The wedding light show stayed on the trending lists for several days, and the Yiqiao Technology boss’s spouse became the envy of every Omega out there.
Xiao Fang’s informant in the sales department, an Omega with a knack for gossip, couldn’t stop talking about the Yiqiao couple, dreaming of swapping souls with the boss’s spouse.
This left Xiao Fang feeling a bit stifled. After all, he was now one of the only two people in Chuangwei Microchip who knew the truth.
“Qiao Gong, you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying.” Xiao Fang whispered to Qiao Qiao, secretly reporting back. “Those Omegas are practically writing a novel. They’re talking about rebirth five years ago, saying if they met Zhang Zong before you did, they’d have won him over for sure. They claim Zhang Zong’s feelings for you are more about gratitude than love. If they’d gotten to him first, he’d have fallen head over heels for them as an Omega.”
“Is that even human language? Our Zhang Zong isn’t that kind of person! Even a hundred Omegas stacked together couldn’t touch the hem of your clothes, Qiao Gong!”
Xiao Fang was indignant.
Qiao Qiao rubbed his chin. “Didn’t you tell me the same thing before? You said that a capable Alpha would eventually choose an Omega, and that Zhang Zong would inevitably dump his Beta boyfriend.”
Xiao Fang defended himself, “That was before I knew that Beta was you.”
“No matter how much you flatter me.” Qiao Qiao said calmly as he cleared his lunch tray, “I still can’t give you a raise.”
Xiao Fang laughed sheepishly, “Am I really that shallow? Okay, maybe I am.”
“Qiao Gong, if I can’t get promoted here at Chuangwei, what if I jump ship to Yiqiao? Could you, you know, pull some strings?”
Qiao Qiao gave him a sideways glance and, after a moment of contemplation, said, “Who are you again?”
Xiao Fang: “QAQ”
After tidying up, Qiao Qiao left the cafeteria, with Xiao Fang trailing behind like a little tail.
“Actually, I need to thank you.” Xiao Fang said, fidgeting awkwardly.
Qiao Qiao chuckled, “Finally admitting it? I haven’t even charged you a matchmaker’s fee yet.”
Xiao Fang was shocked, “You knew all along?”
“You and Zhu Ming, right?” Qiao Qiao shrugged. “Please, you two were making eyes at each other throughout my wedding banquet. Wei Ning was fuming and complained to Zhang Peng about it at least 800 times.”
Xiao Fang was confused, “What’s it got to do with Wei Zong? Isn’t he already married? And besides, Wei Zong is an Alpha, and Zhu Ming is also an Alpha… That doesn’t…”
Qiao Qiao quickly interrupted his wild imagination, “Don’t overthink it. Zhu Ming is Wei Ning’s brother-in-law!”
Xiao Fang’s face turned a series of colors: “You mean… you mean…”
Qiao Qiao raised an eyebrow, “You didn’t know his background?”
Xiao Fang nodded heavily, “He told me he just graduated two years ago and didn’t know much, asked me to show him the ropes. I thought he was just an ordinary guy.”
“When I talked about how crowded the subway is, how high housing prices are, and how tough life is, he seemed to relate. How could he? He said he was broke after graduation, and I even felt sorry for him. Every time we went out, I insisted on paying. Even when we booked a room, I paid! I… I…”
Xiao Fang’s teeth clenched as his anger began to rise.
Qiao Qiao wasn’t sure how to comfort him, “Did you really pay every time? You two moved fast, huh?” Qiao Qiao mused silently.
Xiao Fang’s expression was blank: “Forget I said anything.” He glanced at his watch, “Qiao Gong, I’m heading back to the office for my lunch break.”
“Oh, okay.” Qiao Qiao nodded, watching Xiao Fang storm off. Worried, he quickly called Zhang Peng, “Hey, Peng Peng, I think I messed up!”
That evening, Qiao Qiao stopped by Xiao Fang’s office to check on him but found it empty. His colleagues mentioned that he had left early.
When Zhang Peng came to pick up Qiao Qiao, Qiao Qiao got into the car with a troubled expression, “Do you think Xiao Fang might do something rash?”
Zhang Peng was certain, “No, he won’t.” He showed Qiao Qiao a recent post from Zhu Ming on social media: “Hello everyone, I messed up. For my wife, can anyone suggest what I should kneel on? A. A cactus B. Instant noodles C. Durian”
The first comment under the post was from Wei Ning: “D. All of the above.”
