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nChapter Sixty: The Useless Present

nYan Jin hastily ended the meeting and hurried back to his office.

nThe door closed with a thud as the silence that signified safety descended.

nXiao Yu was scooped out of Yan Jin’s pocket and carefully placed onto the desk.

n“Fishy, are you alright?”

n“Squeakk~” I’m alright~

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nXiao Yu accidentally fell out of Yan Jin’s pocket earlier, but he was caught mid-air and did not received any substantial injuries.

nXiao Yu was only flustered because he was frightened by the ordeal.

nNow that Xiao Yu had already recuperated from the shock, he didn’t learn his lesson and immediately forgot about that small matter.

nXiao Yu was completely free from psychological shadows, however Yan Jin still had lingering fears.

nIf he had not brought Fishy to the meeting, such accident would not have occured. If he had not put Fishy and the flash drive in the same pocket, Fishy would not have fallen out of it.

nIf he had not paid attention to Fishy; if he had not caught him just in time…

nYan Jin didn’t dare to imagine.

n“Squeakk~” I’m really fine~

nXiao Yu repeated himself when he saw Yan Jin’s expression turning horrible.

n“I’m glad you’re fine…” Yan Jin replied reluctantly.

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nXiao Yu did not expect that such a small matter in his opinion would cause Yan Jin to drastically cancel the number of times he would be brought out. Initially, they had agreed that they would choose two days every week to bring Xiao Yu to the company. Now, it was immediately changed to once a month, and that day must be when the company did not have anything major going on. During a busy period, such as when they were preparing for the Autumn Release Conference, Yan Jin would definitely not bring his hamster out.

nThis time, no matter how Xiao Yu had coaxed and pestered Yan Jin, the chairman was determined not to give in.

nAnd that was why Xiao Yu was unable to visit either Yan Jin’s office or YL’s headquarters before the Autumn Release Conference had ended. Thankfully, after visiting YL for just one day, Xiao Yu had gained sufficient intelligence and information.

nXiao Yu realized that YL’s employees had high standards (big misunderstanding), but more importantly, he saw the products that YL had prepared for the Autumn Release Conference.

nAt first, Xiao Yu did not need to worry about YL’s exhibition product. It was up to YL regardless of how they planned to express themselves. His mission was just to get an exhibition spot. However, the situation was slightly different now.

nThe unforeseen change was due to his individual exhibition.

nThe trip to the Four Seasons Manor had given him a burst of inspiration. He had successfully transformed this inspiration into a design. However, it was a pity that Xiao Yu had decided in the end that he would not be making jewelry, but a jewelry case.

nWith just one word, there was a world of difference.

nMost people knew that Xiao Yu was a top-class jewelry designer, yet they would not have known that designing jewelry was not the only thing that he had learned. His teacher, SI’s former chief designer, had dipped into many aspects of the design business. He was a hundred percent all-rounder. At least for those ten years, SI’s status in the jewelry industry was built by this great designer.

nXiao Yu had resigned himself, thinking that his innate talent was not as outstanding as his teacher. However, he was indeed an expert in many different kinds of product design. Jewelry design was actually just one of the things that he was most proficient in.

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nLater, after his teacher passed away in an accident, as a way of thanking his teacher for mentoring him, plus some personal problems he had in the country, Xiao Yu turned away offers from famous overseas establishments, took the impossible-to-get recommendation letter that his teacher had given him, and went to SI.

nLater, after Xiao Yu showed improvement in his work, he realized that his daily workload had gotten heavier. The initial plan to use his free time to design something else was slowly given up in the process as he focused his mind on jewelry design.

nDuring that learning period when he had followed his teacher overseas, Xiao Yu did not take on any form of corporate design. The works that were completed under his teacher’s guidance would be invaluable if they were to sell them. However, on the day that Xiao Yu’s teacher passed away, he had burned all of those works along with his teacher’s belongings.

nThose were the instruction that his bedridden teacher had left behind on his deathbed. His teacher mentioned that when he left their home country, he had not brought anything with him. It was a pity. Now that he would be leaving this world, he would like to take those past memories together with him.

nObviously, “past memories” did not include Xiao Yu’s own works. It was probably Xiao Yu’s own selfish thinking, but he hoped that when his teacher left, he would remember his unworthy disciple even though they may not have spent a lot of time together.

nIn fact, aside from those personal deals that Xiao Yu had done in his university days in order to maintain his livelihood, and those little things that he was tricked into designing by Lin Zhou, Xiao Yu almost never had any works that were not jewelry products.

nThis time was indeed the most exceptional case.

nXiao Yu’s heart that yearned for freedom began to stir again after he broke away from work, which freed him from the company mission statement and allowed him time to relax.

nIn addition to that, there was another reason that should not be ignored. And that was because Xiao Yu had an unbreakable bond with the predecessor of this season’s Autumn Release Conference Ragnarok originality jewelry design competition. That series of competitions had once made him understood how dazzling those works of freedom were. It was also the significant turning point of his journey as a designer.

nThat was why Xiao Yu did not want to see the Autumn Release Conference as a mission that he treated with a mechanical working attitude.

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nPlus, it was his individual exhibition spot after all. If it turned out that the display effect was not as well-received, he could try to think of ways to steer away from being associated with YL. If it turned out to be well-received, then it would be no problem to be associated with YL. No matter what, he would not let Yan Jin suffer any losses.

nThis Wednesday was October 15th, which was Xiao Yu’s third monthly ‘birthday’.

nOf the previous two times, one had happened over the weekend and Yan Jin took leave from work for the other. This time, it was impossible to take any leave. Luckily, Xiao Yu had already unlocked his ‘speaking functionality”, which made it possible for Yan Jin to congratulate him online.

nGrey-white SS: Happy birthday, Fishy.

nFishy: Hn, that’s all?

nFishy: angryhamster.jpg

nGrey-white SS: Hmm…

nYan Jin was planning to say that he would compensate his Fishy in November. However, he suddenly remembered that mid-November was just in time for the Autumn Release Conference that would last for five days straight. Hence, he immediately halted that idea of compensation.

nGrey-white SS: Is there anything you want?

nFishy: I want you to come home early.

