As the car drove off, his peripheral vision caught Chen Zhuyue shivering as she opened her black umbrella, then gathered her soaked clothes around herself and turned to walk toward the rundown apartment complex.
He looked away, his heart calm, as if what had just happened was merely a casual helping hand.
Once, when he was young, he had been in such a sorry state too. Back then, no one had lifted him up.
It was a six-story building, and Chen Zhuyue lived on the sixth floor.
Dragging her weary feet up the stairs, Chen Zhuyue's heart was buzzing with excitement.
She ran the bathwater, stripped off her clothes, and sank her chilled body into the tub. Closing her eyes, she replayed the entire incident from start to finish.
Men in high positions hated stupidity most, and even more so, they despised those who pretended to be clever.
Approaching with obvious intent to please, throwing oneself at him deliberately—that was the lowest of tactics.
Rushing for results would only end in failure.
But this rain was an opportunity, and this umbrella was a beginning.
Assuming the posture of the weak, like boiling a frog in warm water, advancing step by step, angling step by step. Slowly simmering her way into his life, until she completely had him.
Chen Zhuyue smiled even more brightly. The soaked scene from earlier—she thought it had been perfect.
The Chamber of Commerce, the villa district.
The cold, seasonally distinct room had always been, for Zhao Linye, merely a place to rest.
Though private, it lacked any trace of living warmth.
While showering, Zhao Linye watched the droplets splashing against the mirror and suddenly thought of the girl outside his car window, drenched in rain.
The downpour had soaked her completely, her wet clothes clinging to her body, revealing the round curves of her chest. She seemed unaware, still bent over, struggling with her umbrella.
And from beginning to end, there had been no greed in her eyes when she looked at him, no calculation—as if whoever he was had nothing to do with her at all.
That frank, almost jarring innocence struck a chord with the most fervent conviction he had long since lost.
So, he was willing to give her a ride.
Whoosh!
Hot water cascaded down again. He looked up, his throat working hard.
That night, he had a spring dream—a rare occurrence.
The female lead in the dream was her, that young girl.
The next morning, when he woke, the sheets were damp. He looked down, staring at them expressionlessly for a long moment, then got up, changed clothes, showered, and washed the sheets.
"Brother Lin, are you up? There's a Chamber of Commerce event tonight at Chan Gong. Are you going? It's a very small acquisition case—if you don't go, it's fine."
Li Lingfeng called to ask. Zhao Linye didn't really want to go, but then he suddenly changed his mind. "Fine."
Chan Gong, Zhegui Ting.
Chen Zhuyue, wearing a form-fitting qipao, served at today's Chamber of Commerce event.
"Little Chen, come here a moment."
Sister Chu raised her hand and called. Chen Zhuyue hurried over. "Sister Chu, you wanted me?"
"Yes."
Sister Chu's thoughtful gaze swept over her. "I heard that when you left last night, it was the Chairman's car that took you away?"
There were no secrets in Chan Gong. That Sister Chu would know was only to be expected.
There was no panic on Chen Zhuyue's face, only steady composure.
When she had gone home last night, soaked in her bath and reviewing everything, she had already anticipated every possible scenario she might face today.
Sister Chu's probing was within her expectations.
"It was a Boss surnamed Wang who wanted to take me away. I happened to run into Chairman Zhao, and he helped me out of a tight spot. I'd also like to thank Chairman Zhao."
Her tone was neither humble nor arrogant—no flattery, no subservience, and certainly no smugness or showing off from having been "favored" by Zhao Linye.
As if, to Chen Zhuyue, it had truly just been an insignificant chance encounter.
As for the umbrella, Chen Zhuyue didn't mention it.
Perhaps, in the future, that umbrella would become very important.
"That's good. Little Chen, you've only been here a day, so you don't yet understand Chan Gong's rules. Boss Wang taking a liking to you is your honor. If you refuse, that's slapping his face. If he's displeased, Chan Gong won't protect you. Chan Gong has always upheld 'make guests feel at home, guests above all'—that's an iron rule."
"But since Chairman Zhao stepped in and personally sent you home, that's a signal. That signal tells everyone that no matter what your relationship with Chairman Zhao is, you are already his person."
"From now on in Chan Gong, because you carry Chairman Zhao's face, everyone must give you face—even me, the same."
Sister Chu said all this, added a few words of encouragement, and left.
Her attitude was considerably better than when Chen Zhuyue had first entered Chan Gong yesterday. Chen Zhuyue stood in place for a moment, her hazy mind gradually clearing.
Compared to the vague concept of power she'd had before, being inside the game today made her understand it far more clearly.
What is power?
This is power!
Just a single glance, a chance encounter—enough to make everyone move at your command. Invisible, intangible, yet able to make everyone clear the path for you!
Like Boss Wang last night.
Like Sister Chu.
And in that moment, Chen Zhuyue's ambition suddenly grew beyond merely wanting to hook Chan Gong. She wanted power too—wanted that one day in the future, someone would ride on the signal she gave, breaking through wind and waves, charging forward without hesitation!
Chen Zhuyue had considered that working at Chan Gong would inevitably mean running into Zhao Linye again, but she hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
Zhao Linye presided over the acquisition meeting—a young man with a composed bearing, each word crisp and commanding, holding the room in his grip. A single glance from him was enough to silence the entire hall.
This, too, was another manifestation of power.
This man, standing here, was a mountain.
The light in Chen Zhuyue's eyes grew brighter and brighter—reverent, almost like worshipping a deity.
And that look, Zhao Linye received it.
Halfway through the meeting, there was a brief ten-minute break.
Chen Zhuyue quickly pulled herself together and, along with the other Chan Gong staff, strode swiftly yet steadily into the venue to clear away the old teacups and set out fresh tea.
She didn't touch the pens or notebooks at hand, nor did she let her eyes wander—that was also part of the rules.
Chairs straightened, table corners aligned, microphones returned to their original positions—Chen Zhuyue worked busily but without chaos, throwing herself entirely into the task.
Only when she saw the nameplate on the chamber's podium bearing the three characters "Zhao Linye" did her outstretched hand pause for a brief moment. But she quickly composed herself and adjusted the nameplate as if nothing had happened—yet leaving the scent of her hand upon it.
Then she withdrew.
No one knew that at that moment, her heart was pounding fiercely.
During the brief ten-minute break, Zhao Linye went to the restroom, then to the smoking area.
As smoke curled up from between his fingers, Li Lingfeng said, "That small hospital in Shancheng—we've been in contact with them for a long time, but the other side won't budge."
Zhao Linye said nothing, seemingly listening, yet also not listening.
In matters like this, not taking a stance was itself a stance.
Asking too much would reveal calculation.
But not asking at all was equally impossible.
Li Lingfeng said no more and returned to Zhegui Ting first.
Chen Zhuyue emerged from the restroom, and behind the shelter of the greenery, her lips were pale, her expression grim.
Shancheng, small hospital, won't budge… every word, every phrase, pointed to Chenshi Hospital.
"Come out!"
Zhao Linye didn't turn around, speaking in a calm voice. "You heard it. Any thoughts?"
The greenery stirred.
A girl in a pale yellow qipao slowly stepped out from behind the plants—a waist as slender as silk, so delicate it seemed a single hand could encircle it, eyes lowered, her expression unreadable.
At the slit of the qipao, skin like jade was revealed, every step carrying its own allure.
It seemed that when the wind rose, one might glimpse the color beneath.
Such a creature of temptation…