Chapter 87: The Efficiency of Love
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“They must be furious.”
Chu Feng’s muffled voice came from under the blanket.
The faint light from his phone illuminated his sleepy eyes, lighting up a small corner of the bed.
On the screen, the Senior Year Class 16 group chat messages scrolled by. As Chu Feng watched, an arm reached out from behind, pulling him into an embrace:
“So what?”
Xie Shiyu, slightly jealous, snatched the phone from Chu Feng’s hand and turned it off.
“They’re in their final year of high school and still can’t settle down to study, always thinking about planting trees. It’s only because you spoil them.”
There was rustling under the blanket.
“You…” Chu Feng weakly pushed him away, “…didn’t we just…”
“With so many people at the meeting yesterday, how could I be satisfied?” Xie Shiyu held him tightly, jealousy evident in his tone:
“What’s so great about those immature kids? You wake up and immediately check on them…”
Chu Feng lowered his head, looking helplessly at Xie Shiyu, who was lying on his chest:
“Then what do you call this? An immature old man? …Ah, don’t… If it swells, I won’t be able to wear a shirt.”
Principal Xie Shiyu: “Then just don’t wear one. The teaching effect will be even better.”
Chu Feng knocked on Principal Xie’s head. Xie Shiyu, not intending to continue, stopped at an appropriate moment and helped Chu Feng sit up:
“Get up and have breakfast.”
Breakfast consisted of corn juice, freshly toasted golden bread, fragrant fried bacon, and Chu Feng’s favorite runny egg.
Just like countless days and nights spent in the Dream City, after breakfast, Chu Feng left this dreamlike life.
Beep—The sound of the brainwave connection disconnecting.
Chu Feng removed the gaming headset. The indoor automatic intelligent air conditioning maintained a comfortable temperature, neither too cold nor too hot, with morning sunlight filtering through the curtains.
He slowly sat up in bed.
The bedroom was quiet, with no one else there.
Chu Feng loosened his collar, looked down, and unsurprisingly found no marks on his body.
Dreams leave no trace, but the marks on the heart are not so easily erased.
Chu Feng dazedly stared at the photo wall by the bed for a while, then composed himself, reopened his phone, and immersed himself in real life.
WeChat beeped with several new messages. Some were from his mother, but Chu Feng didn’t have time to read those. He first checked the work group chat and messages from his secretary:
[Chief Chu, here is the agenda for the 10 AM meeting today… There’s also a meeting with Dongfeng Company at 2 PM… and at 5 PM…]
Chu Feng glanced at the schedule arranged by his secretary, canceled a few unimportant meetings, and dismissed the dull social engagements like dinners and drinks. At his current career level, he didn’t need to drink with anyone.
Secretary: [Got it. Then, at 11:00-11:15 AM, the clothing trading company we acquired recently wants to show you a new cashmere product. Should I arrange for them to come?]
Chu Feng thought about it. The trading company was just a small subsidiary. They had made a new product and wanted him to see the presentation.
—It was basically their team coming to his meeting room to present a PPT. This was something that project staff should handle, not him as the top boss.
However, the small company had recently changed leadership. The new leader was eager to please him. They couldn’t find a reason to invite him for dinner or drinks, so they came up with a legitimate excuse to present a new product. Their enthusiasm was oddly intense.
Chu Feng usually didn’t indulge such tactics, but the mention of cashmere…
The image of Principal Xie’s office with its milk almond-colored carpet came to mind, warming Chu Feng’s heart. He replied:
[Alright. Give them ten minutes.]
***
“Today you’ll be presenting the PPT to Chief Chu, so make sure you do a good job.”
“Y-yes.”
Intern Xie Junming nodded repeatedly. He was 25, a recent graduate student who had just joined this clothing trading company and was still in his probationary period.
Recently, there was talk about meeting a very important executive. He wasn’t sure how important, but the department manager was anxious, and their company boss was sweating bullets.
Strangely, he, an intern, was chosen to present the PPT.
The boss said that as a recent graduate, he might still have the presentation skills from his thesis defense.
Xie Junming thought this might be true; he was the only master’s degree holder in the department, and the boss probably valued him.
He had practiced the PPT hundreds of times. If the big boss asked him to present it backward, he could still do it flawlessly.
