Chapter Thirty-Four: Pretending to Be the Boyfriend

The famous star fell in love with me, no pop-up

I went to a high-end restaurant for lunch with Hua Jingjing. She ordered seven or eight expensive dishes, and since I didn’t have to spend a penny, I was delighted to eat well.

Hua Jingjing seemed in good spirits, no longer sulking at me. Instead, she chatted on and on about things I couldn’t make sense of—stocks, real estate, and so on. I wasn’t interested at all, so I just listened, focusing on my meal.

Soon, Hua Jingjing’s phone rang with a tune. She took it out of her purse, glanced at the number, then suddenly sneered and flipped it open. “Hello! What is it?... Xiao Shu’s birthday party? You’re going too?... Hmph! So what! I can go as well... Really? Don’t gossip with me... Hey! I’ve never lost to you since we were children, what right do you have to judge me?... Li Mingfan? Of course I remember, what about him?... What!”

I saw Hua Jingjing’s expression suddenly change. She sprang to her feet. “Impossible! Don’t lie to me... Hmph! Hmph! Hearing means nothing, seeing is believing. If you’re so capable, bring him to Xiao Shu’s birthday and let us see! I don’t believe it, you? What kind of taste does Li Mingfan have?... Me? Of course I have someone! How could I lose to you? Mine is much better than your Li Mingfan... Don’t believe me? Fine, I’ll bring him too... Hmph! Let’s compete then! Do you think I’m scared?... Fine! See you next Monday!”

She snapped her phone shut and sat back down, fuming, tapping it against the table repeatedly, clearly angry. I wanted to ask her, “What happened?” but she seemed annoyed, and it looked like it was something about private matters between men and women, so I refrained.

After a while, Hua Jingjing threw her phone aside, propped her chin in her hands, leaned on the table, and stared at me, lost in thought.

At first, I didn’t mind, but the longer she held that pose, the more unsettling it felt—she truly gazed at me without blinking.

Her stare made my skin crawl, and I couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong? Is there something strange on my face?”

Hua Jingjing’s cheeks flushed slightly as she looked away and said, “Tang Qian, I want you to do something for me. If you agree, I won’t make you be my secretary anymore—I’ll arrange for you to formally learn planning work. What do you think?”

Such a good deal? The thought of no longer working under Hua Jingjing’s watchful eye every minute made me tempted. But she was never so easy—surely there was some trick behind this!

I pondered carefully, but since I didn’t know what she wanted me to do, thinking was pointless. So I slowly set down my chopsticks, took out a napkin, and carefully wiped my mouth, pretending not to care. “What is it? Tell me.”

Seeing hope, Hua Jingjing hurriedly said, “It’s simple, really—I want you to be my... boyfriend!”

I had just lifted a cup of tea to my lips, and at her words, I sprayed it all over the dishes. I almost thought I’d misheard. “What?”

Hua Jingjing, embarrassed and red-faced, waved her hands. “No, no! I didn’t make myself clear—I mean pretend, just act as my boyfriend for a bit!”

I put down my tea cup, puzzled. “Pretend to be your boyfriend? Why? What about your real boyfriend?”

Hua Jingjing looked a little awkward. “I used to have a boyfriend in America, but we broke up long ago. Now it’s too late to find someone else, so you’ll have to help out and fill in for now, just as an emergency.”

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I still didn’t understand and laughed, “If you don’t have one, so be it. Why find a substitute? Can’t you live without a boyfriend?”

Hua Jingjing froze, then scolded me angrily, “Tang Qian! I’m being serious with you!”

I replied seriously, “Fine! I’ll tell you seriously, don’t ask me—I won’t do it!”

Hua Jingjing was utterly shocked. “Why? It’s not like you really have to be my boyfriend, just pretend for one night next Monday. If you have any conditions, say them—whatever I can do, I’ll agree!”

I kept shaking my head. Hua Jingjing grew anxious. “Tang Qian! What will it take for you to agree?”

I smiled slightly, looking at her angry face. “Do you think I’m stupid? There are plenty of men out there—given your status, you only need to crook a finger and any number of men would leap at the chance to do anything for you. Why pick me? Who knows what scheme you’re brewing this time? I won’t fall for it!”

