Chapter 252 – Report to the CEO: Madam Has Run Away Again – Warmth (16)
Bai Tang carried the heavy lunchbox. “I’m going to bring Ah Yan his meal. I promised him.”
Grandpa Gu knew well that a swarm of reporters was camped outside the Gu Corporation. If Bai Tang showed up, there was no telling how badly he’d be bombarded. Those reporters were so desperate for an interview they’d practically shove microphones into people’s faces, and their flashing lights could blind someone.
“Better not go,” Grandpa Gu said. “Gu Yan won’t starve from missing one meal. He can order takeout.”
He truly didn’t want Bai Tang to get caught up in the mess.
But Bai Tang shook his head. “Takeout isn’t as healthy as homemade food.”
No matter what Grandpa Gu said, Bai Tang insisted on bringing the meal to Gu Yan. Seeing no way to dissuade him, Grandpa Gu could only gently warn him, “There are some rumors going around about the Gu Corporation. If you go, you might get harassed.”
Bai Tang responded firmly, “That’s exactly why I have to stand by Ah Yan’s side~”
Still carrying the lunchbox, Bai Tang got into the driver’s car. The front gate of Gu Corporation was completely surrounded—impenetrable. It was already after work hours, yet the reporters remained, unwilling to leave.
The driver tried to persuade him, “Mr. Bai, we can’t get into the Gu building right now. How about we go back first?” He had been instructed by Grandpa Gu to try his best to convince Bai Tang to return to the villa.
Bai Tang refused. “It’s fine. I can go in through the back. Just stop here. If you drive any closer, they’ll spot us.”
The driver watched as Bai Tang stepped out of the car with the lunchbox and walked around the crowd toward the back of the building.
Ordinary employees of Gu Corporation were gradually leaving from the front as they finished work. The reporters weren’t interested in them—those staff didn’t know much, and the reporters had already asked all they could.
General employees weren’t stopped and were able to leave easily.
But those with some level of authority all exited through the back door.
The reporters weren’t fools. After waiting so long without seeing a single manager emerge, they guessed there must be another exit being used.
As expected, after circling the area, the reporters discovered a relatively hidden back door. Reporters from various magazines each assigned someone to guard the rear entrance. Unfortunately, most of the employees who were leaving after work had already gone. They didn’t know whether Gu Yan had left or not—but they had to wait just in case. What if he hadn’t left yet? Even if he had, he’d probably return to the office eventually. Persistence was their greatest weapon.
For most people, getting into the Gu Corporation building would be a real challenge. But not for Bai Tang. He found a secluded spot, placed the insulated lunchbox into his dimensional pouch, and with a flicker, turned into a small yellowish-brown squirrel nestled at the base of a tree.
Taking advantage of the twilight, the little squirrel darted across the open road and climbed up along an exposed water pipe.
Someone caught a glimpse of something darting past out of the corner of their eye. They turned around, but there was nothing there except fallen leaves.
Must’ve been the wind rustling the leaves just now, the person thought.
The squirrel climbed up to the third floor via the pipe and slipped in through the narrow crack of an unlatched window.
He landed nimbly on the white ceramic tiles, his tiny reflection mirrored on the shiny floor.
Xiao A, holding the blueprint of the Gu Corporation building, guided him: “Host, you need to avoid the surveillance cameras. I suggest jumping from the windowsill to the stair railing, then using that momentum to leap to the next floor…”
The Gu Corporation building had thirty-five floors, and Bai Tang was currently on the third. Following Xiao A’s plan would practically exhaust the poor squirrel.
The squirrel asked, “Isn’t there a blind spot in the surveillance somewhere? A place they can’t see me, where I can transform back into a human?”
Bai Tang didn’t want anyone to witness his transformation. Gu Yan might be able to accept it, but that didn’t mean others could. And besides, transforming meant he’d appear completely unclothed.
“Actually, the method I just mentioned does avoid all the cameras,” Xiao A explained. “The cameras don’t cover the gaps between the stair railings. But if the host prefers not to appear on any footage at all, I can temporarily disable the cameras. Once you’ve changed clothes, I’ll restore the system to normal.”
Bai Tang: “Right… Then why did you suggest the whole jumping-around-stairs thing?”
Xiao A: “I thought the host enjoyed physical exercise.” After all, the host did climb up a water pipe.
Bai Tang, who could read the system’s thoughts: “…”
Bai Tang changed into clean clothes in the stairwell, then walked out of the emergency stairwell with the insulated lunchbox in hand, openly and confidently.
Thirty-five floors—if he had to climb all that by stairs, it would’ve killed him.
No—killed the squirrel, to be precise.
Bai Tang took the elevator, moving expertly through the building, and rode it straight up to the thirty-fifth floor.
Zhao Lou and the others were still working overtime, investigating data to figure out what had gone wrong and how the information had leaked.
What had leaked was their project—the completed one—along with several unfinished ones. Even the upper bidding limit they had planned was somehow known to their competitors. And it wasn’t just one competitor targeting them, but three of them working together to bring the company down.
That’s also why the department managers and executives below suspected Jiang Hongzhe. The issue came from within his management team, and it all started after he took over.
Sha Yao hadn’t seen Bai Tang in a long time. She knew there were reporters guarding the building downstairs, which was partly why she and the others hadn’t left yet.
“Tang Tang, how have you been lately?” Sha Yao asked, noting how Bai Tang didn’t look thinner—in fact, his face looked a little rounder.
“I’ve been great. How about you?” The young man smiled, and two small dimples appeared on his cheeks.
“Not bad. Hey, did the reporters downstairs leave already?” Sha Yao asked.
“Nope, they’re still there,” Bai Tang replied.
