Xu Nanxin stared at his computer screen, feeling a little dazed. He didn’t even know what had possessed him to look over just now, only to be caught red-handed by Ji Li once again.
If this kept up, Ji Li might not stop at a warning next time; he might actually just fire him on the spot!
What on earth was he doing? Had Mr. Z’s sweet talk made him lose his grip on reality?
The other party could say whatever he wanted online, but Xu Nanxin couldn’t actually let himself believe it! Unlike Mr. Z, who was completely in the dark, Xu Nanxin knew perfectly well that Ji Li was Mr. Z—and the man had already given him a clear warning.
“There’s only a little over an hour left until off-work, and then it’s the department dinner. Originally, everyone said President Ji was going to attend. But now that his friend is here, do you think he’ll skip it?” Leaning over her desk, his colleague Shi Le peered toward Ji Li’s office while gossiping with Xu Nanxin.
Xu Nanxin finally snapped out of his thoughts. He lifted his eyes, looked at Shi Le, and only spoke up after a moment. “Are you looking forward to President Ji going?”
“What kind of question is that? Go ask anyone in the company—which department actually wants President Ji at their dinner? Though to be fair, the planning department’s two major projects were indeed completed under his leadership this time.”
That was true. When it came to a company dinner, who would actually want the big boss there? It would just make everyone incredibly stiff. Even though Ji Li wasn’t the ultimate owner, he was still the one who called all the shots for the B City branch.
And this general manager was nowhere near as easygoing and approachable as their previous one.
Xu Nanxin didn’t want Ji Li to go either. Just the thought of having to sit at the same table for a meal made him feel as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, utterly agonizing.
“Let’s just hope President Ji stays behind to keep his friend company tonight,” Xu Nanxin remarked.
“Alright, it’s not like President Ji eats people. What are you youngsters gossiping about all day?” Jiang Yuan had approached the two of them at some point, knocking lightly on the desk to remind them to pay attention.
Shi Le stole a glance at Jiang Yuan and obediently slinked back to her own seat. Having finished his own tasks, Xu Nanxin couldn’t help but let his attention drift back toward the general manager’s office.
About half an hour later, He Feng stepped out of the office and began wandering around the company quite casually. He didn’t act like an outsider at all; anyone who didn’t know better would have assumed he was an inspector sent down from headquarters!
Ji Li’s secretary accompanied him the entire time, showing him around, which made it clear that his relationship with Ji Li was indeed extraordinary.
Ji Li had already booked the restaurant and the private room for the dinner, so everyone could head straight over right after clocking out.
They had all assumed Ji Li would skip the dinner because of his friend, but to their surprise, this friend of his was actually tagging along with them!
Bringing an outsider to an internal company dinner was a bit inappropriate. However, since the guest was brought by the general manager himself, no one could say a word—after all, Ji Li was footing the bill.
The restaurant wasn’t far, located just near the company. The group walked over and arrived in about ten minutes.
Xu Nanxin had picked a spot furthest from the head of the table and was just about to sit down when a hand suddenly clapped down on his shoulder before his rear could even touch the chair.
Turning around, Xu Nanxin found himself looking at Ji Li’s friend.
“Thanks for giving me directions today!” He Feng said.
Xu Nanxin felt a bit awkward. “You’re welcome. It was nothing.”
“Are all the employees under Ji Li this polite? But why are you sitting all the way out here? Come over and sit closer to us. I feel like the two of us hit it off pretty well.” He Feng let out a chuckle.
As he spoke, he didn’t give Xu Nanxin a single chance to refuse, directly wrapping an arm around Xu Nanxin’s shoulder to guide him along.
Faced with Ji Li’s friend, Xu Nanxin couldn’t very well be rude. Even though he desperately wanted to decline, he really did not want to sit anywhere near Ji Li!
What was wrong with this friend of Ji Li’s? He didn’t exactly look like the overly familiar type!
Originally, Jiang Yuan and He Feng were supposed to sit on Ji Li’s left and right sides respectively, meaning Xu Nanxin could have safely occupied a corner seat.
Instead, he was forcefully dragged to the front and arranged by He Feng to sit right next to Ji Li. Just as Xu Nanxin was about to object, He Feng pressed him down into the chair, pulled out the adjacent seat, and sat down right beside him.
“Hey, what’s your name?” He Feng asked casually.
