Chapter 6
Official announcements, pre-launch buzz, official launch, roadshows.
The launch of Guangyu’s new product spanned over a week.
With simultaneous efforts across various channels and multiple platforms, and leveraging the existing Light City fanbase, the well-executed promotional campaign attracted numerous new customers. The newly launched Light City Go made a splash in the market.
Guangyu Group’s market value soared, pulling up its parent company, Lingyu Group’s, stock price along with it. The media was filled with praise for the new product and accolades for the young and promising entrepreneur, Murong Yan, CEO of Guangyu Group.
Strong results boosted company morale.
Despite nearly two months of continuous overtime, everyone remained enthusiastic.
Especially after the performance bonuses for the new product launch were distributed at the end of the month.
“Guangyu’s project bonuses are this high?!” Mu Haoqiong exclaimed, momentarily pausing his video game as the notification popped up on his phone.
Hearing the commotion, Murong Cheng rushed to check his bank account.
The amount was indeed substantial.
Especially for a new employee, and especially for one who hadn’t actually done much since joining.
The bonus notification was quickly followed by an email.
It was a notice about a team-building event and holiday.
[Dear Colleagues,
The company will hold a team-building event at the Xinbinhaiwan Beach Resort in neighboring City B next Tuesday and Wednesday. Please see the attachment for details.
Furthermore, as per the company’s leadership, Thursday and Friday will be company holidays (not deducted from annual leave or compensatory time off).
Best regards.]
This time, Mu Haoqiong jumped off the sofa.
“Holy crap! Isn’t that the famous resort in City B? We wanted to go after graduation, but the prices scared us off. CEO Murong is too generous! And he gave us two extra days off! Wait, doesn’t this mean we get a super long holiday combined with the National Day holiday? Oh my god! I’m going to work for Guangyu forever!”
Murong Cheng also grinned as he opened the email attachment. A team-building event on weekdays, plus two extra days off? Guangyu’s employee benefits truly lived up to their reputation.
Mu Haoqiong, also reading the attachment, suddenly exclaimed, “Employees can bring a spouse for free! Free! Ah Cheng, spouses are free!”
“Do you have one?” Murong Cheng teased.
“Sadly, I don’t!” Mu Haoqiong wailed, then threw an arm around Murong Cheng’s shoulder. “Neither of us do, so it’s just us. Speaking of which, have you met anyone you want to pursue at the company?”
Murong Cheng shook his head. “No.”
“You’re still the same as in college, completely oblivious,” Mu Haoqiong clicked his tongue. With his delicate, doll-like features, Murong Cheng had always been popular. Too bad he was oblivious to others’ advances, wasting his attractive face.
“What about you? Any targets?” Murong Cheng countered.
“Nope,” Mu Haoqiong shook his head. “There aren’t many women in our department, and the ones who are there are either taken or married. Plus, we’re all so busy, no one has time for romance. But this team-building event is a good opportunity to meet people from other departments.”
Indeed, the team-building event wasn’t separated by department. Everyone was mixed together.
The buses departed based on arrival time at the company. Everyone checked in on the company app, and the buses left as they filled up.
The company had booked a large area of the resort, renting almost all the available accommodations. Upon arrival, everyone chose their rooms on a first-come, first-served basis. There were multi-room villas and two- or three-bedroom apartments.
Since they lived close to the company, Mu Haoqiong and Murong Cheng arrived early and had their pick of accommodations. Hearing that the villas had courtyards, large projector screens, and mahjong tables, they chose a five-person villa. They wanted a different experience from their two-bedroom apartment back in A City.
Since no one else showed up at their villa, as lunchtime approached, they headed towards the designated dining area.
Lunch was a buffet. The afternoon was free for everyone to enjoy the beach. Dinner was a more formal sit-down affair.
Although there was no assigned seating by department, everyone naturally gravitated towards familiar faces, mostly ending up with their colleagues. After everyone arrived, the CEO was expected to give a short speech, but apparently, Murong Yan disliked such occasions, so the HR general manager spoke instead.
“Leaders and colleagues, welcome to Xinbinhaiwan Beach Resort! Let’s celebrate the successful launch of our new autumn product, the Light City Go series!”
After the brief speech, department heads gave short addresses at each table and presented monthly awards for outstanding employees.
This was a Guangyu tradition.
Each month, one outstanding employee from each department received a metal medal.
Xu Yayun, without hesitation, presented the medal to Murong Cheng.
