The three-day holiday flew by in the blink of an eye.
With work resuming, Lin Hui planned to sleep early that night, but He Jian Shan seemed a bit reluctant to let go of their time off. It was nearly midnight after their intimate time together, and he was already planning for the Lunar New Year: “Where do you want to go for a vacation during the New Year?”
Lin Hui, already drowsy, murmured, “New Year? I need to go back home…”
Ever since his grandmother passed away, Lin Hui made it a tradition to return to his hometown every New Year to replace the couplets and the “Fu” character on the house, then head back to Jinghua City. In earlier years, he would also travel to other cities to relax. But traveling alone during the Spring Festival, receiving extra attention from strangers, made him uncomfortable—as if a voice kept reminding him that he was alone. Eventually, he simply stopped going anywhere and would stay home for a week, gaming, watching TV, and stocking up on plenty of food.
So, during every New Year holiday, he would tell the administration to schedule him for duty, allowing his colleagues to enjoy their holidays. People at the company praised Lin Hui for being helpful, but only he knew that he was probably the only person eager for the holidays to pass quickly.
He Jian Shan paused for a moment when he heard Lin Hui’s reply, then it clicked—of course, the New Year was for going home. Afterwards, he began to look forward to going back with Lin Hui. He was eager to see the place where Lin Hui grew up—the peach trees, the river, and the gravel path in front of his house—everything Lin Hui had talked about, he wanted to see for himself. With this in mind, he turned off the wall lamp, pulled Lin Hui into his arms, and they fell asleep.
Unbeknownst to them, a small incident from the holiday was quietly fermenting. It started with a Weibo post:
Big Stomach King Momo V: You can’t imagine what a drama I witnessed at the bar yesterday! Let me explain slowly!
During the New Year’s holiday, I planned to go to a bar with my best friend. She’s recently become a fan of a local band, following their shows, so we went to this bar as a premise.
First about the band: they seemed very young, the lead singer was a guy with a nice voice, not the typical raspy bar voice, and he was handsome. The drummer was a girl with flowing long hair, very cool! My friend and I were enjoying the music and drinks, then a middle-aged greasy man, looking like he was several months pregnant, wanted to buy the drummer a drink. I saw a waiter carrying a tray with drinks and money pass by us. But the girl refused!
The greasy man was not pleased. He took the drink over himself and said something outrageous: “I’ll buy drinks for the whole bar, but only if she drinks this one!” Many people started chanting for her to drink. It pissed me off! Just because he’s rich, does it mean he can bully people?
The drummer looked like she was about to cry, and the lead singer said we wouldn’t drink. But the greasy man kept nagging. Then, here’s the kicker!!!
A guy in a white shirt suddenly stepped up, saying since everyone was having fun, he might as well add to the excitement. My friend and I were stunned; this guy had an air of elegance about him, the kind that screams ‘well-bred.’ The greasy man asked him who he was, but he didn’t even look at him, instead asking the manager what their most expensive drink was. The manager was also shocked and after confirming with the security (probably fearing a fight), reported a drink name. Then!!! The white-shirted guy said, let every table have a bottle, drink till everyone’s happy!!!
I swear I’m still excited while typing this!!!
The best part, he also mocked the greasy man—only if everyone cheers for the band to continue singing!!!
The whole bar exploded, everyone shouting the band’s name!!! Ahhh, I thought my ears would burst!!!
Talk about a slap in the face!!! It was freaking awesome!!! The ending was the greasy man slinking away!!! And the white-shirted guy gracefully exiting!!! Damn, I feel like my writing sucks, I made an exciting event sound so boring! No more, see the video my friend took while shaking, and enjoy the white-shirted guy’s face-slapping drama! (Everyone’s face was blurred, please ignore my screaming.)
Perhaps because everyone was too idle over the holiday and the poster was a somewhat famous food blogger, the Weibo post spread quickly. Even many marketing accounts jumped in, adding sensationalist headlines and reposting it. As the post’s popularity soared, the initial discussion about the “dramatic plot” slowly shifted towards the “white-shirted guy.”
Never staying up late again: Even though the faces were blurred, I still want to see what the white-shirted guy looks like.
White Bird X Purple: Momo! You’ve been to the same bar as me! But you missed mentioning the “Room three, settle the bill,” honestly, at one point, I thought I was reading a JJ novel.
Angry Youth: Showing off nicely, but feels staged, better not be a hype job.
Echo1996: …is this the white-shirted guy? Took it at the door when leaving, the clothes seem the same [photo.jpg]
Piggy No More replying to Echo1996: Damn, handsome???
Zhao Ah Hua replying to Echo1996: He does have a good vibe, but it’s not appropriate to share someone else’s photo.
CICI_PIPI replying to Echo1996: The guy next to him is also handsome, his friend? They look very close.
Little Sai Songhai replying to Echo1996: Why does he look familiar?
…
The person who posted the photo might have realized something was off, and quickly deleted it, but the photo of Lin Hui and He Jian Shan at the bar had already leaked: Lin Hui could be seen talking to someone, his entire profile visible, his left hand slightly raised as if to grab the arm of the person next to him; while He Jian Shan, though only looking at his phone with a blurred face, still possessed an unmistakable aura.
