Chapter 2 (1/2)
Black-Bellied Dad Chapter 2
News of Xu He Jun having a child soon spreads throughout the entire building.
“People really aren’t how they seem!”
“Still, this is too sudden!”
“Xiao Dai knows about this too, how pitiful!”
“Don’t you know, this morning Su Xiao Dai arrived in Weng Yu Jie’s car!”
“Are you for real? She’s already found someone?”
“Aiya! When you come across this type of thing, the faster you leave the better! Also, Weng Yu Jie’s circ.u.mstances are way better than Xu He Jun’s.” Though you can’t say the same for his character.
“That’s right!”
“So, whose child is it?”
“I’ve heard that it’s an enigma … even the person involved doesn’t know.”
“Bulls.h.i.+t, when does this sort of thing ever happen?”
“Hah—Clunk!” Xu He Jun arrives at the company early, surrounded by the curious glances and hushed whispers of colleagues, buzzing around him like flies.
Squeezing the bridge of his nose, even without thinking, he knows who had talked.
He has since realized a single father’s circ.u.mstances are even worse than that of a single mother… at least most of these single mothers knew who fathered their child! But what about him and his poor baby?
“Xu He Jun,” the demoness calls from inside, “come into my office.”
His face immediately becomes pained.
He enters the general manager’s office as usual, gently pus.h.i.+ng open the door, sensing a chilling aura from within.
Ah, his pitiful life…
A 6 metre square office, flanked by two simple black walnut bookcases, with a deliberately high ceiling designed to make the room seem more s.p.a.cious. At the very centre is a neat black desk, and the demoness… eh, no, the general manager, sitting behind it. Once she sees him, she moves the light s.h.i.+elding screen to the side…
Huang Shang Rong: Work Mode On
Her eyes are so piercing that she doesn’t even need to draw her eyebrows since they’re defined enough as they are. Today her long, straight black hair is pulled back into a meticulous ponytail. The professional suits she wears always appear new, giving a bright and energetic feel. He’s long thought that once the demoness returns home, she’ll still maintain her battle form, so that at any given time, she’ll be ready for combat.
She probably doesn’t even have pyjamas! He wryly thinks.
“Where’s the child?”
Eh, to be asked so directly, Xu He Jun is momentarily startled.
Huang Shang Rong flicks the pen in her hand, bluntly addressing the main point, “The entire office is flaring up over the news. Even without asking, I’ll know the gist of it. Tell me, what do you plan on doing with the child?”
What does he plan to do? Honestly, even he doesn’t know. He’s never thought about these things before. Moreover, the one asking isn’t anyone else, but his direct superior.
What business is this of hers?
Seeing the blank look on his face, Huang Shang Rong asks more forcefully, “And the child? Where are you keeping him now?”
“At the nanny’s home.”
Her knitted brow slightly loosens, but her eyes are still fixed on him, “then in the future, do you plan on just leaving him with the nanny?”
“I have to work, and there’s no one to look after him. I can only spend more money and employ a nanny to look after him.”
Huang Shang Rong knits her brow again. “Do you know how much it costs to hire a nanny for a month? How do you plan on paying for this expense?”
“I’ll try…” Save! If it’s not from his once a week social and entertainment expense, then if he can, he’ll cut back on eating outside, but he doesn’t know how to cook…. This time he’s done for.
Taking out a piece of paper, she starts running the numbers for him. “Your monthly income is 35,000; 38,000 including overtime[1]. Just the cost of the nanny alone would be 15,000! Leaving you with 20,000 or so for rent and living expenses.”
“The child’s milk powder and diapers all cost money. One can of milk powder is 500[2] dollars. While its fine for now, once the child starts growing, he’ll need 3 or 4 cans. Not to mention the diapers. That’s used up as quickly as toilet paper. Even without the nanny costs, you’ll be spending 5-6,000 on the child. Did you think it through at all? Under your current circ.u.mstances, how do you plan on raising the child?”
