Xue Jiao's lips curled into a smile as she touched the thermal lunchbox in her hands.
She hadn't had time to go on a date with him, and though that guy pretended to be fine with a smile, she could tell—he was upset.
So, Xue Jiao decided to be a "dutiful" girlfriend and visit her computer-obsessed boyfriend to give him a "surprise."
She had even taken the rare effort to change her outfit, wearing a long dress to appear less childish.
Xue Jiao looked up and caught a glimpse of her reflection in the rearview mirror.
After a moment’s thought, she let her hair down, tucking the right side behind her ear while leaving the left side to fall naturally over her chest.
Pursing her lips, she smiled—now she looked "mature" enough.
"Little miss, going on a date?" the middle-aged female driver asked warmly, her expression kind.
Xue Jiao felt a little shy but still replied with a smile, "Mm-hmm."
The driver sighed. "Your boyfriend is so lucky to have such a pretty girlfriend."
"I'm lucky too," Xue Jiao beamed.
Ever since getting together with Lin Zhihua, he had never made her sad or put her in a difficult position.
He loved and cared for her like a boyfriend, yet also tolerated her like an elder.
At the thought, Xue Jiao smiled again, her eyes crinkling into crescents.
If Lin Zhihua knew she saw him as an elder, he’d probably get so mad he’d "bite" her again.
The driver glanced at her and couldn’t help adding, "Young lady, you really are beautiful."
"Thank you," Xue Jiao replied with a smile.
——
The car soon arrived at the entrance of Lin Corporation. After paying, Xue Jiao pushed the door open and stepped out.
Looking up, she saw the towering building with bold lettering—Lin Group.
The office building’s exterior revealed nothing, only the dark glass reflecting the golden hues of the setting sun.
Xue Jiao walked closer.
She knew Lin Zhihua was still at the office. Last night, she had mentioned her meeting would run late, and he had said he’d pick her up on his way home.
And knowing him as she did, he probably hadn’t eaten dinner yet.
Her lips curved upward as she quickened her pace, the hem of her dress swaying with each step, as if swaying against someone’s heart.
The doors of Lin Corporation stood wide open, and the grandeur of the lobby was a far cry from Cheng Shuo’s company.
After moving to the capital, Cheng Shuo’s company only occupied two floors of an office building, unlike Lin Group, which spanned multiple departments and employed a vast number of people due to its diverse ventures.
Xue Jiao stepped into the lobby, scanning the space. Opposite her was an entrance with two passageways—clearly requiring keycard access—while another entrance stood to the side.
As she approached, employees streamed out of the passageways, likely clocking out for the day. Between the two entrances was a reception desk, where two poised young women stood.
Two security guards stood nearby, occasionally nodding at those leaving.
"Ma’am, how may I help you?" the receptionist greeted with a smile.
Xue Jiao walked over and replied politely, "I’m here to see someone."
"Xiao Yue, I’m here to pick up my package," a middle-aged woman emerged from the passageway and turned to the other receptionist.
The receptionist immediately retrieved a package and grinned. "Sister Wu, what did you buy this time? I kept it hidden for you—no one saw it.""Thank you, Xiaoyue. I was busy this afternoon and couldn't come out to get it. It's just a soy milk maker—the one at home broke. I really appreciate you keeping it for me, otherwise I'd have to pay another fine!"
"No problem," the receptionist smiled.
Ms. Wu turned her head and happened to see Xue Jiao. She smiled warmly, "Little girl, you're here to..."
"I'm here to see someone," Xue Jiao repeated with a smile.
Ms. Wu was clearly an enthusiastic middle-aged woman. Seeing the lunchbox in Xue Jiao's hand, she couldn't help but say, "Are you bringing lunch to your dad or mom? The managers are all in meetings today. What a thoughtful daughter you are!"
The receptionist Xiaoyue chimed in, "Ms. Wu, aren't you going to wait for Uncle Jiu? Look at you, not being considerate at all."
"Pfft, as if the boss would let them go hungry," Ms. Wu replied dismissively.
