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    Header Background Image
    Chapter Index

    Volume One: Those Years I Was a CEO

    A Kiss as a Reward

    Wen Nuan had originally wanted to accompany You Jiayi back to the hospital, but unfortunately, there were too many matters at Xu Corporation requiring her attention and signature. Furthermore, You Jiayi was overly well-behaved and considerate, telling her she didnโ€™t need accompaniment. Wen Nuan could only give Shu Changning a few extra instructions.

    She told him to place a hot water bottle under You Jiayiโ€™s hand when she was getting her injection.

    Regarding this, Shu Changning wore an expression like heโ€™d eaten sh%t, utterly speechless.

    The trending topic about Wen Nuan and You Jiayi publicly acknowledging their relationship stayed up for three consecutive days. During this time, her phone hadnโ€™t stopped ringing. Moreover, interview requests suddenly jumped from the previous economics and politics sections to the entertainment section. Recently, several entertainment reporters had submitted interview requests to Xu Corporation, but Wen Nuan had rejected them all.

    Knock knockโ€”

    Without looking up, Wen Nuan called out directly: โ€œCome in.โ€

    It was Wei Cheng.

    โ€œCEO Xu, Kong Yushu from Yixin Entertainment is here.โ€

    Wen Nuan looked up from a pile of folders: โ€œWhatโ€™s he here for?โ€

    โ€œHe says he wants to report Yixin Entertainmentโ€™s development plan for next year to you,โ€ Wei Cheng said.

    Wen Nuan pulled out the year-end report submitted by Yixin Entertainment from the side. โ€œDidnโ€™t he already write it all down? Why come talk about it in person?โ€

    โ€œForget it, let him come in.โ€ Wen Nuan wanted to see what this Kong Yushu was up to.

    โ€œUnderstood.โ€ Wei Cheng went out to call Kong Yushu up.

    Another knock sounded on the door.

    โ€œCome in.โ€ Wen Nuan leaned back, watching Kong Yushu walk in.

    A Harvard PhD graduate, twenty-eight this year, the same age as her, with a clear and bright appearance, refined and scholarly.

    Kong Yushu stood before the desk, respectfully saying, โ€œHello, CEO Xu.โ€

    โ€œI heard from Wei Cheng that you want to report Yixin Entertainmentโ€™s development prospects to me?โ€ Wen Nuan raised an eyebrow. โ€œWhat kind of development prospects are worth you making a trip here in person?โ€

    Kong Yushu took a file out of his briefcase and handed it over, smiling, โ€œPlease take a look, CEO Xu.โ€

    Seeing his mysterious demeanor, Wen Nuan took the file and looked at it, her eyes instantly lighting up.

    โ€œYou plan to produce your own show?โ€ Wen Nuan looked at the program proposal designed inside. โ€œI didnโ€™t expect a top talent from the economics and management department would actually like being a director?โ€

    Kong Yushu smiled: โ€œOtherwise, why would I have volunteered myselfโ€‹1 to the company when CEO Xu was recruiting for the head of Yixin Entertainment on the Xu Corporation intranet?โ€

    โ€œBut I remember your resume didnโ€™t have a single bit of professional or work experience related to directing. Although Yixin Entertainment has been managed very well by you, being a director and a company head are still worlds apart.โ€

    โ€œYes, I donโ€™t have experience, but I still want to give it a try. I studied economics and management only because of my familyโ€™s arrangements, while deep down, what I love most is being a director, filming variety shows and programs I like. I enjoy that sense of creation. Perhaps I lack relevant professional and work experience, but my determination and confidence are all written in that file.โ€ A look of longing appeared on Kong Yushuโ€™s face. โ€œI sincerely ask CEO Xu to give me a chance.โ€

    Fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk. Wen Nuan leaned forward. โ€œHaving lofty ambitions is a good thing, but you canโ€™t have your cake and eat it tooโ€‹2. If you want to be a director, then the position of head of Yixin Entertainment might have toโ€ฆโ€

    Kong Yushu immediately responded: โ€œThatโ€™s fine! I can step down as the head of Yixin Entertainment, as long as CEO Xu can give me a chance to fulfill my dream. Iโ€™m willing to start from the very bottom.โ€

    Seeing Kong Yushu so agitated, his excitement plain to seeโ€‹3, she was quite curious. โ€œIs passion really that important in your eyes?โ€

    Kong Yushu smiled and nodded: โ€œOf course. If a person lacks passion, life is so dull. I believe CEO Xu understands this too.โ€

