[The secretary's office of our new boss is officially moving in this morning. Has anyone arrived at the campus yet? Requesting frontline photos!]
[I heard the admin staff talking about this yesterday. The entire top floor has been cleared out. It's a big production.]
[I looked up the new boss in the company directory before. His ID is Delay, right? Seems like he's hidden his permissions. Can't find any photos.]
This was the chat group for this year's campus recruits, which had been active for three or four months.
Everyone was usually lifeless in the mornings, but today was especially lively, with many messages discussing the personnel changes.
The phone kept buzzing with notifications, startling Ji Mi awake from his slumber.
He had been working overtime until the early hours of the morning yesterday. Now he was limply sunken into his small bed, feeling drained of energy.
The autumn sunlight leaked through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating the narrow, old, but tidy rental room, annoyingly bright.
But Ji Mi was too lazy to get up and close the curtains.
He squinted his beautiful eyes and simply buried his head under the covers. After a while, a hand slowly stretched out.
His fingertips hooked the phone from beside the pillow and pulled it under the quilt.
The Delay mentioned in the group chat was an executive who previously worked at the group headquarters in Guangzhou. He was said to be transferring to Shanghai soon to become the CEO of the entire Interactive Entertainment business group.
As the core division of the group, Interactive Entertainment handled the gaming business, with multiple studios spread across the globe. Its money-making ability and R&D standards were at the top of the industry.
Replacing the president was no small matter, especially bringing in an unfamiliar big shot from out of town. It had certainly piqued everyone's curiosity.
Unfortunately, despite the new employees' inquiries, there was pitifully little information available. They couldn't even find a single front-facing photo of him.
[... What's there to discuss? If he were handsome, he'd be in the entertainment industry. Hongni is in the internet business. Don't all the managers have faces that look like they've been up for 30 years straight?]
Someone skeptically commented. Others seemed to find this reasonable and promptly moved on from the topic.
They began to speculate about Delay's management style, his background and experience, and how soon he would officially take office.
Ji Mi reluctantly lingered in bed, groggily scrolling through the group chat until he could no longer delay. He hurriedly went to wash up at the sink.
The air was filled with the scent of mint toothpaste and facial cleanser. He squeezed a towel and rubbed it all over his face.
The cold water made him shiver slightly, finally chasing away the last remnants of sleep.
Then he tapped on the voice message from his friend.
"Little Mi, don't wear that plaid shirt today. Put on a trench coat and look dapper!" Fu Qianyao excitedly instructed, telling him to act cool.
The two had been classmates in middle and high school. After graduating from university, they coincidentally became colleagues, albeit in different departments, but maintained a good relationship.
"You're about to meet up with the people from the President's Office, right? That's great, let them see the flower of our business group here. Make a strong first impression with your looks."
Ji Mi listened to his chatter and couldn't help but glance at the mirror.
He had habitually put on a comfortable shirt. The light-colored garment looked fresh and neat, and he didn't want to deliberately change it.
"The word 'meet up' sounds strange, doesn't it? Like we're doing some sort of illegal transaction," Ji Mi replied, his voice soft and pleasant, with the clarity of youth.
He continued, "This morning I'm just setting up my workstation and getting to know my new colleagues. Delay hasn't arrived yet. I probably won't see him this week."
Logically, Ji Mi shouldn't have any interest in Delay.
As a fresh graduate who had been with the company for less than six months, being an ordinary employee meant he could hardly meet even a director, let alone the high-profile president.
Even if they were to work in the same building, they would be in two completely unconnected worlds.
However, not long ago, the President's Office had posted a job opening for a technical assistant. Ji Mi applied with a "why not try" attitude and was selected.
So now, the mysterious Delay would not only become his top boss...
But also his direct superior, whom he would see on a daily basis.
"So have you met Delay? Did he participate in your video interview?" Fu Qianyao asked curiously.
Ji Mi was putting on his Bluetooth earphones and pushing open the heavy, rusty security door. The door creaked loudly.
