Chapter 73: Winning the Prize
Chi Wang said this because although Xie Sicheng claimed he didn’t need help, his “little brother” was standing tall. Wasn’t this an act of rebellion against its master?
He made this remark, but only he laughed. Xie propped up half of his body slightly, gazing at him with calm eyes.
Gradually, Chi Wang couldn’t laugh anymore.
He suddenly realized that his heightened desires were due to hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy, and he couldn’t alleviate them through exercise or labor. But Xie was different; he didn’t have hormonal issues. Xie was aroused because of him, and as a man, his instincts had been awakened.
In such a situation, it would be easy for Xie not to want to place his “little brother” in Chi Wang’s hand, but rather to consider putting it somewhere else.
What? You think Xie isn’t that kind of person? Well, remember how he just kissed him—and even used his tongue!
Never underestimate a man’s animal instincts!
Chi Wang: “…”
Chi Wang fell silent, obediently patted the corner of the quilt, slowly retreated, and slid back under the covers.
Due to his pregnancy, he mostly slept on his side now; lying flat felt uncomfortable.
But when he lay on his side, he suddenly thought of something and quickly changed positions, turning so that his backside faced the outer edge of the bed.
Xie reached out and turned off the nightlight, plunging the room back into darkness.
He also turned over, facing Chi Wang, and said, “We should start applying the stretch mark cream tomorrow.”
Chi Wang remembered. “Oh, I forgot. Let’s start tomorrow, then. Remind me when the time comes—I feel like my memory’s getting worse.”
Xie’s voice was low. “Alright.”
Feeling Xie’s warm breath, Chi Wang’s face grew a bit hot. He told himself not to overthink and tried to sleep.
He still had a good quality of sleep. Closing his eyes and calming his mind, the comfort and drowsiness after relief washed over him, and Chi Wang soon fell asleep.
After he drifted off, Xie reached out and gently pinched Chi Wang’s cheek. Pressing his forehead against Chi Wang’s, he lowered his head slightly and planted a kiss on Chi Wang’s high, delicate nose before closing his eyes to sleep.
*
Early the next morning, seeing the radiant look on Xie’s face, Zuo Qianxing knew that living with Chi Wang was treating him well.
He asked Xie, “Do you want some gossip?”
Xie replied, “Not interested.”
Despite his response, Zuo Qianxing continued, “Let me tell you, Xiao Fu is acting crazy. He went abroad and beat up Lu Xiao, landing him in the hospital too.”
Xie: “…”
He put down his folder and looked at Zuo Qianxing. “When did this happen?”
Zuo Qianxing said, “Just yesterday! I heard that the night before last, Xiao Fu flew overnight to Country M, lured Lu Xiao out, and gave him a beating—broke his leg. They sent Lu Xiao to a hospital there, but the doctors scheduled his surgery three months later. By then, his leg would have healed improperly and would need to be re-broken for surgery. It scared Lu Xiao into returning home.”
Xie: “…Oh.”
Zuo Qianxing deliberately said, “It seems like Xiao Fu is venting anger on your behalf.”
Xiao Fu had beaten up two people in a row. Beating Xiao Chengfeng was one thing—he was nearby, and Xiao Fu could do it whenever he pleased. But Lu Xiao had gone abroad to study, and Xiao Fu still flew over specifically to beat him up.
Adding these two incidents together felt off.
It made Zuo Qianxing suddenly recall the time a few months ago when they had drugged Xie.
After that, Xie cut off cooperation with Xiao Chengfeng’s and Lu Xiao’s families. He avoided attending the same events as them and would confirm guest lists with organizers before attending banquets. Over time, people at the top sensed the shift.
That lesson was heavy enough; Lu Xiao’s family’s business lost more than half, suffering significant financial losses.
But Xiao Fu’s heavy-handed tactics were like trampling their families’ faces into the ground, completely tearing any semblance of cordiality.
Lu Xiao was good-looking and adorable. Even though he was a guy and openly gay, the boys in their circle pampered him like a little princess.
