Chapter 16: Used to Ward Off Evil

As soon as the words were spoken, not only did the staff member who was just going through the motions freeze, but even Lu Xuan, who had been absent-minded, couldn’t help but turn to look.

Qiao Wu’s serious demeanor inexplicably reminded him of their first meeting after returning to the country. She had been sitting in the car, smiling, saying she looked forward to the day she would see him standing on the award podium.

Lu Xuan was 23 years old, not some clueless young man.

Back then, he had even risked quarreling with the Old Man, driven by his idol’s inspiration and a fervent passion, he had plunged headfirst into the entertainment industry. How could he not have fantasized about the moment when he would achieve fame and success, proving everyone wrong?

So he had also worked hard.

But no one around him believed in him. These people trusted his status and his money more, even Qiao Wu had hypocritically praised him, saying he had a bright future.

Lu Xuan stared intently at Qiao Wu, trying to detect any hint of affectation or insincerity.

“This is the plan the director has come up with,” the staff member said, forcing himself to speak. “He asked me to bring it over first.”

Qiao Wu remained silent, leisurely sipping her tea while leaning on the sofa.

The staff member had no choice but to look to Lu Xuan for help.

Who was the boss and who was the employee here? Your secretary’s attitude is practically overshadowing you, and you… are actually spacing out?!

Right, what can you expect from this worthless son of a rich family!

The artist director was quite busy, and dealing with Lu Xuan’s matters was purely a waste of time, which was why he had sent this person over to dismiss them. A secretary was just someone who spoke on behalf of Lu Xuan.

But now the situation seemed off.

The employee felt as though the time without a response was dragging on like years, even more terrifying than dealing with the boss.

She remained motionless, silent, engaging in a psychological battle.

Finally, he couldn’t withstand the pressure anymore and quickly gathered the documents on the table: “The director should be done by now, I’ll go check!”

I only earn a few thousand bucks a month, I’m not going to shoulder this kind of responsibility for you!

He rushed to the director’s office: “Director Yu, you’d better go take a look yourself. Teacher Lu’s secretary wants to talk to you personally.”

“Talk about what?” Yu Xiu frowned. “Didn’t we include everything he liked in the documents? We haven’t been too strict with him.”

Yu Xiu wasn’t fond of dealing with Lu Xuan. The young master had a bad temper and wasn’t tactful. It was normal for him to throw tantrums when he was unhappy. As he put it, he could afford to compensate for any damage, so it was best to avoid him.

“It’s not Teacher Lu, it’s his secretary, Qiao Wu,” the employee carefully said. “She seems quite different, she didn’t even glance at the documents.”

A secretary?

Could it be that the Lu Family was here to demand resources for Lu Xuan?

Lu Xuan only wanted to play the male lead, but which big director or major IP would be willing to let him take on that role?

Yu Xiu felt a headache coming on just thinking about it. He shouldn’t have signed Lu Xuan in the first place, hoping to leverage his status. It hadn’t brought any benefits, just a lot of trouble every day.

Worried that the young master might throw another tantrum, he quickly finished up his work: “Alright, I’ll go take a look.”

Pushing open the door to the meeting room, Yu Xiu’s gaze was instantly captured by the woman sitting directly across from him. His years of discerning taste in people were greatly satisfied at this moment, and his resentment dissipated instantly.

The woman was wearing a single-shoulder, plain-colored jumpsuit, with a diamond-studded arm cuff on her arm, formal yet stylish.

Yu Xiu didn’t hide his admiration at all: “Hello.”

The moment the other person looked up, he had already set the stage for her, just waiting for the spotlight to shine on her.

“I’m Yu Xiu, the artist director at GS,” he introduced himself proactively.

Qiao Wu stood up and extended her hand: “Qiao Wu.”

Qiao what?

Yu Xiu stared at her in astonishment, then glanced at Lu Xuan beside her, instantly feeling that it was such a waste!

With her qualifications, why would she hang around with such a worthless son of a rich family?

He shook her hand in a daze, unconsciously repeating: “Hello.”

Qiao Wu: “Please, have a seat.”

“Ah? Oh, okay.”