Qiao Qiao couldn’t help but remark, “Wei Ning holds quite a grudge.”
“He’s just bitter because he’s not happy, so he doesn’t want anyone else to be either.” Zhang Peng said with a touch of schadenfreude.
Then, with a tone full of longing, he said, “Xiao Qiao, I want to go on our honeymoon with you.”
Qiao Qiao gave him a sideways glance, “Do you even have time?”
“I do, I do!” Zhang Peng said excitedly. “If you agree, I’ll drive straight to the airport now—oh no, we need to go home first to grab our IDs and passports!”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Qiao Qiao quickly stopped him, “I’m busy right now. There’s an issue with the drone photography project. We’re adjusting the program.”
This project was a collaboration between Chuangwei and Yiqiao, and Zhang Peng instantly became furious, slapping the steering wheel, “What problem is so big that it’s keeping us from our honeymoon? I’ll check it out tomorrow!”
Qiao Qiao, feeling lazy, said, “You don’t need to come. I’m working well with your company’s Wang Zong.”
Zhang Peng had only said it offhand and hadn’t intended to interfere with Qiao Qiao’s work. But now, hearing him praise another man, Zhang Peng’s heart twisted with jealousy, and he couldn’t let it go.
The next day, Qiao Qiao was in a meeting with his project team and Wang Zong when suddenly, the conference room door opened.
Zhang Peng, dressed impeccably in a suit, walked in, followed by a stern-looking secretary.
Everyone jumped in surprise. The employees from Yiqiao quickly stood up, and Wang Zong hurried to offer Zhang Peng a seat.
Zhang Peng sat in a corner, waved them off, and said sparingly, “Don’t mind me. Continue.”
The secretary spoke for him, “Zhang Zong is just here to observe. Wang Zong, Qiao Gong, please continue.”
Wang Zong, nervous, replied, “Understood” and resumed the meeting with his team.
Zhang Peng sat expressionlessly, crossing his long legs and folding his hands on his knee, his sharp gaze fixed on the center of the conference room.
Let’s see how smoothly this collaboration is going!
Qiao Qiao and Zhang Peng exchanged glances, and Qiao Qiao quickly picked up on Zhang Peng’s haughty attitude.
Qiao Qiao: There’s really no need for all this.
Everyone pushed through the meeting, despite the overwhelming sense of jealousy filling the room. But even after the meeting ended, Zhang Peng didn’t leave. Wang Zong cautiously asked, “Zhang Zong, would you prefer to have lunch in the cafeteria or go out?”
Zhang Peng replied, “What do you usually do? I’m not picky; I’ll join you.”
Wang Zong desperately signaled to Qiao Qiao: Is your husband serious about not being picky? He’s got quite a reputation—I dare not guess his intentions!
Qiao Qiao thought: If you keep staring at me, Zhang Zong might really get upset. And that would be a problem.
“Let’s go to the cafeteria, then. Quick and easy.” Qiao Qiao said, turning to Zhang Peng. “Zhang Zong, our project has indeed slowed down a bit recently, but we’re making progress and should have it resolved soon.”
Wang Zong breathed a sigh of relief. Since Qiao Gong had spoken, Zhang Zong probably wouldn’t make things difficult for him.
The others looked at Qiao Qiao with admiration. Zhang Zong had walked into the meeting room with a dark expression, clearly dissatisfied with their project’s progress. Even Wang Zong had been scared stiff. But Qiao Gong had remained calm and composed, truly embodying the demeanor of a leader.
Then they watched as Zhang Zong’s expression softened from stern to smiling, his tone becoming warm and gentle.
“Alright, alright.” Zhang Peng said, nodding at Qiao Qiao with a loving gaze, “I’ll listen to you.”
Those unaware of the situation: Qiao Gong is incredible! He defused a major crisis with his high emotional intelligence!
Wang Zong, who knew the real story: Damn, I got hit by another display of affection.
Zhang Peng had never eaten in his company’s cafeteria before. By the time the company had its own cafeteria, he was already the head of a publicly listed company, constantly in meetings or on his way to meetings. He could find time for dinner with Qiao Qiao, but lunch was usually a quick takeout meal in his office.
So, his first visit to the cafeteria made him a bit excited.
Of course, he kept his excitement hidden, maintaining a composed exterior. After all, he was at the company.