By the time Lin Hui saw the photo, Wan Zhu Group’s PR department had already preemptively requested that all platforms remove any private photos showing the full faces of He Jian Shan and Lin Hui. Truth be told, it was a step too late; the internet had already had a full discussion:
The identity of He Jian Chuan was first exposed. The opulent and scandalous gossip about the He family had always been a hot topic online, especially since Yao Qianyi, an entertainer in her early years, had a profound impact and a following that still remembered her. As the son of He Zhao and his second wife, Jiang Qing, He Jian Chuan was inevitably involved in gossip. As people scrutinized He Jian Chuan, they also dragged He Jian Shan into the spotlight, who was even more newsworthy.
Soon, sharp-eyed individuals compared the man next to the white-shirted guy and realized it was the same person. Then the question arose: He Jian Chuan was performing at the bar, He Jian Shan was there to watch his brother’s performance, so who was the white-shirted guy standing so close to He Jian Shan and stepping forward for the band?
Netizens, always curious about various people and events online, dug through Wan Zhu’s official reports, one image at a time, until they identified the real person—almost every photo with He Jian Shan included him, mostly standing just a step away from He Jian Shan, silently watching him, definitely an employee of Wan Zhu Group, He Jian Shan’s subordinate. Everything was clear now; there was no sudden handsome hero to the rescue, the truth was a corporate slave stepping up for his boss’s brother, not even sure if it counted as overtime.
If everything had stopped there, it might still have been within Wan Zhu PR’s control range: the gossip about the He family wasn’t anything new, and the white-shirted guy’s dramatic scene was just a leader’s work directive. The online world is overwhelmed daily with information, no matter how good the singing or how handsome the appearance, through a screen, strangers remain just meaningless symbols, unlikely to keep people’s interest.
However, just as things were settling down, marketing accounts on Weibo suddenly released a new photo of He Jian Shan and Lin Hui. Saying it was a photo might not be quite right; unlike the previous accidental capture, this was a segment of surveillance footage shot with a cellphone. In the video, He Jian Shan and Lin Hui could be clearly seen arriving at the bar’s VIP room entrance, Lin Hui pointing in a direction and speaking, then He Jian Shan walking over. Then both entered an area not covered by the camera, only their backs visible, seemingly watching the bar’s stage. The final shot of the video showed He Jian Shan wrapping an arm around Lin Hui’s waist and kissing his cheek.
This video was like a massive storm, stirring up the just-settled waves, and everyone started getting excited—
Was Wan Zhu Group’s Chairman He Jian Shan really gay?
Was the rumor of He Jian Shan having an unspoken rule with a male subordinate true?
Had He Jian Shan spent a fortune at the bar for him?
What exactly was the white-shirted guy’s role in Wan Zhu?
His real name came out, apparently called Lin Hui?
…
As everyone got excited about the new “melon,” a post on the country’s largest comprehensive forum’s entertainment section also caught many people’s attention, even prompting marketing accounts to jump into the fray—
[Gossip Chat]Does the internet really have no memory? Who remembers someone from Wan Zhu dying four years ago? Seems related to this white-shirted guy LH.
0L: The death was of an old employee at Wan Zhu, suddenly during work, initially thought to be a normal accident, but then his wife revealed on Weibo that her husband had been subjected to workplace bullying by a senior manager at Wan Zhu, demoted and salary cut for no reason, overwork led to his death at his desk. Her husband had been with Wan Zhu for over 10 years, and was an outstanding employee, the L-surnamed senior manager is LH, I remember chat screenshots were released, you can probably still find many posts on this forum, but eventually, the wife deleted her post and apologized, many media and marketing accounts that reported this were sued, anyway it all ended unresolved, rumored that they were paid off big time.
1L: ??? Really?
2L: I seem to remember, but I thought Wan Zhu won the lawsuit, their official Weibo even posted about it, and the man’s wife later apologized, saying it was a misunderstanding.
3L: Searched a bit, indeed many posts, this one has a lot of replies— [Link: Did anyone see that article on Weibo ‘Three Questions to Wan Zhu,’ I was shocked, what kind of ruthless capitalist company is Wan Zhu?]
4L: Are we sure the L-surnamed manager is LH? Isn’t LH just a secretary? That counts as a senior manager?
5L: Reply to 4L: Should be, I searched the posts, seems to match up [Screenshot] [Screenshot]
6L: Remembering something, a friend at Wan Zhu talked to me about it, said that four years ago when that incident happened, HJS was initially abroad, then rushed back, and then the matter was suppressed.
7L: And what’s strange is, usually when such things happen, even if it’s just rumors or misunderstandings, companies generally ask the person to stop working, but LH wasn’t oh, or should I say, never was, Wan Zhu fiercely protected him.
8L: I don’t think it’s Wan Zhu fiercely protecting him, it’s HJS fiercely protecting him, I remember there were internal complaints at the time.