There was a company shuttle stop not far from the apartment complex. He took the shuttle to commute every day, a 20-minute one-way trip, which was considered convenient in the big city.
Ji Mi walked and answered, "No, my final interviewers were his secretary and the HR director. Have you heard anything?"
Fu Qianyao was always well-informed, but this time he sighed dejectedly.
"If it were directors or managers, we'd have a chance to interact. It's already difficult for us to meet a vice president. We usually just report to their secretaries."
He said somewhat mysteriously, "One of my seniors happened to see Delay once during a business trip. He described him in just four words..."
Ji Mi made a conservative guess: "Impeccably dressed?"
Fu Qianyao painfully revealed the correct answer: "Too intimidating to look at directly."
Ji Mi: "..."
So apparently a Godzilla had been transferred from the coastal city?
He tugged at the corner of his mouth, feeling quite disappointed as he thought that the group members hoping to admire a handsome guy would be let down.
The rush hour for internet companies was from 9:30 to 10:00. The roads were congested to a standstill, and the shuttle bus swayed to a stop at the company entrance.
Amidst the hurried crowd, Ji Mi punched in on time and entered the campus.
This time, riding the elevator was different from usual. After swiping his work card at the sensor area, he pressed the button for the top floor.
Almost the moment he pressed it, people around him began to openly and discreetly size him up.
Normally, Ji Mi would attract attention because of his striking appearance – bright and lively, with delicate features that seemed almost unreal.
But this time there was another reason.
The campus accommodated nearly ten thousand employees, with numerous departments and diverse functions. Anyone with a work card could roam freely on each floor.
The only area that required special access was the top floor.
That area belonged solely to the President's Office, commonly referred to as the "Executive Office" – the place with the highest authority in the entire building.
Everyone harbored aspirations for it.
At the same time, a message popped up on Ji Mi's screen.
This time it wasn't from WeChat, but from OC, the instant messaging software developed by Hongni for internal corporate use.
[Hi Ji Mi, I'm Noah, the first secretary. I've arrived at the office. If you need help moving your workstation, just give me a shout.]
[I just saw a small cart, probably with your things?]
[Come on up directly. I happen to be free and can help you set up your space.]
Ji Mi politely replied with a "Thank you" and said he'd be there in a couple of minutes.
He had been handling the transfer from his original department these past few days, finally finishing up last night. His office supplies were indeed all packed in the cart.
Not knowing where he'd be seated, he had left the cart in a corner on the top floor.
Noah had now brought these things out to the corridor and, instead of rushing into business talk, warmly greeted him first.
"Have you had breakfast?" Noah was a mixed-race individual with green eyes, speaking exceptionally fluent Chinese.
Ji Mi smiled, "Yes, I had a coconut bun."
Noah said, "I have to go to a meeting with the project team in a bit, so let me brief you quickly. Your workstation is right next to Delay's office."
"The structure here is very simple. Apart from the president, there are secretaries and a technical assistant. You're the only assistant, so you'll need to work closely with Delay quite often."
"You won't have any new work for now. Just focus on getting familiar with us first. We haven't had a new face here in a long time, so if there's anything I've overlooked, feel free to speak up anytime."
Apart from Ji Mi, everyone else had relocated with Delay.
When they changed office locations, the previous assistant left due to personal reasons, so they recruited someone temporarily to replace them.
Ji Mi listened attentively and cautiously asked, "Is there anything I should prepare?"
Ji Mi had a lot to learn in the coming days, but since Delay was still out of town, there were no concrete tasks to assign yet.
How to prepare in advance in this situation was also a test of ability, and Noah couldn't give detailed suggestions.
"Maybe do some mental preparation for yourself? Delay is a very difficult boss to describe. Sometimes he makes people feel..."
Noah paused, at a loss for words, then laughed, "Money is really hard to earn, you know?"
Ji Mi was perceptive and noticed Noah's friendly tone, so he perked up his ears.