Hua Jingjing was exasperated. “Who’s scheming? I’ll tell you, next Monday I have a high school classmate’s birthday to attend. That call was from a classmate who’s been with me since kindergarten. This wretched woman, relying on her father being a senior official, has always been at odds with me. We’ve been rivals since kindergarten, all the way until I went to America after high school. She’s shameless, but whatever we compete in, she always loses to me and can’t stand it. Li Mingfan is a classmate from junior high—handsome, plays guitar beautifully. That shameless woman has always liked him, but he likes me, not her! She was so angry she couldn’t sleep for three months. Ha, it was so satisfying! Just now she told me her new boyfriend is Li Mingfan. How is that possible? How could I lose to her? So when she asked if I had a boyfriend, I told her I did—and he’s even better than Li Mingfan! I can’t lose to her! I want to drive her mad! Tang Qian, you have to help me, or I’ll be furious from her provocation. And you can rest assured—I swore before, didn’t I? If I ever mean you harm again, let me be struck by lightning!”

I saw genuine sincerity in Hua Jingjing’s eyes and began to believe her. But I was still puzzled. “Why me? There are plenty of men—why not pick anyone else? I’m neither outstanding in character nor from a prominent family. Wouldn’t pretending with me only embarrass you?”

Hua Jingjing said, “That’s not your concern—I want you, so will you do it or not?”

I shook my head. “I’m not interested in your petty rivalry—find someone else.”

Hua Jingjing, having argued for so long, was now angry and embarrassed. She slammed the table. “Tang Qian! You’ll go whether you want to or not! I order you as the company’s deputy general manager!”

I laughed. “This isn’t work, nor company business—I refuse!”

“You!” Hua Jingjing was so angry she couldn’t speak.

After a while, she stood and called out, “Waiter! The bill!”

I said, “Already? You barely ate anything.”

Hua Jingjing snapped, “I’m full from anger!”

That afternoon, back at the office, Hua Jingjing ignored me out of spite. I didn't want to give in either, and neither of us spoke a word. I sat at the secretary’s desk, bored, browsing news online.

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By chance, I saw Cheng Jia carrying a stack of files. I remembered that if not for her warning, I might have spent these days in the hospital. I owed her a great debt, and so I left my seat and stopped her. “Cheng Jia, are you free tonight? Let me treat you to dinner.”

Cheng Jia paused, glanced around, then blushed slightly. “Why? Are you asking me out?”

“No, I just want to thank you properly. If it weren’t for you, I’d be miserable!”

Cheng Jia quickly shushed me. “Quiet, I don’t want anyone to know I helped you.”

I smiled. “Unless you agree to dinner tonight, otherwise…”

Cheng Jia rolled her eyes, smiling. “Alright, alright, I’ll call your cell after work. Don’t block me here—what would people think if they saw?”

Seeing her agree, I stepped aside and whispered, “Don’t forget!”

Cheng Jia didn’t reply, just walked away blushing.

Neither of us realized that behind the door of Hua Jingjing’s office, she was muttering angrily, “That fickle carrot! What’s wrong with me? Am I not better than some little blonde girl?”

After work, Cheng Jia did call me. I invited her to dinner at Drunken Immortal next door, but she said it was too close to the office—she didn’t want to run into colleagues. So I suggested a restaurant farther away, set a time, and went ahead.

What I didn’t expect was that my boss, Ms. Hua Jingjing, actually followed me from afar. I went into the restaurant and picked a table, while Hua Jingjing, sneaky as could be, sat in the private room next door. I didn’t know, so I paid no attention.

Soon, Cheng Jia arrived. I greeted her with a smile, “Today, as a token of my gratitude, order whatever you want—no matter how expensive!”

Cheng Jia sat down, laughing. “You said it! Then I won’t hold back!”

I waved to the waiter, “Let the lady order.”

Next door, Hua Jingjing, hiding out of sight, was consumed with jealousy, biting her lip and thinking, “He really knows how to charm girls! Why haven’t I ever seen him treat me like that?”

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