Chapter 9

Chen Jubai walked in with a few people trailing behind him. Jiang Zhendong spotted Song Wei immediately, smiled, and whispered something into Chen Jubai’s ear. The group collectively turned their gaze toward her.

As they approached, the four at the table stood up. Jiang Zhendong took the lead in introductions. “President Chen, this is our new product manager, Song Wei.”

Their eyes met. His gaze was calm and composed, while hers was filled with shock. Neither looked away, and the moment became awkwardly still.

Others might not have noticed anything unusual, but Jiang Zhendong picked up on it right away. They knew each other—clearly not on shallow terms. He carefully repeated, “President Chen?”

Chen Jubai finally smiled, extended his hand, and said warmly, “Manager Song, welcome aboard.”

Song Wei averted her gaze and shook his hand. “Hello, President Chen.”

Jiang Zhendong raised an eyebrow at the scene. Pretending not to know each other? Interesting.

The cafeteria wasn’t the place for extended conversations. After exchanging pleasantries, Chen Jubai and his group left. The small table regained its lively chatter.

Ji Yao eagerly leaned over. “Sister Weiwei, did you see that? Was I right or was I right?”

Song Wei’s mind was a mess, and she nodded absentmindedly. “Mm.”

Ji Yao continued, “Our President Chen is amazing. You’ll see for yourself soon enough.”

Dong Ruicheng chimed in, “Sister Wei, once you’re more active in those WeChat groups you just joined, you’ll know what they’re always talking about.”

“What about?”

“Gossip about President Chen,” he said.

Ji Yao giggled. “What else would we gossip about if not him?”

Li Cheng interjected, “Enough, you two. Are we eating or not?”

Song Wei didn’t even know how she managed to finish her meal. When she got back to the office, her mind was still spinning.

She knew Chen Jubai had started his own business and that it was doing fairly well. They rarely discussed it because it wasn’t her place to pry. Asking too much would have seemed like she was interested in his wealth. But she never imagined his company was Guangnian Technology.

He had known she was coming for the interview. When she called to ask his opinion about the company, he had merely said it was good, without disclosing the truth.

The more Song Wei thought about it, the more annoyed she became. If she’d known he was the company’s founder, she wouldn’t have taken the interview. What was this even supposed to mean now?

Back in the office, her phone rang, but she didn’t answer. Her thoughts were too jumbled.

Chen Jubai called three times, then sent a text: [Wait for me after work? Let’s leave together.]

What? Song Wei stared at the message, dumbfounded. What did he mean by this? No explanation, but he wanted to leave together after work?

She suddenly felt parched. The office didn’t have a water dispenser, so she went out to get some water.

As she reached the break room, she ran into a familiar figure breathing slightly heavily.

Song Wei froze in shock.

It was lunch break, so several colleagues were around, either playing on their phones or chatting quietly. Song Wei glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention before pulling him into the stairwell.

The cramped space was filled with a faint smell of tobacco. Song Wei didn’t like the scent, and her words carried a hint of frustration. “What are you doing down here?”

Chen Jubai studied her expression and cautiously asked, “Are you upset?”

Upset wasn’t quite the right word, but it was definitely a big surprise—like receiving an unexpected, oversized gift on her first day at work.

The man she had just started getting to know through matchmaking was her boss, the young, sought-after entrepreneur every woman dreamed of.

She muttered, “I’m not upset.”

But he still apologized. “I’m sorry for not telling you the truth earlier.”

Song Wei stared at him. “You knew I was coming for the interview. Why didn’t you tell me you were the boss? Was it intentional?”

“It wasn’t intentional,” Chen Jubai said patiently. “I just didn’t want my identity to influence your decision.”

“If I’d known Guangnian Technology was yours, I wouldn’t have come.”

“Why not?”

Song Wei hesitated, suddenly unsure how to respond.

Then something occurred to her, and her brows furrowed. “Was it you who interfered when HR called me back?”

He didn’t explain further, only repeated, “I’m sorry.”

After a moment, Song Wei looked away. “No need to apologize. If anything, you helped me.”