The receptionist attending to Xue Jiao spoke politely, "Little sister, who are you here to see? I'll need to call first—company rules, otherwise you can't go in." Her voice carried a hint of apology, and her manner was courteous. Xue Jiao couldn't help but nod inwardly at the professionalism of Lin Zhihua's employees.
Just as Xue Jiao was about to speak, Ms. Wu interjected, "Little girl, the executives are in a meeting today—they can't take calls! Did you let your parents know you were coming? Who are your parents? Whose family has such a pretty girl like you?"
"I'm here to see Lin Zhihua," Xue Jiao grinned, adding, "He's my boyfriend..."
The room fell silent for a moment. All three women froze, their pupils dilating as if they'd heard something unbelievable.
The two receptionists stiffened, momentarily speechless. Xue Jiao then asked, "Are all the executives in a meeting? Can Lin Zhihua take calls? Or..." She paused, realizing she only knew Lin Zhihua's secretary. "Or can Chen Yan take a call?"
The receptionist snapped out of her daze, stammering, "Y-yes, yes! I'll... I'll call the secretary's office..." Her hands trembled slightly, nearly dropping the receiver.
"H-hello, this is the front desk. Could you connect me to Secretary Chen Yan, please?"
After a brief silence, the receptionist continued, "Secretary Chen, this is Su Qian from the front desk. There's a young lady here to see President Lin."
The person on the other end said something, and Su Qian turned to Xue Jiao. "May I ask your name...?"
"Gu Xue Jiao."
Su Qian quickly relayed, "Her name is Gu Xue Jiao."
As soon as she finished speaking, Su Qian clearly heard something drop on the other end of the line, followed by Chen Yan's unusually flustered voice—
"Take good care of her! I'm coming down right now!"
It was worth noting that Chen Yan, as the chief secretary, was usually the epitome of composure—calm and unflappable, like an emotionless machine. This level of panic was unprecedented.
Su Qian hung up the phone and stammered at Xue Jiao, "M-Ms. Gu, please have a seat and rest for a moment. I-I'll get you some water. Secretary Chen will be down to escort you shortly."
Beside her, Xiaoyue flashed a perfectly "sweet" smile, standing ramrod straight with her hands clasped in front of her.
"No need, no need. I'll stand for a bit," Xue Jiao replied with a smile.
Nearby, people kept streaming out of the hallway, some greeting the receptionists, "Xiaoyue, Qianqian, off work? Want to grab some barbecue?"
Xiaoyue stiffened slightly but managed a smile. "Not right now." She then turned and quickly poured Xue Jiao a glass of water. "Here, some water for you..."
"Thank you, thank you!" Xue Jiao accepted it hastily, slightly embarrassed by their enthusiasm."Sister Wu, why are you still here? Want to head back together?" A woman with short hair walked over casually and leaned against the front desk.
Sister Wu tugged at her, shooting her a warning glance behind Xue Jiao's back before forcing a stiff smile at Xue Jiao.
The short-haired woman clearly didn't get the hint and looked at Xue Jiao, asking casually, "And you are...?"
Sister Wu reached out and pinched her hard.
Just then, someone emerged from the side corridor, and a somewhat familiar face appeared before them.
Whether it was the receptionist, Sister Wu, the short-haired woman, or the person coming out from the main corridor, they all greeted in succession, "Good day, Secretary Chen!"
Chen Yan nodded and hurried over, offering Xue Jiao an apologetic smile. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It's no trouble. I appreciate your help, Uncle Chen."
Uncle Chen...
At this moment, Chen Yan was wondering if the boss would dock his pay upon hearing this!
And... he really wasn't that old. It was just that he was too stressed and didn't have the boss's good looks, so when he kept a straight face, he could barely pass as a handsome uncle.
Actually, he was only in his thirties...
And still unmarried!
"You're too kind. Let's go this way..." Chen Yan respectfully gestured for her to proceed.
Xue Jiao picked up the insulated lunch box but found the cup in her hand troublesome, looking somewhat at a loss.
Su Qian immediately leaned forward and took the cup from her. "Let me hold that."
"Thank you." Xue Jiao smiled gratefully.
Su Qian, flustered by the attention, quickly replied, "No need for thanks..."
Holding the lunch box, Xue Jiao followed Chen Yan's gesture toward the side door.