Zuo Qianxing felt that this was likely instigated by Xiao Chengfeng; otherwise, timid Lu Xiao wouldn’t have dared to drug Xie.
But saying all this was pointless—they had made a grave mistake.
Zuo Qianxing suddenly recalled that morning when Xie looked unwell, the washing machine was humming, and the bedsheets had vanished without a trace.
He could almost deduce that Xie had slept with Chi Wang that day, and Chi Wang… got pregnant?
There was gossip in the group chat about Xiao Fu recognizing a younger brother, but since no one had met him, they all assumed it was fake.
At the time, Zuo Qianxing had only heard it in passing and didn’t take it seriously. Now, thinking back, he felt he was close to the truth.
Both Xie and Xiao Fu wore bracelets that looked identical in size, with slight color differences. Xie and Chi Wang also had matching bracelets.
Suddenly, it all made sense to Zuo Qianxing. Xiao Fu wasn’t venting for Xie; he was doing it for Chi Wang.
Chi Wang was Xiao Fu’s brother?
Whether biological or adopted was unclear for now, but knowing Xiao Fu, Zuo didn’t think it was a fake brother. After all, Xiao Fu was quite indifferent—he was somewhat sincere to women but ruthless to men, practically disowning relatives, and had no close friends.
Would someone like that casually recognize a brother? Highly unlikely—it was probably his real brother.
And perhaps a half-brother from the same mother.
Zuo felt his reasoning was quite sound and was satisfied. But seeing Xie arrive at work looking so spirited, he couldn’t help but want to say something.
As expected, Xie remained his usual self, not buying into Zuo’s gossip. He lowered his head to look at the folder again and said somewhat indifferently, “Maybe.”
Zuo: “…”
What does “maybe” mean?
Zuo didn’t say more. Having shared the gossip, he felt better.
Sigh, being a lone melon-eating bystander with no friends to share gossip with was such a waste.
After Zuo left, Xie took out his phone and called Secretary Huang. When the call connected, he asked, “When is the Dongyue Company’s annual meeting?”
Secretary Huang replied, “Mr. Xie, it’s this afternoon.”
Xie asked, “Are the prizes for the annual meeting prepared?”
Secretary Huang answered, “Yes, they are. The first prize is 200,000 yuan in cash, the second prize is a 50,000 yuan supermarket shopping card, and the third prize is a full set of Apple products.”
Xie pinched the bridge of his nose. “Make some changes. Increase the first prize to 1.8 million yuan in cash, and add a special prize—cash as well. You decide the amount.”
Secretary Huang hesitated. “Is this to ensure Mr. Chi wins the first prize this time?”
Xie said, “Yes.”
Secretary Huang: “Understood.”
Xie thought of something else and added, “Set the company-wide annual leave to 18 days.”
Secretary Huang said with some difficulty, “Wouldn’t 18 days be too long?”
Xie replied, “It’s not too much—just make it 18 days.”
Since Xie insisted, Secretary Huang didn’t argue further.
Matters related to Chi Wang were all handled by Secretary Huang.
Soon, Chi Wang received notice of the extended holiday, with full pay.
He was incredulous and confirmed with Sister Yang, “Is it true we’re getting an 18-day holiday?”
Sister Yang replied, “Yes, really—18 days off for the whole company. Plus, there are New Year’s gifts! There’s an annual meeting this afternoon with prizes. It’d be great if you could come; you might win a big prize.”
Chi Wang exclaimed, “I’ll come! I want to be there!”
He’d been cooped up at home and was going stir-crazy. He was a social butterfly! If he didn’t get out soon, he’d go mad.
Sister Yang was surprised. “Really? Can you make it?”
Chi Wang said, “Well, I’m on winter break now. If it weren’t for some personal matters, I’d be working full-time during the holiday. Blushing face“
Sister Yang wiped her brow. “Alright then, come on over.”
Now that Chi Wang would be present, how could they manipulate the prize drawing? The difficulty just increased.
Sister Yang put down the phone and went to report the situation to the higher-ups.
She had already accepted that Chi Wang had become a favorite of the company’s leadership.
