Chapter 152: Proof

Nanming City. The temporary office of Master Kong Food and Beverage Company.

"Living a second life, I really am destined to be a workhorse. I can't seem to go a few days without being busy," Lu Kun sighed heavily.

Lu Kun had been swamped lately: the construction of the Master Kong factory, equipment testing, worker training... Every single task was a top priority.

"Chen Xiangyang, where the hell did you disappear to?" Lu Kun shouted toward the door from his makeshift office.

"Coming, Boss! You called?" Chen Xiangyang straightened his construction safety helmet, which had been knocked askew from running too fast, and wore a somewhat fawning expression.

"Where is Deputy Factory Manager Huang? How much longer until he’s settled in?" Lu Kun rubbed his forehead, sounding annoyed.

"It should be within the next two days. Should I call and hurry him along?" Chen Xiangyang smiled, masking his own exhaustion as he tentatively suggested.

Lu Kun pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "Forget it. It’s not that urgent yet."

"Uh..." Chen Xiangyang trailed off.

"Go back to work for now. Do a good job, and I’ll give you a bigger bonus at the end of the month," Lu Kun cleared his throat and encouraged him.

"Thank you, Boss." Chen Xiangyang said the words, but his face lacked any real excitement.

The head of the procurement department, who once wore suits and ties, had spent these past few days living like a construction foreman. Sometimes, when there weren't enough workers, Chen Xiangyang had to roll up his sleeves and join them in the manual labor. The company was severely understaffed; treating women like men and men like pack animals had become the norm, which was hardly surprising anymore.

...

"Hey, Boss, look who’s here!" Not long after Chen Xiangyang had left, he returned, leading a refined-looking young man into the office.

"Oh? Speak of the devil! I was just talking about you with Xiangyang," Lu Kun said, his face lighting up with joy.

"Boss, you look like..." Huang Mingbo started, his mouth agape as he stared at Lu Kun in shock.

"Can't help it, it's for the work. I haven't closed my eyes in two nights," Lu Kun yawned, scratching his hair.

"No wonder," Huang Mingbo said, suddenly enlightened.

"What? Is the change really that drastic?" Lu Kun smiled, looking at the two men with a playful glint in his eyes.

"It's, uh, still alright," Chen Xiangyang replied quickly, fearing Huang Mingbo would be too honest and blurt out the truth.

"Yes, yes, it's still alright," Huang Mingbo stammered, his face flushing as he nodded.

...

"Boss, you two talk. I still have things to do at the construction site. I’m going to go supervise," Chen Xiangyang said, excusing himself shortly after sitting down.

"Go ahead!" Lu Kun nodded slightly.

Huang Mingbo: "..."

"Boss, isn't Manager Chen in charge of the procurement department? Why does he have to, um, go supervise the construction site?" Huang Mingbo had a bad premonition.

"We're just short-handed!" Lu Kun sighed, then added, "But you've arrived at the perfect time."

"Huh?" Huang Mingbo was still bewildered. What was going on?

"Starting from now, your office is the second one on the left. Because the company is severely short-staffed, I’m appointing you as the Deputy Factory Manager of our Nanming branch." Lu Kun patted Huang Mingbo on the shoulder, his expression encouraging.

"What? A branch manager?!" Huang Mingbo was confused. Wasn't he supposed to be the Chief Engineer for Food Safety and Quality Control?

"Don't misunderstand. Our first factory building isn't even finished yet. Isn't it just a case of 'the more capable, the more work'? Don't worry, your compensation will be even higher than what we discussed," Lu Kun laughed.

"..." Huang Mingbo.

I have a few choice words I don’t know if I should say!

Huang Mingbo didn't even know how he walked out of Lu Kun's office. He had inexplicably gone from being a Chief Quality Control Engineer to a Deputy Factory Manager. Looking at the mountain of documents in his arms, he felt like crying.

"I’ve really boarded a pirate ship this time," he muttered to himself, his lips twitching.

...

With Huang Mingbo successfully swindled, Lu Kun finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sigh, I can finally rest for a bit," Lu Kun slumped into the office sofa in a "Ge You lie" pose and muttered to himself.

He held high hopes for Huang Mingbo. What Lu Kun needed right now wasn't just a high-level specialist in food safety; he needed a "butler" who could manage the rear guard of the company for him. Throwing these trivial tasks to Huang Mingbo was, in a way, an opportunity for him to gain experience. While Huang Mingbo’s academic and professional qualifications were top-notch, he had spent too long in the ivory tower. Lu Kun was worried he wouldn't adapt to the world outside the campus, so he added some weight to his shoulders to help him grow.

...

"Let's go home," Lu Kun said to his driver, catching a whiff of his own disheveled state.

At home.

"You... you’ve been gone for two nights and a day, where on earth were you?" Liu Liping opened the door and flared up the moment she saw his condition.

"What? Didn't I tell you there was too much to handle at the factory?" Lu Kun scratched his hair, looking confused.

"Stop lying. Look at yourself. Who would believe you were just working?" Liu Liping rolled her eyes, sounding piqued.

Lu Kun finally understood—she thought he had been out fooling around.

"Smell me. If I had been out with others, I’d be covered in perfume, not smelling like sweat," Lu Kun reached out his arm for her to sniff. He had a clear conscience, so he wasn't worried.

"You really weren't out fooling around?" Although still suspicious, Liu Liping decided to let it slide for now since she lacked evidence.

In the bathroom, Lu Kun finally understood why she had looked so skeptical. The mirror reflected his image: gaunt, sallow skin, dull eyes, and dark circles... He looked nothing like a successful entrepreneur; he looked exactly like a rich kid who had indulged in too much debauchery.

After showering, Lu Kun grabbed Liu Liping's hand. "Come to the room with me, I have something to tell you."

"What are you doing? I haven't finished my show yet," she protested, though she didn't pull away.

Once the door was closed, she asked, "What is it?" Her tone was calm, but the tips of her ears began to turn red.

"You said I was out fooling around these past two days, right?" Lu Kun smirked.

"So what? How can you prove you weren't?" She tilted her head, acting a bit coy.

"I'll prove it with facts. Let's speak with facts," Lu Kun whispered in her ear.

...

"Our son is still sleeping, be careful not to wake him, or he'll cry endlessly," she said, her voice soft as a mosquito's as she nervously tugged at her hem.

Lu Kun glanced at his sleeping son in the crib, smiled, and said, "Don't worry, we'll just keep it quiet."