The moment he sat down, Yu Xiu suddenly realized something was off. Wait, who’s the host and who’s the guest here? How did he suddenly get led by the nose?

He straightened up and placed the document on the table again: “I heard you wanted to talk to me. Is there any issue with the proposal here?”

Only then did Qiao Wu open the project plan, but after just glancing at the first page filled with the names of messy TV dramas, she closed it again: “Everything is a problem.”

So she’s here for resources, Yu Xiu thought, putting on a serious face: “Teacher Lu’s situation is quite complicated. The company can only select projects suitable for him based on his requirements. These are all lead roles, so what’s the issue? The company also needs to weigh the pros and cons. We can’t just randomly assign people without considering the partner’s requirements, or it will affect Teacher Lu’s reputation in the future, right?”

Everyone in this industry is quick with their words. Yu Xiu was about to continue, but he was interrupted.

“Let’s skip the formalities for now,” Qiao Wu handed over the materials she had prepared, “This is the short-term development plan we’ve prepared for Teacher Lu. Take a look.”

So she came prepared.

Yu Xiu cautiously opened it, but after just ten seconds, he was shocked.

This plan was more detailed and comprehensive than anything the company’s employees had produced, covering everything from image and persona to sustainable development, resource integration, and the artist’s team, from broad to specific.

The key point was that none of the unreasonable resource demands he had imagined were present. Instead, it included plans for the number of classes Lu Xuan needed to attend each week and assessment schedules.

It looked as if Lu Xuan was serious about developing in this field and willing to put in the effort.

Seeing Yu Xiu finish reading the document attentively, Qiao Wu handed over another one: “These are the suitable roles and fashion promotion resources for him in the short term.”

Yu Xiu’s previously furrowed brows had completely relaxed by now. Without caring about anyone else’s reaction, he immediately took it.

From start to finish, there wasn’t a single major role, but none of them were obscure small productions either. Most of the production teams were well-known, and even those that weren’t, the script names seemed quite reliable.

After going through everything, Yu Xiu asked in a daze: “What does this mean?”

Qiao Wu smiled: “Teacher Lu doesn’t have a deep understanding of the entertainment industry, nor does he have much experience in this field, so he’s taken many wrong turns in the past. That’s the first point.”

That was putting it too nicely.

He doesn’t have a deep understanding? Every person he’s interacted with is a big name, but all he did was drink with them.

Before Yu Xiu could pretend to agree, he heard her suddenly change the subject: “Secondly, I’m here to hold someone accountable.”

Yu Xiu: “Hold who accountable?”

Qiao Wu spoke calmly, “Teacher Lu signed a five-year contract with you. During this period, you have the responsibility to plan his career path and oversee his development. He’s young and inexperienced, but aren’t you supposed to have the expertise?”

Yu Xiu: “…”

In his twenties and still considered young?

Does he need to be spoon-fed?!

“That’s not quite right,” Yu Xiu countered, drawing on his years of experience dealing with all sorts of people. “The company hasn’t neglected Teacher Lu, nor have we withheld any resources from him. We’ve always had his best interests at heart. But can we really determine the outcome of his career?”

“The success of entertainment resources depends on timing, location, and harmony—none of which can be lacking,” Qiao Wu smiled. “We can’t blame you for the timing, but you’ve failed to provide the location and harmony.”

Yu Xiu was about to retort.

But Qiao Wu seized the initiative, her voice firm, “Lu Xuan’s personal abilities are part of the issue, and we don’t deny that. But isn’t it also a problem that you let him develop freely without any intervention? Or is this how your company treats every artist? If so, with all due respect, your company might as well change industries.”

“That’s not it,” Yu Xiu laughed in frustration. “So, it’s our fault for accommodating him? Then why didn’t anyone say anything when he threw tantrums, acted like a diva, or went missing whenever things didn’t go his way?”

Lu Xuan felt a sharp jab at his spine, his lips twitching.

Qiao Wu: “Then consider it a breach of contract and make him pay the penalty. It’s not like he can’t afford it.”

