The Disliked Shou and the Charming Gong : Chapter 7: The Accident

He Ning listened to Zhou Ji’s words and let out two dry laughs.

When that project finally wrapped up, the company booked a hotel restaurant that evening.

He Ning quietly finished dinner and was preparing to leave when Manager Xu suddenly picked up his wine glass and added, “Director Wen said everyone gets tomorrow off. Tonight we drink until we drop.”

While eating, He Ning had kept catching glimpses out of the corner of his eye of Wen Junhe, who had been on the phone the whole time. The dishes on the table were all a bit spicy. The cups were filled with low-alcohol fruit wine. He had just brought it to his lips and was about to take a tiny sip with his tongue when Wen Junhe suddenly directed his gaze over here.

His brow was clearly furrowed.

He Ning instinctively set the cup back down on the table.

After putting it down, he looked up and discovered that Wen Junhe had already withdrawn his gaze. He Ning suddenly questioned why he was afraid of him.

With nothing to do, He Ning boredly lowered his head and played with his phone, just wishing the dinner would end quickly.

At the same time, Wen Junhe also picked up his phone. On the other end was his aunt, who had been urging him to come home lately. Because the dinner table wasn’t very noisy, he quietly listened to his aunt chatting about everyday matters on the other end of the line, occasionally humming in acknowledgment.

He saw He Ning sending messages to someone unknown, and a rare smile actually appeared on his face.

Was he messaging that Zhou Ji?

Wen Junhe really couldn’t understand what He Ning saw in him. A hypocrite who was tangled up with other people.

“Auntie, I’ll come back in a couple of days.”

From somewhat far away, He Ning saw that the expression on Wen Junhe’s face was clearly very gentle, nothing like the harshness he showed toward He Ning.

He Ning faintly made out the shape of his lips.

“How could I not keep you company.”

“Rest well. Take care of your health. Don’t overthink things.”

He Ning suddenly propped his face in his hand and turned away.

After the meal, everyone moved on to the KTV. Lin Ke reached out and blocked He Ning, who was trying to slip away: “Come on, you get tomorrow off. You always run away the fastest. Even if someone is waiting for you at home, they wouldn’t give you so little breathing room.”

He Ning was half-dragged forward by Lin Ke, helpless.

Wen Junhe walked behind them. Suddenly he heard a chubby guy up ahead talking about He Ning, his words full of mockery about how He Ning didn’t fit in, and then laughing with his companions about his sexual orientation.

“I think the company should organize one more physical exam every year. I heard gay people have a much higher chance of getting AIDS. It’s really messy. Our company has a lot of men. Haven’t you seen the news?”

Wen Junhe listened to the ridicule in his words. He suddenly turned and looked at the man, speaking up: “Our company culture doesn’t seem to include privately discussing colleagues’ personal lives. Zhang Yi, if you really have this kind of need, I can separately apply to headquarters for you to get one extra physical exam per year. I’ll process the approval for you myself.”

That chubby guy named Zhang Yi was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong. He instantly didn’t dare make a sound. Looking at Wen Junhe’s darkened face, he didn’t even dare breathe.

Wen Junhe usually gave people a feeling of warmth like a spring breeze. But when he put on a stern face, that oppressive air was absolutely real. “Director Wen… I’m sorry.”

“I hope this situation won’t happen again.”

Wen Junhe waved for them to pass. He suddenly turned and asked Manager Xu beside him, “Besides making snide remarks, have they done anything more excessive to He Ning?”

Manager Xu shook his head. He wasn’t very clear on the specifics of what employees did in private. But from the moment He Ning joined the company, he had been quiet and reserved, barely saying a few words all year round.

Wen Junhe spent half a minute recalling the He Ning of before, the one who acted without any restraint, free and easy, the young master who did things purely based on his whims, who set off fireworks and burned bright and lively wherever he went.

The He Ning that Wen Junhe spent two months reacquainting himself with carried a kind of gray, suppressed feeling, as if seeping out from his very bones. The sunlight outside the window was clearly very bright, yet it couldn’t shine into He Ning’s lowered eyes.

It was as if his whole person had faded.

This contrast made Wen Junhe feel very uncomfortable.

It reminded him of those years abroad, when the weather was always gloomy and overcast, dark clouds hanging low, like the post-apocalyptic movie scenes He Ning loved to watch. The house Wen Junhe rented was far from school, nearly an hour’s bus ride away. The landlord had fixed up the place very cozily, with beige wallpaper, warm yellow lighting, and a gray-brown carpet that sank slightly when you stepped on it.

The furniture was all cream white. The bookcase was built into the wall. On the balcony sat a bean bag chair, wrinkled as if someone often curled up inside reading.

The first time he viewed the place, Wen Junhe pushed open the bedroom window and saw the hydrangeas in the yard. In that instant, he suddenly recalled the greenhouse at He Ning’s home, where the climate control system maintained an eternal spring and roses of every color bloomed arrogantly and domineeringly.

