Rebirth 04: Starting from Taking an Unconventional Approach

"So," Chen Zhengyuan said, "you deduced from a blurry logo and a few candid photos that your subordinate, Wen Jie, works at a publishing house called Qingniao?"

"You should say he was just working for Bluebird Publishing House," Wang Yu corrected him, propping himself up with a pillow to sit up. "I checked his social security records, and he didn't work for any other company after leaving. Otherwise, he wouldn't be working in a rented workspace in the Chuangzhi Building."

"What's the deal with this Bluebird Publishing House?" Chen Zhengyuan asked, reaching past her to grab the pack of cigarettes on the windowsill.

"It's a small private company that was quite successful in the 80s and 90s, but now it's barely surviving. The current president is Han Fei, who is 25 years old."

"A small, dying publishing house, now running an SP website?" Chen Zhengyuan pulled a cigarette from his pack and held it up to the moonlight filtering through the curtains. "Want to share one?"

Wang Yu nodded without saying a word. She didn't smoke normally, but it was an unspoken rule between them: they would share a cigarette afterward.

When Wang Yu first mentioned wanting to try smoking, Chen Zhengyuan immediately saw through her little scheme.

Wang Yu wasn't acting out of curiosity; it was merely a shrewd gesture, a clever trick to create a facade of intimacy amidst the smoke. What she wanted wasn't nicotine, but some form of shared indulgence, to make the relationship appear to be more than just a transaction.

"But what kind of content can a publisher possibly offer that's worth paying for?" Chen Zhengyuan said, scoffing. "Highbrow short stories? Or outdated art essays?"

Why does your tone sound a little sarcastic?

"What am I being sarcastic about?" Chen Zhengyuan said, handing her a cigarette. "They're just desperately grasping at straws, making a last-ditch effort. Their offline channels are failing, so they're trying to make a quick buck online. Do they even know what data services are? Do they know what user retention is? Do they really think they can revive themselves by just writing some novels and sending some text messages?"

"So you don't believe they can do it at all?"

Chen Zhengyuan sighed: "Wang Yu, do you even know how many years I've been with NetEase?"

Wang Yu stared at the cigarette: "Six years."

"That's right, six years! In those six years, I've seen far too many new models! And 99% of these so-called new models end up with the same fate—a terrible demise!"

"Have you considered this question?"

"What's the problem?"

"You wouldn't believe it?"

"I don't know which aspect you mean."

"Then I won't let you smoke."

Chen Zhengyuan grinned crookedly: "Okay, then we'll never meet alone again, so you can forget about getting another cigarette from me after the fact."

These two sentences lingered in their minds, as if branded in the darkness.

"You're a fucking...scoundrel," Wang Yu said angrily, handing a cigarette to Chen Zhengyuan and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Okay, I was just joking," Chen Zhengyuan said softly.

"But you've already shattered that feeling, don't you understand? You're making me sound like a..." Wang Yu pulled the blanket down to her chin.

Chen Zhengyuan turned over and leaned against her. Before he could touch her, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back.

He heard her breathing quicken between her slightly parted lips and thought: How did she do that? How could she switch from shame to indulgence in the blink of an eye? How could she be so... adept?

"What do you think..." Chen Zhengyuan said, seeing her open her eyes, her gaze filled with surprise and frustration as she stared at the ceiling, as if wondering why his caresses hadn't arrived yet. "What was that problem you were talking about earlier?"

Wang Yu blinked several times.

"Think about it carefully," she finally spoke. "If the Bluebird Publishing project is really such an obvious dead end, why did Wen Jie agree to help them build a website?"

Chen Zhengyuan laughed: "How would I know what he's thinking? I'm not him."

Wang Yu rolled her eyes: "From what I know of Wen Jie, he's not the kind of person who would easily compromise. He's a bit stubborn, even a bit... idealistic. He resigned because he felt that cutting his project was short-sighted and negated the value of his technology. If someone like that sees the Qingniao Publishing House project as just a laughable and doomed bubble, would he willingly go to a place like the Chuangzhi Building to bury himself in hard work?"

"Um."

They lay silently in bed, listening to the distant whistles of cruise ships echoing across the Huangpu River. Dawn was approaching. Soon, they would be sitting in his Bentley. Soon, they would be at the company together, pretending it was their first meeting that day.

"Do you know what I hate most about you?" Wang Yu finally said, pinching his ear, "You're so damn proud and stubborn, and you still won't admit that my worries are justified."

"I didn't realize Director Wang was so worried about his former subordinate's career prospects?" Chen Zhengyuan said, taking the half-smoked cigarette and admiring her naked body as she jumped off the bed. "Don't worry, once his publishing house collapses and he comes back looking disheveled, the company might even give him a chance to write a self-criticism. That's a different kind of demonstration of technical value, isn't it?"

Wang Yu pulled the dress over her head, the white gauze fabric clinging directly to her soft skin. Chen Zhengyuan suddenly realized that if he were to be jealous, it would be of that dress.

"You know what, Chen Zhengyuan?" Wang Yu buttoned up her shirt, looking down at him, "Sometimes you can be really infuriating. I'm trying to talk serious, and you interrupt with jokes! And you still think it's just a joke?"

"Okay, okay, I'll take it seriously," Chen Zhengyuan said, stubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray. "Didn't you check with the mobile company? What did they say?"

"Hmph, that Zhang Qiming is a stubborn old bastard. No matter what I say, it's no use. His mouth is like it's on triple locks; he won't reveal a single piece of information."

"So what do you plan to do now?"

"I'm going to find Wen Jie. Liu Xin, the guy who was following Wen Jie and taking pictures, had a little accident at the Chuangzhi Building. Wen Jie might have noticed something, but luckily he doesn't know it was us. This time I'm going directly to his house; his address is in the HR system."

"What do you want with him?" Chen Zhengyuan frowned. "To catch up or to try and win him over?"

"He was able to quit his job in a huff because a project was canceled. What kind of person do you think he is?"

"One muscle."

Wang Yu nodded: "And he's simple-minded. Someone like him can't keep a secret at all. If you're willing to guide him, even if he refuses to say anything, he'll eventually reveal his true colors."

"Okay, Director Wang," Chen Zhengyuan whispered in her ear, "Should I be a little more careful when I'm with you from now on?"

Wang Yu looked down at him and smiled, then bent down and gently kissed his forehead: "I didn't drive today."

Chen Zhengyuan smiled and said, "I'll go with you."