In just a week, it will be the Chinese New Year.
Chi Wang confirmed the time; the annual meeting would start around four in the afternoon. It was only just after ten in the morning, so he had plenty of time. Leisurely, he went to his closet to find clothes.
Xie had bought him many outfits, but Chi Wang rarely wore them. No matter how new or soft the clothes were, they couldn’t compare to the comfort of his well-worn favorites.
But now it wouldn’t do. After becoming pregnant, he lost heat quickly and seemed physically weaker, feeling colder than before.
If he wore his own clothes outside, he’d freeze silently, and if he stayed out too long, even his belly would become icy cold.
That wouldn’t do; the baby’s “nest” would turn into an igloo. Even if he didn’t get sick, the baby might.
So Chi Wang wore the clothes Xie had bought him—a thick down jacket. Sneaking a look at the tag and searching online, he found it cost 28,000 yuan.
Outrageously expensive, but it was warm. With the heating on inside, just putting it on made him sweat, so he quickly took it off.
He rummaged through some clothes to wear underneath and found thermal underwear. Unlike other guys his age, Chi Wang was meticulous about wearing thermal underwear in winter. In middle and high school, winters in the provincial capital were exceptionally cold. He even wore woolen pants underneath, never allowing himself to freeze.
Now, carrying a baby, he doubled up on thermal underwear—wearing two sets!
He added a snug rabbit fur turtleneck sweater and a thick red hoodie, both close-fitting and stylish.
Finally, he put on the down jacket. The overall look was great—not bulky at all. Chi Wang felt he truly was a natural clothes hanger.
For pants, he chose loose-fitting woolen plaid wide-leg trousers, paired with suede-designed snow boots. He checked the soles—lots of tread patterns for good friction, reducing the risk of slipping.
He had bought the boots himself for three or four hundred yuan, but they were warm, and he liked them a lot.
He had read that pregnant women could experience swelling in their feet and legs, but after checking himself, he hadn’t noticed any changes. His calves were still straight and slender, without any edema.
This pregnancy didn’t seem too difficult.
Because his belly was smaller than other women at the same stage, Chi Wang moved fairly easily.
But if he were to fall, he wasn’t sure if he could still do the splits or break into street dance moves like before. He was afraid the baby might spill out of his mouth—just kidding.
After putting together his outfit, Chi Wang mentioned to Xie Sicheng that he would be going out in the afternoon.
Xie asked him, “Where are you going? Let the driver take you.”
Though it seemed unnecessary, Chi Wang still asked, “Won’t that make the driver work overtime?”
Xie replied, “No.”
That settled it; Chi Wang agreed.
Chi Wang told Xie about attending the company’s annual meeting.
Xie asked, “Aren’t you a part-timer?”
Chi Wang said, “Yes, I am.”
Xie asked, “Can part-timers also attend the annual meeting?”
Chi Wang felt he’d heard a silly question and secretly chuckled. He casually replied, “Of course! My company is great. Last time, they even gave me a raise. And I heard there will be prizes at this annual meeting. Wish me luck in winning the first prize.”
Xie asked, “What is the first prize?”
Chi Wang enthusiastically chatted with him, “I’m not sure yet. I asked Sister Yang, and she wasn’t clear either, but it’s supposed to be big. After all, the boss is a second-generation rich kid—wealthy and generous. Last time, they casually held a draw, and the first prize was an Audi. I heard it was worth over 200,000 yuan.”
Xie said, “Is there such a big gap between the first and second prizes?”
Chi Wang said, “That’s normal. In supermarket lotteries, the first prize might be an electric scooter worth a few thousand yuan, and the second prize drops directly to a rice cooker worth a hundred or so.”
Xie said, “I hope you win the first prize.”
Chi Wang said, “I hope so too! If I win the first prize, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
Xie said, “No, it’s best not to eat out. Nowadays, restaurants often serve pre-made dishes.”
Chi Wang scratched his head. “Then if I win the first prize, I’ll share half of it with you.”
Xie paused. “Why would you share half with me?”
