Gazing upwards, Yuchen took in the imposing sight of the towering building that stood before him, proudly bearing the WANG insignia at its summit.
Today marked the day, as per Elena's instructions yesterday, for Yuchen to sign their contract. He was impeccably dressed in a well-fitted shirt and trousers, exuding a professional air.
Stepping into the office lobby, Yuchen couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the opulent and elegant interior.
As expected of a major corporation," he thought, marveling at the meticulous design.
His own line of work seldom required him to venture into such formal spaces, yet even he could acknowledge the lobby's impressive aesthetics.
Yuchen then immediately walked over to the receptionist and decided not to inform Elena of his arrival.
After all, he was here for business, and he wanted to uphold a certain level of professionalism, there's no need to have Elena come down to greet him.
"May I assist you with something?" the receptionist inquired with a warm smile, projecting a highly professional image in her blazer and immaculate makeup.
"Ah, yes. I'd like to meet with Elena," Yuchen replied in a nonchalant manner.
The receptionist's expression registered a hint of surprise at his casual mention of Elena's name, rather than addressing her as President Nam, the formal title she typically held.
"Did you have an appointment scheduled?" she asked, swiftly regaining her professional demeanor.
"Yes," Yuchen affirmed with a nod.
"Could you kindly provide your name, sir? I'll confirm with President Nam's secretary," she requested, her tone retaining its friendly disposition.
Yuchen then told his name and immediately settled into one of the sofas available in the lobby, awaiting further instruction.
The receptionist promptly dialed Elena's secretary to convey that Yuchen was present for a meeting.
After receiving confirmation, the receptionist approached Yuchen with a warm smile. "Please wait just a moment, sir. President Nam's secretary will be here shortly to escort you."
"Thank you," Yuchen replied with a nod and a courteous smile.
The receptionist observed Yuchen for a while, her eyes widening as she focused on something. It was the watch Yuchen was currently wearing that had caught her attention.
"Is there something wrong?" Yuchen inquired, noticing the receptionist's gaze fixed on him.
"Oh, I apologize, sir," the receptionist stammered, her embarrassment evident. "It's nothing. Please pardon me," she quickly added before making a hasty retreat to her desk.
As the receptionist turned away, her expression transformed from embarrassment to contemplation.
"He's wearing the same watch... Could it be him in the photo?" she mused, her thoughts swirling.
Earlier that morning, Wang's company employees had been buzzing with gossip. The focal point of attention was none other than their leader, Elena Nam.
The previous night, Elena had posted a photo of herself on a Ferris Wheel, set against a breathtaking backdrop.
However, she soon followed it up with two more pictures.
The first depicted her and a man, silhouetted against a sunset, while the second showed a clear photo but the man's face intentionally obscured by an emoticon.
Elena's actions had set her followers abuzz, leading to speculation about the mysterious man in her life, as it was evident she was now dating.
Naturally, this topic had also infiltrated the discussions among her employees. They were busy guessing the identity of Elena's newfound partner, as it was the first time she had so openly revealed her relationship in such a manner.
Unaware of Elena's recent activities, Yuchen sat in the lobby, engrossed in his phone as he waited.
Shortly after, a well-dressed woman approached Yuchen with a purposeful stride.
"Mr. Li?" called out Fei Fei, her recognition of Yuchen evident in her voice.
However, Yuchen seemed deeply engrossed in his thoughts and didn't respond to her call.
"Excuse me, Mr. Li?" Fei Fei tried again, clearing her throat to capture his attention.
Yuchen finally looked up, rising from his seat upon seeing Fei Fei— the same person he had encountered when she picked up Elena.
"Ah, I'm sorry," Yuchen apologized, his discomfort evident.
"It's fine," Fei Fei reassured him with a professional smile. "It seems I should call you Yuchen from now on, if you don't mind?" she inquired cautiously.
"Of course! Feel free to call me that," Yuchen responded, nodding in agreement. He wasn't accustomed to people addressing him by his last name.
"Very well, let's head up. Oh, by the way, I'm President Nam's secretary. My name is Fei Fei," Fei Fei introduced herself, offering a warm smile.
Yuchen nodded once more and began following Fei Fei, walking a few steps behind her.
Meanwhile, the receptionist, who had been observing the interaction, maintained her gaze on Fei Fei and Yuchen. Although she couldn't hear their conversation, a sense of familiarity seemed to permeate their interaction. It was unusual for Fei Fei to engage in such a lengthy conversation with Elena's guest before eventually leading them to Elena's office.
The receptionist promptly reached for her phone and accessed a chat group comprising fellow employees without the supervisors.
[I think the boss' man came to the office today! And wow, he's really handsome!]
***
Upon entering the room indicated by Fei Fei as Elena's, Yuchen found himself momentarily taken aback.
The light pink chair positioned behind the desk immediately seized his attention, its vibrant hue standing out starkly.
The presence of such a color in an office setting was unexpected to him; he had presumed a more conventional, professional ambiance. Once again, Elena had managed to surprise him.
"Please wait a moment, President Nam is currently in a meeting. Would you like something to drink?" Fei Fei inquired, extending her hospitality.
"Tea would be lovely, thank you," Yuchen replied, his interest piqued. He then proceeded to make his way toward the beige couch situated in the room.
Fei Fei then immediately busied herself preparing the tea and then immediately excused herself to go out because she still had a lot of work to do.
Alone in the room, Yuchen began to take in his surroundings. Observing the space with a nod, he appreciated Elena's distinctive touch evident in the comfortable and subtly personalized atmosphere.
Despite the pink chair, the room's ambiance didn't overly exude femininity. Rather, a dominance of light gray hues on the interior was complemented by a neutral-toned carpet covering the floor.
Before long, the room's door swung open, admitting Elena accompanied by a well-dressed man in a suit.
Elena proceeded to introduce the man as her lawyer, and Zhang Han immediately launched into guiding Yuchen through the contract. He checked if there were any queries, clarifying any potential uncertainties Yuchen might have.
Once Yuchen felt satisfied with the explanations, he put pen to paper and signed the contract. With that done, Zhang Han excused himself, leaving Elena and Yuchen in the room alone.
"There's something I'd like to discuss with you," Elena began as the room's sole occupants.
Yuchen's curiosity was piqued. He placed his glass on the table, directing his attention to her.
"What is it?" he asked
Elena's demeanor turned serious as she crossed her legs, clearly intent on addressing an important matter..
"We should coordinate on our backstory," Elena answered with a serious tone.
They would pretend to be a couple, shouldn't they prepare as much detail as possible about how they met?