Daily Intelligence: Forced to Save the Beautiful President at the Beginning

1: Chapter 1 Love is a beam of light that makes people panic.At 5:40 PM, the twilight of Jiangcheng had already soaked the sky. The streetlights along the road lit up ahead of schedule, casting a dim yellow halo on the glass curtain wall of Blue Whale Games.

Zhang Fan had just clicked ”Save.” As soon as the progress bar on the code interface reached the last block, he immediately shut down the computer and pulled out his USB drive, moving so fast it seemed like he was afraid of wasting a single second.

The backpack zipper closed with a ”clatter.” It was mostly empty, containing only a wallet. He hadn’t brought his company-issued laptop today, intent on leaving early.

”Xiao Fan, where are you going in such a hurry?” Wang Chengsi from the same group rolled over in his office chair, nodding toward the director’s office. ”Isn’t Xiao Gu still reporting work to Director Chang? Aren’t you two leaving together today?”

Zhang Fan’s face flushed red, and he hurriedly tugged at his jacket. ”She... she said she’d make dinner for me tonight. I’m going to buy the groceries first.”

This was half-true.

Today was the first anniversary of his relationship with Gu Feifei.

His real plan was to first go queue at that trendy steakhouse in the city center—Gu Feifei had been talking about wanting to eat there since last week, saying it was a must-visit spot for couples.

After dinner, he would take her to buy that platinum necklace she had eyed at the department store. It cost nearly twenty thousand, and he had saved for three whole months.

Actually, Zhang Fan’s salary wasn’t low. After becoming a regular employee six months ago, he earned twelve thousand a month, which was considered mid-range for a programmer in Jiangcheng.

But ever since he met Gu Feifei, his wallet had never been full. If she casually mentioned her phone was lagging, he would transfer twelve thousand the next day for her to get the latest model.

If she posted a picture of her friend’s bag on her Moments, he would grit his teeth and borrow money from friends just to scrape together enough for the limited edition version.

When it came to himself, every meal was a ten-yuan lunch box from downstairs. He had long since abandoned his habit of visiting the local beer, seafood, and barbecue stalls.

But he felt it was worth it.

He was an orphan who had graduated from Jiangcheng University relying on student loans and scholarships, so he always felt a bit of an inferiority complex deep down.

Gu Feifei was the department belle. When she proactively added him on WeChat, he thought he was dreaming.

He was always afraid he wasn’t good enough for her, so he could only try his hardest to treat her well, even if it meant humbling himself into the dust.

However, thinking about the smile Gu Feifei might show when she received the necklace made Zhang Fan’s heart beat a little faster.

In one year of dating, the most intimate contact they had was holding hands.

He secretly hoped that after giving her this grand gift tonight, maybe... maybe she would let him kiss her on the cheek?

”Alright, you two are quite sweet,” Wang Chengsi joked with a smile. ”Then hurry along, don’t keep her waiting.”

”Yeah!” Zhang Fan responded and almost ran out of the office.

As he passed the thirteenth-floor stairwell, the iron fire door wasn’t fully closed, leaving a gap.

A series of sticky panting sounds drifted out through the crack in the door.

Zhang Fan’s footsteps stopped abruptly, as if he were nailed to the spot.

That voice was too familiar. It was Gu Feifei.

But the coquettishness and light moans in that voice carried a wantonness he had never heard before.

”Brother Yuan... hurry up... Zhang Fan will be off work soon... don’t let him find out.”

”So what if he finds out?” another voice rang out, carrying an undisguised, greasy laugh. It was his direct superior, the Director of the Technical Programming Department, Chang Yuan.

”Who in the entire Technology Department doesn’t know he’s just a dog under my command? That last ’star path’ project was clearly all his work, but in the end, it was credited to my name. He didn’t even dare to say a word.”

”Brother Yuan is so amazing...” Gu Feifei’s voice was filled with coy affection. ”Oh... don’t bite my neck. I have a dinner date with him later, don’t let him see anything.”

”So what if he sees?” Chang Yuan chuckled lowly. ”How about this: when you get pregnant, we’ll let him help us raise our son.”

