Font Size:
The receptionist’s eyes lit up when she heard Shen Mi’s name. Before she could speak, the middle-aged man beside her exclaimed, “Oh, Shen Mi, you’re finally here! Come over here, just sign the change of procedures.”
He seemed more eager than she was.
“Thank you.” Shen Mi glanced at the man’s work ID and was a little surprised that the HR Director would personally help her with the procedures. “Thank you, Director Gao.”
“Just call me Old Gao. You’re Mr. Xie’s specially appointed secretary, so please take care of me in the future.”
Old Gao was clearly ready to curry favor, obviously overestimating her. Shen Mi’s smile was a little unnatural. “Take care of me.”
After completing the procedures, Old Gao said enthusiastically, “You just came from Beijing, so you probably haven’t found a place to live yet. The President’s Office staff have benefits and can provide accommodation. However, the apartments are quite small. If you don’t mind, I can arrange one for you.”
Following Xie Rongzhuo actually included room and board!
Shen Mi: “Then please arrange one for me.”
“Okay,” Old Gao continued warmly, “Do you want to take a couple of days off to familiarize yourself with the surroundings?”
Shen Mi replied, “No, I can start work tomorrow.” Taking time off would mean a deduction in her salary.
Old Gao praised her, “You’re hardworking and dedicated, no wonder Mr. Xie has taken notice of you.”
Shen Mi smiled politely.
But of course, she was the one Mr. Xie had noticed and was about to torture to death.
*
Old Gao sent a young lady to help Shen Mi choose a house. The lady’s name was Ning Xinlei, and she was a local. Shen Mi thought she was Xie Rongzhuo’s secretary, but the young lady said, “Mr. Xie only has you as his female secretary, because…”
Ning Xinlei smiled and didn’t dare say more.
“Shen Mi, do you prefer a high floor or a low floor?” She changed the subject.
Shen Mi said, “High floor.”
Even without being told, she could guess that Xie Rongzhuo wasn’t easy to please and was definitely someone who could make people suffer. The previous secretaries must have been driven away by him.
Ning Xinlei said, “Then I’ll take you to see the remaining high floors. How about floors 15 and 17?”
“Okay, thank you.”
Shen Mi finally chose 1502.
High up, but not too high. A middle to upper level would suffice.
These buildings were built by Ruixing Bank as employee welfare housing. The neighborhood had a supermarket nearby, and it wasn’t far from the subway station. This one was a small apartment, not very big, but it had everything you needed. The balcony had good lighting, although you could only see the wall of the neighboring building…
But compared to the small, windowless bedroom Shen Mi had lived in in Beijing, this apartment, which belonged to her alone, was practically a dream paradise.
Shen Mi had already signed a three-year contract with the company. Unless she quit, she would be living here for the next three years. She bought some household items and spent an afternoon carefully decorating her little nest.
She put up clean wallpaper, changed the tablecloth, and bought discounted, budget-friendly bed linens. Although cheap, they were comfortable. The water heater and shower in the bathroom worked, and the washing machine and stove hadn’t been removed. Shen Mi tested them out and was happy to find they were all functional.
She cleaned every corner of the balcony, placed the new flower pots on it, and then mopped the kitchen and bathroom.
After a few hours, the room was completely transformed.
Shen Mi turned on her computer, recorded the day’s expenses in her accounts, and then fixed the router that had been left aside and connected to the Wi-Fi.
A bed and internet, life suddenly felt hopeful.
Shen Mi opened her suitcase, hung up her clothes in the simple wardrobe she had just assembled, and grabbed a towel to take a shower.
Washing away the fatigue of the day, Shen Mi lay down on the bed. The small, simple room felt strangely cozy.
After being away from home for so long, she felt a sense of “home” for the first time in a foreign land.
She locked the door, turned off the main light, and switched on the small night light by her bedside. She was afraid of the dark when sleeping.
After a restful night, Shen Mi woke up before her alarm clock even went off the next day.
She opened her eyes and looked around. It took her a few seconds to remember that she had moved to a new home. The house was very clean. Shen Mi walked barefoot to the balcony, smiling as she looked at the wall opposite and the sunlight streaming in through the gaps, stretching lazily.
This cheerful smile stayed on her face until she saw Xie Rongzhuo.
“Good morning, Mr. Xie.” Shen Mi restrained her smile and replaced it with a professional one.
Xie Rongzhuo happened to pass by Shen Mi’s workstation and glanced at her. “Are you getting used to your new place?”
A seemingly ordinary greeting, but Shen Mi couldn’t help but feel a sense of underlying hostility, as if she had unknowingly offended him in some way.
Just accidentally kicked him… it couldn’t be, right?
