Chapter 31: Today is Truly Busy with Business!
“Enough! Stop playing around, Su Sophie.” Ji Linyue finally snapped out of his petrified state. He pulled the letter that had made him “socially dead” from under the photo frame, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it into the trash can by his feet.
Knock, knock.
Just then, the office door was tapped twice. A young secretary entered the conference room with coffee and tea. “Please, everyone.” She carefully arranged the bone china cups and saucers, her fingertips trembling slightly.
The atmosphere in the room was tense, causing the secretary’s movements to lose their standard. A few drops of coffee splashed out of the cup, and she hurriedly bent over to grab a tissue to wipe them. Just then—
Thud.
The phone in her pocket slid out, sliding along without a hitch until it finally stopped before Ji Hanmo’s shiny custom leather shoes. The secretary turned pale with fright and was about to bend over to pick it up.
“I’ll do it.” A deep voice rang out.
Ji Hanmo always maintained gentlemanly manners and didn’t want the girl to bend down to his feet to pick things up. His long fingers easily picked up the phone. His gaze accidentally swept over the lit phone screen.
The secretary’s phone was unlocked. It clearly showed the content she had just been looking at before entering: an internal gossip group named [Ji Group Pantry Intelligence Team]. In the center of the screen, a magnified photo was exceptionally clear—a photo of another phone’s chat interface.
In the screenshot was a large section of text. It was actually identical to the tiger-wolf words Su Sophie had just recited so vividly. At the top of the chat history, two words were noted—Fu Yue.
Ji Hanmo’s eyes darkened instantly. He handed the phone back to the secretary, who was about to cry.
“What is this?” His voice carried more pressure than usual.
The secretary took the phone and nearly knelt on the spot. “Chairman Ji… it’s… it’s gossip spreading outside.”
“What gossip?” Ji Hanmo’s tone had no fluctuation, yet it caused the temperature in the office to drop a few degrees.
The secretary wished she could die. She could only close her eyes and, in her fastest speaking speed, report everything she knew.
“They say… they say Mr. Fu is pursuing Chen Bai. This love letter was sent by Mr. Fu to Chen Bai. Chen Bai’s face was very red when he read it, and he was… he was seen by a colleague nearby. Everyone was playing around, so… so a photo was taken…”
The moment the words fell, a weird, deathly silence descended upon the office. The smile on Su Sophie’s face froze. She had just pinned the “secretly in love with the president” label on Fu Yue. Then, in the next second, she was told that he was pursuing someone else? And it was the president’s “rumored boyfriend”? This plot twist was more dramatic than her having her proposals repeatedly rejected by a client.
Shen Junnian’s expression turned ashen. The two brothers named Ji across from him both knew he had pursued Fu Yue since childhood. Now, two more lime-green hats had been placed on his head. Although he never cared about the number of hats, he was beyond angry.
Fu Yue, not only are you seducing Ji Linyue, but you’re also provoking that bottom?! What on earth are you two bottoms doing? Connecting and playing with toys?!
Ji Linyue, at the center of the storm—just a moment ago, he was merely embarrassed by the letter. Now, it had turned into anger. Well, Fu Yue, clearly you and Chen Bai are sisters, yet you actually went after him and even came to provoke me. Is this a demonstration? A provocation? A betrayal?
The only calm person present was Ji Hanmo. After showing a trace of surprise just now, he had retracted all expression. He looked at the mess in the room and shook his head.
“The business is finished. Meeting adjourned,” Ji Hanmo said. “President Shen, I’ll see you out.”
The meeting ended. Su Sophie also hurried away with her documents. Her back looked professional and efficient, and her trademark charming smile was still on her face, but her high heels were already impatient. Who was Su Sophie? She was the Ji Group’s walking gossip transmitter, a Nobel laureate in the world of rumors. Now, she was going to take the first-hand “spicy material” to every corner of the group.