“Alright, just make sure you’re well-prepared.”
Despite these words, Xie Junming felt that the boss wasn’t overly concerned about his preparation. The whole situation felt a bit strange, but he couldn’t pinpoint why.
“Before presenting the PPT, be sure to introduce yourself so the chief knows who you are.”
The boss advised earnestly:
“And, be observant and adaptable. Understand?”
Xie Junming nodded, though he didn’t quite understand why presenting a PPT required such attentiveness. Should he stop if the boss frowned?
***
The sky outside was leaden, with heavy clouds.
Unaware of the situation, Xie Junming’s mind was as cloudy as the sky.
At 9:30, it started pouring rain, continuing relentlessly. Despite the weather, their team headed to the big boss’s location.
At 10:15, they arrived 45 minutes early. The big boss’s secretary approached with a smile:
“Hello, Chief Chu is still in a meeting. Please wait a moment.”
The quiet business building, with its shiny, reflective floors, added to their nervousness.
***
“Come in.”
At 11:00, according to the schedule, Chief Chu’s meeting room was finally opened to them.
Secretary: “You have ten minutes.”
Xie Junming walked in nervously, expecting to see a portly, successful middle-aged man or a kindly elder with graying hair. After all, such an important boss should be older.
But upon entering, he was taken aback.
Sitting in the center of the meeting room was a startlingly young man. If not for the high-end suit, Xie Junming would have thought he was another intern, perhaps even younger than himself.
The boss walking beside him immediately gave him a look, signaling him not to be so shocked and inexperienced! Xie Junming quickly averted his eyes and stood next to the boss, who seemed eager to engage with this big boss.
Chu Feng, the big boss, sat in his seat, glanced at his watch, and said indifferently:
“Let’s begin.”
***
The young man on stage began his PPT presentation with enthusiasm.
Even though he spoke fluently, Chu Feng could tell at a glance that he was extremely nervous. He had memorized the PPT content so well that he didn’t stammer, but he spoke faster and faster, with a slight tremor in his voice.
Chu Feng glanced at the face of the person presenting. From the moment he walked in, Chu Feng knew that today’s product introduction was just a pretext.
This young man looked very much like Xie Shiyu.
Xie Junming’s name also sounded familiar. Chu Feng remembered that his mother had sent him a blind date profile with someone named [Plastic Surgery Stand-In] who had the same name.
In real life, he looked more natural than in the photos, probably because he had recovered post-surgery. His features were indeed modeled after Xie Shiyu’s. The doctor’s skill was good; although some angles looked a bit unnatural, overall, it was passable.
Except for the height, around 1.75 meters, which Chu Feng could easily look down on.
This kid probably just graduated from grad school and knew nothing. He found a photo of CEO Xie in the news and got his face done. He entered a clothing trading company, unaware that it was a subsidiary of Xie Shiyu’s company. The new leader of the clothing company noticed the resemblance and devised this plan:
Using the excuse of a product presentation, they brought him here to show his face to Chu Feng.
Chu Feng, with little interest, looked at each PPT slide. To be fair, the product was decent, and the presentation was alright, at a graduate thesis defense level. But the face…
The more he looked at it, the more uncomfortable he felt.
A newly graduated intern under tremendous pressure was presenting a PPT. Chu Feng glanced at his watch. If he showed obvious displeasure, it would greatly affect the student.
Chu Feng said nothing, his face expressionless. The new boss who brought the intern was anxious, unable to read Chu Feng’s reaction.
At seven minutes, the PPT ended. Chu Feng made a show of giving his thoughts on the cashmere product for two minutes, and used the last minute to stand up, say goodbye, and leave.
***
At 11:20, the rain hadn’t stopped. Chu Feng got into his car, ready to drive home.
“Chief Chu.”
His secretary, holding an umbrella, walked over and knocked on his car window:
“Do you have an umbrella?”
Chu Feng nodded. He had a spare umbrella in the car.
“The rain is heavy, Chief Chu. How about letting Driver Wang take you home?”
“No need.” Chu Feng wanted a moment of quiet:
“I won’t be in this afternoon. Handle things as you see fit.”
—It was raining today, and he was in a bad mood. He wouldn’t work in the afternoon.
