Madam, Please Behave-Chapter 177: Drawing Manga (2)

Hearing Chen Dafu’s sudden praise, Liu Changqing’s expression changed briefly but was quickly concealed.

He knew exactly what the man meant by calling him "impressive."

Shifting the topic, he turned around and looked at An Yuanyao, who was standing behind him.

“What are you holding?”

“When I came in, you mentioned you didn’t sleep well last night… I made you some tea. I saw you hadn’t come out yet, so I brought it over…”

“……”

“Nice move!”

Chen Dafu, hearing An Yuanyao’s response, became even more excited, raising both hands to give a thumbs-up.

Ignoring him, Liu Changqing focused on An Yuanyao.

“Go back to your room and sit for a while. I’m discussing work with him.”

“Alright…”

An Yuanyao nodded and then reminded him, “Don’t forget to drink it. The floral tea smells really good.”

“Got it.”

After she left and closed the door behind her, the room instantly fell silent. Liu Changqing took a deep breath, his back still facing Chen Dafu.

Since he was already in this situation, he might as well accept it.

Turning around, he sat down on a nearby chair.

“Don’t mention that person in front of her.”

“I really admire you. That was some impressive maneuvering. I always wondered where An Yuanyao went after Li Chongming’s divorce…”

Chen Dafu lightly patted Liu Changqing’s arm, his expression annoyingly smug.

“Didn’t expect that, huh?”

“Why do you talk like that? It’s irritating.”

“I mean it—props to you! Honestly… An Yuanyao is stunning. She’s in her thirties but still looks better than most women in their twenties!”

For some reason, Liu Changqing felt uncomfortable hearing this, but he restrained himself from reacting.

“Don’t joke about her, and don’t bring this up again. Just pretend you never saw her today.”

Hearing Liu Changqing’s serious tone, Chen Dafu’s playful expression faded as he stared at the teacup on the table.

“An Yuanyao… she’s a good person. Her father is a master of traditional Chinese painting. Many people seek out his work. He might not be filthy rich, but status isn’t measured by money…”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Nothing, just giving you a heads-up. Considering your… situation.”

Liu Changqing fell silent. He stood up, walked to the table, and picked up the cup of tea An Yuanyao had made for him.

He couldn’t tell what was in it, but the fragrance was pleasant. Taking a sip, he turned to Chen Dafu.

“I know what I’m doing.”

—

Wu Yu was the most diligent employee in the company, and whenever the boss handed out snacks, he was always the first to take the most.

He clearly remembered that last time, the boss bought two large boxes of popsicles, and he immediately shouted that he wanted ten. The boss was easygoing, treating employees well and never forcing overtime.

Recently, the Pokémon series had gained some traction, so when Wu Yu returned to his rental apartment, he brought it up with his girlfriend.

His girlfriend was an unknown and struggling manga artist. She had submitted multiple works, but her only serialized manga was canceled within a month due to parental complaints about its negative influence.

But as a man, for the sake of his girlfriend’s dream, Wu Yu had been scrimping and saving to provide her with the best quality of life. She didn’t have a stable job and frequently needed to buy supplies for drawing…

Wu Yu felt the weight of financial pressure growing on him.

Thinking about it, he felt a fire burning inside him. He stood up, walked to the fridge, and grabbed a popsicle.

Tearing off the wrapper, he took a bite.

The icy sensation spread through his mouth, making him squint in delight.

So refreshing~

The office door opened, and Wu Yu saw the boss walk out, accompanied by an average-looking young man. They were engaged in conversation as the boss walked the man to the door.

A moment later, the boss pulled out his phone and made a call.

“Hey, Lao Feng, where did you go for breakfast?”

Wu Yu watched the boss talking on the phone as he walked past him.

Then, suddenly, the boss stopped in his tracks, held the phone to his ear, and looked straight at Wu Yu.

The intense gaze made Wu Yu freeze mid-bite.

Glancing at the boss, then at the popsicle in his hand, Wu Yu grinned, showing a neat row of teeth.

“Boss, hello!”

“You again!”

【What? Who’s ‘that guy’?】

Hearing Feng Qian’s voice from the phone, Liu Changqing quickly responded.

“I thought you went for breakfast and vanished… Anyway, once you’re done, come back. Also, see if you can find a manga artist to create a serialized comic for our company.”

【A manga? You want to start now?】

“Yes. We discussed this before—while the hype is still fresh, we need to strike while the iron is hot. Just come back first, we’ll talk in person.”

【Alright, I’ll be there soon.】

After ending the call, Liu Changqing let out a breath.

He had reached an agreement with Chen Dafu, who was now making preparations.

Since R&D wasn’t his strength, it was better to leave it to professionals. Luckily, Chen Dafu, due to his father’s connections, was well suited for this early-stage work.

It would be foolish not to use connections when they were available.

The first-generation Pokémon was still trending, and just as Liu Changqing had explained to Chen Dafu, maintaining its popularity was crucial.

Releasing a manga shortly after the game would help sustain the momentum.

“Boss…”

A voice interrupted his thoughts. Liu Changqing turned to see Wu Yu holding a popsicle, grinning brightly.

He remembered this guy well.

Wu Yu, 22 years old, graduated from university just a year ago. Also… maybe a little slow in the head.

This was the guy who insisted on eating ten popsicles, demanded ten tables worth of food at company parties… Someone this noticeable was impossible to ignore.

He was a clean-cut young man, though he often blurted things out without thinking. Still, he was reliable at work and hadn’t made any major mistakes.

Watching Wu Yu eat his popsicle, Liu Changqing thought for a moment before asking, “Is it hot in here? If you’re too warm, lower the AC.”

“No, not hot! I’m just thirsty.”

“If you’re thirsty, drink water. Too many cold things aren’t good for your stomach.”

“No worries, my stomach is great!”

“……”

Is this guy dumb or just playing dumb?

Liu Changqing had made his point pretty clear, but Wu Yu acted completely oblivious.

Follow current novels on ƒreewebηoveℓ.com.

Still, it wasn’t a big deal—popsicles weren’t expensive, and with Wu Yu’s harmless smile, it was hard to get annoyed.

Patting him on the shoulder, Liu Changqing said the standard line:

“Work hard. There’s a bonus at the end of the month.”

“Thanks, boss!”

Liu Changqing turned to leave, but Wu Yu suddenly called out to him.

Stopping in his tracks, Liu Changqing looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Wu Yu’s expression became serious as he hesitantly asked,

“Boss, about the manga artist… Can I recommend someone?”