The CEO's Porcelain Wife

Qing'er

Skyscrapers pointed directly at the sky, and bank buildings stood in close rows, one after another. The streets were filled with people dressed in fashionable clothes and business suits, a working class hurrying to and fro.

Located in Central, the Empire Building was one of Hong Kong's most iconic structures. The 99-story building had reception areas on the first and second floors, Sima Chun's bedroom on the top floor, and all other floors were dedicated to offices. His business encompassed real estate, manufacturing, services, transportation, banking, securities, and many other industries. Sima Chun was the largest shareholder of the Empire Building, owning 79% of the shares, and was the company's top decision-maker.

The president’s office was an ultramodern space, equipped with the world's most advanced technology. Even a mosquito couldn’t fly in without being detected. No one could enter at will, except for the president’s exclusive secretary, Lin Yue. Even Sima Chun's personal bodyguard, An Da, had never been inside.

Behind the large, luxurious desk, Sima Chun was lost in deep thought. He had sat there for the entire day. He knew that he made all his own decisions, and that he was alone. Perhaps, he thought, all kings are lonely. He pulled open the curtains, revealing the city lights of Hong Kong as dusk began to settle. The night was dazzling and alluring amidst the moving neon lights. But today, for some reason, he had suddenly lost interest in all of it. His heavy footsteps had worn a deep path in the thick carpet, much like the firm steps he had taken over the past ten years. He had wondered why the carpets in every president’s office were so thick. Now he knew: the thick carpets were there to prevent these top decision-makers from stumbling. A single wrong decision could bring severe consequences. He found the answer he was looking for. Picking up the phone, he said:

“An Da, you go to the mainland immediately…”

A clear stream flowed slowly, and ancient stone slab paths spoke of the area's long history. Two- and three-story buildings stood quietly beside willow trees.

“Qing’er, go to school, I’m feeling a bit better today,” Qing’er’s mother said slowly, struggling to sit up in bed.

“Mom, I told the school about our situation. They agreed to let me take a year off. I can go back to the second year of high school next year. Besides, I always rank first in my class. The principal has even exempted me from the school fees. Mom, you don’t have to worry about anything, just relax and take care of yourself. The doctor said that if you take it easy and rest for a few months, you’ll be fine.” Sima Qing comforted her mother with her biggest smile. Yes, it wasn't easy for her mother. Her father had passed away ten years ago, and her mother had single-handedly brought her up. Now, her mother was seriously ill. She remembered the doctor’s words ringing in her ears: "Your mother has a 4.0x4.6cm tumor in her right lung that needs to be examined immediately. The sooner the better."

So, she had no choice but to suspend her studies. She had found a job as a cashier and would start tomorrow.

The normally quiet stone slab lane was suddenly buzzing with activity. Looking out, she saw her classmates, along with the principal and teachers.

“Sima Qing, this is a small token of our care from your classmates and the school. Please accept it.” The principal handed her a large document folder.

“Principal, you’ve already exempted me from my tuition and school fees. I can’t accept any more donations. I’m going to work. Don't worry, Principal. Sima Qing will definitely return to school next year and not let you and the teachers down.” Sima Qing’s eyes were already red. She was so grateful to the principal.

“Sima Qing, please accept it.” Her classmates urged her.

Sima Qing, with tears in her eyes, said, “Thank you everyone for coming to see my mother. I really can’t accept the money. Last time, when my mom fainted, it was everyone’s donation that got us through. I appreciate your kindness. Thank you all sincerely. The government is giving us a subsidy, so we’re basically okay. Please go home.”

The principal walked to the bedside, held Qing'er’s mother's hand and said, “Just rest and take care of yourself. You have such a sensible daughter. The school will do its best to help her.” He put the money under the pillow. Qing'er's mother was just shedding tears, unable to speak. She and Qing'er had caused so much trouble for the school, she was speechless with emotion.

After seeing the principal and her classmates off, Qing’er covered her mother with the blanket. Her mother gave her the document bag, saying, “Child, please keep this for now. Remember, when you can earn money in the future, you must repay them.”

“Yes, Mom, I will.”

