Chapter 16#

Ji Yang went to report at the group headquarters on time for two consecutive days.

That was practically unheard of.

The main reason was that the Ji family was busy preparing for the upcoming banquet, and Ji Yang couldn’t stand the chaos at home.

That trivial department business in the New Media Department was like nothing in Nie Xu’s hands. Ji Yang would nap for two hours at the office during lunch, then spend the rest of the time holed up there playing games. Nie Xu was sometimes there, sometimes not, completely unaffected by him. Ji Yang wouldn’t bother asking about his schedule either.

That day, right around the time they were supposed to get off work, Nie Xu happened to be absent. The New Media Department suddenly received a last-minute notice — they were to participate in a project meeting about the Lan Hai Bay development.

Ji Yang considered himself unlucky.

It was the large conference room on the 38th floor of the headquarters, where important leaders from every department had gathered.

Ji Zhonglin was presiding in person.

The project lead, Ji Chengyi, sat in the first seat to Ji Zhonglin’s left.

Ji Yang was relatively late to arrive. Their department was practically invisible at the headquarters, so his seat had been arranged at the very last spot near the door.

Peng Jiaying pushed him forward, sitting down beside him while whispering quietly into his ear: “I don’t know what’s going on. I heard a lot of people want in on this project. The publicity and marketing departments were practically coming to blows over it. How did they suddenly call on us?”

“Well, since we’re here, let’s just listen,” Ji Yang said. He hadn’t slept well after arguing with strangers online anonymously during lunch, so he yawned, his attitude casual.

Sitting next to them was a leader from the Publicity Department — one of those who had previously trailed behind Ji Chengyi at the group’s entrance and had his year-end bonus docked by Ji Zhonglin. His surname was Xiang.

He looked to be about the same age as Peng Jiaying, with noticeable thinning at the front of his head. He spoke right over Ji Yang, addressing Peng Jiaying: “Director Peng, you’re here too? When we worked together before, I always thought — if you were a bit more tactful, you wouldn’t be stuck in a place like the New Media Department.” He glanced at Ji Yang as he spoke. “Seeing you following the Fourth Young Master today, you seem to have made quite some progress.”

On the surface, it was mocking Peng Jiaying, but in truth, it was aimed squarely at Ji Yang too.

It seemed he still hadn’t gotten over that humiliation from last time.

Ji Yang rolled his eyes at him.

Peng Jiaying spoke up before he could: “Minister Xiang flatters me. This director’s position of mine — from the very start, it fell to me only because no one else wanted this mess. As for how I conduct myself, Minister Xiang doesn’t need to concern himself.”

Xiang snorted, turned his head, and said nothing more.

Ji Yang looked at Peng Jiaying in surprise: “How come you’re suddenly so tough today?”

“I…” Peng Jiaying met Ji Yang’s drowsy eyes and faltered.

He actually wanted to say: It’s all because of you.

Riding one horse while looking for another was common in the workplace, but he had never imagined that one day he’d actually listen to some playboy young master’s flattery and go scouting company locations outside. He had looked into that company called Jian Yuan — although nothing seemed remarkable on the surface, and it had only been established ten years ago, upon closer thought, its development momentum was actually somewhat terrifying.

Beneath Jian Yuan’s banner — God only knew where this young master had found those connections and resources.

Everyone arrived one after another, filing in and taking their seats.

Peng Jiaying occasionally introduced who was who, and Ji Yang would lean sideways to ask a few questions.

“Ji Yang.” Being suddenly called by name, Ji Yang looked up to meet Ji Zhonglin’s gaze at the head of the table. This eldest brother of his seemed to have some kind of problem — with so many people present, he had to fixate on him. He found Ji Yang disagreeable in every way and frowned: “You love talking so much, why don’t you come up here and talk instead?”

Ji Yang instantly became the center of attention.

“Sure?” he replied with perfect nonchalance, then adopted a puzzled expression: “But Big Brother, I can come up and talk — though if you’re offering me the CEO position, that’s where I’ll have to pass. I don’t have the ability. I really couldn’t handle it.”

He displayed every ounce of a good-for-nothing young master of the conglomerate.

“Pfft!” Someone couldn’t hold it in and laughed out loud.

But more than that, there were pointed looks and disapproval directed at this Fourth Young Master who had returned to the group.

Ji Zhonglin: “Quiet.”

After the murmur subsided, he glared at Ji Yang before getting to the point: “All right. Today’s all-hands meeting is because the Lan Hai Bay development will officially launch next week. This is the group’s key project for the second half of the year, and full cooperation from every department is required.” Ji Zhonglin gestured for Ji Chengyi to stand. “Next, let the project deputy general manager give a brief explanation of the coordination needed from each department and the upcoming work content.”

