Chapter 40 – Encouragement
“President Lu, the software we developed is scheduled to go live today at 6:00 p.m. Do we need people from the technical department to stay on standby?”
Lu Heng frowned. There were quite a few programs going live today, so he needed to stay in the office and keep an eye on everything to ensure nothing went wrong.
“The social networking app is also launching today. The client asked us to move it up on the schedule,” He Lingchen added.
After thinking about it, Lu Heng recalled that the app He Lingchen was referring to was another version of the previous location-based platform, designed specifically for same-sex users. Since they already had the base code from the previous project, the development process had been relatively fast.
Now that everything was happening at the same time, they had to make sure there were absolutely no problems. It looked like everyone would be working overtime tonight.
“Notify both the technical department and the cybersecurity department to work overtime tonight,” Lu Heng said after some thought. “There can’t be any mistakes.”
His gaze returned to the documents from earlier. They clearly looked like they had been stolen. Lin Yan might not even know about it and had probably worked for nothing for an entire year.
Others had been dragged down as well — truly capable people being eliminated along with him. Someone like Zhao Ming should not be kept around.
He created no value for the company’s development and even suppressed the truly talented.
If that was the case, then Gu Han was also suspicious. At the very least, he had been placed here by Zhao Ming. Whatever scheme lay behind it, Gu Han had to know something.
“Oh, right.” Lu Heng stopped He Lingchen. “Help me make an appointment with Professor Tian.”
Lin Yan had never liked that classmate. Lu Heng remembered that when he once went to Lin Yan’s hometown, the owner of the noodle shop had mentioned it.
It seemed that Lin Yan and that person had been quite close in high school, and later they even went to the same university.
Either something happened during graduate school that caused their relationship to deteriorate, or…
To Lu Heng, whether their relationship was good or bad no longer mattered much.
Time had passed, and people change. He felt that Lin Yan had been the one betrayed in that relationship.
For some reason, Lu Heng’s intuition told him that Lin Yan had been bullied.
Back then, as a supervisor, Professor Tian would have known at least something about it. Even if he hadn’t been directly involved, he would still be an insider.
Lost in thought, Lu Heng glanced at his phone. A message from Lin Yan had come in, and he felt a little happy.
He immediately opened it — only to find that it was a file. He felt slightly disappointed.
Some things had to be handled slowly. There was no need to rush. He replied with a simple: Okay.
At noon, He Lingchen glanced toward the CEO’s office and prepared to heat up lunch for President Lu. He knocked on the door, but no one responded. After waiting a moment, he knocked again — still no answer.
So President Lu was no longer in the office.
Had he gone to the cafeteria?
But President Lu had never gone to the cafeteria before.
Had he suddenly decided to go today?
Without thinking too much, since there was no one inside, He Lingchen didn’t bother heating the food. He put the meal back into the refrigerator and hurried downstairs to meet someone.
A friend from his hometown had come to the city. The two of them hadn’t seen each other in a long time, and after making several plans that never worked out, the friend had finally come directly to the company. Only then did He Lingchen have time to meet him.
“Over here.” He Lingchen waved toward the person by the roadside. “Here.”
After looking around to make sure no cars were coming, the man ran over.
Catching his breath, he said, “Brother, long time no see.”
He Lingchen looked him up and down. The last time he had seen him, he had still been a kid. Now he was already married.
“Let’s go. We’ll eat across the street.” He Lingchen patted him on the back, and the two of them headed to the other side.
Suddenly, someone approaching from the front called out, “Secretary He.”
He Lingchen looked up. “Engineer Lin, are you going to eat?”
“No, I’m going to buy some things for the kitten.” Lin Yan was carrying a bag filled with cat food and freeze-dried treats.
He had deliberately avoided going to the cafeteria at peak mealtime. Over the past few days, whenever he went to eat, Gu Han would follow him, sit beside him, and chat with people from their department.
It annoyed Lin Yan to the point that he didn’t know what to do. The man’s thick skin left him speechless.
If he couldn’t afford to offend him, he could at least avoid him — so today he had specifically chosen a different time to eat.
After exchanging a brief greeting, Lin Yan left.
Suddenly, the person next to He Lingchen said, “Doesn’t that guy look kind of familiar?”
“You know him?” He Lingchen thought for a moment. “Weren’t you from N University?”
