When the rest of the employees saw Jiang She, they were even more startled than Wen Zhiyao, imagining a drama of a legitimate heir and an illegitimate son fighting over the family's fortune as they watched Jiang She walk into the CEO's office.
However, the meeting between the two brothers was unexpectedly calm.
Jiang Jingyan had gotten the news ahead of time, yet as he looked at Jiang She he couldn't avoid asking: "Why are you here?"
"I am broke." Jiang She slouched nonchalantly on the leather couch, his legs cocked.
Wen Zhiyao paused in her organization of the meeting materials, surprised that Jiang She had come all this way to the office just to ask for money. Jiang Jingyan was also puzzled: "Didn't I just give you money a few days ago?"
"I had no choice." With an innocent glance at Wen Zhiyao, Jiang She raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Women are really expensive these days, they cost two hundred thousand for one night."
"What girl…" Jiang Jingyan started but then immediately shut his mouth, realizing there was a lady present. He thought for a moment, "Have you considered what grandfather and dad said a few days ago?"
"Sheesh, aren't you managing the company?" Jiang She was clearly irritated by the topic.
Jiang Jingyan never had high hopes that Jiang She would commit to becoming involved in managing the company.
By this point, Wen Zhiyao had figured out most of what was going on and found it peculiar that the relationship between Jiang Jingyan and Jiang She didn't seem as bad as the rumors indicated.
But it didn't concern her, so she lowered her head and continued to organize the materials for the upcoming board meeting.
Wen Zhiyao, in her tight-fitting skirt, moved back and forth in front of their sight.
Just when Jiang Jingyan thought Jiang She would avoid talking about managing the company as usual, Jiang She surprisingly changed his tune: "I can join the company if you want."
Jiang Jingyan couldn't help but put down his work: "What's your condition?"
Jiang She extended his leg just in time to block Wen Zhiyao's path, and Wen Zhiyao furrowed her brow at him.
Jiang Jingyan also furrowed his brow, not understanding what Jiang She was up to.
Jiang She gazed intently at Wen Zhiyao, said in a manner both careless and slow: "Lend me your secretary."
"You…" Jiang Jingyan's expression instantly turned stern.
"It's just a secretary." Suddenly, there came an authoritative, aged voice.
Everyone was startled and turned their heads, only to see an elderly man with white hair entering the office, surrounded by people.
Jiang Jingyan instantly stood up: "Grandfather."
Wen Zhiyao respectfully said, "Chairman."
The old patriarch, leaning on his cane, strolled to Wen Zhiyao and flashed a genial smile, "Ah, Secretary Wen, I heard Jingyan praised your work, you're diligent and responsible."
Wen Zhiyao felt a sense of impending doom.
Sure enough, the old patriarch jovially said, "From now on, I'm leaving Jiang She in your hands."
-
As Jiang She had no experience in running a company, the Jiang Family patriarch decided to put him in charge of one of the three pillar industries of the Jiang Family, Jiang Real Estate.
A few days after taking charge, Jiang She was pretty much hands-off, hardly staying in the company for an hour.
On the day Wen Zhiyao was accompanying him during a contract discussion, as expected, Jiang She was late.
Manager Liu was pacing anxiously: "It's already so late, Mr. Jiang hasn't arrived yet. Secretary Wen, can you contact him?"
Wen Zhiyao lowered her head to look at her phone. About half an hour after her last message asking where he was, Jiang She finally sent her a location.
Wanke Bar.
After giving the waitstaff Jiang She's name, a server led her the way.
She was about to enter the private room when she heard a smarmy voice complain, "Didn't we agree it was a boys' night tonight, no women allowed?"
Someone else agreed, "Not cool, man! You have a woman over and you expect us to just watch?"
Jiang She, occupying the center of the sofa with a cigarette in his mouth showing a dim light, laughed, "I didn't invite anyone."
The man closest to him echoed, "Exactly! Who's talking nonsense? Don't you know our She brother was called back home to do business and doesn't have time for women anymore?"
Wen Zhiyao, standing unmoved, reminded coldly: "Mr. Jiang, less than twenty minutes before the representatives of the partner company arrive."
"Partner company?" The laughter in the room died down, and they finally paid attention to Wen Zhiyao, gasping in surprise.
"Holy crap, isn't that the young boss Jesson's little secretary?"
"Impressive! Your move is brutal, cutting off Jiang Jingyan's what, left arm?"
Wen Zhiyao quietly looked at Jiang She, reminded him yet again: "Eighteen minutes left."
"Hey, don't hurry. According to our rules, if you take someone in the middle of a hangout, that's a penalty of three drinks." Whoever started the rowdy discussion made the situation more lively.
"Yes, yes, pour the drinks quickly."
Wen Zhiyao glanced at the rows and rows of filled glasses. Transparent glasses, filled with many colored liquids, reflected eerie colors under the dim light of the room.
She bent over to pick up the closest glass, only to have her hand held back. Looking up, she saw the man with his dark and calm eyes: "Aren't we going to be late?"
"Jiang She is smelling the roses!" Seeing the situation, others started to jeer even more.
"Jiang She, you're breaking the rules…"
Before anyone could finish, Jiang She coldly shot a glance, his languid and raspy voice sneered, "Talking rules with me?"
There was dead silence in the room.
Only after Wen Zhiyao left with Jiang She, did the mob regain their voice: "For real? I've never seen Jiang She so smitten before."
"Damn it, did he really snatch that little secretary from Jiang Jingyan?"
-
With Wen Zhiyao rushing back to the office, they were still late by ten minutes.
Manager Liu, with sweat covering his forehead, almost knelt to thank the heavens and his ancestors when he saw Jiang She: "Mr. Jiang, finally you're here. The representative from the partner company has been waiting inside."
Jiang She, wearing a flamboyant shirt and hands in his pockets, walked past Manager Liu without giving him a glance and entered the meeting room.
Wen Zhiyao, with the prepared materials in hand, closely followed behind.
"Zhiyao?" Capturing the familiar face unexpectedly, Zhou Yunsheng, surprised, stood up: "What are you doing with him?"