Chapter 15

On the day when the hot search “Rich Woman Book Fans Bought a Building
to Build a Company” trended, Yuan Zixin had a face-to-face meeting with the ‘Rich
Woman Book Fans’ in a coffee shop.

Honestly, it felt strange.

Especially when netizens were still speculating aboutthe certification, she
was well-informed. Not only did she know that the building was indeed under
Sheng Quan’s name, but she also knew that the CEO of Starlight Company was Gu
Zhao.

Rich, building, Gu Zhao

In Yuan Zixin’s eyes, this company was only missing the words
“promising future” on its sign.

When she resigned, she felt fearless. At one point, she even thought,
“Annoying, dealing with these petty matters every day. It’s not as good as
going back to my hometown to raise chickens.”

 But now… Yuan Zixin calmly picked up the coffee and took a sip.
During the coffee break, her small eyes glanced over Sheng Quan, who was
reviewing her resume on the opposite side, and quickly looked away.

She hastily retrieved this resume from her rented house, and fortunately,
she always had the habit of keeping hard copies of documents, saving her from
the embarrassment of “sending an electronic resume in a face-to-face
interview.”

At that time, her roommate in the shared apartment looked at her in confusion
as she rushed in and out like the wind. Just as the roommate asked, “What
are you doing?” Yuan Zixin disappeared.

Despite feeling that her resume was quite impressive, Yuan Zixin was
interviewing with a company that had a whole floor in the luxurious Huaxing
Building, owned by a CEO who casually bought a building. Could it be compared
to an ordinary interview with a small company?

The most crucial thing was that Yuan Zixin could sense that Sheng Quan was
different from her previous bosses.

She wanted to seize this opportunity.

Although various thoughts were flooding her mind, Yuan Zixin maintained a
calm and confident expression on the surface—a “I am confident” look,
even though she was actually quite nervous.

Until Sheng Quan finished reviewing her resume and smiled, extending his
hand to her, “You are indeed a great manager. Welcome to join Starlight
Entertainment.”

For some reason, upon hearing Sheng Quan’s affirmation, Yuan Zixin felt a
sudden surge of emotion in her nose—an urge to cry.

Perhaps because no one had earnestly affirmed her like this for a long time.

She suppressed the tears, raised a smile, and stood up to shake Sheng Quan’s
extended hand. “Thank you; I am honored.”

Sheng Quan did go through all the content on the resume seriously.

Appreciation aside, business matters had to be handled professionally.
Although she was the big boss of the company, the same principle applied as in
filming—bringing anyone into the company without consideration would not lead
to its prosperity.

Of course, Sheng Quan would leave a small back door for himself. Even though
interviewing was not her job, if she wanted to do it personally, no one would
stop her.

However, Sheng Quan wasn’t just praising with a filter; Yuan Zixin’s resume
was indeed impressive.

The success rate of the artists she managed was significantly higher than
others. Of course, the number of times she changed jobs was also much higher.

Wen Guang was right; Yuan Zixin changed jobs too frequently. While others
were working, she was “rotating.” In the past ten years, she had
almost worked for every major company.

After leaving her previous company, it seemed that any reputable company in
the industry would not consider hiring her. Unless she was willing to
compromise with those small, unscrupulous companies, However, the working
environment in such companies was even worse than that in large companies.

In fact, just two hours ago, Yuan Zixin herself thought that she could only
go back to her hometown to raise chickens.

And now she was following her new boss, whose net worth was at least in the
tens of billions, into this incredibly beautiful building, riding the elevator
to the 33rd floor.

The Huaxing Building, as a commercial building accommodating many companies,
employed tens of thousands of people. Even with numerous elevators, it couldn’t
change the fact that they would be packed during rush hours.

Yuan Zixin’s previous company was in the same situation. Going to work
wasn’t bad, but during peak hours, almost every floor would be stopped on the
way down.

Now, she stood behind Sheng Quan, watching the elevator reach the 33rd floor
without any obstacles.

When Sheng Quan stepped out of the elevator, the two young receptionists who
were sitting stood up immediately. “Hello, Chairman.”

