Carrying the food and medicine she had secretly bought earlier in the morning, Ju Li carefully organised everything to ensure nothing was missing. She rehearsed her speech in her mind one last time before finally stepping out of the door, balancing a cup while holding a pile of items.
Walking through the hotel corridor, she had an odd feeling, as if she were a train attendant going from car to car selling goods.
She was just short of calling out, “Hot dogs, instant noodles, boxed meals…”
Standing in front of Zhong Liyan’s room was far more nerve-wracking than standing in front of Chen Haoyu’s.
After all, back then, she didn’t know Chen Haoyu. Although she had been nervous, the worst that could happen was embarrassment, and at least she wouldn’t completely lose her job.
In contrast, Zhong Liyan not only knew her but also had absolute power over her career. Facing him filled her with a much greater sense of fear.
She muttered a few lines from the Diamond Sutra against the door, reciting until she could no longer recall the words. Only then did she lift her foot and knock lightly, her hands were too full to press the doorbell.
The wait for a response felt excruciatingly long.
What kind of situation is this… She had only been a secretary for two days, yet she had already spent most of her time knocking on men’s doors.
As footsteps finally sounded from inside, Ju Li snapped out of her thoughts. She quickly turned her back to the peephole before stepping back two paces, ensuring that he could clearly see her through it.
“Go back to sleep.” The door didn’t open. Instead, Boss Zhong’s low, muffled voice came from inside, sounding both irritated and exhausted.
The next moment, the footsteps receded.
Ju Li’s eyes widened in disbelief. Did he really just refuse to open the door?!
“Boss,” she called out softly, gritted her teeth, and summoned all her courage to lightly kick the door twice.
This was Ju Li. Others might have backed down after being rejected by Zhong Liyan, after all, courage had its limits. Once it was exhausted, it was difficult to muster up again.
Especially when facing someone like Zhong Liyan. Who would dare ignore his rejection?
But Ju Li was the type of person who, once she set her mind on something, would persist with unwavering determination.
Sometimes, she was even recklessly brave.
If she had felt fear and hesitation before Zhong Liyan dismissed her…
Now, those emotions had disappeared entirely.
A stubborn defiance swelled in her chest. A competitive streak flared up, pushing aside all her fear. She was determined to get Zhong Liyan to open this shy door of his.
So, she knocked again… and again… and again.
Finally, she heard his heavy footsteps approaching once more, and she quickly stepped back.
Just as she sensed him standing at the door, possibly peering at her through the peephole…
She adjusted her grip, lifting the items in her arms higher to ensure he could see everything she had brought, aspirin, Red Bull, ice packs, menthol balm, vitamins, instant noodles, tomatoes, Lao Gan Ma chili sauce, and a cup of hot milk.
These were her “door-knocking tokens.”
At last, Zhong Liyan pulled open the door.
He leaned against the doorframe, one hand gripping the door handle, his dark eyes fixed on her as if trying to see right through her.
But he was exhausted.
His usually neat short hair was messily tousled, faint dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his thick brows were furrowed. His shoulders slumped slightly, as though he might collapse from overwork at any moment.
Looking at him now, Ju Li suddenly felt as though they were standing a little closer than before.
This man, who seemed to have boundless energy, was actually just an ordinary human. He simply had stronger endurance than most.
She shifted her posture, subtly drawing his attention to the things in her arms.
Zhong Liyan glanced at the mess of items she was holding, immediately spotting the aspirin.
He had 34 urgent emails to reply to,
Three leading actress candidates to review,
Six new game development proposals to assess,
43 pending approval processes to handle (spanning finance, legal, and HR departments),
And three missed calls from his mother…
He definitely needed that aspirin.
But then his gaze landed on the raw tomatoes and instant noodles.
He raised an eyebrow at her round, eager, puppy-like eyes and let out a long, irritated sigh. He closed his eyes briefly, then finally released the door handle and turned back, dragging his exhausted body toward his temporary office.
Ju Li swiftly slipped inside, hooking the door shut with her foot.
She turned to the mirror and gave herself an encouraging nod. Good. First hurdle cleared!
Laying everything out on the table, she took a deep breath, striving to maintain a demeanor of genuine concern, without overstepping. She could not let Zhong Liyan think she was trying to use hidden rules to get ahead. That would make her seem opportunistic and put him on guard against her.
Especially for someone in his position, surrounded by people looking to profit off him.
She had to make it absolutely clear that she was acting solely out of professional duty as his secretary, with zero personal motives.
