Chapter 11
Mu Haoqiong stayed at the cafe for his date, while Murong Cheng returned to their apartment alone.
He didn’t know who to talk to about failing his review. He scrolled through his contacts, his finger hovering over Chi Yu’s name several times before he closed the app.
It was the middle of the day; Chi Yu would be asleep.
Besides, what could Chi Yu do? Ask Pan Yueyi or Xu Yayun to reconsider?
The decision clearly wasn’t made by the Brand Marketing Department. Even his “CEO’s brother” status hadn’t saved him. It meant his performance was truly subpar. Mr. Yuan was right; he had failed as the project liaison for the Fan Hechang campaign. He deserved to be let go.
The room felt stuffy, so he opened the window.
Sitting by the window, he mindlessly scrolled through apps on his phone, then absentmindedly opened the job forum.
Seeing his post from two weeks ago—”I’ve been here for three months, and my leader hasn’t assigned me any actual work. I’m getting anxious”—he couldn’t help but chuckle wryly.
The post hadn’t gained much traction, only two replies.
[2nd Floor: You’re blessed and don’t even know it!]
[3rd Floor: Please, give me this blessing! I’m begging you!]
Murong Cheng started typing.
[OP: Guys, being an inside man isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I failed my review and got fired. Back to job hunting.]
Just as he was about to post, a call came in.
An eight-digit landline number, the first four digits matching the company’s prefix.
It was Guangyu.
Murong Cheng froze, then answered the call.
“Hello…”
“Mr. Murong, this is Jiang Lan from HR. Sorry to bother you on a Saturday,” a familiar female voice said.
“Jiang… Manager Jiang…” Murong Cheng stammered, his heart sinking.
A call on Saturday? Were they rushing him to leave?
Although he hadn’t done much actual work, he still needed to clear out his desk. And he hadn’t found a new job yet…
He hadn’t had a chance to say goodbye to his colleagues, or even… see Mr. Cheng from the Legal Department one last time. He still hadn’t thanked him for the ride back from the resort.
There were so many things he wanted to do, so many goals he wanted to achieve at Guangyu. But now, he wouldn’t have the chance.
“Mr. Murong, we’ve reevaluated your probationary review and decided to adjust the result. Are you still interested in staying at Guangyu?”
Her voice was gentle, almost pleading.
Staying… at Guangyu?
This was completely unexpected. “Huh?”
“It’s alright, take your time to consider,” Jiang Lan said, not pressing for an immediate answer. “After three months, Guangyu recognizes your potential. If you’ve found a more suitable position elsewhere, we understand, but we’d like to retain you if possible.”
“No, no!” Relief and joy washed over him. He felt lightheaded, like a happy balloon floating towards the sky. “I’d love to stay! Thank you, Manager Jiang, for this opportunity!”
Hearing this, Jiang Lan sighed in relief.
“Wonderful, Mr. Murong. On behalf of Guangyu, I wish you continued success with us! However, your position might be adjusted—”
His heart sank again.
“Please come to the 21st floor on Monday morning. I’ll show you to your new position.”
“Manager Jiang…” Murong Cheng asked cautiously, “My new position is…?”
Jiang Lan: “You’ll be CEO Murong’s assistant, working on the 28th floor.”
He gasped. “CEO’s assistant?”
Jiang Lan: “Yes.”
Murong Cheng: “Why am I being transferred to the CEO’s office?”
Jiang Lan’s voice remained calm and professional. “It’s CEO Murong’s arrangement.”
[OP: I’ve inexplicably been transferred to the CEO’s office as an assistant. I’m just a newbie!]
He deleted his previous post on the forum and wrote a new one.
He should be happy about passing his review, but this unexpected transfer to the CEO’s office filled him with uncertainty.
Did CEO Murong know about his “brother” act and decide to deal with him personally?
But that didn’t make sense. If they hadn’t taken his “brother” act seriously, they would have fired him. This transfer felt more like protection, a way of signaling to everyone that he was under the CEO’s wing.
But he wasn’t, was he?
Perhaps because it was a weekend, the forum was active. His post quickly received several replies.
[4th Floor: CEO’s assistant! Second in command!]
[5th Floor: This promotion speed… I’m so jealous.]
[6th Floor: So, OP, what’s your last name? How unique is it to cause such a misunderstanding?]
Murong Cheng chuckled wryly.
He was the CEO’s assistant, not the CEO’s secretary. He was hardly “second in command.”
