Vice President Sun had not been at WenCheng for very long, and he and Zhang Xingchuan had not yet built enough mutual trust. For both Sun himself and WenCheng’s development, that was a potential disadvantage.
So Zhang Xingchuan had always taken the initiative to establish a good working relationship with this partner.
Vice President Sun was suspicious by nature and fond of lurking gloomily in the shadows, but he was not actually stupid. After spending more time together, he could understand Zhang Xingchuan’s intentions. The two of them were, in fact, actively trying to meet each other halfway in their professional relationship.
Unfortunately, Vice President Sun had very little natural talent for socializing, and all his efforts to improve later in life only produced the awkward result of becoming funnier the harder he tried.
Tan Xiao had followed him around for more than half a month and thought Vice President Sun was actually a decent person, because when it came to doing real work, he was straightforward and aboveboard.
He was simply terrible at interacting with people. He could not read the room and would say clumsy things while sincerely believing he was being humorous.
Zhang Xingchuan was unquestionably a social expert, yet even he could only sigh helplessly whenever faced with Vice President Sun. He had tried. He really had. The man simply could not be carried.
Vice President Sun could single-handedly freeze an entire room, then stand there afterward having no idea what had happened. When Tan Xiao was around, he frequently had to rescue the atmosphere for him.
The coworkers had long joked in the group, “For Noble Lady Sun to rise in rank is harder than ascending to heaven. Keeping the emperor’s favor is easy, though. All he has to do is make sure the president never sees his face.”
Now, whenever the group mentioned the newly arrived overseas-returned Secretary Feng, everyone implicitly treated him as the president’s latest favorite.
From the descriptions, Tan Xiao gathered that Secretary Feng was serious about work and had quite a temper of his own. Perhaps he was not especially tactful? In any case, after meeting Vice President Sun a few times, the dislike had quickly become mutual.
Since Secretary Feng had managed to earn the rank of “Attendant,” naturally he remained near the president and could answer at any moment. Occasionally he also acted as Zhang Xingchuan’s messenger. For reasons no one quite understood, every message he delivered to Vice President Sun somehow enraged the man. The last time, Sun had kicked a wall. This time, he had thrown a paper cup.
The group summarized the latest incident with a sharp review: Noble Lady Sun lost the emperor’s favor to Attendant Feng, was then humiliated by the sweeping-and-cleaning matron, and finally had his precious jade foot crushed by a blind glass door. Noble Lady Sun grieved beyond measure. Alas.
“…” Tan Xiao nearly laughed himself unconscious at these bored, vicious-tongued former coworkers.
That evening beside the tennis courts, Tan Xiao said goodbye to a few student tennis partners he had randomly met that afternoon. After playing all afternoon, he felt physically and mentally refreshed.
His phone, which he had left by the court, had missed calls and messages.
Zhang Xingchuan: Off work, off work.
Zhang Xingchuan: Where are you? Still want to see the flower?
The messages were from half an hour ago.
Tan Xiao immediately replied: I was playing tennis just now.
After sending it, he picked up his water bottle and took a few drinks. He was about to ask what Zhang Xingchuan was doing and which day he might be free lately.
Zhang Xingchuan called first.
Tan Xiao answered with a smile. “Well, well, well? The president isn’t busy today?”
Zhang Xingchuan laughed too. “Doctor Tan isn’t busy today? How do you have time to play tennis?”
“Doctor Tan isn’t busy anymore. Doctor Tan is taking a one-month gap.”
Zhang Xingchuan went silent for several seconds before asking, “What happened?”
“Nothing.” Tan Xiao heard the concern in his voice. “Brother, I’m a salted fish. Salted fish just want to gap.”
Zhang Xingchuan was still on his way back to the company. He checked the time on his watch and thought through his evening schedule. There was an online meeting at six, but nothing major was on the agenda. It should take an hour at most.
“I’m almost back at the office,” Zhang Xingchuan suggested. “Want to come play at WenCheng?”
Tan Xiao held the phone in one hand and was about to put away his racket with the other. Hearing that, he spun the racket idly in his grip.
He kind of wanted to go.
Zhang Xingchuan added, “You can come see our flower too.”
That did it. Tan Xiao desperately wanted to go.
“Is that appropriate?” he asked. “I left WenCheng more than a month ago.”
Zhang Xingchuan issued a personal invitation over the phone. “WenCheng is one warm, loving family. Every wanderer who leaves home is welcome back anytime. You should come home often.”
“…” Tan Xiao laughed. “President, if you insist on learning from Teacher AI, at least learn something good.”
