Chapter 16 – Secretaries Fighting for Favor

Bai Lisu knew who An Zao really was, so she didn’t dare assign him any physical labor. She even pulled him aside privately and asked politely in a secluded corner, “Mr. An, what kind of position do you think suits you best?”

An Zao didn’t stand on ceremony at all. He directly said he wanted to stay in the office handling desk work, then added, “Yan Dun can stay and assist me.”

The way he said it naturally carried the commanding tone of someone in power. But he was someone in power—a domineering CEO—so it sounded perfectly normal. And Bai Lisu immediately agreed.

Since the arrangement was made in private, nobody else knew. Later, when tasks were assigned publicly, Mary Sue proactively announced that An Zao and Yan Dun would remain in the office doing clerical work.

The other members felt their jobs were way too easy and couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous. Yan Dun noticed the unfriendly looks immediately and joked, “Ah, looks like the two of us won’t get any screen time this episode either!”

That line worked like a fire extinguisher, instantly putting out the budding jealousy.

Everyone suddenly remembered: yeah, last episode the two of them worked as sales clerks and only got a few minutes of footage. This time they were sitting in an office—there’d probably be even less screen time. The people outside doing active work would obviously get more shots. Since they were filming a reality show, getting screen time was what mattered most. What was there to envy about sitting in an office?

Most office desk work was dull and fragmented, with little entertainment value. But it was Yan Dun’s familiar territory, so he handled it smoothly. As for An Zao, although he rarely did such tedious tasks himself as a CEO, he picked them up effortlessly whenever necessary.

The two of them worked in the office making spreadsheets, checking accounts, receiving and distributing materials, making calls, sending emails…

The work itself was indeed trivial and boring, but because he was beside An Zao, Yan Dun found endless joy in it.

Back in the real world, Yan Dun had spent years working side by side with An Zao as his secretary. Honestly speaking, even loving married couples rarely stuck together as much as they did. Their normal schedule was already a “996” grind spent together, and during business trips they were practically together twenty-four hours a day.

Every minute and second of that companionship had built a tacit understanding unimaginable to outsiders.

Even though An Zao had lost his memories, he still noticed it while working with Yan Dun: it felt as though they had known each other for a very long time. A single glance was enough for them to understand each other—well, mainly Yan Dun understanding An Zao.

Yan Dun automatically adjusted the air conditioning to An Zao’s preferred temperature, handed him coffee at exactly the right flavor and heat, and even formatted documents with An Zao’s favorite font and line spacing.

Yan Dun seemed even more like a longtime personal secretary than Xiao Qi did.

An Zao looked at Yan Dun and finally couldn’t help asking, “Do you think we might have known each other before?”

Yan Dun’s heart skipped a beat. His lips moved slightly, but no sound came out. After a long pause, he smiled and said, “Ah! Maybe I was your secretary in a past life.”

An Zao laughed. “Then that would be quite an extraordinary fate.”

Remembering that he was supposed to be wooing An Zao, Yan Dun put on a flattering smile. “Then I guess this counts as rekindling our old bond?”

An Zao’s lips curved slightly, but he neither confirmed nor denied it.

They quickly finished organizing the work, but someone from the An Corporation arrived looking for An Zao, saying there was an important matter requiring him back at headquarters. The director immediately perked up and tactfully said, “We’ve already filmed enough material here. You two can head back first.”

The reality show was just a side hobby after all—it couldn’t compare to company matters in importance. So An Zao took Yan Dun and left the filming location.

Conveniently, the office they were using was inside the An Corporation tower, so the two of them simply took the elevator directly to the top-floor conference room.

As the elevator rose, Yan Dun muttered inwardly: There shouldn’t really be any crisis for our overpowered CEO conglomerate, right? …Unless the plot requires one?

And sure enough, Yan Dun had finally grasped one rule of this world: only the power of plot could bring trouble to a CEO empire.

As it turned out, the Hua Corporation, aided by the almighty force of plot, had effortlessly stolen the proposal for An Corporation’s new game. They copied the concept outright and released their version first.

An Corporation’s game had been called “An Idiot vs. Dumbass.” Hua Corporation preemptively released “Bullshit vs. Nonsense.”

The visuals, character designs, and combat system were all blatant copies of An Idiot vs. Dumbass. Netizens universally praised Bullshit vs. Nonsense as “totally awesome.”

An Corporation’s own release was imminent. If they launched according to schedule now, uninformed netizens would probably accuse them of plagiarizing Hua Corporation instead.

That was a huge problem.

An Chi flew into a rage. “That Hua Daimao has gone too far! If I’d known he was this shameless, I would’ve punched him a few more times that day! Knocked all his front teeth out!”

President Li beside him said, “It’s not too late to go punch him now!”

“Exactly,” President Chen chimed in. “His front teeth are still there, right? You can still knock them out.”