His last name…
He typed on his phone.
[OP: Murong…]
Although “Murong” was unusual, it was only noteworthy in A City because of Lingyu and Guangyu. The forum had users from all over the country. It shouldn’t matter.
However, after he posted his last name, the post’s popularity exploded again.
[7th Floor: ?? Murong! OP, don’t tell me you work at Guangyu Group, the all-powerful corporation in our city!!! Does that mean you see Murong Yan every day?? Aaaah, I’m dying of envy!]
[8th Floor: Wait, what? Murong Yan? Is it the incredibly handsome Murong Yan?]
[9th Floor: He’s the young entrepreneur Murong Yan! OP, what kind of idol drama script is this?! OMG!]
[10th Floor: OP, could you please take some photos of CEO Murong? I want to see the handsome guy, please, please! Candid shots would be even better! Drools]
Notifications kept popping up. His post was flooded with replies.
CEO Murong was a well-known entrepreneur, but he hadn’t expected him to be famous on a job forum.
Was CEO Murong really that handsome? Thinking of Cheng Geng from the Legal Department, Murong Cheng realized Guangyu seemed to value both talent and looks.
But “idol drama script” and requests for candid photos were a bit much.
He wasn’t a celebrity.
Though, if there was demand, perhaps he could sell photos of Murong Yan if he ever got fired again.
He sneezed.
Speaking ill of others was bad luck.
He shook his head, dismissing the thought.
[OP: I’ll… see?]
He gave a noncommittal reply, turned off the app notifications, and closed the window.
Monday morning, Murong Cheng woke up before his alarm, put on his most formal attire, and left the apartment.
“Do you have a meeting today?” Mu Haoqiong asked sleepily, emerging from his bedroom as Murong Cheng was leaving.
He hadn’t told anyone about failing his review and then being reassigned to the CEO’s office.
He simply mumbled a vague “Yeah” and hurried out.
He arrived on the 21st floor before 9:00 am and sat on a sofa in the corridor, waiting for Jiang Lan to return from breakfast.
“Ah Cheng, you’re early,” Jiang Lan greeted him with a smile, holding up her bag. “Let me just drop this off at my office. Wait for me.”
The elevators were always busy around 9:00 am.
They waited together.
Surrounded by HR colleagues, Murong Cheng couldn’t ask about his review. To avoid awkward silence, he asked about his new position.
“Manager Jiang, what exactly does the CEO’s assistant do?”
Jiang Lan looked up from her phone. “The position is new, so I’m not entirely sure. But I assume you’ll be assisting CEO Murong’s secretary, preparing meeting materials, and such.”
A new position?
Created specifically for him?
“Oh, okay.” He swallowed nervously. “Manager Jiang, you mentioned my new office is on the 28th floor, in CEO Murong’s office? Is that in Building I or II? We’re in Building I now. Do I need to go downstairs to get to Building II…?”
Jiang Lan interrupted him.
“The 28th floor is connected.” The elevator arrived. She smiled and stepped inside. “The entire 28th floor is the CEO’s office. There’s no distinction between Building I and II.”
So this was the world of a CEO. Truly impressive.
Murong Cheng followed her into the elevator, feeling slightly awkward.
The CEO’s office was even more luxurious than he could have imagined.
He had thought the SKYLINE building and the lower floors were impressive, but the 28th floor was on a different level.
The entire floor was designed with the same futuristic and artistic style as the building’s exterior. The lighting was soft and bright, emanating from hidden sources within the walls. A silver-gray fluid sculpture graced the reception area, blending seamlessly with the surroundings. Although Murong Cheng couldn’t discern its exact form, he could appreciate its beauty.
After Jiang Lan spoke with the receptionist, a man in a suit emerged from an inner office.
As he approached, Murong Cheng realized it was someone he knew.
“Duan-ge!” he greeted him, then felt Jiang Lan’s inquisitive gaze. He looked up, but she tactfully averted her eyes and greeted Duan Shao warmly.
“Mr. Duan, I’ve brought Ah Cheng. But it seems you two already know each other? Do I still need to introduce you?”
“No need, thank you, Manager Jiang,” Duan Shao smiled, beckoning Murong Cheng. “Come, I’ll take you to CEO Murong’s office.”
Duan Shao led him down a corridor to a meeting room.
“Let me give you a tour of the 28th floor,” Duan Shao said, gesturing towards the meeting room. “This is the highest-spec meeting room in the entire building, reserved for CEO Murong to meet important guests and executives from Lingyu Group.”