As she speaks, Xu He Jun’s face turns green. While he knows his income isn’t much, the cost of one social outing a week, and the cost of his living expenses, is pretty much equal to his income…. But now with the added cost of raising a baby, ah, this is the reality of life!
Seeing that he still hasn’t spoken, Huang Shang Rong lays out her own plan, “You’re not the first single parent, nor will you be the last. As for a solution, what do you think of this proposal?”
She takes out a research folder and places it in front of him.
“There’s a 10 metre square room at the corner of our office floor that’s cluttered with random junk. I’ve long wanted to clear it out. If we can get it approved, it can be turned into a day-care room. Whoever uses it can pay a monthly fee for a qualified nanny and teacher to watch over the children. Not only would it put the parents’ minds at ease, it would also reduce costs.”
Xu He Jun’s eyes instantly brighten, deeply moved as he stares at Huang Shang Rong. She, for his sake, she ….
Twitching her lips, she knocks back his adoring gaze. “Don’t be so moved, this isn’t only for your sake. There are several career women with the same problem. But a few stubborn old coots upstairs have been blocking us. But now with you, a male counterpart, I believe they might reconsider.”
So it wasn’t for him, but for the career women in the company… While Xu He Jun’s grat.i.tude towards Huang Shang Rong falls, he truly admires her planning and foresight.
“So do you agree?” She brusquely asks
“I’ll do it.” If he can save money and effort, why wouldn’t he agree?
“Good, easy.” Huang Shang Rong’s eyebrows rise with approval. “Go and research it now. When you’re done, we’ll discuss the details.”
As he’s about to leave the office, a stern voice emerges from behind. “Where’s my coffee and aspirin?”
Xu He Jun is startled, recalling she hadn’t needed it for a while. “Your headaches are starting again?”
“Mnn,” Her eyes return to the computer screen, pressing down strongly on the temples of her head, but showing no change in her expression. “I haven’t been in the best condition these last few days.”
Pointing to himself, he quips “Is it because I wasn’t here?”
Huang Shang Rong shoots a sharp look at him filled with killing intent, but he merely smiles and shrugs his shoulders, unaffected.
“Where. Is. My. Coffee – ” She grits out each word
“Yes yes, I’ll bring it right away.” He retorts with a mischievous smile, before turning and leaving the general manager’s office.
A single person sits in the office, filled only with the sound of her typing, the *sha sha* noise as she taps away at her keyboard, and the occasional sound of the fax machine alerting her of more work to be done…
And right now, also the resounding echo of hushed voices —
“Acting like this, are you happy now!”
“Happy? She really couldn’t tolerate it….”
“Like this, ahaha! Like this, when will our family’s A Rong be married off?”
“Quiet.” Huang Shang Rong closes both eyes, trying to disregard the sounds in her head[3].
“Humph, Ming Ming really isn’t so tough, really just a love shunning bloated fatty.”
“Since it’s inevitable, what’s wrong with admitting it? The way I see it, Ming Ming is clearly a good kid…”
“Not good, not good. He’s so much younger than A Rong!”
“So what? All that matters is that they get along.”
“Finished speaking yet? Hurry up and return to your work!”
*Bam* Huang Shang Ron’s fist slams the table, just as Xu He Jun returns with her coffee. All the whispers instantly disappear. Hearing the sound of her hollering, he instantly rushes back.
“What’s wrong?”
Staring at him strangely, she closes her eyes as a mysterious light flickers across …. “It’s nothing.”
Since his boss said it’s nothing, then it’s probably nothing. Xu He Jun places the mug on her table, along with the aspirin and a file.
“This is a doc.u.ment the accounting department just sent. Could you please sign it?”
Bringing the coffee to her lips, she takes a small sip before frowning. “This coffee wasn’t brewed by you!”
Eh? Xu He Jun holds back his shock. How could she even tell? Just then, the newly hired Xue Fen wanted to learn how to brew coffee and he had guided her step by step! The scent and flavour are exactly the same! Yet the female demoness could still distinguish between them?
