Inside a simple little office, a man and a woman stood and sat.
Standing was a young girl, dressed in a complex patterned dark blue-gray suspender dress, wearing a brown wavy wig, black shoes, and reading over the documents with her head down, murmuring:
"… The transmission of ideas has not been reached…"
"… Furthermore, if we utilize the target group…"
"… Have doubts about this proposal, so we suggest…"
The man sitting was named Xu Zhuo, with a strong appearance, sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, broad shoulders, and a seemingly righteous appearance. Due to his young age, he exuded a lively energy, which added a touch of approachability to him. He was the kind of hot-blooded youth who would play a leading righteous main character in the movies and would lend a helping hand in the streets when seeking justice.
At this moment, Xu Zhuo rested his chin on one hand, and the other unconsciously tapped on the desk. The gentle voice of the young girl occasionally entered his ears, buzzing like a fly…
Buzzing…
Xu Zhuo had already gone into a trance, his gaze wandering around the cramped office. It had been seven days since he joined Bingyou Media. He still had to stay in this makeshift office for a while. He would have to find time to renovate it; otherwise, it would look shabby.
Bingyou was his second job; the first was at Yiguan Media, one of the three giants in the advertising industry. Upon graduation, with a top-tier school background, he got an offer from Yiguan and started as a salesperson. Due to the low entry barrier, the salespeople were generally at the bottom of the pecking order. Despite this, the career development potential was the greatest in this profession, and the vast majority of CEOs and bosses in the industry started as salespeople.
For the social prince, Xu Zhuo, being in this line of work was like a fish to water. His righteous appearance could instantly establish trust with clients, and his solid capabilities and strong ambition earned praise from both clients and work partners. Thus, he was promoted to the customer manager within two years and gained some reputation in the industry.
But with Yiguan's internal talent pool full and complex internal factions, Xu Zhuo grew tired of expending his energy on factional struggles and chose to switch jobs. A top-notch customer manager from a leading advertising agency would never lack opportunities. He carefully selected Bingyou, which had the most potential, after a month of consideration.
The surname of Bingyou was Du, a local old-school advertising company. While it lagged slightly behind Yiguan, it still stood at the pyramid's top in the advertisement industry, positioned at the same level as foreign companies.
Having been established for over thirty years, Bingyou gradually became antiquated due to its traditional thinking. Five years ago, the old president, Old Du, fell ill and handed over the reins to his only son, Du Ziyou. This young President Ziyou was capable; he revived Bingyou within a few years, even showing a momentum to compete with several top media companies, including Yiguan.
Buzzing…
Xu Zhuo's gaze lazily swept around again. Bingyou's business had grown over the past two years, and they had decided to recruit a large number of new employees, of which Xu Zhuo was one. He was temporarily working as a middle-level manager and had to make do in this small office.
As a senior customer manager, he had a small team under him, which had a mix of new and old members. One of the members was this girl, who was as skillful as Tang Monk; her name was Ji Wenfei, an intern in their team. She had been here for a month before him, knew more about Bingyou than he did, had a great learning attitude, and a good capability, except…
Buzzing…
Xu Zhuo rubbed his forehead and interrupted her, "Alright, I get it. So, Laimai is deciding to terminate the contract?" On and on, it all boiled down to that, right?
Ji Wenfei blinked her big eyes with smoky makeup and said, "Manager Lin said, 'I won't work with your company ever again. My surname is not Lin.'"
Xu Zhuo nodded; he could imagine Manager Lin's raging face and outburst.
"What was William's response?" he asked.
Ji Wenfei faithfully relayed, "Director William said, 'Look for you, Brother Xu.'"
Xu Zhuo: "…" That's indeed his style. Cleanly passing on the responsibility.
Laimai was a major enterprise in the electrical industry. It was their first collaboration with Bingyou, preparing to launch their new washing machine on the Qixi Festival. This case had been assigned to him from above, indicating their high expectations for him. His ability to establish a stable foothold at Bingyou depended on the success of this collaboration.
