Chapter 37

Chi Xiting couldn’t understand how he could be this exhausted.

He silently withdrew his gaze.

Zhou Shan, who had been following behind, also keenly noticed the “little incident” in the office. The corners of her lips unconsciously curled up, but when she quickly saw Chi Xiting withdraw his gaze, she immediately suppressed her smile and cleared her throat seriously, asking, “Do you need me to wake him up?”

Chi Xiting casually glanced back at Zhou Shan.

Zhou Shan immediately understood and naturally acted as if she hadn’t seen anything, looking straight ahead with a perfectly serious expression.

Chi Xiting then lifted his foot and continued walking toward Shen Zhizhe’s office.

Chi Xiting was sleeping soundly, completely unaware of what was happening outside the door. It wasn’t until the support in his waist reached its limit that he finally woke up, slowly regained his senses, and completed a big motion of picking up a pen, naturally placing it on the desk.

—-

After a little nap, Chi Xiting finally regained some energy. He propped up his chin and reluctantly flipped through the draft proposal he had written yesterday.

The general direction could still remain the same, but the competitive analysis was still too shallow. When Chi Xiting had written a proposal for Chusheng back then, he had mentioned some prominent features of Ruifeng’s products, but he had only listened to Zhao Wen boasting about it without thinking deeply. Would those features still stand out in the market?

Not necessarily.

Take the home renovation industry as an example. The demand was strong, but so was the competition, forcing companies to constantly innovate and improve. Companies that failed to keep up with the pace of change were inevitably heading downhill.

Ruifeng was a clear example.

Chi Xiting felt a bit of a headache. Looking back now, the project wasn’t as simple as he had originally thought. Now, it wasn’t just a matter of time.

Chi Xiting revisited the competitive landscape of the market, just about to focus on drafting the competitive analysis when he heard two knocks on the door.

He instinctively looked up and happened to meet Zhou Shan’s gaze.

Zhou Shan was a familiar face to all the employees.

After all, she was Chusheng’s first assistant, and the messages she conveyed were essentially Chusheng’s intentions.

When Zhou Shan appeared at the office door, all the employees in the office paused, and their actions stopped. They all looked at Zhou Shan without saying a word.

Zhou Shan was completely unaffected by their gaze, simply performing her duties.

She came to notify Chi Xiting that he needed to go to the CEO’s office.

Zhou Shan walked toward Chi Xiting’s desk, her high heels clicking on the floor, producing a crisp sound that echoed in the otherwise quiet office, making it especially noticeable.

“Are you busy right now?” Zhou Shan stood by Chi Xiting’s workstation, her gaze briefly landing on his computer screen for a second before she looked directly at him, asking.

Chi Xiting was a little surprised and stared at Zhou Shan’s face for a long time before looking away. His mind started working quickly.

“Mm.” Chi Xiting nodded slightly, then said briefly, “Writing the plan.”

Zhou Shan seemed to be asking politely and didn’t seem genuinely curious about Chi Xiting’s work. After responding, she continued, “Never mind for now, Mr. Chu asked you to go to his office.”

Chi Xiting was stunned, looking up at Zhou Shan in confusion. He remained silent for a while, then muttered, “Ah?”

Zhou Shan smiled, but her expression remained neutral, and it was hard to gather any further information from her face.

“Mr. Chu is still waiting for you. Go ahead.” Zhou Shan said again.

Her voice wasn’t loud, and since Chi Xiting’s desk was on the edge, the other employees only noticed Zhou Shan standing beside his desk and then saw both of them leave the office together.

It was baffling.

This could only be described as baffling.

All the employees instinctively started to speculate, their thoughts messy and confused.

Zhou Shan didn’t often come to the marketing department office, and whenever she did, it was usually to visit Mr. Shen’s office. No one had seen her come to the employee offices before.

If there was something to discuss, she usually communicated via email.

She never bothered to run errands in person.

Moreover, the person she was looking for made no sense.

She went to find an intern?

What for?

Was it because Zhou Shan needed him, or was it…

Was it Mr. Chu who asked for him?

Even the full-time employees started brainstorming, not to mention the interns who couldn’t escape their curiosity.

Even Li Yang couldn’t help herself and kept her eyes on Chi Xiting until she could no longer see him, then she shifted her gaze.

Li Xin furrowed her brow and muttered under her breath, “As expected.”

Li Xin’s comment seemed random, and Ren Jiajia, who was beside her, looked at her confused, then turned to Li Yang, asking, “Wow, what’s going on? Isn’t that woman the one who sat next to Mr. Chu during the meeting?”

Li Yang was also somewhat puzzled but nodded in response to Ren Jiajia’s question. “She’s Mr. Chu’s assistant… As for anything else, I’m not sure.”