Since they had gone to the same university, they had probably crossed paths on campus. It wouldn’t be strange for him to look familiar — especially since Lin Yan’s appearance wasn’t exactly ordinary.
“Yeah,” the man replied, recalling. “I remember now. Isn’t his name Lin Yan?”
…
At the entrance of the cafeteria, people were constantly coming and going. Everyone walking out noticed President Lu standing there.
“President Lu.”
“Why is President Lu suddenly visiting the cafeteria today?”
Lu Heng stood at the entrance, scanning the room. There weren’t many people left inside. When he spotted a familiar figure, he walked over.
He picked up a few random dishes, then carried his tray to Lin Yan’s table.
Just then, someone else was about to sit there. Lu Heng placed his tray down first and directly took the seat across from Lin Yan.
The person who failed to get the seat walked a few steps and sat down next to Lin Yan instead.
“President Lu.” Gu Han set down his tray. “You’re eating in the cafeteria too?”
Lin Yan froze. With two people sitting on either side of him, he felt uncomfortable.
He had already gone out of his way to avoid mealtime — how had this person still appeared again? Was he tracking him by scent?
Lin Yan quietly rolled his eyes at the person beside him.
Lu Heng caught that subtle expression and couldn’t help laughing. Every little movement of his was just too adorable.
“Mm.” After sitting down, Lu Heng responded, then placed a bottle of milk in front of Lin Yan. “I got this for you. Drink more.”
“Thank you.” Lin Yan was pleasantly surprised. He accepted the milk with a smile.
The next second, the person beside him ruined the moment with a single sentence.
“Didn’t you drink the milk I gave you this morning?” Gu Han asked casually.
“I don’t like that kind,” Lin Yan replied.
Lu Heng didn’t say anything. Sitting silently across from him, he raised his eyes slightly — and noticed a small mark on Lin Yan.
Just a tiny one.
Why did it look like it had been scratched by a cat?
Could it be that he had accidentally scratched himself last night?
Looks like his nails had grown too long — he should trim them.
Gu Han knew he’d been brushed off and didn’t pursue the topic. He picked up a piece of chicken cutlet from his own bowl and placed it into Lin Yan’s. “Then eat more meat.”
“He doesn’t like that either.” Lu Heng glanced over, took the chicken cutlet from Lin Yan’s bowl and put it into his own, then picked up a piece of sweet-and-sour pork from his own plate and placed it into Lin Yan’s bowl instead.
The two of them were clearly competing. Lin Yan had no idea what was going on.
What kind of scene was this? Could someone please explain it to him?
Meanwhile, the “someone with eyes” was busy taking photos. Chen Xin hid behind Yang Yang — click, another shot.
The two of them had already finished eating and were about to leave when they suddenly noticed President Lu in the cafeteria, sitting directly across from Lin Yan. A girl’s intuition was always sharp. Something felt off.
“Did you get it?” Yang Yang asked.
“Yep.” Chen Xin dragged Yang Yang toward the office, staring at the photos on her phone. She zoomed in again and again, examining every detail.
Wow… that look in his eyes was ridiculously doting.
She took a screenshot. She’d send it to Lin Yan later.
“Oh, really?” Gu Han tried to smooth things over. “I remember you used to split chicken cutlets with me all the time.”
Lu Heng’s chopsticks paused for a moment. Then he silently picked up another piece of meat and placed it into Lin Yan’s bowl. “You said used to.”
“Heh.” Lin Yan laughed awkwardly. “Thank you, President Lu.”
“True.” Gu Han replied, then continued chatting casually with Lin Yan. “Did you know? Wang Zi from our class became an influencer.”
Hearing that, Lin Yan was surprised. “What? Wasn’t he super quiet before?”
“Yeah,” Gu Han continued. “And he used to be really overweight. Now he’s a looks-based content creator.”
That gave Lin Yan quite a shock. In his memory, that guy had been a quiet, chubby homebody. To think he’d changed so much.
“His account is called Zizi.”
“What? I’ve even scrolled past that account. That’s really him?”
The two of them found a topic and started chatting enthusiastically. Lu Heng suddenly felt very out of place — but he had no intention of just sitting there.
“Lin Yan, come to my office this afternoon.”
One sentence cut straight through their conversation.
