Early the next morning, Cheng Yi was jolted awake by an urgent doorbell. Still groggy, she opened the door, and a tall figure immediately pulled her into a hug and spun her around several times.
"Yi, my dear Yi, I knew you'd come through for me!"
"Put... put me down. I'm dizzy."
Once she was set down, it took Cheng Yi a moment to steady herself. Seeing Ye Minglang's beaming face made her head throb with frustration; she wished she could just take a regret pill.
"Yi, do you know how happy I am? We'll be together every day again! Oh, is there anything to eat?"
Cheng Yi let him ramble on as she turned and walked into the kitchen without a word. She couldn't be bothered to respond. Just as she picked up the spatula, a sudden thought stopped her. After a brief hesitation, she set it down and returned to the living room, her voice tentative.
"I wanted to know..."
"Relax," Ye Minglang said, still riding his high. "This branch runs independently. As long as we hit our targets, no one cares. My brother has no idea you're here."
That was her biggest concern, and yet Ye Minglang seemed completely unfazed by it. Strangely, she felt a bit deflated.
"And the salary?"
"What?"
Wait, did the boss not even think about that? Was she supposed to work for free and feed him too?
"You handle those little details. I deal with the big stuff."
After all these years, Cheng Yi had never really seen him handle any so-called "big stuff," except for the times when the police summoned him to assist with major cybercrime investigations.
"Yi, after breakfast, let's head to the office. Today's our grand opening!"
What? Opening day? What had he been doing all this time?
Given the term "opening," Cheng Yi braced herself for the worst. She grabbed a few bottles of cleaning supplies from the kitchen, ready to start by scrubbing down the office. But the moment she stepped into the office, she realized she'd been overthinking it. The 200-square-meter space was spotless and well-organized, with a small team already working efficiently.
She tossed the bag of cleaning supplies at Ye Minglang, giving him a look that said, Then why the hell did you bring me here?
The employees treated Ye Minglang with the utmost respect—a young, successful boss, indeed. Cheng Yi couldn't help but mentally roll her eyes. Does your brother know you're acting all high and mighty?
Whoever said that Ye Minglang, having grown up in the U.S., didn't understand Chinese management styles? He cleared his throat, adopting the demeanor of a leader about to deliver a crucial announcement.
"Everyone, attention. This is Cheng Yi, my deputy. From now on, all reports to me will go through her. That's an order."
Deputy? Reports? Orders? What historical drama script was he quoting from?
He used to study Chinese by watching those kinds of shows. While he might have picked up the language quickly, he's missing the cultural context—what he really means is that Chen Yi will be doing all the work from now on.
And the worst part is, he's absolutely capable of making that happen.
Cheng Yi was suddenly thankful she hadn't yet discussed her salary, otherwise, she might have been in for a real loss.
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Cheng Yi found herself constantly orbiting around Ye Minglang.
At work, she arranged his daily tasks; he merely needed to sign a few documents before diving back into his gaming world. After work, she'd go home and cook for him. It seemed that after three days of washing dishes, he'd grown bored and, having hastily delegated his responsibilities to others, whisked Cheng Yi away on a 'Ye Minglang-style' business trip. In name, it was work; In reality, less than a tenth of the time was spent on actual work—it was mostly an excuse to travel around China, enjoying the sights, food, and fun.
Not that she minded. She'd been caught up in the past lately, unsure how to avoid Fang Zhiyuan's persistent advances, so a change of scenery was a welcome distraction.
After two weeks of fun, Ye Minglang finally remembered why he'd come to China and decided it was time to get back to work. He gave Cheng Yi an extra week off to "rest and recover."
Sleeping until midday, she felt a pang of guilt and decided to go back to see if there was any way she could help. She doubted Ye Minglang could handle everything smoothly on his first day back. He was more skilled at creating messes than solving them, and she usually helped him prioritize tasks. Besides, after two weeks of traveling on the company's dime, she felt bad about lounging at home while collecting a salary—some professional ethics still remained.
The moment she stepped into the office, Cheng Yi noticed the tense atmosphere. Ye Minglang's management style was usually laid-back, so why was everyone looking so serious? Had Ye Minglang managed to get himself into trouble? She intended to ask what was going on, but when she passed the conference room, she froze, her feet feeling as heavy as lead.
Inside, a tall man sat sternly at the conference table, his expression grim. Ye Minglang stood before him, nervously reporting on something, glancing occasionally at the man's face, as if bracing for a scolding.
The Big Boss had arrived.
No wonder Ye Minglang didn't want her to come back. She didn't want to stay here either. Just as she turned to leave, a hawk-like gaze locked onto her.
There was no escaping now. She retreated to her office, pretending to work while her heart raced.
A familiar, sophisticated fragrance drifted through the air. Without even looking up, Cheng Yi knew exactly who it was.
"Mandy."
"How dull!"
A striking woman, bold makeup, and flamboyant attire glided to her desk, casting a flirtatious glance.
"How did you know?"
"Chanel No. 5."
"Not curious about what's happening in there?"
"A disciplinary meeting? Please. I'd rather not watch Minglang lose face."
"Fair point."
"What happened this time?"
"He slipped up tracking a competitor, let them slip through the cracks—same old story."
"Is the competitor strong?"
"Hard to say. But this project means a lot to the Big Boss."
"Still a chance to fix it?"
Mandy gave Cheng Yi a playful but knowing smile, her eyes gleaming mischievously, which made Cheng Yi shiver.
"Well,that... depends on you."
"Me? What do I have to do with this?"
"Will you help him?"
"How?"
"Whether this succeeds or fails might just hinge on you, darling."
Cheng Yi felt lost in Mandy's playful banter. Zhu Mandy had always loved teasing her, and today was no different.
"What time is it now?"
"Almost noon."
"Time for you to show your skills."
"What?"
Mandy fluttered her eyelashes, leaned close to Cheng Yi, and whispered playfully.
"I'm... starving."
Oh... fooled again.
"Alright, alright, my little chameleon. I'll go grab some lunch."
Having successfully tricked Cheng Yi, Mandy paused at the door, her demeanor shifting from playful to businesslike as she crossed her arms.
"Yi, it's been a while since we worked on a project together. Let's team up again—and maybe save Minglang while we're at it."
That was probably the most serious thing she'd said all day. And she was right—Cheng Yi missed working on projects with the team, those intense, late-night sessions that felt both exhausting and fulfilling.
Even if she was willing, joining in would still depend on the Big Boss's decision. The thought of it made Cheng Yi's eyes dim with doubt.
Cheng Yi lightly knocked on the conference room door. When she opened it, two men turned to look at her. Ye Minglang hurriedly shut his laptop, while the Big Boss's sharp, penetrating gaze fixed on her, making her nervous.
"Um... I just wanted to ask if you wanted anything for lunch."
Unlike Ye Minglang's flustered reaction, the Big Boss remained calm and composed.
"Whatever."
"Whatever" meant she could choose freely.
Just as she was about to leave, the Big Boss called out to her.
"This project is crucial. Come and help."