“Then how did you manage to come up…”
Just as Sha Yao was speaking to Bai Tang, the door to the president’s office opened. Gu Yan and Jiang Hongzhe stepped out.
“Tang Tang, what are you doing here?” Gu Yan asked with concern. Hopefully those reporters hadn’t given him a hard time.
Bai Tang broke into a wide grin. “I promised I’d bring you lunch, didn’t I~”
He opened the insulated container, and the fragrant aroma of braised pork spilled out, making everyone who hadn’t eaten yet instinctively swallow their saliva.
“Grrrrrrr…”
Someone’s stomach growled. Once one started, the rest followed—rumbling in chorus.
Although Bai Tang had brought quite a bit of food, it still wasn’t enough to feed six people.
Bai Tang looked a little troubled. “I didn’t make that much…”
Since the meal was specially prepared for Gu Yan, of course there was a portion for him. Bai Tang was also close to Sha Yao, so there was a portion for her too. That left just one more serving—what to do with it?
Zhao Lou sighed. Forget it. There was no way they could compete with the team leader anyway.
Meili followed Zhao Lou’s gaze and had to agree. There was no contest—while everyone else had been talking, Jiang Hongzhe had already grabbed a bowl and utensils and was scooping the remaining portion into his own bowl.
Noticing the sudden silence, Jiang Hongzhe looked up and found everyone staring at him. For a moment, the atmosphere turned a little awkward.
“Carry on, don’t mind me. I was just hungry and wanted to eat something,” Jiang Hongzhe said with a cheerful smile.
Sha Yao’s impression of Jiang Hongzhe had shifted dramatically. She’d assumed the new team leader was a strict and rigid person—but it turned out he was only tough when it came to work. In daily life, he was more like a goofy husky: impulsive and playful.
During the time Gu Yan was away from the company, Sha Yao and Jiang Hongzhe had been locked in a game of wits on the job. While the others left for the day, Sha Yao often stayed behind to work overtime—and so did Jiang Hongzhe. Through that, Sha Yao came to see his true nature.
After Bai Tang forgave Jiang Hongzhe, Sha Yao also began warming up to him. Now, she found herself frequently speechless at his antics.
She kept telling herself, He’s just a big kid. Don’t take him too seriously. Don’t take him too seriously.
Zhao Lou and Meili wandered off together to order some takeout. Meanwhile, Jiang Hongzhe—bowl in hand—moved closer to Sha Yao. When she got up to throw away the wrapper from her disposable chopsticks, he seized the moment. With lightning speed, he scooped the braised pork from his own bowl into hers.
When she returned and saw the pile of meat in her bowl, Sha Yao blinked in confusion: “???”
She glanced over at Jiang Hongzhe beside her, who was eating plain rice topped with nothing but a bit of reddish sauce—there wasn’t even half a piece of meat.
There was no way he had already finished all the meat that fast. And considering the extra portion that had mysteriously appeared in her bowl…
Sha Yao was both exasperated and amused. It seemed Jiang Hongzhe still felt guilty for driving Bai Tang away before, and now he was going out of his way to make up for it by being especially considerate toward her.
“Hey, I can’t finish this. Eating too much meat at night makes you gain weight,” Sha Yao said, returning the braised pork to Jiang Hongzhe’s bowl—along with a few extra fatty pieces she didn’t want.
Jiang Hongzhe looked down at his bowl, now filled with even more meat than before.
Seizing the moment, Jiang Hongzhe grinned cheekily. “Yao Yao, are you showing concern for me?”
Sha Yao rolled her eyes. “I’m just afraid of getting fat, and I don’t want Tang Tang’s hard work to go to waste. Eat it or don’t, I don’t care.”
As she spoke, she reached out to grab the food back from Jiang Hongzhe’s bowl. “Fine, I’ll just go on a diet. If you’re not eating it, give it back.”
But Jiang Hongzhe wasn’t having it. “Nope, not giving it back. Watch out—you’ll get so fat no one will want you.”
Sha Yao glared at him. “Who are you calling fat?!”
Jiang Hongzhe replied quickly, “Oops—I wasn’t wearing my glasses just now. Didn’t hear anything…”
…
Inside the office, Bai Tang peeked out through the blinds at the two bickering outside and mumbled, “They really are alike.”
“Who’s alike, hmm?” Gu Yan wrapped his arms around Bai Tang from behind, reaching around to rub his flat little tummy. “Stop watching and come eat.”
“How did you know I haven’t eaten?” Bai Tang asked curiously. “Don’t tell me you can read minds?”
“I can tell because I can feel there’s nothing in here,” Gu Yan said with a smile in his voice. Tang Tang always liked to fill his tummy when he ate. After every meal, his belly would puff out just a little. Even though he always said he was watching his portions, Tang Tang somehow always found snacks to sneak on the side. Gu Yan had long given up trying to stop him.
It was a squirrel’s instinct—he just loved that full-belly feeling.
Bai Tang squirmed as Gu Yan tickled his tummy and side. “Hahaha, stop it~!”
“Oh, you started it. Now I’m going to tickle you!”
“Hahahahahaha—!”
Outside, Sha Yao heard the noise and instinctively moved to barge in. That damn Gu Yan—was he teasing Tang Tang again?!
But before she could step forward, Jiang Hongzhe grabbed her arm. “Relax. You’re not going to protect him forever, are you?!”
Sha Yao stopped, hesitating, and tilted her head to listen. Inside the office, laughter and playful voices filled the air. It was impossible to tell who was teasing who—but one thing was clear: it wasn’t anything mean-spirited.
Author’s note:
Ahhh, my roommate Susu still hasn’t updated her story—oh my god~!