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 didn’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 Jiayi’s hand when she was getting her injection.
Regarding this, Shu Changning wore an expression like he’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 hadn’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 knock—
Without looking up, Wen Nuan called out directly: “Come in.”
It was Wei Cheng.
“CEO Xu, Kong Yushu from Yixin Entertainment is here.”
Wen Nuan looked up from a pile of folders: “What’s he here for?”
“He says he wants to report Yixin Entertainment’s development plan for next year to you,” Wei Cheng said.
Wen Nuan pulled out the year-end report submitted by Yixin Entertainment from the side. “Didn’t he already write it all down? Why come talk about it in person?”
“Forget it, let him come in.” Wen Nuan wanted to see what this Kong Yushu was up to.
“Understood.” Wei Cheng went out to call Kong Yushu up.
Another knock sounded on the door.
“Come in.” 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, “Hello, CEO Xu.”
“I heard from Wei Cheng that you want to report Yixin Entertainment’s development prospects to me?” Wen Nuan raised an eyebrow. “What kind of development prospects are worth you making a trip here in person?”
Kong Yushu took a file out of his briefcase and handed it over, smiling, “Please take a look, CEO Xu.”
Seeing his mysterious demeanor, Wen Nuan took the file and looked at it, her eyes instantly lighting up.
“You plan to produce your own show?” Wen Nuan looked at the program proposal designed inside. “I didn’t expect a top talent from the economics and management department would actually like being a director?”
Kong Yushu smiled: “Otherwise, why would I have volunteered myself1 to the company when CEO Xu was recruiting for the head of Yixin Entertainment on the Xu Corporation intranet?”
“But I remember your resume didn’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.”
“Yes, I don’t have experience, but I still want to give it a try. I studied economics and management only because of my family’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.” A look of longing appeared on Kong Yushu’s face. “I sincerely ask CEO Xu to give me a chance.”
Fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk. Wen Nuan leaned forward. “Having lofty ambitions is a good thing, but you can’t have your cake and eat it too2. If you want to be a director, then the position of head of Yixin Entertainment might have to…”
Kong Yushu immediately responded: “That’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. I’m willing to start from the very bottom.”
Seeing Kong Yushu so agitated, his excitement plain to see3, she was quite curious. “Is passion really that important in your eyes?”
Kong Yushu smiled and nodded: “Of course. If a person lacks passion, life is so dull. I believe CEO Xu understands this too.”
Wen Nuan took the file Kong Yushu had given her and signed her name prominently at the bottom. “I really like your proposal. It’s very unique, an area currently untouched by variety shows. I look forward to seeing how it appears in the public eye.”
Seeing Wen Nuan sign, Kong Yushu was overcome with excitement: “Thank you, CEO Xu! Thank you, CEO Xu!”
“No need to thank me. I’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.” Wen Nuan clasped her hands, propping her chin on them. “Yixin Entertainment currently doesn’t have a director position, so you’ll be Yixin Entertainment’s first director. As for the head of Yixin Entertainment, you’ll temporarily continue in that role until I find a suitable replacement for you. Is this arrangement acceptable?”
Kong Yushu hurriedly said: “Yes, yes! I accept all of CEO Xu’s arrangements.”
“Alright then. If there’s nothing else, you may leave.” Wen Nuan still had a pile of contracts to sign; her head was about to explode.
“Um?” Kong Yushu hesitated4. “Actually, coming to find CEO Xu today, there are two matters that need CEO Xu’s approval.”
“What?”
Kong Yushu said somewhat nervously: “CEO Xu has seen it too, my show is called 《Renewed Heartbeat》5. The show’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. So…”
Wen Nuan raised an eyebrow: “So…?”
“So… I’ve drafted a total of four pairs of guests for the show. The document only listed… three pairs. The last pair… I was thinking of having you and Miss You Jiayi… record the show, to… give our show a successful start6.” Kong Yushu became somewhat incoherent under Wen Nuan’s gaze.
Wen Nuan gave a short laugh: “So after all that buildup, this is what you were waiting for? To ride my coattails7?”
Kong Yushu quickly waved his hands and shook his head: “No, that’s not it! Every word I said before was true, straight from the heart8, without a shred of falsehood! It’s just that this is Yixin Entertainment’s first time creating a variety show. If the opening isn’t good, it will definitely affect future development.” He glanced at Wen Nuan. “Coincidentally, half a month ago, CEO Xu, you and Miss You announced your relationship. The public is very curious about you two. Many people don’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 arrangement9.”
Kong Yushu’s words were very persuasive; clearly, he had come prepared.
Wen Nuan thought for a moment: “Have you discussed this with You Jiayi?”
Kong Yushu shook his head: “Without getting your approval first, I wouldn’t dare mention this to the company’s artist.”
Wen Nuan considered carefully. Kong Yushu wasn’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 Jiayi’s reputation.
“Talk to You Jiayi about this first. If she agrees, I’ll participate,” Wen Nuan said. “But 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?”
Although Kong Yushu didn’t understand why Wen Nuan wanted to do it this way, he readily agreed: “Okay, thank you, CEO Xu.”
Wen Nuan looked at the copy Kong Yushu left behind. If this variety show was done well, it would definitely be a huge hit.
【I don’t understand, why can’t you tell the female lead you agreed?】 the System asked doubtfully.
“Then why should I tell her I agreed?” Wen Nuan countered.
【Because if you tell the female lead you’ll participate, the female lead will agree to join the recording.】
“Exactly. Because I’m participating, she’ll agree.”
The System still didn’t get it: 【What do you mean?】
Wen Nuan sighed: “If Kong Yushu first tells her that I will participate in this variety show recording, then You Jiayi won’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 doesn’t have much time to rest.”
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. Doesn’t it look delicious?
Afraid that You Jiayi would get busy with work and skip meals, Wen Nuan had repeatedly ordered10 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 wouldn’t talk to her for a day.
Upon hearing this punishment, You Jiayi immediately agreed to Wen Nuan’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.
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: Haven’t eaten yet. Going to the company cafeteria in a bit.
You Jiayi: You’re always managing me, but it turns out you don’t eat properly yourself behind my back. Shouldn’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 hadn’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 you… 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 she’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.
“Sys, what’s going on?”
Why had the tattoo’s location changed?
Moreover, the rose on her chest didn’t look like a tattoo, but rather like it had grown there itself.
The System checked Wen Nuan’s body and the world mechanism, puzzled: 【Host’s body shows no abnormalities, and the world mechanism hasn’t been disrupted. Everything is normal.】
“Normal?” Wen Nuan pointed at the rose tattoo that had suddenly appeared on her chest, growling, “You call this normal?”
【I’ve checked, everything is normal. Unless… it’s classified information I don’t have access to.】 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 didn’t disappear.
Wen Nuan thought about the moment this rose flower had appeared, what had happened.
She picked up her phone, looking at You Jiayi’s WeChat message.
When she saw You Jiayi’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 Nuan’s reply still hadn’t come.
She couldn’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 Nuan’s reply suddenly popped up.
Wen Nuan: Okay.
You Jiayi’s eyes lit up, beaming with joy.
You Jiayi: Then I’ll mark it down in my little notebook.
Wen Nuan looked at You Jiayi’s reply and smiled helplessly. Her chest didn’t continue to hurt. It seemed the appearance of this tattoo wasn’t related to You Jiayi.
Other than appearing somewhat suddenly, Wen Nuan didn’t feel anything else abnormal, so she didn’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 Jiayi’s message, replied with an “Okay,” and received a grinning emoji from You Jiayi.
The little crybaby was easily satisfied, which was quite good.
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