I Snatched the Overbearing President’s Canary [Transmigration] - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Steal

Someone behind him tapped his shoulder, giving He Shenyu a massive fright. He steadied his emotions before turning to ask, “What is it?”

Shenyu pretended to recognize the man, acting as if nothing were wrong. Transmigration was an utterly bizarre phenomenon; he wasn’t sure what the consequences would be if he were discovered to be an “imposter,” so it was best to maintain his persona for now.

“You’re asking me?” The man, who was wearing a biker jacket, frowned. “We came out to play, so why have you been hanging around outside the whole time? Besides, President Fu is still here. How could you run off without even offering him a single toast? Do you have somewhere to be?”

“No,” He Shenyu shook his head.

“Then let’s head back in!” the man said.

Shenyu had no choice but to follow him back to the private booth. He glanced back at the corridor; Ning Chen had already disappeared. He was forced to set his plans aside for the moment.

It’s fine, he thought. Ning Chen will eventually end up at Fu Hengzhan’s side anyway, so I’ll still have a chance to stop it. It’s just… snatching someone right in front of the CEO’s face seems like it might be a bit difficult.

The table was covered in various expensive foreign liquors that He Shenyu didn’t even recognize. Afraid to touch them, he simply grabbed a glass of mint water, finished his toast, and sat in the corner to contemplate his next move.

A few men were already gathered around Fu Hengzhan, discussing “sending someone over” to him. Fu Hengzhan, however, seemed completely uninterested, sitting there with an expressionless face.

Hearing their conversation, He Shenyu felt a bit relieved. Luckily, Ning Chen hadn’t shown up during the time he was distracted.

But what should he do now?

The best course of action would be to ensure they never met at all. The “God of Plot” was notoriously unreasonable; since they were the protagonists, it was hard to say what would happen once they locked eyes.

He tried to recall the original story. The first meeting happened right here in the booth, so the bar manager should be bringing Ning Chen over any minute now.

Shenyu remembered that the manager had only told Ning Chen he would introduce him to “Boss Song” and the others, but hadn’t guaranteed success. Therefore, the manager and Ning Chen weren’t strictly set on Fu Hengzhan. This was the best place to intervene.

After all, at this stage, no one would know what he had done. It was the safest and most efficient method.

Challenging Fu Hengzhan head-on for a person was a terrible idea. There had to be a reason why the wealthy Doctor He was still working as Fu Hengzhan’s private physician. Although the book didn’t explain the details, it was possible that Fu Hengzhan owned the very hospital Doctor He worked at. Shenyu didn’t want to cause a scene that big.

The CEOs in these novels were always lawless. Shenyu had no desire to challenge the “God of Plot’s favorite son,” especially when his own identity was just a tool.

After thinking it over, he decided the best plan was to intercept Ning Chen at the door and take him away. It was safe, quiet, and most appropriate.

The problem now was finding a suitable excuse…

He had already been outside for a long time; standing at the door again would look suspicious. He couldn’t exactly stand there like a guardian deity forever, could he?

“Doctor He, come on, have a drink!”

“Coming!” Shenyu clinked glasses with the person next to him and took a sip.

The cool taste of mint water sparked an idea.

Shenyu stood up with his glass and walked straight toward the sofa near the door, where a man was busy playing on his phone.

“Have a drink!” Shenyu didn’t care who the man was and sat right down beside him.

The man glanced at him, raised his own glass for a quick toast, and then went back to his phone.

Shenyu breathed a sigh of relief. He kept his eyes on the door. From this position, as long as he stayed alert, he would be the first to notice anyone entering.

The person next to him remained quiet. Someone in the booth started singing an English song He Shenyu didn’t recognize. Propping his chin on his hand, he watched the door, not daring to relax for a second.

Finally, he saw the door crack open slightly. Shenyu stood up immediately, walked over, pressed his hand against the door, and slipped out.

“What’s up, Little He?”

His strange behavior caught someone’s attention. Holding the door, He Shenyu looked back and said, “Someone’s at the wrong door.”

“Boss He, I’m at the right door. This is the fruit platter President Fu just ordered.”

Only then did He Shenyu notice the person at the door was a waiter in uniform, looking at him with a confused expression.

“I’ll take it in for you,” He Shenyu said, taking the platter. “Wait for me here; I have something to ask you.”

“Oh, alright, Boss He.” The waiter didn’t refuse, likely used to complying with every guest’s request.

Shenyu turned back, placed the fruit platter on the table, and prepared to leave. This time, he used an excuse that would settle things permanently: “President Fu, something came up at the hospital. I have to head out first.”

Fu Hengzhan didn’t seem to care much and gave a casual nod.

However, the “Little Boss Song” beside him said mockingly, “Doctor He, your life is truly dull. You never have enough fun when we come out. I was going to broaden your horizons today, but you’re missing out again…”

Shenyu gave him a polite smile, said nothing, and turned to leave.

He could tell that this group revolved around Fu Hengzhan. Since the big boss had agreed, no one else would say much.

Shenyu stepped out, and the waiter was still waiting for him. “Boss He, what did you need?”

“Take me to your manager. I have some business with him,” He Shenyu said.

He decided to take the initiative. Since he had decided to “steal” the protagonist, there was no point in waiting.

The waiter nodded and led the way. “This way, Boss He.”

The KTV corridors were somewhat narrow, and their footsteps were drowned out by the music from the main hall. For a moment, He Shenyu felt like he was walking in place, trapped in a loop.

He knew that by heading out now, he was bound to run into Ning Chen.

He felt a sudden surge of nervousness. By choosing a different path for Ning Chen, he wondered if the “God of Plot” would punish him for bypassing the script.

But even so, anything was better than Ning Chen being tortured at Fu Hengzhan’s side, right?

