Chu Shangluo entered the conference room with Ren Jiaoming by his side. Waiting inside, Lu Wen immediately stood up with a warm smile as he saw Chu Shangluo and walked over. “President Chu, long time no see. Do you still remember me?”

Standing beside Chu Shangluo, Ren Jiaoming kept a neutral expression as he stared at the man who would soon replace him as secretary.

Chu Shangluo extended his hand, and Lu Wen quickly took it in a firm handshake. His charming almond-shaped eyes reflected Chu Shangluo’s handsome face as he flashed a polished smile. “It seems President Chu doesn’t remember me. I’m Lu Wen. Many years ago, we met at the university skateboard club. I fell in front of you, and you helped me up.”

After speaking, Lu Wen shot a brief glance at Ren Jiaoming. A hint of hostility flickered in his eyes but was quickly masked as he added, “As it happens, Secretary Ren and I were classmates.”

Chu Shangluo studied the man’s suave and confident face, recalling his occasional visits to the university. It didn’t take long for him to remember. Gu Yao had attended that university, and Chu Shangluo often went there to hang out with him. On one occasion, while passing by the skateboard club’s practice area, they had stumbled upon a competition between two club members. One of them had an enthusiastic crowd of supporters—none other than Lu Wen. Unfortunately, Lu Wen had a mishap during a stunt, landing flat on the ground right in front of Chu Shangluo.

Whether he helped Lu Wen up or not, Chu Shangluo couldn’t remember. What he did recall was the ear-piercing screams of the surrounding girls when Lu Wen fell.

Pulling his thoughts back to the present, Chu Shangluo withdrew his hand from Lu Wen’s grip. “I remember now.”

He sat down on the sofa, crossed his legs, and gestured for Lu Wen to take a seat across from him. “Mr. Lu, I’ve read your résumé. You were at Yu Corporation before this. That company is much larger than Chu Group. Why would you want to come here?”

Lu Wen replied candidly, “To be honest, I got caught up in internal conflicts within the company. My boss lost in the power struggle and was dismissed, and I was implicated as a result. As a secretary, I wasn’t involved in my boss’s actions, but the fallout still landed on me, so I had no choice but to leave.”

Chu Shangluo had heard rumors about the infighting at Yu Corporation. Lu Wen’s honesty was refreshing.

He took another moment to assess Lu Wen’s appearance. While Lu Wen wasn’t as striking as Ren Jiaoming, his looks were still more than acceptable—polished and presentable. He’d certainly make a good impression in public.

However, Chu Shangluo didn’t place much emphasis on his employees’ appearances. What mattered was competence, not looks. Still, he wondered if someone with Lu Wen’s obviously extroverted personality would be attentive enough for the role.

As Chu Shangluo pondered this, Lu Wen, who had been watching him with a smile the entire time, suddenly said, “President Chu, do you have a stomach issue?”

Chu Shangluo raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think that?”

Lu Wen smiled. “It wasn’t hard to notice. You rubbed your stomach twice just now.”

Chu Shangluo was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t even realized he’d done that himself. Glancing at the silent Ren Jiaoming behind him, he shot him a pointed look. ‘This guy wouldn’t notice if I rubbed my stomach ten times a minute’ he thought to himself.

Lu Wen earned some points with his keen observation, and Chu Shangluo decided to give him a chance. “You can stay for now. Lin Zhi will help you with the onboarding process.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Shangluo’s phone rang. Seeing it was Chu Zong, he immediately stepped out to take the call.

With the reception room now empty except for Ren Jiaoming and Lu Wen, Ren Jiaoming turned to leave. However, Lu Wen called out, “Wait a moment.”

Ren Jiaoming stopped and looked at him calmly.

Lu Wen smiled as he extended a hand toward Ren, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Long time no see, old classmate. Aren’t you going to say hello?”

Lu Wen’s words were anything but sincere, and Ren Jiaoming had no intention of reciprocating. Without a word or even a glance, Ren pushed open the door and walked out.

Watching Ren Jiaoming’s retreating figure, Lu Wen thought to himself, ‘That classmate of mine is just as insufferable as ever.’

—

When Ren Jiaoming returned, Chu Shangluo was still on the phone with Chu Zong. His expression had grown increasingly grim as the call went on. After a long silence, Chu Shangluo finally spoke, “Keep investigating Wang Yuanhao. Let me know as soon as you find anything.”

After hanging up, Chu Shangluo sat in deep thought. What Chu Zong had just told him was full of strange and disturbing details.

Chu Zong had discovered that the man who first hit Chu Shangyue with a car years ago was named Wang Yuanhao. Coincidentally, the man who had recently been released from prison, abducted Chu Shangyue at a gay bar, and fled, was also named Wang Yuanhao. Both had burn scars on their faces.

