Chapter 27: Reunion
Li Qi?
Whatās he doing here?
Chen Jiamu hadnāt expected such a dramatic scene to happen againā¦
Their first encounter ended with Chen Jiamu hospitalized after being assaulted by Li Qi. Four years later, their paths crossed again in this chaotic situationā¦
āYouā¦ā
āCome to my office.ā
Before Chen Jiamu could speak, Li Qi invited him.
Chen Jiamu was still bewildered. He took a couple of steps, then stopped, looking at Qian Chengfeng questioninglyā¦
Li Qiās presence silenced everyone; even Qian Chengfeng stood silently.
Could he beā¦?
Suddenly, a preposterous yet plausible thought struck himā¦
Frowning, Chen Jiamu followed.
As the door closed, whispers followed.
āHeās finished. Heās definitely going to be fired.ā
āHe lost his temper in front of the boss; heās doomedā¦ā
Unaware of the commotion outside, inside the office, Li Qi picked up Chen Jiamu’s discarded employee badge and stared intently at him.
āWhy such a temper?ā
āShouldnāt you be in Beicheng? Why are you here?ā
Chen Jiamu stared at Li Qiās face. After four years, he seemed more mature; his features had lost their youthful softness.
His every movement exuded the confidence of a grown man; he was completely different from the sensitive and quiet eighteen-year-oldā¦
So, everyone had changed in four years, except for him?
Thinking this, Chen Jiamu gritted his teeth, clenching his fists.
When angry, the mole at the corner of Chen Jiamuās eye would twitch. He might not have noticed, but Li Qi remembered clearly.
āIām sorry.ā
āI was wrong back then.ā
These words were like pouring oil on a fire. Chen Jiamu still resented what had happened, and Li Qiās admission enraged him.
When speechless with anger, one might laugh. Chen Jiamu sneered. āHehā¦ā
āI thought youād forgotten. After four years, you still remember?ā
āHow could I forget such a big thing? I’m nothing but a spoiled rich kid.ā
āYouāre so high and mighty; youād certainly disdain being friends with a lowly worm like me.ā
āOtherwise, why would you leave for abroad overnight without a word after making plans with me!?ā
Chen Jiamu spat out the last words, his eyes burning with anger and resentment.
Chen Jiamuās anger choked Li Qi; a bitter taste rose in his throat.
āI wasnātā¦ā
āIt was sudden. I lost my phone, soā¦ I couldnāt explain properly.ā
āSo, you didn’t even try to contact me?ā
āYou didn’t ask Song Jin? Getting my phone number from her wouldnāt have been hard, would it?ā
āLi Qi, I considered you a friend. What did you think I was?ā
āYou could have explained this in a single sentence, yet you waited four years. Did you think I wouldnāt be upset?ā
āYou expect me to accept your explanation after four years?ā
Chen Jiamu knew Li Qi’s reasons for leaving. He understood his difficulties.
But asking Song Jin for his contact information would have been easy!
He couldāve resolved it with a simple sentence, yet he waited four years!
Even someone trying to avoid contact would offer a perfunctory excuse. Was he just an annoying spoiled brat to Li Qi?
Li Qi didnāt expect such a strong reaction from Chen Jiamu. The man who could always retort now found himself speechlessā¦
āIā¦ā
How could Li Qi explain? Should he admit to suppressing his feelings?
āIām sorry. It was unexpected. Aunt Song got sick abroad; I couldnāt speak the language, so many things were delayed.ā
āI didnāt not consider you a friend, but Iā¦ā
Li Qi spoke briefly, omitting the hardships but conveying helplessnessā¦
Chen Jiamuās fists unclenched; his anger eventually gave way to frustrationā¦
Without explanation, Chen Jiamu could imagine Li Qiās life abroad.
He was quiet, had depressionā¦
Probably without a single friend to talk toā¦
He couldnāt imagine how heād survived the past four years, how heād transformedā¦
Into this mature and composed person who could control the situationā¦
Chen Jiamu felt too easily letting him off would be unfair. After a long silence, he sat on the desk.
āAfter four years, youāve become quite eloquent.ā
āDonāt think you can get away with playing the victim. Youāre just as frustrating as your employees!ā
Hearing the shift in his tone, Li Qi felt relieved. After all these years, he hadnāt changed.
A little concession, and heād softenā¦
āWhat did he do?ā
āIāll help you deal with him.ā Li Qi continued, inching closer.
āDeal with him? I already quit.ā
āDo whatever you want.ā
Chen Jiamu rolled his eyes, arms crossed, looking arrogant.
āYouāre just giving up like this?ā
āThatās not like you.ā
The Chen Jiamu he remembered was arrogant; he wouldn’t quit so easily.
āWhat else can I do? Iām a āpoorā and āhelplessā college student.ā
Chen Jiamu was satisfied with his fabricated identity. It allowed him to see the reality and interact with people he usually wouldnāt.
āDoes your sister know about this identity?ā
Li Qi raised an eyebrow, tracing the edge of the employee badge, amused by his childishness.
āDonāt mention my sister.ā
Chen Jiamu swung his legs; his youthful face in the sunlight looked like he was eighteen again.
Four years, and he hadn’t changed at all.
Li Qi sighed inwardly, softened by his actions.
āSince youāre a āpoorā and āhelplessā college student, donāt you want to turn things around?ā
āGetting one person annoyed isn’t enough; getting many people annoyed is better.ā
Raising the employee badge, Li Qi subtly lured him into his ātrap.ā
āLike what?ā
Li Qiās words piqued Chen Jiamuās interest. If you canāt please everyone, then displease everyone.
Many at the company had mocked him, unable to understand how someone of his background could work at Jingyiā¦
āLike, using my influence.ā
āAs long as you stay, you can use my connections.ā
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