Half an hour later…
The Ji Group’s high-level management gossip group [Top Strategic Seminar (Fake)] exploded. Everyone knew that the new genius architect, Fu Yue, was secretly in love with the president, Ji Linyue! He had boldly delivered a smutty love letter in the office and was caught on the spot! It was said the content was so explicit that even Director Su Sophie, who had always been open, was blushing as she read it!
Simultaneously, in the group for lower-level employees centered around the [Ji Group Pantry Intelligence Team (Underground Version)], the vibe was different. “Brothers and sisters! That Young Master Fu, who is the Chairman’s personal consultant, is boldly pursuing Chen Bai! He’s openly challenging Ji Linyue’s authority to snatch someone; he’s a true hero of the Ji Group!”
Two messages pointed toward a core. The gale of melon-eating (gossiping) counter-attacked, met, and merged within the skyscraper of the Ji Group. Fu Yue, at the eye of the storm, was still completely oblivious to it all. He had just recovered from the heart palpitations after “committing the crime” and was sitting at his workstation drinking ice water.
However, he soon sensed something was wrong. The atmosphere in the company seemed to have changed a bit. He had just gone to the pantry to find potato chips, and the Vice President passing by looked at him with an expression that was three parts sympathy, three parts regret, and four parts “condolences.” But when he returned, several young and beautiful staff members saw him at the corner of the corridor and cast burning gazes at him.
Fu Yue: “…”
What’s the situation? Is it because the code I wrote yesterday was so brilliant that word has already spread? Or did Ji Hanmo draw some more hatred for me?
As Fu Yue was thinking, the system sensed his thoughts and let out a peep.
[Host, your social reputation value has fluctuated violently.]
“What’s going on? Did it go up or down?”
[Apologies, the system cannot perform detection.]
Forget it, ignore it. Fu Yue understood that these AIs couldn’t handle the complex emotions of humans. He planned to tell Chen Bai that the letter had been delivered so he could be prepared.
“The number you have dialed is switched off.”
He couldn’t get through to Chen Bai’s phone. Fu Yue simply took the fire stairs to the 97th floor. Chen Bai’s workstation was also empty. Fu Yue frowned. But soon, he felt relieved. After all, sending such an explicit love letter must have made the boy shy.
Or perhaps… A flash of insight hit his mind, and an “Auntie Smile” curled on his lips. Perhaps Ji Linyue read the letter, his heart fluttered, and the two were currently hiding in some deserted corner of the company—like a stairwell or a storage room—doing it wild.
Thinking of this, Fu Yue sauntered back to his office, feeling cheerful while holding his potato chips.
Buzz—
His phone suddenly rang. Fu Yue picked it up. A cold female voice came from the other end. “Hello, Mr. Fu. I am Amy from the Human Resources Department. Do you have a moment right now? I’d like to invite you to the HR Department; there are some matters we need to communicate with you about.”
Fu Yue was stunned. Amy’s phrasing was standard and refined. Fu Yue instinctively gripped his phone tighter. It was a reflex. Before transmigrating, as a corporate slave, the words “HR interview” were comparable to a death notice—it meant either overtime or being the scapegoat. Fu Yue was currently a top-level “parachutist,” but the corporate slave stress response in his bones still followed him like a shadow.
“Alright, I’ll be right over.” He hung up the phone and headed to his office first to put down the potato chips.
Along the way, he organized his thoughts on his recent work. The top-level system architecture optimization framework had been submitted, and the “Smart Medical Community” project was progressing smoothly. HR had no reason to look for him. Amy wouldn’t be here to give him a bonus, would she? This thought just popped up, and he found it funny himself.
But after laughing for a bit, he stopped. Wait, what if it’s true? Ji Hanmo had promised before that the South City project would be settled separately. However, it was to be settled after the first phase ended. This meant Fu Yue wouldn’t get that money until at least the second half of next year. This salary settlement method was a bit malicious. Could it be that Ji Hanmo’s conscience had been stirred?
