How Can Two People From Different Sides Ever Fall in Love? - Chapter 15

Chapter 15

◎ Silver: This team would fall apart without me ◎

“My Goddess of Fate!”

Silver timely showcased her presence, conveniently pulling the narrator’s wandering thoughts back from memory, reminding him that she, his listener, was still there.

However, the listener’s words weren’t exactly pleasant: “No wonder Raven refused to tell me.”

The speaker was mindless, but the listener was intentional.

Silver meant that Raven was aware of her hobby for shipping “CPs” (couples) and was unwilling to disclose too much, for fear she would sink too deep and be unable to extricate herself.

With such a romantic beginning, who cared whether the fate was manufactured or destined? Even a romance novel couldn’t compare to the weight of reality.

Hollis’s thoughts ran contrary to Silver’s. To his ears, he assumed Raven didn’t want to expose that they were in a relationship, which was why he had repeatedly remained tight-lipped.

Even if reluctantly, he still enjoined Silver: “Don’t go asking him.”

Besides, he had his own reservations. Regarding the cufflinks, he had omitted many details and hadn’t informed her of the specifics—and then there was that tie.

Raven hadn’t just given the cufflinks as a gift for the brave; he had given his tie as well.

At the time, Raven had just put the cufflinks on Hollis. Catching a glimpse of his loose tie out of the corner of his eye, he took a step back and studied him quietly.

Hollis couldn’t help but stand at attention again, his constantly rolling Adam’s apple highlighting his nervousness. Then he saw Raven take off his own tie, bring it to Hollis’s chest, and compare it with his suit to see if it suited him.

For two strangers, tying a tie was far too intimate.

Raven seemed to think it was suitable and stuffed the tie into Hollis’s palm. He didn’t force him to put it on, but instead waved a hand and departed gracefully.

“Your relationship is even better than I imagined!” After saying this while cupping her face, Silver turned serious in the next second. “In that case, I can safely tell you now.”

Hollis listened attentively.

“Don’t let the fact that Light and Shadow Art Week is a lucrative assignment fool you. That was the case in previous years when each party organized it separately. This year, with our two parties cooperating, it has become a hot potato.”

Hollis’s gaze sharpened: “Doesn’t this also affirm Raven’s ability?”

A path never before envisioned. Silver was stunned for a moment.

Not that she was questioning Hollis, but because the primary conflict was so obvious, she had overlooked other possibilities.

“There’s that too, but I don’t think it’s the most important thing.”

Silver analyzed it meticulously: “You and I both know Raven is biracial; his room for promotion is limited. Originally, a good assignment wouldn’t fall to him. Once it does, it’s likely something others are avoiding like the plague.”

“Even if risks and opportunities coexist, in the eyes of the higher-ups, doing a good job is what he’s expected to do, while doing a poor job is his sin.”

“Cross-party cooperation it sounds nice, but the person taking it over has to withstand the pressure from two opposing parties.”

Realizing she was speaking too deeply for a casual acquaintance, Silver hurriedly tried to smooth it over: “I’m not saying this to find fault. You have your position, and you’re not wrong to seek innovation. Of course, Raven isn’t wrong to seek stability either. The three of us are just the scapegoats pushed out to the front; as long as we don’t make mistakes, we’re doing it right.”

Hollis didn’t entirely agree.

Raven was indeed low-key and didn’t like to stick his head out, but he was never a cowardly person.

If the opportunity didn’t come, he wouldn’t fuss over it. If it did come, he would certainly do everything in his power to deliver a satisfactory result.

Hollis was both a partner and a difficult problem on the exam paper. He and Raven held different positions, so there were bound to be many disputes. Raven would be annoyed, but he must have expected it beforehand.

It was just that the process of solving the problem required more time and energy. Hollis believed in Raven, and Raven surely believed in himself.

Yet Silver’s words weren’t false; the pressure Raven bore was definitely more than what appeared on the surface.

Hollis took a deep breath and sincerely thanked Silver for her heart-to-heart talk, promising to pay attention next time.

At the same time, in the Chairman’s office, Raven and Verdi sat facing each other across a desk.

“The time is tight and the task is urgent. Thank you for your hard work.”

Raven lowered his head slightly: “It’s no trouble. It’s what I should do.”

