Chapter 12: Xie Siheng Gave A Thumbs Up
Chi Wang fell into deep thought—he might indeed have been overworking himself.
Diligence was a virtue, but compromising his health wasn’t worth it.
Lately, he truly felt like he was running on empty. His “cost-effective labor” work hours had been extending further and further, sometimes stretching to over seven hours of online tasks, leaving no choice but to carve out breaks from his study time.
Worse, a casual mention of some programming knowledge had snowballed into him being roped into free UI design work. Even subsidiary product websites were being built by him!
This is getting ridiculous!
It was time to quit. Walking dogs could stay—it had way better ROI.
Once Chi Wang had an idea, he acted on it immediately. He picked up his phone and messaged Sister Yang, his supervisor: “Sister, I want to resign.”
Sister Yang replied swiftly: “Why?”
Chi Wang: “I’m too tired—so tired I could cry QAQ.”
Sister Yang: “Hold on, let me check with the boss and see if I can get you a raise.”
Chi Wang: “…”
He hesitated, tempted: “Okay, you try asking. blush emoji.jpg
If they gave him an extra 1,000 yuan, he’d stay! He wasn’t hard to please!
Soon, Sister Yang messaged back: “The boss says you’ve been doing an excellent job and is willing to give you a 200-yuan monthly raise. How about it? Not bad, right? I really fought for this raise for you!”
Chi Wang: “…”
Was he such a pushover? Did they really think 200 yuan could keep him?
A mere 200 yuan. Chi Wang closed his eyes and typed, “I’ve thought it over. I should resign after all.”
Sister Yang tried to talk him out of it. “You should think carefully. Jobs are hard to find these days. Many college graduates are unemployed. You, a university student, are already earning 3,200 yuan a month—that’s excellent. Do you know my friend? She’s a master’s graduate from XX University of Law and Politics, working in a court for only 1,800 yuan a month. Her salary goes up by 100 yuan a year—it’ll take her ten years just to reach 2,800 yuan!”
Chi Wang: “…”
He tried to compromise. “Sister, how about reducing my workload? Right now, I’m working an average of 6.7 hours a day, and my body can’t handle it anymore ORZ.”
Sister Yang responded, “You’re such a talented person, and our company treasures talent…”
Chi Wang: “…”
He wasn’t buying into the platitudes. Empty promises didn’t fill his stomach. He remained determined to resign.
Perhaps because no one as capable as Chi Wang was available, Sister Yang consulted with her boss and upped the ante to retain him. “How about this? I talked to the boss. Your workload will be halved, you’ll have weekends off, and you’ll get commuting and meal allowances totaling 500 yuan. That brings your salary to 3,700 yuan. Does that work for you?”
She also threw in another grand promise. “If our company expands and goes public, you’ll be one of the founding members! You might even get some company shares. Imagine the good life you’ll have then. You know our boss is a second-generation rich kid—it’s only a matter of time before we go public.”
Chi Wang was so overwhelmed by the “pie in the sky” promises that he almost cried. “Uh, fine. I won’t resign.”
Reaching this level was… acceptable, he supposed.
Sister Yang added, “Oh, by the way, the boss wants to know if you can continue teaching yourself programming. Our website needs regular maintenance. If you handle it, the company can save a lot of money.”
Chi Wang: “…”
The company saving money wouldn’t put any of it in his pocket.
Cursing inwardly, he declined with the excuse of a busy academic schedule. He couldn’t let everyone forget he was just a sophomore student. Studying electrical engineering was already demanding enough!
Although he couldn’t resign, cutting his workload in half meant he could now finish in two or three hours a day. It was much easier than before, and he finally had time to rest.
After taking several naps, Chi Wang felt his energy returning. The fatigue was lifting—it turned out he really had been exhausted.
—
After attending a banquet, Xie Siheng went straight to sleep at the Minglong Hotel.
His sleep schedule was a mess. He couldn’t sleep at night and only managed short naps during the day. This chaotic pattern had persisted for over five years.
