There was no time to carefully analyse the task; Ju Li immediately started assisting the chairman with his hotel check-in.
As someone who had never traveled to save money, she had never gone through the process of checking into a hotel before.
But to avoid looking inexperienced, she spoke very little and kept an expressionless face the entire time.
After Zhong Liyan sat on the waiting area sofa, he handed her his ID card. She took it without asking any questions and proceeded to the front desk.
The room had already been booked in advance by the production team. She simply handed over both her boss’s and her own ID cards, paid the deposit and completed the check-in.
For many, it might be hard to imagine that a 23-year-old woman would feel nervous doing something as simple as this, afraid of revealing her inexperience.
It wasn’t until she received the room key and turned to leave the front desk that she let out a long breath.
At that moment, the reality of stepping out of a campus environment and into the real world finally hit her.
Next, Boss Zhong and Ju Li took their room keys and went upstairs to drop off their belongings and freshen up.
They were to meet in the lobby in ten minutes, where the producer was waiting for them before heading to dinner together.
Inside the elevator, Ju Li silently replayed everything that had happened so far.
She carefully went over every task that Zhong Liyan had handled during the trip, making an effort to memorise and analyse them. Many things, such as booking hotels and restaurants, had been arranged by the production team of White Fan Strategist.
But in the future, such tasks would fall under the secretary’s responsibilities. Though unfamiliar with them now, she had to learn quickly to secure her job.
Zhong Liyan, unaware of her structured thought process, assumed that her lowered head and silence meant she was uncomfortable being alone with him in a confined space.
To him, she looked like a foolish ostrich, thinking that burying her head in the sand would somehow make her invisible.
When the elevator doors opened, he stepped out with his long strides. She was momentarily stunned, then hurried to catch up.
When he swiped his key card to open the door, she handed him his briefcase.
Before he could close the door, she quickly shut it for him, avoiding the awkwardness of getting locked outside.
Her room was just a few steps away but was half the size of his, a standard single-bed room.
Yet, the moment she opened the door and saw the interior, she was so excited she wanted to scream.
Nobody disliked material comfort; many people appeared humble only because of poverty.
She sat in the large bathtub for a moment, then rolled around on the bed before lying on her stomach to check the new task in the [Little Secretary System].
The task required her to ensure that the male lead of White Fan Strategist, Chen Haoyu and the head screenwriter, Xiao Yun, got along peacefully to complete the filming.
Reading this, she was momentarily puzzled, did Chen Haoyu and Xiao Yun not get along?
If that was the case, what was the root cause?
She carefully read the task hints, which included background information on both individuals, including Xiao Yun’s wife looking for a kindergarten for their three-year-old son and Chen Haoyu feeling immense pressure over his career transition.
By the time she finished reading, it was almost time to gather in the lobby. She quickly put away her phone and stepped out.
At the dinner, both Chen Haoyu and Xiao Yun would be present, giving her a chance to figure out what was going on.
Ju Li followed closely behind Zhong Liyan, small and quiet, her presence barely noticeable.
So much so that when everyone was seated in the private dining room, there was one chair missing, producer Bai Meng hadn’t accounted for her when making the reservations.
Once everyone settled in, Zhong Liyan noticed Ju Li standing behind him with no seat.
He glanced at her. She remained calm, neither blushing in embarrassment nor fidgeting awkwardly.
She stood upright, like a bodyguard, as if this was where she was supposed to be.
He frowned slightly.
Bai Meng, sitting beside him, noticed his expression and immediately got up to call a waiter to bring another chair.
The new seat was placed as far from Zhong Liyan as possible.
Ju Li didn’t complain. Instead, she politely thanked Bai Meng, saying, “Thank you, Meng jie~” in a sweet tone.
Bai Meng glanced at her but only gave a brief nod, her attitude indifferent.
Ju Li didn’t mind. She understood her position, being included in this dinner was already a privilege. She wouldn’t let unnecessary pride make her dwell on whether these important people were treating her with respect.
Just as she was about to walk to her newly assigned seat, Zhong Liyan casually remarked, “Bai Meng, go keep Xiao Yun company. Make sure he drinks well tonight.”
Bai Meng paused for a second before smiling brightly. “Oh, look at me, I was so happy to see you visiting the set that I got carried away.”
After saying that, she stood up, grabbed her wine glass and headed toward the seat next to Xiao Yun. As soon as she sat down, she immediately leaned in close and affectionately said, “Ge, you’ve been cooped up in the hotel rushing the script these past few days, you must be exhausted. Let’s not talk about work today and just enjoy a good drink, okay?”
Ju Li watched this unfold with silent admiration.
Were all producers this quick-witted and socially adept?
She sat down beside Zhong Liyan, the entire exchange lasting less than five minutes. Most people hadn’t even noticed it.
But to Ju Li, Bai Meng had just performed a masterful display of adaptability.
She herself wouldn’t have been able to maneuver so smoothly in such a situation.
Observing Zhong Liyan’s indifferent expression and Bai Meng’s skillful networking, she suspected that the boss simply didn’t like Bai Meng’s overly familiar socialising and wanted her out of his immediate space.
From what she had observed today, he seemed like a cold and reserved person who wasn’t fond of excessive warmth or closeness.
