Translate by Hua
Shen Boyan still leaves early and comes home late, wishing he could have forty-eight hours in a day. After lunch and a brief rest, he called Assistant Lin in and asked him about his next itinerary.
“You have an appointment with the Deputy Director of the Food and Drug Administration in the afternoon and a dinner with President Lin of the Chamber of Commerce and Director Zhang of the Industrial and Commercial Bureau in the evening.”
“Um.”
Shen Boyan kept his head down to deal with the work and didn’t notice that the assistant in front of him paused. After a few seconds, he spoke again: “You may have forgotten that I’m the only one accompanying you to dinner tonight. Assistant Qi has already asked for permission in advance and will get off work on time today.”
For some important dinners, Shen Boyan would sometimes bring both assistants there for convenience.
Shen Boyan raised his head. For people like Assistant Qi, getting off work on time is equivalent to asking for leave. And at such a critical moment, he couldn’t help but ask, “What’s the matter with Assistant Qi?”
Assistant Lin didn’t answer directly but said with an unclear meaning: “Today is Christmas.”
“So–”
Shen Boyan just said this one word, and the next moment he suddenly understood.
He had a strange look on his face: “Today is Christmas?”
Without waiting for the assistant to answer, he glanced at the bottom of the computer.
Today was indeed Christmas.
Because the decoration under the building started a month ago and they celebrated Christmas and New Year’s Day together, Shen Boyan didn’t notice the difference at all, and he didn’t realize it until he was reminded.
His mind drifted back to Xia Shu’an’s question from two nights ago, and he spoke calmly: “Normally on Christmas, do you have dinner with important people?”
Assistant Lin replied sternly, “There are no clear regulations, but generally speaking, yes.”
“…Okay, I understand. Let Assistant Qi rest peacefully.”
After Assistant Lin left, Shen Boyan sat back in his seat. He turned on his phone, and it lit up. The screen was very simple, and the software for work and social interaction were clearly separated. He tapped his fingertips on the table, not knowing what to do for a moment.
Shen Boyan spent a rare five or six minutes in a daze. After a while, he shook his head and prepared to get back to work.
Someone knocked on the door: “President Shen, there is a package for you.”
Shen Boyan took the express delivery and couldn’t remember anything that had been sent to him recently. He quickly opened the outermost packaging paper, and his speed slowed down afterward.
That is an exquisite packaging box, with a simple ribbon tied outside and a simple and beautiful bow tied, proclaiming its existence as a gift.
The man seemed to have thought of something, and suddenly he felt a little excited, with a faint smile on his lips. The bow was easily undone; there was no desire to keep it deliberately mysterious. The moment he lifted the box, he saw a sky-blue keychain lying quietly in the black velvet.
The keychain that Shen Boyan used to store his car keys was broken, but because it was too personal and needed to be used frequently, and because he was busy during this period, he forgot to ask his assistant to get a new one. Xia Shu’an asked about it once when he saw it, and he only mentioned it once.
Shen Boyan rubbed the smooth metal keychain with his fingertips, picked up the pure white card on the side, and unfolded it to see a line of handsome and neat handwriting.
“Fighting!” Next to it is a classic chibi emoji clenching his fist.
A chuckle escaped the man’s throat. “So cute.”
…..
…..
As a top domestic pharmaceutical company, Shen Boyan and the leaders of the Food and Drug Administration are all old acquaintances. Wenhui is now one of Rongchuan’s important sources of income, and the leaders are naturally very enthusiastic about him.
“President Shen, the market feedback for Wenhui’s previous drugs has been very good.”
Shen Boyan smiled politely and distantly: “We are businessmen with obligations. Medicines are related to people’s livelihoods. We have always done our best, and we will do whatever we can to reach our goal. If we cannot, we will strive to expand our research and development team to conquer it.”
The deputy director sighed: “It would be great if there were more companies like yours in the country.”
Faced with such compliments, Shen Boyan just smiled and said nothing. The two of them went around in a big circle, and the topic extended far and wide. It took a while before they got to the point: “I have received the new drug marketing application. We will review it as soon as possible. Don’t worry.”
Nowadays, the review and approval process for new drugs in various countries is relatively complicated and slow. According to the domestic process, from submission of application to issuance of approval, it takes half a year at the fastest, and basically one year or more. Although the country has been trying to accelerate the review process of innovative drugs for the market in the past two years, once there is a special opportunity, it all depends on each company’s ability to get into this opportunity for convenience.
This kind of thing cannot be explained clearly in one or two sentences. The relationship between Shen Boyan and him isn’t yet at this level, so he doesn’t make things difficult for him. The two of them had a little chat for a while, until Shen Boyan felt that the time was almost up. Then he got up and left.
As soon as he walked out of the office, he bumped into Gu Jiakang, who was walking in the corridor. Gu Jiakang quickly glanced at the office he came out of, put a false smile on his face, and stepped forward and said, “President Shen, what a coincidence.”
No matter how unruly Shen Boyan is, he always presents himself as a cautious and shrewd businessman outside. However, today he changed his usual calm attitude and looked gloomy towards Gu Jiakang.
He took half a step forward and brushed his shoulder against Gu Jiakang’s body. “President Gu, don’t be too proud. It’s not certain who among us will win.”
This situation was like the reverse of that day at the sports club. Gu Jiakang was ridiculed mercilessly by him, but instead of getting angry, he was extremely happy. He smiled and said, “President Shen, what do you mean? We are doing business seriously. We are competitors in the market, but we can also be gentlemen in private. Don’t get too worked up. Young people should learn to loosen up.”