Yu Xiu: “…”

Lu Xuan: “…”

“You don’t want to let go of this big fish, so on the surface, you cater to him, but behind the scenes, you use these subpar tactics to deal with him,” Qiao Wu tapped her finger on the so-called “planning document” in front of her. “Isn’t that your responsibility?”

She smiled, “Director Yu, it’s not good to want to have your cake and eat it too.”

Yu Xiu broke out in a cold sweat.

Because Qiao Wu wasn’t being unreasonable. Apart from the comment about inexperience, her words were fair and even brought up the possibility of Lu Xuan paying a penalty. What else could he say?

“So, are you planning to terminate the contract with us now?”

“Then why would I show you the planning document?” Qiao Wu took a sip of water to soothe her throat, leaned back, and glanced up. “I just hope your company takes this as a lesson and stops using the same old tactics to fool us. Like today, when you only sent a nobody to chat with us. Treat Lu Xuan the same way you treat others, but everything must be fair and reasonable. If something like this happens again, we’ll handle it as a breach of contract by your company.”

She made it sound so simple.

For the company, if Lu Xuan were truly as compliant as she suggested, it would save a lot of trouble. At least he wouldn’t have earned the reputation of a “worthless son of a rich family.”

Yu Xiu glanced meaningfully at Lu Xuan, whose expression wasn’t looking too good. “You shouldn’t be the one to decide this. What’s Teacher Lu’s stance?”

Qiao Wu turned to Lu Xuan with a smile, “Teacher Lu, what’s your stance?”

“So, you finally remember I’m here.”

Lu Xuan grabbed his sunglasses and put them on, refusing to engage.

Everything had already been decided for him. What else was there to say?

Yu Xiu was surprised. Based on his understanding of Lu Xuan, this young master hated it when others made decisions for him.

He hadn’t expected such a calm, even harmonious reaction now.

“If that’s the case, then let’s proceed as you suggested. If Teacher Lu doesn’t cooperate when the time comes, we’ll consider it a breach of contract. Don’t go back on your word then.”

“No problem,” Qiao Wu said. “I know the password to his safe.”

Lu Xuan: “?”

“What,” Qiao Wu said lightly, “isn’t that what you taught me?”

Yu Xiu couldn’t decipher the cryptic exchange between the two. Seeing that the other party wasn’t being aggressive, he suddenly felt a great sense of relief.

To be honest, he really couldn’t remain as composed as he would like when discussing business with Qiao Wu. Her straightforward and assertive attitude caught him off guard. Are all secretaries from wealthy families this talented and good-looking?

“By the way,” Yu Xiu asked eagerly, “with Miss Qiao’s qualifications and awareness, if you were to enter the entertainment industry, your future would surely be bright. Have you ever considered it?”

Actually, people had said this to Qiao Wu before.

However, she didn’t like exposing her personal life to so many people, so she had no interest in this field. She wasn’t someone who liked to show off.

Before she could shake her head.

Lu Xuan, who had been slacking off, suddenly kicked the table, his tone unfriendly: “Get this straight, she’s part of my family.”

He lowered his sunglasses slightly and scoffed: “Your salary isn’t even enough to buy her a piece of jewelry.”

Yu Xiu: “…”

No matter what, he was considered a high-income earner. Could he really not afford a secretary’s jewelry?

As his gaze swept over the diamond-studded arm cuff on Qiao Wu’s arm, Yu Xiu was stunned.

No way? Really?

Yes, her demeanor didn’t seem like that of a secretary.

“Forgive my boldness,” Yu Xiu asked uncertainly, “is Miss Qiao not Teacher Lu’s secretary?”

“No,” Qiao Wu smiled, “I’m the Lu Family’s housekeeper.”

“What?!”

A housekeeper this young?

Wait, does that pay more than being a secretary? What kind of housekeeper also takes on the duties of a secretary?

Wouldn’t entering the entertainment industry be better than doing odd jobs for someone!

The shock and regret on Yu Xiu’s face were too obvious, making Lu Xuan very annoyed.

What’s wrong with being a housekeeper?

“Do you know her annual salary?”

“How much?”

