A House of Cards and the Scent of Citrus

“You’ve kept me back alone once before, sending a mere COO assistant to the top floor. If my superior asks me what it was about, I can’t say it was work. And if my colleagues ask, I certainly can’t tell them we’re married, can I? They’d just think I’ve gone delusional—fantasizing about a wedding the very first time I laid eyes on the boss!” Wen Yang pursed her lips.

Seeing her fall silent, Jiang Jifeng arched an eyebrow, finishing her sentence for her. “So, you decided to spread rumors instead, painting me as a petty, narrow-minded man, right?”

“I only said you kept me behind to give me a piece of your mind. Everything else was just office gossip; I didn’t start any rumors.” Wen Yang gave him a radiant smile. “I’ll be borrowing your pen for a bit. I’m heading out now!”

The apology in her smile was blatantly insincere. Before he could get another word in, she had vanished like a puff of smoke.

Returning to her desk, Wen Yang pointedly scribbled on a piece of paper, a classic case of “protesting too much.” She remarked to the air, “This pen I just picked up writes quite smoothly.” She glanced around at her busy colleagues; seeing no one acting out of the ordinary, she tucked the pen into her holder.

A person with a guilty conscience always has too many nervous ticks. She didn’t even know why she felt the need to announce the pen.

The next second, her WeChat buzzed. J: 【Grandpa asked for your WeChat. Is that okay?】 How could she refuse a request from an elder? Wen Yang: 【Of course. Send me his business card; I’ll add him.】

Jiang Jifeng didn’t reply, but a few minutes later, a red “2” appeared on her contact requests. It was the Grandfather and Grandmother. The two elders even used matching couple profile pictures: Grandma’s was a red flower, and Grandpa’s was a green leaf.

Before Wen Yang could send a greeting, Elder Jiang messaged her first: “Wen girl, is your grandfather’s health better? How has the old man been lately?”

Wen Yang assumed he was asking about the blood pressure and cardiovascular issues. She replied, “He’s taking his medicine on schedule. Thank you for your concern, Grandpa Jiang. You and Grandma should take care of yourselves too; the weather is turning cold, so please dress warmly.”

Elder Jiang replied with an emoji of a person holding a wine glass and the words “Thank you.”

Wen Yang knew exactly what this move represented. It was partly genuine approval, but it was also a form of surveillance. They didn’t quite believe that she and Jiang Jifeng were actually “getting to know each other” and were afraid he was lying, so they decided to check in with her directly.

She felt the weight on her shoulders growing. She also felt herself becoming increasingly “self-serving”—fleeing her wedding to hide in Beijing and leaving the grandfather who had raised her all alone. Now, to prevent Elder Jiang from coming to Beijing, she was intentionally acting out a play with Jiang Jifeng, deceiving two elders who genuinely liked her.

But when you tell one lie, you have to tell a thousand more to keep the story straight.

At lunchtime, Wen Yang went to the cafeteria with Ke Li. The employee cafeteria at Shengle occupied the entire fourth floor. Since Jiang Jifeng took over, the meals had become significantly more lavish, divided into regional cuisines like Sichuan, Hunan, Huaiyang, and Cantonese. Rumor had it the Cantonese section was so well-developed because Jiang Jifeng himself ate there. Post-meal perks had also improved, featuring milk and high-end fruits like cherries and Dandong strawberries the size of a fist.

Before eating, Wen Yang thought of Elder Jiang. she snapped a photo of her and Ke Li’s trays. “What are you doing?” Ke Li asked, staring at her while biting her chopsticks.

While Wen Yang struggled for an explanation, Ke Li smirked. “Wait… do you have a ‘situationship’? Sending lunch photos? I remember you hate playing with your phone while eating.”

Wen Yang didn’t want to be interrogated, so she played along. “Mhm, yeah. There’s someone like that.”

“Oh!” Ke Li’s eyes lit up with gossip. “What does he look like? Is he handsome?”

“What counts as handsome?” Wen Yang typed a message to the “other party” and locked her phone. “And what counts as not?”

Ke Li set down her chopsticks, thinking for a full minute. “Let’s use the Boss as a benchmark. Anyone better-looking than him is ‘God-tier handsome.’ Someone slightly less good-looking is still ‘handsome.’ Three points below him is ‘cute,’ and five points below is ‘average’.”

“Let’s not talk about me for a second. Why do I feel like your evaluation of the Boss is suspiciously high?”

Jiang Jifeng was about to head out for lunch when he received Wen Yang’s message. He usually dined at the Bulgari restaurant in Beijing rather than the fourth-floor cafeteria. He paused when he saw her message.