He hoped that this time, he could truly change Ning Chen’s life.

In the dim hallway, He Shenyu pressed a hand over his heart and prayed silently.

Soon, the corridor lights grew brighter. Shenyu had lost track of how many corners they had turned. Just as they arrived, the office door opened. Bright fluorescent light spilled into the hallway. The waiter led He Shenyu forward and bowed slightly. “Manager Cheng, Boss He is looking for you.”

Manager Cheng looked at the folder in his hand, gave He Shenyu a hesitant glance, and then put on a professional smile. “Boss He, how can I help you?”

He waved the waiter away. Once the waiter had silently retreated, only the three of them remained.

Shenyu looked at Ning Chen standing behind the manager. Ning Chen seemed to have prepared himself; his expression was flat, with only a slight tightening of his lips betraying a “prepared for death” resolve.

To an outsider, he looked perfectly calm, but someone like He Shenyu, who knew the truth, could see the tension.

Looking down, He Shenyu realized Ning Chen had changed clothes. He was now wearing a white silk shirt with two ribbons draped over his chest, adorned with pearls at the ends. He looked much more refined.

The collar was a ruffled stand-up style, and through the gap in the middle, a red string was faintly visible against his pale skin. Though the pendant was tucked into his collar, He Shenyu knew it was a jade Buddha—something Ning Chen had worn since childhood and a significant prop for “angst” in the novel.

Right now, Ning Chen appeared calm, but his right hand was gripping the jade Buddha through his shirt.

He’s still very nervous, isn’t he?

Shenyu felt another wave of pity for him, strengthening his resolve. He shifted his gaze to Manager Cheng. “Is this the person Boss Song mentioned?”

Manager Cheng had a sudden realization. “Yes! Boss He, are you here to take a look early? To be honest, I was just about to take him to see you all. What a coincidence!”

Not a coincidence, I came here on purpose, He Shenyu thought.

He smiled and said, “You know President Fu has never liked this kind of thing. He’s in a bad mood today. I think you’d better not go and invite trouble.”

This wasn’t an entire lie. In the original work, Fu Hengzhan only changed his mind after seeing Ning Chen. Initially, he hadn’t planned on entertaining Song Zhi’s suggestion. As a romance protagonist, his persona was consistent with the setup.

Hearing this, Manager Cheng panicked. Wiping sweat from his forehead, he smiled apologetically. “This… Boss He, what do you think we should do now?”

He was a shrewd man. He wasn’t actually worried about being unable to “sell” someone as handsome and educated as Ning Chen. He simply figured that since Boss He was lingering here, he must have a goal, so he played along.

Behind him, Ning Chen’s expression grew even colder. His lips relaxed slightly, looking like a mix of disappointment and relief.

Shenyu glanced at Ning Chen’s hanging hand, then looked down and took the folder from Manager Cheng. “How much is his contract?”

Manager Cheng laughed and opened the folder for him. “An initial payment of two million, with the rest to be calculated later. The contract is very clear; you can take a look, Boss He. It’s an employment contract, guaranteed to be legally sound. His profile, medical report, and everything else are in here. If you’re interested, why don’t we step into the office to discuss? The lighting out here isn’t great.”

Shenyu flipped through it briefly and closed the folder. “Fine. He’s mine. Let’s go in and sign.”

“Great, great! Boss He, you really are a lifesaver. I didn’t know what I was going to do today… Come in, Boss He, have a seat. Ning Chen, go pour some water for Boss He…”

At these words, Ning Chen seemed to wake up from his wooden state. He walked over to the water dispenser in the manager’s office and filled a disposable cup.

Meanwhile, He Shenyu quickly signed the contract and swiped his card. He acted decisively mainly because he didn’t actually understand the contract; he just knew from the original book that these contracts favored the benefactor, so there was no pressure.

Besides, he didn’t actually intend to “keep” Ning Chen in that sense. He wasn’t going to use these terms to exploit him. To him, the contract was just a formality.

“Boss He, please have some water.” Ning Chen stood beside He Shenyu, handing him the cup with both hands.

Shenyu looked up. The surface of the water was shaking, which showed just how nervous Ning Chen was.

It made sense. He knew he was a good person, but Ning Chen didn’t.

Shenyu took the water and gave Ning Chen a kind smile. “Don’t be afraid of me.”

Manager Cheng chimed in with a laugh, “That’s right, Ning Chen. You have no idea, Boss He is a doctor! He saves lives; he has a very kind heart. You’ll be living comfortably with him, so be a bit more relaxed!”

Ning Chen nodded slightly. “I understand.”

Shenyu set the tea on the table and stood up.

Manager Cheng handed over all the documents at the right moment. Shenyu took them and said, “I’m taking him with me. If Boss Song asks, just say he resigned. Don’t mention me.”

“Understood, understood. Don’t worry, we always keep these matters confidential.”

Shenyu wasn’t afraid of people knowing he was sponsoring someone; he was just afraid the “God of Plot” would find a way back to the original script. It was safest if no one associated with Fu Hengzhan knew anything.

“Let’s go!” Shenyu looked back at Ning Chen, glanced at his clothes, and added, “Take your own clothes and bag with you.”

“Right here, in the dressing room next door.” Manager Cheng enthusiastically grabbed the backpack and handed it to Ning Chen.

He smiled, offering Ning Chen a piece of advice like an elder: “Make sure to listen to Boss He.”

Ning Chen glanced at him and nodded.

Shenyu felt uncomfortable watching this. He reached out, took Ning Chen’s wrist, and led him out the door. “Follow me.”

“Okay.” Ning Chen nodded, but his eyes fell on the place where their wrists met.

Shenyu turned back, wanting to say something, but paused. Now that they were close, he realized—Ning Chen was actually a bit taller than him?

“Boss He, is something wrong?”