On Monday morning, Ren Zhouyuan had just arrived at the company when Manager He from the HR department came looking for him.
After listening to Manager He’s long-winded explanation, Ren Zhouyuan finally understood the reason for the visit—he was being promoted to the position of Special Assistant to the President?!
“Wait, Manager He,” Ren Zhouyuan leaned forward, feeling flustered. “I’m just a writer, what makes me qualified to be the Special Assistant to the President?”
The position was on par with Ron’s role as the President’s Secretary, only he would hold the title of Assistant. Ren Zhouyuan found it difficult to distinguish between the two roles, and being the Special Assistant to the President meant he would frequently be in close proximity to Leonid. Regardless of whether Leonid remembered him, being around him often would increase the likelihood of him recalling that embarrassing incident.
Manager He smiled kindly and responded, “The role of an assistant typically involves handling a large volume of documentation, and your skills are more than adequate. Plus, you know Russian, which is a significant advantage. Also, the promotional materials you need to write could benefit from being closer to the decision-makers in the company. Moreover…” Manager He added with a smile, “Your salary will double with this promotion. Isn’t that a win-win situation?”
Seeing Manager He’s expression indicating no room for refusal, Ren Zhouyuan realized that the decision had already been made by the higher-ups, and arguing further was futile.
The transfer order was immediate, and before Ren Zhouyuan had the chance to consider resigning, people came to assist him in moving his belongings to the top floor.
After saying goodbye to Kong Fei and the others, Ren Zhouyuan followed Manager He to his new office.
Leonid’s office was on the top floor of the building. This was Ren Zhouyuan’s third visit, and the previous two times he had been too nervous to take in the surroundings properly. Only now did he realize that the entire floor, aside from Leonid’s office, contained only Ron’s desk and his new workspace.
In other words, the entire floor was usually occupied by just him, Leonid, and Ron.
Ron approached him as soon as he arrived, welcoming him warmly and chatting with him like an old acquaintance. “Welcome! It’s good to have someone new up here. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me,” Ron said, winking. “And if I’m not around, just go straight to the boss. He’ll be happy to help you out with anything.”
Ren Zhouyuan smiled awkwardly and agreed.
Ron seemed in no hurry to leave, pulling up a chair to sit beside Ren Zhouyuan’s desk, lounging lazily and engaging in casual conversation.
Ren Zhouyuan had never encountered someone so naturally sociable. Since they would be seeing each other often, he decided not to be cold and responded politely, mostly listening rather than speaking.
Ron was very curious about Ren Zhouyuan. This person had occupied Leonid’s thoughts for years, a fact intriguing enough on its own, so Ron couldn’t help but talk a lot.
Seeing that Ren Zhouyuan’s reaction to his words was indifferent, Ron changed the topic. “Do you know much about Russians? It’s good to understand a bit more about your boss’s background.”
Ren Zhouyuan raised an eyebrow. “Have you been working with the boss for a long time?”
“Call me Ron, not Mr. Secretary,” Ron waved dismissively. He thought for a moment, “I’ve known him for about five or six years, but don’t let his stern face fool you. He’s actually a decent guy to work for, so don’t be too nervous.”
Ren Zhouyuan nodded. He knew secretaries generally had to be very competent, but Ron’s casual demeanor suggested either exceptional capability or a strong backing. Seeing Ron in a new light, Ren Zhouyuan guessed the latter, suspecting a closer relationship with Leonid.
Ron was oblivious to Ren Zhouyuan’s thoughts and continued steering the conversation towards Leonid. “Have you ever heard about how attached Russians are to their families? It’s quite astonishing!”
Ren Zhouyuan continued to organize his things while listening attentively.
“The boss has a brother who’s married to a stunning beauty, and they have a chubby little son. They’re the kind of family that makes you jealous.”
“But what’s really maddening is how his brother spoils his wife and son!” Ron said animatedly, pounding the table in mock indignation. “Before he got married, Alexei was a workaholic, working around the clock. But after marriage, he barely stayed a minute longer than necessary at work because he said all his time outside work belonged to his wife and son.”
