The two seafood bosses had never heard of the matter Wen Ge brought up before!
In an instant, their emotions were a mix of joy and worry.
The joy came from finally understanding why Boss Qin favored Deng Shangwei. They no longer had to flail around like headless flies, desperately trying to outshine Deng Shangwei in front of Boss Qin to secure a bigger share of the quotas.
But the joy was fleeting, overshadowed by a flood of concerns.
A life-saving debt—no wonder Boss Qin valued Deng Shangwei so highly. How could they compete with that?
Nowadays, Boss Qin traveled with a posse of bodyguards, leaving no chance for the two seafood bosses to stage an “accident” and swoop in as his savior. Even if such an opportunity arose, they weren’t sure they’d have the guts to seize it. Wen Ge had mentioned that the knife Deng Shangwei took for Boss Qin had come within a hair’s breadth of piercing his heart!
They weren’t reckless youths anymore. Back when they had nothing, they might’ve risked their lives for a shot at a better future. But now, with modest fortunes to their names, taking such risks felt unnecessary.
For a moment, both felt disheartened. One sighed, “Who’d have thought Little Deng had such a deep bond with Boss Qin? Wen Ge’s right—a life-saving favor isn’t something we can top. Looks like we’ll just have to trail behind Little Deng from now on. He’ll eat the meat at Boss Qin’s table, and if we’re lucky, he’ll leave us some broth!”
The words made sense, but deep down, they couldn’t accept it.
Among their group, Deng Shangwei was the youngest, yet the trajectory suggested he’d outstrip them all in the future.
Calling him “Little Deng” now was fine, but what about later? Would they switch to “Brother Deng” or “Boss Deng”?
How was Deng Shangwei’s luck so damn good?
Not only had he made money at a young age, but even in the nightlife scene, the prettiest girls flocked to him.
The more they thought about it, the more frustrated they became. The two seafood bosses grabbed the beer mugs on the table and chugged them down.
Wen Ge stayed silent, perhaps finding the private room too stifling. He stepped out into the corridor to smoke.
Just then, Lili and a few escort girls passed by. Spotting Wen Ge, the young women greeted him in unison, their voices dripping with sweetness, like they’d been dipped in honey.
The girls in the nightlife didn’t care if Wen Ge had squandered his fortune and was just putting on a front. They only knew he was generous and free with his money, which made him a favorite.
Sure enough, after they surrounded him and cooed for a bit, Wen Ge pulled out his wallet and stuffed a wad of cash into their hands. “What’s this, your boss docking your living expenses? You all look thinner. Take this and get some late-night snacks.”
The escort girls giggled happily, thanking Wen Ge in their sugary tones.
Wen Ge shooed them off. “I need to talk to Lili for a sec.”
“Wen Ge doesn’t fancy us plain janes—he’s got eyes only for Lili. We’re jealous!”
“Lili, take good care of Wen Ge and have a few drinks with him~”
The girls teased and laughed as they tottered away on their high heels. Lili sidled up to Wen Ge. She was dressed simply that night—a white floral dress with low heels. It wasn’t overtly sexy, but it sparked a protective instinct in men.
Lili had started out just playing the piano, but in a place like this, few patrons cared about her skill. They came to ogle her, not to listen.
A naive music student couldn’t outmaneuver the seasoned players here. In just two months, Lili went from playing piano to occasionally drinking with VIPs—a rapid fall.
The same “sisters” who chatted with her were waiting, watching to see when she’d fully succumb, moving from drinks to “diving in” completely.
Lili refused to accept that fate. She needed a way out of this quagmire.
The nightlife was a deep, sticky mire, and she couldn’t escape it alone. She needed a lifeline.
Lili edged closer to Wen Ge.
Maybe the corridor’s air conditioning was too strong—her shoulders trembled slightly.
Wen Ge glanced at her sideways, and she shivered harder.
“Little Deng hasn’t contacted you?”
Lili lowered her head, ashamed. “No, I don’t know what’s up. Before, I’d make excuses to reach out, and he’d chat with me a bit. But since the night before last, he’s stopped answering my calls or texts… Wen Ge, I’m really out of ideas.”
At the music academy, beauties were a dime a dozen. Lili might not have been the department or school flower, but she was at least a class flower.
She’d always known she was attractive and how to leverage it.
Even working part-time in the nightlife, she had no shortage of suitors. Failing to win over Deng Shangwei was a blow to her confidence.
“If the mountain won’t come to you, why not go to the mountain? A young, promising guy like Little Deng—how many do you meet in a place like this? Lili, you’ve got to seize the chance,” Wen Ge said, patting her shoulder before tossing his cigarette butt and heading back to the room.
Lili stood there for a moment, then bit her lip. Wen Ge wasn’t encouraging her to chase love bravely—he was getting impatient, urging her to act.
But he was right about one thing: the nightlife was full of flashy, unreliable young guys and potbellied middle-aged bosses. The former couldn’t give her what she wanted, and the latter were shrewder than she was. Deng Shangwei was indeed her best option.
—
The previous night, Wen Ying and Deng Shangwei had returned home past midnight. Yet, she woke up bright and early the next day.
Deng Shangwei wasn’t heading to the company today—he had business at the Industrial and Commercial Bureau.
Wen Ying offered to go to the company alone.
Chen Li chuckled. “Your uncle said last night he underestimated you. You didn’t complain about being tired or find their seafood sorting dull. Secretary Wen, you followed us from the airport to the seafood market yesterday. Any insights?”
Wen Ying tilted her head playfully. “A little, but not enough. That’s why I’m going back today to keep learning.”
Deng Shangwei had no objections, and Chen Li wouldn’t stop her.
It was Monday. Chen Li had to drop Deng Jie and Deng Hao off at school, so Wen Ying said she’d take the bus to the company.
Chen Li considered it and didn’t insist on driving her.
Rongcheng’s buses weren’t some perilous beast—kids younger than Wen Ying rode them alone. She’d be fine.
After breakfast, the family split up: Chen Li with the kids, Deng Shangwei to his errand, and Wen Ying to the bus.
Deng Yaomei quietly asked if she should bring Wen Ying lunch, but Wen Ying laughed and declined.
The bus swayed its way to the seafood company. Deng Shangwei had called ahead, instructing an employee named Sister Fang to show Wen Ying the ropes. Wen Ying spent the morning diligently trailing Sister Fang—sweet-talking, hardworking, and sharp. She picked up everything with one lesson, surprising Sister Fang.
She’d assumed Wen Ying was just there to pass the time, not to actually learn.
Sister Fang’s attitude shifted. From mere politeness, she warmed to Wen Ying, even sharing her homemade lunch with her at noon.
By afternoon, Deng Shangwei was still tied up somewhere, and the company staff grew idle. Sunlight streamed through the glass, warming Wen Ying until she felt drowsy.
A young woman approached the company, dressed in a lotus-pink dress and holding a blue sunshade umbrella.
Wen Ying barely paid attention at first, but as the woman drew closer, her eyes widened in shock!