When they checked the ID at the police station, it indeed matched the man who hit Chu Shangyue years ago. But then things took an eerie turn. Chu Zong found records indicating that the original Wang Yuanhao had moved to a neighboring city for treatment after the accident but soon died in a car crash. Few people knew about his death, except for his 80-year-old grandmother. She insisted that Wang Yuanhao was dead and claimed to have personally handled his burial. She even had the death certificate, urn, and grave to prove it.

If what the grandmother said was true, then who was the Wang Yuanhao who had been in prison and had just escaped?

To complicate matters, the imprisoned Wang Yuanhao had been convicted of assaulting a woman. However, according to his grandmother, the original Wang Yuanhao had been left paralyzed after the car crash, confined to a wheelchair, and couldn’t possibly have committed such a crime. She even provided photos of the wheelchair-bound Wang Yuanhao, who looked identical to the recently released convict.

The situation was becoming increasingly convoluted. To uncover the truth, finding this newly released Wang Yuanhao was the only option. But right now, there were no leads.

Chu Shangluo took a deep breath. He couldn’t shake the growing suspicion that the two car accidents involving Chu Shangyue were part of a carefully orchestrated conspiracy.

Whoever the mastermind was, they had turned his once-proud older brother into someone mentally incapacitated, driving a wedge between him and their parents. Chu Shangluo clenched his fists. ‘Whoever did this, I won’t let them get away with it!’

That evening, Chu Shangluo was in a foul mood. After Ren Jiaoming left, he felt restless in his room. He got dressed and decided to take a walk downstairs. As he passed the office, he saw Lu Wen coming out.

Upon spotting Chu Shangluo, Lu Wen smiled and approached him. “President Chu.”

Chu Shangluo nodded slightly. “Why are you leaving so late?”

“I spent some time today familiarizing myself with the company policies under Assistant Lin’s guidance and also prepared a planning chart. It took a bit longer,” Lu Wen replied.

Chu Shangluo noted Lu Wen’s positive attitude and hoped he hadn’t misjudged him this time. He then noticed the large bag slung over Lu Wen’s shoulder and asked, “What’s that?”

“Oh, this?” Lu Wen chuckled and opened the bag to show him. “Skateboards. They belong to my nephew and niece. They love playing with these, so I’m bringing them along since I’ll be picking them up from school later.”

Looking at the sturdy and stylish skateboards in the bag, Chu Shangluo thought how much more refined skateboards had become compared to the ones he remembered from his school days.

As they exited the office building, Lu Wen asked, “President Chu, if I recall correctly, you used to skate as well. I remember seeing you and Gu Yao skating once.”

Chu Shangluo lit a cigarette and smiled faintly as he reminisced about his carefree youth. “It’s been years since I’ve touched one. I’ve probably forgotten how.”

Lu Wen squinted slightly, placed one of the skateboards on the ground, and stepped on it. “Want to give it a try, President Chu?”

Chu Shangluo waved him off. “Forget it. It’s a kid’s toy.”

But Lu Wen was already gliding smoothly on the skateboard, circling around Chu Shangluo. The sight of a grown man in a suit skating on a bright pink skateboard was amusing enough to lift Chu Shangluo’s spirits slightly.

“Come on, President Chu. Give it a shot. I noticed you weren’t in the best mood this afternoon. Skating’s guaranteed to cheer you up.”

Chu Shangluo stared down at the skateboard, recalling the carefree days of his youth. In the end, he shook his head. “No, I’ve forgotten how to do it.”

Lu Wen looked slightly disappointed as he watched him. The faint glow of the cigarette in Chu Shangluo’s hand reflected in his eyes. Even though the man had shed his youthful immaturity, he remained just as captivating. Lu Wen would never forget the confident and carefree aura Chu Shangluo exuded the first time he saw him skate.

Not far away, Ren Jiaoming, who had returned to retrieve something, caught sight of Chu Shangluo and Lu Wen talking. On Chu Shangluo’s face was an uncharacteristic look of relaxation. Ren Jiaoming’s expression darkened, and he turned to leave.

Chu Shangluo sat on a nearby flowerbed, puffing on his cigarette. Perhaps the memory of his carefree days lightened his mood considerably. He glanced at Lu Wen and asked, “You were classmates with Ren Jiaoming, weren’t you? What was he like in university?”

Lu Wen replied, “Him? He hardly ever attended class but still managed to be the top student in the department. And as luck would have it, I was always second, constantly overshadowed by him. I thought I’d ask him for some tips on acing exams, but he wouldn’t even bother answering. Tell me, isn’t that infuriating?”

Chu Shangluo chuckled. He knew better than anyone how infuriating Ren Jiaoming could be. The man had a knack for driving him to curse and rant, all while remaining completely unfazed himself.

Chu Shangluo thought for a moment and asked, “Did he ever date anyone?”

