Chapter 2

The innocent man was still swearing in a fit of rage, so how would Xu Chuanchuan dare ask him for compensation?

Let's just consider myself unlucky.

While it was a pity her Coke was no more, she was mostly full after eating the ten chicken wings before. After storing the warm fries in her purse, Xu Chuanchuan avoided the irritated couple nearby and fled the restaurant before she got dragged into any further problems.

The sun was still as poisonous as it was before. Shading her eyes with one hand and holding her phone in the other, Xu Chuanchuan messaged a complaint to Ange: "I just saw a live-action face-slapping."

Ange: "What happened?"

Not having much understanding over the situation, Xu Chuanchuan roughly described the situation she encountered, not forgetting to emphasize her unfortunate Coke.

However, Ange showed no sympathy for Xu Chuanchuan even after hearing the latter's story. She even teased Xu Chuanchuan, saying: "That's why you should just get into a relationship. Otherwise, you can't even go to the toilet when eating outside."

Xu Chuanchuan: "You're annoying. I'm not talking to you anymore. I'm heading back to continue writing."

Xu Chuanchuan had started reading web novels when she was in middle school. After reading for six years, she had an itch and decided to try her hand at writing a book herself. Six years ago, she had accidentally befriended her lesbian friend Ange. Afterward, she had accidentally written a yuri novel. From then onward, everything got out of hand.

Homosexual novels were a niche genre, and yuri novels were a niche among niches. When Xu Chuanchuan had met Ange, Ange had already become something of a God in the world of yuri novels.

Xu Chuanchuan did not possess much talent for writing. Fortunately, sweet CEO novels were in demand for the past two years, and such stories just so happened to be her forte. After writing six sweet books consecutively, she had gradually gathered herself a group of loyal readers and become a well-known yuri author.

Although the monthly income she generated through writing was now three times higher than the salary she earned from her actual job, Xu Chuanchuan dared not resign and become a full-time writer like Ange. After all, yuri novels were too niche, and the future of a yuri author was bleak.

Xu Chuanchuan hoped to get more writing done during the weekend, but her writer's block was too powerful. Even after toiling away until midnight, she only managed to complete two chapters.

Before going to bed, she checked the comments her latest chapter received. When she reached the newest comment, she paused.

A reader asked: "What do you plan on writing for your next novel, Lord? Will you go for another gentle and considerate plot like this one?"

This question put Xu Chuanchuan into a bind.

After pondering for a long time, Xu Chuanchuan replied to the reader: "I don't know yet. We'll see when the time comes. Thank you for supporting my work, little angel~"

When she shut her eyes, the last question she read appeared in her mind once more. Inwardly, she wondered, What kind of main character should I write for the next book? Do I go for a cold character, a sharp-tongued character, or an imposing character?

Failing to solve this question, Xu Chuanchuan entered dreamland.

Two days went by quickly. On Monday morning, Xu Chuanchuan rode her tattered, second-hand bicycle to work, her mind still filled with thoughts on her next book.

Maybe because she failed to get a good rest last night, Xu Chuanchuan faced great difficulty pedaling her bike. She felt as if lead filled the wheels of her bike, and she wheezed and panted as she pedaled. When she arrived in front of her company's entrance, a "clack" sound suddenly appeared. Her bicycle chain had slipped off!

Xu Chuanchuan slipped and nearly fell together with her bike. Fortunately, the security guard at the entrance reacted quickly and caught her in time. Smiling awkwardly, Xu Chuanchuan said, "Thank you."

The security guard took a glance at the bicycle chain and said, "It's rusted. You need to grease it."

Xu Chuanchuan nodded repeatedly.

Beep, beep—

At this time, a honk came from a black Maserati Quattroporte behind Xu Chuanchuan, reminding her that she was blocking the way. Quickly, she pushed her broken bicycle toward the parking shed.

Bad luck at the very start of the day…

There were still ten minutes until her shift began. Pulling out a carton of milk from her purse, Xu Chuanchuan inwardly complained as she walked toward her company building. At this time, a black car slowly drove past her and stopped in front of her.

It was the Quattroporte yet again.

Looking at the car, Xu Chuanchuan stopped and wondered, How is this car slower than me?

The car door opened, and a woman dressed in white office wear descended from it. The woman then closed the door neatly with a "bang." The woman possessed a model-like figure, and her long ponytail swayed in sync with her movements.

For some reason, Xu Chuanchuan found this woman to be familiar. Before she could get a look at the woman's face, though, the latter had already walked into the lobby.

Xu Chuanchuan had seen many women who looked excellent from the back. Unfortunately, more often than not, these women did not have a face that matched their figures. Although she couldn't see the woman's face, her mind supplemented the information she lacked. She then thought to herself, Maybe I should set my next main character as a model?

A cold and indifferent model should make an interesting pairing with a cute and baby-faced girl, right?

After gaining a vague outline for her next book's characters, Xu Chuanchuan couldn't restrain her curiosity and sped up her pace. She wanted to see what that person looked like.

Suddenly, another woman walked up in a hurry from behind Xu Chuanchuan. Fortunately, she had dodged out of the way in time and avoided falling.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm in a hurry."

Before Xu Chuanchuan could even catch a glimpse of what the other person looked like, that person had disappeared into the lobby after speaking a brief apology.