The secretary nodded repeatedly and said, “Chief Li from the subsidiary just called. He asked if the cashmere product project needs further development.”
Sitting in the driver’s seat, Chu Feng found it amusing. The subsidiary leader knew that there was little more to develop in a cashmere clothing project. But since the big boss took an interest, he had to check Chu Feng’s opinion.
“No, let them handle it as usual.”
Chu Feng was about to start the car when a group of people emerged from the parking garage entrance.
It was the team from the PPT presentation, with intern Xie Junming at the end. They seemed unsure how to get from the main office to the parking garage and had walked outside in the rain. Their umbrellas were soaked. Xie Junming, who had held the umbrella for the boss, was drenched on the shoulders and back.
As they reached their car, the department assistant opened the door for the boss, then pointed at Xie Junming’s umbrella:
“Hey, close your umbrella.”
—Don’t get the boss’s car wet.
From his car’s rearview mirror, Chu Feng watched as Xie Junming quickly folded his wet umbrella into a messy bundle, tied it with the strap, and tried to stuff it into the side pocket of his backpack.
—The side pocket was too narrow. The bundled umbrella bulged and wouldn’t fit, but he forced it in, leaving a large portion sticking out, dripping water everywhere. He stepped in puddles, leaving wet footprints on the ground, completely unaware of the mess he was making as he got into the car.
Chu Feng sighed and looked away. Xie Shiyu’s umbrella would never be in such a state.
From childhood, whenever it rained, Xie Shiyu would fold his umbrella meticulously. He would smooth out each panel, fold them together into a small, neat rod, put on the umbrella cover, and place it back into the side pocket of his bag, making it look brand new.
Chu Feng loved watching Xie Shiyu fold his umbrella. His long fingers would deftly smooth and fold each panel in three to five seconds, making the whole process smooth and pleasing to the eye.
Chu Feng once thought Xie Shiyu was just meticulous and organized. Now he suddenly understood this little habit of Xie Shiyu.
Most people, when carrying an umbrella in the rain, wouldn’t bother folding it, thinking they would need it again soon. They would let it drip all the way or fold it haphazardly like Xie Junming, turning it into a wet bundle stuffed into their bag, not caring about the mess.
When the umbrella drips water, stepping in those puddles leaves footprints.
Xie Shiyu instinctively avoided anything that could leave a mark. So, wherever he went, he would close his umbrella, shake off the water in a place where he wouldn’t step, then fold it neatly, cover it, and put it away.
—This way, no matter where he went, he wouldn’t [accidentally] leave footprints because of the water on the umbrella.
Intern Xie Junming, with his wet umbrella, got into the car and looked like he was about to leave.
Seeing such a similar face yet vastly different life habits, even in small details like folding an umbrella, Chu Feng felt a sense of incongruity. Finding a stand-in like this wouldn’t bring any comfort; instead, it would only make him more acutely aware that there are no two identical people in the world.
—He was truly gone.
Chu Feng gripped the steering wheel, signaling that he was leaving. The secretary, understandingly, stepped aside and nodded as he watched Chief Chu leave.
The Lamborghini drove out of the underground garage. The secretary, carrying a briefcase, prepared to find his own car.
Bang—
There was a noise behind him. The secretary turned around to see that intern Xie Junming had gotten out of the car again.
It seemed their boss had seen Chu Feng’s car from the rearview mirror and had sent him to ask something.
Xie Junming ran over, his backpack’s side pocket soaked from his umbrella, which he seemed unaware of.
“Um… hello!” Xie Junming greeted the secretary nervously:
“Our boss sent me to ask about Chief Chu’s opinion on our product?”
The secretary knew exactly what was happening. Their boss wasn’t interested in the cashmere product; he wanted to know if Chief Chu had taken a liking to the person they brought along. After all, Chief Chu was young and kept his thoughts well-concealed, leaving others guessing.
The secretary looked at the young man. He had previously worked under Mr. Xie for a while, and while this person’s demeanor and height didn’t match Mr. Xie’s, his features were quite similar, thanks to modern medical procedures.
He hesitated, wanting to give the young man a hint: Chief Chu had looked at you through the rearview mirror. This could be an opportunity or nothing at all, but if seized correctly, it could mean a lifetime of ease.