"For example?" he asked.
The atmosphere here is flat, especially in the rapidly rising high-tech industry.
The quality of the environment often indirectly proves the team's operational level; the more harmonious the interpersonal relationships, the more vibrant and energetic.
The head office was unbelievably relaxed in this regard. Noah cleared his throat and immediately gave a spicy evaluation of the boss.
"Opinions about him are quite extreme. Some people like a leader who's eager to forge ahead, while others think he's arrogant, caustic, and picky..."
"If I had to sum it up, Delay is a career-obsessed elitist. Sometimes he's not deliberately difficult; he's strict with others but even more demanding of himself."
Ji Mi felt the same way.
After hearing both the pros and cons, it seemed that those who disliked Delay only found fault with his personality. Apparently, the big boss's work ability was widely recognized.
Thinking about this, Ji Mi felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Noah patting him.
Noah was both sharing information and giving Ji Mi a heads-up.
He revealed that he had always suspected the previous technical assistant left because they'd had enough of Delay's temper.
"Really?" Ji Mi blinked.
The salary offered here was extremely generous, an amount that most people would be willing to work hard for.
However, he wasn't a delicate flower just out of the ivory tower; he had experienced how unbearable top-down pressure in the workplace could be.
Delay sounded like a workaholic. Perhaps under his leadership, you could only keep either your life or your salary?
Moreover, Noah said Delay was caustic. Could it be that he was skilled in verbal abuse, to the point where subordinates would suffer psychological breakdowns?
Just as Ji Mi's thoughts were turning increasingly dark, Noah provided some evidence.
"The day before the person said they wanted to leave, they made Delay a cup of coffee and left it on his desk. After drinking it, Delay asked who had given him Chinese medicine."
Ji Mi: "."
Noah shrugged: "Then the person made a new cup. This time Delay didn't comment on the taste but asked who had failed in their assassination attempt and was trying to attack a second time."
Ji Mi: "..."
He never imagined this would be the trigger.
Beside him, Noah continued.
"At noon, that person messed something up and was afraid of being scolded. So they advocated for an encouraging office environment. Then Delay, looking at the incorrectly transmitted data package, praised them for having the skills to bankrupt Hongni."
"That person had a small habit of being unwilling to admit mistakes. We spent a lot of effort reviewing with them, but they weren't very willing to listen. They insisted it was just carelessness and that their ability was still very good, always coming first in exams before. Delay then asked if the subject was physical education."
Recalling this, Noah sighed: "Damn, he might as well have fired them on the spot!"
Ji Mi: "......"
What kind of workplace demon king was this?
Before Delay arrived, was there still time for him to leave on his own?
"Um, I'm not very good at making coffee either..." he looked to Noah for help.
Noah patted his shoulder, signaling him to relax.
"We didn't hire you to be a housekeeper. Although you're an assistant, the focus is on technology, not administration."
Ji Mi asked for advice: "Does Delay have any clear likes or dislikes?"
Noah shook his head and then shared some profound career wisdom.
"Struggle less, adapt more. Trying to avoid landmines by doing homework isn't very useful. No one can figure him out."
In other words...
Just wait to be messed with by the boss.
When this conversation ended, Ji Mi sat down in his chair, feeling almost dazed.
He looked at the busy crowd around him. Unable to help with much else, he assisted the IT center guy in setting up computers.
Turning his head again, he saw that several secretaries had disappeared, probably gone to a meeting.
As soon as they arrived, the pressure and intensity were at maximum. There was no time to organize welcoming activities. Ji Mi, not good at handling lively scenes, was secretly relieved.
The working hours here were from ten to six. In the evening, Ji Mi and Fu Qianyao were queuing in the cafeteria.
"Aren't you eating with your new colleagues?" Fu Qianyao asked.
Ji Mi muttered: "Everyone's been in and out of talks and meetings all day. I haven't seen a soul. I've been the only one on the top floor, acting like a security guard."