Ji Chengyi stood, opening the folder before him: “Regarding this time…”

The explanation was clear and organized — incredibly soporific.

Ji Yang let his mind wander the entire time. Sitting at the very back, he nearly fell asleep listening.

He was thinking: setting aside his personal dislike, one couldn’t deny that Ji Chengyi was hardworking.

As Ji Yang’s thoughts drifted, he suddenly noticed Peng Jiaying tugging at his sleeve, while quite a few people in the conference room looked at him in shock, whispering among themselves.

Ji Yang turned to look at Ji Chengyi.

Ji Chengyi was looking back at him. “Ji Yang, I plan to have your department handle the project promotion for Lan Hai Bay — focusing on pollution prevention and ecological protection. Any objections?”

Ji Yang didn’t react. But the Xiang guy next to him stood up first.

He looked extremely angry and outraged: “Director Ji, the project promotion has been our department’s responsibility from the start. The first draft of the promotional plan has already been finalized. Doesn’t this decision warrant some explanation to us?”

Peng Jiaying was also somewhat surprised, leaning close to Ji Yang.

He whispered: “Is this the opportunity you were waiting for? Did you know all along that the group would have our department participate in this project?”

“No,” Ji Yang said, his face blank.

This “no” was genuine. In the book, the Lan Hai Bay project had nothing to do with the New Media Department from beginning to end.

Lan Hai Bay was Ji Chengyi’s much-valued comeback battle.

The only reason that would make Ji Chengyi willing to offend his own followers to make this decision, then, could only be…

“Minister Xiang,” Ji Chengyi said without changing his expression despite the interrogation. “The group also made this decision based on comprehensive considerations. The Publicity Department and the New Media Department already have significant overlap in their business scope. This decision isn’t asking you to withdraw — I hope you can participate together.”

Xiang sneered. “Participate together — sounds nice.” He pointed at Ji Yang. “But who’s really in charge of this? Me, or the Ji family’s Fourth Young Master?”

With rising anger, Xiang even turned toward Ji Zhonglin at the head of the table: “Director Ji, shouldn’t you weigh in on this? You can’t just let someone’s labor be stripped away simply because the New Media Department’s manager happens to share the Ji surname, can you?”

Ji Zhonglin looked at Ji Yang.

As if unable to stand his half-asleep, still-eager-to-watch-the-show demeanor, he rapped the table: “Don’t you want to say something yourself?”

“What would I say?” Ji Yang was speechless.

He turned directly to Ji Chengyi: “Third Brother, after all that talk, are you really planning to hand it over to me to manage?”

“It’s your assistant,” Ji Chengyi replied.

As expected.

Just as he’d predicted.

And the entire conference room fell into a brief silence at this answer.

People from the Marketing Department couldn’t comprehend: “Hand it over to a newly arrived assistant? Isn’t that a bit too frivolous?”

Ji Chengyi pulled out several documents from below and spread them one by one.

He said: “Everyone here today should be aware — Lan Hai Bay is a restart project. This first document contains the materials showing it was selected for the National Ecological and Environmental Protection Financial Support Project Reserve Pool one month after the project commenced. Below that are the complete registration records of the more than ten private enterprises that attracted investment at the time. None of this could have been achieved without Nie Xu. In name, he is an assistant, but if he re-engages with the project, the group will reassess his position according to the corresponding workload.”

The doubts in the conference room gradually faded.

It hadn’t been long ago. Back then, this project wasn’t yet one of Hai Cheng Group’s priority-supported projects, but the impact it generated was something the company’s leadership had all heard about.

Xiang immediately fell silent, his momentum gone.

He still held a grudge against Ji Yang, though, and turned to him: “Letting an assistant climb over your head — the Fourth Young Master is certainly magnanimous.”

“Haven’t you heard?” Ji Yang asked with wide eyes.

Xiang: “Heard what?”

Ji Yang smiled. “He’s someone I’ve got my eye on. Why are you so sure I’d mind?” He then turned to Ji Chengyi: “I just didn’t expect Third Brother would make the first move. Since we’ve been discussing this for so long, shouldn’t we ask the person themselves for their opinion?”

Ji Chengyi gathered the documents on the table. “I’ve already had someone notify him.”

Ji Yang raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Peng Jiaying was at it again, muttering by his ear.

“Does this count as snatching it outright?”