Zhang Zong circled the serving area like he was inspecting it, taking seven or eight dishes.
Everyone watched him with outward calm but inner shock.
The life of the wealthy is so simple.
Even at the cafeteria, they need to have seven or eight dishes.
Qiao Qiao glanced at the sign on the wall and read aloud, “Reject waste, start with me.”
Wang Zong: Pfft.
Colleagues A through G: “!”
They couldn’t help but admire Qiao Qiao.
Zhang Peng silently split four of the dishes with Qiao Qiao.
Qiao Qiao placed the dishes in the center of the table, “Let’s all eat together. Zhang Zong is treating us today.”
Wang Zong: “Sure.”
And happily started eating.
Colleagues A through G: “!!”
They looked from Wang Zong to Qiao Qiao, then finally at Zhang Peng’s expression.
Zhang Zong seemed perfectly fine with it.
Wait, is Qiao Gong calling the shots with Zhang Zong now?
Everyone was puzzled.
Are tech experts really this powerful? Can they even boss around the clients?
Some secretly resolved to work harder, honing their technical skills to one day also control their clients.
But others began to grow suspicious.
Qiao Qiao might be a top-tier tech talent, having been promoted to senior engineer shortly after graduation, but even that doesn’t explain why he can boss around a billionaire CEO.
There’s got to be more to this story!
Curious minds began observing Qiao Qiao. It wasn’t long before they discovered that Qiao Qiao often arrived at the company in Zhang Zong’s car!
An office romance? Could it be that Zhang Zong’s reputation as a doting husband is just an act? No wonder Qiao Gong’s projects always get funded so quickly.
After all, nothing’s more precious than a beautiful smile.
They had to admit that Qiao Gong did look good.
And he carried that scholarly air, too.
It makes sense. Wealthy men, tired of flashy celebrities, are drawn to these intellectual types.
Rumors began to fly within Yiqiao Technology. The old-timers, familiar with Qiao Qiao, warned the newcomers not to spread gossip. But after the company’s expansion, the majority were newcomers, and seeing the old hands’ reactions only fueled their curiosity. They began spreading the gossip even more fervently.
Qiao Qiao noticed that the Yiqiao staff started giving him strange looks. At one point, he wondered if he had forgotten to zip up his pants and discreetly asked a colleague.
“Everything looks fine.” his colleague said, puzzled.
Qiao Qiao, managing everything from A to Z, couldn’t exactly control what expressions people made. Unable to figure it out, he concluded that it must be his overpowering charm that had won them over.
After all, he was focused mainly on finishing the project so he could apply for leave and go on his honeymoon with Zhang Peng.
Qiao Qiao didn’t give it much thought, but Zhang Peng soon noticed something odd at the company. The Omega employees, who used to keep their distance from him, suddenly became very active. One day, an Omega receptionist pretended to sprain her ankle in front of him. The next day, an Omega sales rep barged in, insisting on reporting directly to him. He even once opened his office door to find an Omega from the secretarial department sitting on his desk, striking seductive poses!
Of course, Beta employees did similar things, though they were fewer in number.
Zhang Peng personally dismissed one employee after another until, by the twelfth, he had enough.
These Omegas and Betas must have caught wind of something and were now taking turns trying to get to their boss!
He immediately ordered his secretary to investigate the matter.
On the day of the project’s final review, Qiao Qiao gave a detailed report. Objectively speaking, the project’s completion was excellent, with all metrics exceeding the targets.
Zhang Peng, sitting in the audience, was the first to applaud, and everyone else followed suit, filling the conference room with enthusiastic clapping.
After Qiao Qiao finished, the group was given twenty minutes to discuss before Yiqiao’s representative would deliver the final acceptance report.
Feeling a bit thirsty, Qiao Qiao grabbed his cup and headed to the break room to get some water. While there, he decided he might as well use the restroom. He left his cup in the break room and went to the bathroom next door.
As soon as he entered a stall, he heard several people walk in.
“Did you see that? Zhang Zong really gave Qiao Gong special treatment.”
“Well, he did graduate with a doctorate and become a senior engineer right after.”
“Tsk, you don’t know the half of it. Qiao Gong and Zhang Zong, well, they’re, you know…”
“No way, Zhang Zong is such a serious guy, always publicly declaring his love for his wife. How could he… have a mistress?”
