Ding-dong!
Mission [The Gateway to the Future Best Actress’s Dream] has been completed.
Mission Rewards: A delightful little cake (expires in 3 hours). [Claim] [Decline]?
The car sped along the highway and soon entered Jianghai City.
Ju Li wasn’t in the mood to track their journey’s progress. She stared at the mission notification, thought for a moment, and skipped the claim window for the cake.
With only a three-hour shelf life, it was better to leave it for now. If she took it and forgot, it would just go to waste.
[Mission Reward: Internal Referral Bonus – Progress 2/5]
[Mission Reward: A delicate yet impractical souvenir. To claim, assist the boss with carrying his belongings upon arrival.]
“Assist the boss with carrying his belongings?”
That was a refreshingly down-to-earth way to claim a reward, basically, doing labor in exchange for prizes.
Ju Li opened the [Tears of a Star] mission tab to check her cash reward progress.
[Mission Reward: A meager cash bonus of 45,000 yuan – Progress 4/5]
She pressed her hands together in front of the [Little Secretary System] on her phone, praying for the money to fly into her pocket sooner.
When they arrived, she turned to the driver, Old Liu, and said, “Master Liu, go ahead and park the car. I’ll help Boss Zhong with his things.”
With that, she grabbed her boss’s laptop from the backseat, slung it over her shoulder, and hurried to the trunk to haul out the various gift bags and boxes the film crew had given him.
Zhong Liyan turned his head and saw his secretary looking like a fully decorated Christmas tree, burdened with all sorts of items.
He hesitated for a moment but ultimately said nothing. Instead, he walked through two doors and stood by the elevator, waiting.
Ju Li, unfazed by the weight of her load, looked perfectly at ease.
She’d been helping her mother with chores and taking care of her younger brother since she was little. She wasn’t the type of pampered girl who couldn’t carry things or handle labor.
As they entered the company, those who had previously envied Ju Li for getting to travel with the boss on a business trip instantly felt at peace when they saw her hauling all that luggage.
Carrying bags for the boss?
No thanks, they were hired for their brains, not their brawn.
Ju Li ignored the looks from others, instead pondering what exactly would happen when she claimed her reward by carrying the boss’s things.
She got her answer when she placed all of President Zhong’s belongings onto the sofa in his office.
“You take these,” Zhong Liyan said coolly. “Either bring them home or throw them away.”
He sounded indifferent, as if he couldn’t care less.
But to Ju Li, his words were music to her ears.
Wow, even when gifting things, Boss Zhong had such a unique style.
She wasn’t about to let his dismissive tone stop her from accepting these “discarded” items.
They were all good stuff.
“Thank you, Boss.” She straightened up and cheerfully expressed her gratitude.
Zhong Liyan, sitting in his chair worth tens of thousands of yuan, didn’t even look up, he just waved her off.
Ju Li didn’t mind. She swiftly gathered all the gift bags and boxes originally meant for her boss, tidied them up, and placed them under her desk, planning to take them home after work.
Few things in life were as delightful as receiving gifts.
Looking at the pile of items under her desk, she felt an illusion of wealth.
Next door, Zhang Beibei stole a glance at Boss Zhong through the floor-to-ceiling glass wall. Seeing him busy with his computer, she took a few quick steps toward Ju Li’s desk.
With every movement, the little bell on her bracelet jingled, drawing curious looks from others.
Unbothered, she crouched beside Ju Li’s desk and eagerly asked, “Ju Li, how have you been these past few days?”
“Exhausted. I barely got any sleep. What about you?” Ju Li asked while booting up her computer.
At this close distance, she couldn’t help but notice that Zhang Beibei was indeed prettier than her, big, double-lidded eyes, long thick lashes, delicate facial features, and a youthful, stylish outfit.
“Ugh, you have no idea! Fang Fei is driving me crazy. She keeps dumping all the work Second Brother assigns her onto me. Since the boss wasn’t in the office these past few days, I basically became her personal errand runner. And the worst part? No one even knows I did all that work!” Zhang Beibei pouted as she complained.
Ju Li patted her head. “You should just refuse her outright. That stuff isn’t in your job description. Just tell her you’re busy. If you reject her twice, she’ll stop asking.”
