A perfect life begins with changing the timeline.

"Senior."

Fang Wentao, dressed in a short-sleeved white shirt, trousers, and leather shoes, strode out.

Upon seeing Li Mu, he greeted him with a smile.

He took out a cigarette from his pocket as he walked.

Li Mu naturally accepted the Furongwang cigarette, and after the man lit it for him, he held it in his hand:

"How much is a pack of these cigarettes?"

"Seventeen."

"Good to smoke?"

"I think it's better to smoke than Yuxi cigarettes."

"You usually smoke this? Seventeen? That's not cheap."

"No way."

Fang Wentao quickly shook his head and took out a box of eight-yuan Double Happiness cigarettes from another pocket:

"I usually smoke this brand, and it's basically the same price in our office, but when I go out to run errands, I still have to bring a pack of good cigarettes."

Upon hearing this, Li Mu sized up his junior from junior school...

After being officially hired, it has only been half a year, but he seems to have shed his childishness.

Now working as an office worker in the operations center, he seems more mature.

"Do you usually go out on errands?"

"Yeah, sometimes I have to coordinate with people from the GG department, especially lately. Twenty new interns have joined..."

"So many?"

Li Mu was somewhat surprised, and Fang Wentao nodded:

"Yes, senior, didn't you know? The warehouse on the far right of the third floor has been cleared out and given to the GG department. I heard from the people who stayed there that the performance pressure this year is huge. They basically didn't do anything in the first half of the year, and their income was much lower. Everyone is really pushing hard in the second half."

"Ha, nobody told you to go back?"

"What can I do if I go back?"

Faced with the senior's curiosity, the junior shrugged:

"I'm not a particularly outstanding salesperson, and besides, I've already been transferred to another position, and interns have arrived. Why would I go back and compete with others for resources? There's no need for that."

"Um."

Li Mu nodded.

That's definitely the case.

He exhaled another puff of smoke.

After smacking his lips, he said directly:

"By the way, are you still in touch with that intern who was fired at the same time as you?"

"Uh... it's been a long time since we last contacted each other. The last time we talked was in May when he contacted me to ask when the restrictions would be lifted."

Although he didn't know why his senior was asking this, Fang Wentao didn't hide anything and answered directly.

Li Mu nodded slightly:

"Okay, then give me his phone number."

Fang Wentao was taken aback.

After blinking, he nodded first:

"it is good."

Then he took out his phone:

"Senior, would you like to take notes now?"

"Okay, go ahead."

Soon after saving the number in his phone, Li Mu heard his junior's words:

"Senior, is there something you need from him?"

"There are some other things I need to ask about."

"Well……"

Fang Wentao opened his mouth.

He then took two puffs of his cigarette, as if to bolster his courage, and exhaled the smoke before lowering his voice:

"Is it... about the bank card?"

Li Mu looked at him with considerable surprise and smiled:

Why do you say that?

"Because... senior, I've been working at this company for a year now."

The junior student smiled and scratched his head:

"I've heard some things about you, senior. About you and Brother Kuan... and Director Zhou."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Mu shook his head:

"Don't listen to their rumors, it's not true. Don't say things that show disunity~ I was just asking about GG, isn't he at GG's company now? Okay, that's all, you can go now."

He simply stubbed out the cigarette.

Did Fang Wentao believe it after hearing this?

Naturally, I don't believe it.

But... he could tell that his senior didn't want to talk to him.

Then he definitely can't ask.

I had no choice but to nod.

"OK."

Just as he turned to leave, Li Mu suddenly asked:

"Wentao, did you get your bank card back?"

"I got it back a long time ago. It was returned to me after it was transferred to the operations center."

"Okay, then it's all settled."

"..."

Fang Wentao was taken aback.

After a few seconds of reaction, the smile became even brighter:

"Okay. You go ahead and get back to work, I'm off."

"Um."

After watching his junior leave, Li Mu didn't worry about whether the junior had understood what he meant.

However, since the cause originated with him, I, as his senior, must extricate him from this matter.

So, after sending the phone number from his phone to Dong Huaiming, he dialed the number again:

"Hey, Brother Da Ming, I've sent it to you."

"I saw it."

"By the way, Brother Da Ming."

"Um?"

"I got this from my junior classmate. He was the one who told me about that intern being fired. Then, as soon as he got a full-time position, I sent him straight to the operations center. But this guy still maintains a good personal relationship with the person who was fired, even after that intern was dismissed."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Dong Huaiming on the other end of the phone asked:

"What's your name, junior?"

"Fang Wentao, Fang as in square, Tao as in waves."

"Okay, I understand. You don't need to worry about anything else... Oh right, tell Brother Bie about this."

"...I said it's not quite appropriate, Brother Da Ming. You'll have to do it."

Upon hearing Li Mu's words, Dong Huaiming was taken aback again.