Chen Yan followed her, swiftly opening the door and leading her up via the private passage and elevator.
Once they had entered the elevator, the front desk erupted in chatter.
"Who was that? Who was that?! She actually used the boss's private passage!!" the short-haired woman exclaimed, wide-eyed.
Su Qian patted her chest, taking a couple of sips from the untouched water to calm her nerves. "The boss's girlfriend..."
"What?!!"
Sister Wu, holding a package, looked at it and then at herself. "This... I think Secretary Chen saw me. Am I going to get my pay docked?"
"The boss's girlfriend not only saw but also heard..." Xiao Yue was on the verge of tears.
The short-haired woman still looked skeptical. "No way, that girl looked way too young. And doesn't our boss avoid women?"
"I've heard before that the boss might actually be in a relationship... And she's so pretty with such good grace. Maybe the boss really..."
Sister Wu chimed in, "Right, right. And it's not like we haven't had all sorts of women coming to see the boss before. But has Secretary Chen ever come down to escort any of them?"
The short-haired woman quickly pulled out her phone, alarmed. "I need to warn the others right away!"
Soon, messages flooded all the Lin Corporation group chats that didn't include Lin Zhihua—
The boss's girlfriend is here!!
This was immediately followed by waves of shock and exclamations of "Holy crap," turning every group chat into a 99+ message frenzy.
—
Xue Jiao followed Chen Yan upstairs, the elevator making no stops as it headed straight for the top floor.
"Let me carry that," Chen Yan offered, reaching out.
Xue Jiao quickly shook her head. "No need, I've got it."
Chen Yan didn't dare insist further. Fortunately, the elevator soon arrived. Holding the door open, he gestured politely, "After you."
Xue Jiao stepped out briskly, smiling. "Uncle Chen, you can just call me Xue Jiao."
Chen Yan felt a pang of unease, only managing a stiff nod in response.He led the way ahead, passing by a small office where people were working, a pantry, a reception room, and a large conference room with its door closed, until they reached Lin Zhihua's office at the very end.
There was a counter by the entrance, where a man and a woman sat working with their heads down.
"Secretary Chen—" They greeted Chen Yan immediately upon seeing him, then smiled and nodded at Xue Jiao.
Chen Yan pushed open the door to Lin Zhihua's office. "Please wait in the boss's office for now. I'll go notify him."
"No need, no need. Let him finish his meeting. I can wait a little longer," Xue Jiao said with a smile, stepping curiously into Lin Zhihua's office.
Someone nearby stood up and asked in a barely audible voice, "Who is this? Just let her into the boss's office like that? Shouldn't she wait in the reception room?"
Chen Yan looked up and replied in a low voice, "Don't worry about it."
As he spoke, Chen Yan turned and happened to see Tan Qi walking out of a small office.
"Tan Qi!"
Tan Qi turned his head. "What's up? They said you brought someone up?"
"Give me the documents. I'll deliver them. Gu Xue Jiao is here—go take care of her in the boss's office," Chen Yan said, stepping closer and lowering his voice.
"What?!" Tan Qi's mouth fell open in shock.
He was probably the only employee in the company, aside from Chen Yan, who knew who Gu Xue Jiao was.
Chen Yan gave him a meaningful look. "This is your chance to impress the boss. Go."
Tan Qi immediately handed the documents to Chen Yan, rubbing his hands together. "I'll make sure to perform well!"
Chen Yan shot him a glance before striding straight toward the conference room.
As the boss's personal secretary, he earned a salary that ordinary people could only dream of, and in return, he had to do things no one else could.
In this entire company, he was undoubtedly the one who understood the boss best and knew exactly how to act according to his wishes.
Put Gu Xue Jiao in the reception room?
Did he have a death wish?!
Moreover, he knew that the most important thing right now was to interrupt the meeting and inform the boss that Gu Xue Jiao had arrived.
When Chen Yan pushed open the door, the atmosphere inside was tense.
Lin Zhihua had been in a bad mood lately, and the executives were all walking on eggshells, afraid of being scolded.
At that moment, a manager stood with his head lowered. Despite the comfortable air-conditioned temperature, sweat poured down his face.
