A bowl of savory noodles, rich in color and aroma, was placed before Lin Yue. She thanked Aunt Qian somewhat sheepishly.
“It’s no trouble. The sir really enjoys this low-fat noodle dish I make. These tomatoes were grown by my family in the countryside—diced and stir-fried until their juices release. This sauce is sweet and sour, perfect for summer.”
Lin Yue lowered her head to take a bite, then looked up in pleasant surprise, giving Aunt Qian a thumbs-up.
“Delicious.”
Aunt Qian said happily, “If it’s delicious, then finish it all.”
“Mm-hmm.”
With He Yuan absent, Lin Yue felt much more relaxed and chatted casually with Aunt Qian about this and that.
When Lin Yue went to clear the dishes after the meal, Aunt Qian swiftly took them from her.
Aunt Luo and her husband also lived in the staff quarters. They greeted Lin Yue politely when they saw her, though not with the same warmth as Aunt Qian.
Aunt Qian applied gauze to her arm and then covered it with a waterproof bandage.
“You can remove it after your shower.”
Lin Yue thanked her again.
“If you need anything, just call me. I’m right next door.”
Lin Yue nodded. “Okay.”
As soon as Aunt Luo saw Aunt Qian, she pulled her aside to ask questions. “I wasn’t here the past couple of days. Who is that? A new housemaid?”
“No, she’s the sir’s secretary.”
“Secretary? The secretary is staying here?”
“Why do you care so much? Don’t ask what you shouldn’t. The sir has his reasons for what he does.”
Aunt Luo pursed her lips. “Just asking casually.”
“Alright, alright, go to sleep.”
After Aunt Luo entered her room, Aunt Qian went to the study and knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
Aunt Qian approached respectfully. “Sir, Miss Lin has gone to rest.”
Only then did He Yuan shift his gaze from the computer screen. “How is her injury?”
“It’s been taken care of. It doesn’t look too serious.”
He Yuan gave a noncommittal hum. “Aunt Luo is always going on about her foreign-educated niece. I’m not unaware of what she’s implying, but the company has its own hiring procedures. Give her a warning—if it happens again, give her three months’ extra pay and let her go.”
“Yes.”
“Mm, go rest.”
“You should rest early too, sir.”
He Yuan hummed in acknowledgment. After Aunt Qian left, he leaned back in his chair, tilting his head slightly, his mind drifting to Secretary Lin’s tear-reddened eyes.
Stubborn little lamb.
He pressed his fingers to his temples, massaging them for a moment, then stood and returned to his bedroom.
Meanwhile, Lin Yue had finished her shower. Just as she removed the waterproof bandage from her arm, her phone rang. She tilted her head to see the caller ID—it was Qin Yan.
She must have found out.
So, Lin Yue answered the call.
“Hello, Yan…”
“Lin Yue, where did you go? I only found out when I got back that Qing Jing kicked you out. I was just having a meal with a colleague—how could she do that? I even called the landlord. Do you know what the landlord said? That they compensated you. I’m so furious—what kind of person does that? Even if they paid you, how were you supposed to find a place alone at this hour? I’ve been worried sick!”
Warmth spread through Lin Yue’s heart. She chuckled softly and said, “It’s alright, Yanzi. I’m at President He’s place. I was going to call you after my shower, but you beat me to it.”
“Huh?”
Qin Yan was baffled. “How did you end up at his place? This boss of yours… is he trying to…”
“Don’t overthink it,” Lin Yue abruptly cut her off. “When I called Assistant Zhou, he happened to be nearby. Assistant Zhou had been drinking, so he came instead. President He said I should go handle the apartment procedures tomorrow—it’s a single room.”
Qin Yan visibly relaxed, but then—”Wait, didn’t you say you weren’t eligible for a single room yet?”
“President He said it’s because of the special nature of my work. Actually, thinking about it, it makes sense. I don’t have fixed working hours—I work when President He works, leave when he leaves, travel when he travels. That would indeed disturb others. The rent is just a bit more expensive than before, but I’d rather pay extra than deal with another Qing Jing. That would drive me insane.”
Qin Yan: “Exactly. I’ve finally figured out your classmate—her pettiness makes sesame seeds look large. I don’t dare stay there either. What if I end up in your situation? I don’t have a handsome boss to rescue me like some knight in shining armor.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Lin Yue felt embarrassed.
There was clearly nothing to it, yet Qin Yan’s words inexplicably made her feel guilty.
They chatted a while longer until Qin Yan, reassured that Lin Yue was fine, hung up.
…
Early the next morning.
Lin Yue woke up early, but He Yuan was already up—she knew from Assistant Zhou that He Yuan always rose at 5 AM.
Aunt Qian brought breakfast to the table, smiling. “He exercises. Otherwise, sitting in the office all day would be unbearable.”
After He Yuan emerged from the bathroom, Lin Yue waited to help him choose clothes, but he declined.
“Your hand is injured. I’ll manage myself.”
Seeing he’d already tied his tie, Lin Yue obediently stood by.
After breakfast together, they headed straight to the company.
The underground garage connected directly to the CEO’s private elevator. Fortunately, the unique nature of Lin Yue’s job meant no one batted an eye when she and He Yuan emerged from the same elevator.
It was all work-related.
Every day before leaving, Lin Yue would confirm the next day’s schedule with He Yuan, and each morning, she’d reconfirm the day’s agenda in his office.
“9 AM: Annual planning meeting with the soon-to-be-listed subsidiary. One-hour lunch break. 1:00-1:30 PM: Central Plaza project signing ceremony. 2:00-3:30 PM: Assistant Zhou’s work report…”
He Yuan listened while signing documents, his pen never pausing.
“Don’t come with me to the Central Plaza signing ceremony,” He Yuan looked up from the paperwork. “I’ll have Wei Jia come by later. Sort out your housing arrangements with her today.”
Lin Yue nodded. “Yes, thank you, President He.”
“Mm. Back to work.”
No sooner had she sat down than she received a reservation call.
Stellar was currently undergoing transformation, with He Yuan seeking to enter various industries through investments—including entertainment, which Vice President Zheng Yu oversaw.
This led to numerous dinner invitations from actresses, though those typically went to VP Zheng Yu. This was the first time someone had called He Yuan directly.
“Hello, this is the Stellar Group CEO’s secretariat. How may I help you?”
“This is Su Ying. Tell your President He I’ll be waiting for him at Cloud Star Hotel tonight at 8 PM. That’s all.”
Before Lin Yue could respond, the caller hung up.
She stood frozen for a moment. Su Ying? Waiting for their President He? At a Stellar-owned hotel?
Lin Yue unconsciously recalled the incident of seeing Su Ying earlier at Yuelan Cloud Residence, who lived in the same building as He Yuan.
Her lips parted slightly as she felt she had stumbled upon gossip about her superior.