126. Promiscuity Is Also a Common Ailment

Yu Jiali gave Bai Haonan’s work that day a glowing assessment, with one exception: his decision to sleep in the little shed on the roof.

“Now that you’re an executive, a manager of this company, you need to maintain some distance from the supervisors below you and the employees on the front lines. You have to preserve a sense of hierarchy.”

Even as she said it, Yu Jiali could only keep her head lowered toward her desk, putting on a busy, businesslike air so she would not look up and start swooning over him again.

Bai Haonan was not so easily tamed. He remained as carefree and shameless as ever. “You want to buy me a place to live? Wouldn’t that make me your kept man? Stay in a hotel? Rent a place? I’ve finally managed to cleanse my mind of desire lately, so don’t tempt me. If I can’t hold myself back, I’ll have to go chasing women again.”

Yu Jiali had grown a little more confident in herself. “Why not chase me?”

Bai Haonan gave her a half-smile. “You? You look like the kind of woman a few casual lines would get into bed, but there’d be too much trouble afterward. I reckon it would be no less troublesome than offending another Boss Zhuang—maybe even worse. I can still control myself. Look at that little beauty this time around. Her smile alone could steal a man’s soul, and I still managed to act like an old monk. Impressive, right?”

Yu Jiali stole a glance at the surveillance monitor beside her, its interface already closed. She still did not reveal the information to him. Pretending not to know, she nodded approvingly. “That remains to be seen. We’ll find out whether you can keep this up. Have you notified her family?”

Bai Haonan was rather pleased with himself, like a man who had done a good deed and was eager to boast about it. “Of course! That little minx even tried to play games with me. If I hadn’t sworn off women…”

Yu Jiali finally looked up. “All right, all right. You’re the most handsome man under heaven. My father has invited you home for dinner tonight. For now, let’s buy you some clothes and do something about that beard and hair, shall we?”

Bai Haonan took a proper look at Yu Jiali in broad daylight. Bracing one hand on the armrest of her office chair, he studied her. “Your face has gotten a little thinner. Have you gotten used to being a beauty these past two months?”

A smile spilled from the corners of Yu Jiali’s eyes. She raised her chin arrogantly. “No! A lifetime wouldn’t be long enough!”

Bai Haonan praised her again. “Turn a little farther. To the left. Yes, that angle’s good. You look nice. Though your nose is still a bit flat, the corners of your eyes aren’t long enough, and your forehead is a little too round…”

The young woman, who had been following his instructions and posing obediently, finally lost her patience. She snatched up the pen beside her and threw it at him, laughing as she cursed, “Can’t you say something to make me happy for once?”

Bai Haonan caught the pen deftly. It glittered with gold and was clearly expensive. He tucked it into his pocket. “Good timing. I was short a pen. The greatest benefit of working out is that it not only reshapes your body but also stimulates the secretion of all kinds of hormones. The drawback is that you can’t stop. Once you do, the rebound can be frightening. So after more than two months, I assume you’ve developed a proper exercise habit. That puts you far above the idiots who only work out to lose weight. Just keep at it from now on. I’ll put together a complete training program for you later. Consider the pen my fee.”

Yu Jiali was delighted that the pen had ended up with him. “That’s more like it. You’re finally working toward the identity you ought to have. Come on! Let’s go shopping and get everything you need.”

And so everyone in the company saw the beautiful President Yu leave work early once again, walking out with the little pretty boy while he led the dog.

But this time, the spectacle must have struck them very differently. If even a fat woman like that could become so beautiful, what woman wouldn’t want a boyfriend capable of such a transformation? No one thought any longer that the carefree boss of the fitness center was merely a handsome good-for-nothing.

Besides, Deputy General Manager Chen had already organized the gist of that morning’s speech into meeting minutes and sent them around. Quite a few senior managers had read them. Whatever one thought of the policies and strategies, the wording alone was worlds apart from what it had been two months earlier.

Could this man have been pretending to be a fool while secretly waiting to spring his trap?

And when they considered all the supervisors and senior executives who had opposed him before—even Deputy General Manager Tan, who had quietly controlled a force within the group through logistics, security, and the vehicle fleet, had disappeared, supposedly after being taken into custody—who would still dare underestimate this pretty boy?

Thus, wherever Bai Haonan went, people addressed him respectfully. The clever ones even put him first.

“President Bai, President Yu looks wonderful today.”

Yu Jiali clearly adored the feeling. Even after entering the elevator, she was still savoring it.

“See? When you do things well, you earn the respect of others!”

Bai Haonan was slightly puzzled. “How do you know I’ve done a good job with the fitness center? We only held a meeting this morning. You already heard about it?”

Yu Jiali hurriedly covered herself. “People always send me reports.”

He did not think much of it. “Being respected really does feel different.”

Yu Jiali added a material incentive. “Let’s make a little agreement. If you get the fitness center out of the red and into profit within three months, I’ll reward you with a car on behalf of the investors. How about a sports car?”

Even someone as unruly as Bai Haonan could not suppress a sharp intake of breath and a grin. “What kind of car?”

