Chapter 304: You Don’t Need to Worry About My Job
Cheng Yuan wanted to tell them he was, in fact, the most formidable person there. But the thought of these people constantly pestering him for favors made him immediately back down.
’Just look at their shameless expressions. It’s a miracle I’m not screwing them over, so why would I ever help them?’
Among these so-called childhood friends, he was only willing to help Xiao Yating.
Xiao Yating couldn’t take it anymore. She said sternly, "That’s enough! All of you, be quiet! There’s nothing wrong with Brother Yuan acting a little aloof! After all, they came here to apologize, not to call him to account! Besides, Brother Yuan was the first one to charge into He Qiang’s private room and save me. What right do you have to say anything about him?"
Now that Xiao Yating had spoken, the group stopped ganging up on Cheng Yuan.
Yan Liming raised an eyebrow. Although he despised Cheng Yuan for posturing and riding his coattails, Cheng Yuan really was the first one to charge into He Qiang’s room.
It was a debt he had to acknowledge.
Yan Liming raised his glass and looked at Cheng Yuan sincerely. "Cheng Yuan, I have to thank you, sincerely. You were the first to charge into that room and save Yating. If you hadn’t, she would have been hurt much more. I’ll take care of finding you a job! Once I get my promotion, I’ll definitely get you a permanent government position!"
Cheng Yuan was speechless. ’This Yan Liming... does he really think he’s getting a promotion?’
’Where does he get this confidence?’
Everyone around them stared at Cheng Yuan with a mixture of envy, jealousy, and resentment. A permanent government position was an "iron rice bowl"—a secure job for life! He’d be set!
’How did Cheng Yuan get so damn lucky?’
They all secretly kicked themselves. ’Why were we slower to react than Cheng Yuan?’
’If we had been the first to charge into He Qiang’s room, that permanent position might have been ours!’
Seeing Cheng Yuan remain unmoved, Jiang Hu spoke with exasperation, as if scolding a hopeless case. "Cheng Yuan, what are you spacing out for? Hurry up and raise a glass to Brother Liming! A permanent position at the Patrol Bureau is a job for life! You’ll be set!"
Cheng Yuan, of course, had no intention of accepting this favor. He said calmly, "Liming, I believe I made myself clear earlier. I appreciate the thought, but you don’t need to worry about my job. As for that permanent position, you’d better save it for Jiang Hu or Shao Tao."
Yan Liming nearly choked.
’This Cheng Yuan, can’t he stop being so damn stubborn?’
’He’s just suffering for the sake of his own pride!’
’Fine! If Cheng Yuan insists on learning things the hard way, then he’ll have no one to blame but himself!’
"Fine! Since Cheng Yuan looks down on a position at the Patrol Bureau, I’ll just save it for Jiang Hu and Shao Tao! I’ll do everything in my power to secure two positions!"
Shao Tao and Jiang Hu trembled with excitement and hurriedly raised their glasses to toast him.
"Brother Liming! From now on, you’re a real brother to us! We’ll stick close by your side! You just point the way, and we’ll handle it!"
"Brother Liming, I’ll drop by your place tonight to report on my work! Make sure you don’t go out!"
’Report on his work?’
Yan Liming’s eyes lit up. He shot Jiang Hu an approving glance. ’Jiang Hu gets it,’ he thought. ’I’ll have to give him a leg up in the future.’
A lightbulb went off in Shao Tao’s head, and he instantly understood. With a fawning expression, he quickly added, "Brother Liming, I need to come report on my work, too! You don’t mind, right?"
"Of course not. We grew up together; we know each other inside and out. From now on, you’re my guys. No matter where I end up in the future, I’ll always look out for you."
The two were overjoyed and quickly raised their glasses to Yan Liming.
For a while, the atmosphere became incredibly lively.
Having witnessed Yan Liming’s ’connections,’ the crowd’s admiration and awe for him reached a new peak. Everyone was raising their glass to him—everyone except Cheng Yuan.
