Tang Xiao shook her head.
"It's not just online chatting, I have a use for you in real life as well!"
Wu Jie said blankly, "I still don't quite understand!"
Tang Xiao explained, "It's actually like being a fake couple! Chat on the phone like a normal couple, leaving a record to fool people. When I need you in real life, it's for meeting family and friends."
"As for the compensation, online chats are a hundred bucks per message, and for real-life, I'll pay by the hour at four times the salary rate. If there are meals or shopping trips where payments are required, it's all on me!"
"Of course, if you are insulted, cursed, mocked, or even physically attacked, I'll provide additional compensation! Once either of us starts a real relationship, this whole arrangement is automatically terminated, without affecting each other!"
A fake couple?
In the long term?
So it's not being the backup plan after all!
It can only be called an emergency backup boyfriend!
The conditions aren't bad, and to think about pretending to be the boyfriend of such a stunningly beautiful and domineering female president… The mere thought is thrilling!
"Sure thing!"
Wu Jie nodded happily, "What about the content of our chats and real-life meetings, what's the limit?"
"I've never been in a relationship, how would I know? But... Let's keep the online chats somewhat flirtatious, just not too explicit! As for meeting in person, holding hands in front of friends and relatives is okay! Alright, let's give it a try now!"
With that, Tang Xiao unlocked her phone and sent Wu Jie a voice message: "What are you doing?"
Wu Jie shook his head and sighed.
"What's wrong? Is it not okay?" Tang Xiao asked curiously.
Wu Jie sighed, "Although I've never dated, I've seen pigs run without having eaten pork! The tone of your voice message just now was too abrupt and stiff, like a boss questioning a subordinate. When couples voice chat, I think it should be as sweet as possible!"
Tang Xiao rolled her eyes.
"Sweet? How do you do sweet? I never act coy or cute!"
"Uh... Like Zhiling would be nice!"
"Scram!!"
Tang Xiao's eyebrows were knit tightly, her murderous aura on full display.
Wu Jie chuckled, "Then... let's try not to send voice messages as much as possible."
Tang Xiao nodded slightly, and without withdrawing the voice message, she casually transferred two thousand.
Wu Jie exclaimed, "I mean, my dear... Oh no, President Tang! Don't couples usually have the guy transfer money to the girl unless the guy is a kept man?"
"Aren't you one?" Tang Xiao casually replied with a laugh.
"Uh..." Wu Jie felt a bit awkward.
"Sorry! I forgot we're here on a business arrangement!" Tang Xiao slightly pursed her red lips: "Actually... I just wanted to prepay for the chatting. So what now? Withdraw it?"
"Delete that message, and the money will automatically be refunded within 24 hours!"
Wu Jie sat down beside Tang Xiao.
But Wu Jie dared not look around too much and immediately started typing attentively.
No sooner had Tang Xiao deleted the transfer message than she received a new message from Wu Jie.
She opened it and her eyes widened instantly.
[My dear, what would you like to eat tonight?]
Seeing this line, especially the opening address, made Tang Xiao's skin crawl.
"It's four twenty in the afternoon now, I think sending a message in advance to ask about dinner makes it look very natural and normal." Wu Jie noticed that Tang Xiao's earlobes seemed to have reddened. "President Tang, what's the matter? Do you think the address is too cheesy?"
Tang Xiao nodded repeatedly, "I'm allergic to those three words. Can we use another term of endearment? You can call me Xiao since I'm Tang Xiao. And you?"
"My online name is Integrity!"
"Ah? No, that won't do. I can't be calling you 'Little Integrity,' can I?" Tang Xiao said with a pout.
"Then just call me Jie! Sounds nice, right?"
Jie?
Tang Xiao slightly furrowed her brow, initially wanting to argue but then deciding to let it go.
After changing the contact name, she checked the time and stood up.
"Let's stop here for today, I still have a meeting to get to!"
