"Please, no need. It's all my duty," Chen Feng said humbly.
"It's a must! Chen Feng, tell me the truth, this is the first time I've ever proactively invited a man to dinner from the bottom of my heart. In the past, it was all for Hongfeng Electronics Factory, just going through the motions. For you, it's genuine," Nie Xiaosu explained with sincere earnestness.
"Then I'll respectfully accept your invitation," Chen Feng no longer demurred.
So, after work, Nie Xiaosu took Chen Feng to a private room at a nearby hotel for dinner.
As fate would have it, Nie Xiaosu and Chen Feng encountered Tan Feng, the head of Hongfeng Electronics Factory, who was also at the hotel for dinner, in the corridor of the private rooms. Tan Feng was there with a client. When he saw Nie Xiaosu and Chen Feng appearing in the hotel corridor, chatting and laughing, he was furious. "That damned Chen Feng, only a few days at Hongfeng Electronics Factory, and he's already completely charmed Nie Xiaosu. I, Tan Feng, have been at Hongfeng Electronics Factory for seven or eight years, always working hard to impress Nie Xiaosu, hoping she'd notice me, even if I couldn't become a live-in son-in-law, I could at least become Nie Xiaosu's right-hand man. Well, neither of those things is even on the horizon, and this Chen Feng appears out of nowhere, disrupting all my plans."
Chen Feng took one look at Tan Feng and knew what kind of person he was. He had ability, but his intentions were not pure. This scene reminded Chen Feng of the world of politics. In politics, there were too many people like Tan Feng. They possessed ability, and quite outstanding ability at that. However, they were unwilling to use this ability for practical work, instead dedicating it entirely to political maneuvering. This resulted in a situation where, although there were many talented and capable people in politics, truly pragmatic individuals who could get things done and handle responsibilities independently were very few, as their primary focus was on scheming.
"Miss Nie, what a coincidence?" Tan Feng suppressed his inner resentment and walked over with a smile.
"Manager Tan, indeed, a coincidence. Bringing a client?" Nie Xiaosu replied with a smile. She was quite satisfied with Tan Feng; over the years, he had secured many orders for Hongfeng Electronics Factory.
"Yes, we're about to sign a contract in a few days, so I specifically invited the client for dinner to express my gratitude." Tan Feng deliberately emphasized the word "sign."
"Manager Tan, with you, Hongfeng Electronics Factory is in good hands. Go ahead, I'll find you later." Nie Xiaosu said with a smile. Tan Feng gave Chen Feng a strange, knowing smile before entering the private room with his client.
"Chen Feng, Manager Tan, you should know him, right?" Nie Xiaosu asked Chen Feng as they entered the private room.
"The celebrity of Hongfeng Electronics Factory, of course, I know him," Chen Feng replied truthfully.
"Chen Feng, to be honest, you and Manager Tan are my right-hand men right now," Nie Xiaosu sighed.
"Miss Nie, to be frank, neither Manager Tan nor I are your right-hand men," Chen Feng said after a moment's thought. It was not a problem for him, but the issue was with Tan Feng, whose intentions were not pure. It was acceptable to use his abilities, but considering him a right-hand man was not quite right.
"What do you mean? Didn't you just say Manager Tan is a celebrity at Hongfeng Electronics Factory? Why is Manager Tan not your right-hand man now?" Nie Xiaosu asked curiously.
"Miss Nie, since you trust me so much and have faith in me, I won't beat around the bush. I'll tell you directly. Tan Feng has ability, but his intentions are not pure. Such a person can be used, but not trusted," Chen Feng said word for word.
"You say Tan Feng's intentions are not pure? What makes you say that? Chen Feng, if I recall correctly, you haven't known Tan Feng for very long, have you?" Nie Xiaosu asked, perplexed.
"Judging people doesn't require a long time. A small detail, a fleeting glance... one can basically ascertain a person's character," Chen Feng explained calmly.
"That sounds a bit mystical. It's best to have evidence to convince everyone. Otherwise, relying solely on baseless speculation is too arbitrary," Nie Xiaosu said earnestly.
"Miss Nie, I think your way of thinking is good. Don't worry, within a week, I will show you Tan Feng's impure intentions," Chen Feng replied calmly and composedly.
"I believe you'll find the evidence related to Tan Feng. For now, let's not think about it too much and enjoy this grand meal," Nie Xiaosu said with an excited smile. Chen Feng didn't stand on ceremony and began to eat heartily.
"By the way, Chen Feng, where do you live now?" After dinner, as they strolled in a park near the hotel, Nie Xiaosu casually asked.
"I live in the Hongfeng Electronics Factory staff dormitory. Ten people to a room, it's very lively," Chen Feng replied calmly.
"Don't go back there tonight. I have an apartment near Hongfeng Electronics Factory, which I bought to facilitate the management of the factory. I usually live there alone, and I go back to the Nie family villa on holidays," Nie Xiaosu said, looking at Chen Feng with a slightly infatuated gaze.
"Live with you? Isn't that a bit inappropriate?" Chen Feng replied humbly.
"It is a bit inappropriate, but it doesn't matter. We can go back together after work, quietly, without anyone knowing. It's nothing," Nie Xiaosu said with a smile.
"Alright then," Chen Feng said after a moment's thought, and agreed. Although Hongfeng Electronics Factory was livable, it was too noisy. Some people were still scrolling through Douyin late at night. Some snored. Some even pulled up their mosquito nets and happily engaged with their girlfriends inside... In such a noisy environment, it was really difficult to ponder any serious matters. After a short walk, Chen Feng followed Nie Xiaosu back to her apartment. It was a small, exquisite suite, and Chen Feng actually liked it.
"You sleep in the guest room, and I'll sleep in the master bedroom. Is that okay?" Nie Xiaosu said with a smile.
"Miss Nie, you're too polite. As a wage earner like me, to have a separate room to sleep in would make me dream with joy. How could there be any problem?" Chen Feng quickly replied.
"That's good. In that case, my guest room doesn't have much in it. Hurry back to the Hongfeng Electronics Factory dormitory and move your things over," Nie Xiaosu said excitedly. It felt wonderful to live under the same roof with a man she liked. Chen Feng didn't hesitate and immediately returned to Hongfeng Electronics Factory, moving all his belongings over. After finishing, Chen Feng saw it was only nine o'clock; it was still early, so he took out his books to read. He hadn't been able to concentrate on reading in the crowded dormitory at Hongfeng Electronics Factory. Now, in such a quiet environment, it would be a waste not to read. Thus, Chen Feng began to read with complete absorption. He was so engrossed that he didn't even notice when Nie Xiaosu brought him tea midway. Nie Xiaosu stood silently behind him, watching him with admiration. This man was indeed extraordinary. Ordinary male workers, after work, would be playing games or browsing Douyin; who else would be reading to enrich themselves? What's more, the books Chen Feng was reading were not ordinary books. There were original English books, original Japanese books, and books on international politics... Any one of them could stump her. After about two hours, Nie Xiaosu, unable to control her admiration for Chen Feng, impulsively embraced him from behind...
"Chen Feng, you've been reading for so long, it's time to rest," Nie Xiaosu said, her voice trembling with emotion.