After The Domineering Boss Went Bankrupt, The Ungrateful Wolf Was Buried In The Crematorium
After The Domineering Boss Went Bankrupt, The Ungrateful Wolf Was Buried In The Crematorium Chapter 6

On the first day of the Chinese New Year, a holiday meant for family reunions, Chu Shangluo lay in his luxurious home, bored out of his mind.

There were no steaming dishes, no pastries or candies, only an empty bottle of red wine and a pack of cigarettes on the table. He rubbed his temples and opened the chat box. There were countless New Year greetings, but what use were they? He still couldn’t get anyone to go out for drinks with him. Chu Shangluo regretted rejecting Ren Jiaoming’s invitation; at least now he wouldn’t be this bored alone. But couldn’t Ren Jiaoming make the first move, just a little bit? At least send a New Year message!

In the next moment, Chu Shangluo felt ridiculous. Why was he thinking about that infuriating man? He stood up and walked to the bathroom. After freshening up, he changed into a clean suit and went to the company. After all, he worked at the company every year during this time, and this year wouldn’t be any different.

When he arrived at the company, Chu Shangluo was surprised to see a man in the office. He was still a bit angry. He took off his coat and hung it up, then asked, “What are you doing here? Didn’t I give you the day off?”

Ren Jiaoming glanced at him, his fingers tapping the keyboard nonchalantly. “Copying the report, I’ll leave soon.”

Seeing his indifferent attitude, Chu Shangluo’s eyelids drooped, and he sat down in the office chair. He rubbed his stomach, which ached faintly, and opened the first drawer on the right. When he didn’t find what he was looking for, he opened the second one. The rustling sound of him rummaging through the drawers was sharp and annoying, just like the messy mood he was in at that moment.

Ren Jiaoming glanced over and said calmly, “It’s in the second drawer on your left.”

“You know what I’m looking for?” Chu Shangluo shot Ren Jiaoming a displeased look, then opened the left drawer. The stomach medicine was neatly placed inside.

Chu Shangluo paused for a moment, feeling somewhat awkward as he took out a pill. He went to pour himself some cold tea, but before he could, Ren Jiaoming took the cup from his hand. He got up, walked over to the water dispenser, and the sound of water filling the cup echoed. When he returned, he placed the cup of hot water in front of Chu Shangluo and said calmly, “If your stomach hurts, drink some hot water.”

This was the first time Ren Jiaoming had gotten him water.

Chu Shangluo looked at Ren Jiaoming, whose expression was unchanged, and silently took a sip of the warm water. The anger that had been building up since last night gradually faded away as the hot water settled in his stomach.

Ren Jiaoming finished copying the data, closed his computer, and picked up his coat. Chu Shangluo rested his chin on his hand, staring at Ren Jiaoming, hoping that he might do something to make him happy. However, when Ren Jiaoming opened the office door and started to leave, nothing else happened to cheer him up.

Chu Shangluo knew that if he didn’t speak up now, Ren Jiaoming would really leave.

“Secretary Ren!”

Ren Jiaoming stopped and looked at Chu Shangluo with confusion. “Is there something else?”

Chu Shangluo sighed inwardly and decided to take the initiative. After all, if he didn’t make a move, there would be no story. “Do you have time later? Didn’t you say you’d treat me to dinner?” Chu Shangluo smiled, looking at the secretary who was dressed very modestly today.

Ren Jiaoming glanced at the time and replied, “I have an appointment later.”

Chu Shangluo’s smile instantly faded. “You…!”

Ren Jiaoming remained expressionless and continued, “I have time in the evening.”

Chu Shangluo swallowed his words of frustration. “So, we’re having dinner tonight?”

“Sure.”

The evening was a good time, a time when things could happen. Chu Shangluo felt a little better and asked, “Where? Your place?”

Chu Shangluo admitted to himself that he was somewhat obsessed with Ren Jiaoming’s house, he just didn’t believe that he couldn’t get into it!

Ren Jiaoming answered straightforwardly, “My place isn’t convenient. You can choose anywhere except my home.”

Chu Shangluo felt like he had been tricked into giving up on Ren Jiaoming’s house. “Isn’t your house where the treasure is hidden? Fine, if you don’t want to go to your place, let’s go to mine.”