“The most important thing at this stage is this Light and Shadow Art Week. If you encounter problems, you must speak up in time. That way, everyone can work together, think as one, and exert effort in the same direction to solve the problems promptly.”

Raven pretended to ponder for a moment and said tentatively: “Chairman, there’s something I feel I should report to you first.”

Verdi smiled warmly: “That’s right. If there’s something, speak up.”

Raven cleared his throat: “Since we began organizing the Art Week, this year’s situation has been very special. Cross-party cooperation is unprecedented, and many eyes are watching us.”

Verdi’s expression remained unchanged: “So, what are you trying to say?”

“The annual Light and Shadow Art Week, besides warming up for the upcoming Labor Day, is also a window for each party’s political philosophy to be publicized.”

Raven paused and then continued: “Now that cross-party cooperation is a reality, many people are waiting for us to take a stance. I believe we should handle special cases with special measures.”

Verdi was non-committal: “Tell me more.”

“During the discussion process, we must continue to argue based on reason, but at the appropriate time, we should also yield slightly, leaving room for flexibility to showcase our attitude toward cross-party cooperation, while keeping our home field position unchanged.”

“You truly haven’t let me down.”

After a long silence, Verdi revealed a sincere smile.

Raven gave a bashful smile and said modestly: “You flatter me, Chairman.”

“Many people say a good assignment turned into a hot potato, which is why it fell into your hands. But, Raven…”

Raven’s long eyelashes fluttered at the right time, and his expression involuntarily became solemn.

“A potato is a good thing; how could it be given to someone else so casually? And no matter how hot something is, there will always be a time when it cools down.”

“In an activity, the more people involved, the more complex the interests. And you, Raven while having enough ability to shoulder this burden are the ‘cleanest’ among everyone.”

Verdi crossed his hands, propped up his chin, and leaned his upper body closer to the desk, and closer to Raven.

He spoke slowly: “Choosing you was a consideration based on all factors. Moreover, for you, this is a very good opportunity. You must seize it well, achieve results, and make others fully convinced.”

Closing the door to the Chairman’s office, Raven muttered under his breath: “Old fox.”

Since ancient times, success has been attributed to the superior’s leadership, while failure is the subordinate’s incompetence and lack of virtue. If they do well, it’s expected; if they do poorly, it’s their original sin. No matter how you slice it, the essence of the hot potato remained unchanged.

Verdi spoke nicely enough, but had he ever given him a chance to refuse?

Raven composed his thoughts and turned to head back to the group office.

Inside, it was quiet and empty.

He found it a bit strange; the person delivering the meal and the person eating the meal were actually busier than he, who had just spent his mental energy in the leader’s office.

But the argument in the morning and having to deal with the leader during the lunch break had consumed a lot of his energy. He truly lacked the strength to worry about others and could only sit in his chair and close his eyes to rest.

Near the start of the afternoon shift, the other two arrived late.

Raven cast a suspicious gaze, scanning them, but said nothing.

However, during the afternoon discussion phase, Hollis started arguing with him unilaterally again.

Raven took a deep breath, recalling Verdi jokingly saying before he left the Chairman’s office: “It turns out that to deal with our Councilor Raven, one just needs to argue with him.”

How had he answered at the time?

“It’s not exactly an argument, just a difference in positions during the discussion. It’s understandable.”

Understandable my foot! Now Raven only felt a headache.

A venue choice—they had already argued about it before. Was it necessary to argue about it again?

Silver was equally headache-stricken.

Hadn’t they agreed to pay attention next time? Was the so-called “next time” actually every “next time”?

“Since you don’t agree to hold it in the Klaus Financial District, then let’s add a session: Phoenix Square and the Financial District together.”

“Stop right there. The budget definitely won’t be enough.” If it weren’t for the economic downturn, they wouldn’t have been reduced to cross-party cooperation; it was already good enough that they hadn’t cut spending.

“Exactly, we can pull in sponsors.”

“Not enough time.”

Hollis braced his hands on the tabletop like a lurking predator, staring into Raven’s eyes without blinking: “What if I guarantee that I can pull in the sponsors?”

“You want to delay the current work progress?”

Hollis naturally didn’t want to, but he also couldn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t delay the work as surely as he could guarantee pulling in sponsors.

Raven understood him less and less: “Why are you so obsessed with the Klaus Financial District?”