    Wen Nuan took the file Kong Yushu had given her and signed her name prominently at the bottom. โ€œI really like your proposal. Itโ€™s very unique, an area currently untouched by variety shows. I look forward to seeing how it appears in the public eye.โ€

    Seeing Wen Nuan sign, Kong Yushu was overcome with excitement: โ€œThank you, CEO Xu! Thank you, CEO Xu!โ€

    โ€œNo need to thank me. Iโ€™m a businesswoman; I can see the potential of this proposal. I also believe that the person who could write such a brilliant proposal can definitely execute it well.โ€ Wen Nuan clasped her hands, propping her chin on them. โ€œYixin Entertainment currently doesnโ€™t have a director position, so youโ€™ll be Yixin Entertainmentโ€™s first director. As for the head of Yixin Entertainment, youโ€™ll temporarily continue in that role until I find a suitable replacement for you. Is this arrangement acceptable?โ€

    Kong Yushu hurriedly said: โ€œYes, yes! I accept all of CEO Xuโ€™s arrangements.โ€

    โ€œAlright then. If thereโ€™s nothing else, you may leave.โ€ Wen Nuan still had a pile of contracts to sign; her head was about to explode.

    โ€œUm?โ€ Kong Yushu hesitatedโ€‹4. โ€œActually, coming to find CEO Xu today, there are two matters that need CEO Xuโ€™s approval.โ€

    โ€œWhat?โ€

    Kong Yushu said somewhat nervously: โ€œCEO Xu has seen it too, my show is called ใ€ŠRenewed Heartbeatใ€‹โ€‹5. The showโ€™s feature is inviting popular celebrities from the entertainment circle and their partners for a two-week recording period, interacting with the audience through live streaming to increase viewership and reach. Soโ€ฆโ€

    Wen Nuan raised an eyebrow: โ€œSoโ€ฆ?โ€

    โ€œSoโ€ฆ Iโ€™ve drafted a total of four pairs of guests for the show. The document only listedโ€ฆ three pairs. The last pairโ€ฆ I was thinking of having you and Miss You Jiayiโ€ฆ record the show, toโ€ฆ give our show a successful startโ€‹6.โ€ Kong Yushu became somewhat incoherent under Wen Nuanโ€™s gaze.

    Wen Nuan gave a short laugh: โ€œSo after all that buildup, this is what you were waiting for? To ride my coattailsโ€‹7?โ€

    Kong Yushu quickly waved his hands and shook his head: โ€œNo, thatโ€™s not it! Every word I said before was true, straight from the heartโ€‹8, without a shred of falsehood! Itโ€™s just that this is Yixin Entertainmentโ€™s first time creating a variety show. If the opening isnโ€™t good, it will definitely affect future development.โ€ He glanced at Wen Nuan. โ€œCoincidentally, half a month ago, CEO Xu, you and Miss You announced your relationship. The public is very curious about you two. Many people donโ€™t look favorably upon your relationship with Miss You. I thought that through recording this show, we could silence those skeptical viewers, making them believe that your relationship with Miss You is based on true love, not some kind of transactional arrangementโ€‹9.โ€

    Kong Yushuโ€™s words were very persuasive; clearly, he had come prepared.

    Wen Nuan thought for a moment: โ€œHave you discussed this with You Jiayi?โ€

    Kong Yushu shook his head: โ€œWithout getting your approval first, I wouldnโ€™t dare mention this to the companyโ€™s artist.โ€

    Wen Nuan considered carefully. Kong Yushu wasnโ€™t wrong. Even though she had posted that Weibo message clarifying that there was no improper transactional relationship between her and You Jiayi, there would always be people who doubted and denied it.

    If they recorded the variety show directed by Kong Yushu, it might genuinely have a positive effect on You Jiayiโ€™s reputation.

    โ€œTalk to You Jiayi about this first. If she agrees, Iโ€™ll participate,โ€ Wen Nuan said. โ€œBut the condition is, you cannot tell her that I will only participate if she agrees. She has to agree to the recording on her own initiative. Can you do that?โ€

    Although Kong Yushu didnโ€™t understand why Wen Nuan wanted to do it this way, he readily agreed: โ€œOkay, thank you, CEO Xu.โ€

    Wen Nuan looked at the copy Kong Yushu left behind. If this variety show was done well, it would definitely be a huge hit.

    ใ€I donโ€™t understand, why canโ€™t you tell the female lead you agreed?ใ€‘ the System asked doubtfully.

    โ€œThen why should I tell her I agreed?โ€ Wen Nuan countered.

