Chapter 38: Riding the Promotion Machine
Su Mu asked Allen curiously, "So... what exactly are my job duties?"
Allen's expression froze for only a fraction of a second, but he immediately regained his composure. He turned slightly to the side, his gaze shifting to President Jiang behind the desk, who seemed to have just noticed someone enter: "Mr. Su, you currently report directly to President Jiang. Specific work arrangements will likely require direct consultation with President Jiang himself; we cannot participate in this."
He was very careful with his words.
Just then, Jiang Ran looked up as if she had just emerged from a mountain of documents, her gaze falling precisely on Su Mu. Her face held no particular expression, even carrying a perfectly measured scrutiny: "Oh, you've arrived."
His gaze lingered on Su Mu's face for two seconds before he continued, "What's your name?"
Su Mu wondered what Jiang Ran was up to now.
Allen stood to the side, his eyes rolling back so hard they could blow the ceiling off. He was almost laughing in exasperation at his boss's appallingly poor acting.
Just a few days ago, this General Manager Jiang personally handed him a resume and materials, his face displaying an unusual mix of smugness and slightly lewdness. In the most businesslike yet self-righteous tone, he instructed: "Allen, arrange for someone to come in here. Su Mu, my lover—don't reveal this for now. Give him a position, with two requirements: first, the work must be light, not tiring; second, the location must be close, preferably under my nose, so I can see him at any time."
Allen was speechless. He looked at Jiang Ran with newfound respect. He hadn't expected her to be so successful. She had been heartbroken after being dumped, but now she was able to arrange for her mistress to join the company.
Allen worked hard to maintain his professionalism, and proposed several qualified administrative or clerical positions, distributed across different floors.
Jiang Ran didn't even flinch when she heard this, and immediately rejected the idea: "Too tiring."
"It's too far."
Allen held back for a while, and finally, after Jiang Ran rejected another assistant position on the same floor that required occasional errands, he tentatively suggested, "President Jiang, it seems you... don't have a personal secretary yet?"
Jiang Ran replied, "Good idea."
And so, this scene unfolded today.
At this moment, Allen put on his flawless smile again, turned around, and introduced Su Mu: "Mr. Su, this is our company's general manager, Jiang Ran, President Jiang."
Then, he turned to Jiang Ran, his tone equally formal: "President Jiang, this is your newly hired personal secretary, Mr. Su Mu."
Su Mu finally understood what Jiang Ran meant by "not exposing the relationship" and "normal working relationship." So, he followed Jiang Ran's example and nodded slightly to the man behind the desk who was looking at him seriously: "...Hello, President Jiang."
Jiang Ran: "Hello."
He turned to Allen and instructed, "Allen, you can go out now. I need to discuss the work with Secretary Su privately."
"Yes, Mr. Jiang." Allen felt as if he had been granted a pardon and immediately left the office, making sure to gently close the solid wood door behind him before leaving.
Only two people remained in the office.
Su Mu walked to the small desk custom-made for him, pulled out the expensive, ergonomically designed high-backed chair, and sat down. The firmness of the backrest and seat was just right; it was indeed quite comfortable.
He glanced around the excessively spacious office with its unobstructed view, then looked at his own workstation, which was no more than five meters away from the general manager's desk with no obstructions in between: "This is the workspace you assigned me? Isn't this a bit too close?"
I felt that if I breathed even slightly heavier, the other person could hear me.
Jiang Ran didn't even look up, only letting out a soft "hmm?" through her nose, as if to say, "Is there a problem?"
Su Mu curiously flipped through the folders that had been placed on the table beforehand. Upon opening them, he found several brand-new fashion magazines that had nothing to do with the company's business, as well as a book titled "A New Dad's Guide to Childcare."
Su Mu: "…………"
He was reading that parenting guide when suddenly, Jiang Ran cleared her throat deliberately from across the room.
Jiang had already closed the document in front of him, which he had barely read, and leaned back slightly in the large leather chair, his hands clasped together in front of him, striking a pose befitting a superior.
He spoke in a serious and businesslike tone: "Secretary Su, bring your notebook over here. I need to clarify the specific work content with you."
Su Mu thought to himself: What on earth is Jiang Ran doing? Is she addicted to role-playing? But he still obediently picked up the brand-new leather notebook on the table, stood up, walked to the huge desk, and stood still.
Jiang Ran said, "Come a little closer to me, otherwise how can I explain things to you clearly?"
Su Mu then went to Jiang Ran.
Jiang Ran's gaze traveled from Su Mu's hair down to his toes.
Jiang Ran personally selected Su Mu's outfit today, from head to toe.
The well-fitting light gray shirt, of excellent quality and with a proper cut, perfectly accentuated his slender yet well-proportioned shoulders and his waist, which had recovered quickly after childbirth and had regained its supple contours. One button of the shirt collar was undone, revealing a small section of his fair neck.