And now in this foreign room, there was only him, and those untended hydrangeas outside the window, drooping their heads in the rainy weather.

Sometimes he did miss the good weather back home.

When Wen Junhe first returned to the country, his former employer had tried very hard to keep him, and had even expressed interest in promoting him, with terms including equity incentives. He skimmed through the terms. They were indeed very tempting.

Han Qing had also invited him to serve as deputy at their family company. He turned them all down, yet insisted on coming to this company that could only be considered mid-tier. He had heard people puzzling over why this overseas returnee elite would willingly lower his own value.

Wen Junhe only knew that on the day he signed the contract, he turned to look out the window. The sunlight was just right. The shadows of the street trees fell on the asphalt road, mottled like an ink wash painting. He suddenly felt that compared to a high salary and prestigious position, such beautiful weather was more precious.

Inside the private room, a colleague who had drunk too much was slurring his words so badly his tongue was tying itself in knots. An outgoing female colleague was making frantic eye signals, then passed the microphone to Wen Junhe amidst coaxing and cheering.

Wen Junhe smiled: “Then I’ll make a fool of myself.”

Wen Junhe lifted one foot slightly, resting it on the chair, then selected an English song. It was a British country tune. From beginning to end, his voice was low and captivating. He Ning sat on the sofa, quietly watching the man in the dim lighting not far away. The lights dimmed, and Wen Junhe’s voice drifted low through the private room, like a glass of rich whiskey.

He Ning blinked his eyes. There were plenty of others present who similarly couldn’t tear their eyes away.

He hardly dared look too much, afraid he would develop expectations he shouldn’t have.

He Ning was completely invisible at this kind of gathering. He only casually ate a few bites of the small snacks and fruit on the table, and couldn’t help feeling a bit drowsy. At this hour, he would normally already be asleep.

The colleagues around him were chatting away enthusiastically. Stock market rises and falls, international situations, the topics getting more and more highbrow. He himself used to be the center of this kind of occasion. Back then, whatever he said, someone would eagerly pick up and run with it. He Ning couldn’t find common ground with the male colleagues.

After his father’s fall from power, it was like he had been skinned alive. Those who used to suck up to him before ran away faster than anyone. For a period, he hated himself to the extreme, seeing mockery in everyone’s eyes. Now although it was somewhat better, that feeling of not fitting in was still in his bones. The private room air conditioning was cranked too high, blowing his hands and feet ice cold. He Ning buried his face deeper into his collar, suddenly feeling terribly sleepy.

Just as He Ning was letting out his third yawn, Wen Junhe finally said everyone could disperse.

He Ning picked up his jacket. Just as he was preparing to retreat, Wen Junhe suddenly spoke up: “He Ning, you didn’t drink, right? Do me a favor and drive. I need to go to the company to pick up something.”

Honestly speaking, He Ning really hated bosses with no sense of boundaries.

By the time He Ning was sitting in the driver’s seat and had just opened the navigation to head to the company, Wen Junhe suddenly took the phone and changed the destination.

“I suddenly realized that thing isn’t important. Take me home first.”

From He Ning’s eyes, Wen Junhe read the words “what the hell.”

“You’ve been avoiding me every day.”

He Ning said he hadn’t.

“Broken up yet?”

He Ning fell silent all at once.

“I found out something interesting, about that boyfriend of yours. Do you know his family background? Do you know the Zhou family infighting is very intense? He definitely hasn’t told you his true identity. He’s the eldest son the Zhou family kicked out several years ago. That guy in the car that day was his biological younger brother. Has he mentioned even half a word to you about all that Zhou family mess?”

Wen Junhe spoke like a rapid-fire cannon, too much information all at once.

He Ning truly knew nothing.

Wen Junhe let out a hum, unsure whether he was marveling at He Ning’s ignorance or his naivety.

“I thought you wouldn’t be ruled by your emotions anymore. I didn’t expect that after all these years, you still haven’t grown up one bit.”

He Ning listened to Wen Junhe’s words and was silent for a very long time.

“…But, Wen Junhe, none of this has anything to do with you.”

He Ning said, “Whether I break up or not doesn’t seem to have anything to do with you. Who my boyfriend is tangled up with also has nothing to do with you. We broke up a very long time ago.”

Wen Junhe looked at He Ning coldly: “I don’t need you to remind me. I remember very clearly that you were the one who brought up breaking up.”

He seemed to care very much about this.

Wen Junhe’s tone itself was very sharp. He seemed to be recalling something: “Now I understand. Promises are the most worthless things of all. When you make them, you swear with complete conviction. When you take them back, it’s more decisive than throwing out trash.”

“I was looking for a place for us to live at that time, thinking about our future. But you were preparing to leave at any moment back then. So, He Ning, what exactly do I count as in your heart?”