9L: Good heavens, were they hooked up even back then?
10L: Reply to 9L: Switch the perspective, maybe he was originally HJS’s little lover arranged into the company.
11L: Here’s another scoop, LH just got promoted to deputy general manager of the group this year.
12L: Reply to 11L: HJS has gone mad, even a little mistress can become deputy general manager, his filter has shattered.
13L: I’ll summarize the scoop, confirmed that LH is HJS’s secretary/assistant, then followed him right after graduation, got promoted to deputy general manager this year, how old is he? 27? 28? Isn’t it a bit exaggerated for someone under 30 to become a deputy general manager of a large group?
14L: Little lover, no doubt.
15L: Suddenly feeling disgusted, Wan Zhu is awesome sure, but it’s not just HJS’s doing, it’s the effort of all the ordinary employees, now someone who climbed into bed can become deputy general manager, too funny.
16L: No, why is everyone so sure HJS is keeping LH, couldn’t it be HJS’s unspoken rule? How do you know LH is willing?
17L: Reply to 16L: Hahaha, he’s unwilling, he wouldn’t be smiling so happily while showing off at the bar, would he?
18L: Why can’t it be love? They look quite genuine.
19L: Love is fine, but connecting with 13L’s scoop, following right after graduation, feels like a sugar daddy maintaining a college student, maybe paying not enough, now giving status and position.
20L: Just because two people look good doesn’t cover up a dirty relationship.
21L: We have many Wan Zhu employees on our forum, right? Usually they come in boasting about benefits, praising how great Wan Zhu’s corporate culture is, why so quiet like chickens now?
22L: Reply to 21L: Laughing to death, is corporate culture led by the boss messing with subordinates?
23L: Reply to 21L: I’m from Wan Zhu, gossip is fine, but don’t spread rumors, thanks, LH’s business ability is well known in Wan Zhu, ask any department if he hasn’t helped them? He’s been practically at deputy general manager level for the past few years, this year it was just officially confirmed, Wan Zhu up and down all agree, thanks.
24L: Reply to 23L: Shocking, Wan Zhu employee self-disclosure, little lover has been at deputy general manager level for years, hahaha, what level of company filial piety, a secretary getting a deputy general manager’s salary, your turn to speak up for him as a cleaner?
25L: Reply to 23L: As someone half in the industry, I have to ask, what business ability does he have? Any famous Wan Zhu projects involve him?
26L: Reply to 23L: Indeed need to ask him for help, after all, he’s the one sharing a bed with the boss.
27L: Reply to 23L: I feel sorry for you across the screen, does washing the ground like this get you a raise from HJS?
28L: Reply to 23L: Noticed Wan Zhu’s water army all have the same script, all praising LH’s business ability, excuse me, an assistant for so long, that really can’t be called any ability.
…
Like a thread, everything from that incident four years ago was linked together—
Wan Zhu Group’s Chairman He Jian Shan had taken in Lin Hui, fresh out of college, and made him his personal assistant. This Assistant Lin, mediocre in ability but arrogant, had even driven a Wan Zhu veteran to death four years ago, and He Jian Shan had paid a hefty sum to cover it up. Now, Assistant Lin had finally risen, from a nobody to a phoenix, serving He Jian Shan and leaping to become Wan Zhu’s deputy general manager. But he had gotten too cocky, showing off and flaunting wealth in the bar, eventually exposing their disgraceful relationship.
A perfect logical loop.
The internet plunged into a huge frenzy: sugar daddy, kept man, opulence, same-sex, unspoken rules… each keyword was like a massive black hole, drawing everyone to delve deeper; supplemented by various real or fake leaks from colleagues and neighbors, lurid and curious, Lin Hui, He Jian Shan, and the entire Wan Zhu were shrouded in ambiguous colors, deliciously savored by everyone.
Scandal, the stimulant of the internet world.
At five in the morning, in the Wan Zhu Group’s conference room.
Everyone in the room looked at each other, the bright incandescent lights casting an unsettling white glow on everyone’s faces. He Jian Shan stood by the window watching the sky slowly brighten, lost in thought.
No one dared to speak. PR looked at legal, legal stared back at PR. Finally, out of necessity, the PR director, bearing everyone’s expectations, spoke up:
“Ahem, President He, it’s like this, due to some procedural reasons, before we discuss the specifics, we still need to confirm something fundamental with you—” the PR director swallowed, looking at the printed photos, and mustered courage, “The person in the photo showing a certain intimacy with you, his real identity is just an ordinary friend, or perhaps…”
The PR director’s voice grew quieter, everyone sitting there knew it was Lin Hui, but everyone hoped he was just an insignificant nobody.
Or perhaps, he could be a nobody.
Everyone held their breath waiting for He Jian Shan’s answer.
“He’s not just an ordinary friend.” He Jian Shan turned around, paused, and looked seriously at everyone in the room, “He is my boyfriend, the assistant general manager and deputy general manager of Wan Zhu Group—”
“Lin Hui.”
Author’s Note:
Let Assistant Lin get some good sleep, see you next Monday.
