In the office.
Gu Yuheng placed the little rose within arm’s reach, so that whenever he looked up from his work, he could see it.
This spot was just right.
He stroked the little rose’s leaves with satisfaction, speaking in a soft, gentle voice, almost coaxing, “Baby, how’s this spot? You get sunlight and a view. Stay here and keep me company, okay?”
His groveling manner startled the assistant who had just pushed the door open.
Li Min had come to go over today’s schedule. He knocked on the president’s office door and pushed it open, he was Gu Yuheng’s trusted aide and normally had few reservations.
But now, standing at the doorway, his hand frozen on the door, he didn’t know whether to come in or back out.
Gu Yuheng had sensed Li Min’s entrance immediately. He straightened up in an instant, reverting to his usual cold, untouchable demeanor, as if the tenderness from moments ago had been nothing but Li Min’s imagination.
Li Min adjusted his glasses, the surprise in his eyes fading. He’d heard that President Gu was obsessed with roses, so the rumors held some truth after all.
Despite the shock, he calmly recited the day’s schedule as if nothing had happened. “There’s an internal company meeting at nine this morning, and at three this afternoon, Director Wu of Morningstar Group has requested a meeting.”
“Morningstar?”
“Yes, the one you postponed last week.” A good assistant was one who could anticipate and resolve their boss’s questions at any moment.
Postponed from last week, there was no way to push it back again. Gu Yuheng rubbed his temples, looking irritated. Li Min tactfully closed the door behind him.
“Baby, I’m sorry. I won’t be able to keep you company this afternoon.” Gu Yuheng looked full of apology, his brow furrowed.
Qi Yu, on hearing this news, was secretly delighted. He couldn’t wait for Gu Yuheng to leave, his leaves even swayed with excitement. “It’s fine. Work comes first.” Hurry up and go, hurry up and go, that way he could finally pull his roots out and get some air.
His voice was so jubilant that Gu Yuheng, who had just been thinking the little rose couldn’t bear to part with him, felt his face darken in an instant.
Trying to get rid of him? Not a chance.
And so,
In the morning meeting room, aside from Gu Yuheng, all the attendees wore blank expressions, utterly baffled as to why President Gu had brought a potted rose to a meeting.
Was he trying to hint at something?
They exchanged glances, all at a loss.
Qi Yu hadn’t expected Gu Yuheng to be such a dog. Fine, he had to attend a meeting, but did he have to drag Qi Yu along too?
With so many people watching from below, he didn’t dare move. So exhausting. Surely shifting a little wouldn’t hurt?
He tried stretching his leaves, just a tiny, subtle movement. But although Gu Yuheng appeared to be listening, he had been keeping part of his attention on the little rose the whole time. Seeing it move, a tender smile crept onto the corners of his mouth.
Heart-meltingly tender.
The attending employees, however, saw things very differently.
The Demon King actually smiled?! Oh my god, I’m seeing things, I’m seeing things. Everyone held their breath, terrified of being singled out by Gu Yuheng to give a report.
Following Gu Yuheng’s line of sight, they saw that the rose in its white jade pot was swaying gently back and forth.
Wait, swaying? Moving?
They glanced at the tightly shut windows and door, then fell silent. Yep, definitely dreaming.
When the meeting ended, everyone filed out in a daze, as if walking on clouds. President Gu didn’t lose his temper today? The manager of the subsidiary whose project profits had dropped by 0.3 percentage points didn’t get chewed out?
The manager was also walking on air. He’d expected to be chewed out today, but instead President Gu had just asked him to analyze the problem himself? And he even seemed to be in a good mood?
So, the whole company soon knew that President Gu was in a good mood today. Anyone who’d made a mistake should report it right away, this opportunity wouldn’t come twice.
“Baby, don’t be mad, okay? If you don’t like it, I won’t take you to meetings anymore. Pay attention to me?”
Qi Yu played dead.
Anyone who pays attention to you is a dog.
No matter how many sweet words Gu Yuheng said, his little rose just ignored him, leaving him at a loss.
The cold war lasted until the afternoon, though that was only Qi Yu’s one-sided view of it. Gu Yuheng had no choice but to go prepare for the negotiations. Having made his little rose ignore him, he’d have to squeeze a hefty compensation out of someone, or his name wasn’t Gu.
Director Wu: Is something the matter?
“Baby, I’m leaving now. Be good and stay put. Play however you like, I’ve told them no one’s allowed to come in. Stretch out your leaves whenever you want.”
After giving his instructions, President Gu looked back every few steps as he left.
“Finally gone.” Qi Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t been out to play in ages, so today he was going to enjoy himself properly.
[Host, don’t forget your mission.]
007’s voice suddenly popped up in his head, startling Qi Yu. Then he said furiously, “007, you’ve got some nerve talking. You disappeared right at the critical moment, I almost died!”
Thinking of how he’d acted like an idiot that day, anger rose in his heart, embarrassed and annoyed.
“What?”
[I went to upgrade!] 007 gritted his teeth and told Qi Yu the truth.
“Upgrade?” Qi Yu was puzzled. This thing could be upgraded? What kind of high-tech product was it? “And what good does upgrading do?”
[It can help you complete your missions! Hehe, and it can also help you temporarily take human form.] 007’s tone was extremely proud, like a rooster puffing out its chest.
“Take human form?”