Huang Shang Rong places the coffee to the side, lightly commanding him “Go and brew me another cup.”
“But, this cup….”
Lifting her head, she sternly glares at him. “When I tell you to brew it, just brew it. Why are you wasting your breathe?”
Why? All coffee is black and bitter, isn’t it all the same? Xun He Jun secretly cries, uttering the term ‘Female Demoness’ in his heart. To think he had let her previous action get to his head.
When the door closes, the lone sound of her keyboard doesn’t last long, when the sound of chattering enters her ears —
“Ho! You were too fierce, and chased him away!”
The five attributes are empty; overcome all ills and suffering.[4] Huang Shang Rong chants, clearing her mind.
“He’s really cute, especially his flab, makes me really want to grab it.” *Suck* — The sound of saliva.
Form does not differ from the void, and the void does not differ from form…
“Then you go squeeze! I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t burn you to death!
“Ah! I was just saying! Why are you taking it so seriously?”
The same is true for desire, conceptions, impulses and consciousness.
A thin beam of light filters through, like the evening sun’s soft glow through a stained window, s.h.i.+ning on Huang Shang Rong’s shoulder.
Adjusting her collar, “If you’ve touched it, why don’t you share it with us, must be worth telling.”
A resounding *Bam*, Huang Shang Rong who can no longer withstand the sun’s headache inducing light, suddenly slams the desk, calling outside “Xu He Jun! Coffee!”
At night, almost all the lights are out as Xu He Jun bids the last of his colleagues a good night. Listening to the *bing* of the elevator, he knows he’s the only one left to work overtime.
Finis.h.i.+ng up the monthly reports, taking a moment to bite his sandwich and stretch his waist, he takes out the research material from his desk, containing the day care plan the general manager had given him.
Skimming through, he realizes just how bold the program is. Although it requires each member to contribute a few thousand every month, combined with the allowance from the company, it shouldn’t be a problem. The fact that the program will support children from 0 to 4 will be the real challenge.
From management’s perspective, it’s best if a company is purely a place of business. Of course Kai Shou’s operations aren’t small, but Jing Xiang is only one of its departments. While they naturally provide all the facilities and comforts required, an infant room would impact on workers’ productivity. It wouldn’t be appropriate to let toddlers who’ve just learnt how to walk stay in this sort of environment, while a child care room isn’t a kindergarten and the two shouldn’t be confused.
The mobile on his desk starts to ring. Looking at the number, he picks it up—
“Yo! How are you?”
“Still kicking.” He smiles bitterly.
“Back to our conversation, have you found the infant’s mother yet?”
“Not yet.” Xu He Jun sighs.
“You really don’t have any impression?”
Xu He Jun – carefree but serious/crafty when he needs to be (with second hand rice spatula). Even though they describe him as a gentleman…
Impression? Eh, he was at the peak of his youth, spring pretty much came every night. How could he remember whose bed he crawled into 11 months ago? That time, coincidentally, also had the end of year celebrations with colleagues. In a week, 2-3 days he’d be forced to eat out, and was so drunk his colleagues carried him home each time. How could he remember?
“I haven’t had the time to reflect on it. How’s my old man?”
“… You’ve almost caused him a brain aneurysm from all the anger.”
Xu He Jun falls silent for a moment. “After I’ve settled everything properly, I’ll go back and see him.”
Jiang Xu Hua sighs, “Actually he’s only throwing a tantrum, normal people would also react like this! You’re currently setting out alone, with only yourself to depend on, and for no reason, you’ve even added a child. Aunt wants to know if you need any help. If you can’t continue on, just come back.” He had also heard his younger cousin was just ditched by Su Xiao Dai – really too pitiful!
Although the two of them didn’t date for long, nor did they pledge vows of eternal love, but to be dumped at such a critical moment, he couldn’t even imagine how desolate his cousin’s heart would be.
“It’s alright. The general manager’s helped me a lot.”