Chapter 1 - Secretary

"These are the expected results for the partnership with Shen Tech." An average looking guy clad in black business suit stood at the center of the conference room. He was the representative sent by Shen Tech to present their proposal for partnership with Lu Corporation.

The guy was wholly focused in his explanation presenting the expected net growth and stocks of both companies that he did not notice the continuous drop of temperature of the room. The directors and other staffs within the room shivered and feared for their lives for they knew why the room became colder. All their eyes remained frozen in front, halting themselves from turning their heads to look at the glowering person sitting at the main table.

"Enough." Ah, the emperor has spoken. The people inside excluding the two secretaries sitting beside him stopped from breathing.

"Who on the right mind let this lousy proposal get through?" Silenced covered the room and almost all the employees could hear their hearts beating so fast from nervousness. They even dared to hold their breath just so the CEO would not feel their presence at all.

Lu Chen, the president and CEO of Lu Corporation stood up and gave his final words. "Don't ever let anymore of this proposals appear from my sight again."

He immediately left the room with his two secretaries. The rest of the people inside finally released their breath and the representative from Shen Tech felt like crying on the floor at this very moment.

"I'll prepare the tea." Xiu Mei notified her boss and coworker before disappearing to the president's private pantry.

Inside, Xiu Mei sighed in relief as she waited for the water to boil. Working as a secretary for the famous emperor boss is always like walking on a thin ice. If not careful, he will snap at you like a dragon and could immediately kill your career with a decree.

From interning at his company at the age of 21, she felt like she must have been really a martyr to continue working with a boss like that.

Holding the tray of tea, she knocked twice on the door to indicate her presence and entered the room. The emperor CEO was sitting in front of his computer, one hand typing while the other is holding a folder.

She finally laid down the teacup. "Regarding the matter from a while ago, I apologize for my incompetence for letting the proposal reach your hands. I will strictly check the process being done by our departments and won't let it happen again. I will also accept any punishment you deem needed." She slightly bowed her head.

The tapping noises from the keyboard halted before continuing again.

"Examining those waste papers are not your main work. Remove the bonus for this month for the employees involved and check who had the guts to use their power and let the paper through. Have that person immediately fired and find a replacement." Lu Chen's authoritative voice echoed as he busied himself in reading the reports.

"Understood." Raising her head, she exited the room and went back to her table. Making a few calls to relay the president's instructions to the human resource department and assistant secretary to check about the person who let the proposal through their strict assessment.

Clocking out at 8 pm, she turned to Lu Shao who was still busy going through his pile of papers.

"I'll be turning in for the night, comrade Shao." She said with a joking tone. Lu Shao looked up and lightly smiled at her.

"It's late. Be careful on the road." Lu Shao politely warned as she nodded and grabbed her bag before going to the elevator to ride down to the underground garage.

Lu Shao and Xiu Mei are the main secretaries of their president, Lu Chen. From her knowledge, Lu Shao was brought up by Lu Chen since young and started working for him at the age of fifteen. In short, Lu Shao is more of a personal secretary of Lu Chen who not only handles his business-related matter but also his personal matters.

Xiu Mei is Lu Chen's secretary that is mainly focused about matters regarding business. With Lu Corporation's wide-range of industries, she is the person who is mostly involved about them and acts as Lu Chen's substitute for business matters.

She has been working for four years in Lu Corporation and is already well-versed with all the information regarding the company. It was a great feat to be able to work as a secretary for Lu Chen right after her graduation hence, she spent day and night studying so hard for her first year.

As one of the top companies globally, she was busy working day and night that she barely remembered the last time she used her vacation and rested well. Xiu Mei's family have been contacting her regularly to know about her situation especially she hasn't visited during holidays ever since last year.

Changing to her home wear, she heated the leftover food from yesterday and ate it. Her phone rang a familiar ringtone.

"Mom."

"Mei'er, open up some time for dinner on the weekend, okay?" Xiu Mei almost laughed at her mom's direct to the point statement. She didn't even go around and directly stated her agenda.

"For what? Are we going to have a family dinner or something?" Playing with the piece of meatball, she asked her mom the truth about this matter.

"Your Auntie Lan's nephew is returning from America and she proposed that the two of you should spend some time together and try it out."

Xiu Mei gasped in realization. Her mom and Auntie Lan was setting her up in a blind date.

"Mom, I'm still 25. And I'm busy with work."

"All you know is to work!" Her mom's tone visibly became heavier. "Mei'er, our family is already rich enough to raise you for the rest of your life. And if you keep working like that, in a blink of an eye you'll be 30 and still single. I want to play with my grandchildren while still strong you know!"

Xiu Mei heard her mom's words and almost blurted out that her mom would still be strong enough even if she marries age forty. After all, her parents had her twin brothers at age twenty and she had her after two years after.

At this moment, even if she married at mid-30s, she'll still be healthy enough to go running with her kids.