Chapter 48: Eavesdropping

Chapter 48: Eavesdropping

If there was one position in the company with the most frequent staff turnover, it would be the secretary's role beside Yu Zechuan. The reason was simple – their immediate superior had an unpredictable temper, and a slight misjudgment could lead to an abrupt departure.

Cathy had survived three months as an administrative assistant without any major incidents, seven of those days being when the CEO was absent. Every day, she silently prayed for him to take more rest days, for her nerves were too fragile to handle his unpredictable presence.

However, she couldn't escape indefinitely. In the middle of the afternoon, Cathy received the bad news that Yu Zechuan might come in later that day.

As Lu Yan climbed the stairs, he saw Cathy seated at her desk, frantically printing documents. He leaned against the partition of her workstation, appearing harmless. "Sis Cathy, I didn't see you in the canteen at lunchtime. Why are you still so busy?"

Despite having just started not long ago, Lu Yan had already made acquaintances throughout the company. He was always willing to lend a hand with heavy tasks, and with his good looks, he was quite popular.

Cathy glanced up at him, her energy drained. "Don't remind me. I heard that Mr. Yu will be here this afternoon to introduce a new hire, a connection of sorts. I don't know if he'll inspect our projects, so I'm rushing to print out the necessary documents. No appetite for food at all."

Lu Yan nonchalantly asked, "About what time will Mr. Yu arrive? Should we have enough time?"

Cathy checked her watch. "There's about an hour left. We should make it."

Having obtained the information he needed, Lu Yan didn't linger. He placed the coffee and cake on Cathy's desk with a smile. "The bakery downstairs had a big sale today, so I bought plenty to share with colleagues. This is for you."

Cathy was pleasantly surprised. She had missed lunch earlier and was quite hungry. "Really? For real?"

Lu Yan nodded. "Of course. You helped me out when my meal card ran out in the cafeteria last time, remember?"

With that statement, he subtly distanced himself from any romantic speculation without arousing suspicion. He then cited work commitments as an excuse to leave. The original host hadn't yet fallen into gambling, so while his savings weren't enormous, they weren't insignificant either. Buying a cup of coffee and a cake for each of the twenty-odd people in his department cost him around two thousand yuan, which was just about manageable.

One had to be willing to make sacrifices to achieve their goals. At least he had obtained the information he wanted.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, a sleek black Bentley pulled up outside the company building. Two young men stepped out, with Yu Zechuan leading the way. He guided the college-student-like figure towards the elevator, softly giving instructions with an unprecedented level of patience:

"For now, get familiar with the company. Later, you'll be transferred to the Investment Development Department. If you have any questions, come find me in my office..."

Before he could finish, a familiar figure caught his eye. The person was holding a milk tea, idly waiting for the elevator at the entrance, the straw already deformed from biting. It was none other than Lu Yan.

Yu Zechuan had been in a bad mood recently, compounded by a business trip abroad. As a result, he hadn't visited the headquarters for almost a week and had nearly forgotten about Lu Yan.

He narrowed his eyes and strode forward. With a low, abrupt voice at his ear, one might easily misconstrue it as criticism:

"It's working hours. Why are you outside?"

"..."

Lu Yan's straw-sucking motion paused as he instinctively turned around, only to realize that Yu Zechuan had somehow appeared behind him without notice. After a week of not seeing him, the man seemed to have lost even more weight, making his tailored suit appear slightly loose. His dark eyes were like an unfathomable, frigid pool.

"President Yu?"

Lu Yan displayed a touch of surprise at the right moment, "Why are you suddenly at the company?"

Yu Zechuan didn't feel the need to elaborate. He adjusted his tie, and on his fair pinky finger, a silver ring caught the light with simplicity, yet it oddly conveyed a sense of abstinence, "Meeting."

"You still haven't answered my question. Why are you outside during working hours?"

It was already half past three, too late for lunch.

Lu Yan intentionally let his guard down and spoke hesitantly, "I...，

Yu Zechuan's tone gave no hint of his emotions, "Slacking off?"

On their first encounter, Lu Yan had arrived at the very last minute, so Yu Zechuan had reason to suspect he might be skipping work for personal affairs.

Lu Yan reluctantly lowered his head, seemingly conceding defeat. "President Yu, I was wrong."

As they spoke, the elevator arrived. Yu Zechuan glanced at Lu Yan and nonchalantly said, "Come to my office later."