The backpack in Zhang Fan’s hand dropped to the floor with a ”thud.” He felt as if all the blood in his body was flowing backward. His hands and feet were ice-cold, and his ears were buzzing as if countless bees were crashing around inside.

He remembered every time they went on a date and he wanted to take her to a hotel, she would blush and pull away, saying, ”No, I’m still a girl, that has to wait until our wedding day”...

It turned out that all that ”reserve” and ”shyness” were just an act for him.

Zhang Fan slammed open the slightly ajar iron door.

The voice-activated light in the stairwell turned on. Under the pale light, the scene before him was like a poisoned blade, ruthlessly carving open his heart—

Gu Feifei was leaning with her back against the wall. The hem of her beige professional skirt was lifted above her waist, and her black tights were pulled down to her knees.

Her fair thighs were pressed against the cold concrete wall, while the man standing opposite her was holding up one of her legs.

Hearing the noise, the two of them turned around in panic, the flushed color on their faces not yet faded.

”Zhang... Zhang Fan?!” Gu Feifei’s face instantly turned deathly pale. She hurriedly pulled down her skirt, her eyes darting away.

Chang Yuan, however, just slowly and methodically pulled up his pants, even giving Zhang Fan a contemptuous smile. ”Oh, perfect. Saves us the trouble of finding another time to tell you.”

”Why?” Zhang Fan’s voice was as dry as sandpaper rubbing together. He stared fixedly at Gu Feifei, his eyes frighteningly red. ”You said... you’d wait until marriage...”

Gu Feifei bit her lip. She was a bit flustered at first, but seeing Chang Yuan’s emboldened attitude, her gaze gradually turned cold, even carrying a hint of disdain. ”Zhang Fan, can you be more mature? Brother Yuan and I are truly in love! Look at yourself—besides writing a few lines of crappy code, what else can you do? Can you give me the life I want?”

”I...” Zhang Fan’s throat felt blocked. He wanted to say ”I can work hard,” but seeing the disgust in her eyes, those words all got stuck in his throat.

”You what?” Chang Yuan stepped forward a couple of paces, puffing out his beer belly and looking down at him. ”Xiao Zhang, it’s not that I want to criticize you, but a man needs self-awareness. If Feifei stays with you, she’ll live in a rental house at most. If she stays with me, she can move into a river-view apartment next month. Which one do you think she’ll choose?”

”You!” Zhang Fan suddenly looked up, his chest heaving violently. ”Director Chang, you stole my project and I said nothing, but why did you even steal my girlfriend?! By what right?!”

”By the right that I am your superior.” Chang Yuan sneered and reached out to pat Zhang Fan’s face, the gesture insultingly light. ”In this company, if I say you rise, you rise. If I say you get out, you get out. Do you think that little bit of technical skill of yours could even put food on the table without me?”

”Chang Yuan!” Zhang Fan’s fists clenched until they cracked, his nails digging deep into his palms. ”Don’t go too far!”

”Too far?” Chang Yuan raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Gu Feifei. ”Feifei, tell him clearly so he doesn’t harbor any more illusions.”

Gu Feifei took a deep breath as if she had made up her mind.

She walked to Chang Yuan’s side and took his arm. When she looked up at Zhang Fan, there was no longer any warmth in her eyes. ”Zhang Fan, let’s break up. I know you love me, but we aren’t from the same world. What I want, you can’t give!”

She paused, as if remembering something, and pulled an object out of her bag, throwing it in front of Zhang Fan.

It was the key to the rental apartment Zhang Fan had given her a few days ago.

Previously, Gu Feifei had said her lease was expiring. Zhang Fan had secretly hoped she might move in with him and had specially made this key, only to realize now that he had been overthinking things.

What she wanted to live in was Chang Yuan’s river-view apartment.

Looking at the two of them huddled together, a surge of fury suddenly erupted from Zhang Fan’s chest.

He rushed forward, wanting to punch Chang Yuan, but was firmly blocked by Gu Feifei.