As Ron spoke, Ren Zhouyuan mentally substituted Leonid’s face for Alexei’s, feeling an odd mix of disbelief and an unacknowledged twinge of envy.
“Being loved by a Russian is overwhelming, almost suffocating. They consider their family their utmost responsibility. Seriously, who talks about responsibility like that nowadays?”
Ron habitually complained, forgetting his audience for a moment. Realizing his slip, he coughed and hastily added some good points about Russians.
“But there’s a perk to marrying a Russian. They’re utterly devoted to their families after marriage. If you marry a Russian, forget about finding someone else. Firstly, you couldn’t compete, and secondly, you wouldn’t find anyone better.”
Ron watched Ren Zhouyuan’s thoughtful expression, unsure how much he was absorbing. He tended to talk too much and often said the wrong things, worried he might have undone any progress in gaining Ren Zhouyuan’s trust.
Ron was about to continue when the phone on the desk rang. He gestured to Ren Zhouyuan, took the call, and headed into Leonid’s office.
Ren Zhouyuan pondered Ron’s words. His initial impressions of Russians, Russian language, and those who studied it were negative, filled with unpleasant memories. But Ron’s stories challenged these perceptions, and the description of Alexei’s family stirred unexpected feelings of admiration.
Ron emerged from Leonid’s office shortly after, signaling Ren Zhouyuan to go in.
Taking a deep breath, Ren Zhouyuan adjusted his clothes, knocked twice, and entered.
Leonid, seated behind his desk, glanced up at the sound of the door, motioning for Ren Zhouyuan to sit. Initially intending to finish the document in front of him, Leonid found it hard to concentrate with Ren Zhouyuan there. Closing the file, he tried to appear composed and asked, “How’s the work going? Are you settling in?”
Ren Zhouyuan, taken aback by the concern, quickly nodded, “It’s going well, thank you.”
“Good to hear.”
Silence fell again. Leonid loosened his tie, searching for something to say, eventually asking a few more work-related questions, which Ren Zhouyuan answered dutifully.
Finally, unable to resist, Leonid asked cautiously, “I heard from HR that you have a son?”
Ren Zhouyuan’s face turned pale, staring at Leonid in disbelief, unable to speak.
Seeing his reaction, Leonid hurriedly explained, “No need to be nervous. I’m not prying into your private life. I just wanted to mention that the company has policies for employees’ children. If your son is the right age, he can attend free trial classes here.”
To confirm his words, Leonid pulled out some trial vouchers identical to those Kong Fei had given Ren Zhouyuan.
Ren Zhouyuan’s heart raced, his movements stiff as he accepted the vouchers, muttering a small thank you.
Leonid’s phone rang, and seeing it was the course supervisor, he took the call. As the conversation progressed, his expression darkened, glancing frequently at Ren Zhouyuan, who remained oblivious.
Leonid told Ren Zhouyuan to step out and, once the door closed, asked for a detailed explanation.
Ren Zhouyuan returned to his desk, dazed. Had Leonid already discovered he had a son? Had he seen An An and realized he was his son too?
Reflecting on recent events, Ren Zhouyuan considered the possibility. The sudden transfer seemed linked to An An’s injury at Vichy’s the previous day. In his panic, had he exposed their connection?
No wonder he was abruptly promoted without warning. If not for yesterday’s incident, this wouldn’t have happened.
Lost in thought, Ren Zhouyuan paled as realization hit. He hadn’t even noticed Ron’s curious glances from across the desk. Suddenly, Leonid emerged from his office, moving so quickly that even Ren Zhouyuan looked up.
With a tight-lipped expression, Leonid briefly met Ren Zhouyuan’s eyes before rushing back, slamming the door shut. Moments later, he shouted from inside—
“Ron, get in here!”
Rain : Ron has a hard life hhh
Discover more from Shy shy shy
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
