My Weekend Lover Turned Out To Be My Boss - Chapter 39

Chapter 39: The Opportunity. “The Us After”

As our time in Yading came to an end, Geriletu warmly invited us, insisting that if we ever went to Inner Mongolia, we must look him up so we could have another good get-together. You Feifan was very downcast. I comforted her: “All good things must come to an end. Every meeting and separation is preparation for the next encounter. Be good, cheer up.”

The car drove away from Daocheng. Along the way, we saw an unknown forest of golden trees. I love this kind of unexpected scenery, so I pulled over, got out for a smoke, and stayed to admire the view. You Feifan was slumped listlessly in her seat, staring at the scenery outside the window. She asked, “Qiu Qi, where are we going next?”

I pondered for a moment. This trip had seriously delayed the progress of important matters, so I had to answer honestly: “We’ve played for long enough. It’s time for me to get back to business.”

It was true that I had invested in a loss-making project, and it was also true that I was going to a hopeful primary school. I claimed it was work, but the trip to the school actually had little to do with the company. She tilted her head, staring at me in confusion: “Are we going to stay at the school for a long time?”

“What, do you want to go home?”

She stretched, like a cat, and replied leisurely: “Not really, just asking.”

“How long we stay is still tentative. But if you want to experience life, the next activity will be quite meaningful.”

My words piqued her interest, and You Feifan regained a bit of vitality, asking curiously, “What activity?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

“Ugh! I hate it when people keep secrets!”

So, we got back in the car and set off! I pushed the throttle to the max on the winding provincial road, driving like a maniac. He Mu had sent several messages urging me to return to business quickly; there was no time to waste. We arrived back in Kangding County the next morning. He He also arrived there as planned to meet me. I arranged to meet him at an inconspicuous breakfast place. When You Feifan saw He He, she exclaimed in surprise: “Ah! He He! Why are you here?”

He He corrected her seriously: “It’s He He! Not ‘He He’! Sister Qiu Qi asked me to come~ To add some male energy to your trip.”

“Oh, so you two know each other? You left in such a hurry when you got to the inn that day, I didn’t even realize!”

You Feifan, with her oblivious nature, didn’t suspect anything and laughed. He He, as usual, carried a large guitar and had the same carefree aura as You Feifan. He ordered three bowls of noodles. After the three of us quickly finished breakfast, we took a short nap in the car. He He volunteered to drive.

Thank goodness He He came to the rescue! I never want to drive again in my life! Do you know that feeling? Pressing the accelerator and the brake until your calves cramp up—it’s too painful! You Feifan is useless; she didn’t even feel sorry for me or offer to drive a few legs of the journey!

We sat side-by-side in the back seat, recounting the Yading trip to He He. I occasionally met He He’s eyes in the rearview mirror. I rested my hands behind my head and looked out at the scenery deep in the Ganzi Prefecture mountains. The transition between autumn and winter is the most desolate and melancholic time. Looking at the yellowing, bare forests, I couldn’t help but sigh at the miracle of life’s constant renewal.

…

“General Manager Qiu, these urgent documents need your signature.”

“You may leave. I’ll handle them shortly.”

The secretary placed the documents on the desk and quietly exited. After Qin Yun left, I became the owner of this office. To preserve the scent of her presence, I didn’t allow anyone to stay in this space for an extra moment, including He Mu. Although, thanks to Qin Yun, I was the largest shareholder of the company, the actual management authority was still entrusted to He Mu.

Even when my work was piled up like a mountain, every day at 4 PM, I would stand by the window with a cup of tea, lost in thought. This was Qin Yun’s favorite place to stand. The first time I walked into the office, she was standing here with her back to me.

I looked down at the tree across the street. No other girl brought food to feed the stray mother cat, and the person standing here had changed from her to me. I finally understood that when you love someone to your core, you unconsciously become like them; it’s a natural transformation. Even the habit of admiring the city view from the fifteenth floor every day was exactly like hers.

The door was knocked again, interrupting my peaceful moment. I turned around, put down the teacup, and responded, “Come in.”

He Mu knew I didn’t like people barging into the office. He held a file and motioned for me to go to the conference room, so I followed his steps. Walking into the conference room, He Mu cautiously closed the door and even locked the deadbolt. I looked at his suspicious manner, leaning back in the chair and teasing with a smile: “Did you see a ghost? Why so mysterious?”

He Mu spread the file open and pushed it toward me. The file showed a full-body photo of a woman, with dense information annotated beside it. The woman looked somewhat similar to Qin Yun, but she gave off an indescribably awkward feeling. The first glance filled me with revulsion. I vaguely guessed what was going on and asked with emotional urgency: “Could it be… this woman is the family member who threatened Qin Yun… and refused to do the bone marrow transplant?”

He Mu extinguished his cigarette, calmly affirmed with a hum. I immediately clenched the file, scrutinizing the woman’s face in the photo repeatedly. I had to remember this face, carving it firmly into my mind. The person responsible for tearing our world apart, plunging us from heaven to hell, was her. I warned myself not to forget everything we had experienced over the years.

