I agreed to be a kept man, but I'm still being punished by the system.

Lin Yang didn't linger in the stairwell, quickly walked out, and returned to the small conference room where his assistants were waiting.

The meeting room was small, with several long tables and matching chairs. There was a tea station in the corner, offering instant coffee and tea bags.

A dozen or so male and female secretaries and assistants gathered in twos and threes, chatting in hushed tones.

Zhou Qi sat alone in the most secluded corner, head down, curled up in the chair like a stray dog ​​abandoned by the world, completely out of place with the lively atmosphere around him.

Lin Yang's gaze lingered on him for only a second before he looked away.

Everyone has their own way of life; he has no interest in exploring others', nor can he.

He walked to the tea station and made himself a cup of instant coffee, the bitter aroma of caffeine filling the air.

Holding the paper cup, he didn't walk towards Zhou Qi, but went straight towards a small group of women.

There were several young female assistants huddled together, sharing gossip on their phones, occasionally letting out suppressed laughter.

"What are you chatting about, you seem to be having so much fun?"

Lin Yang, with a perfectly timed smile on his face, naturally joined them.

Standing there at 1.85 meters tall, his delicate and youthful face instantly attracted everyone's attention.

A girl wearing a light blue shirt, who looked very quiet, said softly with a slight blush on her cheeks, "We're talking about President Lu... the President Lu of the Innovation Business Unit. She went to Paris Fashion Week last month, and the unedited photos taken by the media showed her with such a strong presence."

"Let me see."

Lin Yang leaned closer, and on the screen was the same woman with the gold-rimmed glasses and a cold, aloof demeanor from before.

In the photo, she is wearing a custom-made trench coat, walking down the Champs-Élysées with a haughty look in her eyes, while the passersby around her become blurred background figures.

"Indeed, Mr. Lu has always been a fashion icon in our company."

"It's a pity it's too cold. Every time I go to deliver documents, I can feel the cold air coming from her even from three meters away."

"That's right, unlike General Manager Lan, who is much gentler and often brings us afternoon tea."

Lin Yang held his coffee, listened to their casual conversation, and occasionally chimed in with a word or two, quickly integrating into this small circle.

His approachable demeanor and youthful, delicate features were his greatest asset.

These assistants who work alongside the director are the most well-informed sources of information within the group.

Every casual remark they make could piece together a true picture of high-level power relations.

Lu Qingyi is aloof and unapproachable.

Lan Xinyu is gentle and knows how to win people over.

Guo Kaiqi is glamorous and has some friction with President Su.

[Huang Qiming, an older man, is not within the scope of this discussion.]

Lin Yang had already automatically added more detailed notes to these directors in his mind.

Just as everyone was having a great time chatting, a slight noise came from the heavy double wooden door of the large conference room not far away.

Almost simultaneously, all sound in the small conference room ceased.

Tang Yunyun appeared at the doorway.

She was still wearing that impeccable gray business suit, with a formulaic smile on her face, and her voice, though not loud, carried an undeniable penetrating power.

"The meeting is over, everyone can leave now. The meeting minutes will be compiled and distributed to all departments."

After she finished speaking, she didn't linger for a second. She nodded slightly, then turned and left the conference room with light and quick steps.

The whole process was smooth and efficient, without a single wasted word.

As she left, the stagnant air in the small conference room began to flow again.

The secretaries and assistants immediately stood up, tidied their belongings, and quickly left the conference room to find their "master".

Lin Yang put down his empty paper cup and followed the crowd out.

In the corridor, senior executives were emerging one after another from the large conference room.

Lin Yang spotted Su Man in the crowd at a glance.

She stood outside the conference room, not speaking to anyone, just looking down at her phone. Her aloof demeanor made her stand out in the crowd, yet also made her seem so lonely.

As if sensing his gaze, she raised her head and met his eyes precisely.

Lin Yang quickly walked over and stood beside her.

He lowered his voice and asked with a hint of curiosity, "The president is gone? I've never seen her in person, only in photos in the company's promotional brochures."

Upon hearing this, Su Man finally looked away from her phone screen, turned her head, and gave him a faint eye roll.

"Let's talk in the office."

Her voice was devoid of emotion.

The two walked towards the elevator, one after the other.

The elevator doors closed, leaving only the two of them in the cramped space.

The cool, woody scent emanating from Su Man mingled with the clean scent of shower gel on Lin Yang, creating a subtle chemical reaction.

The elevator descended smoothly.

"bite."

We've reached the sixteenth floor.

Back in the office area of ​​the hair care division, Su Man, wearing high heels, walked straight to her office, which occupied the entire corner.

Lin Yang followed behind her and closed the heavy oak door, shutting out all the sounds from outside.

The office was quiet.

Su Man took off her suit jacket and casually draped it over the back of the sofa, revealing the exquisite silk shirt underneath.

She walked to the bar and poured herself a glass of water.

She held the transparent glass in her slender, fair fingers, parted her red lips slightly, raised her graceful swan neck, and drank the water in the glass in one gulp.

The swallowing motion in the throat is clearly visible.

It was just a simple act of drinking water, but it aroused some desire in Lin Yang's body.

Su Man put down the cup, making a soft "tap" sound.

She didn't look back at Lin Yang, but walked straight to the bookshelf that covered the entire wall behind the executive desk.

Her hand gently pressed a few times on one of the seemingly ordinary book spines.

"Click".

A faint mechanical unlocking sound rang out.

Lin Yang's pupils contracted slightly.

Su Man reached out and pushed, and a set of cabinets in the bookcase slid open silently, revealing a dark doorway.

A hidden door.

Su Man turned around and waved to him.

"come over."

Lin Yang suppressed his surprise and followed Su Man into the hidden door.

The space behind the door is small, and the lights turn on automatically.

This is a small lounge, about ten square meters.

The interior is simply furnished, yet it has all the necessary amenities.

A 1.5-meter single bed with clean bedding, a built-in wardrobe, and a frosted glass door next to it.

Su Man opened the frosted glass door and looked inside.

Inside is a separate bathroom, complete with a toilet, sink, and shower.

This is her truly private nest in this cold skyscraper.

She personally designed the space when the office was being renovated.

Lin Yang looked at the bed, then at Su Man's figure, which was perfectly outlined by the silk shirt, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

He spoke somewhat uncertainly.

"President Su, although... although I did feel a little impulsive watching you drink water just now, it's broad daylight and we're still at the company... isn't this inappropriate? Let's do it when we get back tonight."

Su Man froze as she was about to close the bathroom door.

She turned around, and with her cold phoenix eyes, she gave Lin Yang another disdainful look.

"I need to talk to you about something important. I'm worried there might be a listening device in the office. It's a critical moment in the company's internal power struggle, so we have to be careful."

[Inner monologue]: What kind of filthy things is this little man thinking about all day long?

"oh."

Lin Yang looked at the bubbles on Su Man's head and scratched the back of his head a little embarrassedly.