Fu Yue straightened his shirt cuffs, prepared to find out the truth. He was completely unaware that in the short five minutes of his commute to the office, the internal gossip had completed its final evolution—a comprehensive “Grand Masterpiece” version was born.
[That Fu Yue is simply a time management master! On the surface, he is the Chairman’s personal consultant, but behind the scenes, he is a scumbag player! He’s stepping on four boats, having an ‘extraordinary relationship’ with Chairman Ji Hanmo while simultaneously pursuing our President Ji Linyue and his rumored boyfriend Chen Bai! He can be called the strongest spoiler of the year! Beside him, there’s also a childhood friend who has pursued him for a long time, the prince of the Shen Group.]
Fu Yue pushed open the frosted glass door of the HR Department. Amy, wearing white Chanel and looking to be around thirty, greeted him. “Mr. Fu, please take a seat.” Inside the meeting room, Amy pointed to the chair across from her and personally poured water for him, her posture professional and impeccable.
“Mr. Fu,” Amy cleared her throat, her opening tone very official, “I have been commissioned by the Chairman’s Office to have an informal communication with you.”
Fu Yue’s heart skipped a beat. If the Chairman personally spoke, it indeed seemed like the rhythm of giving out money. Amy adjusted her glasses, her appearance showing careful consideration of words. “As the Chairman’s personal consultant, your identity possesses a certain degree of uniqueness.”
Fu Yue nodded, signaling for her to continue. Amy’s next sentence, however, was a major turning point. “However, the company also hopes that during your tenure, you can fully consider potential conflicts of interest when handling personal emotional relationships, as well as maintaining the overall image and reputation of the company.”
A paragraph with an unclear subject and an unclear object. She said a lot, yet seemed to have said nothing at all. Fu Yue pondered for a full half minute before grasping a bit of the meaning. This paragraph seemed as if every word was tailored for him.
Coming from the Chairman’s Office, that meant it was Ji Hanmo’s intention. “Handling personal emotional relationships”—that was the ambiguous relationship between him and Ji Hanmo. “Fully consider potential conflicts of interest and maintain the company’s overall image and reputation”—this kind of language was usually used for a “polite dismissal, keeping distance, and not dreaming of a further relationship.”
Once his thoughts were organized this way, Fu Yue understood. This is Ji Hanmo hinting for me to keep my distance from him. The strange atmosphere in the office area earlier also indirectly proved his guess. No wonder! The Vice President’s gaze was full of sympathy.
Turns out he thought I, the well-connected person who rose through the ‘Chairman relationship,’ was about to be kicked aside by the boss! Fu Yue understood this point, his brow furrowed as he let out a sigh. Actually, he was trying hard to control his expression. This news was better to him than an early bonus. Ji Hanmo proactively asking him to stay away was exactly what he wanted. His innocence was preserved.
“Amy, I understand your meaning. Please tell the Chairman I will handle it. Please tell him to rest assured.” Fu Yue nodded solemnly, his tone sincere and his expression held even tighter, trying hard to display the loneliness and understanding of being “abandoned.”
Amy seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, revealing a smile of relief.
Strange… Fu Yue grumbled secretly in his heart. HR is just a messenger; why is she as nervous as if she’s defusing a bomb? Afraid I’ll cause a scene on the spot? Or worried I’ll be sarcastic? Fu Yue felt Amy was overthinking. He was more than happy to stay away from the boss.
The talk ended, and Fu Yue walked out of the office in a light mood. In the corridor, everyone’s gaze grew even more complex. Fu Yue felt completely transparent. He understood. People love to see this kind of drama where someone falls from the clouds and is heartlessly abandoned by the boss. It’s fine, go ahead and look, sympathize with me all you want. As long as I can draw a line with Ji Hanmo, this walking hormone bomb. The only pity was that he wasn’t given any money. But such a small detail didn’t need to be cared about.
Today is truly a beautiful day! Fu Yue hummed a little tune in his heart as he returned to his office, only to find someone standing by the door, clearly waiting for him.
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