Lin Zhihua's expression was icy. "...If you submit something like this again, I can only say you're utterly useless!"
Thud— Lin Zhihua slammed the report in his hand onto the table, his sharp eyes fixed on the man as he fell silent.
The man's legs trembled slightly.
Just then, Chen Yan pushed the door open. A few people glanced over in surprise.
Chen Yan walked straight to the front and whispered something into Lin Zhihua's ear.
Then, everyone watched as the boss, who had been scowling just moments ago, stood up with an expression of delight.
"Redo this report and submit it to me by tomorrow afternoon before work ends. That's all for today's meeting—everyone can take a break." With that, under the stunned gazes of the entire conference room, he strode out.
The man who had just been scolded slumped into his seat, patting his chest as if he had narrowly escaped disaster.
"What just happened? Who saved my life?"
Some people had already pulled out their phones and started searching, soon exchanging shocked whispers.
"I wonder what she looks like..."
"Would you dare to go take a look?"
"...No way."
——
Lin Zhihua practically walked into his office with a smile. Chen Yan did not follow him inside.
"Jiao Jiao..." The way he spoke these two words was dripping with affection.
Xue Jiao smiled sheepishly. "Why did you come out? I told you not to let me interrupt you.""It's fine, the meeting just ended." He walked over to Xue Jiao's side.
At that moment, Tan Qi entered carrying two cups.
One was a steaming glass of milk, the other room-temperature water.
He respectfully placed them before the two, earning an approving nod from Lin Zhihua.
Tan Qi felt a surge of joy but calmly exited, closing the door behind him.
Lin Zhihua sat on the sofa, pulling Xue Jiao into his arms as he tried to contain his delight. "What brings you here?"
Xue Jiao grinned, her eyes curving into crescents, then waved the lunchbox in her hand. "Brought you some food."
Lin Zhihua pressed her hand against his stomach, feigning hunger. "Perfect timing—I'm starving. How did you know?"
She playfully bumped her forehead against his and chuckled. "I can be even more thoughtful."
Seeing Lin Zhihua's unrestrained happiness made her smile too, filling her heart with warmth.
"Did you make this?"
"Of course!" Xue Jiao lifted her chin proudly.
Lin Zhihua laughed, taking the lunchbox. "Haha, let's taste it then."
He stood, pulling Xue Jiao toward the table nearby.
Only then, emerging from his euphoria, did he notice her outfit.
His eyes brightened as he tilted his head, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.
"My Jiao Jiao is so beautiful..."
The thought that she'd dressed up for him made his heart swell with joy.
Blushing, Xue Jiao nudged him toward the chair. "Eat, eat!"
Lin Zhihua sat down with a smile while she settled beside him, handing him chopsticks and setting the lunchbox before him.
Rolling up his sleeves, he opened the box.
Inside was an artfully arranged bowl of noodles—tomatoes on the side, topped with a heart-shaped egg.
Xue Jiao knew he loved noodles.
His grin widened as he teased, "So this is... a love lunchbox?"
Her cheeks flushed. "Yes, yes, just eat already."
"Have you eaten?"
Xue Jiao hesitated.
"You haven't, have you?" His smile grew even brighter.
"I did! I ate everything that didn't fit in the box!"
He took a bite and nodded. "Delicious!"
Xue Jiao smiled shyly. "Not as good as yours..."
Lin Zhihua picked up another bite and held it to her lips. "Here, try some."
Without hesitation, she accepted.
They shared the noodles, taking turns until the bowl was empty.
Xue Jiao licked her lips. "Should we grab something else to eat?"
Lin Zhihua grabbed his coat. "Let's go."
"The lunchbox—"
"Someone will take care of it." He led her downstairs.
Instead of using his private elevator, Lin Zhihua held Xue Jiao's hand and descended via the staff elevator, drawing stares.
Each time the doors opened, employees froze, greeting them but not daring to enter.
On the third floor, a young woman talking on her phone stepped in absentmindedly.
As the doors closed, she noticed them—and their intertwined hands—her eyes widening in shock.
Stammering, she managed, "B-Boss... Madam..."