Chi Wang said, “Do I need a reason? I just want to share. But don’t take it seriously; after all, I’m not very lucky. It’s just wishful thinking.”
Xie said, “You will win.”
Chi Wang just chuckled at that.
Xie instructed the driver to accompany Chi Wang throughout. After all, Chi Wang’s luck was indeed not great, and he wasn’t comfortable with him going out alone.
When Chi Wang arrived at the company where he had worked during the summer, he felt the place had changed significantly. Originally occupying half a floor as a small company, it had now expanded to three floors, renting both the upper and lower levels. Employees’ workspaces were much more spacious.
The workstation where Chi Wang had worked during the summer was now occupied by a young man. Sister Yang saw him and warmly greeted him, showing him around the company. “Isn’t it much bigger now? I told you our company’s future prospects were great.”
Chi Wang nodded. Indeed, this commercial street was said to have very high rent. Even though the boss was a second-generation rich kid, he could only afford to rent half a floor for the company.
Now they had expanded.
They all took the company’s large bus to the hotel. Chi Wang looked around at the employees and found that he didn’t recognize many faces; it seemed many people had left the company.
Feeling puzzled, Chi Wang asked about it.
Sister Yang thought to herself, isn’t it because of you? She said, “The company got a new leader who fired those who were slacking off.”
Chi Wang was stunned and thought, then why weren’t you fired?
He had worked with Sister Yang and knew she tended to slack off.
But as an adult, he knew what to say and what not to say. He feigned innocence. “Oh, I see. The new boss must be very strict.”
Sister Yang laughed. “Haha, yes.”
They found a quiet place to sit. Sister Yang even accompanied him. Chi Wang said, a bit embarrassed, “Sister, you can go about your business. I can sit here with my big brother.”
For the annual meeting, each employee could bring one family member. Chi Wang had brought the driver along to enjoy the food and drinks.
The driver had a simple and honest look, didn’t talk much, and mainly served as a human shield in case Chi Wang had any mishaps. It was said he was a former special forces soldier with quick reflexes; if Chi Wang ran into any trouble, he could pull or grab him in time.
Since Chi Wang said so, Sister Yang didn’t leave, thoughtfully saying, “You haven’t been here for a long time; I should keep you company. It’s okay.”
Seeing her insist, Chi Wang didn’t say more.
The waiters first brought out cold dishes. Sister Yang pushed the dishes toward Chi Wang. The others at the table looked at him with dissatisfaction. Chi Wang quickly pushed the dishes back. “I don’t eat these.”
They were all cold; eating them would chill his stomach. Better not to eat them.
While the leaders hadn’t arrived yet, Sister Yang chatted with him. At first, Chi Wang answered properly, but later he felt something was off. He sensed that Sister Yang was probing him, so he became more tactful in his responses, deflecting her questions.
As time passed, more people arrived, and the atmosphere became lively.
The new boss and his two secretaries also arrived. When Chi Wang saw them, he inexplicably felt that one of the secretaries next to the new boss looked familiar and couldn’t help but glance a few more times.
The new boss first went on stage to give a speech, saying a lot about the company’s achievements over the past year. Chi Wang listened attentively and found that the new boss’s thinking was much more rigorous than the second-generation rich kid. His attitude was different from the start.
The new boss also shared some thoughts and experiences about work. Chi Wang found it a bit unusual; weren’t company annual meetings usually about summarizing and motivating? Why was the boss personally leading a discussion on problem-solving methods?
Chi Wang looked around and saw that the people around him weren’t listening seriously; they seemed to be daydreaming, clearly not interested in what the boss was saying.
But soon, the boss finished speaking and began the motivational segment, starting with a success-story style speech, and then moved on to the prize drawing.
A secretary brought over a paper box, letting people draw numbered plastic balls one by one. There were about a hundred employees, so the balls were quickly distributed.
Chi Wang drew number 9. Sister Yang got number 15, and the driver drew number 11.
Chi Wang felt that Sister Yang seemed to be staring at him. He turned to look, and Sister Yang smiled at him, swallowing nervously. She said, “Can I swap numbers with you? Actually, my birthday is in September.”