He usually relied on sleeping pills to barely get by, but long-term use had built up a tolerance.
The prolonged lack of proper sleep made Xie Siheng irritable. However, he had an image to maintain and never let his frustrations show in public. The people around him were the ones who felt the brunt of his temper.
His phone began to ring. Without even glancing, he hung up.
The phone rang again. He hung up again. After a few rounds of this, he finally picked up. “What?” His voice carried a faint nasal tone, with a hint of impatience.
“You hung up on me again! Just because we’re close doesn’t mean you can take it out on me,” complained Zuo Qianxing.
“I was sleeping,” said Xie Siheng.
“You can’t even sleep. Why bother? Get up and come party,” Zuo Qianxing teased.
Xie Siheng: “…”
“Xiao Fu’s back from abroad. He’s hosting a celebration party and invited me. Are you coming?” asked Zuo Qianxing.
“You love stirring the pot, don’t you?” replied Xie Siheng.
With a laugh, Zuo Qianxing said, “You’re lagging so far behind Xiao Fu now. He’s in charge of his family’s affairs, while you’re still studying and planning to go abroad again. What’s the point of all this studying? Aren’t you running your company? I heard he just closed a major deal worth billions in pure profits. He’s on fire.”
In a calm tone, Xie Siheng replied, “Everyone has their own goals. He has his path, and I have mine. No need to compare.”
“Fair enough,” Zuo Qianxing conceded. Unable to sway him, he changed the topic. “Your junior—I’ve kept an eye on him. Looks like Xiao Fu never followed up with him. Guess he didn’t see him as important.”
Xie Siheng paused briefly before speaking in a natural tone. “Find him a part-time job. Make sure it’s official, with a high salary.”
Momentarily confused, Zuo Qianxing asked, “…Huh?”
Xie Siheng kept it brief, “He needs money. Make him a mascot, pay him well, and list him under your company.”
Zuo Qianxing realized that Xie Siheng was asking him to give Chi Wang money in a legitimate way. His heart softened—this was exactly why he considered Xie Siheng a true friend.
Years ago, his father had fallen into a trap while investing. Two billion yuan vanished without a trace, leaving their company’s cash flow broken and their projects in shambles. Bankruptcy was looming. Without a word, Xie Siheng had used his own money to bail them out, helping the Zuo family weather the storm. Sure, it had made Xie Siheng a shareholder in their company, but without his intervention, their assets would have been devoured in a resource fire sale. The result would have been far worse.
At the time, they hadn’t been particularly close—barely exchanged a few words—but Xie Siheng had still stepped in to help.
From then on, no matter how aloof Xie Siheng seemed, Zuo Qianxing had been willing to follow in his wake.
Zuo Qianxing said, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle this.”
Xie Siheng replied, “Hanging up now.”
“Not going to Xiao Fu’s celebration banquet?” Zuo Qianxing tried one last time.
“Get lost.”
“Got it.”
And with that, Zuo Qianxing quickly exited the conversation.
As he mulled over how to fulfill Xie Siheng’s request, a plan began to form in Zuo Qianxing’s mind.
—
At Xiao Fu’s celebration banquet, Zuo Qianxing went alone. He had only had a few drinks when he overheard someone asking about Xiao Fu and “that caddie boy.”
Xiao Fu’s appearance had become even more flamboyant than before. He now sported silver studs on his brow bone and lower lip, a row of earrings along one ear, and an untamed sense of style that clashed with his identity as a corporate heir. He looked more like a rogue than a dignified successor—completely lacking any sense of decorum.
Zuo Qianxing, as smooth as a ball of dough, could still chat amiably with him. Yet deep down, he felt an instinctive aversion and fear toward Xiao Fu.
Overhearing the conversation about Chi Wang, Zuo Qianxing held his breath and listened carefully. Xiao Fu’s casual yet amused voice rang out, “Like him? When have I ever liked anyone over the years? I just think that kid is pleasant and wanted to be friends with him. I’m straight, unlike Jiang Shaoning, who’s twisted enough to like men. If anyone dares to spread rumors again, I’ll rip their tongues out. Got it?”