Chen Jubai spoke candidly. “I didn’t help you. I reviewed your resume myself. You earned this position on your own merits. It was Jiang Zhendong’s biased judgment that was the issue.”

“And your joining Guangnian wasn’t because of me. It was a mutual pursuit.” He paused briefly before adding, “A two-way street.”

Song Wei couldn’t help but laugh. “What kind of phrasing is that?”

Her smile eased the tension.

“Anyway,” Chen Jubai said, “I stand by what I said. I don’t want my identity to affect your thoughts. If you have any concerns now, I’ll respect your decision.”

“I’ve already started the job, and now you’re telling me this?”

He said nothing, but his gaze bore into hers.

Frustrated, she muttered, “You’re such a liar.”

Chen Jubai didn’t mind the insult and merely responded with an indifferent “Hmm.”

This made Song Wei even angrier. She turned to leave, but he grabbed her wrist and asked softly, “Are you leaving?”

She knew what he was really asking.

In that moment, she came to terms with the situation. Besides removing an unfair barrier, he hadn’t done anything inappropriate. She was confident in her own abilities and knew she deserved the position. As he had said, it was indeed a mutual pursuit.

She didn’t plan to quit. Walking away simply because he was her boss would be childish and irresponsible toward her career.

But she was still annoyed. “I’m going back to work.”

Chen Jubai remained quiet for a moment before lowering his voice. “Are we still having dinner tonight?”

“We’ll see.”

…

Back in the office, Song Wei sipped some water and calmed herself, reflecting deeply on her behavior.

She realized she’d thrown a baseless tantrum.

No matter the circumstances, they had no established relationship. Yet she had unconsciously acted like a girlfriend, directing her frustration at him. It was inappropriate—she had overstepped.

If they were merely friends, his actions were entirely reasonable. She should have been thanking him instead.

Song Wei closed her eyes, exhaling the last of her pent-up frustration.

The afternoon was consumed with onboarding tasks. The workload was substantial and scattered across unfamiliar areas. Her phone’s notepad quickly filled with reminders and things she needed to learn.

She majored in computer science during her undergraduate studies, but her grasp of the subject was not thorough. Having worked solely in product management over the past few years, much of her technical knowledge had slipped away. Now, stepping into a completely new industry, she needed to relearn everything from scratch.

As the workday neared its end, Ji Yao knocked on the door and entered. “Sister Wei, want to have dinner together tonight? Sister Li Cheng will join us, along with a few colleagues from our team.”

Song Wei hesitated for three seconds before choosing new colleagues over her new boss. “Sure.”

“Great! I’ll book a restaurant!”

After Ji Yao left, a message popped up on her computer’s WeChat: [How’s everything going?]

Song Wei typed back: [Sorry, but I’ll have to cancel on you.]

[That’s okay, next time.]

His reply was so quick that Song Wei felt a little guilty. [Aren’t you going to ask why?]

[Why?]

“…”

Song Wei thought of Siri, or AI—programmed to execute instructions without its own opinions, just a smart and powerful software. She smiled and replied: [My new colleagues invited me to dinner. Since it’s my first day, I feel like I should treat them instead. I’ll make it up to you next time.]

[Alright, enjoy yourself.]

The dinner venue wasn’t far from the office, clearly a frequent spot for them, as Ji Yao had already pre-ordered the dishes with the owner.

Their department was split into two teams: Team A and Team B, handling similar tasks but on different projects. Song Wei was taking over Team A from Li Cheng, which consisted of six members, all of whom attended tonight’s gathering.

Li Cheng, likely uninterested in returning to her role post-maternity leave, had completely let go of her responsibilities and shared generously. “You all should follow Manager Song closely. She’s got a wealth of experience, and you’ll learn a lot under her guidance.”

Ji Yao chimed in, “Don’t worry, Sister Cheng. We’ll work hard and wait for your return.”

Others joined in with polite remarks, but one person stood out with a more direct comment, “We all want Sister Cheng to come back, but will she really?”

Song Wei glanced at the speaker seated diagonally across from her—a sharp-featured girl with a high ponytail, exuding a polished and capable demeanor.