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nFishy: sulkinghamster.jpg

nGrey-white SS: I’m sorry. There are more things to settle lately. I’ll accompany you on the weekend, okay?

nFishy: Okay then, don’t go against your word.

nChairman Yan felt extremely guilty after he was adorably attacked by that sticky little fellow. He always felt that his pet was too understanding. Fishy could have made more requests – it was not that he couldn’t make them come true.

nYan Jin really wanted to immediately rush home, hold his Fishy on his palm and do this and that. However, the unfinished work in his hands constantly reminded him that trifling destroys the will.

nLunch break was going to be over soon. Yan Jin had no choice but to reluctantly bid goodbye and part ways with his Fishy.

nGrey-white SS: I’m going offline. Be obedient, don’t run around the house and take care of your safety.

nGrey-white SS: Oh right, I opened an xBao account for you. It’s tied to my secondary card. The account password is xxxxxx.

nFishy: ?!

nBefore Xiao Yu could say anything, he saw the light on Yan Jin’s display icon dim.

nOkay…

nXiao Yu downloaded the xBao app. He logged in and checked. There was nothing in the card balance, so he tried to recharge a thousand dollars into his xBao account. The money was immediately billed.

nRecharge five thousand – billed.

nTen thousand – billed.

nA hundred thousand – billed.

nXiao Yu started to sift through the memories from his previous life, thinking about whether there was a need for phone verification when one recharged large amounts of money into his xBao account. Then he remembered that it seemed like verification was only required when there was a transfer of money.

nThus, Xiao Yu transferred the entire balance in his xBao account to his only friend, which was Yan Jin.

nOne hundred sixteen thousand dollars – successfully transferred.

nXiao Yu: ……

nA short while later, Yan Jin sent a message.

nGrey-white SS: Fishy, what are you doing? Why did I receive the transfer of money notification?

nFishy: I-I’m testing out how to use…

nGrey-white SS: Oh, then go ahead and test. I’m signing out.

nFishy: Wait, how much money is there inside the card? Why is there no need for verification when I billed so much money?

nGrey-white SS: You even know verification?

nFishy: angryhamster.jpg

nGrey-white SS: Use it without worries. It’s a credit card. Even if the credit limit gets overdraft, you wouldn’t need to worry. The daily limit was set at two hundred thousand. I will receive a notice when it reaches the limit.

nGrey-white SS: Alright, I really must go off now. The xBao account was opened for you. Buy anything you want to eat from xBao. Stay obedient.

nXiao Yu coldly watched as Yan Jin’s icon dimmed once again.

nDaily limit of two hundred thousand dollars. Even if he was a pig, he couldn’t had eaten that much.

nPlus, Yan Jin made it sound like he could eat human food. If he had really ordered pizza, ramen or oden, Yan Jin would given him a good scolding when he got home and then send him to the clinic.

nAside from food, Xiao Yu had always wanted some electronic devices meant for drawing when he was still a human. But those were in his previous life. Even if he wanted to use them now, his physical condition would not allow it. This iPad in his paws was already the biggest consolation he had.

nWhich was to say, this xBao account was completely useless to him.

nHn, all Yan Jin knows is to give all these useless presents. So annoying.

nThe October’s big present, the third artifact, made Xiao Yu felt satisfied instead.

nThis time, the miniature artifact was an ancient castle surrounded by a snow white frozen lake . The surroundings were planted with pine trees as white snow covered the branches, filling it with frost and cold. However, the inside of the ancient castle was surprisingly warm. The fireplace was burning with squarish wooden blocks. The table was covered with a tablecloth decorated with fragmented flowers. The white porcelain dishes and silver tableware complimented each other. The small and exquisite gramophone record machine was playing a graceful violin piece. Although these were all just false models, it was enough to make a person feel warm and comfortable.

nXiao Yu really liked it, he liked it very much.

nEver since his identity was exposed, Yan Jin had changed some of the internal structure within the villa. This increased Xiao Yu’s area of exploration within the house.

nIn the beginning, Xiao Yu could only move around on the desk. It gradually expanded so that he could walk down the mini staircase from the desk and the entire bedroom become his territory. Later, when his identity was exposed, Xiao Yu was able to walk to the living room all on his own.

nAnd now, Yan Jin had resolved Xiao Yu’s biggest problem – how to get upstairs.

nHe had installed an elevator in this three-story villa.

nYes, he installed an elevator. During the few days that they had gone for their vacation, the Yan family’s engineering team had already nimbly installed an outdoor elevator.

nBack then, Xiao Yu was down with post-holiday syndrome, which was why Yan Jin had also forgotten about the matter. Later, when Xiao Yu realized that the villa seemed a little weird and asked the chairman about it, Yan Jin remembered to tell him about it.

nThen, Yan Jin called the engineering team back again and instructed them to make some changes to the elevator. The specific change was to –

nChange the position of the up and down button to be closer to the floor.

nAlthough the engineering team was extremely puzzled by the request, they were paid to listen to instructions. So they focused on getting the job done and there was no need to think that much.

nOur 3rd place, Setsu! Awarded 2 additional chapters! Congratulations!

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