No matter how much Fu Yushen was lamenting in his heart, there was no way his dear elder brother could replace him at the company right now—his brother had his own matters to attend to.

After Yuan Xi added Fu Yunzhou’s mother, he initially thought it was just a casual addition, and they wouldn’t really interact. However, the very next morning, Yuan Xi received a message from Shen Xiyun. Shen Xiyun was curious about what they were having for breakfast and asked Yuan Xi to send her a photo.

Since it was her male god’s mother asking, Yuan Xi took a picture of Fu Yunzhou after he sat down, capturing his breakfast and drink entirely in the frame.

Seeing Fu Yunzhou in the photo, earnestly eating breakfast and even choosing soy milk over his usual coffee, Shen Xiyun couldn’t contain her excitement. She was thrilled and at a loss for words.

Perhaps finding some amusement in this, Shen Xiyun began frequently asking Yuan Xi various questions about Fu Yunzhou. Yuan Xi was curious but didn’t understand why Shen Xiyun was asking him instead of finding out directly. Nevertheless, he answered every question earnestly.

From the moment breakfast started, Fu Yunzhou noticed Yuan Xi glued to his phone, his head lowered, even neglecting to eat properly.

Frowning, he snatched the phone from him and only returned it after he had finished the steamed dumplings in front of him.

Even after arriving at the office, Yuan Xi was still bent over his phone, busy messaging Shen Xiyun.

Watching him so engrossed in his phone that he forgot his existence, Fu Yunzhou couldn’t help but feel a little irritated. While walking, he abruptly stopped, causing Yuan Xi, who was still looking down at his phone, to bump into his back.

Yuan Xi instinctively rubbed his forehead, then looked up at Fu Yunzhou. Seeing that the elevator was still a short distance away, he asked in confusion, “What’s wrong? We’re not at the elevator yet.”

Fu Yunzhou’s expression remained stoic as he quietly stared at Yuan Xi.

Yuan Xi, who had been about to lower his head and continue chatting with Shen Xiyun, belatedly realized that his idol’s face didn’t look very pleased. He silently straightened his posture and raised his head to meet Fu Yunzhou’s gaze.

The two of them stood there, locked in a silent standoff, neither saying a word.

In the end, it was Yuan Xi who caved first. Feeling a bit guilty, he looked at Fu Yunzhou and hesitantly asked, “Yunzhou, what’s wrong?”

Fu Yunzhou stared at him for a moment without speaking, then turned and walked toward the elevator. Yuan Xi watched his retreating figure in confusion. Just now, he could’ve sworn that, for a fleeting moment, Fu Yunzhou looked… upset?

The thought startled Yuan Xi so much that he froze in place. By the time he snapped out of it, Fu Yunzhou was already stepping into the elevator.

“Hey, Manager, wait for me!”

Yuan Xi hurriedly jogged toward the elevator, only to watch helplessly as the doors closed in front of him while he stood there, watching the elevator’s floor numbers climb higher and higher.

Yuan Xi: …

He was now certain—something was definitely off with the manager today.

With Fu Yunzhou already gone in his elevator, Yuan Xi had no choice but to stand by the regular elevator and ride it with the others.

Meanwhile, Qi Yunrou, who had seen Yuan Xi at the company earlier, couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling after returning home. This was the first time she hadn’t met Fu Yushen after finishing a shoot, and the sight of Yuan Xi at the company only added to her discomfort.

Qi Yunrou couldn’t figure out what exactly made Yuan Xi stand out enough to be brought into the Fu family’s main residence, but she couldn’t deny that she felt jealous.

Although Qi Yunrou had been with Fu Yushen for a long time, she had never once stayed at the Fu family’s main residence. Even meeting Fu Yushen’s parents had never been something he initiated. Every encounter with Shen Xiyun had been a carefully calculated “coincidence” orchestrated by Qi Yunrou herself.

But Yuan Xi, an orphan with no power, influence, or background, and nothing particularly remarkable about him, was suddenly brought to live in the Fu family’s main residence. To Qi Yunrou, it felt like a stinging slap across the face.

Previously, Fu Yushen’s indifferent attitude toward Yuan Xi had put Qi Yunrou at ease. Yuan Xi had stayed cooped up at the Fu residence and hadn’t ventured out, let alone taken on any work.

But now, not only was Yuan Xi working at Xingyao Entertainment, but he had also become the assistant to “Manager Fu.” To Yunrou, this so-called “Manager Fu” was just a fabricated title—a cover for Fu Yushen to keep Yuan Xi by his side without arousing suspicion.

Worried that Yuan Xi might cause unnecessary trouble for him, Qi Yunrou spent a restless night at home. Unable to calm her unease, she rushed to the company the next day, skipping any chance to rest.

The moment she walked through the doors of Xingyao Entertainment, she spotted Yuan Xi standing not far away, waiting for the elevator.

“Well, isn’t this a small world,” Qi Yunrou muttered, her lips curling into a cold smile, her eyes brimming with jealousy.

Her assistant, Anna, noticed her expression and whispered a gentle reminder. Only then did Qi Yunrou suppress her sneer and replace it with a gentle facade.

“Yuan Xi, what a coincidence! Do you work here? I recall the company recently recruiting a batch of trainees but they all stay in the dorms here. Did you manage to get some special pass from the department head to go home? That’s quite impressive.”