As she carefully arranged the items on the coffee table, she ensured her expression remained cool and distant. Only when she was sure she had calmed down completely did she pick up the hot milk, her ultimate weapon for tonight.
Right now, Zhong Liyan had likely reached his physical limit. No matter how well-prepared her PowerPoint and arguments were, presenting them while he was in a terrible mood and state of exhaustion might do more harm than good.
The first step, then, was to help him recover his energy.
But how?
She couldn’t exactly sing him a lullaby to put him to sleep, could she?
She had something far more effective, her secret weapon: the “Brain-Boosting Milk Tablets.”
Before setting out, she had already ground the tablets into powder and stirred them into the hot milk.
When she walked into the temporary office, she placed the spiked milk and the aspirin in front of him.
The look in her eyes seemed to say:
“Dalang, drink this while it’s hot, and your illness will be cured.”
[T/N: “Da Lang, drink this bowl of medicine while it’s hot” is a well-known Chinese meme from the 2005 TV series Wu Song (adapted from Water Margin), referencing the scene where Pan Jinlian urges her husband Wu Dalang to drink poisoned medicine. It is often used humorously to suggest hidden ill intent behind an apparently caring gesture.]
…
The warm, milky-white liquid exuded a fresh dairy aroma. Upon closer inspection, there was also a particular scent, indescribable yet distinct. Taking a deep breath, he felt an almost invigorating clarity wash over him.
Zhong Liyan shifted his gaze from his work to the glass of milk before him. The smooth, white liquid seemed to shimmer with tiny, star-like specks. Staring at it for too long felt as if he might be drawn into a universe within the milk itself.
Rubbing his eyes, he thought to himself that he probably did need some rest.
Before he even realized it, his fingers had already curled around the handle of the glass.
As the warm liquid entered his mouth, a rich and refreshing fragrance flooded his senses. The silky milk glided over his tongue, caressing every inch of his mouth. The moment it flowed down his throat, a wave of relief spread through him, like rain after a long drought.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he downed the entire glass in one go.
After finishing, he blankly stared at the bottom of the glass. A deep sense of longing lingered in his chest and stomach.
How was it gone so quickly?
Setting down the empty glass, he leaned back into his computer chair, closing his eyes.
A strange sensation enveloped him. It was as if countless invisible hands were massaging every inch of his body with perfect precision.
The exhaustion accumulated in his limbs and bones slowly dissipated. The relaxation was so profound that even this usually serious and reserved man couldn’t help but let out a sigh of contentment.
Those invisible hands then reached his brain, sending a tingling sensation across his scalp before seeping deep into his mind.
It felt like he had just woken up from a long, restful sleep. The fatigue vanished, replaced by a growing energy filling his entire being.
If he were to look into a mirror at that moment, he would have noticed the dark circles under his eyes fading away. His once-pale skin now carried a healthy, rosy glow.
Unlike the temporary boost from coffee or energy drinks, this cup of hot milk didn’t merely stimulate him into wakefulness. It restored his depleted energy, truly replenishing his health and bringing him to his peak condition, more effective than even a good night’s sleep.
When Zhong Liyan opened his eyes again, he realized that only a minute had passed. Yet, he felt as though he had slept for more than ten hours.
Could it be that his body was lacking some essential nutrient found in milk?
“You added something to this, didn’t you?” Zhong Liyan asked.
“No,” Ju Li replied with a confused expression. “It’s just regular packaged milk. I just heated it up.”
“Hm.” He acknowledged with a nod. There was indeed no odd taste, and it didn’t give him the same jittery feeling as coffee.
Touching the glass absentmindedly, he opened his emails while casually saying, “Sort out the documents on the desk.”
Ju Li glanced at the mess of papers, PPTs, budget spreadsheets, and reports scattered everywhere.
As she sorted through them, she confirmed that the actor profile PPT she had handed to Qiu Fang was indeed missing.
While organizing, she kept sneaking glances at him.
Thirty seconds later, Zhong Liyan closed his laptop and lifted his gaze to her, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Meeting his stare, Ju Li smacked her lips. It seemed he had already noticed that she had something to say.
“Boss, I have a PPT I’d like you to take a look at,” she said, inhaling deeply before speaking with determination.
“Hmm.” He leaned back in his chair, looking at her with mild amusement.
In fact, after drinking the milk and feeling completely revitalized, even his usually indifferent gaze found his little secretary much more pleasant to look at.
Fair skin, delicate features, and bright, sparkling eyes, she was actually quite pretty.