Lu Xuan chuckled briefly, picked up a pen from the table, wrote a number on the scrapped proposal, and threw it in front of Yu Xiu: “Now do you see the difference between her and those useless people who can’t even write a proper proposal?”

Who are you calling useless?!

Yu Xiu looked down and almost popped his eyes out.

Are housekeepers this well-paid nowadays?

Was her proposal studded with diamonds?!

He really couldn’t afford her jewelry.

“My apologies,” he said straightforwardly.

Ouch, my teeth hurt.

Qiao Wu changed the subject: “Let’s not talk about this. I’ve selected a few suitable names from the list of agents you provided. If Director Yu has time, could you help me choose later?”

“Sure.”

By the time all the matters were handled, it was already afternoon. Qiao Wu took Lu Xuan out for a meal, during which she received a call from Lu Jiang.

“Old Master.”

Lu Jiang grunted in acknowledgment: “Have you contacted the second son? When is he returning to the country?”

“He didn’t say.”

In the hospital, Lu Jiang frowned.

No matter how resourceful and well-informed the second son was, he had been abroad for two years and had almost never involved himself in the affairs of the group. If he returned to the country now, he would surely be in a mess.

But then again, he knew that the second son had been independent since childhood and didn’t overly rely on anyone.

 If Qiao Wu stayed by his side, it would probably be difficult for her as well.

“Let’s not worry about other things for now. Go to the company. My secretary will be waiting for you there. You two can draft a list first,” Lu Jiang said. “The return of the second son is a matter that can be either significant or trivial. He needs an opportunity.”

Qiao Wu understood.

Before Lu Jinzhi went abroad, Lu Jiang was still in charge of the domestic group.

Now that Lu Jinzhi had achieved something overseas, Lu Jiang wanted to give him a chance to take a position. He intended to use the opportunity of Lu Jinzhi’s return to announce it to everyone.

However, given Lu Jinzhi’s personality, he didn’t believe that hosting a banquet would determine whether he was capable or not. In the original plot, “she” took advantage of this opportunity to secretly organize a grand banquet, wanting to let everyone know that “she” could stand by Lu Jinzhi’s side.

In fact, Lu Jinzhi didn’t attend the event at all that day, which made the invited guests feel slighted and left them dissatisfied with him.

“Old Master,” Qiao Wu snapped back to reality, “shouldn’t we discuss this with President Lu first before making a decision?”

Lu Jiang knew his son too well.

“He wouldn’t care about such social events.Perhaps because he was born exceptionally intelligent, his son was somewhat dull in other aspects.

To put it bluntly, he struggled to empathize with ordinary emotions.

Qiao Wu said gently, “Not caring is one thing, but discussing it is another. You know he doesn’t care, yet you still want to do things behind his back. If there’s a gap in information, it might backfire, don’t you think?”

On the other end, Lu Jiang’s gaze deepened.

After a long pause, he finally said, “Go to the company and coordinate with my secretary. We’ll talk about it later.”

“Alright.”

Qiao Zhiyi had been spending his free time at the hospital accompanying Lu Jiang recently. Seeing him hang up the phone with an inexplicable expression, he couldn’t help but ask, “Did Qiao Wu do something wrong?”

He was constantly on edge, fearing that one wrong step could lead Qiao Wu to ruin.

Although it was a modern society, living in an environment like the Lu Family was no different from walking on thin ice.

Lu Jiang looked up at him and suddenly smiled, “They say a tiger father doesn’t have a dog for a son, but why doesn’t that seem to apply to you?”

“What?”

“I did have biases against Qiao Wu,” Lu Jiang said bluntly, “but recently I’ve started to feel that she is more suited for this position than you.Qiao Zhiyi was loyal and had no ulterior motives, but he was overly obedient in everything he did, and his personality was too indecisive, lacking decisiveness.

However, Qiao Wu had indeed impressed Lu Jiang recently. She could rebut his points calmly and logically, being decisive yet rational.

There were countless obedient people, but those who dared to speak up were few and far between.

Lu Jiang asked, “Did you know that the third and fourth sons tried to break into my safe the other day?”

The alarm was heard throughout the Lu Residence. Qiao Zhiyi was about to say he knew, but seeing the corners of Lu Jiang’s mouth twitching, he felt puzzled, “Are you happy about it?”

