On Monday morning, Li Jun received an official letter in his email indicating that Professor Li Na had agreed on his project topic and he was to see her this afternoon concerning the schedule and presentation. He was staring at the letter in a daze when his assistant came to inform him about a visitor wanting to see him.
"Hey, how's it going? Li Jun, you've been smiling at your laptop since I entered'' his best friend, Chen Guang who was his partner in the Lu corporation, observed, sitting opposite Li Jun in the stylish office. Standing up Li Jun ignored him as he walked towards the window to watch as the pedestrian's race by, mostly joggers and some students carrying backpacks, as some white-collar employees raced to their workplace.
He was amused, captivated, and intrigued, as he pictured Li Na's beautiful and flushed face in his head. Her blouse buttoned up to the neck¸ her flared green skirt and those heels accentuating her shapely calves, and her proper little attitude was so different from what he remembered from the last Saturday's Business event.
But her get-up definitely wasn't a disappointment, either. She'd been professional and sensual, almost untouchable, during his last visit to her office, and she had him spellbound since the first day he had met her.
She'd had a mouth on her that had his attention and then she'd stunned him when she started talking about her parent and red camellias drunkenly. But fortunately, he hadn't stop thinking about her and the kiss they exchange since that Saturday. He never knew that she was related to the Xu family, he researched about her not caring about her age, he wished Monday will come quickly so that he can see her again.
But now here she is, his teacher, dangerous and forbidden, which only increased her allure, and she'd been just as beautiful in the event as she'd been in the class and office. He loosened his tie, his neck sweating even though the AC was on full blast, and he looked over at his friend, who was watching him with amusement. "Well, are you through with your daydreams?" His friend leaned back in his seat, taking out his Ipad. He tapped it with its stylus. "The contract for the acquisition for the new farm machinery to the east has being delayed due to the Zhang family trying to use underhanded method to hijack it for their selves."
"Zhang Bojing. He is at it again; his name does not suit him. He is a wave that destroys things, not gentle at all. I feel like strangling that fool." Li Jun said while gritting his teeth in anger.
"Yeah-Yeah, so how about putting a private investigator on him to see what evidence we can gather so as to go against him when he comes with his false accusations concerning our company" Chen Guang chuckled, finally looking up.
"You can do that," Li Jun said as he returned back to his seat.
"You need to attend more functions and stop been elusive. The old cronies and the press agency really need to know you so as to avoid such a situation as Zhang BoJing. Li Jun, stop been a mystery, go out and socialize with those old men, call the press so that we will not be competing for a contract with the likes of the Zhang family. It is necessary for the company" Chen Guang chirped, his eyes condescending.
They had this conversation over and over again, but Li Jun never agrees with him. Chen Guang just kept digging, hoping to wear him down, but there was no way he was letting the press into my personal life.
It was his friend's responsibility to spin the media and keep the focus on what was important. "This is your job, I do the internal dealings you do the external with the press and the old partners" Li Jun reminded him, hardening his eyes so he knew he meant business.
But Chen Guang shook his head at him and leaned forward. "Li Jun." He'd lowered his voice.
"I can feed the papers with whatever you want, but in front of the cameras you'd better start coming out and butter them up so that they can know you are the capable leader for the Lu Corporation. It's the twenty-first century, and people – consumers," he clarified, "want to know everything. They want to know the man behind the success of the company"
"Things that aren't any of their business, do you want me to tell them that I am attending the university again for my master's degree "he shot back in a low voice.
But Chen Guang wanted him to be an open book. He pulled away, crashing back into his seat. "Zhang Bojing always posts things about how he uses his product on social media. This is all about Marketing Li Jun" he gritted out. "This is the world we live in, God helps us, and I promise you, a little picture of you eating the organically grown Tomatoes, would go viral more than any of your speeches with a selected few from the press. Get social. WeChat, Facebook —"
"You've got people handling the advertisement stuff," Li Jun said, shuffling through some document.
He had a team of employees to handle the company website and social media, so he wouldn't have to use social media. It was one of the first things he'd put in place when he'd started running the Lu corporation. He is aware of how large and globally know the Lu Corporation is but he does not want his private life to be monitored.
His friend nodded. "Yeah, we have people handling your social media, but it would be nice if you added some personality here and there. You are young; Share some of your stories with how you came up with inspirations about venturing into agribusiness, funny anecdotes, selfies… whatever."
He waved him off. "People are addicted to that stuff. They'll eat it up." Chen Guang pestered him.
Li Jun closed his eyes and leaned his head into his fingers, rubbing circles on his right temple. It was still more than four years, that he had the reins over the corporation, and he never likes the invasion into his privacy. Now that he was thinking of pursuing a relationship with his Professor he does not want the netizens or press to turn it into a public debacle. Li Jun thought.
Li Jun turned his head and watched his friend, phone turned sideways, held between both hands as his thumbs shot out like bullets, tapping the screen. "Don't you have an assignment you've to complete?"
Li Jun prodded, unable to hide the aggravation in his voice.
Rolling his eyes Chen Guang stood up. "Yep, I'll be going boss!" he saluted as he went out of the office.
Reaching over the telecom Li Jun rang up his secretary, "Lin Cheng, get me all the necessary files I need to sign on my table and tell Mr. Rio to get the car ready. I'm seeing my Supervisor this afternoon." He said.
"Okay sir, I will get it all done." Lin Cheng said, dashing out of the office to get the assignments done.
Packing his books and laptop in his bag, Li Jun was ready to see his beautiful professor in her office this afternoon.