After stumbling back a few more steps, Xu Chuanchuan realized just how wretched her previous thoughts were. During her brief pause, another person came up to her. This person then gave her a firm pat on the shoulder and said, "Hey!"

Turning around, Xu Chuanchuan smiled and greeted, "Morning."

"Morning." The person who patted Xu Chuanchuan's shoulder was Chen Lina, a colleague. In a low voice, Chen Lina said, "Walk slower. Or do you wish to take the same elevator as those two people?"

Those two people from before? Looking at the two figures of uneven heights standing in front of the elevator in the lobby, Xu Chuanchuan asked in confusion, "Is there a problem?"

"Tsk—" Chen Lina gave Xu Chuanchuan another firm pat before elucidating, "That's the new vice president and her assistant!" 

"..." Xu Chuanchuan froze at this revelation, nearly spitting out the milk in her mouth. She never knew that the company would be welcoming in new leadership.

Dragging Xu Chuanchuan to a side, Chen Lina asked, "Did you not look at the group chat?"

"What group chat?"

"Xu Xiaomei's WeChat group! They were talking about a new vice president last night. Did you not see it?"

Xu Chuanchuan shook her head in a daze.

Xu Chuanchuan had the impression that such a chat group existed. Xu Xiaomei was a colleague of hers, and the person created the chat group to hold small discussions among co-workers. Although Xu Xiaomei had dragged her into the group, she never actually participated in the conversations held there. Hence, she wouldn't know what the people in the group talked about under normal circumstances.

After hearing Chen Lina's words, Xu Chuanchuan thought to herself in shock, I actually had lewd thoughts about the new vice president just now?!

Inside the pantry...

Xu Chuanchuan struggled with a taro oatmeal packet, only managing to open it after a long time. Her gaze focused on the package in her hands, she involuntarily overheard the conversation of two women standing nearby.

"Have you met the new leader? How did she manage to become the vice president at such a young age?'

"What's there to be surprised about? That's Murong Shi! The boss's daughter!"

"How do you know that?"

"I met her before. She came to the company in the past. However, I don't understand. Our company isn't making any money. Why would she come here instead of staying in the main company? Did the boss abandon his wife and his daughter?"

"Do you want to lose your job?! You dare speak such words?!"

"I'm not talking nonsense. I heard that the relationship between the boss and his wife isn't very good. They seem to be..."

The voice entering Xu Chuanchuan's ears stopped abruptly. Through the corner of her eyes, she noticed that her two gossiping female colleagues had walked out of the pantry.

Xu Chuanchuan had only heard of and never met with the boss's daughter. Recalling her two colleagues' conversation, she couldn't help but wonder: Their boss's surname was Sun, while the madame's surname was Murong. Why did their daughter have the mother's surname?

Wait a minute. Murong Shi? Why does this name sound familiar?

Recalling the back of Murong Shi she saw in the morning, Xu Chuanchuan had a queer feeling. Suddenly, a memory flashed in her mind, and she couldn't help but be shocked.

Wasn't this new vice president the face-slapper she met on Saturday?!

However, Xu Chuanchuan failed to find a photo of Murong Shi even after scouring her company chat group. Hence, she could only return to the Engineering Department with questions in her mind.

Apart from Xu Chuanchuan, men filled the Engineering Department. The conversations they held over the new vice president were straight and proper.

"Is the new vice president really the boss's daughter?"

"Most likely."

"Why haven't they announced it yet?"

"Who knows? Our department head isn't here, either. He might've been called for a meeting."

Xu Chuanchuan quietly turned on her computer as she listened in on the conversations around her.

However, the office wasn't a place for conversation. After a few more words, the several men shut their mouths and carried on with their respective work. Shortly afterward, sounds of clattering keyboards echoed throughout the entire office.

Two hours later, the engineering department head still hadn't returned. No information regarding the company's new leadership was released yet, either. For a moment, Xu Chuanchuan began to doubt the validity of those rumors.

Feeling parched from the air-conditioning, Xu Chuanchuan grabbed her cup of finished oatmeal and left her seat. She planned to get the cup washed while also going for a toilet break.

When passing by the conference room, Xu Chuanchuan snuck a glance into the room and found that not a single soul was inside. When she walked by the general manager's office, her feet stopped.

It had been a long time since the boss and the madame had come to the company, so the door to the general manager's office had always remained shut. Now, however, Xu Chuanchuan could faintly hear sounds of conversation coming from inside the room. 

Who could it be?

When Xu Chuanchuan had this thought, the heavy wooden doors to the room suddenly opened. Caught off guard, Xu Chuanchuan ended up exchanging looks with the woman who opened the door. Immediately, her expression stiffened as if lightning struck her.

Xu Chuanchuan saw the rumored new vice president—Murong Shi.

The face of the person before her coincided with the face she saw at the KFC restaurant last Saturday, this encounter verifying her previous conjecture...

In this situation, Xu Chuanchuan pretended to be just passing by and tried to sneak away. However, before she could put her plan into action, Murong Shi asked, "It's you?"

Xu Chuanchuan felt vexed at missing her opportunity to escape. The corners of her lips twitching, she struggled on what she should call the person in front of her.

Looking at Xu Chuanchuan's expression of discomfort, Murong Shi suddenly thought of something. She then smiled humorously and asked, "You're not here to ask me for compensation over your Coke, right?"