Wen Yang: 【Jifeng, I’m eating at the cafeteria. Don’t stay in meetings too late; remember to eat! ~】

Jiang Jifeng lowered his gaze. He wasn’t so narcissistic as to think she was actually concerned; she was simply creating the illusion of a close relationship for the sake of the Grandfather’s “evidence.”

Seeing his boss stop and stare at his phone, Assistant Gao prompted, “President Jiang, the reservation is made. Would you like to view the menu here or at the restaurant?”

“Let’s eat on the fourth floor,” Jiang Jifeng said.

Wen Yang had paved the way; he had to walk it. If he didn’t give her a response, his grandfather would think he was being cold and find another excuse to come to Beijing. That would be an even bigger headache.

Assistant Gao’s eyes widened. “The employee cafeteria?”

“Is there a problem?” Jiang Jifeng asked. “Do you have an objection?”

“No, no!” Gao lowered his head immediately. “It’s perfectly normal for a boss to care about what the employees are eating. I was just worried the food wouldn’t suit your taste. I’ll have the kitchen prepare something you usually like.”

“No need.” He wasn’t really there to eat; he just needed a photo for his grandfather.

Down in the cafeteria, the discussion continued. “Of course my evaluation is high,” Ke Li said dramatically. “Don’t tell me you think he’s not handsome?”

He’s handsome, obviously. I’m not blind. But Wen Yang said nothing, slowly taking a bite of rice. Ke Li continued, “And didn’t you say you like that actor, Li Shenmin? The Boss is way more handsome than him!”

Li Shenmin was an idol; Jiang Jifeng was her boss, her business partner, and her unloved husband. One was a distant star; the other was right in front of her. How could they be compared?

“How can you compare them?” Wen Yang blurted out. “Li Shenmin is my idol! In my heart, he’s far more handsome than the Boss. Besides, you seem to have forgotten that your ‘God-tier handsome’ boss picks on me every single day!”

Ke Li suddenly went silent. Wen Yang assumed she had won the argument. “Anyway, don’t mention the Boss in front of me again. He and I are fundamentally incompatible. He’s so petty—”

Ke Li suddenly stuffed a piece of broccoli into Wen Yang’s mouth and began winking frantically. Wen Yang realized something was wrong. She turned around.

Jiang Jifeng was sitting right behind her. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing a refined, powerful wrist adorned with a Richard Mille watch. He was looking down, methodically eating an employee meal.

…

Wen Yang’s almond eyes trembled. She had never expected Jiang Jifeng to actually show up in the cafeteria. He was likely there to take a photo for Elder Jiang to show he had “responded” to her.

She didn’t know how to break the awkwardness or if he had heard her. Ke Li, being a loyal friend, tried to smooth things over. “Hello, Boss! You’re eating here too?”

It was late, and the cafeteria was relatively empty. Jiang Jifeng looked up calmly. “Mhm. Don’t mind me, carry on.”

Wen Yang breathed a sigh of relief and buried her head in her food. A moment later, the person behind her moved, and his footsteps faded into the distance. She guessed—hoped—he hadn’t heard.

When she returned to her desk, she received a message. Her heart nearly stopped. It was a link forwarded by Jiang Jifeng. The title: “Penalties for Rumors and Defamation.”

She clicked it. The content read: 1. Penalties for defamation depend on the circumstances: (1) Defamation not yet constituting a crime: detention up to 5 days or a fine up to 500 yuan. (2) For more serious cases: detention of 5 to 10 days—

Before she could finish, her phone buzzed again. J: 【Miss Wen, the above applies to spouses as well.】

Wen Yang closed the app. She decided not to reply. Replying would only make it more awkward. That awkwardness lingered until her business trip the following week. During the interval, she continued to manufacture the illusion of a happy marriage, and the two elders were thoroughly convinced.

Monday morning, all of Team A went to Jiangmen Xinan for the contract signing and livestream site inspection.

The project was the first major push for agricultural products. The higher-ups valued the location significantly. Knowing the importance of the contract, Fang Hui led the team through late-night strategy sessions. “We are the first group. If this project goes perfectly, we’ll be the key project team for all of Shengle. Do you understand?”

The team nodded. On the second day, the first phase of the contract was signed. The local residents were enthusiastic and gave each team member four boxes of Xinan sweet citrus as a gesture of thanks.