He wore thin-rimmed glasses on his nose. Su Mu's prescription wasn't high, and he usually didn't wear them unless he needed to use his eyes. They added a touch of refined scholarly elegance. His sleeves weren't rolled up, revealing a glimpse of his wrist, under which he wore a bracelet with a subtle sheen. He wore dark, slim-fitting trousers, the straight lines making his legs appear even longer and more slender.
He wore a brand-new employee badge around his neck, the photo of which Jiang Ran had given him. He stood in front of Jiang Ran, looking clean and fresh, yet with a touch of awkwardness and restraint that was just right for a new environment.
Her face, after being carefully cared for postpartum, became even whiter and more delicate, with almost no blemishes. Her jawline was soft, her eyebrows and eyes were clear, and her lips were a healthy light pink.
No one could have imagined that Su Mu, with her gentle, pure, and harmless appearance, had just given birth to a new life for Jiang Ran a little over a month ago.
Jiang Ran's gaze lingered on him, her Adam's apple bobbing. He cleared his throat, suppressing the inappropriate heat in his heart, and tried to maintain his boss's authority: "Your job duties..."
"...It's about satisfying me..."
What a twisted statement.
Su Mu thought he had misheard: "??"
Jiang Ran seemed quite pleased with his sudden alertness and slight bewilderment, and continued, panting heavily, "...all the instructions."
Su Mu thought Jiang Ran was really good at pretending.
Since he's going to put on this act, I'll play along to the end. Su Mu looked up and asked innocently, "President Jiang, but everything you've said is too broad. You still haven't clearly explained what my specific job duties are."
Jiang Ran, with a stern face, tapped her fingers lightly on the smooth tabletop, adopting the demeanor of a superior, and said in a deep voice, "Secretary Su, is this how you talk back to your boss on your first day at work?"
Su Mu looked aggrieved and explained in a low voice, "I'm sorry, President Jiang, but I really don't know what to do. I'm afraid I'll make a mistake and delay your business."
Jiang Ran waved her hand reluctantly, her tone becoming more lenient: "Alright, alright, considering it's your first day here and you don't know anything, I'll let it go this time. But next time, you can't talk back to your boss, understand?"
Su Mu: "Okay, okay."
Jiang Ran stood up, walked around the large desk, and went to Su Mu. She pointed with her chin to her larger and more comfortable executive chair: "Go sit down. Normally, the HR should explain the company's main business and rules and regulations to you, but I'll make an exception today and explain them to you personally."
Su Mu obediently walked over.
Jiang Ran reached out and gently pressed his shoulder, helping him sit down in her leather chair.
The chair was spacious, and Su Mu's slender figure appeared even more pronounced when he sat down. Jiang Ran leaned forward, one hand resting on the armrest of the chair, while the other reached across Su Mu to operate the mouse, opening a PowerPoint file on the computer desktop titled "New Employee Onboarding Training (Simplified Version)".
"What are you standing there for?" Jiang Ran's voice came from above his head. "Open your notebook and take notes. I'm going to check your work later. If you don't do well, I'll punish you."
Su Mu: "...Oh."
Oh well, I guess I'll just have to put up with the harassment since I work for my husband.
He obediently opened his brand-new notebook, picked up his pen, and assumed a posture ready to take notes.
The PowerPoint presentation was filled with a dry company structure diagram and business segment introductions, densely packed with text and charts. Jiang Ran began to explain in his deliberately somber, unusually serious voice: "Our group is mainly involved in the following areas..."
At first, everything was normal.
As she spoke, Jiang Ran's hand, which had been resting on the armrest, became restless. She first inadvertently touched Su Mu's wrist, which was holding the pen, and her fingertips gently brushed against the delicate skin.
Then, the hand went further, slowly moving up Su Mu's wrist and covering the entire back of his hand.
His palm was warm, firmly enveloping Su Mu's hand, which was a size smaller than his own, with his fingers slipping between Su Mu's fingers, stroking it very slowly and suggestively.
Su Mu lowered his head, but his cheeks flushed uncontrollably, the blush spreading all the way to his ears.
From Jiang Ran's downward angle, one could see her slightly red earlobes and the section of her fair and slender nape that was completely exposed because she was looking down. Su Mu's hair, which had been trimmed after giving birth to Xiao He, was not very short and was framing the back of her neck.
That look was exactly like that of a poor office worker who was being harassed by a high-ranking boss, but dared not speak out because of fear or apprehension, and could only silently endure it, his forbearance revealing his helplessness.
Jiang Ran's lust intensified, her breathing became heavier, and she lowered her head even further, bringing her close to Su Mu's ear, deliberately spraying her hot breath on his earlobe and neck: "Did you understand here? Hmm?"
Su Mu's neck twitched slightly.
