Qiao Baitong had been working at Zhanyun for five years. His office, though not the largest in the company, was still one of the most spacious. With bright windows, excellent lighting and a great view, it reflected his significance in the company.
After years in this field, he had grown numb to many things, becoming like a machine performing repetitive tasks day after day.
When Zhong Liyan had harshly scolded him that morning, he had felt utterly humiliated. He had been so enraged that he nearly stormed into the chairman’s office for a head-on confrontation. But he forced himself to hold back his temper and instead spent time furiously writing the character 忍 (endure) over and over again on sheets of calligraphy paper.
But now, all his resentment and anger had vanished. His gaze held a hint of something unreadable.
Holding the newly hired secretary’s manuscript in his hands, he had initially planned to skim through it casually before sending her away.
However, as he read further, his expression became more serious. He went back and read each word carefully. The writing flowed smoothly, the wording was precise, and the speech was composed with the perfect balance of humility and confidence. It carried an unmistakable warmth and passion.
By the time he reached the latter part of the manuscript, his eyes were gleaming. His previously relaxed posture had straightened unconsciously.
The piece had an elegance that reminded him of classic literature, fluid and natural, yet carrying a weight of meaning like gold hidden within flowing water. There was sharpness in the words, but also deep sentiment and even a touch of humility despite its strength.
But suddenly, the text stopped mid-sentence.
The speech was unfinished.
Reaching the end, he savoured its lingering impact.
Abruptly, he turned his gaze to the young girl standing before him.
“You wrote this?” he asked in disbelief.
Ju Li nodded, feeling nervous but keeping her posture straight so she could meet his gaze directly.
Qiao Baitong blinked. Though she was young, her eyes shone with a spirited determination that was hard to ignore.
“Why didn’t you finish it?” He tapped his finger on the bottom of the page.
“I ran out of inspiration. I was exhausted and couldn’t write anymore,” Ju Li admitted, pressing her lips together. She had come here hoping for some guidance before wrapping up the piece.
Unexpectedly, Qiao Baitong let out a hearty laugh. He spun around, pulled his chair closer to his desk, pushed aside the calligraphy papers filled with 忍 characters, picked up a pen and started writing.
Ju Li was stunned.
Peering over his shoulder, she saw that the seasoned executive was actually finishing her speech for her.
“Th-thank you, Qiao zong,” she stammered excitedly.
Qiao Baitong merely waved a hand, signalling her to stay quiet and not interrupt him.
Five minutes later, he lifted the manuscript, gave it a little shake and read through it one last time. As he reached the end, he felt an immense sense of satisfaction.
“Take this to Boss Zhong,” he instructed, placing the finished manuscript into her hands. He glanced at his watch. “It’s almost time for the meeting. Hurry and deliver it.”
Then, he walked to the door himself, pulling it open for her.
“Shouldn’t we revise it first?” Ju Li asked as she hesitated in the doorway, wide-eyed and uncertain.
Qiao Baitong waved a large hand dismissively. “One word more and it would be excessive. One word less and it would lack emotion. Leave it exactly as it is.”
Ju Li was still a little stunned.
“You probably wouldn’t have had time to add a proper ending yourself,” he added casually. “So I took the liberty of finishing it. Hope you don’t mind.”
Ju Li felt a warm gratitude rise in her chest. She wanted to thank him again, but Qiao Baitong impatiently waved her off.
Ju Li pressed her lips together and suddenly said, “Fortunately, you were there to revise and wrap things up. I really appreciate it, Qiao zong.”
“This has nothing to do with me. This is your draft.” Qiao Baitong was still fuming over being reprimanded by Zhong Liyan that morning, but after reading Ju Li’s draft, he felt at ease.
So there was someone who could write better than him, then his scolding wasn’t entirely unjustified.
While Qiao Baitong could be magnanimous about it, Ju Li, as the one benefiting from his help, couldn’t simply accept his generosity without acknowledgement.
She spotted a pen on the secretary’s desk near the door, borrowed it and swiftly wrote “Qiao Baitong” at the bottom of the manuscript.
Without saying anything more, she gave Qiao Baitong a respectful bow, then turned on her heel and dashed away with quick, hurried steps.
“Tsk, tsk. The younger generation is really something. The future is promising…”
Qiao Baitong watched the slim figure disappear down the hallway, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. After a moment, he let out a long sigh.
Turning back to his office, he addressed his subordinates.
“Forget about writing the chairman’s speech. Go back to your usual work.”
His employees stared at him in shock.
Ignoring their surprised expressions, he strode into his office, shut the door behind him and walked over to his desk covered with 忍 characters.
Scooping up the papers, he crumpled them into a ball and tossed them into the trash.
All this talk of endurance, nonsense. In the end, it was all about ability.
With that thought, he gave the trash can a firm kick, as if venting his frustration on Zhong Liyan himself. Then, he felt relieved, but he also blamed himself helplessly: not enough practice, not enough…
As he leaned back into his chair and tapped the desk with his fingers, he noticed ink stains on them. He grabbed a tissue to wipe them off, his mind replaying the words he had just read.
Maybe, just maybe, if the Devil Zhong didn’t see Ju Li as suitable for a secretary role, he could pull her into his own department instead.
Just because she dared to come find him in his office directly, it could be seen that this kid had guts. She was efficient and had a sharp mind. A rare gem indeed.
Wait, what was her name again?
Ju Li?
Ju Li… Heh. What an interesting name.
Not bad at all.
The air conditioning breeze swept over Ju Li, cooling her down, but sweat still beaded on her nose from walking too fast.
