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

Lin Yang leaned back in his high-end office chair, his hands behind his head, his gaze never leaving the tightly closed oak door.

He was waiting, waiting for the person inside to call him.

Tick-tock—

The sudden ringing of the telephone shattered the office's tranquility, sharp and urgent.

It's an internal phone line.

He Xiaoya picked up the phone almost the instant it rang, her slender fingers pressing the answer button with an elegant and graceful demeanor.

"President Su."

Her voice was low and professionally respectful.

I don't know what was said on the other end of the phone, but the only sound in the office was the faint hiss of electricity.

A few seconds later, He Xiaoya replied, "Okay, President Su."

She hung up the phone, stood up, and her high heels made no sound on the carpet.

She walked to Lin Yang's desk, looked down at him, her eyes still calm and unwavering.

"President Su wants you to come in."

Lin Yang's heart suddenly clenched.

He nodded, stood up from his chair, and straightened his slightly cheap-looking T-shirt.

He Xiaoya watched his movements, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly. She turned to the side and reminded him in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Once you go in, if President Su doesn't ask you to sit, just stand. Don't look around; keep your eyes on the floor about five meters in front of you. Answer questions concisely; don't waste any time."

She paused, then added.

"President Su doesn't like glib-tongued people."

Lin Yang listened expressionlessly.

Smooth-talking?

He sneered inwardly.

We've already seen them naked, why bother with all this formalities?

He didn't speak, just nodded silently, and then walked towards the oak door.

He knocked on the door.

Then I stood at the door and waited.

The woman inside the door knew he had arrived.

Less than three seconds later, a clear, slightly tired voice came from inside the door.

"Come in."

Lin Yang pushed open the door and went inside.

A scent that blended premium fragrance with a hint of coffee wafted over him, revealing an office far more luxurious than he had imagined.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows lies the bustling CBD of Huahai City, with towering buildings and a constant flow of traffic.

Su Man sat behind a large ebony executive desk.

She changed into a smart white suit skirt, her long hair neatly pinned up, revealing her smooth, full forehead and graceful swan neck.

With delicate makeup covering her morning fatigue and flushed face, the aloof and proud female CEO is back.

She didn't look at Lin Yang; she was just looking down at a document.

"Close the door."

Her voice betrayed no emotion.

Lin Yang closed the door as instructed, completely isolating the office from all outside noise.

Following He Xiaoya's instructions, he stood three steps away from the executive desk, head down, his gaze fixed on the back of the screen on the desk.

Su Man didn't speak; there was only the rustling sound of papers turning.

Time passed by, second by second.

This is a form of silent pressure.

If I had been standing here yesterday, I probably would have been sweating profusely and my legs would have gone weak.

But now, he felt unusually calm.

He even had the leisure to calculate in his mind how to maximize the benefits of the 100 credit points in his account, plus the skills he hadn't selected yet.

After an unknown amount of time, Su Man finally spoke.

"Lin Yang".

"Yes," Lin Yang replied.

He looked straight ahead.

Eyes facing each other.

Su Man's gaze was sharp as a knife, as if she wanted to dissect him from the inside out.

Lin Yang's eyes were calm and composed.

He saw the bloodshot veins hidden deep in her eyes, and the weariness that even makeup couldn't completely conceal.

After a few seconds of confrontation, Su Man looked away first.

"Where do you live?" she asked.

"South of the city, Shipai Village," Lin Yang answered truthfully.

It was a typical urban village, a gathering place for countless recent college graduates and low-level workers like him.

Su Man's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Can you drive?"

"Yes. My family paid for my driver's license test right after I graduated high school." Lin Yang paused, then added, "But I haven't driven much, so I have no practical experience."

He wasn't lying. His dad treasured his family's beat-up Volkswagen like the back of his hand and wouldn't let him touch it at all.

Su Man seemed noncommittal about the answer, and she tapped the table lightly with her finger.

What are your salary expectations?

Lin Yang's heart finally started to beat a little faster.

His base salary in the sales department was three thousand yuan. He would only receive commission after becoming a full-time employee, and the amount of commission depended entirely on his personal ability and the attitude of the sales channels.

This is a number that could cause any graduate to starve to death in Huahai City.

He was so short of money that he was on the verge of starvation.

But he couldn't show it.

Lin Yang took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound as steady as possible.

"I will follow the company's arrangements and just do what the assistant director job standards require."

Su Man stared at him for a few seconds, seemingly trying to determine the truthfulness of his words.

After a moment, she spoke softly.

"Assistant to the Director: Probationary salary of 22,000. After three months, the salary will be 25,000, plus performance bonuses and social insurance and housing fund benefits."

Twenty-two thousand?

Twenty-five thousand!

This number exploded in Lin Yang's mind like a bomb.

His heart clenched violently, and blood rushed to his head, causing him to feel dizzy for a moment.

His monthly living expenses are only 1,000 yuan. He worked hard for several months to find a job, and the basic salary was only 3,000 yuan!

Now, this woman casually tells him that he can earn 25,000 a month.

The overwhelming ecstasy nearly overwhelmed his reason.

But he forcefully suppressed it.

He saw a barely perceptible curve appear at the corner of Su Man's mouth.

That wasn't praise, but rather a knowing, all-knowing savoring of the moment.

She's still testing him!

She used money to measure his value and also used money to observe his reaction.

If he shows any ecstasy now, it will confirm that he is a man who can be easily bought with money and has no backbone.

A thought flashed wildly through his mind.

He must prove that he has value beyond his young and strong body!

Lin Yang's gaze fell on Su Man's slightly stiff shoulders and tired brows.

He became bolder.

"President Su."

He spoke, his voice carrying a calmness he himself was unaware of.

"You can decide on the salary. But... you look very tired."

Su Man's eyes instantly turned cold.

"Mind your place."

"I didn't mean anything by it." Lin Yang met her gaze without backing down. "My mother works for the neighborhood committee and used to work at the health center when she was younger. I learned some massage techniques from her. If you don't mind, I can help you relieve your neck and shoulders."

The air in the office froze instantly.

Su Man's eyes were filled with suspicion.

A guy who had just slept with her this morning dared to ask her for a massage in her office?

What does he want to do?

Is this a blatant implication?

Her instinct was to refuse, to tell him to get out.

But just then, that familiar, stiff, aching pain in the back of her neck returned, making her involuntarily furrow her brow slightly.

Her long hours of high-intensity work caused her neck and shoulder problems to become extremely severe.

She had been to many top-notch physiotherapy centers, but the results were all disappointing.

A hint of curiosity quietly grew in her heart.