KN | Chapter 34

Which Mr. Chen?

Over the phone, Chen Wan thanked the second assistant for the warm reminder, but in truth, he had no plans to actually try it.

That number had been left to him by Zhao Shengge for emergencies. He was only supposed to use it if he discovered something unusual. He could not abuse it for personal reasons.

That string of digits was like some kind of password, or a spell, something that could switch Chen Wan’s emotions on. Even though he had already mouthed it and repeated it in his heart countless times, he still had never felt that he would truly dial it.

Other than by phone, Chen Wan and Zhao Shengge also shared one group chat, the one Tan Youming had made, but he and Zhao Shengge were not friends on there.

On many late nights, Chen Wan had opened the other man’s profile page, but he had never once thought of sending a friend request on his own initiative.

The party was set for Sunday. All the way until Friday, Chen Wan still had not received a reply from Zhao Shengge’s second assistant. He went from checking his email and messages every day full of hope at first, to finally, almost in frustration, deciding that Zhao Shengge probably would not come.

Zhao Shengge’s time was precious, measured down to the minute and second. Even when Tan Youming and Shen Zongnian invited him, he did not accept every single time, let alone when it was Chen Wan asking.

This was probably the first time he had invited Zhao Shengge in his own name. Chen Wan could not help feeling disappointed. It was not that he was trying to do anything else, it was simply that Zhao Shengge had arranged security guards and an auntie for him, and out of basic courtesy, he ought to thank him in person.

Sunday was drawing near, yet there was still no word at all from Zhao Shengge’s assistants.

Ordinarily, with this sort of invitation, whether the answer was yes or no, there should at least be a clear reply.

After thinking it over, Chen Wan could not help calling again.

This time, it was not the warm and kindly second assistant from before who answered, but the special assistant rumored to be somewhat less approachable.

But Chen Wan felt that the other party’s attitude was respectful and polite enough as well.

He tactfully asked about tomorrow’s invitation. The other party said that President Zhao’s schedule was generally handled by the second assistant, and the second assistant had recently gone on a business trip, so he would need to verify things before he could reply to Chen Wan. He apologized sincerely.

Chen Wan felt that something was a little off, but since the man’s tone and wording were both highly professional and serious, he did not think too much about it.

“However, Mr. Chen,” the special assistant said to him at the very end, “the weekend is President Zhao’s private time. A lot of the time, even we can’t necessarily guarantee that we can reach him. If you have something urgent, it’s best if you call him personally. That might be more efficient.”

Chen Wan froze for a moment. It was exactly the same as what the second assistant had said.

The second assistant had suggested that he call the private number directly, and now the special assistant was also advising him to contact Zhao Shengge personally. Chen Wan could not help sighing inwardly. So it turned out that even people on the inside had this much trouble reaching Zhao Shengge. Nobody had it easy.

Chen Wan had never truly intended to directly call Zhao Shengge’s private number, but now that two of the “emperor’s close attendants” had independently given him the exact same advice, he began to hesitate. “Would calling him directly disturb Mr. Zhao?”

“It probably won’t, Mr. Chen,” the special assistant said in a natural tone. “If President Zhao doesn’t want you to reach him, then you won’t be able to disturb him at all.”

“…”

That made sense. The other party probably had abundant experience making futile attempts like that. Chen Wan thanked him. “Alright, then I’ll give it a try. Thank you, Assistant He.”

“You’re welcome.”

After the call ended, Chen Wan held his phone without moving, drafting what he wanted to say word by word in his mind, steeling himself for a long time.

When the special assistant brought documents in, Zhao Shengge was in the middle of a video conference.

He saw his boss glance at his phone, but he very quickly put it back into the drawer.

By the time work was over, the special assistant went in again to collect the documents Zhao Shengge had already signed off on. That private phone was lying on the desk again.

Zhao Shengge stayed in the office working until ten o’clock. Haishi’s CBD district was a city that never slept, every tower brightly lit.

He picked up the phone that had remained silent the whole time and was now down to five percent battery, and walked out the door with it.

In the hallway, he ran into the assistant on her way to the pantry, the same second assistant whom the special assistant had told outsiders was recently away on a business trip.

She asked respectfully, “President Zhao, should I keep tomorrow evening open for you?”

Zhao Shengge’s time was scheduled with precision down to the hour. She had always been the one responsible for his schedule, and she had already arranged the blocks for the coming week. Only tomorrow evening’s blank slot was still waiting to be filled in.

Because Zhao Shengge had still not checked it with her.

The fluorescent lights in the corridor were especially bright at night, making Zhao Shengge’s face look somewhat cold and severe. The second assistant had the instinctive feeling that she should not be asking this question at a time like this, but it was her job.

Fortunately, just then, Zhao Shengge’s phone vibrated once. Zhao Shengge glanced at the screen very quickly.