Everyone fell silent. Xiao Fu was genuinely capable of such actions.
This rumor had originated from Xiao Chengfeng, who awkwardly asked, “So, bro, when are you getting a girlfriend?”
Xiao Fu’s smile took on a twisted edge. “No rush. As long as the old man at home is still alive, this isn’t a priority.”
Zuo Qianxing: “…”
Well, it sounded like Xiao Fu was destined for a prison cell someday.
Feeling the oppressive atmosphere, Zuo Qianxing didn’t linger and quickly slunk away. Spending time around Xiao Fu was exhausting. Though he often smiled, it was all surface-level, never reaching his eyes. You’d never know when you might unintentionally offend him.
By contrast, Xie Siheng was much better. Sure, he threw icy glares, but he had a genuinely kind heart—someone you could get along with.
—
That evening, Chi Wang returned to his dormitory as usual, took a shower, and then tended to his wounds.
This had become a routine performance in their dorm.
However, today he was oddly cheerful. When Luo Lianyun asked what was going on, Chi Wang happily lifted his shirt. “Ta-da! Abs!”
“!!” Luo Lianyun was stunned. “Six-pack abs!”
Chi Wang grinned. “I got them from walking dog.”
He had always had a hint of abs, but the definition had been faint, barely revealing four. Now, the lines were deeper, his pale abdomen adorned with smooth, rippling muscle—a delicate yet pronounced six-pack. It looked stunning.
Shu Tingyu, watching quietly, lifted his own shirt in secret. Tall and fond of eating, he avoided exercise and had no abs—just a slight belly instead.
Luo Lianyun was no better. Combined, the two of them might have been able to claim a total of two abs between them.
Chi Wang let out a cocky laugh: “Hehehehehe!”
Grabbing his phone, he snapped a photo of his abs and boldly posted it to his social media feed with the caption: “Superb six-pack abs from walking husky!”
He then called on his friends. “I just posted it. Go give me a like!”
Luo Lianyun rolled his eyes. “Show-off.”
Shu Tingyu silently picked up his phone and gave Chi Wang a like.
Chi Wang ran a hand over his abs, clearly delighted. “I guess I should keep walking the dog. Maybe I’ll get an eight-pack next.”
Luo Lianyun commented earnestly, “I think six is perfect for you. Where would you even fit an eight-pack?”
Chi Wang had a naturally well-proportioned figure, with a slender waist and fine bone structure. A six-pack looked harmonious, but eight-pack abs would start to look out of place.
Chi Wang laughed. “Every man dreams of being a muscular Adonis!”
Luo Lianyun recoiled in horror. “No, not me, and please, not you either. Otherwise, you’ll turn into the internet’s definition of a ‘butch sister.'”
Chi Wang cracked up. “Haha, I was just kidding.”
He picked up his phone again and opened his social media app. The growing number of likes and comments made the corners of his mouth curl up in pride and satisfaction. Ready to bask in his friends’ praise, he tapped on the post.
Instead, he was met with an onslaught of suggestive comments:
[So hot, so hot! Such a slim waist! I wanna lick it!]
[Chi Wang! You’re so saucy! Image of a cat seductively covering its face jpg.]
[Absolutely stunning. Chi Wang, do you have a girlfriend? If not, let me volunteer myself. Just let me touch your waist, that’s all. Pure and innocent intentions here.]
[The campus heartthrob from the class next door has already started gaining weight, and you’re still so handsome. That slim waist of yours—I’d gladly die after hugging it.]
Chi Wang: Wait, no! Praise the abs, not my waist!
He was about to put his phone down when Xie Siheng’s profile picture suddenly popped up on the notifications.
Chi Wang froze for a second before realizing—Xie Siheng had liked his post.
An awkward feeling crept up his spine.
Without a word, Chi Wang quietly deleted the post from his feed.
On the other end, Xie Siheng realized he had accidentally liked Chi Wang’s post and was just about to remove it when the post disappeared.
Xie Siheng: “…”
