I feel right at home in the world of the courtyard house.

"Bang!"

Li Jing'an slammed his hand on the desk, glaring angrily at Qin Jingru: "Who gave you the right to bring her in without permission?"

"Brother Li, it wasn't my idea to bring her in. Da Mao met Song Yun at the door and said that those two were old acquaintances who used to work for you, so he asked me to bring her in."

"That son of a bitch Xu Damao, how long has it been and he's already got too big for his britches? Daring to make decisions for me? I know a lot of people, does that mean just anyone can be let in? Is there no rule or regulation? Didn't I say that if you need to contact me, just let me know directly? Nobody can make decisions for me on their own!" Li Jing'an's tone was unfriendly. "I'll let it go this time, but I don't want it to happen again."

"Then...then I'll go and send them away," Qin Jingru said softly, shrinking her neck.

"Of course you can deal with it yourself. Do you expect me to step in?" Li Jing'an said irritably. "By the way, remember, next time someone comes to me, find out who it is first, and then ask for my opinion before making a decision."

Qin Jingru could only nod in agreement, her face pale, cursing Xu Damao's ancestors for eighteen generations in her heart.

Li Jing'an watched Qin Jingru turn to leave, then called her back: "Oh, by the way, go and call Huaihua over, I need to talk to her."

After Qin Jingru left, Li Jing'an watched the door close and snorted again, "Damn it, do they all think they can take me for a fool?"

He inwardly scoffed at Song Yun and Su Liting, thinking they were delusional and overestimating their abilities, not even considering their own circumstances. Did they really think Li Jing'an wasn't picky?

"Ding ding."

"Mr. Li, you called me?" Huaihua stood awkwardly at the office door and greeted Li Jing'an inside.

Li Jing'an quickly put on a smile: "Come, come, Huaihua, sit down. Don't be so reserved. I even held you when you were little, so you should call me uncle, hehehe."

Huaihua stood at the door, rubbing her hands, too shy to move. Li Jing'an walked over, put an arm around her shoulder, and gently pulled her to sit down on the sofa.

After Huaihua sat down, Li Jing'an chuckled and took a cup from the table, then picked up the teapot and poured her a cup of tea.

"Mr. Li, no need, I can do it myself, I'm not thirsty." Huaihua reached out to stop Li Jing'an from pouring tea.

Li Jing'an quickly grabbed Huaihua's outstretched hand and restrained it, saying, "Hey, no matter what, this is the first time we've chatted face to face. We've been here for so long, and I haven't had a chance to talk to you. I've been neglecting you. I'll pour you a cup of tea as an apology."

It wasn't so easy for Huaihua to pull the flower out of Li Jing'an's hand. Only after Li Jing'an finished pouring the water and put the teapot on the table did he release his grip and begin to examine the flower in front of him.

Huaihua, while not strikingly beautiful, is quite pleasing to the eye and has a decent appearance. Compared to her sister, she stands out even more. Mainly, she possesses a unique advantage—she's one of the main characters in the drama. Most importantly, her mother is Qin Huairu. Li Jing'an wanted to know what made her different from Qin Huairu.

"Huaihua, how have you been these past few days? Are you settling in well?" Li Jing'an asked kindly.

"It's a habit, Mr. Li, thank you for giving me this job."

"Hey, don't call me President Li, there are no outsiders here. Just call me Uncle Li." Li Jing'an's smile became even more amiable.

"Uncle Li."

"Okay, good boy." Li Jing'an nodded in satisfaction. "You know the current situation of our company, right? We will definitely expand in the future and recruit more people, which will increase the number of management positions. In your finance department, based on our relationship, the finance department will definitely be under your management. You keep an eye on the finance department and don't let them do anything to the accounts."

"Me...can I do it?" Huaihua looked up in astonishment, her face filled with disbelief.

"Why not? As long as you work hard, I guarantee it. Once we expand, your salary will be at the manager level, just like your aunt's. I'll even give you a raise of 500! How about that?"

"Thank you, Mr. Li! No, thank you, Uncle Li!" Huaihua was so excited that she made a slip of the tongue and didn't know what to do. That was five hundred yuan! Before, when she was a temporary worker at the steel rolling mill, she only earned ten or twenty yuan a month. This was like a dream; she would soon be earning much more than the factory manager.

"I have a drinking party tonight, you might as well come with me and broaden your horizons."

"A drinking party? But I..." Huaihua looked hesitant.

"What's wrong? Is there a problem?" Li Jing'an asked calmly, staring at the locust flowers.

"No, no," Huaihua quickly replied, not daring to let the opportunity slip away.

"Okay, I'll have your aunt tell your mom when she goes back that you're working overtime today." Li Jing'an stared at Huaihua's slender white neck, looking at it again and again.

In the corridor of the Great Wall Hotel, Huaihua looked at the rooms and decor on both sides, marveling at how luxurious this place was—it was the first time she'd ever been to one. She was still a little puzzled—wasn't this just a place to eat? Why didn't this place seem like a proper restaurant?

Li Jing'an, who was leading the way, turned around and looked at Huaihua, as if he knew what she was thinking. He said, "We'll have to wait a while for dinner; the time we set is still early. You can stay with me for a bit. The clothes you're wearing aren't appropriate either. The guests I've invited are all important people; they're all heads of various units in our city. It's not right for you to dress like this."

Li Jing'an's words made Huaihua a little embarrassed, and she secretly tugged at the corner of her clothes.

Then Li Jing'an picked up a bag from his hand and handed it to Huaihua. Huaihua quickly and instinctively took it.

Li Jing'an carried this bag the whole way, and Huaihua thought it was a gift he was going to give.

"This is an outfit I bought in Hong Kong before. It's a work uniform I bought specifically for Ivy, and there's an extra one. You two are about the same height and build, so you can change her into it in a bit and see how it looks."

Huaihua looked down at the bag in her hand, and the image of Li Jing'an's secretary, Ivy, immediately popped into her mind—the one who always walked with her head up, always looked at people sideways, and always had a condescending attitude. Her work clothes must be the kind she always wore—silk top, short skirt, sometimes revealing her snow-white, straight legs, and sometimes wearing black stockings.

She unconsciously tightened her grip on the bag. She had long admired Ivy's outfit, thinking she looked even better than the stars on TV—no wonder she came from Hong Kong. She was overjoyed to actually get a matching outfit today.

Li Jing'an looked at Huaihua's face, which was flushed with excitement, and a smirk appeared on his lips. He deliberately slowed down his pace, and when Huaihua was level with him, he casually put his hand on Huaihua's waist.

Huaihua was startled and trembled, but Li Jing'an ignored her and directly supported her waist, leading her forward: "I'll check after you change. If it doesn't fit, we'll go to the Friendship Store and get another set. If all else fails, I'll take you back with me next time we go to Hong Kong."

Li Jing'an felt the reaction from the locust flower in her hand, from trembling to calm, just like her mood. Li Jing'an's smile grew wider, and she tightened her arms, pulling it closer to her chest. Because her clothes were too slippery, her hand kept slipping down her waist.

"Ah!" Huaihua exclaimed, quickly covering her mouth and looking around to see if anyone else was in the corridor.

"Smack!" A loud slapping sound.

"What are you yelling about! Be quiet!"