“Even if his front teeth are already gone,” President Wang added, “we can get him implants first, then knock those out too.”

The executives immediately launched into a serious discussion about strategies for attacking Hua Daimao’s front teeth.

An Zao and Yan Dun—the only two normal people sincerely trying to figure out how to handle the corporate crisis—felt completely out of place among this pack of idiots.

Yan Dun could tell An Zao was anxious. He remembered that whenever An Zao got stressed, his stomach tended to act up, so he handed him a small cake and said with a smile, “Eat a little to cushion your stomach.”

An Zao accepted the cake and took a small bite. Sweet cream melted over his tongue like syrup.

Yan Dun lowered his voice and added, “Don’t worry, Boss Zao. President An Chi will figure something out.”

An Zao frowned. “You think his proposal is reliable?”

Yan Dun thought: Not a single proposal he’s ever made has been reliable! But every single one somehow succeeds spectacularly! Never try to apply logic to a domineering CEO.

So Yan Dun enthusiastically listed all the elementary-school-level ideas An Chi had proposed in the past and how every one of them had become a massive success. Finally he concluded, “Anyway, President An Chi is a child of destiny. Whatever he does succeeds.”

An Zao lowered his head silently, seeming to think deeply about something. At last he formed a faint smile. “Alright.”

Afraid An Zao still wasn’t reassured, Yan Dun added, “Just trust him this once! He’s got incredibly strong protagonist luck.”

An Zao nodded. “Okay, I believe it.”

Yan Dun said, “That’s good. An Chi is your biological younger brother. If you can’t trust him, who can you trust?”

“I’m not trusting him,” An Zao said with a smile. “I’m trusting you.”

Yan Dun’s heart felt as though it had been struck directly. It almost stopped beating.

From behind them, Xiao Qi watched Yan Dun and An Zao whispering closely together, and his sense of crisis skyrocketed.

Holy crap! This guy surnamed Yan really is shameless! He’s clearly An Chi’s secretary, yet he’s flirting with my Chairman An! He must be coveting my position as chief secretary to the chairman! Despicable!

Xiao Qi clenched his fists. I can’t lose!

Yan Dun had no idea he’d inspired Xiao Qi’s jealousy and continued chatting happily with An Zao.

An Zao pointed at the little cake Yan Dun had given him and said, “This is good. Where did you buy it?”

Yan Dun thought: The convenience store downstairs. It expires tomorrow. I got it at a discount…

Naturally he couldn’t say that out loud, so he replied, “Oh… if you like it, I’ll go get you two more.”

Everyone worked overtime late into the night.

Because Xiao Qi’s sense of crisis was so overwhelming, he stayed glued to An Zao’s side the whole time. Meanwhile, An Chi also got busy and summoned Yan Dun back over. Yan Dun couldn’t really refuse, so he worked overtime beside An Chi—but his mind and soul were entirely with An Zao.

Eventually Yan Dun found an opportunity. He grabbed two little cakes and hurried toward the chairman’s office. Just as he was about to knock, Xiao Qi poked his head out with a dark expression and asked, “What is it?”

The look on his face resembled that of a lawful wife catching sight of a mistress.

Xiao Qi saw Yan Dun as the mistress, and Yan Dun saw Xiao Qi the same way.

Yan Dun felt exactly like a wife trying to visit her husband, only to discover the mistress opening the door.

His face darkened too, though he forced himself to maintain his composure with a smile. “Chairman An said earlier today that he liked these little cakes, so I brought some over.”

“Fine. Give them to me,” Xiao Qi said, eyeing Yan Dun like a thief.

Yan Dun had no choice but to hand the cakes over, feeling extremely bitter inside:

The one accompanying Boss Zao working overtime should obviously be me!

So irritating!

Xiao Qi carried the cakes into the office.

An Zao was reading documents and didn’t pay attention at first. Only after finishing the materials in his hands did he look up and notice the cakes on the coffee table.

He paused. “Where did these cakes come from?”

Xiao Qi didn’t hide anything. “Little Yan brought them just now.”

An Zao lifted his chin slightly. “Where’s Little Yan?”

“He left after delivering the cakes.”

An Zao seemed a little disappointed. Then he said, “Bring them here. I’ll have a taste.”

But Xiao Qi said, “These cakes seem to be expired…”

An Zao paused. “Really?”

Xiao Qi nodded and spread both packages in front of him. “Both packs are expired.”

An Zao picked up the one Yan Dun had given him and checked it.

Expired indeed.

Feeling that he’d found a chance to strike at his rival, Xiao Qi said sarcastically, “Even if they only expire tomorrow, this still isn’t okay! How could Little Yan do this?”

“That really isn’t good,” An Zao nodded. “Go deliver the Spanish almond nougat cake President Li gave me to him instead. Tell him not to eat expired cake anymore.”

“……”

Xiao Qi: Ah! Damn it. I’m so pissed off.