Zhang Beibei pursed her lips but didn’t really agree in her heart.
She figured that neither she nor Ju Li would last in the president’s office for long. Since she was planning to transfer to the admin department with Fang Fei, she couldn’t afford to offend her.
Especially now that the person in charge of procurement had resigned, leaving a cushy vacancy open. If Fang Fei got transferred to fill that role… then maybe, just maybe, she could take Fang Fei’s current position.
Her eyes flickered for a moment before she glanced toward the pile of gift bags under Ju Li’s desk.
After licking her lips, she suddenly dashed back to her own desk.
A few seconds later, accompanied by more jingling, she returned to Ju Li’s side.
“I went shopping last night and saw this gorgeous nail polish. I bought two bottles, one for me, one for you. This chocolate shade would look amazing on you! Your fair skin would make it look so elegant.” Zhang Beibei placed the little gift on Ju Li’s desk, then looked up with a bright, goofy smile.
“Wow, it’s so pretty.” Ju Li picked up the bottle and held it against the light, admiring the sparkling liquid inside. “It’s gorgeous, thank you!”
“No need to thank me. We’re besties!” Zhang Beibei beamed, dimples appearing on her cheeks, her crescent-shaped eyes looking adorable.
Then, she suddenly leaned in and whispered excitedly, “So… did you go with the boss to the White Fan Strategist set? Did you see Chen Haoyu?”
Ju Li chuckled. “Yeah, I saw him. He’s even more handsome in person.”
And way more prone to crying.
“Ahhh! I’m so jealous! I love him! Back in school, I even went to the airport to meet him once. My bedroom wall still has his posters!” Zhang Beibei grabbed Ju Li’s hand. “Do you know anyone from the production team? Could you get me an autographed photo of him?”
She looked at Ju Li expectantly.
“Uh… I’ll give it a shot,” Ju Li said, thinking about her ‘I-cry-you-watch’ level of relationship with Chen Haoyu. Asking him for an autograph shouldn’t be an issue.
“Thank you so much!” Zhang Beibei clasped her cheeks in delight and finally returned to her seat, satisfied.
But once she sat down, her mood soured again.
If only Boss Zhong had taken me on the business trip instead of Ju Li.
If that were the case, she could have asked Chen Haoyu for an autograph in person, no need to go through Ju Li at all.
…
On the other side, Ju Li had no idea what Zhang Beibei was thinking.
She didn’t know many people in the office. After Zhang Beibei returned to her seat, the rest of the time was hers to do as she pleased.
Ju Li reviewed the work she had done over the past two days, jotted down a few notes, and only after fully relaxing did she send a WeChat message to Chen Haoyu.
[I’m back in Jianghai City~] – Ju Li.
[Jianghai City welcomes you.] – Chen Haoyu replied quickly.
[Please stay put in Jianghai City. In a few days, I’ll be making a grand arrival to see you, remember to treat me to a meal.] – Chen Haoyu.
[Can you give me a signed photo of yourself? I have a friend who’s a die-hard fan of yours.] – Ju Li.
[Whenever someone says ‘I have a friend,’ they usually mean themselves. You’re actually my die-hard fan? Funny, I only see the ‘die-hard’ part, but not the ‘fan’ part.] , Chen Haoyu.
[…]
Ju Li widened her eyes and puffed up her cheeks in frustration.
Her eyes darted around, and suddenly, the corners of her lips curled up in a sly smile.
She found a picture she had taken earlier while making scrambled eggs, four raw eggs cracked into a bowl. She sent the photo to him.
Along with the caption: [I just cracked a four-yolk egg today!!!]
Sure enough, Chen Haoyu responded almost instantly:
[Holy crap!!! That’s amazing!!!!]
Ju Li burst out laughing. If she weren’t in the office, she might have doubled over in laughter.
She glanced sideways at Zhang Beibei and couldn’t help but think to herself: You don’t understand your idol at all, not one bit!
…
Just after getting Chen Haoyu to agree to send a signed photo, Ju Li received a WeChat message from Zhu Jingyi:
[You’re back in Jianghai? Come to my office, I have something to discuss with you.]
[Vice Director of HR, Liang Xiaotong, is here too.]
Ju Li’s eyes widened. It’s finally happening?