“Okay.”
Silence fell.
Lu Heng added, “The project you’re responsible for is going live today. You’ll need to stay late and keep an eye on things tonight.”
“Oh… okay.”
And that was that.
Why didn’t he continue speaking?
Even just a simple sentence would have been enough. Lu Heng always felt that he had something he wanted to say, yet something kept stopping him at the very moment he was about to speak.
They had talked so much during those days on the business trip. Why did everything return to the way it was before once they came back?
Lu Heng was a little angry with himself. He finished eating, wiped his mouth, and prepared to leave.
The entire afternoon, Lu Heng stayed in his office, feeling unsettled.
“President Lu.” He Lingchen knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
After receiving permission, Secretary He entered.
Thinking about what he had just learned, he stared at the personnel resignation file on the desk and remained silent for a long time.
The room fell into a brief, empty stillness. Even the sound of car horns from downstairs pierced through the thick glass and lingered between the two of them.
The sun hung high above the building, slanting at an angle, stretching its light endlessly across the room.
“What is it?” Lu Heng looked him up and down. “You seem like you have something to say.”
Lu Heng knew his personality well — if it were work-related, he would never hesitate. Seeing him hesitate and struggle to speak like this, it clearly involved someone’s personal matters.
Holding the documents to his chest, He Lingchen tightened his grip. He hesitated for a moment before deciding to speak. After all, his boss cared deeply about Lin Yan’s situation.
He had thought about this for a long time. It wasn’t just Lin Yan’s problem — it also involved the company’s interests.
Before anyone enters the company, they go through layer after layer of screening, with every step carefully checked. But certain moral failings are impossible to detect during recruitment.
So he finally decided to say it — for the sake of the company.
“I have a friend. He’s Lin Yan’s junior,” He Lingchen said hesitantly.
“Just say it.”
“I only heard him mention it briefly,” He Lingchen continued. “Lin Yan and Gu Han both participated in the Internet+ competition. Something went wrong. Lin Yan’s project was stolen. The person who should have won the gold award was Lin Yan.”
Watching everything that had happened since Lin Yan joined the company, He Lingchen — as an outsider — felt it was deeply unfair. Someone so hardworking should not be treated so unjustly in the workplace.
He didn’t have much interaction with Lin Yan, but he knew Lin Yan worked seriously and responsibly. He never delayed assigned tasks and always handled them with care.
Hearing this, Lu Heng clenched his fist.
So Lin Yan had been enduring things since that time. What exactly had happened back then that turned him into someone who yielded and endured at every turn?
“So that person plagiarized his work.” Lu Heng’s voice turned cold. His heart ached.
So much time had passed — it felt like nothing could be changed now.
His graduate research results had been stolen. How helpless that must have been. For a master’s student, research achievements were everything. With them, he could have graduated with honors and even advanced directly into a PhD program.
After losing everything, he was left with only a marginal result, barely able to graduate — and he endured all of it alone, in silence.
Did he never fight back?
Recalling how Lin Yan had only wanted to get things over with when he was falsely accused, Lu Heng finally understood.
Perhaps Lin Yan had resisted back then.
It was just that nothing came of it in the end.
“Mm.” Lu Heng didn’t say much, silently accepting everything he had heard.
“Gu Han got the gold award and was directly admitted into a PhD program,” He Lingchen continued. “But Lin Yan didn’t get that opportunity.”
So Lin Yan lost even that chance. A single degree could change so many things.
Letting it slip away like that — hadn’t he felt unwilling?
“Lin Yan caused some trouble back then, but it seems something happened in his family. Later, Professor Tian introduced him to a job, and the matter was never followed up.”
Lu Heng pressed his lips together, his chest tightening.
So that was why Lin Yan endured everything, why he never fought for anything — even when his own interests were harmed, he still swallowed it all.
On the surface, Lin Yan always seemed indifferent, quietly doing his work every day, only complaining that work was tiring when he got home.
“I understand.”
Lu Heng leaned back in his chair, the piece of yellow crystal he had found earlier resting in his hand. He thought for a long time.
An hour later, Lin Yan knocked on the door of the CEO’s office. After receiving permission, he entered.
“President Lu.”
The door opened. Lu Heng stood by the desk, one hand in his pocket, straight-backed, tilting his head slightly as he looked at Lin Yan.