Qi Yunrou approached Yuan Xi with a look of pleasant surprise, her tone soft.

By this time, several people had gathered around, also waiting for the elevator. As soon as Qi Yunrou spoke, her words were clearly loud enough for everyone to hear. The onlookers turned their gazes toward Yuan Xi, their expressions tinged with curiosity and a hint of judgment.

Trainees who pass their assessments at Xingyao Entertainment were generally required to live in dormitories. This arrangement not only ensures regular training but also facilitates management. Sometimes, there are late-night training sessions or surprise inspections. Furthermore, Xingyao has a strict rule: regardless of background or status, every trainee must follow the same regulations.

On the surface, Qi Yunrou’s words seemed innocuous. But within Xingyao’s context, they subtly implied that Yuan Xi had bypassed the usual system and gained his position through connections, effectively labeling him as an ornamental “flower vase.”

Yuan Xi, unaware of the subtle undertones, turned at the sound of Qi Yunrou’s voice. Although he didn’t recognize her face, an instinctive voice in his head told him: This is the heroine, Qi Yunrou.

Yuan Xi smiled politely. “Miss Qi, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not a trainee—just a small assistant here. Has your filming wrapped up? Are you back to guide the junior trainees?”

Qi Yunrou narrowed her eyes slightly, though her smile remained intact. “That’s right. The new drama is finished, so I’m taking a little break. I heard from my manager that the company recently welcomed new trainees, so I thought I’d drop by to give them some guidance. By the way, Yuan Xi, whose assistant are you? I could have a word with your supervisor and maybe make your workload a bit lighter.”

Yuan Xi smiled faintly, not believing for a second that Qi Yunrou had such good intentions.

“Thank you, but there’s no need. I’m just a small assistant. Besides, you’re one of the Four Rising Actresses now; I wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

As they spoke, the elevator arrived. Yuan Xi pressed the button for his floor. Qi Yunrou glanced at the floor number and a flicker of cold anger flashed through her eyes.

The top floor—that’s Fu Yushen’s office!

Qi Yunrou was furious but forced herself to maintain her composure. Standing in the corner of the elevator, she quickly pulled out her phone and began dialing Fu Yushen.

Yuan Xi didn’t notice Qi Yunrou’s actions, but as the elevator neared her stop, he heard her voice suddenly break the silence.

It seemed Qi Yunrou was on a phone call with someone. Her voice wasn’t particularly loud, but it was clear enough for everyone in the elevator to hear. Yuan Xi, however, paid no attention to her conversation. Instead, he kept his head down, engrossed in messaging Shen Xiyun.

Qi Yunrou had been keeping a close eye on Yuan Xi. Seeing him completely ignore her and focus on his phone, her dissatisfaction peaked.

In truth, Qi Yunrou hadn’t even connected the call to Fu Yushen. The things she said were purely meant to provoke Yuan Xi.

Yet Yuan Xi’s total disregard for her performance—seemingly too absorbed in his phone—only made her more frustrated. To Qi Yunrou, his indifference confirmed her suspicion that he was messaging Fu Yushen, which was why he didn’t care about her supposed call.

After playing out her little act for a while and realizing it was getting her nowhere, Qi Yunrou abruptly ended the call.

Just then, the elevator arrived at her floor.

Before stepping out, Qi Yunrou shot Yuan Xi a venomous glare. Completely clueless about what had upset her, Yuan Xi instinctively touched his face. Does the heroine just hate me on sight now?

Unable to figure out how he had offended her, Yuan Xi decided not to dwell on it. He returned to his phone, happily continuing his chat with Shen Xiyun.

Through their conversation, Yuan Xi had learned a lot about Fu Yunzhou’s preferences and dietary restrictions. It also gave him insight into why Shen Xiyun had looked so surprised during dinner the previous evening.

Because of Fu Yunzhou’s unusual behavior that morning, Yuan Xi made sure to put his phone away before entering the office. He stepped inside with an unusually serious and focused demeanor.

When Yuan Xi walked in, Fu Yunzhou was on the phone, his expression grave. He glanced at Yuan Xi briefly but quickly resumed speaking in a low voice with whoever was on the other end of the call.

Yuan Xi stood quietly, watching him. Although the office wasn’t particularly large, Fu Yunzhou deliberately kept his voice low, making it impossible for Yuan Xi to hear the conversation.

It was about twenty minutes later when Fu Yunzhou finally ended the call. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples, looking visibly tired.

Though Fu Yushen had become more efficient at handling documents, the workload from the headquarters had increased significantly. His frequent late nights and overtime had taken a toll on his mental and physical state, leading to occasional errors in his work. The secretary in charge of overseeing the process, overwhelmed by the growing pile of unresolved documents, had no choice but to call Fu Yunzhou for assistance, hoping he could find a way to handle the situation.

Looking at Yuan Xi, Fu Yunzhou’s expression carried a hint of concern.

If he returns to headquarters, what would happen to Yuan Xi? Meanwhile, the latter still didn’t know about his connection to the Fu family, nor his relationship with Fu Yushen. Whether to let him continue as an assistant here to take him along to headquarters was a challenging decision to make.

=^_^=