Yan Liming, getting a bit tipsy, started holding court.
No matter what Yan Liming said, the crowd believed him without question. After all, if something as unbelievable as President Gao personally coming to offer a toast could happen, what else wasn’t possible?
Xiao Yating looked at Cheng Yuan, who seemed completely out of place, and grew worried.
Xiao Yating had always thought of Cheng Yuan as a brother and didn’t want to see him so ’down and out.’ She brought her glass over and clinked it against his.
"Brother Yuan, before you got here, I was in despair. I was ready to die. You’re the one who gave me the hope and courage to live. This toast is for you."
Cheng Yuan hadn’t given Gao Qingyuan any face, he hadn’t given Yan Liming any face, and he hadn’t given anyone else in the room any face. But for Xiao Yating, he raised his glass and downed it in one go.
"Yating, there’s no need for such formalities between us. When I was at my lowest, only you and Uncle Xiao did everything you could to help me. You were the one who hired Lawyer Niu, weren’t you?"
Xiao Yating gave a bitter smile. "Unfortunately, the Jin Family was too powerful. Even though I hired the best lawyer in Luocheng, we still lost the case."
"No matter the outcome, I’ll remember your and Uncle Xiao’s kindness for the rest of my life. Besides, if Lawyer Niu hadn’t helped negotiate, I wouldn’t have gotten my sentence reduced by two years so easily."
Xiao Yating sighed and raised her glass again. "I heard Jin Pengfei is dead and the Jin Family has been destroyed. Even though you weren’t the one who did it, Brother Yuan, I suppose it’s a kind of revenge. I hope you can finally move on from that awful experience and start a better life!"
The corner of Cheng Yuan’s mouth quirked up. ’Oh, Yating, Yating,’ he thought. ’I can’t tell you that I’m the one who destroyed the Jin Family.’
Cheng Yuan clinked glasses with Xiao Yating again and downed his drink. "Yating, don’t you worry. My life is only going to get better from here."
Xiao Yating nodded emphatically, then bit her lip and said, "Brother Yuan, I know you’re proud and aloof, and you don’t like to flatter people. But Liming is going to be my husband soon. That makes him your brother-in-law. It’s only right for your brother-in-law to help you out. I hope you won’t refuse our good intentions."
Cheng Yuan leaned in and whispered in Xiao Yating’s ear, "Yating, Yan Liming is about to face prison time. He won’t be your husband! You’ll find someone much better!"
Xiao Yating’s admiration and love for Yan Liming had reached their zenith. She couldn’t bear to hear anyone speak ill of him, not even Cheng Yuan.
"Brother Yuan, if you curse Liming again, then we’re done! We can’t even be like brother and sister anymore! I don’t want to hear anything like that again!"
Cheng Yuan sighed. "Yating, I can stop talking like that, but can you promise me one thing? Before you get married, don’t take that final step with Yan Liming."
Xiao Yating’s face flushed, and she gave Cheng Yuan a light, playful punch on the arm.
"Brother Yuan, what are you talking about! You’re awful!"
After saying that, Xiao Yating lowered her voice. "Brother Yuan, don’t worry. I was raised in a very traditional family. I won’t do anything inappropriate before marriage."
Cheng Yuan nodded, feeling somewhat relieved.
"That’s good."
Xiao Yating sighed. "Brother Yuan, is it really so hard to admit that someone else is exceptional? You saw it for yourself—Liming has connections that ordinary people like us can’t even imagine! His future is bound to be bright! If you just showed him a little goodwill, and with me whispering in his ear, Liming would definitely do everything he could to help you get ahead!"
Cheng Yuan quickly cut her off, his expression turning serious. "Yating, how about we make a bet?"
"What kind of bet?"
"If nothing happens to Yan Liming within three days, I’ll start sucking up to him. But if something does happen, you have to cut all ties with him."