Having said this, he automatically tuned out his friend's laughter and studied the cafeteria menu.
The most popular seafood noodles had already sold out in the first batch. Ji Mi peered at the steaming soup noodle counter and ordered a bowl of beef noodles.
Fu Qianyao, in line behind him, chose the same thing. He then contained his laughter and muttered to Ji Mi.
"My supervisor was looking you up during lunch break today. After seeing your photo, he guessed the CEO might have been dazzled when hiring his assistant."
The company's recruitment system was strict and wouldn't bend the rules, but when interviewers saw an eye-catching resume photo, they might occasionally be attracted enough to pause for two seconds.
Ji Mi was quite bemused: "That guy probably can't even be bothered to remember my name."
"Really? Don't be so modest," Fu Qianyao pointed at the tray, "Even the serving lady softened at the sight of you. We ordered the same noodles, but you got two extra scoops of toppings!"
Ji Mi lowered his head. Based on Noah's description, he reasonably assumed Delay's chances of being gay were 0%.
Just a cold-blooded, unfeeling straight guy. How could he possibly pay attention to a subordinate's looks?
The two found empty seats in the crowded cafeteria. Fu Qianyao, biting his chopsticks, quickly changed the subject.
"So, what are your plans for the weekend?" he asked.
Ji Mi replied: "Housework and reading papers."
Fu Qianyao advertised: "The project I'm involved in launches tomorrow. I'm giving you a prestigious annual membership card, please support us!"
Ji Mi hesitated, then asked: "Is this the social networking app you mentioned?"
Fu Qianyao grinned: "That's how it's positioned, but in reality, the big data model predicts quite a few users will use it for dating."
Ji Mi had an "aha" moment, grasping the essence of the product.
"A hookup app," he said.
This wasn't entirely wrong. There would certainly be a considerable portion of users with amorous intentions.
That's how the general public would describe it.
Fu Qianyao explained: "Some people have their minds in the gutter, some seek spiritual connections, some meet up and get married. There'll be all types. Don't crudely generalize the platform based on a few users!"
Seeing Ji Mi's uncomprehending face, he inquired: "Ji Mi, have you never used this kind of product before?"
Ji Mi nodded, having been seen through.
He had always been well-behaved, living by the book for over twenty years, never straying from the path of an exemplary student.
As a result, although he studied cutting-edge science and engaged in the most advanced academic work, his mindset remained particularly conservative in this monotonous environment.
In his stereotypical view, relationships developed online weren't very reliable, and even seemed somewhat frivolous...
"Goodness, you're so pure," Fu Qianyao remarked, eating his noodles with some amazement.
"Many people just use these to pass the time when they're bored. It's not unusual to make online friends these days."
"Even for online dating, people's intentions aren't that strong. If there's a connection, you chat for a bit; if not, you just move on."
Ji Mi tilted his head slightly, feeling confused.
"Why would someone like an online friend they've never met in real life?"
Fu Qianyao asked incredulously: "Have you ever had feelings for anyone? How are you trying to understand such an advanced question?"
Ji Mi, popular but never having dated: "..."
Alright, he conceded defeat.
The next day, Hongni officially launched the social networking app "Cute Heart".
It was produced by a studio in Guangzhou, with the NLP lab from the interactive entertainment division participating and providing algorithmic assistance.
Ji Mi was cooking a late-night snack in the shared kitchen when he received a string of membership activation codes from Fu Qianyao as promised.
To support his friend, he leaned against the wall and quickly downloaded the app and registered an account.
Upon entering the page, many pink bubbles popped up on the screen, accompanied by light background music, guiding Ji Mi to make choices:
Are you [Male] or [Female]?
Ji Mi had no interest in crossdressing and decisively chose the former.
Is your orientation [Male] or [Female] or [Let me think]?
Ji Mi: ???
Isn't this asking a bit too much?!
He instinctively wanted to avoid the question, but then thought, it's not like he'd run into real-life friends online, right?
So.
Ji Mi gently tapped [Male].