Yuan Zixin looked at them once and almost thought her eyes were playing
tricks. After looking again, she realized that these two receptionists were
twins—two young and refreshing boys. Although they weren’t extremely handsome,
they were at least pleasant to look at, paired with their uniforms and long
legs.

Sheng Quan noticed Yuan Zixin looking at the twin receptionists and said to
them, “This is the new executive agent. Take her to the HR department for
contract signing.”

The older of the twins immediately stepped forward and said to Yuan Zixin,
“Okay, please follow me.”

Yuan Zixin followed him, and she could still hear the younger twin talking
to Sheng Quan behind her, “Chairman, do you think my newly bought flowers
look good here?”

She couldn’t help but turn her head to take a look. She saw a boy who seemed
freshly out of school, a bit excited, showing off his flowers.

Looking at the sunshine-filled, older twin in front of her… If it weren’t
for the fact that Sheng Quan had really just gone to see the flowers and that
Sheng Quan was also young and beautiful, she would have thought of something
strange.

Sheng Quan also noticed Yuan Zixin’s gaze when she turned back.

Without guessing, she knew what weird thoughts were going through the
other’s mind. However, she didn’t instruct this. Although she had a slight
preference for good looks, it hadn’t reached the point where she would bring in
a pair of young and handsome twins to be her receptionists.

Yes, it was all thanks to Gu Zhao.

“To dedicate one’s life to the career” seemed tailor-made for him.
However, he wasn’t blindly dedicated but had a well-planned approach to ensure
a long-term and healthy work life.

This included maximizing Sheng Quan’s needs without affecting the company’s
development and ensuring that her impression of the company remained good or
better.

After officially joining, he not only significantly improved his appearance
but also signaled during hiring that he preferred those who were capable and
had attractive features. He even added “neat appearance” and
“fresh scent” to the company’s employee regulations.

The official reason was that, as employees of an entertainment company,
image was essential.

It wasn’t just a casual mention by Gu Zhao; he even planned a shower room
for the employees to prevent the occurrence of any unpleasant odor due to not
having time to shower during overtime.

Sheng Quan felt he was exaggerating.

Gu Zhao: “If there’s an unpleasant smell in the company, will you come
often?”

 Sheng Quan really wanted to say that she would.

But after imagining it, she realized she wouldn’t compromise herself. In the
past, when she was just a corporate slave, it was unavoidable. But now, as the
boss, she came and went as she pleased.

Gu Zhao calmly explained with his handsome face, “You are the backbone
of the company. I must ensure that you have no objections to the company.”

Then, he brought in this pair of young, handsome, and well-mannered twin
guys as receptionists.

Whether he told them something as the CEO or because of Sheng Quan’s status
as the “biggest” in the company, every time she came to the office,
she received their extremely enthusiastic greetings.

Even if she casually mentioned placing a potted plant at the entrance, they
would treat it like a golden rule.

She felt it was the former.

Because at this moment, when she expressed her liking for the flowers, the
boy named Xiaohe reported to her, “Mr. Gu asked us to put flowers in your
office too.”

Sheng Quan: That’s something Gu Zhao would do.

The top student was truly a top student. Anything he wanted to do, he could
do it without fail.

She thought that Gu Zhao might have started as someone who liked stability,
ensuring everything was foolproof. However, after experiencing two troublesome
bosses, he successfully became a bit “abnormal.”

But she had to admit that, even though she said, “Isn’t this too
exaggerated?” on the surface, being the one receiving all the attention
felt really good.

Especially when she pushed open the door and saw the beautifully arranged
flowers flourishing in the sunlight.

Thinking that this sunshine was coming through her super-spacious French
windows, she felt even happier.

Most importantly, what Gu Zhao did had no downsides.

He hired employees based on appearance and physique, but it didn’t affect
the company’s establishment and development. He established meticulous rules
and regulations, but the new employees had no complaints.

Why?

It was all because the benefits were too good!

---

“Our company benefits are so good? And it includes accommodation?”

When Yuan Zixin first saw the dense rules and regulations, she wondered why
there were so many. But when the HR lady asked if she wanted accommodation, her
mind was filled with the bolded words “including accommodation.”

In Shanghai, having meals covered was one thing, but accommodation was
definitely rare.

The reason was simple—housing prices were too high.