Time and again, he mentioned this place that had absolutely nothing to do with anything.

“Am I?” Hollis said nonchalantly. “Isn’t the economy down? So, where did all the money go?”

The money naturally flowed toward even wealthier people, but Raven couldn’t say that. He could only ease the atmosphere with a teasing remark: “Do you want to tie up the capitalists and hang them from lampposts on the day of the Art Week?”

“That should have quite the show effect.”

Raven hadn’t expected Hollis to pick up that thread, and even less expected Silver not to let him off either: “It does sound like it would have quite the show effect.”

Hollis’s proposal naturally didn’t pass. It wasn’t that he hadn’t tried, striving for the only variable in the room—Silver.

But the variable didn’t seem to want to be a variable. Not only did she keep her presence to a minimum throughout, huddling in the corner like a quail, but she even ignored the “olive branch” thrown by Raven, whose position was naturally aligned with hers.

It was as if parents were arguing over a divorce, forcing a child into the dilemma of choosing which side to take.

That’s exactly what Silver thought.

In the past, her parents had argued even more fiercely than them, even yanking her by one arm each in their fits of rage, like competing for a rag doll, completely disregarding whether the doll would tear.

The result was predictable. Her father was strong and heavy-handed, and he pulled her arm right out of its socket.

In the very end, they still divorced, and Silver went with her mother.

Raven and Hollis weren’t her parents; if they didn’t get a response, they’d let it go. It all depended on whose reason was more logical and who could convince whom.

But no one could convince anyone. Reaching the point of absolute necessity, Raven exercised his one-vote veto.

Hollis sat in his chair with his arms crossed, his face tense and his head held high, looking exactly like a defeated but proud rooster.

Silver caught him clenching his molars, looking like someone who failed time and again but was ready to attack at any moment.

She couldn’t help but wonder: four years ago, had Raven really been the person sewing his buttons, or the one tearing them off?

It’s just work; just muddle through. What, are they actually going to start a fight?

A fight wasn’t going to happen.

However, near the end of the shift, Raven acted out of character. He was the first to pack up his things and was the first to leave the office. Seeing this, Hollis followed closely behind.

The faster they were, the slower Silver became. She silently counted, avoiding being in the same room as them. Her timing was perfect; she just happened to miss a scene outside the elevator.

Raven entered the elevator first. While pressing the close button, he smiled and exchanged pleasantries with two colleagues beside him: “Off work, I see.”

Just as the elevator doors were about to close, a broad hand thrust in.

The palm was thick and the knuckles were large; with one palm, the two metal doors looked as if their days were numbered.

Whether Raven was familiar with the strength of this hand and worried about public property safety, or for some other reason, he clicked the close button frantically.

Under the dual forces, the elevator doors opened and closed repeatedly, pinching that hand several times before finally opening completely.

Hollis held up his unscathed hand and looked at the perpetrator with a strange expression for a while.

The perpetrator seemed unable to believe it. Behind his glasses, his peach-blossom eyes were wide and round, the whites of his eyes pressing against his grey-green pupils.

The onlookers behind didn’t pay much attention at first, thinking it was just a blunder. Once they saw clearly who was outside, their mouths fell open, so surprised they couldn’t speak.

Could the rumors be true?

The truth of the rumors couldn’t yet be verified. At the moment, one of the parties involved lowered his head first, expressing deep apology: “Sorry, I accidentally pressed the wrong button.”

The colleagues were very decent, helping their own at the critical moment: “That’s right, Councilor Lancelot, don’t misunderstand. We all saw it; Raven really did accidentally press the wrong button.”

Hollis shrugged indifferently: “Small problem.”

This little interlude passed quickly.

Everyone walked out of the elevator. The colleagues who had just sided with Raven watched the two figures ahead, one on the left and one on the right, and whispered to the person beside them: “It seems the relationship really is bad.”

The other said: “More than just bad. But it’s hard on them too, forced to work together like this.”

“I heard they argued in the morning, and it seems they argued again in the afternoon.”

“Didn’t someone say before that they almost started a fight?”

“Ah? Really?”

Saying this, the two exchanged a glance and said in unison: “A forced melon isn’t sweet.”

However, what they didn’t know was that after leaving the parking lot, the “forced melon” still had to drive back to the same place.

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