MWCBTC Chapter 11: Cute, My Ass
Qin Shen was highly efficient. By the time Qiao Chen returned to the company the next day, everything had already been settled.
Deep Alley Games had posted an announcement both on the company’s internal WeChat group and the homepage, stating that Qiao Chen would serve as the chief illustrator for the upcoming project, with another artist from the department assigned to assist.
As for the illustrator Li Xue’er, who had previously been caught plagiarizing, the announcement merely brushed over her case, only saying that she had violated company policy and had been dismissed.
When Qiao Chen walked into the office, Li Xue’er was packing her things, her eyes red as if she had just finished crying.
Li Xue’er was quite cute and had been with the company for three or four years. She’d maintained fairly good relationships with her colleagues.
But now that she was leaving, everyone seemed to distance themselves. Not a single person offered to help her pack or even spoke to her.
The atmosphere became even more awkward when Qiao Chen entered. The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Though everyone appeared to be focused on their own work, their attention was clearly on Qiao Chen and Li Xue’er.
Qiao Chen pressed his lips together. He didn’t really know what to say—nor was there anything left to say.
Since the incident, he hadn’t spoken a single word to Li Xue’er, not even to ask why she’d done what she did.
Even now, he had no intention of saying anything or kicking her while she was down.
So, Qiao Chen simply sat at his desk, turned on his computer, and got ready to receive files and draft the project plan.
Seeing his indifferent response, most of the coworkers felt a bit disappointed—they had been expecting some drama.
Li Xue’er quietly finished packing her things and left with a cardboard box in her arms. Qiao Chen never said a word or even looked up.
Just like that, the silent standoff ended.
Once Li Xue’er was gone, Qiao Chen focused entirely on his work again. The surrounding coworkers, realizing there was no drama to watch, eventually lost interest and returned to their own tasks.
Qiao Chen was very efficient. By noon, he had finished drafting the project plan. Holding the printed documents, he entered the elevator and pressed the button for the 19th floor.
The 19th floor was the top of the building—home to the operations department and the CEO’s office.
Clutching the documents in his hand, Qiao Chen took a deep breath. He looked nervous.
Yes, he was definitely nervous.
Because he was about to face Qin Shen, and he didn’t know whether Qin Shen would be satisfied with what he’d prepared.
Although Qin Shen hadn’t said anything after last night and had even posted the announcement naming Qiao Chen the project’s chief illustrator, Qiao Chen couldn’t forget what Qin Shen had said the night before:
"If you feel no sense of responsibility for your work..."
And: "Do you think just anyone could create something like this?"
Now that he had received some recognition, Qiao Chen wanted to show his sincerity and give it his all.
When Qin Shen received Qiao Chen’s project plan and read through it carefully, his expression first showed surprise—
Then appreciation.
Because the plan was exceptionally well done. It had considered everything: project positioning, target audience, and a projected timeline for the production cycle.
Not perfect, perhaps, but certainly impressive. Few could put together something this comprehensive in such a short time.
Putting aside personal biases, Qiao Chen was indeed an outstanding employee, with impeccable skills.
Qin Shen was someone who appreciated talent. Since they were in the workplace, he decided to set personal grievances aside for now.
He looked up, ready to discuss parts of the plan that needed tweaking—only to meet a pair of bright, expectant eyes.
Qiao Chen’s eyes were full of light, sparkling with hope and a quiet longing to be affirmed.
The emotion in them was so obvious that Qin Shen suddenly found himself unable to voice his criticisms. In the end, he just said two words:
“Not bad.”
Just those two words made Qiao Chen light up as if he had just eaten something sweet. He gave a small, subtle smile and said:
“The document’s a bit rushed due to the time constraints. There are actually a few areas that could be improved, like…”
And then he launched into a detailed explanation, rattling off a list of suggestions—covering almost everything Qin Shen had been about to mention.
When he finished, he looked at Qin Shen again, eyes full of anticipation.
Qin Shen nodded awkwardly and added, “Well done. Let’s proceed with this approach.”
That response made Qiao Chen’s eyes shine even more. He pressed his lips together and replied softly, “I’ll keep working hard.”
“Good,” Qin Shen nodded.
Then Qiao Chen left with the documents in his arms, looking full of determination—ready to charge ahead.
Compared to Qiao Chen’s energetic vibe, Qin Shen felt... confused.
Why did Qiao Chen suddenly seem like a completely different person?
Was he… kind of cute like this?
No, no, no—Qin Shen immediately shut down that thought.
Cute, my ass. It’s all an act.
Though Qin Shen kept reminding himself of everything Qiao Chen had done before, he still couldn’t help being impressed by his talent.
People naturally admire the capable—especially someone like Qin Shen, who was career-driven and held a deep respect for competence.
Qiao Chen wasn’t the empty-headed pretty boy he had imagined. He was brilliant, his drawing skills top-notch. When the first character model was projected on screen, Qin Shen was blown away.
The art style, the detail—absolutely stunning. He didn’t even know how to praise it properly; he just knew it was excellent.
As the chief illustrator, Qiao Chen was now on stage introducing his work—explaining his design concepts and pointing out small details that others might have overlooked.
The deeper he went, the more impressive the work became.
And the more focused Qiao Chen was, the more he shone. His eyes glimmered with confidence and determination—completely different from the quiet, fragile person he usually seemed to be.
Thirty minutes later, he ended with:
“That concludes my presentation.”
He nodded to the audience.
Qin Shen was the first to applaud. With the CEO clapping, the rest of the audience quickly followed.
Qin Shen looked at Qiao Chen again. As expected, there it was—that subtle smile again. A bit shy, quietly pleased, his eyes sparkling like a little hamster that had just stolen a treat—soft and adorable.
Qin Shen didn’t even realize the corners of his own lips had curled up a little.
After the meeting dispersed, Qiao Chen lingered until everyone else had left, then approached Qin Shen.
Their relationship had eased a bit recently, and Qiao Chen had come to realize that Qin Shen wasn’t so bad—just a bit temperamental. Besides, he had acknowledged his skills.
Qiao Chen pursed his lips, then asked softly,
“What did you think? Did I do okay?”
He looked cautious, yet eager for praise.
Qin Shen couldn’t help but smile a little and nodded.
“You did great. Keep it up.”
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