Wife Takes the Reins: The Calm CEO

Chapter 11: Star of the Night Bar

Li Xiaowan paused for two seconds, then replied, “Sure, President Yu. As long as it’s work-related, I’m more than happy to help.” Yu Feilan couldn’t help but think: This girl is really naive. Should I have lied to her? Yu Feilan wrestled with her decision for quite a while, but in the end, she decided to go along with it. “Hey, Xin'er, don’t wait up for me tonight, okay? President Yu asked me to go with him to a party, but don’t worry—I’ll be back soon,” Li Xiaowan said on the other end of the line. “What kind of gathering?” Qi Xin'er asked, feeling quite worried about Li Xiaowan. Although Yu Feilan had always had an excellent reputation at the Company, you can’t judge a book by its cover—who knew what his true nature really was? “He didn’t go into specifics, but he did mention that I’d be assisting with taking notes. It’s probably a gathering with a client!” Li Xiaowan said, feeling immensely relieved—she knew Qi Xin'er was worried about her. “In that case, go ahead. But when you get there, remember to send me your real-time location via We Chat. I won’t go home right after work either—I’ll grab a quick bite and then come find you.” Qi Xin'er still couldn’t quite put her mind at ease. “Xin'er, I’m so glad to have you!” Li Xiaowan was almost moved to tears. “Xiaowan, don’t get too emotional. Okay, I’m hanging up—I still have to go out and drop off some documents.” Qi Xin'er said with a smile over the phone; she, too, felt happy to have a best friend like Li Xiaowan. “Okay, be careful on your way there. Bye!” Li Xiaowan didn’t forget to remind her, then went back to focusing on her work. Since this was her first time taking on the role of General Manager’s Assistant, President Yu hadn’t assigned Li Xiaowan too much work. The day went by fairly easily, and before she knew it, it was time to clock out. “Xiaowan, pack up and come with me,” General Manager Yu Feilan’s warm voice suddenly drifted from the inner office, instantly warming Li Xiaowan’s heart. It was as if she were hearing her older brother calling out to her from her childhood. “Big Brother, where are you?” Li Xiaowan couldn’t help but think to herself. “Xiaowan, what’s wrong? Did you hear what I just said?” Yu Feilan’s tone was full of concern. “Ah… President Yu, I’m fine. I heard you. Okay, I’ll pack up right away. Please wait just two minutes,” Li Xiaowan said quickly. “I’m glad you’re okay. There’s no rush.” ” Noticing the unusual look on Li Xiaowan’s face, Yu Feilan guessed she must have something on her mind. As the Company’s general manager, one must not only understand the art of management but also know when to show consideration and care for subordinates. Aside from private matters she might not wish to disclose, it’s appropriate to gain some insight into other aspects—such as her thoughts on work or her daily life—as this can, to a certain extent, contribute to the Company’s healthy development. However, one must not rush these matters. Li Xiaowan tidied up briefly, then followed Yu Feilan to the underground parking garage to retrieve their cars. Compared to Feng Lingzheng, Yu Feilan was much more low-key. His car was a Land Rover, but with a market value of at least three million, it was enough to make Li Xiaowan envious for a lifetime. “Li Xiaowan, hop in!” Yu Feilan opened the passenger door and said with a smile, exuding the air of a true gentleman from head to toe. “Thank you, President Yu!” Li Xiaowan said shyly; having the general manager personally open the car door for her made her feel a little awkward. “Don’t mention it. As my assistant, we’ll be spending a lot of time together from now on, so there’s no need to feel self-conscious all the time. I’m not going to eat you, am I? During work hours, I’m your boss, but after work, just think of me as a friend,” Yu Feilan reminded her again. He could sense that Li Xiaowan was still just as reserved as before, and he knew this couldn’t continue. There would be plenty to discuss moving forward, and they needed to get to know each other as soon as possible so Li Xiaowan could get up to speed on her job quickly. He hadn’t promoted Li Xiaowan to his assistant on a whim; it was a decision made after careful consideration. Whether in terms of character or ability, Li Xiaowan was the most suitable candidate. Yu Feilan’s words truly took Li Xiaowan by surprise, but they also served to highlight Yu Feilan’s approachable personality. “President Yu, I understand. I look forward to your continued guidance. If there are any shortcomings on my part, I will do my best to correct and make up for them,” Li Xiaowan said earnestly. “All right, it’s time to head home. No need to make the atmosphere so serious,” Yu Feilan said as she drove. So, for the rest of the ride, the two chatted in a very relaxed manner. It even gave Li Xiaowan a surreal feeling, as if her long-missing older brother had returned to her side. But… that was simply impossible. Still, a fantasy lingered in Li Xiaowan’s heart—a fantasy that Yu Feilan was truly her own older brother, and her older sister… where on earth are you both? How I wish that one day, our family could be reunited. Brother… Sister… do you know? On the day you were abducted by human traffickers, Mom and Dad searched everywhere like madmen, until a large truck crushed their frail bodies…At this thought, tears welled up in Li Xiaowan’s eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. When