Without thinking, Chi Wang refused, “Better not. Sister Yang, I think number 15 suits you well; no need to swap.”
Chi Wang wouldn’t get involved in such matters. It’s like buying a lottery ticket: you pay for it and ask a friend to buy it for you, and if it wins, the friend says it was their luck that won it. What would you say?
If he swapped with Sister Yang and number 15 won the grand prize, wouldn’t Sister Yang be furious?
If number 9 won the grand prize, he’d be upset.
A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall; Chi Wang wouldn’t do such a thing.
In front of Xie, Chi Wang might be thin-skinned, but after working for years, he was actually more experienced than most peers.
If it were other inexperienced college students, they might have swapped with Sister Yang.
Sister Yang took out her phone. “I’ll pay you 500 yuan to buy your number. I really feel this number is lucky for me. Please, swap with me.”
Chi Wang was a bit surprised but still refused, “Really, I can’t. Sister, please don’t insist.”
Sister Yang raised the offer, “1,000 yuan—I’ll buy your number for 1,000 yuan. Maybe you’ll win a big prize with my number.”
Chi Wang: “…”
Wait, this is very odd!
Why is she so insistent on swapping numbers with him?
Of course, Sister Yang knew why. She had learned about the grand prize for this year’s annual meeting. It was said to be a large sum of money, and there was an 80% chance it would be rigged and given to Chi Wang.
Otherwise, why would the secretary personally come down to distribute the balls one by one?
It’s definitely rigged!
Money moves people’s hearts; Sister Yang admitted she was tempted. If she could get this prize, she wouldn’t mind quitting her job afterward. She could only apologize to Chi Wang!
The boss was still giving a long speech on stage, but Sister Yang knew the prize drawing wouldn’t be delayed too long, so she became anxious. She offered Chi Wang 1,500 yuan, muttering, “They haven’t drawn the prize yet; what are you worried about? Your luck may not be as good as last time. I’m just superstitious; number 9 is my birthday—just looking for good luck.”
Chi Wang said helplessly, “Sorry, Sister, I really can’t swap. Not swapping is best. If neither of us wins, it’s fine, but if one of us does, neither will feel comfortable.”
Sister Yang said, “If I win, I’ll share some with you!”
Chi Wang’s attitude was gentle, but his words were firm: “Sorry, Sister, really can’t. I respect you, so I don’t want any unpleasantness between us. Let’s not do this.”
The driver took out his own ball and said in a deep voice, “Swap with me. Number 9 and 11 are only a few days apart; you can celebrate your birthday a bit later.”
Sister Yang: “…Haha, I just want number 9.”
The driver stared at her and said, “Don’t bully the kid; he said he won’t swap.”
The driver was tall and strong, looking quite intimidating just sitting there. Sister Yang felt awkward and didn’t know what to say.
Chi Wang grabbed a handful of peanuts and placed them in front of Sister Yang. “Sister, have some peanuts.”
Sister Yang: “…”
How could she eat now?
Sister Yang didn’t speak further, looking toward the stage with a slightly anxious expression.
Chi Wang noticed and felt puzzled.
Not long after, the boss finished his speech and began the prize drawing.
Starting with the first prize, he drew number 9. The screen displayed the number 9, and he said, “Number 9! The holder of number 9 has won the first prize, which is 1.8 million yuan in cash! Congratulations, congratulations! Who has the number 9 ball?”
Chi Wang’s eyes widened. Stuttering, incredulous, he asked the driver, “W-what did he say? Did he say 1.8 million?”
The driver calmly said, “1.8 million yuan in cash.”
Chi Wang: “!!!!!!”
Holy crap?
Did my luck just turn around??
- “Little brother”: A colloquial term for male genitalia.
- Melon-eating bystander: A Chinese internet slang term for someone who watches events unfold without getting involved, similar to “spectator” or “onlooker.”
- “A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall” (J?n z? bù lì w?i qiáng zh? xià): A proverb meaning that a wise person avoids unnecessary risks