“You said it yourself, Zhang Zong is serious. But look at how he treats Qiao Gong—don’t you think it’s different?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ve seen Zhang Zong smile at Qiao Gong several times.”
“Not just that. Some people have seen Qiao Gong get out of Zhang Zong’s car!”
“Whoa, seriously? That’s hard evidence!”
“Why would I lie?”
“By the way, doesn’t Qiao Gong’s name have the character for ‘bridge’ in it?”
“The ‘bridge’ in Yiqiao Technology has a wood radical, not a person radical.”
“I once heard Zhang Zong call him ‘Qiao Qiao’ in the elevator.”
“He’s even using a pet name. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
“Do you think the legitimate ‘Qiao Qiao’ at home knows about this?”
“They’re probably still in the dark.”
Qiao Qiao flushed the toilet, and the loud rushing sound made their chatter abruptly stop.
The group stared at the stall door in shock, and when it opened, revealing Qiao Qiao, their faces turned pale.
“Qiao… Qiao Gong…”
Qiao Qiao walked to the sink and calmly washed his hands.
The group exchanged anxious glances, tiptoeing as they tried to sneak out.
Qiao Qiao turned off the faucet, pulled a paper towel from the dispenser, and while drying his hands, said, “What you heard wasn’t a pet name.”
They froze, stiffly looking at Qiao Qiao.
Qiao Qiao turned around, smiling, “My surname is Qiao, as in the ‘Qiao’ in ‘Copper Sparrow Tower Deep Locks Two Qiaos’. My name is Qiao, the ‘bridge’ in Yiqiao Technology.”
“…”
An awkward, uncomfortable silence filled the room.
Then it dawned on them.
The “mistress” they’d been gossiping about was the legitimate spouse!
Wasn’t most of Yiqiao Technology’s stock supposed to be in the hands of the spouse?
Then why is he still working so hard as an engineer?
Shouldn’t he be at home every day, getting beauty treatments, shopping, or hosting tea parties?
This was not the wealthy spouse they had imagined.
The group looked at Qiao Qiao in horror, noticing his calm demeanor and the smile on his lips—there was no sign of anger. They breathed a sigh of relief.
No wonder Zhang Zong is so fond of his spouse. He must be gentle and kind.
“Qiao… Qiao Gong, please don’t take this to heart.”
“Yes, yes, we were just talking nonsense.”
“We won’t do it again.”
Qiao Qiao smiled, “It’s fine.”
They finally relaxed, relieved that the spouse wouldn’t hold their careless words against them.
But then Qiao Qiao added, “Although I don’t know your abilities, I don’t want to work with you. I have shares in Yiqiao Technology, so I think I have the right to have you leave.” He turned, smiling as he looked toward the bathroom door, “Zhang Zong, don’t you agree?”
Zhang Peng nodded, his gaze icy as he looked at the pale-faced gossipers. “Go to the finance office tomorrow to settle your wages.” he said simply.
“Zhang…” One of them tried to plead, willing to beg to keep their job.
After all, working at Yiqiao Technology promised a bright future.
But Zhang Peng shot him a cold glance, his Alpha pheromones as sharp as blades, cutting through the air.
“Leave before I lose my temper.” Zhang Peng said, his voice as cold as ice. “I don’t want to end up in the police station with you.”
He was barely holding onto his composure. If they continued, he might not be able to control himself from hitting someone.
The Betas’ breathing grew rapid, trembling under the oppressive force of the Alpha’s aura. After exchanging a glance, they finally bowed their heads and fled in panic.
Qiao Qiao stepped out of the restroom, naturally taking Zhang Peng’s hand, “Okay, they’re gone. You can stop the act.”
Zhang Peng was still fuming, “I’m really mad!”
“Yeah, I know.” Qiao Qiao soothed him, patting his chest, “It’s nothing, just some gossip. I still have to…”
“What do you have to do?” Zhang Peng’s expression darkened.
Fearing that Zhang Peng might make himself sick with worry, Qiao Qiao quickly said, “Nothing, nothing. Just some Omegas with wild imaginations—it’s no big deal.”
Zhang Peng, however, was deeply upset, “Xiao Qiao, it’s bad enough that they’ve tarnished my reputation, but now they’re tarnishing yours too.”
“Mm-hmm.” Qiao Qiao patted Zhang Peng’s back, “You’ve already fired them—shouldn’t that be enough?”
“I’m still not satisfied.” Zhang Peng said sulkily.