Everyone gathered in the private room. Boss Zhong sat at the main seat. To his left sat the director and next to the director sat the male lead, Chen Haoyu. On Ju Li’s right was the leading actress and further away were the screenwriter Xiao Yun and the producer Bai Meng.
Before the cold appetisers were even fully served, the toasts had already begun.
Although Chen Haoyu was the lead actor in the film, he remained extremely polite in front of the producer, Zhong Liyan. He even took the initiative to propose a toast to Boss Zhong.
Everyone at the table wore bright smiles, chatting in a lively and harmonious atmosphere, as if they were all close friends.
Only Ju Li remained silent. While she occasionally poured drinks or handed out napkins, she never once joined in on the conversation.
Midway through the meal, Zhong Liyan leaned over to her and whispered, “Get me a glass of warm water. See if they have any pies or biscuits, bring them to me quietly.”
She quickly nodded, stood up and walked out.
The warm water was easy to get, but the hotel didn’t have any small pastries. The only complimentary late-night snacks available were fruits, no biscuits or filling snacks.
After some thought, she asked the front desk and learned that there was a convenience store nearby. Without hesitation, she sprinted over.
There was no trace of delicate fragility in her, just sheer determination and persistence.
As soon as she stepped out of the hotel, the stifling night air hit her like a wall.
But she didn’t slow down, running straight to the store. She picked out some tasty egg yolk pies and chocolates before dashing back at full speed.
Before reentering the private dining room, she smoothed her hair and adjusted her clothes. Then, with light steps, she walked inside, showing no trace of having just run back and forth.
Yet, as she discreetly slipped a small package of pies into the boss’s pocket, Zhong Liyan turned his head to glance at her. He noticed the faint sheen of sweat on the tip of her nose and the light flush on her cheeks from the exertion.
For a brief moment as she sat down, he could almost feel the lingering warmth of her movement in the air beside him.
Retracting his gaze, he used a trip to the restroom as an excuse to devour the pie in a few quick bites. Drinking on an empty stomach had left his insides burning with discomfort, but the small pastry quickly eased the sensation.
When he returned to the table, Ju Li discreetly pushed the warm water toward him. Without a word, he took a sip, then turned his attention back to the director, raising his wine glass in response to the man’s smile.
…
Overall, the meal was an enjoyable one.
Ju Li could sense some underlying tension beneath the cheerful atmosphere, but every person at the table was a seasoned professional, skilled at masking their true emotions.
The lead actress sitting beside her remained quiet, seemingly uninterested in speaking to a lowly secretary like her. She only occasionally exchanged words with the screenwriter, Xiao Yun, or engaged in small talk during toasts. Most of the time, she simply maintained a flawless smile while observing others. She barely touched her food, probably watching her figure.
Ju Li, on the other hand, had no such concerns. Abalone, giant crabs, prawns, these were all things she had never had before, so she made sure to try a bit of everything.
The only dish she hesitated over was the plate of still-moving octopus tentacles.
But as the drinks kept flowing and the conversation shifted away from food, she found herself tempted again.
This was a rare opportunity, what if she never got another chance to tag along to such a high-end meal? Wouldn’t she regret not trying everything?
Holding onto this frugal mentality, she finally mustered the courage.
When the turntable brought the dish to her, she quickly grabbed a tentacle with her chopsticks.
It instantly curled and wrapped around them.
Her mind screamed internally, ahhhhhhh, but she kept a straight face, acting as if she ate this all the time. Without a second glance, she decisively popped it into her mouth…
,
For the remainder of the meal, Zhong Liyan noticed that Ju Li had become even quieter.
She didn’t drink, didn’t eat anything else.
When he occasionally glanced at her, he even detected a hint of something… off in her expression.
Everyone else was busy with their drinking and socialising, completely absorbed in the moment. Even the ever-composed and clear-headed Boss Zhong had little time to pay attention to a newly appointed assistant on her first day.
The meal eventually came to an end. After rounds of toasts and conversation, the guests finally dispersed.
Once everyone had left the private room, Bai Meng approached Zhong Liyan and quietly said, “Boss, Chen Haoyu and Xiao Yun’s conflict has escalated to the point where I can’t mediate anymore. Both of them have said tonight is their final deadline, if the other doesn’t leave the project, they will. I’ve already called the director and our company’s in-house producer to come over. Can we have a meeting to discuss this?”
This was precisely the issue Zhong Liyan had come to resolve. He nodded and said plainly, “Come to my room in ten minutes.”
Bai Meng quickly agreed and walked away to make the calls.
Zhong Liyan, meanwhile, took Ju Li with him to the elevator.
Inside, he rubbed his temples wearily and asked in a low voice, “Why are you so quiet?”
Ju Li looked up at him, her lips tightly shut like a clammed-up oyster, her eyes blinking at him without a word.
His brows furrowed slightly, a sign of displeasure.
She panicked internally, she didn’t want him to think she was ignoring him! But… the moment she thought about her predicament, her face instantly turned bright red with embarrassment.
With no other choice, she reluctantly pulled out her phone and typed out a message on her notes app:
[Boss, I ate a live octopus tentacle for the first time… and it’s still stuck to the roof of my mouth…]
Because of this, she hadn’t been able to enjoy dessert or any of the post-meal pastries, an absolute loss.
As she finished typing, her heart ached.
She avoided eye contact, unable to face Zhong Liyan.
And so, she completely missed the rare moment when a fleeting, amused smile crossed her boss’s face.
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