    ใ€Because if you tell the female lead youโ€™ll participate, the female lead will agree to join the recording.ใ€‘

    โ€œExactly. Because Iโ€™m participating, sheโ€™ll agree.โ€

    The System still didnโ€™t get it: ใ€What do you mean?ใ€‘

    Wen Nuan sighed: โ€œIf Kong Yushu first tells her that I will participate in this variety show recording, then You Jiayi wonโ€™t care about other things and will directly agree. I looked at the work schedule Shu Changning arranged for You Jiayi recently. These next few months, she not only has to film a drama, but also participate in recordings for two other variety shows, plus several endorsement shoots. She also needs to make time for treatment at the hospital. Calculating it all, she doesnโ€™t have much time to rest.โ€

    She glanced at the phone on her desk; it was a WeChat message from You Jiayi.

    You Jiayi: #Image# Look, this is my lunch on set today. Doesnโ€™t it look delicious?

    Afraid that You Jiayi would get busy with work and skip meals, Wen Nuan had repeatedly orderedโ€‹10 her to take pictures of what she ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and send them to her. If Wen Nuan discovered she missed a meal, Wen Nuan wouldnโ€™t talk to her for a day.

    Upon hearing this punishment, You Jiayi immediately agreed to Wen Nuanโ€™s request.

    Wen Nuan smiled and quickly replied.

    Wen Nuan: Looks quite good indeed. Meat, vegetables, and your favorite seaweed egg drop soup. Very good.

    Seaweed Egg Drop Soup

    You Jiayi: Hehe, what about you? What did you have for lunch?

    Wen Nuan glanced at her computer screen. It was already 12:30 PM.

    Wen Nuan: Havenโ€™t eaten yet. Going to the company cafeteria in a bit.

    You Jiayi: Youโ€™re always managing me, but it turns out you donโ€™t eat properly yourself behind my back. Shouldnโ€™t I punish you then?

    Wen Nuan: What do you want to punish me with?

    You Jiayi bit her chopsticks, her cheeks flushing red, slowly typing on the keyboard.

    Wen Nuan waited a while. Seeing You Jiayi hadnโ€™t replied yet, she figured she might have been called away for filming.

    Just as she was about to put down her phone and get up to go to the cafeteria, she heard the WeChat notification sound.

    Opening it, her gaze froze.

    You Jiayi: Punish youโ€ฆ by letting you kiss me.

    You Jiayi: Forehead or cheek is fine.

    Wen Nuan suddenly felt her heart pounding like thunder, a sharp pain in her chest, as if sheโ€™d been scalded.

    She immediately unbuttoned her shirt to check, only to find a black rose had appeared on her chest. Root and petals covered her right breast, looking as if it had grown right out of her flesh.

    Wen Nuan stared at the pattern in disbelief. This was clearly the tattoo from her thigh; why had it moved to her chest?

    Was the tattoo on her thigh still there?

    Wen Nuan immediately walked into the break room adjacent to her office, took off her pants, and looked. The tattoo on her thigh was gone, the skin smooth and white, as if no tattoo had ever been there.

    She pulled open her shirt, baring her chest, only then discovering that at the very bottom of the rose stem, there was a small section that was red.

    โ€œSys, whatโ€™s going on?โ€

    Why had the tattooโ€™s location changed?

    Moreover, the rose on her chest didnโ€™t look like a tattoo, but rather like it had grown there itself.

    The System checked Wen Nuanโ€™s body and the world mechanism, puzzled: ใ€Hostโ€™s body shows no abnormalities, and the world mechanism hasnโ€™t been disrupted. Everything is normal.ใ€‘

    โ€œNormal?โ€ Wen Nuan pointed at the rose tattoo that had suddenly appeared on her chest, growling, โ€œYou call this normal?โ€

    ใ€Iโ€™ve checked, everything is normal. Unlessโ€ฆ itโ€™s classified information I donโ€™t have access to.ใ€‘ The System had already carefully checked everywhere it could; the results all showed normal.

    This rose flower had originally been on her thigh. It had been tattooed there by her perverted stepfather himself.

    Back when she signed the contract with the main system, they had asked if she wanted this tattoo removed. Wen Nuan had chosen not to.

    The existence of this tattoo used to represent sin and pain to her, but now, it represented redemption and hope.

    That was the first time she had felt someone genuinely care about her.

    For this point, she was very grateful to the Lord Main God, for giving her the hope to live on properly.

    Just gratitude, nothing more.

