Chapter 482: Chapter 310: An Office Romance Is Too Great (Part 2)
This was terrifying.
Because Chen Yuan was the best and most legitimate heir to the Jiang Corporation.
But now that he knew the real numbers and understood the true scale of the headquarters he had just visited a few days ago...
Chen Yuan finally understood why Pei Youwen was so deferential, and why he always mentioned wanting to go to the headquarters with him.
It wasn’t about sightseeing. It was about changing his destiny.
This was the world of adults, and in that moment, he felt he had been granted a peek behind the curtain.
A torrent of thoughts flooded his mind. In an instant, Chen Yuan recalled every seemingly casual but probing question from his biological father. He remembered the looks in the executives’ eyes at the headquarters. He remembered why Pei Youwen had vaguely mentioned that Mo Nana was afraid of him and would only listen to him.
"They can’t be treating me as the heir, can they..." he muttered to himself, the most crucial piece of the puzzle clicking into place.
Chen Yuan scrubbed his face hard, his scalp tingling in an instant.
No wonder Jiang Zhengfeng had made him the chairman of Bauhinia Company right from the start. That was an incredibly high starting point.
It all finally made sense.
"Chen, what’s wrong?" Jiangg Ning asked, concerned.
"It’s nothing. I just thought my biological father’s company was a pretty successful one, but I had no idea..."
"You could have at least looked it up on Wikipedia," she said, breaking into a laugh.
"Never mind, let’s not talk about that for now. What do you think of our company?" Chen Yuan forcibly pushed the thoughts aside to deal with later, managing a smile as he asked.
"It’s nice, but a little strict."
"I’m not the one who made it so strict. That’s just how it’s always been, even before I got here. It’s highly competitive, so employee turnover is high. It’s a bit of a ’the more capable you are, the more you’re expected to do’ kind of place..." Chen Yuan paused, looked into Jiangg Ning’s eyes, and asked tentatively, "So... are you interested?"
"In joining?" Jiangg Ning finished for him.
"Yes, exactly," Chen Yuan said with a goofy grin.
"I don’t know... Does your company allow office romances?"
"It doesn’t."
"Forget it then."
"Hey, don’t forget it," Chen Yuan coaxed. "Schools don’t allow student-teacher relationships because it’s a national regulation. But company policy? I can change that. I’m the one in charge now."
"My, you’re so~ powerful~" Jiangg Ning said, narrowing her eyes slightly. A mischievous smile played on her lips as she deliberately drew out the last word.
This made Chen Yuan a little embarrassed, his cheeks flushing slightly.
He cleared his throat. "It is indeed my call."
"So no more school romance, we’re moving it to the office... Would I be working under you? Chairman Jiang, let me think..."
Ningning crossed her arms, pretending to think it over. The expression on her face had a charm completely different from Yaoyao’s.
Chen Yuan stared at Ningning’s expression. In truth, he had other ideas brewing in his mind.
That was why he had suddenly brought up this topic.
He’d been worried because Ningning and Yaoyao were always together. That girl Yaoyao was too clingy, and he had no good reason to get her out of the way so he could also cultivate his relationship with Ningning.
If he recruited Ningning as an employee...
’First, I could protect Jiangg Ning and keep her from dealing with any workplace frustrations. It would also satisfy my "masculine pride" and protective instincts.’
’Second, by changing the battlefield of our romance, I could be intimate with Ningning whenever I wanted! I could call her into my office for any little thing, to go over work requirements, to ask about a project’s progress...’
’So convenient.’
Chen Yuan secretly pictured the scenarios after Ningning joined the company and couldn’t help but swallow.
’It could only be described with one word: "perfect." There was no more unbeatable arrangement.’
’And Jiangg Ning is so smart; she’d definitely become an amazing employee. The two of them, working hard together for their careers... what a beautiful picture that would be.’
Chen Yuan didn’t realize how shameless his thoughts were. He was already heading down the path of a scumbag, with no turning back.
The two sisters were waiting for his choice, but it was an answer that would never come...
...
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
A knock sounded at the door.
After receiving permission, Pei Youwen pushed the door open. He glanced around curiously as he entered, and looking a bit surprised not to see anyone else, he strolled inside.
