ATLAS TRANSLATES

The young master’s first attempt at a kiss failed because his girlfriend’s lipstick wasn’t the one he bought. He found it both amusing and frustrating, and a bit gloomy.

His little Zhi had reached the age of wearing lipstick to work, but somehow, Lu Jiaheng still felt she was just a baby.

He reluctantly lingered with her for a while longer before she half-pushed, half-dragged him home to continue adjusting to the time difference and sleep.

After expending much effort to send Lu Jiaheng back, Chu Zhi wasted some time. Then she had to wait a while for the subway, arriving at the company later than usual.

When she arrived, most people were already in the office. People came in and out of the break room, occasionally greeting her when they saw her.

Chu Zhi wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but everyone seemed particularly energetic and cheerful today, as if something exciting was happening.

Several copywriters and planners from next door were holding small mirrors and carefully checking their makeup. The ladies stood at the break room entrance, whispering with slightly excited expressions.

Chu Zhi was puzzled and curiously looked around while walking to her seat.

To Chu Zhi’s left sat the beauty standard-bearer of the slightly chubby community, also the office gossip expert. Male in gender, ambiguous in preferences, sometimes otaku, sometimes gay.

He often browsed Taobao for various anime girl figures during free time, especially loving Rei Ayanami, and had a passion for pink shirts.

Pink Shirt’s surname was Du. He was passionate and enthusiastic. Though he seemed unreliable, he was actually exceptionally dependable when serious, highly capable and efficient. He often helped Chu Zhi and taught her many things.

Over time, Chu Zhi had become quite familiar with him, jokingly calling him Teacher Du.

She tilted her head curiously, walking to her cubicle and putting her bag on the desk.

While taking off her coat, Pink Shirt turned to stare at her.

Chu Zhi hung her coat on the chair back, in a good mood, looking down with a smile: “Good morning, Teacher Du.”

Pink Shirt didn’t speak, giving her a meaningful look: “My Zhi, are you dating someone?”

Chu Zhi almost choked on her saliva: “What?”

Pink Shirt leaned back, his belly joyfully jiggling under his thin shirt: “You look radiant today.”

Chu Zhi looked at him in horror, blushing: “You’re the one who’s radiant, don’t make things up! I haven’t even graduated yet!”

She unconsciously pressed her lips together, raising her hand to touch her cheek somewhat guiltily.

Although Lu Jiaheng hadn’t managed to kiss her lips earlier due to her stern refusal, he had still kissed her cheek before leaving, somewhat unwillingly.

Thinking about it, she felt there was no reason to be guilty – what’s wrong with having a boyfriend?

She was about to graduate!!!

Chu Zhi became righteous, looked up, and saw Pink Shirt smiling brightly, his small double chin jiggling cheerfully along.

Teacher Du smiled, finding this little intern adorable no matter how he looked at her. He leaned closer, pointing at the planner nearby: “See what she’s doing?”

Chu Zhi craned her neck to look: “Touching up her powder?”

Pink Shirt then pointed at Designer Lin next door: “What’s she doing?”

Chu Zhi twisted to look again: “Fixing her hair?”

Pink Shirt smiled: “Know why?”

“Why?”

Pink Shirt acted mysterious, not answering immediately, seemingly wanting to build suspense: “Curious?”

Chu Zhi’s greatest virtue since childhood was being a good audience. She was naturally supportive, flowing smoothly with genuine sincerity and leaving no trace. The young girl looked at him earnestly, her big eyes bright and shining: “Very curious.”

Finally satisfied, Pink Shirt giggled and leaned in close: “New boss coming in. Supposedly—” he paused, raising one finger toward the ceiling, “the precious grandson of the big boss upstairs. Young, and incredibly handsome, a true diamond-grade bachelor.”

Chu Zhi was shocked: “Is Director Ye getting pushed out by nepotism?!”

Pink Shirt gave her a look: “Can you think more long-term? He’s the future big boss, how could he just come back as a director?”

Chu Zhi honestly replied: “But I think director is already quite high up.”

“That’s for us. He’s going to be the man ruling the Jing Heng kingdom,” Pink Shirt somehow produced a small mirror, fixing his sparse hair before turning to Chu Zhi, “Is brother handsome?”

The ever-supportive Chu Zhi immediately flattered him: “Super handsome, like Andy Lau.”

Pink Shirt flipped his bangs, speaking in a falsetto: “What do you think are the chances this diamond-grade bachelor is available?”

Chu Zhi: “…”

In the afternoon’s regular weekly meeting, according to Pink Shirt, since Director Ye took over, the marketing department had become one of the departments with the most weekly meetings in the company. The director would hold meetings when in a good mood, meetings when in a bad mood, and had to have a big one every week inviting upstream and downstream related departments to participate. He would also send people to other departments’ meetings to get first-hand information.

As a background player, Chu Zhi adhered to the principle of “everything is fine” and focused on quietly taking notes in the corner during meetings, listening to her competitors – masters, doctors, and overseas returnees passionately expressing their ideas.