A fair and rosy face, large watery eyes beneath a neat fringe, a ponytail swaying in the wind, and a crisp school uniform – this was the first photo Sima Chun had of Sima Qing. It was also their first meeting in thirteen years. But what he saw was not the real person. An Da’s photography was excellent, capturing her expressions perfectly. Sima Chun saw gentleness and resilience in her eyes. The gentleness was like a calm lake, and the resilience was like a group of towering mountains. After listening to An Da’s description of her current situation, he fell silent. He felt an aching pain in his heart, a pain that could go to the bone, aging him ten years in an instant. He began to blame himself, hitting his head repeatedly. The reason he hadn’t brought her to his side was to let her live a happy life without pressure. He wanted to wait until she was older so she could slowly fall in love with him. Then they would get married. That was the arrangement he had made for her in his heart. He realized he had made an irreparable mistake.

The two large bags of photos were spread out on the table like two high hills. Sima Chun slumped into his chair, defeated. He had never felt so dejected. He found that not every decision he made was correct. His Qing’er, the woman he considered to be his future wife, he had never cared for her. He realized he was a failure, a true failure.

After knocking for a long time with no response, Lin Yue stood at the door, not knowing what to do. She thought it through, and decided this was an urgent matter, and the documents needed to be approved by the president immediately. She knew the president had been inside all day without stepping out. She opened the door and saw the usually cold and expressionless Sima Chun staring blankly at the pile of photos on the table, his face covered in tears.

Lin Yue was at a loss again. But the documents were truly important.

“President, these are documents from the China branch. The Chinese stock market has been plummeting in the past few days, and our two securities firms and bank branches in China have been severely impacted. This is an urgent document sent by Manager Wang,” Lin Yue said cautiously.

Sima Chun didn't react, so Lin Yue had no choice but to leave the documents and walk out. “Sigh, what's wrong with the president lately? Did he get possessed? He's just acting so strange,” Lin Yue muttered to herself as she sat down at her desk.

“Yeah, I also think the president has changed completely lately. He seems a bit depressed. He’s not someone who shows his feelings on his face,” the head of the secretary department, Manager Qian, whispered mysteriously.

“Could it be that he got dumped by a woman?” Secretary Xiao Qin chimed in.

“You’re guessing too wildly. Which woman would dump him? Unless she was mentally unstable,” Manager Qian said with conviction.

“Okay, okay, everyone, let’s stop worrying and get back to our positions.” Lin Yue really didn’t like others gossiping about the president. Lin Yue was a senior employee of the company. From Sima Mingxiong to Sima Yuwen to Sima Chun, she had been appointed as the president's exclusive secretary by all three presidents. She clearly knew that Sima Mingxiong had cultivated her talents in all aspects so that she could be Sima Chun's right-hand woman in the future. Only she knew her loyalty to the Sima Group. She had joined the Sima Group fifteen years ago at the age of twenty. Her friends all laughed that she should just marry the company, because she didn't have the time or energy to find a boyfriend. The company had undergone tremendous changes in the past decade. Sima Chun was far more intelligent and capable than she had imagined. The company’s annual performance had been doubling, and the staff at headquarters had grown from a hundred under Sima Mingxiong to more than eight hundred now. The employee benefits were the best in the world. Each year, elites graduating from major universities around the world considered it an honor to join the Sima Group.

“Help me book two tickets to Suzhou for tomorrow morning, the earlier the better,” Sima Chun's firm voice came over the intercom.

“Excuse me, President, are you booking tickets to Suzhou in mainland China?” Lin Yue immediately confirmed, afraid she had misheard. She quickly searched on the computer. The president had never been to Suzhou, and the company had no branches or business connections there.

“That’s right,” the voice on the intercom was strong and forceful.

“Also, can you please clarify the President’s instructions for Manager Wang’s urgent documents?” Lin Yue was worried that the President might disappear for a few days again without a trace.

"Take the documents to Minister Jia in finance immediately and tell him to transfer 2 billion dollars to Manager Wang in China tomorrow without delay. For the days I'm not at headquarters, you and Minister Jia will take care of the China side of things.