Ren Jiajia responded with an “Oh” and thought for a moment before adding, “Mr. Chu’s assistant? So that means Mr. Chu asked for Chi Xiting?”

As soon as Ren Jiajia finished speaking, Li Xin raised her head and complained to her, “That’s enough. Why do you have so much to say? Is your work done?”

Li Xin’s tone was sharp, causing Ren Jiajia to stop talking immediately. She looked at Li Xin in confusion, then gazed at Li Yang, still bewildered.

Li Yang seemed puzzled by Li Xin’s sudden anger, but when she saw Ren Jiajia’s pitiful expression, she reached out and patted Ren Jiajia’s head, offering a quiet word of comfort.

Ren Jiajia pouted but didn’t argue with Li Xin. She sat back down at her desk, quietly enduring her grievances without saying more.

On the other side, Chi Xiting had already followed Zhou Shan to the CEO’s office. Zhou Shan knocked on the door, and after hearing Mr. Chu’s voice, she opened it but didn’t intend to go in with Chi Xiting. She just moved aside, smiling and signaling for him to enter.

As soon as Chi Xiting stepped in, Zhou Shan gently closed the door behind him.

Mr. Chu glanced up, his eyes barely lingering on Chi Xiting for a second, and said, “Sit.”

Chi Xiting nodded, not hesitating, and sat in the spot he had been before, casually asking, “What’s going on? Do you need me for something?”

Mr. Chu signed a document and then closed the file folder, setting it aside. He pushed a cup of coffee towards Chi Xiting, saying, “Drink first.”

Chi Xiting looked at the coffee in front of him in confusion, then looked up at Mr. Chu, his mind briefly turning, and asked sincerely, “Did you poison it?”

Mr. Chu: “… The dose isn’t small.”

Chi Xiting chuckled, then picked up the coffee cup.

“I’m so tired I could sleep,” Chi Xiting thought for a moment, but couldn’t remember where he had seen Mr. Chu before, so he let go of the thought and took a sip of the coffee. “I was thinking of going downstairs to get a cup of coffee.”

There was coffee in the break room.

But it wasn’t good, and it wasn’t bitter.

It was coffee that neither tasted good nor was very effective.

Mr. Chu asked, “Why not wait until you’re awake and then come?”

Chi Xiting replied, “If I waited until I woke up, I’d be late already.”

Mr. Chu: “…”

—-

After drinking the coffee, which helped wake him up, Chi Xiting felt more clear-headed. Mr. Chu saw this and began discussing business matters, related to the Ruifeng project.

Mr. Chu took out a document from his drawer and handed it to Chi Xiting. He explained its contents slowly.

It was mostly about Ruifeng’s company and products, but it sounded more like the company’s private details, not the kind of information that could be found online.

As Chi Xiting listened, he opened the folder and began reading. After Mr. Chu finished speaking, Chi Xiting had already reached the end of the small document.

For his current work, this document was indeed important.

“Got it,” Chi Xiting said, closing the folder and placing it in front of him, planning to take this opportunity to share his thoughts with Mr. Chu.

“This is roughly the idea,” Chi Xiting explained clearly, using concise language and hardly needing much time to express his thoughts to Mr. Chu.

Mr. Chu pondered for a moment and reminded him, “Perhaps the target customer group can be more focused. They are currently using relatively good materials, and there’s not much room to adjust the price.”

Knowing this in advance, the plan would need to adjust accordingly, such as identifying the target customer group, conducting user research, and clarifying brand positioning.

Chi Xiting’s words instantly gave Chi Xiting some inspiration. What had been a somewhat sluggish thought process suddenly seemed to click, and the logical flow became much clearer.

“Alright, I understand,” Chi Xiting said, feeling a sudden spark of insight. He didn’t want to linger any longer, just wanting to rush back to his desk and add the content to that section.

After all, with his current level of memory, he couldn’t even remember which subway line to transfer to and would have to check his phone for the previous station. He guessed that if he stayed any longer, the idea he had just had would soon slip away from his mind.

“Then I’ll leave first,” Chi Xiting said, adjusting his chair, giving Chusheng a smile. The little dimple on his cheek gleamed in Chusheng’s eyes. “Thanks for the coffee.”

Still delicious.

And energizing.

Chi Xiting, certified worker’s choice.

Chusheng’s gaze darkened slightly, and after a while, he responded with a simple, “Alright.”

Once Chi Xiting got the response, he quickly left.

Just as Chi Xiting left, Zhou Shan was called into the office by Chusheng.

“Chusheng,” Zhou Shan softly inquired as she approached, “Is there something you need?”

Chusheng asked, “Does the company provide dormitories for employees?”