“What more do you want?” Qiao Qiao asked helplessly, “Are you really going to beat someone up?”
Zhang Peng shook his head, “You’ll see. I found out about this rumor earlier and had my secretary make some arrangements today. But I didn’t expect them to go so far as to call you a mistress.”
Qiao Qiao had a relaxed attitude, “It means they recognize my good looks. What did you arrange?”
Zhang Peng, however, kept it a secret, refusing to spill the beans.
After Yiqiao Technology’s acceptance report concluded, Qiao Qiao noticed that Zhang Peng had disappeared.
Just as he was about to text him to ask what was so mysterious, the lights in the conference room suddenly dimmed, and the soft, romantic sound of a piano began to fill the room. Qiao Qiao recognized it as Liszt’s “Liebesträume.” He looked up in surprise and saw that a piano had somehow been placed at the front of the room, and a young man was playing it fluidly in the dark.
After a while, the conference room door was pushed open, and the first thing people saw was a 20-inch three-tier cake on a small cart. Red candles flickered on top, illuminating the words written in beautiful chocolate script: “Peng & Qiao – 8th Anniversary.”
Only then did Zhang Peng, pushing the cart, appear.
“With the project wrap-up today and everyone present, I’d like to borrow the conference room for a moment.” Zhang Peng said, his eyes shining even in the darkness. His gaze was fixed on Qiao Qiao as he continued in a gentle voice, “Recently, there have been some unpleasant rumors in the company, causing me a lot of distress. Although it wasn’t intentional to keep it private, Xiao Qiao and I haven’t been particularly vocal about this matter.”
There was a murmur of whispers.
“What’s he talking about?”
“Is it about the rumors between Qiao Gong and Zhang Zong?”
“Wait, could it be that Qiao Gong is…”
“Finally, he’s saying it. I thought they were going to keep it a secret.”
“Why didn’t anyone tell me earlier! I’m glad I never said anything bad about Qiao Gong…”
Qiao Qiao stood up, and someone quickly turned on their phone’s flashlight to illuminate his path to Zhang Peng.
“Thank you.” Qiao Qiao navigated through the crowd and chairs, smiling as he took Zhang Peng’s outstretched hand and stood beside him.
Zhang Peng glanced at Qiao Qiao before turning back to the others, “As you can see, the ‘Qiao’ in Yiqiao Technology is taken from Qiao Qiao’s name. He is my lawful partner, the one I’ve vowed to spend my life with. Today is our eighth anniversary, and since everyone’s here, I thought we could celebrate our special day.”
Applause erupted as “Liebesträume” reached its climax. Zhang Peng held Qiao Qiao’s hand tightly, and together, they blew out the candles on the cake.
“Wishing Zhang Zong and Qiao Gong a lifetime of happiness!” many people shouted in unison.
“Today’s really a day of good fortune—the project wrapped up successfully, and it’s also Zhang Zong and Qiao Gong’s anniversary.”
“Yeah, it’s amazing.”
The lights slowly came back on, and the secretary helped Zhang Peng and Qiao Qiao slice the cake to share with everyone. As they enjoyed the cake and reflected on the project’s success, they couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of satisfaction as they looked at Zhang Zong and Qiao Qiao’s tightly clasped hands.
Amidst the laughter and chatter, Qiao Qiao noticed the young man who had played the piano. He was sitting perfectly straight on the piano bench, his hands resting on the lid, his head slightly bowed, his face hidden in shadow.
Qiao Qiao asked the secretary to bring a slice of cake to the pianist. He then turned to Zhang Peng, using his eyes to ask: Who is he?
“A recommended young piano prodigy.” Zhang Peng explained. “I heard his family is struggling financially, and he needs to work while studying. I can’t tell good from bad in music, but I thought he played well, so I invited him to perform. It’s also a way to support a student in need.”
Qiao Qiao nodded, “That’s great. Is he in college or high school? We could continue to support him.”
“This kid is quite proud. He won’t even perform for most people, let alone accept financial aid out of the blue. Let’s wait and see.”
“That’s fair.” Qiao Qiao glanced around, seeing everyone focused on enjoying their cake, and cleared his throat, feeling a bit shy. In a low voice, he asked, “Peng Peng, why don’t I remember our anniversary being today? Is it really today? What a coincidence.”
“I don’t remember either.” Zhang Peng replied quietly but confidently, “But if I say it is, then it is.”
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