She quickly opened the secretary system, and sure enough, the progress bar for the “Tears of a Star” 45,000 yuan bonus had moved to 4.9/5. Even the “Future Best Actress’ Door to Success” internal HR recommendation bonus had also reached 4.9/5,
Only the last 0.1 was left!
She silently cheered, “Yes!”, and quickly replied: [Got it, Second Senior Brother! I’m on my way.]
She stood up, straightened her posture, and lifted her chin slightly.
The attitude for collecting money had to be proper.
She had to walk in like a proud little rooster crowing at dawn, full of spirit and confidence!
In fact, Ju Li couldn’t even recall how she made her way to Second Senior Brother’s office. When she finally regained awareness, she was already standing at the door.
Zhu Jingyi sat behind his large office desk, while HR’s Liang Xiaotong sat in the guest chair. Both of them turned to look at her with smiles on their faces.
Ju Li knocked on the door out of formality before pushing it open and stepping inside.
“Take a seat,” Zhu Jingyi said.
Ju Li nodded and sat down next to Liang Xiaotong.
“Ju Li, in recognition of your outstanding performance since joining the company, we’ve decided to officially confirm your position ahead of schedule,” Liang Xiaotong spoke first after exchanging a glance with Zhu Jingyi.
After speaking, she pushed a supplementary agreement across the table toward Ju Li.
“Thank you, Director Liang, and thank you, Director Zhu,” Ju Li responded politely and calmly.
Liang Xiaotong observed Ju Li’s expression. “Just sign here.”
Instead of signing immediately, Ju Li picked up the agreement and carefully read through it before cautiously signing her name and writing the date.
She had independent thinking skills, she wasn’t one of those naïve, fresh-out-of-college graduates.
In her mind, Liang Xiaotong reassessed Ju Li and overturned her initial assumptions about her.
Zhu Jingyi watched as Ju Li signed. When she looked up, he nodded at her, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly in approval and encouragement.
Ju Li responded with a smile.
Zhu Jingyi lowered his gaze slightly. He felt as though they had just shared an unspoken understanding through that brief exchange.
To him, they shared a secret, one about how Ju Li had meticulously orchestrated their first meeting. It was a delicate and intriguing past.
Neither of them would ever bring it up to others. They wouldn’t even discuss it with each other.
But the truth remained. It was subtly woven into their conversations and hidden within their exchanged glances.
In Zhu Jingyi’s eyes, Ju Li definitely liked him. Otherwise, for a university student, even one with a deep sense of strategy, it would have been nearly impossible to pull off something like that.
Lately, he had been constantly wondering what her true motive had been for going to such lengths to arrange their encounter. It couldn’t have been just for the job.
From the perspective of a successful businessman, a mere entry-level position at Zhan Yun Corporation was hardly worth that much effort to scheme for.
Of course, it couldn’t possibly be just because of their shared love for detective and mystery novels.
A woman would only go to such great lengths for love.
He figured she must have heard about him long ago, known who he was, perhaps she had seen him when he gave a speech at her school’s recruitment event.
Then, she secretly fell for him, admired him.
After that, using this as her motivation and starting point, she began finding ways to learn more about him, even following him.
It just so happened that she needed a job, so she conveniently arranged all those “coincidental” encounters, killing two birds with one stone. She could secure a good job while also working alongside the man she secretly admired.
In his view, the smile Ju Li just gave him even carried a hint of the expression of a disciple seeking praise from their master, “Look, Second Senior Brother, I did it!”
Zhu Jingyi was certain. There was no other explanation.
Ju Li signed the contract, and Liang Xiaotong glanced at Zhu Jingyi.
He felt that it was time for his performance to begin.
“Ju Li, here’s the thing.” He straightened his posture, ensuring his broad shoulders and sturdy build were clearly visible to the woman across from him. Then, he assumed the confident demeanor of an elite professional, lowered his voice, and spoke in a deep, magnetic, and composed tone:
“The boss mentioned that you helped solve a major issue in the White Fan Strategist production team and provided timely assistance to minimize losses. So, after discussing with President Zhong and consulting with the HR leadership, we’ve arranged a bonus package for you to reward your contributions to the company.”
He spoke slowly, carefully choosing each word before it left his mouth.