Yu Jiali was pleased to have struck at a man’s weakness. Loving cars was better than loving women, surely.

“Heh-heh. You’ll find out when you achieve it. If I tell you the surprise in advance, it won’t be nearly as exciting.”

It had to be said that Yu Jiali was exceptionally skilled at dangling a carrot in front of a mule and coaxing it forward.

The moment Bai Haonan showed the slightest sign of wanting to fool around or resist discipline, she stamped it out.

Of course, his nature was not so easily changed. As soon as they left the building, he went into the nearby ATM booth and withdrew ten thousand yuan in cash.

Yu Jiali enjoyed walking shoulder to shoulder with him, especially now that she had grown more confident. She leaned over curiously. “Why are you carrying so much cash? Use a card for large purchases.”

Bai Haonan explained as he rummaged through the small box beside the ATM. “The five of them are officially starting work, so I’m withdrawing some living expenses for each of them. They need to try living independently and get used to a normal life.”

Even though she had already heard the live broadcast through the surveillance equipment, Yu Jiali still curled her lip. “How considerate of you. What are you looking for?”

Bai Haonan had already taken several withdrawal slips, each about two fingers wide—the kind the machine automatically spat out after a transaction. He waved them at Yu Jiali with a wicked grin, then stuffed them into his pocket along with the cash.

“Haven’t you noticed? Whenever I flirt with women, I write little notes using these. The amount withdrawn on the back is always ten or twenty thousand. Do you think a woman who sees that won’t call me back?”

Yu Jiali nearly fainted in the ATM booth. “Good heavens. You could publish a book!”

Bai Haonan chuckled. “You thought Brother Nan seduced women with his face instead of his technique? That’s only because I haven’t tried it on you.”

Yu Jiali let out a long sigh. “That doesn’t even count as flirting. I don’t know what you’re like when you go all out.”

As they came out, Bai Haonan stroked his chin, wearing that shameless, despicable grin of his.

“I really did feel like trying to flirt with Li Lin. Too bad I have to be a good person. Ah, you can only have one of the whore’s memorial arch or her chastity.”

Yu Jiali could only swing the chained handbag in her hand like a baseball bat and bring it crashing down on his head.

That did not count as flirting? What did?

Ada hurriedly moved two steps away and watched to see whether the pair were actually fighting. He seemed genuinely uncertain which side he should help.

So buying clothes afterward proceeded naturally. They did not buy expensive things, only suitable ones. It was enough to make Bai Haonan look clean and presentable. Most of the clothes were loose-fitting sportswear.

Yu Jiali had originally wanted to shave off all his facial hair, but instead she instructed the stylist to trim it.

“Make him look as old-fashioned as possible. A mustache, a goatee, whatever works. Add some gray to his hair so he looks older. Just keep everything neat.”

Bai Haonan did not care. His taste had once embraced even the most flamboyant youth styles, so he found this new appearance rather fresh.

Yu Jiali would soon regret the decision.

For the moment, however, she was satisfied. Together with Bai Haonan, she picked out some fruit and headed home for dinner.

They both understood that this meal would be very different from the last one.

When the bright-yellow Hummer arrived at the Yu family’s gate, there was no need to announce them. The guards in their new uniforms hurried to open the gate, and they even knew to greet President Bai. Bai Haonan was enjoying an entirely different kind of respect.

Ada had originally been expected to remain in the car, but two or three people immediately rushed to volunteer to look after him.

The respect given to a wealthy or successful man was entirely different from the respect shown to a professional athlete. Once people turned around, the latter was just some foul-mouthed footballer.

Bai Haonan also glanced over the cars parked in the shelter beneath the Yu family home. This time, Yu Jiali took the initiative and accompanied him for a closer look.

“Actually, half of them are still connected to that line of business. My father isn’t particularly attached to it. It’s just that many people in the outside business world like to see things like this, so he bought a few to use. In truth, he doesn’t care much about them.”

Bai Haonan nodded. “Old Yu is as sly as I am when it comes to this. I bought a secondhand sports car to chase women. He uses imported cars and vehicles with swapped license plates to secure business. They’re just tools. Anyone stupid enough to think such things are truly valuable is getting played.”

Yu Jiali protested, “He isn’t sly! And he wasn’t trying to save money. Though I admit he’s never had the habit of spending lavishly or wasting money…”

Bai Haonan nodded. “That’s why I said I can barely stand the sight of him. He’s not one of those slick, highly educated frauds with fake diplomas.”

Yu Jiali protested even more fiercely. “My diploma isn’t fake!”

Bai Haonan began showing off. “I once dated a doctor. An expert-level doctor. She got excellent grades in everything she studied…”

Yu Jiali had already resigned herself to her fate. “Fine. What other extraordinary women have you known? Go ahead and advertise them all. Crush my pride as much as you like. I’ll even thank you for your careful guidance.”

Instead, Bai Haonan merely smiled and fell silent.