Lu Jiang neither confirmed nor denied it, “The next day, they came to apologize to me.

“An apology, you know? They said sorry to me.Although the process was a bit tortuous.

The hospital door would eventually be kicked down by those two rebellious sons.

They came to apologize as if they were coming to collect a debt. One stood at the door without even entering, and the other sat on the sofa without lifting his head, acting as if they were the kings of the world.

But they did indeed say sorry.

In the past, Lu Jiang would never have dared to imagine such a scene.

He suddenly felt that his sons weren’t beyond redemption and eagerly pondered, “You say they’re so curious about my safe. Should I put a few more? Whatever they want from inside, I’ll just add more of it.”

Qiao Zhiyi instinctively replied, “The will.”

“?”

The smile on Lu Jiang’s face instantly froze.

Indeed, there’s no such thing as a free apology.

Ungrateful sons!!!

They won’t get a single penny!

–

Lu Xuan didn’t have to attend classes today. Hearing that Qiao Wu was going to the company, he decided to tag along. No particular reason, just wanted to see how impressive the housekeeper they spent so much money on really was.

He wasn’t particularly interested in the family’s wealth or power and thought those who fought over company shares were idiots.

After all, wouldn’t everyone be happy in the end when they inherited the shares? Who would want to live like Lu Jinzhi, buried in paperwork and scheming against others all day?

Even though the Lu Family didn’t engage in power struggles, the relationship between the brothers was just so-so. But one thing was clear.

He rarely came to the company and never interfered in any of its affairs.

He was used to a carefree life, and this place was like a prison to him!

From the moment the two entered the company, many employees’ eyes were drawn to them.

“Is that the Third Young Master Lu?”

“Yes, I’ve seen him on trending topics. I heard he has a bad temper, often acts arrogantly, and doesn’t care about public opinion. Better stay away.”

“Then the person next to him must be…”

Lu Xuan, wearing sunglasses, casually scanned everyone. Hearing this, he walked over, tilted his head, and raised an eyebrow, “You know I have a bad temper, yet you dare to speak so loudly? Which department are you from, and what’s your name? I’ll deduct your salary.”

The person turned pale with fright and hurriedly apologized.

After readjusting his sunglasses, Lu Xan sauntered back to Qiao Wu’s side and clicked his tongue, “Suddenly, being a boss doesn’t seem so bad.”

He thought more about it and found it promising, “If I snatch this position from Lu Jinzhi, would you come to assist me then?Qiao Wu replied perfunctorily, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.””

Lu Xuan rubbed his chin, “That might not be a bad idea. What does a boss have to do?”

Qiao Wu smiled, “You’ll find out soon.”

The two directly took the private elevator.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, the outside erupted like a boiling pot.

“Why is the Third Young Master at the company? Who’s that person with him?”

“Old President Lu is ill. Maybe the Third Young Master can’t make it in the entertainment industry and wants to take over the company.”

“What about the Second Young Master? Didn’t they say he was coming back to the country?”

“Internal strife in wealthy families is always fraught with hidden dangers, bloodshed, and terror.”

“So who’s the person with the Third Young Master? Is he also a celebrity?”

“Probably, he looks so handsome.”

“But judging by his demeanor, it seems like he’s the one leading the Third Young Master.”

“Could it be a united front between husband and wife…”

The two people entering the elevator were unaware of the discussions outside. Unlike Lu Xuan, who would mischievously scare people, Qiao Wu showed no reaction throughout, as if those irrelevant people were completely beneath her notice.

This deadpan demeanor was exactly like Lu Jinzhi’s.

Lu Xuan couldn’t stand it and asked, “Have you been here before?”

“No.”

She went abroad at the age of twenty and never had the chance to get involved in the group’s work.

In fact, Lu Jiang’s secretary could directly liaise with Lu Jinzhi overseas, but having her come today was simply to assess her level of control and capability in company matters.

Qiao Wu didn’t find anything inappropriate about it.

“Then you’re putting on quite a show.”

