Chapter 10#

The Self-Deceiving Liar#

When Lin Xiaodong went downstairs, he was surprised to find that there was actually someone in the living room.

Gu Xi was sitting on the sofa, a pair of thin gold-rimmed glasses perched on his high bridge, looking down at a book in his hand.

But after experiencing the underground garage incident, Lin Xiaodong now always saw a hint of a “refined scoundrel” in the man.

He felt it probably wasn’t his illusion.

Hearing the sound from the second floor, Gu Xi looked up: “Awake?”

He stared at the somewhat faded High School No. 1 uniform on Lin Xiaodong, raising an eyebrow in slight confusion.

Lin Xiaodong was quite proud.

Lin Xiamian was still participating in a summer camp out of town. This uniform wasn’t his; Lin Xiaodong had dug it out from the bottom of a trunk at home.

He thought to himself, since Gu Xi liked this look, as a substitute, how could he not satisfy this small wish of the big boss?

He guessed that Gu Xi already knew about the good deed he had done at the entrance of Wanxiao today, but Lin Xiaodong carefully observed the man’s expression and found no signs of anger.

Gu Xi just leaned calmly on the sofa, his gaze lingering very briefly on the uniform, then waved his hand:

“Sit.”

Lin Xiaodong sat down next to him, and after a few seconds, he couldn’t help but say: “I always feel like this gesture of yours is a bit like calling a puppy.”

Gu Xi gave a light laugh: “Isn’t it?”

Lin Xiaodong turned his head, stared at him for a while, and his gaze finally landed on those two beautifully shaped, light-colored thin lips.

It’s said that men with thin lips are emotionally indifferent.

Gu Xi nonchalantly pinched Lin Xiaodong’s earlobe, signaling him not to daze off.

He actually liked the way Lin Xiaodong blushed. The youth’s ears would usually turn red first, starting from the earlobe, then spreading to the entire ear, and finally to the cheeks.

Just like a fruit.

At first, it was a bit green, but when it matured enough to be tasted, it had already turned into a juicy, sweet, and soft texture.

“I ordered takeout,” he said. “What movie do you want to watch?”

Lin Xiaodong noticed that the question he asked was “what movie do you want to watch,” not “do you want to watch a movie.”

Typical superior thinking, he thought.

“Anything with depth, dark filters, or a tragic ending,” he said casually, “none of that.”

Gu Xi thought for a while and put on The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie for him.

Lin Xiaodong was initially very dismissive, but it didn’t take long for him to be conquered by the charm of the yellow square on TV, laughing heartily.

He leaned his head on Gu Xi’s shoulder, their hair intertwining, their posture intimate like a pair of lovers leaning on each other.

By common consent, neither of them mentioned what happened last night.

Regarding this, Gu Xi was satisfied with Lin Xiaodong’s obedience and submissiveness, yet a trace of an unusual feeling rose in his heart, and he couldn’t tell if he minded it or not.

Lin Xiaodong finally managed to move his gaze away from the yellow square, only to find the big boss stroking his head absent-mindedly, his dark, deep eyes staring blankly at the big screen through his lenses.

Of course, he didn’t think Gu Xi was enthralled by SpongeBob.

As a qualified and considerate substitute, he cleared his throat and asked considerately: “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Gu Xi was quiet for a few seconds and said: “Nothing, just something about work.”

The youth nestled in his arms looked up at him: “Then I won’t ask.”

He looked very obedient.

Little liar, Gu Xi sighed inwardly.

The impression Lin Xiaodong left on him at the hotel entrance was too deep. Gu Xi didn’t think the person in his arms was some gentle and considerate “little padded jacket.” However, what he originally took a fancy to was the wild energy in Lin Xiaodong.

The man lowered his head and bit his lip punitively.