That restless hand had already slowly and teasingly moved upwards from the back of Su Mu's hand, along the inside of his arm, past his elbow, past his upper arm, and finally rested on his shoulder, which was clad in a well-fitting shirt. The fingertips even intentionally or unintentionally brushed against the beautifully shaped collarbone protruding below the collar of his shirt.
Su Mu's breathing became erratic.
Jiang Ran's gaze grew even more intense, and her hand began to slide restlessly downwards, tracing the lines of Su Mu's back, about to cross the waistline and explore into a more dangerous area...
Just as the fingertips of that hand were about to touch Su Mu's buttocks.
"Smack!"
A sound, not too loud but crisp enough, rang out in the quiet office.
Su Mu slammed the hard-covered notebook in his hand hard against the side of Jiang Ran's head.
Su Mu's face was still flushed, with a hint of barely suppressed embarrassment and annoyance: "Jiang Ran, you better know when to stop."
Jiang Ran, clutching her head which had been attacked by the laptop, squatted on the ground. The smug expression of a lecherous boss on her face instantly vanished, replaced by a pitiful look that was a mixture of surprise, grievance, and a little disbelief. She blinked as she looked at Su Mu.
Jiang Ran clutched her head: "...Mumu, you hit me so hard! My head hurts so much, it feels buzzing. Do I have a concussion?"
Su Mu was both annoyed and amused, and pouted: "Who told you to act like a hooligan? And the seat you arranged for me is a bit too much, isn't it? As if you're afraid people won't know what our relationship is?"
Although he complained, he had to admit that he wasn't entirely unaffected by Jiang Ran's harassment earlier.
The main problem was Jiang Ran. He was dressed in a well-tailored dark suit with a crisp white shirt and a dark vest underneath, which accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His tie was also tied meticulously. Coupled with his already well-defined, noble, and deliberately stern face, he really had the air of a well-dressed but wicked scoundrel.
Especially when he leaned over with his legs slightly apart, the oppressive aura he exuded, a blend of superior authority and adult male aggression, was enough to make one's heart skip a beat.
But Su Mu always kept in mind that he was there to work, even though the job was a bit strange.
Hearing him say that, Jiang Ran retorted, "I didn't do anything indecent to anyone else, I was only doing it to my wife. Besides, He Angxiao is even worse than me, let me tell you..."
Su Mu was amused by his twisted logic: "You think you're right? It seems your friend isn't a good person either. You should spend less time with him in the future."
They are truly two unparalleled scoundrels.
Even so, Su Mu couldn't help but glance at Jiang Ran's hand covering her head.
In his haste, he must have used a bit too much force. The laptop's casing is quite sturdy and of good quality; it must have hurt quite a bit, right? Thinking this, the initial anger was replaced by heartache.
Besides, Jiang Ran's mind was already a bit off, a conclusion Su Mu made unilaterally.
If he really hurts her badly and leaves her with any aftereffects, Su Mu thought that she would not only have to raise her son, but also take care of a mentally challenged husband. How would she live in the future?
Thinking about it, Su Mu beckoned to him: "Come here, let me see if you've gotten hurt?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ran's eyes lit up for a moment, but she quickly lowered her head, covered her head, and slowly moved to Su Mu's side, bowing her head slightly.
Su Mu reached out, wanting to brush Jiang Ran's hair aside to examine her more closely.
Then a sudden change occurred.
Jiang Ran opened her arms and firmly encircled Su Mu, who was sitting in the chair, into the small space formed by her embrace and the desk.
The casters of the executive chair creaked slightly as it slid back half an inch. Caught off guard, Su Mu found himself trapped between the chair back and Jiang Ran's muscular chest, unable to move.
Jiang Ran's face no longer held any trace of grievance or pain; instead, it displayed a triumphant smile, tinged with possessiveness and aggression, her eyes burning with an intensity that seemed to ignite one's very being.
He lowered his head, his nose almost touching Su Mu's.
"Hehehe, baby, don't resist," he tightened his arms, holding Su Mu even tighter, and said triumphantly, "You can't escape my grasp now."
Then Jiang Ran vividly portrayed a lustful bastard boss who sexually assaulted a junior employee on her first day of work.
The embarrassing lines include, but are not limited to, those mentioned above.
"Why is it so soft? Did you have a baby with some random guy?"
"How about having a child for me too?"
"Honey, you're so beautiful. Leave your husband and be with me, okay? I promise you'll get a promotion and a raise."
Su Mu felt that Jiang Ran's brain was probably filled with more nonsense than proper business plans.
I wonder what kind of nonsense he's thinking all day long, sitting in this luxurious office overlooking Jiangzhou.
From the later stages of her pregnancy with Xiaohe until now, the two of them had indeed not been truly intimate for a long time. Su Mu herself wasn't entirely without desires; after Jiang Ran's teasing just now, her body and attitude had already softened.