But in the face of formidable opponents, one would worry about inefficient teammates most of all.
The case had started a week ago but had been continuously denied. A few days ago, the client (referring to Laimai) demanded a complete overhaul and even issued a new brief. The colleagues in the creative department were naturally grumbling, and they even directly protested against the client, bypassing the client department.
If protesting was put forward gently, it might be acceptable. The issue was that they accidentally sent a less experienced copywriter, known for his explosive temper, who clashed with Manager Lin. They nearly came to blows and alarmed half of the creative department, and now Xu Zhuo had to clean up this mess for them.
He held the title of manager but had the mindset of a nanny.
Before he jumped to Bingyou, Xu Zhuo had made a plan: a promotion and a pay raise within a year, a romantic relationship in three years, and getting married in five years. He absolutely could not allow himself to stumble at the first hurdle after joining.
"Help me book a private room at the opposite light snack," Xu Zhuo instructed with a maturity beyond his age, "Book it for three o'clock tomorrow afternoon."
Ji Wenfei immediately took out her notebook and earnestly wrote it down, asking, "Do you need me to contact Manager Lin?"
Xu Zhuo admiringly took a glance at her. Being able to immediately follow the boss's train of thought and take the initiative to take on troublesome work, she's a very rare and promising talent.
"No need," he stood up to stretch, "I'll personally go and make an appointment with him. Lunch time, together?"
Ji Wenfei nodded, "Okay!" She tucked her notepad into her small waist bag and followed Xu Zhuo with quick steps.
"Where is the handsome guy going?" An arm reached over and rested on Xu Zhuo's shoulder. Xu Zhuo turned around and was almost blinded by the bright red mass of hair beside him.
"William!" He remembered this guy was sporting a head of blue hair just the other day, but the creative department's folks had all sorts of tricks up their sleeves. Xu wisely refrained from commenting. "You've got the nerve to show up like this? Blaming the problems on me at Lai Mei Te?"
"Don't worry, I've given them a good scolding on your behalf. Besides, you're the famous Xu Ge, this sort of thing is small potatoes," William's speech was always a mix of dialects, but he laughed it off, "So, still used to the work?"
Xu Zhuo rolled his eyes. "You're Genera Xu, and you're wise to hold your tongue," William chuckled. "How about it, still used to the work?"
Xu Zhuo sneered, "How can you talk about being used to it or not, just happened to hit the peak season, and got used to it while getting busy."
"Today's Qixi Festival, being busy is a given," William took out a cigarette, "Care for one?"
Xu Zhuo declined, "No, I still need to eat, why don't you go?"
William took a drag on his cigarette to light it, and mumbled with it in his mouth, "A cigarette before a meal is like meeting a living god. I stayed up until dawn yesterday, and my head still feels dizzy now. I can't do without smoking."
Xu Zhuo's mouth twitched, "Bro, I stayed up for three days with your creative department, it's because you're too weak, isn't it?"
William held the cigarette in his mouth and smirked, giving Xu Zhuo a nudge, "You little devil tormented me for three days and nights. How can I not be weak?"
Xu Zhuo had known William since his time at Yiguan, and was already immune to his vulgarities. He didn't show weakness, "It's all because of your allure, I couldn't stop."
William took a puff of his cigarette and was about to continue with his lewd talk, but was interrupted by Ji Wenfei from behind.
"Xu Ge, Xu Ge!" Xu Zhuo turned around, "What's wrong?" Ji Wenfei was staring at her phone with a solemn look, "Quick, check the group, there's an urgent message."
Xu Zhuo felt a sinking feeling. It better not be an issue with a project; he was already swamped, another problem and he might just drop dead.
He quickly took out his phone and opened WeChat, and went into the group work chat for the project [Client Papa Light Abuse]. The chat was already filled with messages.
…
"Level one alert, level one alert."