Lu Wen glanced at Chu Shangluo and put away his skateboard. “I’m not really sure. He was quite popular at school, though.”

Chu Shangluo tried to imagine Ren Jiaoming in a relationship but struggled. Someone like him—cold and detached—could he truly be tender and caring toward a partner? The thought unsettled him. Maybe it was the cold wind sneaking into his wounds, but his arm and chest felt tight and painful.

Taking one last drag of his cigarette, Chu Shangluo flicked the stub away. “The nights are chilly. I’m heading back.”

Lu Wen watched him leave, puzzled by the sudden change in his mood.

Chu Shangluo wandered aimlessly through the empty company building. It struck him as one of the drawbacks of a family-run business: with so many employees sharing the Chu surname, they often acted with impunity, and the place cleared out as soon as the workday ended. He sighed lightly.

As he passed an office, its door happened to be open. Glancing inside, he saw Ren Jiaoming coming out with some documents. Their eyes met.

“What are you doing back here?” Chu Shangluo asked.

“Getting some files,” Ren Jiaoming replied.

Chu Shangluo patted his shoulder. “So dedicated. I wonder if my next secretary will have your work ethic.” Then, leaning closer, he asked provocatively, “What do you think of Lu Wen?”

Ren Jiaoming didn’t respond, brushing off Chu Shangluo’s hand and nodding curtly before walking away.

Chu Shangluo froze for a moment. Ren Jiaoming’s distant gaze sent a pang through him, and his arm began to ache again.

—

The news of a new secretary quickly spread through the company. The employees spoke highly of Lu Wen. He was approachable, always smiling, and took the initiative to greet everyone.

Unlike Secretary Ren, who constantly wore a stern expression and exuded an intimidating aura, Lu Wen brought a cheerful energy wherever he went. When Ren Jiaoming passed by, however, the atmosphere turned tense and silent. The contrast between the two was striking.

Ren Jiaoming paid no mind to the employees’ reactions. His routine remained unchanged: picking up Chu Shangluo in the morning, arriving at the office together, only to find that Lu Wen had already prepared fresh coffee and a few soft cakes on the desk.

As soon as Chu Shangluo entered, Lu Wen would take his coat and have the day’s documents ready for him. Most of the work that Ren Jiaoming used to handle had now been taken over by Lu Wen, leaving him to focus on a few ongoing projects.

Chu Shangluo sipped his coffee and noticed it tasted different from usual.

Lu Wen smiled. “I noticed that you prefer sweeter foods, so I added some sugar and milk to your coffee. I thought you might like it more this way.”

Chu Shangluo took another sip. When he set the cup down, he didn’t notice the pen beneath it. The cup tilted, spilling coffee onto the desk.

Ren Jiaoming reached for a tissue and was just about to hand it over when Lu Wen quickly picked up the cup and absorbed the spilled coffee with a tissue.

“President Chu, are you okay? Did you get burned?”

Chu Shangluo replied, “I’m fine. Put the cup down—your hand is red from the burn.”

Lu Wen placed the coffee cup down and glanced at his reddened palm. “As long as you’re okay, that’s what matters. My skin is thick; it’s no big deal.”

Chu Shangluo gave him a light shove. “Stop brushing it off. Go to the medical room and apply some ointment.”

Lu Wen’s eyes curved into a smile. “Alright.”

Ren Jiaoming, who had been silently observing the interaction, quietly withdrew the hand he had extended moments earlier.

—

In the following days, Lu Wen took on most of the office tasks, leaving Ren Jiaoming with little to do aside from picking up Chu Shangluo every morning. In the office, everything was handled by Lu Wen.

Chu Shangluo, noticing Lu Wen’s attentiveness and shared interests, often initiated conversations with him during work hours. Lu Wen’s sincerity and humor made him easy to talk to, and he always kept the atmosphere light, never letting things grow awkward.

When Lin Zhi was around, he would occasionally join in their conversations. Ren Jiaoming, however, seemed like an outsider.

At first, Chu Shangluo tried to include Ren Jiaoming, but lately, Ren Jiaoming had been deliberately distancing himself. Apart from work-related matters, he barely spoke a word to Chu Shangluo. Watching Ren Jiaoming’s retreating figure more often than not, Chu Shangluo could tell that Ren Jiaoming couldn’t wait to leave. In the past, Ren Jiaoming would at least make an effort to keep up appearances, but now he didn’t even want to stay close.

Glancing at his injured arm, Chu Shangluo thought about how the stitches were coming out tomorrow. Would that also mark the end of his fleeting, ambiguous superior-subordinate relationship with Ren Jiaoming? Would it all disappear like a healed wound, leaving no trace behind?

But how could that be? Even if the wound healed, the scar would remain—a permanent reminder of how he took that knife to save Ren Jiaoming. Letting him leave just like that? Chu Shangluo wasn’t willing to accept it.