Lin Yan didn’t dare meet his intense gaze.
Hadn’t he been cold this morning? Why did he feel different now?
Why was the CEO’s mood so unpredictable?
As Lin Yan approached, Lu Heng lifted his chin, signaling him to look at the screen in front of him.
Lin Yan looked over. The project felt very familiar.
He leaned closer. “Hey… I wrote this.”
The final syllable stretched out.
Lu Heng was once again struck by how adorable he was.
Someone so pure and gentle — how could he have gone through something like that?
“Did you?” Lu Heng replied. His voice was slightly louder than usual, but warm, without its usual coldness. “It’s well done.”
His gaze lingered on Lin Yan’s slightly hunched back, his thin frame wrapped in an oversized hoodie — such a small figure, the kind that made people want to pull him behind them and protect him.
“Ah… th-thank you, President Lu.”
When he had finished that project, Lin Yan had thought he would finally become a regular employee. Instead, everything was delayed for so long that his confidence had nearly worn away.
The feeling was strange — something he had done in the past was finally being recognized.
Warmth quietly spread through Lin Yan’s heart.
So he wasn’t useless after all.
“The idea behind this project is good,” Lu Heng said again, offering him another affirmation.
Right now, what Lin Yan needed most was for someone to affirm his past.’Lu Heng had already gone through this project many times before Lin Yan even joined the company.
He remembered what Lin Yan had told him in the car — about creating a system for vintage cars. This project embodied that exact idea.
If only it could be realized.
But it would be realized.
“Lin Yan, keep going.”
After saying that, Lu Heng walked over, closing the distance little by little.
Lin Yan shifted slightly, his body moving almost unconsciously.
Lu Heng lifted Lin Yan’s hand and gently placed a bandage over the wound.
Lin Yan lowered his head. He couldn’t even remember when he’d been hurt.
Maybe he’d been cut by some papers that morning.
“Take care of yourself,” Lu Heng said softly. “Don’t get hurt.”
…
After work, Zhao Ming drove to the kindergarten to pick up his child.
He parked by the roadside and jogged toward the entrance.
It was almost dismissal time, and the place was packed with parents. The gate was so crowded it was nearly impossible to get through. He squeezed past several people before finally reaching the front.
Looking up, he spotted his child. She was coming out holding her mother’s hand.
When they reached him, the little girl tugged on her father’s coat, swaying slightly, as if she hadn’t quite come back from her school mindset. She stood there in a daze for a moment.
Zhao Ming bent down and gently patted her head.
Only then did the little girl look up at him, a lollipop still in her mouth.
“Eat less candy,” Zhao Ming said, poking his daughter’s cheek.
“Has the elementary school issue still not been resolved?” Zhao Ming’s wife asked, displeased.
Zhao Ming had been handling this for a long time now. Money had already been spent, yet there was still no progress.
Middle age — elderly parents to support, a young child to raise. One problem after another. Recently his father had been seriously ill and hospitalized, which alone had cost a fortune. On top of that, their daughter was about to start elementary school.
The weight of life made it hard to breathe.
“It’s not that easy. Getting into a good school requires a lot of connections,” Zhao Ming explained helplessly.
The little girl suddenly hugged Zhao Ming’s leg. “Daddy.”
“She’s about to start school. We need to hurry,” his wife urged. “Can’t your boss just write a recommendation letter?”
Zhao Ming wasn’t unaware of that option. But his current situation was difficult. No matter how many connections he tried to open, nothing worked. Even subtle inquiries were rejected.
In the end, he turned to an agent and paid five hundred thousand yuan just for a school placement. Several weeks had passed, yet there was still no news.
“Hello?” Zhao Ming’s wife answered her ringing phone.
Together, they walked through the school gate toward the other side of the street where their car was parked. Zhao Ming carried the little girl on his back, then set her down by the car door.
The little girl took the lollipop out of her mouth and licked it again.
“Daddy, can I go to Xiangyang Elementary School?” Her voice was soft and childish, her cheeks round and chubby. “All my classmates are going there.”
Zhao Ming pinched her cheek. “Alright, baby. You’ll definitely make it.”
“Yay!” The little girl raised her hands and cheered.
“Honey, you’re amazing.”