Seeing the elevator doors close, Lu Yan didn't follow in. He stood there, stunned, then suddenly smiled as a thought popped into his head:

The fish has taken the bait.

As the elevator ascended, the young man who had been following Yu Zechuan finally spoke up, curiosity lacing his voice. "Brother, who was that person just now?"

If Lu Yan were there, he would have been astonished to discover that this unsophisticated college student was actually Xue Jin. He wore chunky black-rimmed glasses, thick bangs almost covering his eyes, a stiff and ill-fitting white shirt, blue jeans, and a black laptop bag slung across his shoulder. His appearance was vastly different from the refined elite he would become years later, which was why Lu Yan hadn't recognized him earlier.

Yu Zechuan gazed at the shiny elevator mirror, catching a glimpse of Xue Jin's unmasked confusion. Slowly twirling his ring, he said indifferently, "I'll introduce you properly later. For now, get familiar with the company's operations."

Xue Jin obediently responded with an "oh," adjusting his heavy glasses. He hesitantly asked, "But I heard that Manager Jiang is usually in charge of the Investment and Development Department. If I were to join without prior experience, what would happen to him?"

He had just returned from studying abroad and had met Jiang Boyun a few times, knowing that the latter was highly favored.

Yu Zechuan's tone remained calm. "He has his own path to follow. You don't need to worry about it."

Yu Zechuan didn't turn around, so Xue Jin couldn't see his expression. There was no resentment or sorrow; only an icy calm and detachment that made him all the more terrifying. A chill crept through the bones with each passing moment.

Assuming Jiang Boyun was about to be promoted, Xue Jin expressed concern, "Brother, you're not considering promoting him to the core of the company, are you? He's only been here a few years, while others have spent decades striving for such a position. I don't think it's a wise move."

Despite having met Jiang Boyun only twice, Xue Jin felt an inexplicable discomfort around him. Perhaps it was because the sincerity in his smile belied the ambition hidden in his eyes, like grains of sand in a bowl of rice, causing unease.

Yu Zechuan turned to look at him, "Don't you like Jiang Boyun?"

Xue Jin, a straightforward man, replied, "No, I don't."

A faint curve lifted the corners of Yu Zechuan's lips. For the first time, he found his simple-minded brother rather perceptive. He reached out to adjust Xue Jin's sliding glasses, his fingertips cold as his voice devoid of warmth, "It doesn't matter, I don't like him either."

"He'll soon vanish from the company."

The last sentence held a profound meaning, sending shivers down one's spine.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Lu Yan knocked precisely on Yu Zechuan's office door. Hearing "come in," he pushed the door open and entered, "President Yu, you called for me?"

Yu Zechuan's office was painted in shades of gray, reminiscent of overcast skies during a rainy day. Seated behind his computer desk, he wore a pure black shirt that accentuated his pallor. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing a smoothly toned forearm with prominent joints. His hand rested on the edge of the desk, with faint blue veins visible beneath the skin.

Yu Zechuan leaned back in his chair and asked straightforwardly, "Have you given any thought to what I asked you last time?"

Lu Yan lowered his gaze, remaining silent for a moment before responding, "Mr. Yu, may I ask why?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Zechuan pulled out his chair and stood up, walking right in front of Lu Yan. The aura of an authority figure pressed down on him. "You can, but it's not necessary."

In truth, even Yu Zechuan couldn't fully explain the reason himself. Gazing at Lu Yan's smooth face, he felt no sexual desire; only a vague sense of familiarity deep within. "There's no need to dig too deep into some matters. You just need to know what you can gain."

Lu Yan looked straight into his eyes. "Then, what can I gain?"

These eyes were far more captivating than Jiang Boyun's, yet they showed no longing for wealth or desire. Instead, they held something deeper that Yu Zechuan couldn't decipher. He couldn't tell if the affectionate threads were due to the other's inherent charm or because of his own presence.

Yu Zechuan was unfamiliar with emotions. His way of showing kindness to someone was through offering money and status. "Whatever Jiang Boyun has, you'll have as well."

The offer sounded oddly powerless, lacking allure.

Lu Yan smiled, unsurprisingly unaffected. "Is that all?"

Yu Zechuan's eyes darkened slightly. His life experiences had made him detest the act of begging. Jiang Boyun's greed had already annoyed him, but he hadn't expected Lu Yan to be even more so. Despite the dangerous vibe emanating from him, his voice grew softer. "Tell me, what else do you want?"