He Ning didn’t know how to answer. Faced with such an aggressive Wen Junhe, everything truly was his fault.

But back then, He Ning couldn’t even love himself.

Before Wen Junhe went abroad, he had very solemnly cupped He Ning’s face and told him that he would accept whatever the outcome.

He Ning had nodded back then. He knew his father had done wrong.

He Ning had been truly lonely during that period. His former friends had all disappeared overnight. His contacts list only had string after string of blocked notifications. He didn’t have the spare energy to go looking for rejection, and had already grown accustomed to this loneliness. Until before his father’s final trial, Meng Xuan suddenly showed up at his door.

He Ning had a sixth sense telling him they were looking for him with nothing good in mind. This visit was bound to be humiliating.

Meng Xuan said on the phone that he had inside information about his father’s case. He Ning knew this was probably a trap, but he still went. He wanted too badly to know his father’s situation.

The moment he pushed open the private room door, he regretted it. Han Qing sat in the main seat. The people who used to bow and scrape to him were now all staring at him with eyes that looked like they were watching a joke.

Fortunes reversed. A wine bottle knocked against the table. Red liquid sloshed out of the glass, flowing onto the back of Meng Xuan’s hand and the table.

He Ning held the wine bottle at a loss, saying sorry. Meng Xuan suddenly laughed, his tone full of biting mockery: “Our young master He, when has he ever done this kind of work? Aren’t you guys making things hard for him? It’s fine, come sit. Let me pour you a glass instead.”

The last sentence was very frivolous.

As he spoke, uproarious laughter burst out from beside him. The laughter grew louder, shaking He Ning’s eardrums until they hurt.

“Still calling him young master He? I heard He Hongxing is looking at life in prison at minimum this time. When it comes to corruption, really nobody can beat him.”

“He Ning, your days ahead are going to be rough. But it’s fine, you’ve still got us brothers. That face of yours is really not bad. If Wen Junhe can’t afford to keep you, just say the word.”

He Ning listened to their words and only felt he didn’t want to stay for one more second.

In all his life, this was the first time he had suffered this kind of humiliation. And Han Qing was sitting not far away watching him, his eyes full of amusement.

“…Is my dad really getting life?”

“More or less.”

He Ning suddenly stood up, his face deathly pale, and tried to walk out. Meng Xuan chased after him.

The club lighting was very bright. Meng Xuan grabbed He Ning’s arm, his fingers pinching until it hurt. The man leaned in close to examine his flushed cheeks, smiling maliciously: “What are you running for? You can’t even take this much? Did you forget how you treated us before? We brothers were almost riding on your neck. I heard Wen Junhe went abroad. Did he dump you?”

He Ning flew into a rage out of humiliation: “What’s it to you? Let go of me!”

He Ning had a very nice face. His skin was fair. Now he was so angry even his neck was red, especially eye-catching under the lights.

Meng Xuan suddenly wrapped his arm around He Ning’s neck, his lips almost pressed against his earlobe: “Come on, come back inside with me. What are you going to do from now on? Your dad’s in prison. Wen Junhe doesn’t want you anymore. Say a few soft words to Young Master Han, and I’ll look out for you from now on.”

Meng Xuan’s fingers deliberately brushed across his reddened neck, speaking in a low voice: “Poor thing. This fabric is so rough, it’s rubbed your neck red. Life’s pretty hard now, isn’t it? How long since you’ve had a proper meal? You’ve gotten so thin.”

He Ning’s whole body was trembling. Not from fear, from disgust. Meng Xuan used to not even dare breathe loudly in front of him. Now he dared to look at him with such lecherous eyes.

He violently shoved the other person away, his voice hoarse beyond recognition: “Get lost!”

Meng Xuan’s palm slid from his lower abdomen to the small of his back, pressing against it, then grabbed his buttocks, kneading roughly. A smile appeared on his face. He pressed his nose against He Ning’s shoulder: “What are you pretending for? What qualifications do you have left to act tough in front of me? Didn’t you get Wen Junhe the same way back then?”

“If you come with me, I can still let you live the life you had before. When we were kids, I was the one who pulled you out of the water and saved you. Now the tables have turned. It’s my turn, don’t you think?”

He Ning’s whole body was trembling. He pushed Meng Xuan away and slapped him. In the pushing and struggling between the two of them, He Ning fell from the club stairs and hit the back of his head.

When his consciousness was still somewhat clear, the last thing he saw was Meng Xuan’s face with wide open eyes, terrified.

And the only thought in He Ning’s mind at that time was.

When Wen Junhe was threatened by his father, did he feel the same way.

Humiliation, hatred, and a deep sense of powerlessness.

He was sent to the hospital and had emergency surgery. But because part of his medical records were missing, an anesthesia accident occurred. The hospital insisted it was an accident.

When He Ning could get out of bed, he broke up with Wen Junhe.