Chapter 6
The next morning arrived with a crisp breeze. True to his word, Lin Mian woke up at 6:00 AM without a single complaint or a hangover. When he walked down the stairs dressed in a neatly tailored, modest charcoal suit rather than his usual flamboyant designer silk shirts, the household staff nearly dropped their trays.
At the breakfast table, Master Lin hid his proud smile behind the morning financial newspaper. Lin Heng, who was going to drive Lin Mian to the office, raised an eyebrow in approval.
“You look like a proper salaryman, Xiao Mian,” Lin Heng teased gently, passing him a plate of toasted buns. “Ready for your first day of reality?”
Lin Mian took a seat, taking a neat bite. “Ready, Ge (Brother). I won’t embarrass the family.”
Just as they were finishing up, the front door opened, and Lu Chen walked in. He was dressed in a sharp, intimidating dark navy three-piece suit, looking every bit the ruthless CEO of the Lu Corporation. Since his parents were still abroad, he had used the excuse of “checking on his neighbor” to visit the Lin mansion two days in a row.
Lu Chen’s eyes instantly locked onto Lin Mian. Seeing the younger boy looking so clean-cut, professional, and slightly nervous made something flutter in Lu Chen’s chest.
“Morning,” Lu Chen announced, his deep voice drawing everyone’s attention. He walked over to the table, ignoring the older Lin siblings’ knowing smirks, and stopped right behind Lin Mian’s chair. He placed a sleek, insulated flask on the table. “Honey tea. For your throat. You were crying so much yesterday, your voice sounds hoarse.”
Lin Mian’s cheeks flushed a light shade of pink. He picked up the flask, feeling the warmth radiating from it. “Thank you, Lu Chen. You didn’t have to.”
“I was heading out anyway. The Lu Corporation building is just two blocks away from the Lin headquarters,” Lu Chen said smoothly, though his assistant back in the car knew they had taken a twenty-minute detour just to pass by here. Lu Chen leaned down slightly, his scent of expensive sandalwood and rain enveloping Lin Mian. “If your brother bullies you at work, call me. I’ll come pick you up.”
“Hey! Who is bullying who?” Lin Heng laughed, shaking his head. “I am a benevolent boss, Lu Chen!”
Lin Mian let out a soft, genuine laugh, a sound that made Lu Chen’s gaze darken with affection. “I’ll be fine, Lu Chen. Go to work. Don’t be late because of me.”
With a final, lingering look and a soft pat on Lin Mian’s shoulder, Lu Chen departed, leaving Lin Mian with a racing heart and a warm flask of tea.
The Lin Group headquarters was a towering skyscraper of glass and steel in the heart of Shanghai’s business district. In his past life, Lin Mian had only visited this place to demand an increase in his monthly allowance, causing scenes that left the secretaries trembling.
As Lin Heng led him through the lobby, whispers immediately broke out among the employees.
*”Is that the youngest master? Why is he dressed like that?”*
*”Oh no, is he here to throw another tantrum? Someone hide the laptops!”*
*”He looks… different today. Did he get into trouble?”*
Lin Mian heard the whispers, but instead of snapping or glaring like he used to, he kept his eyes forward, his posture straight. He deserved their suspicion. He had been a nightmare.
Lin Heng brought him to the Marketing Department on the 15th floor and introduced him to Manager Wang, a middle-aged woman known for her strict, no-nonsense attitude.
“Manager Wang, this is Lin Mian. He is joining your team as a junior marketing assistant,” Lin Heng announced formally.
“Treat him like any other intern. No special privileges. If he slacks off, report it directly to me.”
Manager Wang looked at Lin Mian with a critical, guarded gaze. She had heard of the Young Master’s reputation. “Understood, Vice President Lin.”
Once Lin Heng left, Manager Wang dumped a massive stack of thick folders onto an empty desk in the corner. “Lin Mian, right? These are the market research data profiles from the last three quarters. I need you to cross-reference them, check for formatting errors, and input them into the system by 5:00 PM. Can you do it?”
It was clearly a test-a mountain of tedious, boring grunt work meant to break a spoiled rich kid’s patience.
Lin Mian looked at the stack. In the past, he would have thrown the folders in her face and walked out. But now, he looked at it as his first stepping stone to redemption. He looked up at Manager Wang, bowed slightly, and gave a determined nod.
“I can do it, Manager Wang. Thank you for the task.”
For the next four hours, Lin Mian didn’t lift his head from the desk. His fingers flew across the keyboard, his eyes straining as he meticulously checked every single line of data. He didn’t complain about the dim lighting, the squeaky chair, or the fact that no one in the office offered to help him.
By 1:00 PM, his stomach rumbled softly. He had skipped lunch to keep working. Just as he was about to rub his tired eyes, his phone buzzed on the desk. It was a message from an unsaved number, but he knew exactly who it was.
> **Lu Chen:** *Are you eating?*>
Lin Mian smiled, typing back.
> **Lin Mian:** *Still working on some data. I’ll eat later.*>
Not even three minutes later, his phone rang. It was Lu Chen. Lin Mian quickly picked up, slipping into the quiet stairwell to answer.
“Lu Chen? I’m at work-“
“Look out the window of your department,” Lu Chen’s commanding voice came through the line, sounding slightly breathless.
Lin Mian walked over to the large glass windows of the 15th floor that overlooked the courtyard below. There, standing next to a sleek black Maybach, was Lu Chen. He was looking up at the building, holding a premium insulated food delivery bag in his hand.
“You said you’d eat later, which means you won’t eat at all,” Lu Chen said, his voice dropping into a soft, scolding tone that made Lin Mian’s chest tighten. “Come down. I brought lunch from your favorite Cantonese restaurant. If you don’t come down in five minutes, I’m walking up to the 15th floor to feed you myself.”
To be continue