Liang Xiaotong nodded along as he spoke, showing her agreement with Zhu Jingyi’s words.
Ju Li listened intently, lips pressed together. But in her mind, she thought: Zhong Liyan doesn’t seem like the type to discuss things with others.
Still, she wouldn’t expose Second Senior Brother’s little act. Instead, she put on an expression of gratitude,
But her gratitude was neither overly enthusiastic nor sycophantic.
She didn’t want others to think she was a naive fool, nor did she want them to believe she saw them as benefactors to whom she owed a great debt.
So, Ju Li carefully controlled her emotions, keeping them within the bounds of friendly appreciation, grateful, but not excessively so.
“This bonus package is the largest one given out this year so far,” Zhu Jingyi continued, raising an eyebrow. “Forty-five thousand yuan.”
After speaking, he and Liang Xiaotong both turned to look at Ju Li, waiting for the young woman to display an expression of uncontrollable joy.
But Ju Li… she merely smiled.
Calm, composed, unshaken by honor or disgrace.
“…”
Zhu Jingyi hadn’t expected such a reaction. The words he had planned to say next, “No need to get too excited, there will be bigger bonuses in the future if you keep working hard”, suddenly got stuck in his throat.
He opened his mouth slightly, looking at her with confusion.
“…”
Liang Xiaotong was just as surprised. Why is this girl so indifferent?
No surprise? No excitement?
A 23-year-old fresh graduate, promoted within a week, receiving a company-issued bonus of over 40,000 yuan, shouldn’t she be overwhelmed with joy, maybe even moved to tears?
Ju Li met their probing gazes and responded calmly, “Thank you, both of you.”
She was polite and humble, her tone peaceful, but… something still felt off.
Liang Xiaotong started having doubts. She had been convinced that Ju Li was a relative of President Zhong, so she had done a simple background check, only to find that Ju Li’s family was actually quite ordinary, even a little poor.
She had then speculated that maybe Ju Li was a distant, less privileged relative of Zhong Liyan.
A poor person, whether related to President Zhong or not, should definitely be thrilled at the sight of money and should definitely be grateful to her and Zhu Jingyi.
But this reaction… could they have misjudged her?
Was the information about Ju Li’s impoverished background incorrect?
Was this girl actually hiding her true self?
Liang Xiaotong pursed her lips, feeling uncertain.
As an HR manager, her job was to handle personnel relationships.
She needed to have a clear understanding of every employee in the company,
After all, only by understanding a person could she figure out the best way to make them work in her favor.
But right now, her perfect control over her work was shaken. She couldn’t see through this 23-year-old new hire in front of her.
In front of these two corporate veterans with nearly a decade of workplace experience, Ju Li suddenly seemed unfathomable.
What they didn’t know was that the reason this young woman remained so calm and composed was because she had already learned about this bonus in advance through the [Little Secretary System].
She had plenty of time to process her emotions, plenty of time to prepare herself, to ensure that when the surprise came, she could maintain an unshaken and dignified demeanor.
The room was silent for a full minute before Zhu Jingyi finally continued, “This amount will be deposited into your account along with your first month’s salary.”
“Thank you,” Ju Li said again.
“Mm, that’s not all. There’s another bonus. Xiaotong, you tell her,” Zhu Jingyi said, his enthusiasm now completely drained. After all, if even the bonus recipient was this indifferent, why should he be the one getting excited?
This was just… awkward.
“Ah, right. The new lead actress of our drama Warm Summer Sweet Tea, Qiu Xianyue, she was your recommendation, wasn’t she?” Liang Xiaotong quickly maintained her professional, friendly smile.
“Yes.” Ju Li nodded.
“Well… the management department has already signed Qiu Xianyue’s contract. Our Zhanyun Group offers an internal referral bonus, whenever you recommend someone to any department and they get hired, you’ll receive a 2,000-yuan bonus. It’ll be issued together with this month’s salary.” Liang Xiaotong realized that Ju Li wouldn’t react with excitement, so she skipped the buildup and got straight to the point.
Ju Li was slightly surprised. She had assumed the Little Secretary System was exaggerating about the referral bonus, thinking it would only be a few hundred yuan, but 2,000 yuan was unexpected.
She immediately started calculating how much she would earn in her first month.