Especially since the company’s accommodations would be nearby. For remote
small companies, it was fine, but for a company like Starlight Entertainment
located in the bustling city center, even renting a small room without a living
room would be quite expensive.

And now, she actually heard the words “arrange accommodation”?!

The HR lady, seeing a similar reaction many times before, maintained her
sweet smile and explained, “Indeed, the company offers accommodation.
However, the dormitories are assigned based on positions. For example, my
dormitory is located on Chengnan Road. But as you are an executive agent, if
you choose to stay in the company dormitory, you will be on the first and
second floors of this building.”

There was a corner over there, separated from the rest of the building,
suitable for dormitories.

Yuan Zixin almost doubted her ears. “The first and second floors… do
you mean the first and second floors of this building?”

The HR lady nodded with a smile, and a hint of envy crept into her tone.
“Yes, and you won’t even need to commute.”

Commuting in Shanghai was a big challenge, and rush hours were comparable to
the Spring Festival travel rush. Situations like waking up at six and reaching
the workplace at nine were prevalent.

Yuan Zixin was almost knocked unconscious by this huge pie, but even though
she felt dizzy, her emotional intelligence was still online.

“Chengnan Road is quite close too, just a few stops on the
subway.”

“Yeah.” The HR lady’s expression became richer when talking about
this. “And if you get promoted or work in the company for a certain number
of years, you can change dormitories. I will be able to move to the first and
second floors after two years.”

She looked forward to it. “The longer you work, the bigger the
dormitory. As an executive agent, you might get promoted quickly. Work well,
and you might even reach Mr. Gu’s level in the future.”

Yuan Zixin became curious. “Does Mr. Gu also have his own
dormitory?”

As far as she knew, Gu Zhao was quite wealthy, being a shareholder in Wan
Sheng. At least he had his own house in Shanghai, and the clothes he wore
seemed custom-made. She had seen him a few times, and he always wore watches
that cost several hundred thousand.

Unexpectedly, Gu Zhao also lived in the company dormitory.

The HR lady nodded. “Yes, Mr. Gu has one. His dormitory is on the 33rd
floor, directly connected to his office. I haven’t been inside, but according
to the receptionists, Xiao Jiang and Xiaohe, it’s at least 120 square meters or
more. There’s everything, from sofas and kitchens to bathtubs, and they’re all
top-notch brands. That refrigerator…”

She looked around and gossiped in a low voice, “It costs three hundred
thousand! And the bathtub is about seventy thousand.”

A seventy-thousand bathtub and a three-hundred-thousand refrigerator left
Yuan Zixin shocked. Her thoughts quickly shifted from “why does the
president live in a dormitory?” to “this is called an employee
dormitory with such configurations.”

Indeed, it was a company that owned a building in the heart of Shanghai.

If Sheng Quan knew they were gossiping about this, she would definitely want
to clarify.

The three-hundred-thousand refrigerator was indeed true, and so were the
genuine leather sofas, various expensive kitchen utensils, and the
seventy-thousand bathtub. But those were all Gu Zhao’s personal items, not a
penny from the company.

While others were selecting beds, he was choosing everything. He insisted on
moving his accustomed “space” in its entirety.

Even transforming his office into his own office suite was paid for by him,
and he never asked Sheng Quan for a single penny for “decoration
expenses.”

When Sheng Quan asked why he didn’t ask the company for reimbursement, he
said that such trivial matters didn’t warrant wasting time on the reimbursement
process. He could use that time for more important things.

At that time, Sheng Quan really wanted to ask him: With so much money, why
don’t you just do it yourself?

Of course, she didn’t ask such a silly question.

Gu Zhao might have a fortune of tens of millions or even more, but
evidently, that money was not enough to fill the coffers of an entertainment
company that constantly required a large amount of working capital.

Just like the entire floor of office space they now had—if they rented it
themselves, the exorbitant rent would undoubtedly drain Gu Zhao bit by bit.

So, in the end, he chose to take a step back and be content as a
subordinate.

Fortunately, he had no interest in whether he was the company’s greatest
beneficiary. He only had two requirements for his partners.

One: Be wealthy.

Two: Keep your wits about you.