"The target is approaching the second elevator, I repeat, the target is approaching the second elevator."
"Damn it! Is it the first or the second?"
"It was the first just now, now it's the second... wait... no, hold on..."
"Second! He's already gone down!"
"Yeah right, believe that.jpg"
"Weak and helpless.jpg"
"My legs feel weak, I'm not going to eat. Which big bro can get me a meal? @Xu Zhuo, are you there? Relying on you!"
"@Xu Zhuo, relying on you!"
"@Xu Zhuo, relying on you!"
…
Xu Zhuo stared at the neatly arranged "Relying on you" in the chat box, puzzled, and furrowed his brow. William leaned over to peek at his phone and chuckled.
Xu Zhuo couldn't understand, "What are you laughing at?"
William nodded at his chin, "How about you get me a meal too? My legs are weak too."
"Well, um," Ji Wenfei grinned sheepishly, "Xu Ge, I won't go down, can you get me a meal?"
Xu Zhuo: ???
Xu Zhuo: "Have you all gone mad together?"
William: "That's settled then, I owe you big time, buddy. I'll see myself out first."
Before he even finished speaking, he and Ji Wenfei disappeared in a flash.
Xu Zhuo felt he had been tricked by that guy again and replied in the [Client Papa Light Abuse] chat:
"Those asking for meals please order soon, no delays (BloodthirstyKnives.jpg)."
In the elevator lobby, he instinctively looked up and then timidly moved to wait in front of the first elevator.
Today, there were unusually few people taking the elevator. When the elevator doors opened on the ground floor, Xu Zhuo took a few steps and felt something was off, so he went back to look at the floor number, but he hadn't made a mistake.
The normally bustling restaurant was now silent enough to hear a pin drop, even the creative department employees were walking silently, heads held high and sitting up straight. It was the peak dining period, yet the number of people leaving the restaurant was actually more than those entering.
Xu Zhuo didn't understand, and didn't have time to think about it with his stomach rumbling. He asked the restaurant server in a normal volume, "What seafood do you have today?"
Instantly, condemning gazes shot towards him from all around.
Xu Zhuo: ??? What did I do?
He muttered to himself as he carried his tray to find an empty seat. He took out his phone to check the dish names reported by his subordinates in the group chat. From the corner of his eye, he saw two colleagues at the next table suddenly look up, then quickly lower their heads to pretend to eat seriously, but their eyes were still glancing in a certain direction.
Following their gaze, Xu Zhuo saw a middle-aged man from the Mediterranean area staggering out of the executive dining area, nearly bumping into a colleague. Xu Zhuo vaguely remembered him; he was a senior executive from some department.
The executives dining area is semi-open, with frosted glass blocking the view inside. Xu Zhuo was very curious and couldn't help but ask the colleague next to him, "Excuse me, has something happened here?"
The stylish lady next to him looked startled when she heard his question, and subconsciously glanced at the executive dining area before leaning in and lowering her voice, "The new handsome guy?"
Xu Zhuo nodded.
The lady's face tightened, looking serious like a secret agent. "You have to be careful," she said, then looked around to confirm it was safe before continuing, "Mr. Du is inside."
Xu Zhuo was momentarily stunned. Mr. Du, Du Ziyu?
"He doesn't usually come to the restaurant, does he?" he asked in a lowered voice.
"The immortal occasionally descends to the mortal world," the lady kindly advised him, "Hurry up and eat, then go back immediately. By the way, which floor are you on?"
"11th floor," Xu Zhuo replied.
"Then take the stairs directly, it's safer," the lady said.
"...," Xu Zhuo replied.
"Mr. Du has a dedicated elevator, right? It should be safe to take," he said again.
The lady gave him a disdainful look, "The dedicated elevator is out of order. Otherwise, do you think Mr. Du would take our elevator? He's a germaphobe."
Xu Zhuo forced a dry laugh, "My mistake."
The lady had finished eating and left after saying those words, hurrying away as if being chased by a fierce dog.