In comparison, Chu Zhi felt inadequate. The gold-rimmed returnee routinely talked eloquently, criticizing the current Chinese enterprise group management model for the third time, analyzing the limitations of Jing Heng’s current development direction, conducting in-depth research, and believing they should start with the marketing department to change the current rigid status quo and learn from foreign enterprise models.

Chu Zhi felt people were really different – this gold-rimmed returnee must write excellent papers and reports, his passionate enthusiasm for his career perfectly matching his educational background.

Just a bit too dreamy.

After the lecture ended, Chu Zhi was amazed, bit her pen, put down her notebook, and raised her hands to applaud.

The room was silent, making Chu Zhi’s applause particularly clear.

Dozens of gazes turned toward her.

She had clapped just twice, feeling embarrassed under all those stares, scratched her chin, and sheepishly lowered her hands.

Ye Kangning also looked over from the end of the long conference table, like a teacher in a public lecture, calling her name: “What do you think?”

It was Chu Zhi’s first time being called on by the boss in a weekly meeting. She nervously swallowed, her big eyes blinking, carefully saying in a soft voice: “I think it’s good to have dreams…”

At once, the meeting room’s silence was broken as many people couldn’t help but laugh.

Pink Shirt’s voice was the loudest, sitting next to Chu Zhi and laughing hehe-style, looking quite indecent.

The elite returnee had never suffered such humiliation in his life. He felt greatly and unforgivably insulted, his face turning red as he angrily turned to glare at her.

Chu Zhi shrank her neck at his fierce glare, quietly retreating back into her chair.

Ye Kangning lightly coughed, suppressing his smile: “I also think it’s good to have such passion for work. Let’s end here today. Next week the new general manager takes office, everyone be enthusiastic.”

Originally just private gossip, now officially announced – all the women in the meeting room were stirred up, gathering in small groups to chat while walking out.

Chu Zhi slowly organized the documents on the table, feeling the scene was very similar to female classmates discussing campus heartthrobs at school, except at school they were discussing her boyfriend, and now it was a young diamond bachelor under 35.

Female creatures really had commonalities regardless of age, like being interested in handsome men.

Even more interested in rich handsome men.

“But what if he’s ugly? They just said ‘supposedly,’ there aren’t that many rich handsome guys. What if he looks like Quasimodo? Wouldn’t their expectations be wasted?” That evening after work, Chu Zhi sat in Lu Jiaheng’s car gossiping about today’s news.

Lu Jiaheng’s hand on the steering wheel paused, turning his head: “Quasimodo?”

Chu Zhi nodded: “From ‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.’”

He raised an eyebrow, looking at her amusedly: “You think he’s that ugly?”

He had come to pick her up from work and brought her some food. Chu Zhi held a fork eating pizza, her cheeks puffing like a little hamster.

She swallowed her food before calmly saying: “It’s all a scam. This must be a trap, using a handsome boss to deceive us, making women work hard to show their excellence and men feel pressure and work overtime, then an ugly person shows up.”

Lu Jiaheng: “…”

“I’ve figured out these tricks, it’s evil capitalism wracking their brains to exploit us through such underhanded means,” Chu Zhi turned to look at him, her little face full of pride, “Don’t you think what I said makes sense?”

“…”

Lu Jiaheng laughed softly, his tone pleased: “You make so much sense.”

Because of the new boss taking office, the office’s tense anticipation was intense all week, reaching its peak on Monday when he arrived.

Though Chu Zhi was an intern, she hadn’t really run many errands, her daily activity range was narrow. Only when she went to the finance department to deliver documents that day did she realize this atmosphere wasn’t just in the marketing department but throughout the company.

Returning from finance, Chu Zhi looked down at her phone, about to text Lu Jiaheng, not noticing what was ahead.

Heels clicked crisply on the marble floor. Chu Zhi glimpsed someone walking toward her from the corner of her eye and quickly stepped aside, barely avoiding a collision.

Chu Zhi hurriedly apologized and looked up.

The other person was also looking at his phone.

The man looked about forty, well-maintained, wearing a crisp suit and glasses, his expression serious and somewhat rigid.

His secretary followed behind, holding documents while talking to him, now pausing to look at her.

Chu Zhi turned her head, meeting the secretary’s gaze.

They both froze for a moment.

Chu Zhi thought she looked familiar, like she’d seen her somewhere before.

But she couldn’t remember where.

Chu Zhi frowned, wanting to look at her again to try recognizing her, but feeling it wasn’t good to keep staring. She quickly apologized again and left.

The three passed by each other. Chu Zhi walked forward two steps then couldn’t help looking back.

The female secretary wore a professional suit, her figure graceful, long white legs both long and slender, walking steadily in high heels.

Chu Zhi made an “ah” sound, belatedly recognizing her.

The female secretary, slim waist, long legs.

The lady who had brought coffee to Lu Jiaheng when he was interning years ago.

Chu Zhi shook her head as she returned to the marketing department, texting Lu Jiaheng: [I saw my love rival!]