He needed to go back, shower, and change. They agreed to meet at the company later, and Zhang Xingchuan ended the call.
The new administrative secretary from the President’s Office had attended the meeting with him today and was currently sitting in the front of the company car. After the president finished his call, Secretary Feng turned around and reminded him, “At six sharp, there’s a remote meeting with two directors.”
“I remember.” Zhang Xingchuan’s mood was visibly brighter than before, his expression lighter and happier.
Secretary Feng said nothing else and quietly turned back. He definitely had far better instincts than Vice President Sun. He knew when to speak and when to shut up.
Zhang Xingchuan really did intend to cultivate this promising young man.
Among the current staff in the President’s Office, aside from Special Assistant Jiaxin, the other administrators were all steady and reliable, but relatively ordinary in aptitude and unlikely to be entrusted with major responsibilities. From what Zhang Xingchuan had seen so far, Secretary Feng was quite good in every respect. He intended to give him more opportunities.
Once he returned to the company, Zhang Xingchuan messaged Tan Xiao again to ask roughly when he would arrive.
Traffic was terrible at this hour, so Tan Xiao was taking the subway.
He replied: Already on the train. About half an hour.
Zhang Xingchuan: I’m speed-running a short meeting. Wait for me a bit when you arrive.
Tan Xiao: Can I go into your office and see the flower?
Zhang Xingchuan: Yes. Have Secretary Feng open the door for you.
Zhang Xingchuan went to his meeting.
Under orders, Secretary Feng went downstairs half an hour later and met Tan Xiao.
“Hello,” Tan Xiao said. “Where’s Sister Jiaxin? Is she not here?”
“She’s on a business trip,” Secretary Feng said.
Tan Xiao nodded. Seeing how aloof he was, he stopped talking too.
When they reached the President’s Office, several employees working overtime saw Tan Xiao and greeted him warmly.
Tan Xiao briefly caught up with them, then, not wanting to interrupt their overtime, found an empty seat near Zhang Xingchuan’s office and sat down.
He soon discovered that Secretary Feng’s desk was the very same spot where Tan Xiao himself had sat during his stint in the President’s Office.
When he had first been assigned a workspace, he had noticed this seat was empty and simply told Administration he could sit there.
Later, once he and Jiaxin became more familiar, she told him why no one had liked that seat before. The desk happened to face sideways toward the president’s desk through the glass partition. Whoever sat there would be under the president’s all-around “surveillance.”
Tan Xiao looked toward the president’s office again. Zhang Xingchuan had gone to a conference room for the online meeting, leaving the room behind the glass partition empty.
The flower on the desk bloomed quietly. Phalaenopsis orchids had very long flowering periods, with individual blossoms sometimes lasting two or three months. The butterfly-like flowers along the spike were still the same old acquaintances Tan Xiao remembered. The plant was thriving, and so were the blooms.
Tan Xiao did not ask to enter the president’s office.
Secretary Feng was organizing notes from the daytime meeting. In truth, he had finished long ago, but in order to avoid interacting with Tan Xiao, who had E-type energy written all over his face, he pretended to be overwhelmingly busy.
He had already studied Tan Xiao for a while. He was also curious. Who exactly was this youthful, handsome university guy? Was he really just a former intern who had already left? Could a former intern be this close to the president?
He did not understand, but the president surely had his reasons.
Tan Xiao’s eyesight was excellent. He could see the work document on Secretary Feng’s screen.
The notes were meticulous, but also rigid. Secretary Feng seemed like the sort of person who was painfully serious and stubborn about details. Vice President Sun, on the other hand, was aggressive and adventurous in his work.
No wonder Attendant Feng and Noble Lady Sun could not get along. Their personalities were natural opposites.
In the reflection along the edge of his computer screen, Secretary Feng noticed Tan Xiao peeking. He shifted his body slightly to block the display.
Tan Xiao: “…”
Tan Xiao could be a little rebellious sometimes. From the moment Secretary Feng picked him up downstairs, the man had been cool and unfriendly, and upstairs he had barely spoken to Tan Xiao at all.
Now Tan Xiao was determined to tease him and have a proper conversation with him.
“You know, this seat you’re sitting in used to be my desk,” Tan Xiao said. “Even this computer. I asked Administration to replace the old one with a new machine.”
Secretary Feng did not turn around or respond.
“Have they told you?” Tan Xiao continued. “I interned at WenCheng for two months over winter break.”
Introvert Secretary Feng continued pretending to be deaf.
“Secretary Feng, what kind of work do you do?” Tan Xiao asked.