Wen Yang wondered how to distribute her four boxes. She thought of her grandfather and Jiang Jifeng’s grandparents. She took a photo and sent it to Elder Jiang. Wen Yang: 【Grandpa, Grandma, this is the sweet citrus from Xinan. I’m on a business trip here and I’m sending a box back for you to try. If you like it, I’ll buy more!】

She didn’t want the marriage, but the grandparents’ kindness deserved a return. She couldn’t let her own stubbornness destroy the bond between the two families’ previous generations.

Elder Jiang sent a voice message: “Wen girl, it’s so sweet of you to think of us. Thank you! How many days are you in Xinan? Did you bring thick clothes?”

After replying, she immediately got a message from Jiang Jifeng. J: 【Grandpa says you’re sending them citrus?】 Wen Yang: 【Yes.】 Jiang Jifeng sent an address in Hong Kong, followed by: 【No wonder the elders like you.】

Wen Yang found the message odd—it sounded like he was mocking her for “sucking up.” She replied: 【The elders like me because of who I am, not because I bring them citrus.】

Jiang Jifeng had just finished signing a file. He realized she had misunderstood his meaning. He picked up his phone to clarify, but another message from her popped up. Wen Yang: 【Is it possible that I’m just naturally likable? Is it really that hard to admit someone else is better at social graces and pleasing elders than you?】

The corner of Jiang Jifeng’s mouth twitched. He actually laughed. Perhaps because she had handled so many headaches with the grandparents for him, he felt relaxed enough to chat. J: 【If you could delete the “petty” image of me from your brain, you wouldn’t twist my words so much.】 J: 【I heard everyone got four boxes. You gave one to the grandparents. What about the other three?】 Wen Yang: 【How do you know that?!】 J: 【What do you think? Did you think you could accept bribes without me knowing?】 Wen Yang: 【One for my grandpa, one for my roommate.】 J: 【And the last one?】 Wen Yang: 【Why should I tell you? We’re just a ‘married couple.’ Any more questions would be impolite. Or… do you want some too?】 J: 【If I want some, will I get some?】

Wen Yang paused. She had other plans for the last box, but it seemed Jiang Jifeng wanted some too… He waited for a moment. Thinking she had taken him seriously, he was about to tell her he didn’t actually like citrus. Then her reply came: Wen Yang: 【I’ll reluctantly take one from my roommate’s box and give it to you.】

One? Even a beggar gets a pair for good luck. Jiang Jifeng was amused to the point of laughter. J: 【Keep it for yourself.】

He screenshotted the exchange and sent it to Elder Jiang. The old man replied: “Getting anything at all is good enough. Wen girl is flying back the day after tomorrow. Remember to pick her up at the airport.”

It turned out that the more casual their chats were, the more Elder Jiang believed them. Jiang Jifeng breathed a sigh of relief. But when a person relaxes, they leave openings.

Jiang Jifeng agreed to the request and forwarded the instruction to Wen Yang. She replied synchronously: 【Understood. When Grandpa asks, I’ll tell him you picked me up.】 J: 【Sing muk. (Smart/Alert)】 Wen Yang: 【What does sing muk mean?】 J: 【Clever.】 Wen Yang: 【……】

The trip to Xinan concluded. On the morning of her return, Elder Jiang messaged Wen Yang saying he had received the citrus and praised her, wishing her project great success. After a few lines, he asked casually, “What is my girl doing right now?”

Habitual lying took over. Wen Yang assumed he was fishing for information, so she used the cover story Jiang Jifeng had prepared: 【I’m on the phone with Jifeng. He said he’s coming to the airport to pick me up and take me back to the office.】

Far away in Hong Kong, Elder Jiang looked at the message and fell into a deep silence.

Exactly one minute before Wen Yang sent that message, Elder Jiang had called Jiang Jifeng regarding a company matter in Hong Kong. Assistant Gao had answered: 【The President is in a meeting with management. Sir, do you need me to go in and call him out?】

The Elder knew Jiang Jifeng didn’t like being disturbed in meetings, so he said he’d talk later.

Now, looking at Wen Yang’s text, he silently dialed Jiang Jifeng’s number again. Once again, Assistant Gao picked up. Jiang Jifeng only left his phone with Gao during meetings.

Gao: “Sir, should I go in and tell the President?”

Elder Jiang pondered for a moment. “No need. How much longer will this meeting last? What is his schedule for the rest of the day?”

Thinking it was a routine inquiry, Assistant Gao checked the iPad. “About four hours. It ends at 1:30 for lunch. Since the Xinan contract was signed, he has a dinner meeting with officials from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM. After 8:00 PM, there is another three-hour conference call.”

“Sir?” Gao asked.

“I see,” Elder Jiang said grimly. “Tell him to call me the moment his meeting is over.”