After Lin Xiaodong finally couldn’t pretend anymore and bared his teeth at him like a little wild cat, Gu Xi then hummed and laughed: “Actually, there’s nothing that can’t be said. Everyone working under me knows that my bottom line is absolutely no touching drugs. But as a port city, it’s persistent despite repeated bans. I just didn’t expect that someone who had worked for me for ten years would also…” He was silent for a moment and shook his head. “I don’t understand. He actually wasn’t short of money.”

“Maybe it wasn’t him who was short,” Lin Xiaodong thought for a moment and proposed a possibility. “He surely has family and friends. Did some change occur in his life?”

“That’s no reason,” Gu Xi said calmly. “Go to the police station and look. Which of those drug dealers doesn’t have a family in urgent need of money or a tragic past? The law won’t open a side door for these people because of pity. Their experiences only make them feel like they are sacrificing for their families when they are executed.”

He sighed: “Especially since many of the group’s industries involve imports and exports. In the face of huge interests, no matter how I regulate or punish, there are always people who aren’t afraid of death and want to try.”

Lin Xiaodong remembered his experience in the underground garage that night and had to admit that those who dared to pluck hairs from a tiger’s head were all warriors.

He pondered for a moment and said to Gu Xi: “I think this matter is actually quite easy to handle.”

Gu Xi: “Oh?”

Seeing that the man didn’t take his words to heart, Lin Xiaodong took a deep breath, straightened his body, grabbed the other’s hand, and said earnestly: “President Gu, give me a chance.”

“Half a year,” he held up three fingers and made a solemn promise, “just give me half a year.”

“Trust me, you definitely won’t be disappointed.”

For some reason, Gu Xi really did agree to it in a strange way.

Although he gave Lin Xiaodong a titular manager position in the group, he didn’t expect this kid who had just entered society to achieve anything. At worst, he would just be supporting an idle person.

But what he didn’t expect was that in the first month after Lin Xiaodong took office, countless anonymous letters of accusation arrived like snowflakes.

At the same time, everyone within the group became terrified at the mention of drugs, and the amount of drugs seized by the police station in one month plummeted to one-third of the average.

This made even Gu Xi curious. What did Lin Xiaodong do to achieve such an effect?

So he went to the police station in person.

Under police escort, a drug dealer about to be executed was led onto a police car.

But the destination wasn’t the execution ground, but his old home in the suburbs—a small two-story building built with the proceeds of drug trafficking.

This was the only legacy he left for his family.

In front of the drug dealer and all the neighbors and fellow villagers, the police blew up the building into ruins.

In the billowing smoke and dust, the drug dealer slumped to the ground and broke down on the spot.

Lin Xiaodong kept a smile on his face, pointed at the weeping man on the ground, and said to the busload of Gu Group employees he had brought for a “sightseeing” trip:

“Watch closely. If anyone else dares to open a back door for drug dealers, this will be your end.”

The police chief stood beside Gu Xi and lamented: “President Gu, where did you find this youngster? Young and vigorous, with no small ability.”

Gu Xi didn’t answer.

He just furrowed his brows, staring blankly at the drifting dust in the distance, thinking about something.

“But I warned him that doing this is very likely to attract trouble,” the chief said hesitantly. He remembered that Gu Xi’s parents seemed to have died because of retaliation from drug dealers, and that incident caused quite a stir back then. “This child is still young. I don’t want to see such a good sprout destroyed by those insane people.”

“It’s fine.”

Gu Xi came back to his senses, looked at Lin Xiaodong’s back, and said deeply:

“I will protect him.”

After the method of “killing one to warn a hundred” began to show results, Lin Xiaodong’s reputation also began to spread gradually within the Gu Group.

At the same time, the relationship between him and Gu Xi became a topic of discussion for people around them.

Lin Xiaodong’s own behavior was more equivalent to confirming the rumors.

He moved out of the place he rented with Lin Xiamian and officially moved into Gu Xi’s house. Gu Xi would return about once or twice a week, and the two maintained such a relationship equivalent to lovers, occasionally discussing some work matters.