Then a hint of surprise appeared in his tone:

"Ha, okay. I'll contact him now, so you don't have to worry about it."

"Okay, sure."

From beginning to end, neither of them mentioned what the "specific" matter was.

"Let's have hot pot together sometime, bye."

"OK."

After hanging up the phone, Li Mu walked back to his office with a calm expression and wrote a line in his notebook:

"Let's have hot pot together next time, Ming."

Then he drew a few circles on the character "行" and closed the notebook.

He then got up and walked toward Bieyan's office.

After hearing voices inside, I knocked on the door.

"Who?"

It's not "entering," but "who."

"Brother, it's me."

"Enter."

Upon hearing this, Li Mu pushed open the door and went inside.

Bie Yan held up the phone and raised a finger to him.

Li Mu understood perfectly. After nodding to show that he understood, he noticed that there were still some tea leaves left in the teapot on the coffee table, so he went over and poured them out, and then helped to wash the teapot.

Then I heard Brother Bie say:

"Okay, I understand. Does Weiwei know about this?... Well, that makes sense, her happiness is the most important thing..."

After exchanging a few words, Bieyan suddenly asked again:

"By the way, Daming, I was just about to ask you. There are a few positions that will be vacant in the group this year. Are you under a lot of pressure taking care of your children here?"

"...Haha, that's right, it's the age to strive."

"Haha... Okay."

"Okay, sure."

After hanging up the phone, Bie Yan checked the time and asked Li Mu:

"Did you give them the phone number of that fired intern?"

"It's been given."

"Have you finished explaining things to Fang Wentao?"

"Yes. He knows what he's doing, although he's still quite worried, but I reassured him."

Hearing this, Bie Yan nodded slightly, walked to the sofa, looked at the already boiled water, took out the tea box, and lowered her voice:

"I've reserved the position of director of the group's cultural and sports center for the former director."

Li Mu was taken aback and asked curiously:

"What level does this correspond to?"

"At the level of a full-fledged division chief."

"!"

Seeing Li Mu's wide eyes, Bie Yan nodded:

"It's already decided. Didn't you see what I asked Dong Huaiming about his opinion? If he thinks it's suitable, he'll take office as director next year."

"...Wow, that's jumping way too fast."

The group's internal cultural and sports news center may sound similar to the "cultural and sports department," but in reality, they are worlds apart.

The director of the cultural and sports office at Southern Metropolis Daily only manages an office.

The director of the group's cultural and sports news center is the one who officially oversees the culture, sports, and entertainment department of all the magazines and publications under the entire group.

Their functions are different.

Of course, although this position is at the "director level", it doesn't mean that the old director is equivalent to the county's top official.

Rather, it's about benefits, including retirement benefits.

Ultimately, the group is a business, and it is a provincial-level unit.

Even so, once you reach this position, going to meetings in the city and meeting with leaders is commonplace.

There is a difference between "equivalent to" and "is".

The old director really is... elevated in status because of his daughter.

For some inexplicable reason, Li Mu was filled with emotion.

Who could have imagined that?

Back then, he was an unlucky guy with no connections or powerful backers who was ostracized for his actions. Now, in just a few years, he has transformed into a high-ranking official within the group...

Life is truly unpredictable.

As he was pondering this, suddenly, Bieyan asked:

"So... Xiao Li, are you sure you still want to leave? You know, once the old director's position is secure, including any potential changes in the near future... if you stay in the unit, your opportunities are limitless. And this path will be very smooth for you; you'll almost certainly be promoted as soon as you reach the required age. Are you sure you want to leave?"

"..."

Li Mu knew that from the moment Brother Bie said those words, he could be said to have officially become a "rising star" in Brother Bie's faction.

They're one of us now.

but……

Sorry, bro.

Although our group is very strong, in terms of prospects, my future lies in Yanjing.

Then he laughed and said:

"Brother Bie, I'll say it again: wherever you go, I'll go. Even if you have to transfer back after Yiyi graduates... I'll come back with you then."

"...You little rascal."

Bie Yan shook his head silently.

I felt both touched and speechless.

I'm touched that my little brother has decided on me, but I'm speechless because... besides deciding on me, you're probably just trying to avoid a long-distance relationship with Bingbing, right?

Wow, these couples in love!

"Then you'll regret it."

"Haha, I definitely won't regret it."

Li Muxin said, "How could I possibly regret it?"

If Yiyi really gets into Tsinghua or Peking University, won't you still have to stay in Yenching?

Moreover, even if you don't pass the exam... a unit that ultimately belongs to the Propaganda Committee and has the backing of the Guangming Daily, the leading newspaper, has greater potential than the group itself, doesn't it?

Some things cannot be judged solely by their present state; we must also consider their future potential.

Or to put it more directly, even among units at the same level, in the end, it all comes down to who has a higher "Beijing content," right?

Brother, please.

Don't make that too definitive statement.

Whether you'll come back then is really uncertain...