After reading the message, Shen Yu immediately called back. As expected, the phone was turned off.
His thin lips pressed into a straight line, his face devoid of any expression. His eyes shifted from initial shock to a calm stillness. The blazing sunlight streamed in through the curtains, casting a faint glow in the unlit lounge.
At first, Shen Yu was a little angry. A suffocating feeling lodged in his chest, refusing to rise or fall. Deep down, he even felt somewhat wronged—not only had his carefully laid plans been disrupted, but more importantly, he missed her.
He missed her terribly. It was Shen Yu’s first time experiencing the pangs of longing. He had thought he would soon see the one he yearned for, never expecting that before the surprise he had prepared could even be carried out, he would receive such a massive “surprise” himself.
After spending half an hour alone in the lounge, Shen Yu transitioned from initial anger to self-reflection, and finally, he completely let go. He concluded that the main issue lay in his own busy schedule, which left him with little time to accompany his wife.
No wonder Yao Yao had been unusually obedient last night. Recalling the promise he had made to her in the end, Shen Yu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He had dug this pit himself—he deserved to fall into it.
After composing himself, Shen Yu replied to Yao Yao’s WeChat message: Have fun out there. I’ll be waiting for you to come back. [Heart]
The lounge was fully equipped. Back when Shen Yu first took full control of the Shen Corporation, he often stayed overnight in the lounge to better steer the massive ship that was the company. He had always believed in the principle that hard work pays off—and of course, he was a highly intelligent hard worker.
Once everything was tidied up, Shen Yu first notified the captain of his private jet to cancel the flight. Then, with steady steps, he walked out of the lounge. On the surface, everything appeared calm and undisturbed.
As Shen Yu’s most capable secretary, Zhou Feng had an accurate grasp of his boss’s whereabouts, preferences, and emotional shifts. However, today, he miscalculated.
The normal work hours at Shen Corporation started at 9 a.m. In the past, Zhou Feng always arrived exactly on time because he had to drop off his child, and his superior didn’t mind.
Today, however, Zhou Feng arrived at the company at 8:30 a.m. Since the boss was supposed to be in Shanghai, his workload was heavier than usual. He had come early to prepare for the day’s tasks. Based on his calculations, his superior should already be on his way to Shanghai by now.
Yesterday, Shen Yu had instructed Zhou Feng to handle most of the company’s affairs over the next few days, only reporting major issues via phone.
Zhou Feng, carrying a stack of documents, was heading to the conference room next to the CEO’s office. As he entered, he instinctively glanced toward the office and noticed a sliver of light seeping through a crack in the door!
When the CEO was away, his office was supposed to be locked, and no one was allowed inside!
What was going on?
The usually sharp and capable Secretary Zhou froze in place, eyes wide, mouth agape, his entire body seemingly petrified.
Had a thief broken into Shen Corporation? Was it an inside job or an outsider? Were they after money or acting as corporate spies? In the few dozen seconds he stood frozen, Zhou Feng’s mind raced with guesses, engaging in a whirlwind of speculation.
The situation was critical and demanded immediate action. While inwardly cursing the security team’s negligence, Secretary Zhou began considering how to handle the aftermath.
Not knowing how many people were inside and wanting to avoid alerting the suspects, Secretary Zhou immediately messaged the security chief via WeChat, instructing him to bring his team to the 26th floor to catch the thief!
Soon, the security chief arrived with over a dozen men, their faces glistening with sweat. They crept cautiously toward the CEO’s office.
The security chief glared fiercely at the office door, as if he could devour the thief inside through sheer will. The occurrence of such a situation was a failure on his part as security chief. What if… He didn’t dare to think further.
Silently, the security chief gestured to the dozen men behind him, reminding them of the tactical plan they had discussed in the elevator.
Everyone nodded solemnly!
Tension was etched on every face, and the air grew thick with apprehension. As seconds ticked by, they finally covered the dozen or so meters to their destination.
The group surrounded the office door. The security chief and another guard took the lead, while the others had clearly defined roles—some were tasked with blocking escape routes, others with securing the door. Secretary Zhou held up his phone, ready to record video evidence.
“Stop right there, thief! You’re surrounded!” The security chief yelled at the top of his lungs the moment the door was pushed open, brandishing his baton at… nothing.
The rest of the team slipped in smoothly like eels, swiftly forming two lines flanking the security chief. They encircled the area, ready to trap the thief inside. Secretary Zhou quickly found an unobtrusive corner with a perfect vantage point to capture the entire scene.
The operation was executed flawlessly, a textbook example of coordination. The only flaw was that the thief was missing.
Shen Yu sat at his desk, staring silently at the dozen burly men across from him. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
When Secretary Zhou realized what had happened, he shrank into his corner, too embarrassed to move—he could have dug a hole with his toes!
The security chief’s square face flushed bright red. He cursed Secretary Zhou inwardly for his unreliability. The current situation was worse than actually finding a thief! Though the earlier scare had been a false alarm, this scene was far more terrifying.
Who in their right mind would call the boss a thief to his face? The security chief felt his career had reached its end. Thinking of the excellent benefits at Shen Corp, he was already weeping inside.
Shen Yu’s furrowed brow remained tense. He leaned back in his chair and asked sternly, “What’s going on?”
The encircling men glanced at each other, but no one spoke up. How could they explain this in a way that wouldn’t anger Mr. Shen or cost them their jobs?
As the security chief was mentally rehearsing his explanation, Secretary Zhou cautiously stepped forward and admitted fault earnestly, “Mr. Shen, I’m sorry. This is all my mistake. I was the one who called the security chief up. I had insomnia last night and didn’t get enough sleep, so I was groggy this morning and must have misseen things.”
In the end, Secretary Zhou shouldered all the blame. He couldn’t very well question his boss: “Weren’t you supposed to be on a plane to Shanghai right now? Why are you still sitting calmly at your desk? And who was it that informed me yesterday about the 8:30 AM flight to Shanghai?”
Listening to Secretary Zhou’s explanation, Shen Yu understood the whole situation. Considering the chain of events, he realized today’s incident was partly due to his own actions. Secretary Zhou’s behavior was meant to protect Shen Corporation’s interests, leaving no grounds for blame. Still, a boss must maintain their dignity.
Shen Yu swept his gaze over the people standing before him and said calmly, “Let it pass this time. You acted out of responsibility for the company’s interests, but avoid impulsive actions in the future.”
Hearing Shen Yu’s words, everyone collectively sighed in relief and bowed in gratitude. “Thank you, President Shen!”