Zhou Shan furrowed her brows, thinking for a moment before replying, “Yes, there are dormitories, but the number is limited. It seems most of them are already occupied.”

The dorms were in a nearby apartment complex with various layouts—three-bedroom apartments, two-bedroom apartments, and studios, which could meet the needs of most employees.

However, since Chushi provided housing subsidies with a decent amount, after considering what was most economical, most employees would choose to rent a place outside and pocket the housing allowance.

Zhou Shan thought for a moment and asked, “Is there someone who needs a dormitory?”

Chusheng lowered his gaze without answering.

Zhou Shan’s mind quickly clicked, as though she realized something, and hesitated before saying, “Well… but the current dormitories are for full-time employees, interns…”

Chusheng furrowed his brows, glancing at Zhou Shan.

Zhou Shan froze and immediately stopped talking.

Chusheng said, “Look around for a suitable apartment near the company, preferably a studio. If not, then check for dormitories.”

Zhou Shan hesitated before asking, “What’s the budget?”

Chusheng fell silent.

Zhou Shan immediately understood.

She figured her boss probably had never rented a place and wasn’t familiar with the market conditions.

If it was for an intern, the budget would probably be low, especially for a studio…

Zhou Shan’s mind raced, and then she replied to Chusheng, “I’ll arrange it.”

Two seconds later, Chusheng responded.

Zhou Shan breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and left the office with her tablet. But once the door was closed, she hesitated for a moment in the hallway.

She was smart and sensitive, which was why she climbed up to be the head assistant in the CEO’s office in such a short time.

She didn’t need to voice it, but she could clearly understand what was on Chusheng’s mind. Although she couldn’t pinpoint every detail, she could roughly guess, and this time, she quickly figured out that Chusheng was asking about housing for Chi Xiting.

Zhou Shan felt something subtle shift inside her, but she couldn’t quite explain what was wrong.

It felt like scratching an itch through the wrong side of the boot.

Uncomfortable.

Ah.

Zhou Shan, rarely breaking her elite woman façade, sighed and silently stamped her feet for a moment before getting back to normal. She straightened her suit, adjusted her glasses, and walked into the CEO’s office, handling Chusheng’s instructions.

Chi Xiting, who had brought Zhou Shan many career challenges, was still busy with his little challenges.

When he went down, he was afraid of forgetting the inspiration he just had, so he kept running it through his mind, using it as a starting point to thoroughly organize the entire competitive analysis.

Now that he was back at his desk, he quickly wrote down his thoughts.

Immersed in writing the proposal, Chi Xiting didn’t notice that after he returned to the office, all the employees were watching him. Their gazes were intense and scrutinizing, seemingly trying to guess what Chi Xiting had been up to.

Especially the interns.

Since Chi Xiting entered the office, the interns had not taken their eyes off him. After a long while, they finally looked away, each of them harboring their own thoughts.

The full-time employees were simply curious.

After all, Chi Xiting had direct contact with the boss, which didn’t affect them much, but for the interns, it was different.

Chi Xiting was already quite favored by Shen Zhizhe, and now, Chusheng had also started paying attention to him.

Although everyone had their own reasons for this, no one could deny the envy and jealousy they felt when looking at the results.

The competitive landscape seemed to be gradually changing.

Originally, everyone had their eyes on Li Yang and Huo You Shen, believing they were the most likely to be made full-time employees. Feeling dissatisfied, they subconsciously competed with them to see who would come out on top.

But now, Chi Xiting, in some sense, had already outpaced them.

Even with flattery, they might not catch up.

The interns exchanged glances, and from each other’s eyes, they could sense a hint of subtle emotions and reluctance.

Immersed in his work, Chi Xiting was completely unaware of the undercurrent in the office. After finishing the competitive analysis, it was just in time for the end of the workday.

Tomorrow, he could enjoy a nice weekend.

Chi Xiting saved his work, shut down his computer, lazily stretched, and then stood up, clocking out on time.

Another long walk ahead.

While waiting for the subway, Chi Xiting received a WeChat message from Fu Ning.

[Fu Ning]: I’m back in B city. Are you free tomorrow? Let’s hang out.

Chi Xiting thought about it, realizing that since he came to this world, he hadn’t gone out on a weekend. Without much hesitation, he agreed when someone invited him.

Life is not a single track, it is a vast wilderness.

The challenge is not moving forward, but finding one’s own talent and passion.

Fortunately, Fu Ning has already found his.

Fu Ning dazedly looked up and met Chi Xiting’s gaze. His eyes trembled slightly, seemingly surprised that Chi Xiting had so accurately guessed what was on his mind.

Chi Xiting’s words were concise, but like a small stone thrown into a calm lake, they were light, yet still stirred up ripples.