In any case, except for Gu Zhao’s keen perception of what Sheng Quan liked
and his efficient actions to arrange things for her accordingly, he was indeed
a worry-free subordinate with the “three nots”: not greedy, not
authoritarian, and not against Sheng Quan.

Under such circumstances, even if he wanted 150 square meters of space to
set up his “work suite,” Sheng Quan could arrange it for him.

“I don’t need the entire floor.”

Jogging on the treadmill, Gu Zhao ran at a steady pace. He seemed to have a
habit of exercising regularly; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to talk so calmly
while running. “One hundred and fifty square meters is enough to meet all
my needs.”

“As long as you’re fine.”

Sitting on his incredibly comfortable and expensive sofa, Sheng Quan looked
at the documents, signed them, and handed them back. Gu Zhao, who had run up a
slight sweat on his forehead, shook the documents and said, “I’ve signed
these. Shall I leave them here?”

“Put them on the office desk for me; this area is the resting
zone.” Gu Zhao stopped the treadmill, wiped the sweat with a sports towel,
and checked the time on the watch on the coffee table. “It’s time for
lunch. If you don’t have any appointments for lunch, would you like to taste my
cooking?”

Sheng Quan, who originally planned to leave, sat back down upon hearing
this.

Come to think of it, she had nothing to do today, and she was genuinely
curious about what kind of food Gu Zhao could cook.

No wonder Gu Zhao was considered a mysterious person; he had a workload
several times that of Sheng Quan, yet he could find time for exercise, cooking,
and himself in the midst of a busy schedule.

Sheng Quan felt that “extraordinary” couldn’t adequately describe
him.

Twenty minutes later, Sheng Quan silently swallowed the food in her mouth,
withdrawing the admiration that had just arisen.

After struggling to swallow, she quickly took a sip of water to suppress her
feelings. Despite her efforts, she couldn’t help but ask the composed Gu Zhao,
“Don’t you think… this meat is a bit bland?”

Gu Zhao nodded. “It is a bit. However, it’s recommended for daily salt
intake to be less than 6 grams for the sake of the body. When I cook, I try to
use less salt. I suggest you also consider reducing salt intake for the benefit
of your health.”

Concerned, Sheng Quan remarked, “This isn’t 6 grams; it’s more like 0.6
grams.”

She pointed at the greenish dish on the plate. “Is this boiled
vegetables?”

Gu Zhao nodded.

Sheng Quan scrutinized it further: “No oil at all?”

Although it was supposed to be boiled vegetables, Gu Zhao managed to eat it
with an elegant sense of dining. With quick and smooth movements, he finished
the meal.

“I did put some in, but perhaps the amount is relatively small. For
health reasons, I usually use less oil, less salt, and less sugar.”

Sheng Quan then looked at the small pieces of boiled corn on the side.
“And this? Don’t tell me this is your main course.”

“In the afternoon, time is the most precious. However, consuming too
many carbohydrates can lead to drowsiness. So, for lunch, I usually eat sweet
potatoes or corn. It’s healthy, saves time, and helps maintain alertness. It’s
a win-win-win situation.”

Sheng Quan: “…”

Now she finally understood why Gu Zhao could cook in just twenty minutes.

It was truly a miracle that he still had such thick hair as a CEO.

She asked, “Have you ever treated anyone to your cooking before?”

“You are the first.”

Sheng Quan was a bit surprised. “What about the two who started Wan Sheng
with you?”

Gu Zhao remained straightforward: “They aren’t worthy.”

Sheng Quan: “…”

She looked at the plate of boiled vegetables, boiled corn, boiled meat, and
the boiled egg beside it. For a moment, she didn’t know whether to feel sorry
for those two.

Maybe Sheng Quan’s gaze was too obvious, but Gu Zhao took out a tissue,
wiped his mouth with slow movements, and took the initiative to speak:

“Rest assured, Sheng Dong. This kind of diet is entirely healthy. It
can quickly and efficiently replenish the energy needed for various functions
of the body, helping a person enter a working state more quickly.”

He sat up straight, giving Sheng Quan the feeling that “inviting her to
share the meal was actually an expression of loyalty in the workplace.”

Sheng Quan’s attention, however, was on his slightly wrinkled brows.
“Do you find these dishes delicious?”