“It’s not an act. This is just how I am. One person, one mouth. If you have to listen to every word, you won’t be able to do your own thing.”

Qiao Wu smiled, “Moreover, it’s just meaningless chatter.”

Why waste time on people of such low character? That person’s monthly salary isn’t even as high as her hourly rate.

The value isn’t equivalent.

Lu Xuan leaned against the elevator wall, his eyes scanning her up and down, inexplicably feeling a bit inferior.

The rumors below were becoming increasingly absurd. The entire group was in a state of unease due to Lu Xuan’s whims, and the private company gossip groups were filled with all sorts of speculations.

As the return to the country approached, Lu Jinzhi had already freed up a lot of time to listen to daily reports from the domestic company.

He wouldn’t directly use Lu Jiang’s people to avoid causing any resentment, but he had his own channels, albeit more discreet ones.

In the video, the person speaking suddenly changed their tone.

Lu Jinzhi glanced up and noticed Xu Zhao’s distracted gaze, even clearly seeing his astonishment.

He stopped what he was doing and leaned back, tapping the tip of his pen rhythmically on the desk.

Prompted by this, Xu Zhao immediately focused. The company group chat had been unusually lively today, and he thought something major had happened. So, during the report, he took a quick look and saw that the Third Young Master and an unfamiliar woman had come to the company.

“It’s the Third Young Master,” he quickly explained, “and a beautiful woman. People are saying she might be his girlfriend.”

If it weren’t for their striking looks, no one would have guessed that.

“Is the Third Young Master also coming to work at the company?” Xu Zhao wondered, “I haven’t heard anything about it.”

Lu Xuan?

Someone who doesn’t even know whether to sign as the client or the contractor—what could he possibly do at the company?

He’d be an unlucky mascot.

Might as well use him to ward off evil spirits.

But this fool could even break into a safe—there’s nothing he wouldn’t do.

Lu Jinzhi put down his pen, “Go and see.”

Xu Zhao immediately stood up upon receiving the order. He also worked in the president’s office and had been Lu Jinzhi’s right-hand man in the past.

Now that Lu Jinzhi was returning to the country, he would naturally continue to work for President Lu.

As soon as Xu Zhao opened the door of the small meeting room, he saw two people stepping out of the elevator. But it was different from what the group chat had said because it was clear that the woman, not Lu Xuan, was in the leading position.

That was…

“Little Qiao Butler,” Secretary-General Xie Yi was already waiting nearby, “please follow me.”

Butler?

Seeing them approach, Xu Zhao immediately turned to look at the computer with the camera still on.

Lu Jinzhi obviously saw it too, but he made a decision in an instant.

Noticing that President Lu casually rested his hand on the desk, his gaze fixed on the camera with no intention of turning it off, Xu Zhao immediately understood. He turned the computer around and nodded slightly to the people entering the room, “Secretary-General.”

“This is Third Young Master, you know him, and this is Qiao Wu,” Xie Yi didn’t seem to be avoiding anyone. If Qiao Wu could really pass Old President Lu’s assessment, after he retired, Xu Zhao would also have to deal with Qiao Wu, so he said, “You should stay and listen as well.”

Then he turned to Qiao Wu, “This is Xu Zhao, he used to work with Little Lu.”

Qiao Wu extended her hand to him, “Hello, Qiao Wu.”

Up close, the woman’s features were flawless. Her faint smile seemed to radiate light, and her presence was no less commanding than anyone else’s.

At least Xu Zhao had never seen such qualities in the old butler from the past.

Under the gaze of those light-colored eyes, he actually felt a sense of honor being looked at in such a way.

Xu Zhao instinctively pinched the corner of his clothes, making sure his hands weren’t sweaty before extending his hand, “Hello, Xu Zhao. I’ll sit over here and won’t disturb you.”

With that, he quickly retreated to his seat.

Lu Xuan casually pulled out the nearest chair and lazily sat down.

Qiao Wu also took a seat with Xie Yi, her position directly facing Xu Zhao, and naturally, directly facing the laptop’s camera.

Compared to the video he had seen at the beach and the chaotic surveillance footage from home, Qiao Wu in the camera now was clearer and closer, so close that Lu Jinzhi could see every small movement she made.

