He Yuan is the eldest son of the He Family and the first successor to Stellar Group. Why “first”? Because he has a younger brother named He Lin, who is only twelve years old this year.
Around a month after the school semester began, He Lin was required to have his parents come to school due to a physical altercation with a classmate. With both parents abroad, He Yuan hastily ended a meeting and rushed to the private elementary school where He Lin studied.
By the time He Yuan arrived at the school, the sun was setting. Following He Lin’s temporary homeroom teacher, Teacher Qin, he had just entered the corridor when she received a phone call. Apologizing to him, she explained that her roommate had forgotten her keys and she needed to deliver them, promising to return shortly.
He Yuan was not one to stand on ceremony. He turned slightly and waited there. Then, in the fading twilight, he saw Lin Yue approaching gracefully.
At that time, Secretary Lin had soft, long curly hair and was dressed in a short pink sweater paired with simple straight-leg jeans. Her sweet smile toward Teacher Qin highlighted her fair complexion, light makeup, and smooth, rounded facial features. Her clear, almond-shaped eyes seemed to hold a pool of spring water.
Though she appeared slender, her figure was well-proportioned with gentle curves.
Having spent several years in the business world, He Yuan had a keen eye for people. This unfamiliar young lady, who caught his eye and stirred something in him, seemed gentle at first glance but carried a hint of stubbornness—she was not one to give up easily.
As it turned out, his judgment was not far off.
On the day of Lin Yue’s interview, he recognized her immediately.
Only he knew his own thoughts, and he disliked mixing personal feelings with work. Initially, he considered having Zhou Yun Ce eliminate her from the selection outright. However, Zhou Yun Ce seemed to read his mind and remarked with a laugh, “President He, do you know her? Wouldn’t it be unfair to dismiss her directly?”
His words struck a chord.
She had already come for the interview. Wouldn’t it be another form of injustice to reject her solely because of his personal interest in her?
He Yuan said nothing more. He participated in the entire interview process and only asked two questions during Lin Yue’s session.
Handling matters impartially, she indeed performed excellently. Though not the top candidate that day, her attentive work style and humble, straightforward attitude were precisely what He Yuan needed. That day, only two women were hired.
The other woman, due to her strong professional skills, was assigned as an assistant to one of his vice presidents.
He Yuan placed his cup in the tray and, before turning to his documents, stole another subtle glance at Secretary Lin.
The blinds seemed to be malfunctioning; they were stuck halfway and wouldn’t pull up any further.
Secretary Lin stood there examining them. The waist-length curly hair he had seen before had been trimmed to shoulder-blade length. She wore a simple yet elegant beige blouse paired with a deep purple, fluid pencil skirt. Aside from minimal earring and necklace accessories, a neatly symmetrical bow was tied at the waist of her skirt, adding a touch of cuteness and liveliness to his otherwise dull office.
Her milky-white skin, bathed in the morning light, glowed like that of a maiden in an oil painting, shrouded in a hazy radiance. With her innocent appearance and a figure that could rival a devil’s, she exuded a pure yet sensual allure just by standing there.
He Yuan stood up holding a tray. Lin Yue noticed his movement and immediately abandoned her struggle with the blinds, approaching the desk to take the tray from his hands. “President He, let me handle this,” she said.
He Yuan silently handed her the tray.
After washing the cups in the tea room, Lin Yue refilled He Yuan’s insulated cup with warm water and placed it on his desk—though he was often so busy throughout the morning that he didn’t even have time to lift his head.
Having completed all these trivial tasks, Lin Yue was about to prepare the meeting materials when she returned to her desk and noticed the blinds had been fully raised.
She instinctively glanced at He Yuan through the glass, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
She had taken on many miscellaneous part-time jobs before, but the position of executive secretary at Stellar Group was her first formal job after graduating with a master’s degree.
Though she had encountered all sorts of people during her part-time work, He Yuan was the only one who, despite his high position, carried no airs of superiority. His words and actions reflected the elegance and refinement cultivated in a wealthy family, coupled with his distinguished demeanor and handsome appearance, making him the subject of enthusiastic discussion among nearly all the women in the company.
Rumors said that before her, He Yuan had gone through three secretaries, all dismissed for improper intentions.
But those were just rumors. Lin Yue wasn’t the least bit interested in the truth; she only wanted to focus on her job and earn the salary the company provided.
The regular meeting lasted about an hour. The company had a cafeteria, and when He Yuan was in the office, Lin Yue usually went to lunch first and brought back food for him.
However, today, just as she was about to leave, He Yuan’s executive assistant, Zhou Yun Ce, stopped her after work hours.
Lin Yue turned slightly and greeted him with a smile.
“Secretary Lin, let’s have lunch together.”
Huh? Lin Yue glanced around and noticed the two secretaries from Zhou Yun Ce’s outer office, their eyes drifting curiously in their direction.
Lin Yue wanted to refuse but couldn’t come up with an excuse on the spot. Should she say, “I’d rather not go with you two—the attention would be socially fatal”?
Zhou Yun Ce, though slightly less impressive than He Yuan in terms of wealth and looks, still stood out strikingly in a crowd.
“Come on, Secretary Lin. I’d like to discuss today’s meeting with you.”
Lin Yue: “…”
She was almost embarrassed. What could a vice-president-level figure possibly have to discuss about a meeting with a junior secretary like her?
In the end, Lin Yue followed them, though she had no idea why Assistant Zhou was so insistent on having her join them for lunch—and with President He, no less.
In the elevator, Zhou Yun Ce nudged He Yuan’s arm with a knowing smirk.
He Yuan ignored him. Zhou Yun Ce was all business during work hours, but once off the clock, he became casual and mischievous. He Yuan had no idea what he found so amusing.
Zhou Yun Ce and He Yuan had been classmates for ten years. If not for the bankruptcy of the Zhou family, Zhou Yun Ce would have been a carefree young master himself. Truth be told, aside from He Yuan’s parents, Zhou Yun Ce understood him better than anyone else. During Lin Yue’s interview, He Yuan had acted somewhat unusually, and Zhou Yun Ce had sensed something was off.
What else could it be between a man and a woman? Seeing how dedicated Secretary Lin was to her work, it was clear the issue lay with He Yuan. Between men and women, what else could it be besides matters of the heart?
For so many years, He Yuan had been busy with his studies abroad as he was preparing to take over the family business. He had no particular interest in blondes with blue eyes, so he had never been in a relationship. Of course, there were plenty who wanted to date him, but he genuinely had little time, with his days completely occupied by coursework.
Zhou Yun Ce thought to himself: Now that this thousand-year-old iron tree is finally blooming, whether as a brother or as his subordinate, he definitely had to help water it.