Gu Zhao paused for a moment. “They are healthy and can maintain various
signs of my body functioning well.”

Sheng Quan also paused for a second, then asked with a soulful inquiry,
“So, are they delicious?”

Gu Zhao fell silent.

Sheng Quan shifted her gaze to the part of his stomach covered by the neatly
ironed suit. “Didn’t you skip lunch yesterday? Don’t tell me you have a
stomach problem.”

Gu Zhao paused for a second before explaining, “My stomach problem has
nothing to do with these dishes. It’s an old problem from the past. These foods
are very healthy.”

Sheng Quan said, “Okay, I understand.”

Indeed, even though Gu Zhao had a head of hair as a CEO, he still couldn’t
escape stomach problems.

Speaking of which, the CEO in novels also had stomach problems, but usually,
when they occurred, the face turned pale from the pain, and they couldn’t move.
The female lead would kindly take care of them, making nourishing porridge.

In reality, however, Gu Zhao, with a stomach problem, showed no change in
his expression. After running on the treadmill for an hour, he still insisted
on nibbling on corn and eating boiled vegetables.

Sheng Quan stopped talking and silently finished the healthy diet prepared
by Gu Zhao.

After finishing the meal, she stood up and declared, “Alright, it’s
time for our company to have a cafeteria.”

“A healthy, green, but delicious cafeteria.” Yes, she emphasized
the word “delicious.”

Gu Zhao lowered his head to look at the corn on his plate. “I
think…”

“Don’t think anymore. You only sleep six hours a day, get up to work
before dawn, exercise for an hour during the day, and then work until it’s
dark. You dedicate 16 hours a day to work for me. If I don’t give you something
delicious, I might think I’m an unscrupulous boss exploiting my
subordinates.”

Gu Zhao sat there, looking a bit puzzled by what she said. When he raised
his eyes, a hint of confusion appeared in his light gray eyes. “The company
is still in the development stage; working hard is normal.”

Sheng Quan now understood why the other two shareholders in Wan Sheng,
despite being a pair of wastrels, were still able to make it work.

But she wasn’t those two people.

Gu Zhao was indeed an excellent subordinate, especially the way he worked as
if he didn’t care about his life, which should be a scene that all bosses liked
to see. However, Sheng Quan wanted to make money, not witness someone working
themselves to death.

She stood up, and while Gu Zhao remained seated, their eyes met. Sheng Quan
spoke slowly, “I’ve always had the idea of opening a cafeteria. Firstly,
as an employee benefit, it can attract excellent talents to join our company.
Secondly, our company will inevitably sign some artists, and the diet of
artists needs to be strictly controlled. A cafeteria is necessary.”

Seeing Gu Zhao nodding in silence, she continued, “Do you know that
stomach problems can develop into stomach cancer?”

The quietly sitting Mr. Gu didn’t show any reaction.

Sheng Quan knew it would be like this and continued at a steady pace:
“If you were to die young, what would happen to the company? Who would
lead Star Brilliance to the world’s top?”

Gu Zhao’s eyes immediately changed.

He adjusted his clothes, glanced at the time on his watch, and stood up.
“Chairman Sheng, I’m taking a leave this afternoon to see a doctor.”

Sheng Quan patted his shoulder approvingly and said, “Sure, go
ahead.”

Watching Gu Zhao leave, she praised herself in her heart.

She truly was a good boss who cared about her employees’ health.

Moreover, she couldn’t help but feel a little pleased that she had
successfully persuaded Gu Zhao. When he recovered, he would continue to work
for her.

Feeling in a good mood, she went out, intending to study how to set up the
company cafeteria. When she pushed open the door, she happened to see Gu Zhao
holding a stack of files.

She raised an eyebrow and said, “Uh, Gu Zhao, do you really need to
bring all those files to the hospital? Aren’t you tired?”

Gu Zhao stopped his actions and said, “You’re right.”

Three minutes later, Gu Zhao stepped into the elevator with large strides.
The elevator doors slowly closed, and he nodded seriously to Sheng Quan, who was
standing at the door. “Chairman Sheng, thank you.”

Sheng Quan: “You’re welcome.”

Her gaze then fell behind Gu Zhao.

There stood… the secretary, who was holding a stack of files.