He could hear the sound of the papers rustling as she flipped through the documents.

When she was focused on something, she was completely quiet, isolating herself from her surroundings, creating her own world.

Lu Jinzhi suddenly felt that he could see the shadow of that small child from the past in her.

She was smarter and calmer than her peers, so compared to Lu Xuan and the others, she occasionally gave off a sense of being out of place.

It seemed strange when she was young, but now it felt completely natural.

As if she was always meant to be this way.

If it was an act, then Lu Xuan should really learn from her and master the art of mesmerizing acting.

But if it wasn’t an act, how could the past years be explained?

Listening to the sounds, Lu Jinzhi unconsciously rubbed his fingertips.

On the other side of the camera.

“These are the progress reports of major projects that needed to be handled by Old President Lu, as well as information directly related to Little Lu’s department and every employee, including partnerships and competitor information, for your future reference,” Xie Yi said. “Most of these will be taken over by employees like Xu Zhao after Little Lu returns to the country, but you also need to understand the details and oversee them both internally and externally.”

Qiao Wu flipped through the documents.

The stack of documents in her hand was thick, and of course, it was impossible to expect her to read through them in such a short time. That would be ridiculous; she wasn’t a scanner.

Seeing Xu Zhao’s name at the top of the list, she took out her phone and opened the QR code: “This is my work number, available 24/7. Any minor issue that can be handled by company employees should not disturb me. If necessary, call me if I don’t respond within five minutes. For urgent matters, call directly. Similarly, I expect the same from you.”

This straightforward and efficient method left Xu Zhao momentarily stunned.

Until Qiao Wu raised her eyes in confusion: “Hmm?”

“Oh, oh!” Xu Zhao quickly took out his phone to add her on WeChat.

Then he heard Qiao Wu say, “Since you are the first in line among President Lu’s employees, those two levels below you need not contact me unless absolutely necessary.”

Xu Zhao listened with trepidation.

The big boss you’re referring to is right here listening.

Are you really that important to speak so boldly?

Qiao Wu asked, “Any questions?”

“I…” Xu Zhao instinctively glanced at the computer, noticing that President Lu showed no reaction, so he braced himself and said, “No questions.”

Qiao Wu suddenly smiled, “If you have questions, just ask. If you already doubt me before we even start working, how will we communicate in the future?”

Caught off guard, Xu Zhao touched the tip of his nose, “I wanted to ask, why?”

Qiao Wu could guess his thoughts and explained, “I am the Housekeeper of Lu’s, not just Lu Jinzhi’s personal assistant. Even though he is the first in line, my time is limited. I need to ensure the highest work efficiency in the shortest time possible. Does that make sense?”

Even the household staff can only report to her through a designated person. If everyone in the company comes to her for every little thing, how would she manage?

Xu Zhao nodded dazedly, “Understood.”

A Housekeeper has to handle so much?

Qiao Wu quickly finished reviewing the documents and, having a general idea, asked, “Who is currently liaising with President Lu?”

“Me,” Xie Yi said, “The major directions are mostly settled, so recently we’ve been handing over the other details to someone else.”

“Who is that someone else? Xu Zhao?”

“Yes.”

Originally, it should have been Qiao Wu, but for some reason, President Lu directly named Xu Zhao, so that’s how it was arranged.

“It’s better to be clear when speaking in the future,” Qiao Wu handed the sorted documents to Xu Zhao, “Print a copy of these project details. You know how to segment and highlight the key points, right?”

The boss has to review countless documents every day. If every detail requires personal attention, how inefficient would that be? So, a competent secretary marks the important parts for the boss.

Xu Zhao nodded.

Qiao Wu, “Send me a copy before you finalize it. I’ll confirm it’s correct before sending it to President Lu. The deadline is three days.”

Xu Zhao couldn’t help but ask, “Why don’t you send it yourself?”

Qiao Wu smiled, “I just need to confirm if your abilities are sufficient to stay by President Lu’s side. If I do all your work, what’s the point of having you?”