Because his gaze was so direct and so fast, the second assistant subconsciously lowered her head too.

But what showed on the incoming call screen was not a name. It was some kind of icon or symbol, and she did not catch it clearly.

Zhao Shengge did not answer right away. He tipped his chin at the assistant, signaling for her to leave first. Then he took the phone and walked toward the elevators, only answering when the incoming call notification was just about to cut off.

Even after he answered, he did not speak immediately.

Listening to the empty white noise on the other end, Chen Wan’s heart was pounding fast, but his voice remained steady and composed. “Hello, may I ask if this is Mr. Zhao?”

Zhao Shengge still did not speak. It was not until the very second before Chen Wan’s heart was about to stop altogether that he finally opened his mouth and called him directly by name. “Chen Wan.”

Chen Wan felt as though his ears exploded for a moment. Zhao Shengge seemed to be in some broad, empty place. His voice was very low, and there was a faint echo to it.

Chen Wan gripped the phone a little harder. His voice remained steady, carrying a kind of obedient calmness. “It’s me, Mr. Zhao.”

Zhao Shengge did not take the elevator down. Instead, he pushed open the door and walked into the stairwell. He was the only person on that floor.

After the motion-sensor light went out, it was pitch black. He leaned against the wall, one hand tucked into his pocket, head lowered, looking very relaxed, and asked lightly, “What is it?”

Chen Wan spoke out the script he had been rehearsing all day.

“It’s like this. When I was in the hospital a few days ago, everyone came to visit me. Now that I’ve been discharged, I’d like to treat everyone to a meal. The time is set for seven o’clock on Sunday evening. I was wondering whether you might be free.”

After a few seconds, Zhao Shengge asked softly, “You’re inviting me?”

Chen Wan’s heart was beating hard. “Yes. I’d like to invite you. Are you free?”

Zhao Shengge did not say whether he was free or not. He simply slowly walked down the stairs, lifted his hand to glance at his watch, and said in a flat tone, “You’ve set it for seven o’clock Sunday evening. Right now it’s ten o’clock Saturday night.”

“…”

Now that he put it that way, even Chen Wan felt that he had been abrupt and insincere. When inviting someone to dinner, you ought to do it at least a few days in advance, let alone when the person was someone as busy as Zhao Shengge.

It was not proper.

His mistake had been not listening to the second assistant’s advice at the very beginning and calling Zhao Shengge personally to invite him. He had wasted a lot of time for nothing.

It was far too rude.

Chen Wan grew a little anxious, afraid Zhao Shengge would not feel the earnest sincerity in his heart, and explained, “I’m sorry, Mr. Zhao. I didn’t think it through properly.”

He did not mention at all that he had already called Zhao Shengge’s assistants twice, or that he had sent the invitation out as early as a week ago. He only said, “I should have invited you earlier. Then… do you still have any free time this Sunday evening?”

Zhao Shengge had not expected that Chen Wan would say absolutely nothing about how he had actually reached out to his assistant a week in advance, and would instead silently shoulder the blame himself. After a moment of silence, he said, “It was you who called my assistant on Tuesday?”

Chen Wan froze. So the assistant had passed the message on for him after all. Then why had Zhao Shengge only found out tonight?

Zhao Shengge answered with easy composure, “She said a Mr. Chen had invited me. I didn’t know which Mr. Chen it was.”

“…”

Chen Wan did not know whether he was telling the truth or not, but good-temperedly took the blame onto himself. “Maybe I forgot to leave my name. Since I didn’t get a reply, I could only presumptuously try calling your private number. I hope you won’t find it abrupt.”

Chen Wan always thought too much. This phone number had been left to him by Zhao Shengge for emergencies, and he was using it to invite someone to dinner. He did not know whether Zhao Shengge would think he was taking a mile after being given an inch, greedily asking for more.

In an unreadable tone, Zhao Shengge said, “So I left you my private number.”

“…”

That sentence could be understood as Zhao Shengge speaking in that faintly barbed way, implying that Chen Wan had failed to call him personally in time to invite him. It could also be understood as Zhao Shengge genuinely having forgotten that he had given Chen Wan his number.

In short, it could be interpreted in too many different ways. Cautiously, Chen Wan explained, “You did. That night when I was in the hospital. Have you forgotten?”

The moment he finished speaking, Chen Wan felt a little regretful again. It really did sound too much like he was complaining or reproaching him. He absolutely had not meant it that way. He had only wanted to confirm the matter and remind Zhao Shengge of it.

But somehow, no matter how he phrased it, it seemed to come out wrong. Chen Wan hoped he could get himself back to normal as quickly as possible.

It was as if Zhao Shengge had noticed nothing unusual. He merely gave an “Mm,” then said lazily, “Now I remember.”

“…”