Lu Jiaheng had adjusted to the time difference over a week and was also starting work today, seeming not too busy as he replied immediately: [?]

Chu Zhi: [Long legs! Long legs! Your long-legged female secretary!]

Lu Jiaheng: [??]

Chu Zhi bit her tongue and hummed: [The one who brought you coffee during your internship, your female secretary’s waist seems even slimmer now.]

Lu Jiaheng didn’t reply anymore.

Chu Zhi waited a while but got no response. Just reaching the office door, she looked up at Ye Kangning’s glass-like office, obediently put her phone in her pocket, then walked in.

Ye Kangning was on the phone, happening to look up.

Their eyes met as Ye Kangning stared straight at her.

Chu Zhi felt creeped out by his stare, shrunk her shoulders, lightly nodded to him, and walked toward her desk.

Ye Kangning put down his phone, suddenly stood up, walked to the office door, opened the glass door, and called softly: “Chu Zhi, come in for a moment.”

Director Ye rarely called people proactively. His voice wasn’t loud but deep, with a strong presence. When he spoke, the gold-rimmed returnee sitting nearby turned to look at her.

Chu Zhi turned back.

She walked into the director’s office somewhat confused, closed the door, and stood obediently at the desk: “Director Ye.”

Ye Kangning looked at her with a scrutinizing gaze, not speaking.

Chu Zhi felt awkward under his gaze, not knowing what mistake she had made, carefully recalling everything since arriving at the company this morning, but still had no clue.

Ye Kangning leaned back, his expression unreadable as he looked at her.

After two minutes, Ye Kangning finally spoke slowly: “General Manager Lu wants you to go up.”

Chu Zhi didn’t react at first, looking at him with a blank expression: “Ah?”

If being called to Ye Kangning’s office was like being called on by a teacher, now Chu Zhi felt like being called on by the principal.

The elevator rose floor by floor, all the way to the top. With a “ding,” the elevator doors slowly opened.

Chu Zhi was extremely nervous, standing motionless in the elevator, watching the doors open for a while before closing again.

Chu Zhi tremblingly took out her phone to text Lu Jiaheng: [I’ve been called on by the principal!!]

Lu Jiaheng: [?]

Chu Zhi pressed the elevator door open button, slipped out and leaned against the elevator: [Wuwuwu I’m on the top floor of the company now, I’m about to meet Quasimodo, I’m so nervous.]

[Why does he want to see me? I don’t even know him.]

[What did I do wrong? I didn’t do anything!]

[What does he want, what does he really want, why call for me! I’m just an intern!]

[Lu Jiaheng, I’m scared wuwuwu save me, why is he looking for me…]

She sent a string of messages before Lu Jiaheng slowly replied: [Maybe he wants to seduce you.]

Chu Zhi’s eyes widened, her hand shaking, almost dropping her phone.

After a long while, she tremblingly typed: [Okay, I’ll stay chaste for you.]

After typing, Chu Zhi put her phone in her pocket and walked down the corridor to the last office.

She stood at the door, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, with a face ready to die, and raised her hand to knock.

After a quiet moment, through the thick wooden door came a low, muffled sound that wasn’t very clear: “Come in.”

Chu Zhi hesitated for a moment, put her hand on the metal doorknob, licked her lips, and pressed down to push the door.

The door was a bit heavy, she used both hands somewhat laboriously to push it open, standing at the door not daring to go further.

Chu Zhi crept forward two steps like a thief, carefully looking around.

The door faced huge floor-to-ceiling windows, curtains hanging to block the daylight, minimalist sofas in front of the windows.

No one was behind the huge desk inside. Chu Zhi blinked, walked forward two steps, turning back to close the door.

After a soft click, there was another slight sound, like a cup gently hitting a table.

Chu Zhi turned around.

In a recessed area in the corner behind the door stood a huge wine cabinet with someone standing in front of it.

Chu Zhi’s gaze fell on the man’s well-fitted suit pants, shirt tucked into the pants, and neatly tied tie at the collar.

Above that was a moving Adam’s apple, smooth thin jawline, and—

An extremely familiar face.

The man she had seen just last night now stood in her new boss’s office.

Chu Zhi’s mind went blank for two seconds, looking up at him dumbly, making an “ah” sound like a little fool.

Lu Jiaheng walked toward her while lazily pulling at his tie, his movements casual, a bit sexy.

Chu Zhi swallowed.

Lu Jiaheng noticed her small movement, raised an eyebrow, looking down at her steadily, his fingers pausing on his tie knot, deliberately slowing his movement as he continued loosening it.

With his tie loose, his fingers moved to his shirt collar, unhurriedly undoing the top two buttons.

The shirt fabric drooped slightly as his fingertips pulled it open a bit, revealing his fair neck skin inch by inch with his movements.

“…”

Chu Zhi’s ears turned red.

Lu Jiaheng laughed softly, lowering his hand, speaking gently: “Didn’t you say you’d stay chaste for me?”

He bent down, leaning close, his peach blossom eyes slightly raised: “What’s this? Already can’t control yourself?”