It was much the same as last time. Of the dozen or so cars, five or six were luxury vehicles—Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Mercedes-Benzes, BMWs, and the like—probably reserved for grand occasions. The others, such as Land Cruisers and Cayennes, were likely used for trips around the area, to mines and construction sites. None of the models were particularly new. Most were three to five years old, though they had been well maintained—or, more accurately, refurbished and assembled skillfully.

Bai Haonan even suspected that his old Cayman might have passed through this very place.

The young man and woman spent some time wandering around the car shelter before heading upstairs. They did not go to the reception room on the sixth floor, but to the Yu family’s living room on the seventh.

“Living room” was the term favored in foreign-style interior design. In a traditional layout, this was actually the main hall, and it was not quite the same as the living rooms found in modern urban homes. Several seats had been arranged close together in a circle, creating an atmosphere suited to family conversation.

The wooden armchairs—he had no idea what kind of wood they were made from—were obviously expensive, yet in this household they had clearly been in use for many years, their age showing in a warm, familiar patina.

Yu’s mother was hurriedly wiping dust from the chairs. She examined Bai Haonan carefully, without the slightest trace of condescension. Her clothing and appearance were not much different from those of the middle-aged and elderly women in the urban village behind the building: the same deep, dark complexion covered in wrinkles. Only her jewelry was more refined, with plenty of gold, and her clothes were more expensive than last time.

She accepted the fruit Bai Haonan offered and gestured for him to sit.

“Jiajia has always been an obedient child. I never imagined she could look so beautiful after dressing up. I thought I’d only see her like this on her wedding day.”

Bai Haonan explained the customs of makeup in the city. “Which girl in the city doesn’t put on makeup these days…”

Yu Deshui emerged wearing an old undershirt and oversized shorts. Nothing about him suggested that he was a wealthy man. He interrupted Bai Haonan directly.

“She’s hinting that, as her mother, she hopes Jiajia will get married soon. Are you pretending not to understand, or do you really not get it?”

Bai Haonan looked slightly embarrassed. “I really don’t understand. I have no experience with family life. I didn’t even have a mother. I grew up at a sports school and with football teams for more than twenty years.”

Yu Jiali felt a pang of sympathy and dragged out the word beside him. “Dad… Today, he already managed to…”

Yu Deshui clearly had no patience for polite small talk.

“I know. The meeting minutes were sent to me. Not bad. You’re smarter than I expected. You also handled Old Tan’s affair well. Going to the pyramid scheme operation and making the arrests proved that you have both courage and resourcefulness.

“I don’t like those self-righteous pedants who look down on everything and insist on following every rule to the letter. But neither do I like petty schemers who cheat and deceive, selfish people with narrow vision. Still, Little Bai, you have a long way to go. To this day, you haven’t figured out what you really want to do. You haven’t understood why you’re alive.”

When Yu Jiali spoke in lofty principles, Bai Haonan usually listened only to reject her words casually. But Yu Deshui seemed to possess a strange magic over him. He always managed to express things with piercing precision.

“As for the relationship between you and Jiajia, we won’t interfere. You’re both adults. Her mother and I have been happy to see how much she’s changed over these past two or three months. I believe my daughter won’t lose her way because of a man or a failed marriage.

“So if anyone is going to lose their way, it will be you.

“You may feel that marrying into the Yu family is humiliating. If you care about that, then I have no respect for you. Or perhaps you think you can obtain something from the Yu family without lifting a finger. If so, you’ll be trading away the watermelon for sesame seeds.

“Every person makes his own fate. It is decided by himself, not by heaven. Think it through before you say anything. There is no hurry.”

For Yu Deshui to speak so plainly, Bai Haonan did not know whether it was because his daughter was infatuated with him or because he genuinely favored him.

Bai Haonan tried his best to listen attentively. Even when he disagreed or failed to understand, he did his best to remember the words. But he made no promise whatsoever regarding his relationship with Yu Jiali.

When they went downstairs to the dining room on the second floor, many more relatives came to greet him. Bai Haonan could sense the difference now—and he could also see how differently he regarded those people.

He still had not figured out what Old Yu meant by fate, what he should do, or why he was alive. But Bai Haonan understood that the people before him had never considered such questions at all.

They only knew that the Yu family was rich and that they could follow the Yu family and enjoy a life of luxury. They had never thought about why Old Yu was able to become wealthy.

And if someone did possess a little intelligence but used it in the wrong direction, scheming and twisting his mind the way Old Tan had, then he simply disappeared without a sound.

It was both a piece of advice and a warning.

After dinner, Bai Haonan headed home. With all her relatives watching, Yu Jiali was too embarrassed to invent another excuse to spend the night with him. She accompanied him all the way to the garage.

“Don’t rush. Take your time thinking. What are you thinking about, anyway? You haven’t said a word since dinner.”

Bai Haonan looked up, embarrassed. “I want to change cars…”

Yu Jiali burst out laughing. “Do whatever you like! You behave yourself when you talk to my father, but you only know how to bully me!”

Bai Haonan sighed. “I just like trying new things. What else can I do?”

Without realizing it, he had begun to pick up a Northeastern accent.