"Where is she?"
"Who?" Chen Yuan replied in a low voice, slumped in his executive chair and staring gloomily at the ceiling.
"Ms. Jiangg. The outstanding interviewee. Didn’t you call her into your office?"
"She already left. The interviews are over, right?"
"Just about. How was she?"
"Excellent character, extensive resume, receptive to feedback, brilliant mind... she’s great in every respect," Chen Yuan sighed.
He’d spent a long time trying to persuade her just now.
But Ningning hadn’t agreed. Instead, she’d used the excuse that it wasn’t right for her to stay in the office for so long and left on her own, not even letting him see her out.
She was worried people would gossip.
She hadn’t given him an answer about joining Bauhinia Company, only saying they’d talk about it later.
Chen Yuan was anxious, but there was nothing he could do. His heart felt like it was being clawed by a cat; the most perfect situation was just a single nod from Ningning away.
"I have an idea," Pei Youwen said, suddenly tapping on the desk. He leaned in conspiratorially. "I’m not sure if it’s my place to say..."
"An idea?" Chen Yuan tilted his head and glanced at him.
"This Ms. Jiangg has an exceptional resume and a great image. We should keep her at our company. What do you think?"
"Hiss—" Chen Yuan sat bolt upright. ’Leave it to Pei to know what I’m thinking,’ he thought, before asking, "You also think Ning... er, Ms. Jiangg is outstanding? We’re on the same page."
"Exactly. We can be flexible on the salary. It’s worth paying a bit more to make sure we keep Ms. Jiangg at our company. Money isn’t an issue."
"But she doesn’t have any experience in finance or investment, don’t you think?"
"She has management experience, and a master’s degree in social sciences is more than enough. The key is that her personal character is exceptional. Besides, didn’t you hear her say during the interview that she wants to move into a management role? That aligns perfectly with our needs."
"You..." A wide grin spread across Chen Yuan’s face. He said to Pei Youwen, "There’s a reason you’re the CEO! Such a sharp eye. But it looked like Mo Nana wasn’t too keen on the idea. What if they don’t get along?"
"What does this have to do with Mo Nana?" Pei Youwen asked, adjusting his glasses in confusion.
"Aren’t we hiring an employee for her department?"
"No. My thinking was that Ms. Jiangg could be your secretary. She could help you manage the company, communicate with the board of directors, and serve as a link between the higher-ups and the staff. Plus, she has a great image and bearing. You can tell at a glance that she’s intelligent, and she has the air of a well-bred lady. That would be a great boost to our company’s image."
"A... a secretary?" Chen Yuan froze, his pupils constricting.
Seeing his reaction,
Pei Youwen sighed and lowered his voice to persuade him. "Chairman, I know you’ve been against the idea, but the position of Secretary to the Chairman really can’t be left vacant. That Ms. Jiangg is an excellent candidate, and I can tell you don’t dislike her. Just consider it—"
"You’re a genius," Chen Yuan said, suddenly slapping the table.
It made Pei Youwen jump.
"Ah?"
"You’re my brilliant strategist."
"Wh-what is it?" Pei Youwen thought he had misspoken and that Chen Yuan was about to chew him out, so he started to stammer.
’Secretary to the Chairman!’
It dawned on Chen Yuan.
’How did I not think of that?’
’This position was obviously much more suitable than one in the finance department. With Ningning by my side, it wouldn’t just be a huge boon for our relationship; she could also be a massive help with work. Plus, Jiangg Ning wanted this kind of experience anyway. Being the Chairman’s Secretary would give her an in-depth understanding of how the company operates.’
’More importantly...’
’Jiangg Ning would have a perfectly legitimate reason to be in my office.’
’Who would ever know we were having an office romance in there?’
’Right now, Pei Youwen is acting in that role, so he can come up to the top floor. But once Ningning becomes my secretary, anyone else would need an appointment. Then this top floor wouldn’t just be an office anymore.’
’Honestly, I could turn it into my personal chambers and no one would question it.’
Chen Yuan thought about how he could use this as a legitimate reason to persuade Ningning later. He’d tell her how much being his secretary would help her studies and career. How could she not be tempted?
Chen Yuan’s eyes narrowed.
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