“Hmph.” Shen Boyan snorted coldly, his eyes still as sharp as a knife: “Don’t think that I don’t know where your prescription came from. Don’t let me find the evidence.”
“Then I’ll wait and see.”
Gu Jiakang watched Shen Boyan leave with a smile. After seeing him walk out of the door, he turned around and walked in the direction where Shen Boyan came out. He knocked on the door and quickly opened it: “DirectorYe!”
“What Director? We have known each other for many years. Old Gu, please sit down.”
Gu Jiakang complied. He glanced at the tea cup that had not been removed from the table and said, “Director Ye, Shen Boyan…”
Director Ye gave him a meaningful look: “Old Gu, President Shen is a man of action. He comes up with something every time he comes over. There are new drugs that need to be applied for listing. You need to learn from others and do what you need to do quickly to avoid being pushed down by others again.”
“I understand, I understand.” Gu Jiakang said repeatedly, “I’ll go get things done right now. Thank you, Director Ye, for your advice…”
…….
Shen Boyan’s car was parked in a public parking lot not far from the Food and Drug Administration. Assistant Lin put down his phone and said, “Director Ye has told someone to suppress our application form first.”
“It was Gu Jiakang who helped him go up. It’s not surprising.” Shen Boyan looked at the cold white ground outside the window. His fingers suddenly felt itchy. He rubbed them with his middle and index fingers and then put his hands down.
“I’ve done all I need to do, and the next thing is to see how hard he works on his own and how fast the admission papers come down.”
The sapphire blue Maybach was silent for a second before Assistant Lin said, “President Shen, where should we go next?”
“It’s almost time; let’s go to the place where we have dinner.”
“yes.”
…….
…….
After a quarter past nine o’clock, the TV series playing in the background also began to play the ending song. Xia Shu’an was wearing an off-white down jacket and carrying a bag, ready to go out.
“Be careful on the road and drive slowly.”
Father Xia and Mother Xia gave instructions.
“Are you coming on New Year’s Day?”
“Yes.” Xia Shu’an pulled the scarf over but didn’t wrap it, so he just held it in his hand.
Mother Xia looked worried: “If Xiao Shen is still busy, don’t ask him to come over. It’s not urgent for the next day or two.”
“Okay.” Xia Shu’an said obediently, “I will definitely not make things difficult for him.”
“If Xiao Shen is busy, take care of yourself. If you feel uncomfortable, call the doctor. Are the aunts at home taking good care of you?”
This question was asked many times today. Xia Shu’an couldn’t help but laugh and say helplessly, “It’s okay. Everything is fine. They treat me like a prince.”
“That’s good……”
Xia Shu’an moved slowly and stood at the door for a few more minutes before walking out.
He waved to the two elders at the door under the warm white light of the front lamp: “No need to send me off; I’m leaving.”
“Okay, okay, ah!”
Xia Shu’an was wondering what this “ah” meant. When he turned around, he realized that there was an extra car parked in the yard. The sapphire-colored Maybach appeared low-key and elegant in the quiet night, just like its owner walking off the car.
Xia Shu’an stared blankly at the man approaching, his brain a little confused.
“Why are you here?”
“Come to pick you up.” Shen Boyan stopped beside Xia Shu’an naturally and waved to the two elders at the door.
“Uncle, aunt.”
“Xiao Shen is here; why don’t you come in?”
“I only arrived when Xiao Shu was coming out.”
“Okay, okay.” Mother Xia looked at Xia Shu’an and said, “Since Xiao Shen has come to pick you up, just follow him in the same car.”
“Oh.”
Xia Shu’an followed Shen Boyan to the Maybach. Shen Boyan took the bag from his hand. Xia Shu’an sat in first. After a while, Shen Boyan sat next to him. Xia Shu’an smelled the faint scent of alcohol on him, not very strong, as if he had already taken a shower.
“Why are you here?”
“I told you I came to pick you up.”
“Aren’t you busy?”
“Busy.” Shen Boyan turned to look at him with a slight smile on his face. Xia Shu’an always thought his smile was playful.
“No matter how busy I am, I will come to pick you up.”
“…” Xia Shu’an stopped talking.
The car drove the two of them smoothly in a familiar direction. There was very little traffic on the road late at night; the road was smooth, the frequency steady, and the confined space with only a roof light made people fall into the darkness involuntarily.
Xia Shu’an was drowsy, but there was something on his mind that kept him from falling asleep peacefully. After thinking for a long time, he finally decided to say it.
“Shen Boyan—”
“Hmm?”
“Shen Boyan…” Xia Shu’an’s jade-like voice was particularly clear in the car: “What do you think of Sheng Songbai?”
Shen Boyan resting eyes opened.
“Why do you ask?”
“That—I think he looks at me strangely.” Xia Shu’an told a lie that wasn’t quite a lie.
“Does he dislike me?”
Shen Boyan reached out his hand, and an indistinct finger scratched his left cheek.
“You’re overthinking it. He doesn’t dislike you—even if he does, it doesn’t matter.”
The light was too dim for Xia Shu’an to see his eyes. He just whispered with his moral bottom line: “I’m just worried that if he doesn’t like me, it will affect your work.”
In the darkness, the man chuckled.
“No.” He said softly, “I won’t let him do that.”
