As soon as Su Rui stepped out of the broadcast room, the sunlight streaming through the window couldn't reach the heaviness weighing on her heart.
She knew Shen Yichen would definitely summon her.
This wasn't a hunch—it was instinct. She knew him too well.
He hated conflict, but more than that, he couldn't tolerate being challenged.
And what she'd just done—broadcasting to the entire company—wasn't just crossing the line, it was dancing on it.
"But I don't regret it," she told herself.
Just thinking about the gossip in the breakroom, the condescending stares, the rumors out of thin air—it made her blood boil.
She was not Lin Yueying. She was Su Rui.
Even if she now lived in someone else's body, even if she was just a janitor—she still had her dignity, her voice, her stance.
She took a deep breath, splashed water on her face in the restroom, steadied herself in front of the mirror.
"Shen Yichen will definitely call me in."
"Then I'd better take the lead and regain the upper hand."
She added a touch of makeup, straightened her uniform, polished the cleaning cart until it gleamed, and walked toward the president's office with steady steps.
—
At the office door, the secretary looked uneasy, clearly still shaken from the earlier broadcast.
"Lin Jie… President Shen is waiting for you," she said in a soft voice, eyes filled with apprehension.
"I understand," Su Rui nodded calmly.
Her tone and movements were exactly like the usual quiet, rule-abiding cleaning lady.
When the door opened, she deliberately kept her gaze down, footsteps heavy. "President Shen, I—"
The assistant and secretary exchanged glances.
"Actually… Lin Jie, President Shen wants to talk to you. Cleaning will be rescheduled."
"Oh… then I'll leave the cart outside."
She responded obediently, pushing the cart outside. But as the door shut behind her, a glint of cunning flashed in her eyes.
And in that instant, she transformed completely.
Back straight. Shoulders lifted. A smile on her lips.
"Long time no see, my dear ex-husband. So—can I take my leave now?"
—
Shen Yichen was flipping through a file when he heard her. His fingers paused, brows furrowing slightly.
That voice. That attitude. That unmistakable presence—
It was her.
The Su Rui who once ruled the entertainment industry, radiant and unshakable.
He slowly closed the folder, his gaze sharp. "So you're finally admitting it—Su Rui."
"Did I need to?" She smiled faintly, exhaustion laced with irony in her tone. "You knew already, didn't you? Why else would you have me clean your office? And leave our wedding photo out, just so conveniently?"
He didn't reply, but his expression deepened.
He had planned to question her—broadcasting to the entire company without permission was already crossing the line.
But now, she had taken the initiative. Turned the tables. He couldn't find the right opening to strike.
"I didn't come here to argue," Su Rui said, her tone softening, the edge receding. "I need this job. And I need those seven days off."
"You think this approach will soften me?" Shen Yichen asked, voice cool and steady.
"No. I'm here to negotiate."
She looked him in the eyes, gaze unwavering.
"I know you wouldn't help me unconditionally. Not even with our history."
"So name your terms. I'll cooperate if I can. If I can't, I'll tell you directly."
She paused, then added, "You don't want anyone to know I'm Su Rui? Fine. I'll keep it quiet. You want the company stable? I won't broadcast again. But I have my bottom line."
She stood straight, her voice firm and calm—no pleading, only clarity.
"So I ask you: how about we work together?"
—
Shen Yichen stared at her for a long moment.
He hadn't expected this—this rational, composed version of her.
For a moment, he saw the woman he'd met before the fame.
At that first party—standing alone in a corner, still the brightest light in the room. Calm. Collected. Confident.
At last, he said slowly, "Have a seat… Lin—Su Rui."
She smiled, graceful as she took her seat.
"I didn't come here to fall for you again, Shen Yichen," she said softly, each word steady and sharp.
"I came… to close a deal."
What she didn't say was what the deal truly was.
Help her switch back to her own body—
And in return, she'd serve as the company's spokesperson for five years.
No fee. No conditions. Full loyalty.
She hadn't revealed that part yet.
Some things… were best saved for the next move.