How do you discipline a kid like that?
How the hell would I know!
If I knew, my son would be just as accomplished as that kid.
Old Li’s eyes welled up, not from being touched, but from the burning anger of wanting to take Wen Dongrong, that bastard, down with him.
In that moment, old grudges and new hatreds flooded his mind. Wen Dongrong’s flaunted leather shoes, his tie, his belt, his second-hand car, every single thing made Old Li seethe!
Wen Dongrong was Old Li’s greatest rival in this life, his fated enemy!
Old Li was so choked by Wen Dongrong’s humblebrag that he couldn’t speak, but the big boss was the first to snap out of it.
Your daughter published a novel?
Wen Dongrong nodded reservedly, She’s only got this hobby outside of studying. I’m not against her writing, but she shouldn’t have published a book in secret.
The big boss was a bit surprised, yet it made sense.
If he remembered correctly, Wen Dongrong’s daughter had won first prize in the New Concept Essay Contest, hadn’t she?
Winning the New Concept Essay Contest could get you extra points for university entrance, and publishing a book was standard practice. The big boss, more open-minded than Old Li, didn’t get annoyed by Wen Dongrong’s humblebrag and instead genuinely congratulated him: That’s great, why are you still worried? Your family’s got a little genius! Like father, like daughter. I remember, Dongrong, you were the office’s renowned writer in your younger days.
In his youth, Wen Dongrong wasn’t just handsome, he was the office’s star writer, which was why the former boss’s daughter took a liking to him.
When Wen Dongrong got together with Chen Ru, rejecting the boss’s daughter, the boss thought he lacked tact and benched him for a few years.
Later, with a new boss, Wen Dongrong managed to rise again, thanks to his solid writing skills.
Without some real talent, the new boss wouldn’t have noticed him.
When the big boss praised Wen Ying as a chip off the old block, it really hit Wen Dongrong’s sweet spot. Deep down, he quite agreed with the boss, though writing official documents for the department and Wen Ying’s novel-writing were different things, it didn’t matter, both were writing, one formal, one popular, just with different audiences.
Wen Dongrong humbly brushed it off, and the big boss smiled, asking, What’s your daughter’s novel called? Bring a few copies to the office someday, let me see the little genius’s talent. Oh, and you mentioned a lawsuit, if you need any help, don’t hesitate. I know a couple of sharp lawyers in the provincial capital.
A book published by a young girl should be decent, though at her age, the content might not suit the big boss’s taste. He was mostly being encouraging.
Wen Dongrong grew even humbler, but his upturned lips betrayed his true feelings: Her book’s called Youth Idol. The kid was messing around, offended her former publisher when choosing one, and now there’s a reputation rights lawsuit. I only just found out about it. Once I get the full picture, I’ll definitely ask for your advice!
Old Li, dazed by Wen Dongrong’s big move, stood like a clay statue.
Hearing Youth Idol, Old Li’s eyes flickered.
Wen Dongrong dared to lie!
Old Li might not know about other things, but Youth Idol was too popular. Like Wen Dongrong, he loved reading newspapers, how could he miss the recent hot news?
Just a few days ago, the papers clearly said the author of Youth Idol was a young man, referred to as “he”!
Wen Dongrong was shameless.
Just because the author of Youth Idol kept a low profile, he claimed the credit for his daughter.
Dongrong, are you mistaken?
Old Li trembled with excitement, I read in the papers that the author of Youth Idol is a man.
Hah.
Old Li, you fool!
If Wen Dongrong hadn’t called Deng Shangwei and gotten confirmation from him, would he dare boast like this in front of the big boss?
That’s why I said this kid’s hard to manage. To keep it from me and her mum, she even fed the reporters fake news. If the defendant’s lawyer hadn’t shown up today, I’d still be in the dark!
Old Li was skeptical, but the big boss bought it completely.
A lawyer’s word wouldn’t be taken lightly by someone as cautious as Wen Dongrong, he must have verified it through other channels.
It was laughable that Old Li couldn’t see through this and still tried to catch Wen Dongrong out.
What good would it do Wen Dongrong to lie, especially with something so easily debunked?
In the past, Old Li and Wen Dongrong seemed about equal in their work, but lately, it was clear they weren’t on the same level. Old Li’s mindset was a bit narrow.
The big boss wasn’t pleased. Scanning the office, he noticed the drooping leaves of the pothos on the desk and sent Old Li to water it.
After getting rid of the near-breaking-point Old Li, the big boss patted Wen Dongrong’s shoulder: So, Youth Idol was written by your daughter. I was careless with my words earlier, she’s not a little genius, she’s a major talent. The lawsuit, anyone in Chengdu who reads the news knows about it. You must be reeling from the lawyer’s visit today. Work’s important, but so is family. Take the afternoon off and go home to sort this out.
The big boss gave Wen Dongrong half a day off, and Wen Dongrong looked deeply grateful.
He really needed to head back.
Though Wen Dongrong left, the gossip fire was lit across the whole office.
Winning an essay contest was one thing, publishing a novel was another level.
And Wen Ying’s novel caused such a stir, reported in Chengdu’s papers for over a month, what kind of treatment was that?
Even big celebrities don’t make the news every day.
A star among writers?
Yeah, yeah, she’s got the vibe of a celebrity author.
Hey, didn’t the papers say the lawsuit was in the bag? Why’s a lawyer still showing up?
Don’t you get it? It’s because the other side’s losing that they’re getting desperate.
Where’s Brother Li?
Shh…
Outside the discussion circle, Old Li, watering can in hand, looked particularly lonely.
In a daze, Old Li put down the can and turned his wrath on the pothos, plucking leaf after leaf.
If the leaves came to an odd number, The Fish Against the Current wasn’t Wen Dongrong’s daughter. If even, bah, bah, bah, it had to be odd!
Old Li stripped the pothos bald but got dizzy with odd and even numbers.
Damn it, even a pothos was as hateful as Wen Dongrong!
After leaving the office, the hateful Wen Dongrong drove back to Chengdu, calling Deng Shangwei on the way to meet at a big mall.
You didn’t tip off Wen Ying, did you?
Deng Shangwei shook his head bitterly.
He wanted to, but Wen Ying’s phone was unreachable!
Wen Dongrong nodded, Good, let’s go. My treat today, we’ll have a proper chat over dinner.
Eating at the big mall wasn’t cheap.
But Wen Dongrong wanted it to be pricey.
He tucked the thousand yuan hidden under his car seat into his pocket. If he didn’t spend it all today, he wouldn’t be surnamed Wen, when caught for financial crimes, what’s the worst fearpool? Getting caught with the ill-gotten money unspent!
Surrendering the money was out of the question, to Chen Ru, whether he returned it or not, the punishment would be just as heavy.