“Right.” Fu Ning returned to his usual cheerful demeanor, raised his cup, clinked it with Chi Xiting’s, and said, “It’s all small problems, hehe, I’ll stick with it.”

Chi Xiting was also somewhat relieved, raising his hand to gently clink cups with Fu Ning.

“What about you?” Fu Ning asked, “Is work going well?”

Chi Xiting sighed faintly, “It’s okay, I guess.”

The company is good, and the leadership is good.

By chance, his job is the same as it was in his previous life, so he picked it up quickly without facing the difficulty of learning a new skill.

However, the exhaustion of work doesn’t disappear because of various objective factors.

“Not working would cause financial loss,” Chi Xiting said slowly, “Working causes mental loss. It’s all about what you choose.”

For now, he definitely can’t stop working completely.

Although his family is harmonious and financially secure, he can’t afford to live without a burden, relying on his family. So, for now, he’ll keep going and, if it becomes unbearable, he can find a simpler job near home and live a comfortable life.

Fu Ning couldn’t help but laugh a couple of times, saying, “That’s a fair point, haha, but the benefits at Chu’s should be pretty good, plus weekends off. My brothers have started working, and getting a job with a weekend off is like winning the lottery.”

In Z country, having weekends off is considered a luxury.

—-

In the past, there wasn’t even the concept of a “big-small week.” It’s all because there are too many people needing jobs, and capitalists are cutting costs and exploiting workers, creating the concept of a “big-small week” between single and double rest days.

If this continues, the future will inevitably be a world with single rest days.

Chi Xiting seemed to realize this too. He sighed, resting his chin on his hand, “That’s true.”

He hadn’t thought of it from that angle. Finding a simple job with weekends off, which was his ideal type of work, is almost impossible.

Chu’s company is quite good.

Although competitive, no one forces him to compete.

After all, he still works regular hours, right?

Moreover, the food at Chu’s company is good.

Chi Xiting’s mind wandered for a moment, and for the first time, he considered staying at Chu’s a bit longer.

“Let’s go out and have fun tomorrow,” Fu Ning said excitedly, “You’re the only one with weekends off. I heard there’s a comic exhibition at Wanda in Fuyu District, with cosplay. Bro, are you interested?”

Fu Ning winked at Chi Xiting.

Chi Xiting responded uninterestedly, “Cosplay? You cosplay as me at work, and I’ll play as you instead?”

Fu Ning: “…”

Okay, okay.

Another person driven mad by working.

Fu Ning respectfully raised his cup to Chi Xiting, everything in the drink.

Chi Xiting also raised his cup, clinked it with Fu Ning’s across the air, smiled, and then said seriously, “I probably can’t go tomorrow, I have to handle something with my house.”

Fu Ning asked in confusion, “What?”

Chi Xiting briefly explained the issue with his roommate.

Fu Ning was furious. When he put the cup down on the table, the heavy drink splashed up, and the sound couldn’t be suppressed in time. He cursed, “What the hell, what a bastard, that’s really cruel. You should report him, get him locked up for a few days and he’ll behave.”

Chi Xiting shrugged, “I called the police that day, but since the situation wasn’t serious, in the end, I still have to negotiate it myself.”

“Or I could go with you tomorrow?” Fu Ning frowned. He was a bit worried leaving Chi Xiting to deal with it alone.

Chi Xiting shook his head, “No need. You rarely have a day off, so relax and don’t worry about me.”

Fu Ning still wasn’t entirely convinced. After Chi Xiting’s persuasion, Fu Ning finally dropped the idea of going with him.

They ate for a long time, chatting while eating, almost catching up on all the time they had been apart, sharing every little thing.

It wasn’t until near the end, when Chi Xiting received a message from Chi Ye, that their meal finally started to come to a close.

Fu Ning raised his hand to call the waiter over to pay, but when he saw a waiter approach, he pulled his hand back. His eyes lingered on Chi Xiting as a thought crossed his mind. He asked, “Does your company have a wide range of interests? Do you have a food and beverage sector?”

Chi Xiting thought for a moment and replied, “I think so.”

He remembered seeing the food and beverage sector mentioned in the company’s introduction booklet, but it wasn’t a focus of Chu’s, so it was only briefly mentioned.

Fu Ning asked seriously, “What’s your leader’s name?”

Chi Xiting, confused, answered, “Chu Yu?”

As the waiter was about to reach them, Fu Ning asked again, “Do you think if I mention your leader’s name, there’s a chance for a discount?”

Chi Xiting: “…Of course.”

Fu Ning looked at him in surprise.

“Try mentioning his name,” Chi Xiting replied, “You should be able to enjoy the benefit of paying the original price.”

Fu Ning, ready to give it a try: “…”