As she stood at the door of Zhong Liyan’s office and knocked, she took a moment to glance at Zhang Beibei, who was busy working on a task that Fang Fei had thrown her way.
A task given without any proper justification, from someone who had no real authority over her.
Inside the office, Zhong Liyan was on a call. He lifted a hand slightly in her direction, signalling her to wait, so Ju Li stood at the door patiently.
By now, Zhang Beibei had noticed her. She smiled briefly before discreetly sending a WeChat message to Fang Fei: [Ju Li is back. She’s standing outside the office. Looks like she finished the speech draft.]
[Hah? Is she asking for humiliation? If she doesn’t get scolded and thrown out, I’ll walk on my head.]
Although Fang Fei was an administrative supervisor, she had only been at the company for a year and a half. Her promotion had been more about timing and opportunity than merit. In reality, she was only a few years older than Zhang Beibei.
[She went in.] Zhang Beibei knew Fang Fei hated Ju Li. Wanting to curry favour, she continued feeding her gossip in real time.
After all, establishing a common enemy was the fastest way to strengthen a bond between two people.
Ju Li, however, remained completely unaware of the shifting dynamics in the office during these few short moments.
She saw that Zhong Liyan had finished his call. When he motioned for her, she quickly walked over to his large desk and handed him the document without any hesitation.
“Boss, this is the speech for the upcoming executive meeting. Qiao zong asked me to deliver it to you.”
Zhong Liyan reached out and took the document. Ju Li’s gaze unintentionally landed on his fingers, long and well-defined, with neatly trimmed, pale pink nails. They looked elegant, even exuding an air of refinement.
But the moment she looked up, she was caught in his gaze, deep and authoritative, pressing down on her with an unspoken weight. She immediately lowered her eyes again, standing straight without any unnecessary movement.
Zhong Liyan glanced at her briefly and said in an unhurried tone, “Sit.”
Only then did Ju Li dare to take a seat opposite him. She kept her back straight, hands lightly resting on the edge of the desk, her posture disciplined and respectful.
Every move was meticulous.
Zhong Liyan’s lips parted slightly as he quickly skimmed through the document. The more he read, the more intrigued he became.
Although she claimed Qiao Baitong had asked her to bring it, and although the document was signed with Qiao’s name, Zhong Liyan had personally seen her hunched over her desk, writing feverishly. He knew that the first half of the document was in her handwriting.
He read it in one go. His mind had already formed a few assessments, yet he said nothing.
Instead, he glanced up at the young employee before him. She sat upright, motionless.
“…” Standing up, he picked up the document, along with a small briefcase and placed them in front of her. “Carry it,” he said, before striding towards the door.
“…” Ju Li stared blankly at the briefcase and folder in front of her.
“Ah?” She quickly got up and turned to look at Zhong Liyan, struggling to process what had just happened.
By the time she finally reacted, Zhong Liyan had already walked out of the office. His tall, black-clad figure was moving further away.
Letting out a soft “Ah,” she hurriedly placed the document inside the briefcase, grabbed it and ran after him.
As she passed her workstation, she didn’t forget to shut down her computer, grab her bag and sling it over her shoulder.
Zhong Liyan was nearly at the elevator when she caught up.
Her long hair was slightly messy from running. She quickly tidied it before standing half a step behind him in the perfect ‘assistant position’, back straight, shoulders squared, ready for action.
Now, she just had to wait for the elevator to arrive.
Zhong Liyan stood there at ease. His rugged, handsome features still carried an intimidating aura, yet his posture was relaxed. The contrast between his aggressive presence and his lazy stance gave him an inexplicable air of wild sophistication, impossible to look at directly, yet hard to resist stealing glances.
Back in the office, Zhang Beibei was still working on the task Fang Fei had given her.
She looked at Ju Li’s hastily shut-down computer, her untidily arranged desk… then turned to gaze in the direction in which Zhong Liyan and Ju Li had disappeared.
Gradually, her expression soured.
She clenched her fists, a growing sense of frustration and resentment filling her chest.
She regretted not pushing herself harder to write the speech draft, to seize the opportunity to be by the chairman’s side. At the same time, she resented Fang Fei for discouraging her and making her abandon any ambition of being the chairman’s secretary.
But in the end, all of her emotions – her bitterness, her jealousy – were directed entirely at Ju Li.
Biting her lip, she stayed silent for a long time before finally picking up her phone and opening her WeChat chat with Fang Fei:
[Ju Li just came out of the chairman’s office.]
[So? Did she leave looking completely humiliated? Did the boss tear her apart?] Fang Fei asked.
[Not at all…] Zhang Beibei hesitated. She knew that if she told Fang Fei the truth, Fang Fei would hate Ju Li even more.
[How is that possible?! Then what happened?] Fang Fei pressed, unable to believe it.
[She left with the boss.] Zhang Beibei had shared lunch with Ju Li earlier that day, thinking they got along well and that she might even want to befriend her.
But now, all of those feelings had vanished.
[What? The boss actually took her to the executive meeting?!]
Fang Fei sat at her desk, staring at the message in disbelief. Her eyes widened as she angrily typed out a reply, jabbing each key forcefully before slamming the send button.
After a few moments, she saw Zhang Beibei’s reply: [It seems that way. She packed up her things and followed him out.]
For a long time, Fang Fei just sat there, staring at the screen, feeling as if she had turned to stone.
Frozen. Cold.
It wasn’t until Zhu Jingyi walked out of the office to get water that she hastily put her phone down.
Just moments ago, she had been so confident, telling Zhang Beibei that the boss would never take either of them seriously, that he would surely tear Ju Li apart.
But now, her face was burning with embarrassment.
How could this be happening?!
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