The secretary smiled and tested the waters with Xie Junming:
“Chief Chu said in the meeting that the product is good. Keep up the good work.”
If the young man was perceptive, he would catch the hint and ask if Chief Chu had said anything else beyond the product.
“Oh, okay.”
Xie Junming didn’t understand the secretary’s words. He couldn’t fathom why his boss had specifically sent him to ask the secretary, as it was the same as what Chief Chu had said earlier.
The secretary saw his clueless expression and shook his head internally. With such limited understanding, he couldn’t succeed in this line of work; everyone has their own fate. If it had been the real Mr. Xie, he would have sensed something was off the moment he was arranged to present the PPT.
A broke, newly graduated student in a probationary internship being personally taken by the boss to meet the top executive, and even asked to do the product presentation, was bizarre enough to raise suspicions.
The secretary swallowed his advice and said perfunctorily, “Chief Chu has no other suggestions. Tell your boss not to worry. The rain is heavy; you should head back.”
Xie Junming nodded repeatedly, thinking the day had gone smoothly and that his boss would be pleased. He felt the secretary was very nice as he jogged back with his soaked umbrella and reported to his boss—
Strangely, upon hearing this, his boss’s face immediately turned cold with disappointment.
The secretary’s words, which Xie Junming couldn’t understand, were crystal clear to his boss:
[Chief Chu has no other suggestions] = Chief Chu is not interested in this person.
[Tell your boss not to worry] = Tell your boss to give up.
[The rain is heavy; you should head back] = You’ve had your fun at the head office; now hurry back.
His boss’s face darkened while the oblivious Xie Junming smiled happily and drove back to the small company through the torrential rain.
***
The windshield wipers swept away layers of water.
The rain was so heavy it blurred the ground, creating a mist that made the road almost invisible.
Traffic started to jam, with incessant honking adding to the irritation.
Downpour…
“Currently, H City is experiencing widespread heavy rain. Zhongxing Street is already blocked…”
“We just received a bulletin: A landslide has occurred in the western part of our city, affecting nearby residents…”
The car radio kept reporting the news. This time of year was always rainy season, prone to various accidents.
Chu Feng’s heart skipped a beat.
When he built Dream City, some residential areas and schools were based on childhood memories, but the city’s overall layout and terrain were modeled after his current home, H City.
A bad premonition surged in his heart. He hadn’t checked the game’s system notifications while working, but now Chu Feng quickly opened the Dream City app on his phone—
“Master! Master!! Something terrible has happened!”
The little spirit jumped out of the app, bouncing frantically across the phone screen:
“Your Dream City has been experiencing heavy rain since this morning! The high school campus is about to be flooded!!”
***
Airport
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please: Due to the poor weather conditions…”
X sat in the departure hall with a suitcase, hearing for the third time that his flight was delayed.
People around him were grumbling and getting up to complain to the flight attendants.
Sitting in his wheelchair, X checked his phone. It seemed to be raining heavily in H City, China.
It took about nine hours to fly there. Conservatively, this downpour wouldn’t stop within those nine hours, making it impossible to land.
Waiting at the airport was tedious.
X rarely used his phone, which had little on it—just Chu Feng’s contact and an app for the regulator system to check if he had been assigned a player rescue mission.
X was currently in an inactive state, marked as gray, indicating he wasn’t on duty. Any dangers would be assigned to other regulators.
Beep, beep, beep—
Suddenly, an SOS distress signal was received by the regulator center.
The backend for the highest regulator, X, also synced this message.
Generally, he wouldn’t have time to check backend messages, but today, while waiting at the airport, he was particularly bored.
X took a closer look. The player’s location was…
China, H City.
Player account: CF4088
—Chu Feng!
Based on the danger level of the task, it would be prioritized to the highest regulator, X. If unavailable, it would then be passed down sequentially.
Regulator A commented: [X might be on a plane, so I’ll take over…]
He was about to accept the task when a prominent popup appeared:
[The highest regulator X has prohibited you from accepting the task.]
Regulator A: ???
[The task has been accepted by the highest regulator X.]
[Brainwave connection in progress…]
[The highest regulator X is about to arrive at player CF4088’s side.]
Regulator A: ???
Regulator B patted him on the shoulder: “Relax, this is Love’s efficiency.”
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