Maneuvering

Just as Shen Tong was beginning to relax, the door of the assistant's office was knocked on. Being the only one in the large office, she hurried to open the door.

"Sister Lan, it's you! Come in!" Shen Tong greeted as she saw Manager Xia's secretary, Sister Lan. Though Shen Tong hadn't been at the company long, she had already become familiar with most of the staff.

Sister Lan shook her head and said, "The general manager is urgently looking for you. I can tell he's not in a good mood, so you better be careful. Don't say I didn't warn you!"

"Thank you, Sister Lan. Let's go then. I'll treat you to a meal sometime," Shen Tong said with a cheerful smile as she pulled Sister Lan along. Inside, she was anxious, wondering why the deep and mysterious General Manager Xia was urgently looking for her.

"Let's go quickly! You really don't seem to know how to be anxious!" Sister Lan looked at Shen Tong with a hint of helplessness, as if looking at a child.

Shen Tong wasn't actually calm, but she knew that being nervous wouldn't help with someone like Xia Zixuan. She was just anxious about why Xia Zixuan urgently needed her in his office.

"Knock, knock, knock..." Shen Tong composed herself and knocked on the general manager's office door.

"Come in," Xia Zixuan's slightly deep voice came from inside.

Shen Tong was slightly taken aback; it was her first time in this office. No wonder it was the general manager's office; it was decorated grandly and opulently. Shen Tong couldn't help but admire Xia Zixuan's lavish taste. According to Fang Xiaoxi, Fengxing Entertainment would eventually belong to Xia Zixuan because its chairman was his father.

"What are you looking at?"

Xia Zixuan's voice interrupted Shen Tong's thoughts. She snapped back to reality and, looking at the painting on the wall, said, "I was admiring this painting. It's very vivid and lifelike."

"Come here," Xia Zixuan said without looking at her, his mind clearly not on work. Seeing Shen Tong's unexpected reaction, he was at a bit of a loss.

Shen Tong walked over to Xia Zixuan as instructed.

"Aren't you afraid of me?" Xia Zixuan asked. Almost everyone who knew him either flattered him, tried to curry favor with him, or feared him, not daring to cross him. Shen Tong, however, showed none of these emotions.

"Why should I be afraid of you? There's nothing about you that's frightening, General Manager Xia." Shen Tong spoke the truth. She was confident and unflappable, having experienced far more daunting situations abroad. Living abroad for two years had taught her that one must have self-respect to gain the respect of others.

"Very good. What's the deal with this newspaper?" Xia Zixuan took out a stack of newspapers from his drawer.

Shen Tong accepted the newspapers he handed her and flipped through them. Almost every page contained news about Liang Xiaoyuan and herself. Her hands trembled slightly, but she maintained her composure, saying, "I'm not sure what you mean, General Manager Xia."

"You really aren't afraid of me," Xia Zixuan stated, his tone calm as ever. "But you should know Liang Xiaoyuan well. You should know who this girl is better than I do."

"Since you already know, why ask me? Yes, this girl is me. But did I do something wrong?"

Xia Zixuan was taken aback. He had anticipated many responses but hadn't expected Shen Tong to admit it so straightforwardly.

"You did nothing wrong. First, take off your glasses." Xia Zixuan still looked at her calmly, showing no emotion.

Shen Tong removed her glasses, revealing her delicate face. Her clear eyes and perfect features were captivating. She asked, "So, what is the purpose of this meeting, General Manager Xia?"

"From now on, avoid meeting with Liang Xiaoyuan alone," Xia Zixuan said with a darkened expression.

"Why? We just had a private meal together. We don't even talk during work, and it doesn't affect our jobs." Shen Tong hadn't expected Xia Zixuan's focus to be on this.

Xia Zixuan was momentarily speechless, then said, "It's not a good look. Fortunately, you weren't photographed. Otherwise, it would have been major news. Don't you think it would be bad if this blew up?"

"Sure, it would be bad for me. But it would be beneficial for the company. Whether it's a star or an entertainment company, we need enough hype. Isn't this ready-made news to expand Fengxing's reputation?" Shen Tong countered.

"I can't argue with your logic. But with your looks, aren't you interested in being a star?" Xia Zixuan asked, looking at her pretty face.

"Everyone has their own ambitions. I don't want to be a star, General Manager Xia," Shen Tong replied. Being a star came with its own set of frustrations and pains, and the industry's hidden rules were enough to make her wary.

"So, what do you want to be?" Xia Zixuan asked impulsively.

"I want to be an agent!" Shen Tong honestly replied, "I don't want to just be an assistant. But for now, given my experience, being an assistant is all I can do. But one day, I want to become an agent."

"You certainly are straightforward," Xia Zixuan admired her frankness.

Shen Tong nodded, "I'm grateful for the opportunity you've given me, including making me Chen Xiaorong's assistant. I know it's to train me, and I thank you for that."

"No need to thank me. If you can't handle being Chen Xiaorong's assistant, it will all be in vain," Xia Zixuan said seriously. "If you don't prove your worth, the company won't give you opportunities."

"I understand, so I'll work twice as hard," Shen Tong assured him.

Xia Zixuan was once again captivated by Shen Tong's resolute gaze. This woman's beauty stemmed from her confidence. Her attitude affected him deeply, though it was hard to articulate why.

"If you truly do well, becoming an agent will be easy," Xia Zixuan said.

"I won't let you down, General Manager Xia," Shen Tong replied. Saying these formal words was a small matter, but the fact that Xia Zixuan had genuinely helped her was what mattered.

"Since you're so confident, I have nothing more to say. You can go back to work for now," Xia Zixuan said.

Relieved, Shen Tong was glad the topic had shifted away from the news. "I'll take my leave then. Goodbye, General Manager Xia."

As she walked to another office, Shen Tong didn't realize one thing: how had Xia Zixuan identified her from a photo where her face was covered?

In truth, Xia Zixuan recognized Shen Tong's silhouette immediately—the girl with the X-shaped legs, always so bright and open. And a subsequent incident had only gone on to confirm his suspicions.