But Lin Xiaodong seemed uninterested in the intelligence Gu Xi held that could turn the capital market upside down. Rather than talking about these things, he preferred to lean against the man and watch a popcorn movie with no nutritional value to kill the whole night.

One night, Gu Xi couldn’t help but say to Lin Xiaodong: “There have been personnel changes in the company recently, and a few extra positions happened to open up. Go to the R&D department to work. I’ll give you an idle position; it’s much easier than now, and the salary will double.”

More importantly, it was a position that wouldn’t attract resentment.

But Lin Xiaodong flatly refused: “No need.”

Gu Xi couldn’t quite understand.

He still remembered when Lin Xiaodong risked going to Qi Huaishui for a hundred thousand yuan debt. All subsequent signs also showed that the young man valued money very much. But now, when a job with a higher rate of return was clearly in front of him, why did he refuse?

“I’ve just gotten the hang of it here, and some things are not for money.” Probably noticing Gu Xi’s confused expression, Lin Xiaodong proactively explained, “In my view, things like drugs should rot completely in the ground.”

There was one more point he didn’t mention. Lin Xiaodong found that Gu Xi seemed to have a deep-seated hatred for drugs. To gain favor and get the Good Person Card, this job was clearly the fastest way.

As if some soft spot had been touched, the man’s eyes flickered.

“…Then you must pay attention to your safety.”

“I know,” Lin Xiaodong said. “Every day when I come back, I’ll go around the outside for a few more circles. Even if someone is following me, they won’t find this place. Don’t worry.”

Gu Xi’s lips moved, but in the end, he just sighed: “Just be careful.”

He began to reflect that he might have had some misunderstandings about Lin Xiaodong before.

So Gu Xi decided to let Lin Xiaodong touch more of the company’s high-level affairs. Since Lin Xiaodong was young, to shut everyone’s mouths, he specifically lowered the youth’s salary by thirty percent.

Of course, among the reasons was also that Lin Xiaodong had been busy with work lately and had been ignoring him at home.

Lin Xiaodong: A bolt from the blue!

One night he finally couldn’t help it, stood in front of Gu Xi, suppressed his urge to grind his teeth, and discussed calmly with the man: “Boss, can next month’s salary be issued at the normal level?”

All those domineering presidents throw around millions. Look at you! Unscrupulous capitalist, you actually docked his salary!

Gu Xi closed his computer and intentionally asked back in a confused tone: “Are you short of money? Even after the reduction, the monthly salary is still twelve thousand. There’s no rent for living here. You shouldn’t have anywhere you need to use money.”

“I have my brother,” Lin Xiaodong pulled out Lin Xiamian as a shield with an expressionless face. “He’s going to university, going to get a wife. A half-grown kid eats like a horse; haven’t you heard of that?”

Gu Xi frowned slightly: “On your brother’s side, isn’t there a company student aid fund sponsoring him?”

Lin Xiaodong sighed and sold his misery: “The family owed debts before, and we have to pay them back every month. When I was hanging out with Brother Long, although I didn’t have a fixed salary, it added up to at least fifteen thousand a month.”

The man sitting behind the desk was silent for a while.

“I’ll handle this matter,” he said.

Hearing this, Lin Xiaodong’s expression immediately switched from a miserable little pitiful thing to a beaming face. He said repeatedly: “Boss is generous! Long live Boss!”

Gu Xi looked at this little liar’s face-changing manner and knew he had been fooled.

He was both amused and annoyed. He reached out and grabbed Lin Xiaodong’s collar, pulling the person into his arms. Lin Xiaodong’s expression was resistant but his body was honest; he even proactively reached out to take the glasses off the man’s nose and leaned in to lick them like a little wild cat. In the end, Gu Xi was provoked beyond endurance by the young man’s various small movements, and as he wished, he was pressed onto the desk by the man.

Seeing this, the system very consciously went offline.

And it decided that before detecting the host’s heart rate returning to normal, it would definitely not say a single word.

Don’t ask it why it was so experienced.

The answer was “withdrawn.”