"Besides, having you as a fake boyfriend is just a side hustle for you to make some money. You still need to work hard at your regular job, alright? And you must keep this strictly confidential, don't let anyone know without my permission!"
Wu Jie stood up and nodded, "I'll keep it a secret, but what about your injury..."
"It's nothing serious! Just an old problem, no cure for it!" Tang Xiao pointed towards the door. "Hurry back to work, I need to take a shower!"
...
Secretary desk.
Cao Bin hadn't been waiting anxiously; he was quite comfortable.
With the beautiful CEO's secretary for company, how could he not be pleased?
However, Xie Wanjun always had a frosty expression, no matter how much Cao Bin tried to flatter her, she didn't even offer a smile.
"The meeting is about to start, I need to remind President Tang!"
Xie Wanjun had just stood up when she saw Wu Jie returning, engrossed in his phone as he walked.
"Who allowed you to play with your phone during work hours?" Cao Bin snapped with a feigned authority. "President Tang is about to hold an important meeting; this isn't the place for us, let's go, now!"
After barking out these commands, Cao Bin turned around with a broad smile and waved his hand. "Wan Jun, we'll head down first. If you need anything, just call me, I'm at your beck and call!"
Xie Wanjun smiled faintly, without making a sound.
Elevator lobby.
"With so many matters to attend to, President Tang is extremely busy. To think she had such a long chat with you, what did you talk about?" Cao Bin asked curiously, eager for gossip.
"Just casual chatter!" Wu Jie replied nonchalantly.
Cao Bin looked incredulous, "Really? If it was just casual chatter, did you really need to be out until now, grinning nonstop?"
Wu Jie replied sheepishly, "I'm happy, alright! Not everyone in our company gets the chance to bump into President Tang, right? I just didn't expect to hit it off so well with her. Sorry for making you wait!"
Cao Bin forced a smile, "Heh, no worries!"
At that moment, the system delivered some good news.
Ding!
[System: Gained +100 jealousy from Cao Bin]
Jealous brother?
Wu Jie glanced at Cao Bin indifferently.
Just a chat with Tang Xiao was enough to trigger his jealousy, he really was petty.
Back in the marketing department, Cao Bin immediately took on the boss's airs.
"Make sure you send the proposal over before you leave!"
Wu Jie acknowledged with a grunt and hurriedly worked on the proposal.
After sending it, with ten minutes left until the end of the workday, everyone was too distracted to focus on work, chatting and browsing web pages instead.
Thinking he still needed quite a few points to complete his task, what could he do to make a lot of people envious and resentful?
Wu Jie immediately thought of the class group chat, where his old classmate Dai Fei, who worked in real estate, bombarded them with property listings every day.
"Prime property! Located next to the subway, with mature commercial facilities and in a school district, 97 square meters, exquisitely furnished three-bedroom set at a favorable price of only 6.6 million..."
Scanning the message, Wu Jie was furious.
For ordinary folks to buy a house, set a goal first—live another 250 years, then beg another 500 from the heavens!
Knowing full well that everyone in the class chat was broke, Dai Fei still shamelessly flooded their screens with listings.
Time to mock him!
Typing furiously, Wu Jie quickly sent a message, "How much is the down payment for a mortgage? Give me a precise number, preparing to mooch off my parents to buy a house @Dai Fei"
Soon, Dai Fei replied with a voice message.
"Jie, you need to pay 30% down payment, plus some fees. Prepare two million and you're set!"
That enthusiastic voice!
Back when Dai Fei addressed Wu Jie, it was all about integrity, but now that he's consulting about buying a house, he immediately switched to calling him 'Jie'!
How vulgar!!
But Wu Jie was amused, as there was a ding in his head.
[System: Gained +2 jealousy from Dai Fei]
My God!
It wasn't envy but jealousy?
Wu Jie decided to tease Dai Fei a bit more, since he had nothing better to do anyway...