However, her silent money calculations made her seem even more indifferent in Liang Xiaotong’s eyes.
Zhu Jingyi and Liang Xiaotong exchanged glances, both feeling a bit deflated.
If someone reacted too excitedly, they’d think that person lacked sophistication and vision. If someone was too calm, they’d feel disappointed.
So hard to please.
Liang Xiaotong reminded her to keep both the bonus and salary confidential, company policy strictly forbade discussing wages and bonuses.
Once she confirmed that Ju Li understood and would abide by the rule, Liang Xiaotong excused herself.
This whole scene she and Zhu Jingyi had orchestrated was meant to exaggerate their contributions, claiming they had fought to get Ju Li the bonus.
They had expected the young woman to be overwhelmed with gratitude, eyes brimming with tears, thanking them profusely. Then, they’d bask in their own sense of superiority, flaunt their authority, and feel pleased with themselves.
But instead, Ju Li remained completely composed, calm, poised, and unfazed.
Ironically, it made the two of them look like ridiculous clowns. Embarrassing.
They couldn’t stay any longer.
She had to leave. Immediately.
She had to get out of this office, away from Ju Li!
Finally, only Ju Li and Zhu Jingyi remained in the office, sitting across from each other at the desk.
An awkward silence lingered.
Zhu Jingyi had planned to play the role of a hero who had fought for her bonus, but seeing Ju Li’s serene expression, he couldn’t bring himself to act it out.
Was she deliberately maintaining a composed, intellectual demeanor to impress him? Holding back her emotions while secretly feeling overjoyed?
She was 23, nearly ten years younger than him. Not exactly stunning, but fair-skinned, delicate, and pleasant-looking. When she smiled, there was a certain charm.
Not as beautiful as those actresses. Even a bit less striking than Zhang Beibei.
But… she was smart.
There were plenty of beautiful women in the world, especially around him.
But truly intelligent women? Not just cunning or pretending to be smart, but genuinely sharp? Those were rare.
He was at an age where marriage was starting to cross his mind. Whenever he met a woman, he couldn’t help but evaluate whether she was a good match.
He had already seen Ju Li in a different light. And now, with her promotion and this bonus, his curiosity about her deepened.
What was it they always said in novels?
When someone starts feeling curious about another person, it’s often the first sign of love.
Should he give it a try?
Marriage wasn’t a beauty contest. If he ended up with someone like Boss Zhong’s disastrous first wife, that would be a nightmare.
Like choosing shoes, only the wearer knows if they truly fit.
Better to find someone intelligent, someone with shared values.
After a moment of thought, he spoke. “How have the past few days been? Getting used to the work pace?”
“It’s been good. I’m new to the workforce, so working hard and learning more is a great opportunity.” Ju Li smiled at him.
“Mm. Boss Zhong has a bit of a temper, but he’s fair. You don’t need to be afraid of him. If he gets angry, just give him space. Once he’s cooled down, continue the conversation, he’s not the type to fire employees on a whim.” Zhu Jingyi put on a mentor-like expression, slightly authoritative, but warm and reassuring.
“I understand. I’ll be mindful of my own temper and cherish this job,” Ju Li replied, flashing him another smile.
Zhu Jingyi found himself enjoying her smile, gentle, soft, warm, yet carrying a quiet intelligence.
It was… unexpectedly pleasant. Almost comforting.
“Are you free this Friday night?” The thought barely formed in his mind before he blurted it out. “I’ve been reading some detective novels and wanted to discuss them. I know a great place, we can grab some good food and chat. What do you think?”
Ju Li paused, blinked, and looked at him with a hint of confusion.
Zhu Jingyi straightened his chest, his smile confident and charming. Looking at her expression, he suddenly felt delighted.
What?
She didn’t expect him to ask her out, did she?
Was she so surprised that she couldn’t maintain her “elegant woman” persona?
She was about to smile out of sheer joy, right?
Go ahead and smile, like a 23-year-old girl, innocent, lively, and a little shy.
He would like that too.
Then, Zhu Jingyi heard Ju Li clearly say:
“No, Zhu zong. This Friday night, I already have plans to eat hot pot with my younger brother.”
“……”
Uh…
Did he hear that right?
She… actually… rejected him?
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