“This is CEO Murong’s lounge. Currently, only he and I have access, but since you’re his assistant, I’ll request access for you as well. It contains some of his personal belongings. A professional organizer manages everything, but sometimes the CEO needs something urgently, so you might be asked to retrieve items. The organizer will show you where everything is. Suits, ties, accessories for various occasions, and other small items he frequently uses. Pay attention, you’ll need to know this.”
“This is the pantry. CEO Murong has a dedicated barista who prepares his hand-drip coffee. The other drinks are mostly for guests, but you can help yourself. He has a specific schedule for his beverages, but someone else handles that, so you don’t need to worry about it.”
Murong Cheng frantically typed notes on his phone, unable to keep up with Duan Shao’s rapid-fire introduction.
Wasn’t Duan-ge Cheng Geng’s subordinate? Why did he seem so familiar with everything related to CEO Murong?
Something felt off, but he was too busy taking notes to think about it.
“CEO Murong has an external meeting this morning. His driver is with him. Oh, right, he has two drivers who work alternating shifts, Mr. Yu and Mr. Xia. Mr. Yu is older, Mr. Xia is around your age. I’ll introduce you later. If I’m not around and CEO Murong needs a car, you’ll need to contact them.”
Murong Cheng nodded, feeling overwhelmed.
Since the CEO wasn’t in, Duan Shao didn’t take him to meet his new boss, instead giving him a brief overview of the 28th floor and the CEO’s routines. Just as Murong Cheng was about to ask more about his responsibilities, Duan Shao received a call and excused himself.
Left alone in the corridor, unsure where to go, the receptionist kindly led him to a small office.
“CEO Murong will assign your workstation later. Until he returns, you can stay here,” she said gently, sensing his confusion.
“Oh, okay.” Although the office was small, perhaps half the size of Xu Yayun’s, it had a desk and a computer, which was enough for Murong Cheng.
“The working hours here are the same as downstairs. If they haven’t returned by the end of the day, you can go down for dinner. However, the assistant’s working hours might be slightly longer. CEO Murong will explain everything this afternoon,” the receptionist continued with a smile.
“Okay, thank you. How should I address you?”
The receptionist pointed to her name tag. “I’m Yan Xiaoling. You can also just call me ’28th floor reception.'”
Murong Cheng nodded respectfully. “Xiaoling-jie.”
Just as he had been idle on the 8th floor, Murong Cheng found himself equally unoccupied on the 28th floor.
After Duan Shao left, no one paid him any attention for the rest of the day.
He had simply moved from a large cubicle on the 8th floor to a small office on the 28th floor, his idleness unchanged.
At 5:30 pm, he shut down his computer.
Another uneventful day.
But as he stood up, his phone buzzed.
A message from Duan Shao.
[Duan Shao: Don’t leave yet. Wait.]
Murong Cheng obediently put down his bag and sat back down.
[Duan Shao: CEO Murong is on his way back. He has a business dinner tonight, and you’ll be accompanying him.]
CEO Murong was on his way back…
He suddenly felt nervous.
His shirt was wrinkled from a day of sitting. He straightened up, smoothing out the barely noticeable creases.
There seemed to be some dust on his shoes. He grabbed a tissue and wiped them clean.
What else could he prepare…?
His heart pounded. He opened his notes, rereading Duan Shao’s instructions.
“CEO Murong has two drivers… it’s daytime, so Mr. Yu must be driving. Duan-ge mentioned a dinner tonight, so… Mr. Xia will be driving later?”
He muttered to himself, trying to calm his nerves.
“What are you thinking about?”
He was so engrossed that he hadn’t noticed the approaching footsteps until Duan Shao patted him on the shoulder.
Murong Cheng jumped.
He turned around, about to greet his boss, when he saw a familiar face.
“Mr. Cheng?”
The man’s face was unforgettable.
Even though it had been almost a month, and they had only met a few times, Murong Cheng recognized him instantly.
Duan Shao flicked his forehead lightly. “What floor are you on?”
Murong Cheng stared at him blankly. “28th.”
“Whose office is on the 28th floor?” Duan Shao continued patiently.
Murong Cheng replied obediently, “CEO Murong’s.”
Duan Shao simply shrugged.
The imposing man remained silent, his gaze fixed on Murong Cheng.
Suddenly, it dawned on him.
The 28th floor… was CEO Murong’s office.
So the man standing before him…
“You’re CEO Murong?”