“But the opportunity is a good one. I always felt someone like Assistant Nie shouldn’t stay just an assistant.”

“Do they have a personal connection?”

“I wonder if Assistant Nie will accept.”

Just then, the conference room door was pushed open from outside.

A gust of wind from the hallway swept in.

And the tall figure standing in the doorway brought a silent tension over the room.

Ji Chengyi looked over with a smile: “You’re here.”

He stood directly and walked over, speaking: “I presume my people have already notified you—”

“Director Ji.” Nie Xu swept his gaze over the people present and cut him off. “I just came up to say — I won’t accept.”

Ji Chengyi’s expression paused for a moment before he said: “Big Brother has already agreed. I’ll speak with Grandfather about it. Lan Hai Bay is your life’s work too, isn’t it?”

Nie Xu’s voice was unhurried and steady. “I already did everything that needed to be done two years ago. All materials were archived and sealed. Regarding the project, any questions related to two years ago — you can come ask me anytime. An assistant is just an assistant.”

This scene was no longer a superior assigning work to someone.

Everyone could see an unspoken plea.

And the person being pleaded with was merely an assistant beside the Fourth Young Master — yet he’d actually refused such an opportunity? Thinking about the mysterious romantic rumors that had surrounded Ji Chengyi and Ji Yang ever since the Fourth Young Master returned to the company, quite a few people’s expressions changed.

Among them, some recalled the whispered rumors about the Ji family’s shady, unspeakable business dealings in the early years. Combined with the observation that from the moment he walked in, Nie Xu hadn’t even glanced at Ji Zhonglin seated at the very top…

And Ji Zhonglin, from start to finish, seemed entirely unperturbed.

Could the true mastermind behind those illicit operations really be him?

No wonder his status was special.

These people couldn’t help but grow wary.

Just at this very delicate moment—

“Just agree to it,” Ji Yang said.

All eyes focused on him once more.

Ji Yang half-turned his body, one hand resting on the back of the wheelchair, looking up at him: “I was too narrow-minded before. My Third Brother went against everyone’s objections to recommend you…”

“Ji Yang,” Ji Chengyi cut him off. “No one asked you.”

“Nobody did ask me,” Ji Yang said, examining his own fingers.

He didn’t understand why Ji Chengyi, unlike in the book, was so eager even to be used by Nie Xu. But with the opportunity right in front of him, Ji Yang couldn’t just sit there and watch.

Ji Yang tilted his head: “But has Third Brother forgotten — besides being an assistant, he’s also my personal bodyguard?” He straightened up. “If I don’t agree, he won’t have the time to help you.”

Ji Chengyi: “No identity is an excuse to control someone. Do you really think everyone has to listen to you?”

“Is that so?” Ji Yang looked up at Nie Xu, and the next second, said: “Nie Xu. Come here.”

Nie Xu glanced at him.

Then he took two steps closer and leaned down, bowing his head.

A murmur erupted around the room.

Ji Yang leaned close to Nie Xu’s ear and whispered rapidly: “I don’t care if you’re playing hard to get or genuinely don’t want to accept — either way, just agree to it for now. There’s a surprise waiting for you. And you’ve already put on this big show today — don’t let me crash and burn.”

Nie Xu made a slight movement to turn his head. Ji Yang reflexively reached up and tugged at the other man’s head, immediately softening: “I’m begging you, okay? Bro, you’re literally my own brother.”

Nie Xu paused, then raised his hand to move Ji Yang’s hand away.

With the same low voice, he glanced at him: “I don’t have a troublesome little brother like you.”

He straightened up.

Stepped back two paces.

Turned to face Ji Chengyi: “I can take the work. But forget about the position.”

Ji Chengyi’s gaze toward Nie Xu seemed both pained and unwilling: “You…”

Ji Yang chimed in from the side: “See? He agreed. You’re welcome.”

Peng Jiaying tugged at him.

“Knock it off.”

“What?” Ji Yang asked.

Peng Jiaying signaled for him to look at the head of the table.

Ji Yang looked up and met Ji Zhonglin’s furious, dark face.

His phone chimed.

Ji Zhonglin: “This is a conference room. Who are you flirting with!”

Ji Yang: … Who’s flirting? Psychopath.

Is he throwing a tantrum because he’s watching the person he likes lower himself to plead with someone else?

Ji Yang: I helped you out, you know.

Ji Yang: I advise you not to be ungrateful.

Then came the grating sound of chairs being pushed back.

The entire conference room watched the CEO rise to his feet.

Even the force with which he fastened the button at his waist seemed a touch too heavy.

“All right — meeting adjourned!”