Xue Jiao tried to pull her hand away, but Lin Zhihua held firm.
The woman pressed herself into the corner until they reached the lobby and exited.
Then, fumbling, she snapped a quick photo of their retreating figures.
Posting it in the group chat—Holy crap!! I just shared an elevator with the boss and his girlfriend! [Photo]
Below were rapid-fire replies of all kinds.
Of course, Xue Jiao knew nothing about this. Hand in hand with Lin Zhihua like any ordinary couple, they bought some snacks and watched a movie.
It was a romantic comedy. Their luck wasn't great—this so-called rom-com was full of awkward humor throughout.
But holding hands, neither of them stopped smiling the entire time.
——
"Jiao Jiao, today was the happiest day I've had since growing up," Lin Zhihua said, holding Xue Jiao's hand as he walked her to her building.
Master Lin had still raised him as the heir, being extremely strict, so he'd rarely gotten to play like a normal child.
Moreover, being mature beyond his years, he'd had few friends and found it hard to connect with others.
After the heartbreak of adulthood took him far away, he returned only to take over the Lin Corporation.
Happiness and joy were things that only came after meeting Xue Jiao.
"Will we have more days like this?" he asked when they reached her building, gazing at her.
His deep eyes fixed intently on her, filled with cautious apprehension.
Xue Jiao's heart ached slightly. She squeezed his hand and nodded with a smile.
"Yes. Whenever I'm free in the evenings and you're not too busy with work, we'll go on more dates."
"Okay..." Lin Zhihua lifted her hand, his expression tender.
Xue Jiao met his gaze, then stood on tiptoe to kiss his chin.
Softly, she whispered, "There will be even happier times ahead."
"Hmm?"
"Our wedding day." With that, Xue Jiao turned and ran inside.
Lin Zhihua stood frozen for a long moment before raising his hand to touch where she'd kissed him. His lips curved into a broad smile, eyes brimming with joy.
How wonderful.
Heaven had treated him so well. The suffering of his first twenty years had all been to prepare him for this one person.
With her, his barren years had burst into glorious bloom.
——
The next day was another project meeting.
After breakfast, Xue Jiao arrived at the lab at the same time as yesterday. Today, she was actually the earliest besides Chu Sheng.
Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long before others began trickling in.
Once seated, Zhang Han got straight to the point: "After sleeping on it, what are everyone's thoughts about the project?"
Yang Zhan shrugged with a sigh. "I'll say it again—we really shouldn't waste more time. There are plenty of other projects needing our attention. We should shift focus instead of obsessing over this pie-in-the-sky flying car."
Chu Sheng took a deep breath, scanning the group before saying quietly, "I think we shouldn't give up. This is truly a new frontier without precedent, but regardless of results, we'll be the pioneers. As Gu Xue Jiao said, Senior Yang Zhan—we can stand on the shoulders of giants, but we can also be the giants. We can't stop climbing just because there's no clear path, or human technology will struggle to advance."
Yang Zhan frowned slightly at him, clearly conflicted but still reluctant to continue.
At this point, Zhang Han suddenly declared, "I want to keep going. I believe this project has value, and it's too early to abandon it now."
Yang Zhan looked at Zhang Han, who met his gaze firmly.
"Alright, if Senior Sister is willing to persist, then we'll continue. I always follow Senior Sister's lead!" Yang Zhan raised an eyebrow.
At this moment, the other three subtly sensed that something might be going on between Yang Zhan and Zhang Han...?Yang Zhan didn't want to continue with the project, but because of Zhang Han, he persevered...
Zhang Han shot him a glare and said, "Then let's discuss the direction."
"Our current..."
The group began their discussion, but as usual, it was all just as confusing as ever.
How can we overcome the gravity of flying cars?
The current superimposed magnetic field can only lift very light pieces of paper. Anything slightly heavier won't work, let alone making a heavy flying car float.
Xue Jiao listened, her gaze gradually drifting away.
Zhang Han noticed that Xue Jiao seemed lost in thought, no longer taking notes, her eyes unmoving.
"What are you thinking about?"
As soon as she spoke, the ongoing discussion immediately fell silent, and everyone turned to look at Xue Jiao.
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