He pushed Jiang Ran's strong shoulders, his voice slightly breathless and filled with a final struggle, as he whispered, "You haven't had the surgery yet, you don't have that thing..."
To everyone's surprise, Jiang Ran opened a drawer upon hearing this. He then pulled out a small silver package.
Su Mu: "…………"
He was completely speechless.
Jiang Ran saw Su Mu's eyes widen instantly, filled with suspicion that he was cheating and "Why did you put this here?" She explained, "Mu Mu, don't misunderstand, I would never cheat on you. You're the only one for me. I didn't put this here on purpose."
"This was prepared when I invited you to visit my office before, but you never came. So this tells us that opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared, right?"
Su Mu was at a loss for words.
He looked at the small silver package, then at Jiang Ran's face—she had clearly done something wrong but was putting on an innocent act—and finally could only resign himself to closing his eyes.
So, on his first day at the company, before Su Mu had fully grasped the company's business segments, he was already on General Manager Jiang's exclusive fast track for promotion and salary increases.
It is also known as a promotion tool.
The body is honest.
However, while his body felt good, Su Mu's mind was extremely, extremely unhappy.
I feel like I've been played.
For the rest of the morning, Su Mu practically slumped behind his small desk, pretending to look at documents.
In the afternoon, he didn't even dare to leave his office. Allen brought him lunch, and he diligently took notes.
Jiang Ran, on the other hand, was in high spirits and worked with remarkable efficiency when dealing with documents. She even went to a meeting, and after the meeting, she said to Su Mu, "Mu Mu, don't be afraid. The soundproofing in this office is custom-made and very good. I used to yell and bang on the table in here, and Allen and the others outside couldn't hear a thing."
Upon hearing this, Su Mu's cheeks flushed again. She glared at him but didn't say anything.
Once everything was tidied up and the office regained its apparent calm, Su Mu leaned back in his chair, looked at Jiang Ran who was pouring him warm water, and solemnly announced, "Alright, today... consider it a day of letting you have your fill."
He emphasized: "Starting tomorrow, we must restore normal superior-subordinate relationships."
Jiang Ran had acted like a beast today, but now that his mind was back on track, his rationality was slowly returning. Looking at Su Mu's still-flushed face and forced composure, he belatedly realized that what he had done today was indeed a bit, well, too perverted.
He immediately put on his most sincere expression, nodded repeatedly, and said obediently, "Okay, Mumu, I'll listen to you."
When I got home from get off work and opened the door, the warmth mixed with a faint milky scent wafted out. My aunt was holding Xiao He and walking slowly around the living room.
When Xiao He saw Su Mu and Jiang Ran return, she grabbed their hands.
Su Mu was overjoyed to see his son. He changed his shoes and almost couldn't wait to go over, take Xiao He from the aunt, and hold him in his arms.
The little one is wearing a light pink onesie today, with white lace trim on the collar and cuffs. Jiang Ran bought it a long time ago when she wished it was a girl, so it would be a waste not to wear it. Therefore, Su Mu told the aunt to mix and match as she pleased.
The clothes looked surprisingly good on the chubby little crane; on the contrary, they made his skin appear even whiter and more delicate, like a perfectly sculpted glutinous rice ball.
Su Mu hugged him, and all the gloom in his heart completely vanished, leaving only tenderness and love. He lowered his head and pretended to bite Xiao He's waving chubby little hand. The little guy wasn't afraid at all; instead, he tried his best to reach Su Mu's face with his little hand.
The aunt was talking about how much milk Xiaohe drank today. Good boy, Su Mu watched it on the monitor. He couldn't believe he missed his baby so much, even though he had only been away for half a day.
As soon as Su Mu approached him, Xiao He became particularly excited, staring at him with her big, dark eyes and making "ah ah" sounds.
The auntie watched from the side, smiling as she asked, "Xiao Su, how's your first day at work? Is the company environment alright?"
Su Mu was rubbing Xiao He's soft hair when he heard this. Without even looking up, he blurted out, "...The company environment is not bad, it's just that the boss is an idiot."
After saying that, Su Mu felt it was really wrong to let her innocent and young son hear such words, so she covered Xiao He's little ears and said, "Baby, you didn't hear it, you didn't hear it... but you probably don't understand now."
Little Crane made a few more "oohs" sounds, as if in response to him.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ran, who had taken off his coat, washed his hands, and come over to cuddle with his wife and son, was speechless.
-
A note from the author:
Little Wood: It turns out that you shouldn't work for acquaintances, otherwise they will exploit you for other benefits.
Young Master Jiang: ...I learned it all from He Angxiao. Who knows what he's planning by putting his wife in the company?
He Angxiao: ...Can I block you?
Before Little Wood finds what he wants to do, he has to take a detour, hahaha.
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