Three black lines might as well have appeared over the back of Secretary Feng’s head.
“I mean before you came to WenCheng,” Tan Xiao clarified.
Singled out for a one-on-one chat, Secretary Feng had no choice but to answer. “I worked in Shanghai for a while. Also at an internet company.”
“Do you think life is more comfortable in Shanghai or Beijing?”
“Both are fine.”
“Beijing is just a little too dry. And the wind is brutal.”
“Yes.”
“Where are you from?” Tan Xiao said. “I’m from Zhejiang.”
Secretary Feng paused, suddenly a little interested. At last he turned around. “I’m also from Zhejiang.”
He named a city in Zhejiang. Tan Xiao looked completely blank.
“I’ve only been to Hangzhou,” Tan Xiao said, now genuinely apologetic. “I actually don’t know Zhejiang very well.”
Secretary Feng immediately lost interest again. “Mm.”
“After I graduate, I’m planning to travel around Zhejiang properly,” Tan Xiao said. “I’ll visit your hometown too. The name is beautiful. It must be a nice place.” This time he spoke sincerely, without any intention of teasing him.
“It’s all right.” Secretary Feng asked, “What year are you in?”
“Third-year PhD.”
Secretary Feng suspected he had heard wrong. “What?”
“I’m a third-year finance PhD student at Qing University.”
“…” Secretary Feng said, “Oh.”
Zhang Xingchuan finally finished his meeting, which also meant Secretary Feng was finally saved.
“President.” Secretary Feng sprang to his feet, almost emotional.
“?” Zhang Xingchuan looked at him in confusion.
Tan Xiao sat nearby wearing an innocent expression. “Secretary Feng and I had a great conversation. We’re even from the same province.”
Zhang Xingchuan understood. Introvert Secretary Feng had been turned into a toy.
“What a coincidence.” Zhang Xingchuan joined the game. “Then you two should add each other on WeChat and keep in touch.”
Secretary Feng was about to crumble.
Fortunately, Tan Xiao did not actually suggest exchanging WeChat contacts.
“Come here.” Zhang Xingchuan beckoned Tan Xiao into his office.
Once inside and the door was closed, Zhang Xingchuan said, “Give you a little longer and you’ll break my new secretary.”
Tan Xiao shoved both hands in his pockets and put on an unconvinced expression.
He did not truly have some hobby of tormenting introverts. His insistence on talking to Secretary Feng was partly because the man’s coolness had bordered on rude, but also because Tan Xiao was curious what sort of new employee had once again caught Zhang Xingchuan’s eye.
Just so-so, really.
Zhang Xingchuan had attended a very formal meeting today, so he was dressed accordingly, complete with a dark blue silk tie.
He took off his suit jacket and casually hung it on a nearby rack. Underneath was a white business shirt. His shoulders were broad, waist narrow, legs long. In just a shirt and dress trousers, the lines of his body stood out even more, carrying a certain tension.
Tan Xiao was about the same height, but his shoulders and chest were roughly one size smaller. Looking at Zhang Xingchuan now, absurdly handsome even in this old-man business shirt, he suddenly felt envious. Why couldn’t those beautiful pecs belong to him?
“Come see the flower.” Zhang Xingchuan called him over to the desk. “How am I doing?”
Tan Xiao walked over and bent slightly to inspect the orchid at close range. It was indeed even healthier and more vibrant. He was very satisfied.
Zhang Xingchuan tilted his head and looked at him from the side. Tan Xiao was wearing the new jacket Zhang Xingchuan had given him last time. The fresh color of the clothes suited his refined appearance so perfectly that he was almost painfully pleasing to look at.
Tan Xiao looked up, and their eyes met.
Zhang Xingchuan smiled. “Kiddo, have you lost weight?”
“I don’t think so.” Tan Xiao straightened. “I’ve done nothing but eat and sleep all week. If I still managed to lose weight, Sister Jiaxin would probably faint from rage.”
“Jiaxin is away on business,” Zhang Xingchuan said. “You won’t see her today.”
“I heard.” Tan Xiao said, “Isn’t she your special assistant? Why did you send her out on her own?”
Zhang Xingchuan said cheerfully, “She can handle things independently now. It’s time she got more opportunities to train.”
He really was a textbook ENFJ. He genuinely enjoyed helping others grow, was excellent at self-expression, naturally attracted people who resonated with him, and continuously energized and encouraged his followers with his enthusiasm.
Tan Xiao was not one of his professional followers, but he understood why those people followed him. Zhang Xingchuan was dangerously good at charming people.