Gu Huaizhi stood in front of the mirror, letting her attend to him while holding his phone to his ear and speaking to someone on the other end.
“This acquisition deal doesn’t need to be discussed any further. Tell them to either accept our terms or terminate the negotiations.”
His voice was cold and firm, carrying an unquestionable authority.
Only after ending the call did he turn his head slightly and glance at Wen Yu in the mirror as she buttoned his shirt for him.
Once she finished, Wen Yu stepped back two paces.
“Done, Mr. Gu.”
Gu Huaizhi turned around. His slender fingers brushed across her cheek before he took a card from the inner pocket of his suit and placed it on the bedside table.
“Buy a new dress. You’ll accompany me to the charity gala next week.”
“Yes, Mr. Gu.”
Scenes like this had been repeated countless times over the past five years.
He never stayed the night.
No matter how late it was, she never asked him to stay.
No matter how tired she was, she never tried to keep him.
Gu Huaizhi put on his suit jacket and walked toward the door without looking back.
The door closed softly behind him.
The enormous apartment was once again left with only Wen Yu.
The smile on her face slowly faded.
She walked to the window and watched the black Rolls-Royce downstairs drive away. Its red taillights gradually became a tiny red dot in the darkness before finally disappearing at the end of the street.
She picked up a pack of women’s cigarettes, pulled one out, placed it between her lips, and lit it.
Taking a deep drag, she slowly exhaled.
It was a habit she had picked up later on. She wasn’t addicted. She only smoked occasionally when she was under too much pressure or in a bad mood.
Smoke drifted from her lips, and her eyes held a lazy, alluring charm.
After being a lover for too long, it was easy to develop the illusion that the relationship was something legitimate.
Nine o’clock the next morning.
Conference room, top floor of Gu Corporation.
The atmosphere was somewhat tense.
The Mr. Wang sent by the partner had been talking nonstop for half an hour. His main point was simple:
Pay more, or there would be no way to continue the project.
Several department heads sitting below had practically buried their heads beneath the table. No one dared to speak first.
Just then, the crisp, steady sound of high heels approached from outside.
Everyone instinctively breathed a sigh of relief. Even their backs unconsciously straightened.
Secretary Wen had arrived.
Today, she wore a well-tailored suit jacket that made her already fair skin look even more radiant. Her hair was neatly twisted into an immaculate bun at the back of her head, revealing her smooth forehead and elegant, slender neck.
She held a tablet in one hand. Her posture was straight, and her steps were quick and steady.
There was hardly any emotion in her eyes, but whenever her gaze swept over someone, it carried a distinct chill.
“Secretary Wen,” someone greeted her softly.
Wen Yu gave a slight nod in acknowledgment and walked straight to her seat beside the empty head chair at the end of the long conference table.
She gently placed the tablet on the table, then turned her attention to Mr. Wang, who was still talking incessantly.
“Mr. Wang, you proposed a twenty percent increase in costs based on fluctuations in raw material prices. These are the market data for the past three months, along with the forecast for material prices over the next six months.”
She swiped her finger across the tablet several times.
The large screen in the conference room immediately switched to a series of clear charts.
“The data shows that the largest fluctuation has not exceeded five percent. So where exactly does your proposed twenty percent increase come from?”
Mr. Wang was momentarily speechless. His chubby face turned awkward.
“Well… Secretary Wen, market forecasts aren’t always accurate. Actual procurement isn’t as simple as—”
Wen Yu didn’t pick up his argument. Her voice remained calm as she continued.
“Furthermore, according to Article 7, Clause 3 of the supplementary contract, any cost overruns caused by factors that are not force majeure shall be borne by Party B. The reason you have given does not fall under the category of force majeure.”
She raised her eyes, her gaze calm and unwavering.
“Therefore, Gu Corporation cannot accept this price increase. If your company insists on proceeding with it, we can initiate negotiations according to the breach-of-contract provisions.”
A few simple sentences, clear reasoning, precise data.
She had directly cut off every avenue the other side could use.
Mr. Wang’s face alternated between red and pale. He opened his mouth several times, but couldn’t squeeze out a single word.
The conference room instantly became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Several department heads exchanged subtle glances.
The meaning was obvious:
As expected, Secretary Wen had to be the one to step in.
Everyone in the company knew that Gu Corporation’s chief secretary, Wen Yu, was a rose with thorns.
Beautiful—undeniably beautiful.
Her face, her figure, her height of 170 centimeters, and her curvaceous proportions gave her the physique of a professional model.
But she was just as cold.
She worked swiftly and decisively, and her sense of principle was frighteningly strong. Anyone who tried to fool around or bluff their way past her was simply asking for trouble.
No one dared joke around with her.
No one had ever seen her show any expression other than that calm, composed look she wore at work.
Of course, no one knew that the seemingly untouchable, aloof secretary in their eyes spent every night beneath the high-and-mighty Mr. Gu, pleasing him and enduring everything in silence.
……
After dealing with the mess in the conference room, Wen Yu returned to the secretary’s office outside the Mr.’s office.
She had barely sat down when the internal phone rang.
It was Gu Huaizhi.
“Coffee.”
Short and to the point.
Even through the receiver, his commanding presence was unmistakable.
Wen Yu put down the phone and got up to go to the pantry.
She expertly ground the beans, brewed the coffee, and adjusted the temperature to just the right level.
Carrying the coffee, she knocked on the thick wooden door.
“Come in.”
She pushed the door open.
Gu Huaizhi was sitting behind the enormous desk, reading documents. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a golden glow around him.
The man’s features were deep and striking, with a high nose bridge and thin, tightly pressed lips.
When he was focused on work, the ruthless, decisive aura surrounding him became especially intense, making him seem completely unapproachable.
Wen Yu gently placed the coffee on his left, in a spot where he was unlikely to accidentally knock it over.
“Mr. Gu, your coffee.”
“Mm.”
Gu Huaizhi didn’t even raise his head.
“Are the materials for this afternoon’s meeting with Dingsheng ready?”
“They’re ready. I’ve already placed them on your desk.”
“The dinner with Galaxy Capital is at seven tonight, at the Grand Hyatt.”
“Understood.”
At the company, their conversations were concise and efficient.
They were nothing more than the purest possible exchange between a superior and a subordinate.
Seeing that he had no further instructions, Wen Yu prepared to leave.
“Wait.”
Gu Huaizhi suddenly spoke.
Wen Yu stopped.
“Does Mr. Gu have any other instructions?”
Gu Huaizhi had somehow already raised his head.
His gaze swept over her from head to toe before finally settling on the brooch pinned to her chest.
He frowned slightly, seemingly dissatisfied.
“Fix your clothes.”
Wen Yu lowered her head and calmly straightened the brooch, which had shifted slightly to one side.
The tiny ripple in her heart instantly settled.
He was always like this.
His attention was always drawn to the most unusual details.
……
After work.
“Secretary Wen, aren’t you leaving yet?” a colleague came over and asked.
“Not yet. I still have some work to finish.”
The colleague nodded and left.
After finishing the last bit of work on her desk, Wen Yu looked around.
Everyone else had already gone home, and the entire floor of the office building had fallen silent.
She picked up her bag and walked toward the elevator, pressing the button for the underground parking garage.
When she reached a designated parking space, she saw a Maybach waiting there.
The driver spotted her, nodded respectfully, and opened the car door for her.