Ren Jiaoming paused for a moment, then nodded.

After Ren Jiaoming left, Chu Shangluo couldn’t help but feel a bit dissatisfied after seeing Wen Yan enter Ren Jiaoming’s house the day before. Why could he go in, but not him? A man who was deeply entangled in love became increasingly frustrated. He immediately called Lin Zhi to investigate the relationship between Wen Yan and Ren Jiaoming.

At Lin Zhi’s house, his whole family was sitting in the living room, chatting, eating sunflower seeds, and watching the Spring Festival Gala rerun. When Lin Zhi received the call, he was worried that the noise from his family would make Chu Shangluo feel sad, so he hid in the bathroom. However, Chu Shangluo still heard everything. Once he had given the instructions, he quickly ended the call.

A while later, Lin Zhi sent the information he had found to Chu Shangluo. In addition to finding out that Wen Yan and Ren Jiaoming were college classmates, Lin Zhi had discovered something that caught Chu Shangluo’s attention: Ren Jiaoming’s last name. After thinking for a moment, Chu Shangluo dialed Jiang Jia’s number.

Jiang Jia answered the phone, clearly annoyed. “Who is this? I’m playing a game! It’s the New Year!”

Chu Shangluo lit a cigarette and said, unhurriedly, “It’s me.”

“Who are you?”

“Chu Shangluo.”

“Eh? Chu Shangluo?” Jiang Jia’s voice softened. “Why are you calling me?”

“I’m asking you, did Ren Jiaoming’s last name used to be Ruan? What was his full name?”

“Uh… was it? Let me think… Hey, hey, hurry up, hurry up, team him!”

Chu Shangluo took a deep breath, his patience wearing thin. “Ah… lost, damn it, I’m not playing anymore. Chu Shangluo, are you still there? I remember my dad saying his original last name was Ruan, but I forgot the full name, anyway, it was just a one-character name.”

Chu Shangluo, with a cigarette in his mouth, looked at the sparse information he had about Ren Jiaoming on his computer and asked, “Did your dad say anything else about him?”

“Ah! I think there was something else. My dad said Ren Jiaoming has a younger brother, and he’s been looking for him all these years. But he needs a jade pendant to find him, so he’s been searching for it, but never found it.”

Looking for his brother… Chu Shangluo exhaled a puff of smoke, no wonder Ren Jiaoming, such a clean freak, had allowed that little boy with ice cream all over his hands to grab his clothes at the scenic spot.

“What kind of jade pendant was it? Do you remember?”

“Ah, what kind of jade pendant, how could I remember? But I heard it’s a red jade pendant, half of it missing, and it probably has the word Ruan engraved on it.”

Chu Shangluo closed his eyes for a moment. That was enough information. He had seen that jade pendant before.

“Hey, Chu Shangluo, next time, do you want to go skydiving with me? I think you’re pretty good at it! Anyway, I’m really grateful to you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have this happy, carefree life now!”

Chu Shangluo couldn’t stand Jiang Jia’s annoying chatter and directly hung up the phone.

On his way back, Chu Shangluo called his father, but the call wasn’t answered. The word “Ruan,” the red jade pendant, and the missing half—it left a deep impression on him. He remembered one time when he was a child, he had gone into his father’s study and by chance saw the jade pendant in the safe. Curious, he put it on his neck and played with it. When his father caught him, he scolded him for touching such a valuable item. Chu Shangluo had refused to listen, thinking it was just a broken jade pendant, why make a big deal out of it? His father had then given him a hard beating. Chu Shangluo would never easily forget any painful memories.

Back home, Chu Shangluo looked around at his quiet, empty house and realized that although he had planned to eat, there was nothing in the house. He took out his phone, thinking he would just order from a restaurant, but then remembered it was the first day of the new year, and all the restaurants were closed.

When Ren Jiaoming arrived, Chu Shangluo was pouring takeout into a plate. Hearing a knock on the door, he put down the takeout box and walked over to open the door. Chu Shangluo had been in the stuffy room for a long time, and his skin felt covered with a layer of heat that made him uneasy. The moment Ren Jiaoming entered, his cool, refreshing aura made Chu Shangluo feel much more comfortable. He couldn’t help but reach out to touch his face.