“Boss, this is an introduction PPT for a female actor,” she declared, suddenly pulling out a rolled-up PPT from behind her waist and spreading it out before him as if revealing a treasure map.
Clearing her throat, she immediately launched into the pitch she had prepared in her mind.
“She may be a newcomer, but if you look at her acting clips…”
“During her time in school, the awards she won are proof of her talent…”
“Right now, she’s also not signed with any agency…”
“Her looks aren’t the trendy ‘girl-next-door’ type, but she’s definitely not the overly seductive kind either, so she won’t trigger female audiences’ hostility. On the other hand, if you take a closer look, her beauty resembles that of legends like Brigitte Lin and Joey Wong, an elegant and striking kind of attractiveness. Her features, temperament, and physique are all exceptionally rare…”
“I even went through all four years of her university posts on Weibo, she’s clean, with no scandals or controversy…”
“Based on her posts on Weibo, Douyin, and other social platforms, her personality actually aligns well with the female lead in our drama. This will significantly reduce the time needed for her to adapt to the role…”
“In terms of marketing, we don’t even need to push a narrative, male lead fans will naturally start saying, ‘Who is this no-name actress stealing my husband’s on-screen first love?’ No need for forced promotion; in fact, this approach will make her stand out more than a well-known actress and boost the drama’s overall popularity…”
Ju Li spoke with enthusiasm, her words pouring out so fast that she was left parched.
Zhong Liyan lifted his gaze from the PPT and looked at her.
As she spoke, her face was glowing with excitement. The passion in her voice made her cheeks flush, and her eyes sparkled brightly.
This young woman, who was about the same age as the actress she was promoting, had just called the actress a “kid” with complete seriousness.
Not only that, but she had already thought through the film’s marketing strategy even before the drama was finalized.
He knew she was a quick learner, but at this moment, he realized her performance had exceeded his expectations.
It seemed that she hadn’t wasted a single moment in the past few days. She had absorbed and processed every bit of information and knowledge that had been shared during their work.
If he remembered correctly, she had studied English before, right?
That meant she had no prior knowledge of this industry before joining. Yet now, she had managed to put together such a well-structured and content-rich PowerPoint presentation.
After finishing her presentation, covering every key point, Ju Li obediently stood to the side, quietly catching her breath, saying so much at once had left her a little oxygen-deprived.
Zhong Liyan pursed his lips, grabbed a bottle of mineral water, and placed it in front of her.
Grateful, she thanked him repeatedly, twisted the cap open, and gulped down two big sips.
Was this gesture of goodwill from her boss a sign of a promising beginning?
“Where did you hear about this Qiu Xianyue?” he asked.
“I saw her before on the set of White Fan Strategist. Chen Haoyu mentioned her to me, saying that despite her young age, she was an excellent actress with great potential. Their company was even considering signing her as a talent.”
Ju Li had anticipated that Boss Zhong would be curious about how a newcomer like her knew about this person.
So, she had already prepared her answer in advance.
After all, before meeting with the boss and reporting work progress, predicting the possible questions he might ask was a crucial step.
Zhong Liyan stared into her eyes for over ten seconds. His unwavering gaze, initially making Ju Li feel justified and confident, now had her feeling a bit nervous.
Only when she started fidgeting under his scrutiny did he finally retract his gaze and speak in a deep voice:
“Confirm the time by 10 am tomorrow, then inform Qiu Fang to come here for an interview.”
“Thank you, boss!” Ju Li’s face lit up with excitement.
All the professionalism she had planned, maintaining a composed and businesslike demeanor, was instantly thrown out the window.
At this moment, her emotions were written all over her face.
Zhong Liyan frowned and glanced at her. “Is she your relative?”
Ju Li instantly straightened up under his sharp gaze and quickly responded, “No. Before following you to visit the White Fan Strategist set, I had no idea Qiu Xianyue even existed. She’s not a relative, not a friend, she probably doesn’t even know I exist.”
Zhong Liyan scanned her face again with his piercing gaze before finally lowering his eyes and returning to work.
Seeing that the matter was settled, Ju Li finally relaxed, and exhaustion crept in. She had been on her feet all day without much rest.
“Then, Mr. Zhong, I’ll head back now. Good–”
Before she could finish saying “night,” he interrupted her.
“Don’t leave tonight.”
He lifted his head slightly, one eyebrow raised, looking at her with an indescribable allure.
His eyes were deep and unfathomable, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Yet his tone left no room for refusal.
Casual, yet firm.
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