“…Alright.” This time, Xu Zhao didn’t hesitate. Qiao Wu seemed to answer any question, and since she doubted him, he had the right to doubt her too.

So Xu Zhao asked directly, “Then how do you know if what I do is right or wrong?”

“As long as you do your part well,” Qiao Wu raised an eyebrow, “As long as it passes through my hands, I’ll take responsibility if any issues arise. You can relay our conversation today verbatim to President Lu.”

“Alright, President Lu has already heard it.”

One on the computer, one outside the computer.

Xu Zhao felt like he was being attacked from both sides, his scalp tingling.

Qiao Wu rested her hand on the table and asked with a smile, “Any more questions?”

Xie Yi shook his head. In fact, all the conversation today could be seen in the surveillance. Old President Lu had asked Qiao Wu to come today to see how she would handle the upcoming matters, to observe her logical thinking and decisiveness from these details.

Anyone coming into the company would need to familiarize themselves with the projects first. How could they expect her to understand everything right away?

So Xie Yi was also surprised that Qiao Wu could be so confident in letting Xu Zhao check for her and daring to take responsibility.

In fact, Qiao Wu had grown up in the Lu Family, and with her past life’s work experience, she naturally knew which sectors the Lu Family’s business covered, and she had focused on those during her studies.

“Since there are no more issues, let’s end it here.” Qiao Wu nodded slightly. “Thank you for your hard work.”

Xie Yi’s anxious heart finally settled, and he smiled, “You’ve worked hard too.”

He had been by Old President Lu’s side for many years and was very worried about Old President Lu entrusting such an important matter to a housekeeper. But now, seeing it firsthand.

Little Lu himself was an outstanding person, and those who could stay by his side were also remarkable.

Xie Yi then turned to Lu Xuan, “So, Third Young Master, what brings you here today…”

Lu Xuan hadn’t found a chance to interject since these people started talking. In fact, listening to Qiao Wu speak, he had subconsciously sat up straighter, inexplicably worried that he might get his salary docked for poor posture.

He was extremely annoyed now, took off his sunglasses, and threw them on the table. Picking up the thick stack of documents, he said lazily, “I’m here to see how to pull Lu Jinzhi down and take his place.”

Xie Yi: “…”

Xu Zhao: “!!!”

A declaration of war between brothers in a wealthy family—was this something they were allowed to hear?

Lu Xuan was very annoyed, especially after hearing Qiao Wu personally say that Lu Jinzhi was the first in line.

That bastard Lu Jinzhi, ever since they were kids, he loved snatching Qiao Wu from his school bag.

And now too.

It’s just a president position, how hard could it be?

“First in line, huh? Just you wait.”

He opened the documents and read them seriously for a minute.

Damn it, I can’t understand a thing!

What the hell is this written? Even more annoyed now!

Seeing him motionless, Qiao Wu held back her laughter, “So, still want to be the boss?”

Lu Xuan put down the documents and picked up his sunglasses to put them back on.

“It’s just so-so,” he said. “Looking at this stuff every day, I can understand why he’s gone crazy. I don’t want to end up like him.”

Xu Zhao’s legs went weak, and he nervously looked at the laptop camera.

President Lu seemed as if he hadn’t heard anything, even with a faint smile hanging on his lips.

“Turn the screen over,” he said gently.

His voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear enough for everyone in the small meeting room to hear.

Xu Zhao trembled, shakily adjusting the computer to face the stunned individuals.

Upon seeing the face on the screen, Qiao Wu was momentarily taken aback.

Compared to the lonely and aloof silhouette from her dreams, Lu Jinzhi now seemed less sinister, even appearing as gentle as a spring breeze at first glance. Only upon closer inspection could one discern the depth in his eyes.

His features were not as defiant as Lu Yingchi’s, nor as bewitching as Lu Xuan’s, but they were as profound and distant as ink strokes.

Lu Xuan’s eyes widened, but fortunately, he was wearing glasses, so no one noticed. He scoffed lightly, “Lu Jinzhi, how underhanded can you be, only eavesdropping on others’ conversations.”

Lu Jinzhi didn’t rise to the provocation, merely smiling softly, “From today onwards, your card is frozen.”