“Secretary Ren, your face is so cool,” Chu Shangluo said, his hand dry and hot. Ren Jiaoming could not accept this temperature and frowned, pulling his hand away.

Noticing that Ren Jiaoming seemed displeased with his touch, Chu Shangluo decided not to continue. “Secretary Ren, make yourself at home. You can leave your shoes on or take them off, whatever you prefer.”

He returned to the table and continued transferring the takeout to the plate, showing no signs of avoiding Ren Jiaoming. He wasn’t particularly good at cooking, and eating takeout was nothing to be ashamed of. After finishing, Chu Shangluo stacked the empty takeout boxes on the edge of the table. Ren Jiaoming, who was carefully wiping his cup with a tissue, furrowed his brow when he saw this.

Chu Shangluo, oblivious to any problem with his actions, took out a bottle of red wine, opened the cork, and snatched the cup from Ren Jiaoming’s hand, pouring wine into it. “Don’t bother wiping it, I’ve already washed the cups. They’re clean!”

Chu Shangluo felt hot, so he casually unbuttoned a few buttons. He handed the wine glass to Ren Jiaoming, his eyes full of warmth. “Secretary Ren, you said you’d treat me to dinner, so how did it end up that I’m treating you instead?”

Ren Jiaoming took the glass and took a graceful sip. “Next time, I’ll invite President Chu over.”

Chu Shangluo swirled his wine and smiled. “How about tomorrow?”

Ren Jiaoming, well aware of Chu Shangluo’s intentions, replied, “I don’t have time tomorrow.”

Chu Shangluo stared at Ren Jiaoming for a while, seeing nothing but aloofness on his face. Even though it was the first day of the new year, and a new year had started, Secretary Ren was still as hard to get along with as ever. Chu Shangluo drank a few more glasses of wine, and during this time, the conversation between them was sparse. Ren Jiaoming wasn’t talkative, and after Chu Shangluo tried for a while to initiate a conversation without getting a response, he grew annoyed, thinking, why am I even trying to talk? It’s pointless!

Time passed slowly, and the two of them silently finished the bottle of wine. Suddenly, the sound of firecrackers outside broke the strange silence between them. Chu Shangluo put on his coat, holding his wine glass, and walked to the balcony, waving at Ren Jiaoming.

Ren Jiaoming glanced at the time, stood up, and walked over to join Chu Shangluo. Unlike Chu Shangluo, whose face was red from drinking, Ren Jiaoming remained calm and composed. “President Chu, I should be leaving.”

Chu Shangluo turned his head, the cold wind blowing through his hair, carrying a bit of chill. He looked at Ren Jiaoming more seriously than before. “Did your last name used to be Ruan?”

Ren Jiaoming’s expression remained unchanged.

Chu Shangluo turned back, leaning his arm against the balcony railing and gazing at the stars in the night sky above Beijing. “I know. You’ve been looking for a jade pendant.”

Ren Jiaoming’s expression darkened slightly at the mention of the jade pendant.

Chu Shangluo continued, “I think I’ve seen that jade pendant before, but it’s not with me. It’s with my dad. Let me call him and ask. If it’s the one you need, I’ll give it to you.”

Chu Shangluo spoke plainly, with no intention of deceiving Ren Jiaoming. His gaze shifted to Ren Jiaoming’s long, clean hands, and an idea crossed his mind. He took Ren Jiaoming’s hand, gently caressing his knuckles.

Chu Shangluo looked into his deep, bottomless eyes and said without hesitation, “I’ve thought about it. Finding your brother is important. I like you, so I’m willing to help you.” He then squeezed Ren Jiaoming’s hand, which had been trying to pull away. “I don’t care if you came to me because you knew the jade pendant was with me. After all, I thought about it, and with your abilities, if you wanted to go against me, you could still protect the Jiang family. I’m not going to dwell on that. I have only one request: I’ll give you the jade pendant, but you can’t leave the Chu family.”

In the quiet of the night, Chu Shangluo’s voice was clear and his expression calm. Ren Jiaoming gazed into those eager eyes, and his heart felt as if it had been scorched by something.

Lhaozi[Translator]

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