She recalled the girl from the afternoon’s introduction meeting: Yao Miaoxuan, a product specialist who had been with the company for a year.

The comment made the atmosphere a bit awkward, but Li Cheng broke the tension with a smile. “Last year, our company only had one product department. Now, in less than a year, we’ve added a second. Who knows how many more there will be by the time I return from maternity leave? If your wings grow strong enough, I might really have reason to worry.”

Yao Miaoxuan stiffened slightly and turned her head away.

Ji Yao quickly changed the subject, “Really? Does that mean we all have a chance?”

“Of course! Focus on delivering results, and Guangnian won’t let you down.”

Ji Yao exclaimed, “Wow, I need to step up my game!”

Dong Ruicheng teased her, “With the way you are—needing Sister Cheng to revise even your PRD—you’re dreaming too much.”

Ji Yao playfully raised her fist. “Can’t you keep quiet for once?”

“Heh.”

Li Cheng turned to Song Wei and said, “Manager Song, these two are the stars of our team. When it comes to fun and laughter, you can count on them.”

Song Wei smiled. “I can see that.”

Li Cheng leaned in slightly and lowered her voice, “Don’t overthink it. I’ll explain more another time.”

“Alright, thank you, Sister Cheng.”

Such gatherings were perfect for quickly gathering company insights. Song Wei quietly listened to their discussions—who in which department was difficult to deal with, which teams were struggling, and the reasons behind certain organizational changes.

Before long, Song Wei had a clear understanding of the company’s structure.

The company had three vice presidents: one overseeing technology, one handling business (the one who interviewed her), and one managing administrative departments. While all three held company shares, the largest shareholder was still Chen Jubai, to whom they all reported.

Li Cheng shared, “Actually, President Chen is under a lot of pressure. He comes from a technical background and is less experienced with business operations. In the first couple of years, Guangnian had the technology but no revenue. Every step was incredibly tough.”

She gestured toward the fruit wine in front of Song Wei and continued, “President Chen doesn’t drink much. The first time I joined them for a business dinner, I was the only woman there, and the other side tried to pressure me into drinking. President Chen took the drinks for me. By the end of the meal, I saw him vomiting in the restroom.”

“Back then, he was only 24 or 25—so young. Imagine someone that age carrying that kind of pressure.”

“These past two years have been better. The company’s gained recognition in the industry. We no longer have to chase clients as aggressively, and we’ve earned some leverage with them. But I still see that President Chen hasn’t eased up a bit.”

“Recently, after we completed our Series C funding round, President Chen and the vice presidents practically lived at the office. I heard there were issues during the process, and they were busy solving problems day and night.”

The more Song Wei listened, the quieter she became.

“As an employee who’s been here for years, I can’t imagine jumping ship. Whether you’re new or old here, there’s a shared sense of pride and purpose in wanting the company to grow alongside yourself.”

Li Cheng smiled at her. “I might be saying this too early, but you’ll understand in time.” Raising her juice glass, she clinked it lightly with Song Wei’s. “Welcome aboard.”

Song Wei felt at a loss for words but managed to say, “Thank you.”

Her phone buzzed with a new message from Chen Jubai: [When will you finish?]

Her heart skipped a beat, and she typed back: [Why?]

[Nothing, just asking.]

[Around 8:30.]

[Got it.]

Song Wei: ??? Got it? Got what?

It was 7:50 now, still 40 minutes to go.

She waited a while but didn’t receive any follow-up.

Li Cheng noticed her frequently checking her phone and asked if something was wrong. Song Wei turned off the screen and smiled, “Nothing.”

This man had a habit of stopping mid-conversation, leaving her completely puzzled.

At 8:00, another message came through: [It’s snowing.]

Song Wei looked toward the window. The neon lights were dazzling, but no snow was visible yet—likely just starting.

She replied: [Really?]

Chen Jubai sent a photo—outdoors, under a streetlamp, faint snowflakes fell like tiny stars descending to earth.

[Have you been drinking?] he asked.

Song Wei glanced at her half-finished fruit wine. [Just a little.]

[I’ll pick you up.]

Seeing this message, Song Wei chuckled softly, her dimples becoming prominent.

[Alright.]