With red-rimmed eyes, I continued to flip through the file. He Mu lit another cigarette and slowly laid out a plan: “This woman has a deep background. Our current strength can’t shake the position of her company in the market. However… I have a good idea…”

I looked up at He Mu. He was too calm. Facing a plan for revenge, his composure felt unnatural, but I quickly understood. He was always reserved. Even the love he held for Qin Yun was deeply hidden. He was reliable: “You’re not suggesting causing trouble in her territory, are you?”

“I’ve confirmed repeatedly that there is another enterprise locally whose strength and background are comparable to hers. To use ‘hitting the bull across the mountain’ strategy, we need the wisdom of using minimal force to move a great weight. We need leverage from an assistant, and that assistant is this other enterprise.”

With that, he signaled me to look at another file, which also contained a photo of a woman. She was coldly beautiful but possessed an intimidating aura. Different from the other, there was another woman beside her in the picture, holding a child with one hand and leading a Golden Retriever with the other, looking rather silly.

The two women in the picture were incongruous, but the whole scene had a touch of family warmth. I became confused again: “Are these two women partners? Do they even have a child? So… what is the relationship between the woman in the first photo and the women in the second?”

“They are indeed intricately linked. However, between strong entities, there are only two normal states: either enemies or partners. Which relationship do you think lasts longer?”

I pointed at the family of three in the picture, then stared at the information in the file line by line, finally saying: “There are no permanent partners, but there are permanent enemies, after all, one mountain cannot hold two tigers. Are you suggesting that we need to network and proactively approach this woman? A family business, the company scale is astonishing. Even though our company is strong, we are separated by a long distance. Without an introduction, how easy is it to break into their network?”

He Mu sat casually in the swivel chair, spinning around, and answered: “Our companies are in the same industry, which means where there is competition, there is sharing. Developing a network should be relatively easier. We lack an opportunity, but an opportunity can be created.”

He pointed at the woman holding the child and continued to ask, “Do you see any hidden meaning in this photo? If you and Qin Yun had a child…”

I turned my head to look at the photo, a faint smile spreading across my lips: “If there is true love, they must be each other’s soft spot. Are you saying… this woman is our ‘door knocker’?”

He Mu looked at me with satisfaction, quietly sighing: “You are becoming more and more like her. A little hint is all you need to figure things out. If she were here, she would definitely curse me for what you’ve become.”

The mention of Qin Yun silenced us both. After a moment, I let out a breath and smiled, “Why would she curse you?”

“You’ve turned the artistic you into someone full of schemes and the stench of money. She would hate to see this version of Qiu Qi.”

He Mu’s words didn’t inspire me to speak. I stood up, gathered the files, and prepared to leave. He leaned back in his chair, eyes closed for a short rest. Reaching the door, I held the handle and asked, “Why are you not at all enraged when facing such a powerful enemy?”

He Mu snapped his lighter open and shut, and after a moment of silence, he slowly said, “When she threw despair at Qin Yun and watched us leave in defeat, my anger was completely used up. But hatred doesn’t need to be vented, because you have to bottle up that energy.”

I lowered my eyes, tightly gripping the door handle. Although He Mu downplayed the scene of him and Qin Yun seeking bone marrow, that feeling of desperation still permeated my nerves: “She could have lived… He Mu, what more can I do for her? Don’t tell me that loving myself is my reward to her… I want that woman to pay a heavy price…”

Sometimes hatred is subtle. There’s no cursing, no shouting. It’s like a mutated beast that, in nightmares and in the passing of time, needles its way in, swallowing my purity bit by bit. I remember she loved me because that girl who fed the cats carried kindness all over the world.

The repulsive woman in the photo frequently appeared in my dreams. Startled awake, I leaned against the headboard, looking at the darkness in the room devoid of warmth, hearing hatred calling in my ear: “Don’t be kind… Don’t be weak. The jackals outside ate the person you loved most, and they can easily eat you too… You must become a flesh-eating leopard-wolf… to protect everything she left behind…”

…

The Qingming (Tomb Sweeping) Festival of 2017 was marked by continuous fine rain. I stood before Qin Yun’s grave, taking out a tissue and using the rainwater to wipe her tombstone clean. After lighting the incense and candles, I spoke to myself while arranging the fruit platter, recounting the little details of life: “Lucky is eight years old now. His legs aren’t as nimble, and sometimes he can’t jump onto the table. He must be getting old. Every time I hold him, I feel the sadness of life slowly passing away. Time flies so fast.”

“The company is getting better and better, thanks to He Mu’s dedication all these years. Oh, right, he recently said I should go out and travel for a while before the storm comes, just to breathe. I told him I wouldn’t go. If I leave, who will visit you? Then he bought me an old Beijing Jeep.”

I continued to wipe the photo of Qin Yun on the tombstone repeatedly, my voice laced with apology and certainty: “Do you know? We are just missing a perfect opportunity, but there’s no more time to wait slowly. When I leave this time, I won’t be able to visit you for a long time. Please don’t be angry. If you truly, truly miss me, just come to my dreams… Missing you…”