very down-to-earth family.”

Li Xi and Wen Chenxi were both thirty, seven years older than Zhuang Yanyu. 

In their eyes—people who had established careers and held high managerial positions—someone like Zhuang Yanyu, a fresh graduate, was just a kid stepping out of the ivory tower into society.

Wen Chenxi agreed, “Yes.”

If one listened closely, there was a hint of a smile in his tone.

Li Xi picked up on it and teased, “You seem to be in a good mood today?”

Wen Chenxi replied, “Not bad.”

Li Xi chuckled, “Looks like I can get you to drink a few extra bottles tonight.”

Wen Chenxi was generous, “Sure.”

After a brief pause, he reminded Li Xi, “Zhuang Yanyu will be coming too.”

“Perfect. I was planning to visit his hometown sometime anyway. I’ll ask him tonight if he’s free to go with me.”

Before hanging up, Wen Chenxi added, “Remember to return the favor.”

Looking at his phone after the call, Li Xi thought about it. Return the favor? How was he supposed to do that?

Something felt off with Old Wen.

Unaware of his friend’s thoughts, Wen Chenxi, after notifying the two, opened his phone and gazed at Zhuang Yanyu’s profile picture in WeChat.

He tapped his finger on the desk, contemplating for a moment, then typed:

[Wen Chenxi: Are you free tonight?]

Just as Zhuang Yanyu finished his work, proving through simulated data that his idea was feasible. The next step required coding on the computers in the engineering department for an official run.

Before heading there, he wanted to let his buddy know.

As he took out his phone, he saw Wen’s message, making his eyes light up. He and his buddy truly thought alike.

Zhuang Yanyu quickly replied: [Tonight I’m having dinner with colleagues.]

Wen Chenxi paused, looking silently at the message he was about to send—[Ji Zhiyuan wanted to treat you to dinner to thank you for the fruit…]

He was too late.

Silently, Wen Chenxi erased the unfinished text and sent a new message:

[Wen Chenxi: Already made plans?]

[Zhuang Yanyu: Yes, they’ve chosen the restaurant already.]

Returning to the main interface, Wen Chenxi deleted Ji Zhiyuan from his mind.

Useless guy.

—

Author’s Note:

Ji Zhiyuan: ???

Wen Chenxi, pushing for a thank-you gift: Generating revenue for Yanyu!

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