Zhao Ming was a bit stunned. His wife suddenly threw herself into his arms, making him stagger back a few steps. “What’s wrong?”
“Xiangyang Elementary called. Our daughter’s enrollment has been approved.”
Could it be that the 500,000 he paid actually worked?
“That’s great. That’s great.”
…
“Come on, everyone, let’s have a drink.” Zhao Ming raised his glass toward the center. “Here’s to Department Four of Technology getting better and better.”
The others awkwardly raised their glasses. Lin Yan followed along with a stiff smile.
He had planned to go home after work to check on Meiqiu before coming back to work overtime, but he’d been dragged to this gathering instead. He had no idea what Zhao Ming was so happy about that he insisted on everyone attending.
The noise of the restaurant made Lin Yan even more uncomfortable, but he didn’t show it. When he arrived, he deliberately sat next to Wang Hao.
Because he didn’t want to sit with Gu Han.
This time, Gu Han didn’t force his way next to Lin Yan and instead sat across from him.
Everyone chatted and laughed, though they all drank soft drinks instead of alcohol since they still had to return to the company for overtime.
“Director Zhao, I’d like to toast you.” Gu Han raised his cup. “Department Four wouldn’t be where it is today without your guidance.”
The moment he said that, several people’s expressions turned awkward. Only Zhao Ming was grinning from ear to ear.
“Oh, not at all. It’s everyone’s hard work,” Zhao Ming replied.
The others exchanged looks and glanced at Lin Yan, as if asking, Is your classmate always like this?
Lin Yan pursed his lips. Yes — he’s always been like this.
As if that weren’t enough, someone else in their group was the same. Sun Ning quickly raised his glass, afraid of missing the chance. “Working under Director Zhao, I’ve learned far more than I ever did in school.”
This kind of behavior from Sun Ning didn’t surprise anyone, but when Gu Han did it too, the pressure in the room immediately rose.
The remaining people lifted their brows and reluctantly joined in the social routine. Lin Yan spoke up, “Then let’s all toast together.”
As soon as he said it, everyone followed, raising their cups.
“Director Zhao, we wish you continued success and smooth work.”
Compliments and congratulations poured in one after another — and this kind of praise was exactly what worked on someone like Zhao Ming.
“Director Zhao’s promotion must be coming soon,” Gu Han added.
“Oh, no, no.” Zhao Ming laughed along. “I’m getting old. It’s time to leave things to you young people.”
Everyone listened politely to the pleasantries, but few truly took them to heart.
“Right now I’m focusing on my kid,” Zhao Ming shared happily. “She’s about to start at Xiangyang Elementary.”
“Oh, Xiangyang Elementary?” Sun Ning immediately picked up the topic. “Wow, that’s impressive. Kids who get into that school are something else. It’s basically a straight path to the country’s top schools.”
Hearing that, Zhao Ming became even happier, though he waved his hand modestly. “We don’t want to put that much pressure on the child.”
“Then let me congratulate you in advance.” Gu Han raised his cup, preparing to toast.
Seeing this, Lin Yan signaled with his eyes. Everyone followed suit, lifting their cups.
“Congratulations, congratulations.”
As expected of Engineer Lin — quick to react. Under the table, Chen Xin and Yang Yang both gave Lin Yan a thumbs-up.
Lin Yan rolled his eyes. At a moment like this they suddenly acted like a perfectly in-sync couple. He opened his mouth and silently mouthed, Get lost.
Scenes like this made some people happy and others miserable. The overworked [Worked-slaves] group sat more and more uncomfortably — when was this finally going to end?
Everyone endured it with difficulty. The three people across the table were chatting enthusiastically, while the other four remained quiet and withdrawn.
It was as if everyone had reached some unspoken understanding: the uncomfortable ones would stay uncomfortable.
Checking the time, everyone stood up. Zhao Ming was about to pay, but Gu Han stopped him.
“I’ve already taken care of it,” Gu Han explained.
“Hey, you kid.” Zhao Ming pointed at him.
“I just joined the company and haven’t had a chance to eat with everyone yet. So this is my way of treating it as a welcome dinner you all threw for me,” Gu Han said with a smile.
Everyone headed back together.
The lights were on in Department Four of Technology. Lu Heng stood with his hands behind his back, the atmosphere icy.
“They still haven’t returned?”