she looked up again, there was not a trace of sadness to be seen; over the years, she had long since learned to be resilient and strong. “Xiaowan, what are you thinking about again? In less than two hours, I’ve noticed you’ve zoned out at least twice. If you’re facing any difficulties or have something on your mind that you can’t figure out, you can tell me anytime—as long as you’re willing. I’ll be a loyal listener,” Yu Feilan said, her tone filled with sincere concern. “Thank you, President Yu. I… I’ll be sure to tell you when the time is right.” Li Xiaowan hesitated, then thought better of it. After all, she shouldn’t burden her boss with her personal family matters. “All right, be sure to let me know when you’re ready to talk. We’re almost there.” By the time Yu Feilan finished speaking, she had already pulled up in front of the “Night Star.” “President Yu, isn’t this a bar?” Li Xiaowan asked in confusion. Could it be that they were here to discuss business at a bar? This was her first time at a bar. What if he asked her to drink? She certainly didn’t want to end up like the characters on TV, getting plied with alcohol until she was dead drunk. Ugh! What was she thinking? President Yu wasn’t that kind of person; he definitely wouldn’t ask her to drink with him. Besides, with her looks—it was fine when she dressed up, but if she didn’t, people might not even bother to glance her way. “Yeah, but judging by your expression, it seems like you’re overthinking it,” Yu Feilan hit the nail on the head. “I hope President Yu doesn’t mind—I was just overthinking things. I shouldn’t have doubted your character,” Li Xiaowan said, rubbing her head in frustration. “Haha… It’s fine, that’s normal. Let’s go!” Yu Feilan didn’t say much more; if anyone should feel guilty, it was actually him. To Yu Feilan’s surprise, Feng Lingzheng and Ye had arrived even before them. As their eyes met, a flash of anger flared in Li Xiaowan’s eyes. “President Yu, you said you were bringing me to this gathering—are these two the people I’m supposed to be socializing with?” “Yes, I… I’m sorry, Xiaowan.” Yu Feilan was sincerely apologizing. Li Xiaowan had intended to reproach Yu Feilan, but upon second thought, seeing how he hesitated to speak, she realized he must have been coerced. Yu Feilan was merely a general manager, while the other man was the chairman—he certainly wouldn’t dare disobey the chairman’s orders. Only then did she realize that it wasn’t Yu Feilan who had actually invited her, but this domineering man standing before her. So, looking at Yu Feilan, she said, ““President Yu, there’s no need to apologize. I know it’s not your fault. However, I’m feeling a bit under the weather, so I’d like to go home and rest first.” “Is it that you’re not feeling well, or that you don’t want to see me?” Feng Lingzheng said, his tone seemingly calm, though Li Xiaowan could almost feel as if he were about to pounce on her and devour her at any moment. “I just don’t want to see you—so what?” Li Xiaowan wasn’t about to give a cold shoulder to someone she disliked. Yu Feilan sensed things were taking a turn for the worse and quickly interceded: “Xiaowan, you’ve come all this way. Whatever the issue between you two is, let’s sit down and talk it out. And Zheng, you too—why are you being so harsh to a young woman?” Yu Feilan feigned a scolding toward Feng Lingzheng. Li Xiaowan wasn’t unreasonable either. “For President Yu’s sake, I’ll stay for now.” “Xiaowan, that’s the spirit. Please sit down. Let me formally introduce you.” Yu Feilan pulled out a chair for Li Xiaowan to sit in first, then sat down right next to Feng Lingzheng and continued, ““Xiaowan, judging by your conversation just now, I assume you two already know each other. But I’m quite curious—how exactly did you two meet? Never mind that for now. Xiaowan, sitting to your left is Ye. He’s one of Zheng’s most capable assistants and also her first cousin—though he’s practically as close as a brother to her.” Yu Feilan couldn’t help but add a few more words. Li Xiaowan followed Yu Feilan’s gaze to Ye sitting beside her. Wasn’t this the guy she’d run into the first time she went up to the top floor? So, she merely gave Ye a curt greeting. “It seems Miss Xiaowan is still upset with me.” Ye didn’t seem to mind the indifference in Li Xiaowan’s eyes. “Good to know,” Li Xiaowan said, feeling as though she’d swallowed gunpowder at that moment. The very next second, Feng Lingzheng snapped back, “Don’t go around acting like the whole world owes you something—who do you think you’re putting on airs for?” Feng Lingzheng couldn’t quite explain it herself, but ever since she first laid eyes on Li Xiaowan, she’d been feeling a host of inexplicable emotions. “You…” Li Xiaowan was about to say something, but was interrupted by Yu Feilan’s words: “All right, you three, let’s order first!” Just then, a middle-aged man who looked to be around forty walked over and said with a smile, “With the three of you here, do you really need to order yourselves? I’ve already personally prepared some fine wine I’ve been saving for a long time, especially to welcome Brother Feng and Brother Han back to the country.” “Old Gong, Big Boss Gong, you’re really biased. Aren’t you afraid of offending me by saying that?” Yu Feilan said, feigning anger. “Brother Yu, you’re really underestimating Old Gong here. I wouldn’t dare offend anyone—except my ‘wife’!” “Haha…” Li Xiaowan couldn’t help but burst out laughing.