“Xu Nanxin.”
“Xu Nanxin? That’s a lovely name. I’m He Feng,” He Feng introduced himself.
Xu Nanxin simply smiled without following up. His body was incredibly tense—not because of He Feng, but because he was sitting far too close to Ji Li.
Fortunately, Ji Li at a casual dinner was quite different from how he was when discussing work at the office. He actually appeared exceptionally relaxed. Once the food and drinks were served and everyone shared a collective toast, Ji Li didn’t pay much attention to Xu Nanxin.
Xu Nanxin also breathed a slight sigh of relief, thinking to himself that as long as he just ate his food quietly, nothing could possibly go wrong!
He lowered his head, but before he could even take two bites, He Feng nudged him with an elbow, giving him a knowing grin. “Nanxin, President Ji’s glass is empty. Since you’re sitting right next to him, you’ve got to show some awareness and top it up.”
Xu Nanxin froze mid-bite. Lowering his chopsticks, he subconsciously glanced at Ji Li. Ji Li had always disliked this kind of drinking etiquette and was just about to say it wasn’t necessary.
On the other side, Jiang Yuan, who was always protective of the rookies under his wing, smiled and stepped in first. “Let me do it. He’s just a newcomer and doesn’t know the ropes yet. Nanxin, go ahead and eat.”
Jiang Yuan knew most of the employees in the company were terrified of Ji Li. If the veterans felt that way, it was even worse for a rookie like Xu Nanxin.
He Feng lifted his eyes, casting a smiling glance at Jiang Yuan across the table before leaning back slightly. How interesting.
“Nanxin, are you really going to make your supervisor pour wine for President Ji?” He Feng asked lightheartedly.
“No need, just focus on your food,” Ji Li intervened.
But by the time he said this, Xu Nanxin had already picked up the bottle with both hands. For a moment, he caught in an awkward position, unsure whether to put it back down or fill Ji Li’s glass, especially since Ji Li’s glass really was completely empty.
Ji Li didn’t make things difficult for him in this regard. He gently pushed his glass slightly toward Xu Nanxin. Only then did Xu Nanxin pour the wine, unable to resist stealing a glance at Ji Li.
Actually, when Ji Li isn’t making life difficult for people, he seems pretty nice…
Xu Nanxin shook his head violently in his mind. Stop overthinking things.
After that, everyone took turns raising toasts. Perhaps because it was a non-work environment, Ji Li appeared much more accommodating, essentially drinking every toast offered to him.
It was hard to tell if the employees were intentionally trying to get back at Ji Li for his usual corporate tyranny, but they were offering toasts at a furious pace. Knowing that Ji Li didn’t actually enjoy drinking, Xu Nanxin poured less and less into Ji Li’s glass each time he topped it up.
Beside him, He Feng caught on to Xu Nanxin’s actions. He arched an eyebrow and smiled, seemingly putting the pieces together.
“My, Xu Nanxin, that’s not how you pour wine, sip by tiny sip. By the looks of it, you’re worried about President Ji drinking too much. Is Nanxin worried about our President Ji?” He Feng’s teasing remark wasn’t quiet by any means.
Xu Nanxin’s movements instantly stiffened. He was now seriously beginning to suspect that this friend of Ji Li’s was intentionally targeting him!
“He Feng.” Ji Li knit his brows, throwing out a sharp word of warning.
To Xu Nanxin’s ears, it sounded like Ji Li didn’t want to be associated with him in the slightest.
“Alright, alright, I see everyone else has toasted President Ji. Nanxin, wouldn’t you like to offer a toast too?” He Feng asked, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
Xu Nanxin thought about it, and it was true—it would look bad if he were the only one who didn’t offer a toast. Thus, he stood up, faced Ji Li, and said, “President Ji, thank you for leading our company forward during this period. You’ve worked hard. I’d like to toast you. Please drink as you see fit.”
His speech was completely standard and flawless. He only hoped that Ji Li wouldn’t choose this exact moment to completely humiliate him.
Fortunately, Ji Li didn’t say anything harsh. He merely picked up his glass and gave a slight nod. “Mm.”
Only then did Xu Nanxin fully let out a sigh of relief. After downing his drink, he resolved not to acknowledge another single word from He Feng. If he hadn’t been absolutely certain that they had no prior grudges and didn’t even know each other, he really would have suspected the man was pranking him on purpose!