    Now this tattoo had disappeared, only to appear on her chest, inexplicably.

    The rose flower was entirely black, except for the bottommost section of the stem, which was red.

    The pain from before had also vanished. No matter how hard she rubbed it, it didnโ€™t disappear.

    Wen Nuan thought about the moment this rose flower had appeared, what had happened.

    She picked up her phone, looking at You Jiayiโ€™s WeChat message.

    When she saw You Jiayiโ€™s message, her heart had pounded violently, and the next second, she felt a sharp pain in her chest, like being burned.

    You Jiayi kept staring at her phone. She had finished her meal, but Wen Nuanโ€™s reply still hadnโ€™t come.

    She couldnโ€™t help overthinking. Was what she said too much?

    Did she scare her?

    Would she think she was a bit wanton?

    You Jiayi thought through a pile of things, picked up her phone, preparing to explain to Wen Nuan that she was just joking earlier, not to take it seriously.

    But then Wen Nuanโ€™s reply suddenly popped up.

    Wen Nuan: Okay.

    You Jiayiโ€™s eyes lit up, beaming with joy.

    You Jiayi: Then Iโ€™ll mark it down in my little notebook.

    Wen Nuan looked at You Jiayiโ€™s reply and smiled helplessly. Her chest didnโ€™t continue to hurt. It seemed the appearance of this tattoo wasnโ€™t related to You Jiayi.

    Other than appearing somewhat suddenly, Wen Nuan didnโ€™t feel anything else abnormal, so she didnโ€™t pay it much mind.

    Anyway, whether this tattoo was on her thigh or her chest made no difference to her.

    She looked at You Jiayiโ€™s message, replied with an โ€œOkay,โ€ and received a grinning emoji from You Jiayi.

    The little crybaby was easily satisfied, which was quite good.



    Footnotes

    1. ๆฏ›้‚่‡ช่ | mรกo suรฌ zรฌ jiร n | Lit. โ€œMao Sui recommends himselfโ€; An idiom referring to volunteering oneโ€™s own services. Based on a story from the Warring States period where Mao Sui boldly recommended himself for a crucial diplomatic mission.
    2. ้ฑผๅ’Œ็†ŠๆŽŒไธๅฏๅ…ผๅพ— | yรบ hรฉ xiรณngzhวŽng bรน kฤ› jiฤn dรฉ | Lit. โ€œfish and bearโ€™s paw, cannot obtain both at the same timeโ€; An idiom meaning one cannot have the best of both worlds or satisfy two conflicting desires simultaneously. From Mencius.
    3. ๆบขไบŽ่จ€่กจ | yรฌ yรบ yรกn biวŽo | Lit. โ€œoverflows beyond words and expressionโ€; Meaning that the emotion is clearly visible and cannot be concealed.
    4. ๆฌฒ่จ€ๅˆๆญข | yรน yรกn yรฒu zhว | Lit. โ€œwant to speak but stop againโ€; Meaning to hesitate or be on the verge of saying something but holding back.
    5. ใ€Šๅ†ไธ€ๆฌกๅฟƒๅŠจใ€‹ | โ€œZร i Yฤซ Cรฌ Xฤซndรฒngโ€ | Lit. โ€œOnce Again Heart Moves/Is Touchedโ€.
    6. ๆ‰“ๅ“็ฌฌไธ€็‚ฎ | dวŽ xiวŽng dรฌ yฤซ pร o | Lit. โ€œfire the first shot/cannonโ€; Meaning to make a successful start or achieve initial success in an endeavor.
    7. ่นญๆˆ‘็ƒญๅบฆ | cรจng wว’ rรจdรน | Lit. โ€œrub off on my heat/popularityโ€; Slang meaning to leverage someone elseโ€™s fame or trending status for oneโ€™s own benefit; piggybacking on popularity.
    8. ๅฅๅฅๅฑžๅฎž๏ผŒๅฅๅฅ่‚บ่…‘ | jรน jรน shว” shรญ, jรน jรน fรจifว” | Lit. โ€œevery sentence is true, every sentence is from the lungs/heartโ€; Emphasizing complete sincerity and truthfulness.
    9. ้‡‘้’ฑๅŒ…ๅ…ป | jฤซnqiรกn bฤoyวŽng | Lit. โ€œmoney keeping/supportingโ€.
    10. ไธ‰ไปคไบ”็”ณ | sฤn lรฌng wว” shฤ“n | Lit. โ€œthree orders and five injunctionsโ€; An idiom meaning to give repeated orders or instructions.

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