“This month’s outstanding employee in our Brand Marketing Department is our new colleague, Murong Cheng. Since joining, Murong Cheng has been diligent and proactive, contributing significantly to the successful launch of our new product. He truly deserves this award! A round of applause, everyone! Let me present this medal of excellence to Murong Cheng!”
Most of the people at their table were from Brand Marketing, and they all applauded politely.
Feeling undeserving, Murong Cheng tried to decline, but Xu Yayun insisted on placing the medal around his neck.
“Ah Cheng, don’t be shy. As a new employee, you’ve performed exceptionally well. Xiao Xun received this award last year, around the same time. It’s just a medal, don’t feel pressured.”
Hearing that Zou Xun had also received the award, Murong Cheng accepted it.
“Thank you, Manager Xu,” he said politely, then bowed to his colleagues. “Thank you to all the leaders and colleagues for your guidance and support.”
Someone handed him a glass of wine, and everyone cheered. Under the spotlight, Murong Cheng downed the red wine in one gulp.
However, this was just the beginning.
Seeing him drink so readily, everyone assumed he enjoyed alcohol, not realizing he couldn’t handle it. They toasted him enthusiastically, one after another. Refusing one person would seem disrespectful, and as soon as he finished one glass, another colleague would approach with another.
After one glass, Murong Cheng’s face flushed. After two, his vision blurred. After three, he swayed, almost falling.
“Ah Cheng, are you alright?” Pan Yueyi quickly steadied him.
“Mmm…” Murong Cheng blinked, his long lashes fluttering, unable to focus.
Pan Yueyi thought, Oh no.
“Manager Xu, everyone, please continue. I’ll take Ah Cheng back to rest,” she said, leading him away.
Murong Cheng was dizzy and disoriented, barely hearing Pan Yueyi’s voice. He simply followed her lead.
“Ah Cheng, where are you staying?” Pan Yueyi asked once they were out of the noisy restaurant.
Where was he staying? He tilted his head, his mind blank, then shook his head.
Pan Yueyi’s lips twitched.
“Your key card? Do you have it?”
This time, Murong Cheng managed a coherent response.
He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a card.
For convenience, the resort used key cards for all accommodations, similar to hotels. However, the villa and apartment areas were separate, so the cards were different colors.
Although she still didn’t know his exact location, Pan Yueyi now had a general direction.
She continued leading him towards the villa area.
As they entered the area, just as she was about to ask which villa he was staying in, her phone rang.
It was the advertising agency.
The cool night air slightly cleared Murong Cheng’s head. He stopped and stood still. Pan Yueyi glanced at him and answered the call.
Murong Cheng couldn’t hear what she was saying. The alcohol was taking effect, and he could barely keep his eyes open, his senses dulled. However, out of politeness, he still took a step back, pretending not to eavesdrop.
This gesture clearly misled Pan Yueyi. She looked at him after hanging up.
“Sobering up?”
Some people had low alcohol tolerance, but rarely did someone get drunk after just three glasses. She assumed he had simply drunk too quickly and was recovering.
Murong Cheng, still dizzy, simply nodded mechanically.
Pan Yueyi: “Alright, go back to your room. I need to go back to mine; the advertising agency needs a file. Can you find your room?”
She asked again, just to be sure.
Murong Cheng, his mind foggy, could only nod.
Their utterly ineffective conversation ended there.
Pan Yueyi, satisfied, said “Okay” and left.
Murong Cheng stood there for a while longer before realizing he was alone in the dimly lit courtyard.
He blinked, looking around, confused. After a moment, he walked towards the villa that looked most familiar.
Even though all the villas looked identical.
Reaching the door, he fumbled with the key card, holding it against the sensor.
“Beep—”
He pressed the handle, but the door remained locked.
He frowned, trying again.
The same sharp “beep” responded.
Murong Cheng wrinkled his nose and turned to leave. But at the last second, his legs felt heavy. He squatted down and lifted the doormat.
This was where he and Mu Haoqiong hid their spare key at their apartment in A City, in case they both forgot their keys.
As luck would have it, he found a key card under the mat.
He grinned and swiped the card, unlocking the door.
Unable to find the main light switch, he turned on the ambient lighting in the living room.
The dim light made the bedroom seem slightly different from that morning. But his head was spinning, and he didn’t have the energy to figure it out. He stumbled into the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed.
The bed was soft.
And fragrant.
A familiar scent.
That was his last thought before he drifted off to sleep.