Xu Zhuo also lost his appetite. Judging by the appearance of the Mediterranean executive who had just come out, it was highly possible that he had been severely reprimanded by Du Ziyu. It seemed that the rumors of his irritable temper were true, so it was best to avoid provoking him.
Thinking about it, he ate a little faster and ordered lunch for his team members and William. He went to the gym five times a week, so he had the chest, abdominal muscles, and oblique lines. He could easily carry a few lunch boxes, but it was still not that convenient, so after hesitating for a moment, he chose to wait for the elevator.
It wouldn't be so unlucky, would it...
The elevator was a bit slow, and he stared at the slowly decreasing numbers until it reached -2, then gradually rose again. Finally, it stopped at his floor with a "ding." The doors opened, and he stepped inside.
Two men followed him in, and as they turned around, Xu Zhuo couldn't help but be stunned.
The older one was just an ordinary middle-aged man with a beer belly and nothing remarkable, but the younger one was stunning.
He looked about the same age as Xu Zhuo, with a handsome face, deep-set eyes, a straight nose - Xu Zhuo had met his fair share of celebrities in his line of work, and this man was just as impressive. But at this moment, the young man had pursed his thin lips and a slight frown, seeming to be in a bad mood.
He noticed Xu Zhuo's gaze, looked at him coldly, then turned to face the elevator doors.
Xu Zhuo shivered. It was cold.
As a comprehensive service advertising company, Bingyou had a dedicated filming department, and Xu Zhuo guessed this man must be an actor here for filming.
But he exuded an icy atmosphere and displayed the demeanor of an upper-class individual, definitely not something an ordinary actor could possess.
The confined space of the elevator was a nightmare for those with social anxiety, and Xu Zhuo, despite being a social person, couldn't escape it. His wandering attention eventually landed on the young man.
He was only a few centimeters shorter than Xu Zhuo, wearing a well-tailored pinstripe suit of high-quality fabric, clearly expensive. He stood straight with his shoulders level, his long slender legs making him look dignified and upright - he must have received rigorous etiquette training.
Suddenly, soft music started in the elevator, and Xu Zhuo's train of thought was interrupted by his ringing phone. The ringtone came from the beer-bellied man's pocket, but he hesitated and looked at the person next to him.
The young man glanced at him, sneered, and said, "Are you pleading with someone?"
The beer-bellied man looked embarrassed.
Xu Zhuo was astonished. Judging by the dress and demeanor of the beer-bellied man, he should be a high-ranking figure, but why was he groveling before the young man? Who was this young man?
"Can't you handle it without my instructions?" the young man continued, his tone devoid of warmth.
"Yes, I understand," the beer-bellied man fumbled with his phone, pressed the reject button, and then operated it further. Xu Zhuo caught a glimpse of the blacklist.
"Ding--"
The 11th floor had arrived, and the elevator doors opened slowly. Xu Zhuo awkwardly withdrew his gaze, and said softly, "Excuse me, can I get through? Thank you."
The young man didn't move, but the beer-bellied man pressed against the wall to make way for Xu Zhuo.
Tall as he was, and with one heavy bag in each hand, he had to pass sideways to avoid bumping into them. But at that moment, he got very close to the young man, and caught a whiff of a pleasant, faint perfume before it disappeared.
Xu Zhuo swiftly strode out of the elevator, and just a few steps away, he saw one of his team members standing at the entrance of the work area, looking strange.
"Yuanshan?" Xu Zhuo called out to her, "Why are you standing there? Come and help."
He handed the lighter bag to Luo Yuanshan, and then took out a lunch box from it to lighten the load. They walked into the work area together, and on the way, Yuanshan kept glancing at him.
Xu Zhuo found this puzzling and turned to look at her, "What's wrong with you? Are you possessed?"
Luo Yuanshan gave him a meaningful look, "Boss, you'll make it to the top at Bingyou sooner or later."