Shen Mi maintained her smile. “I’m getting used to it, thank you for your concern.”
Xie Rongzhuo nodded, his handsome face expressionless.
Perhaps due to his height, Xie Rongzhuo looked down at people with a natural arrogance. He didn’t look away, just stared at her intently.
Yes, it was a stare.
Shen Mi was somewhat confident in her looks and could distinguish between a man’s gaze of admiration and a gaze with ulterior motives. Xie Rongzhuo’s look was intriguing, but definitely not because of her somewhat attractive appearance.
The boys in college were reserved, and the men she met at work would try to conceal their feelings, at most revealing a look of admiration. Shen Mi had never been stared at so frankly before. The smile on her lips slightly faltered.
She feigned composure, lifting her chin slightly, looking into his eyes through her shimmering glasses.
Xie Rongzhuo’s eyes were like clear black glass frozen into ice in a cold spring, beautiful but also cold.
Shen Mi couldn’t smile anymore.
After a few seconds of eye contact, Xie Rongzhuo looked away. He didn’t pick on her, but continued his phone call as he entered his office.
Shen Mi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He was the owner of a bank, after all, with money and confidence. His gaze was indeed sharp. She almost lost her composure.
*
After a brief self-introduction to her colleagues, Ning Xinlei took Shen Mi to familiarize herself with the company environment. Afterward, the assistant manager came to hand over work to Shen Mi.
“Shen Mi, I’ve been waiting for you to arrive.” Zhang Wenzhu was Xie Rongzhuo’s special assistant. Before Shen Mi came, he had been handling all the trivial matters like the boss’s schedule.
The secretary position had been vacant for over two months, and the boss had no intention of hiring anyone, which kept him extremely busy.
Shen Mi saw his work ID and smiled. “Assistant Zhang, I’ve just arrived and there are many things I don’t understand. I’ll need your guidance.”
“That’s what I’m here for. We’re colleagues now, no need to be so formal.” Zhang Wenzhu finished and then went about his business.
The internal phone rang. Shen Mi answered. “Hello, President’s Office.”
“Come to my office.”
The man’s voice, mixed with electricity, was deep and resonant, a typical bass voice, exuding a sense of charisma. It sounded a bit familiar.
Shen Mi didn’t immediately realize who it was. “May I ask who is speaking—” She paused and then recognized the voice.
“Xie Rongzhuo,” Mr. Xie introduced himself.
Shen Mi closed her eyes in frustration, took a breath, and then walked into the president’s office. Standing in front of his desk, she complimented naturally, “Mr. Xie, your voice is deep and magnetic over the phone.”
It wasn’t flattery; she just wanted to explain why she didn’t recognize his voice.
Xie Rongzhuo seemed displeased with her, his tone indifferent. “Did Wang Bo teach you these things?”
Knowing she was already on thin ice, Shen Mi smiled and replied, “Mr. Wang did his best to teach me, but unfortunately, I only scratched the surface.”
Mentioning Wang Bo made Shen Mi recall the description she had once praised him with in front of her mentor: “gentlemanly, kind, tall, and handsome.”
It was a total facepalm moment.
“What did he teach you so diligently?” Xie Rongzhuo asked.
Shen Mi replied, “How to be a person.” Then, she quickly and subtly added, “How to do things.”
Xie Rongzhuo raised his eyes, his glasses reflecting a cold light. “Really.”
Shen Mi noticed that Xie Rongzhuo’s gaze was a little strange, but she couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong.
Was this the look of someone who was scheming and ruthless, someone who wanted to stab someone with a knife?
Well, it fit.
Shen Mi shivered and cheered herself up:
Even if Xie Rongzhuo was a heartless stone, she would break through his heart and make him soften!
But Xie Rongzhuo didn’t make things difficult for her. He only asked a few casual questions, as if observing what she was capable of doing.
Shen Mi looked at the past month’s itinerary reference table for her boss, which Zhang Wenzhu had given her. She glanced at her watch. Xie Rongzhuo had arrived at 7:45 this morning. He lived in the Yuefu complex by the river, which was about a 15-minute drive to the company. That meant he probably got up between 6:30 and 6:50 am. He had a noticeable grumpy mood when he arrived, meaning he probably hadn’t had breakfast and wasn’t hungry.
Shen Mi asked Zhang Wenzhu what the boss usually liked to eat for breakfast. Zhang Wenzhu replied that the boss didn’t eat breakfast, just bought a cup of coffee at 9 am. Then he handed her a small, private notebook. “The boss’s likes and dislikes are all in here. I’m passing them on to you.”
Shen Mi felt like she had struck gold. “Thank you!”