"Um..."

Lu Yan pretended to ponder for a moment, "I haven't decided yet. I'll let President Yu know when I do."

Yu Zechuan's eyebrows lifted slightly, "So, your answer?"

Moving closer to Yu Zechuan, Lu Yan tilted his head towards the man's ear. He seemed quite familiar with this posture, even aware of the other's sensitive spots. His clear voice, deliberately lowered and slightly raspy, brushed against Yu Zechuan's eardrum like a feather, "Then in the future, I'll be relying on President Yu..."

Yu Zechuan's heartbeat skipped a beat, a subtle flutter that even he might not have noticed. Despite Lu Yan's fresh and sunny aura, Yu Zechuan felt bewitched, his mind growing hazy as he found himself longing to draw closer.

But after uttering those words, Lu Yan effortlessly stepped back, creating distance, a mysterious smile playing on his lips, "If there's nothing else, President Yu, shall I get back to work?"

Yu Zechuan was a cautious person, and Lu Yan knew just how to tread the line between flirtation and professionalism.

Suppressing the indescribable regret that stirred within him, Yu Zechuan furrowed his brow slightly, "Wait for me at the intersection after work. We'll have dinner together."

Yu Zechuan wasn't one to adhere strictly to meal times due to his emotional nature – the slightest thing could dampen his appetite. However, since the banquet, he had noticed that Lu Yan had a knack for improving his mood at certain moments.

He couldn't quite pinpoint the reason, maybe it was because the other man was too handsome?

Lu Yan nodded with a smile. "Sure."

Unlike Yu Zechuan, his emotions were steady. When they were together, Yu Zechuan even felt embraced by Lu Yan's presence.

The end of the workday arrived swiftly. Lu Yan tidied up his desk, ready to wait for Yu Zechuan at the intersection. Suddenly, Jiang Kangkang poked his arm. "Hey, someone's looking for you outside."

"Who?"

Lu Yan instinctively glanced toward the door and saw a familiar figure standing there – it was Jiang Boyun. The man seemed to have something to discuss, hesitating as he repeatedly gestured for Lu Yan to come out.

Jiang Kangkang's tone was nuanced. "Manager Jiang, your hometown buddy?"

It wasn't jealousy that fueled this, but rather, Jiang Boyun's reputation within the company wasn't great. Rumor had it that he had a connection with President Yu. If anyone got too close to Jiang Boyun and was seen by President Yu, their career would be doomed.

Lowering his voice, Jiang Kangkang warned, "I've heard he has a complicated relationship with President Yu. You shouldn't go. If others see you and gossip, you might lose your job."

Lu Yan chuckled and patted his shoulder. "It's fine. I'll go check it out. You should head home first after work."

With that, he got up and left the office, meeting Jiang Boyun in a secluded corner of the corridor. He then asked, "President Jiang, what brings you here?"

Jiang Boyun appeared to be in a less than favorable mood, with a persistent crease between his brows. Nevertheless, he forced a smile and asked, "Ayan, I called you here to inquire about something. When we had dinner with President Yu at the restaurant last time, was there anything that happened that I wasn't aware of?"

Recently, Jiang Boyun had heard rumors that his position might be taken over by an incoming insider with connections. Before he could verify the authenticity of the news, he was harshly criticized by the chairman during a morning video conference for inadequate promotional efforts, leaving him publicly embarrassed and his entire department implicated.

In such situations before, Jiang Boyun would immediately seek refuge with Yu Zechuan. However, after a week of failed attempts to reach him on the phone, he began to suspect that the root of the problem might lie in that dinner. Thus, he summoned Lu Yan to inquire about it.

Lu Yan displayed a hint of confusion at the right moment. "That day at the restaurant? Nothing out of the ordinary happened."

Jiang Boyun grew more anxious. "Think harder. When I went to the restroom with Xiaowei and the others, did President Yu exhibit any unusual behavior?"

In his eagerness to uncover the truth, he overlooked the shadowy figure that had seemingly appeared at the corner of the upstairs hallway.

Yu Zechuan stood by the staircase railing, looking down at the two men below with a piercing gaze. His thoughts were unknown. A lit cigarette dangled between his fingers, tendrils of white smoke rising and obscuring his dark eyes as his brows knitted together tightly.