The next morning, He Xiaoyuan forgot about applying for a fridge. Busy with rotation work, he barely had a moment to catch his breath.
With a rare break, sipping coffee while walking back to the office, Zou Fanping suddenly tapped his shoulder, turned to face him, walking backward while saying:
“Hey, did you know? As soon as the scores came out yesterday, someone from Group Three came asking about you and Yuan Miao today.”
“You weren’t there at the time, only Yuan Miao. And Yuan Miao told them straight up that your skills are on the same level as your looks.”
He Xiaoyuan laughed as he walked: “Blowing your own trumpet without a script now?”
“What trumpet!”
Zou Fanping turned to walk alongside him, explaining: “Those two girls from Group Three first went to Group Two to see who Qin Chengfei was. Group Two said, ‘We’ve got a total heartthrob here,’ so they came over to ask. Since Group Two said that and Yuan Miao’s face can’t lie, of course we had to show them you!”
He Xiaoyuan: “And then?”
Zou Fanping frowned a little: “Then they didn’t believe it! What else could I do, lie to them?”
…
The two of them reached the HR floor and had just turned a corner when they saw at the entrance of Group One’s office, Jiang Weiwei chatting with a girl they hadn’t seen before.
Seeing He Xiaoyuan and Zou Fanping return, Jiang Weiwei and the girl looked over. Jiang Weiwei spoke, and the girl’s eyes went wide, staring at He Xiaoyuan in astonishment.
Zou Fanping whispered in He Xiaoyuan’s ear: “Look at you, look at you.”
He Xiaoyuan was already used to people reacting with surprise at first sight. He didn’t think much of it—it was just appearances. He’d gotten used to it, no big deal.
They approached, and the four of them met at the office entrance.
Jiang Weiwei first addressed Zou Fanping and He Xiaoyuan: “Back so soon?”
Zou Fanping shrugged, a crooked grin on his face: “Other departments don’t have our office. If we didn’t come back, should we be picking our noses over there?”
Jiang Weiwei rolled her eyes: “Mind your words around the girls, okay?”
Zou Fanping shrugged again: “Sorry.”
The girl next to Jiang Weiwei had been staring at He Xiaoyuan the entire time with sparkling eyes.
Jiang Weiwei introduced her: “This is Su Mu from Group Three. We met before during a competition.”
Zou Fanping looked over, smiling: “Weren’t there already two girls from your group this morning? Why are you here again?”
He Xiaoyuan also glanced over.
Su Mu blushed immediately and looked at Zou Fanping: “I didn’t know this morning. I just came over to ask Weiwei about the mobile game team.”
“Go ahead and chat.”
Seeing her blush, Zou Fanping wisely dropped the topic and pushed open the glass door, walking in with He Xiaoyuan.
Outside the door, Su Mu leaned toward Jiang Weiwei, eyes practically sparkling green: “Weiwei! Your team has such a handsome guy?!”
Jiang Weiwei replied proudly: “Do you know his name?”
Su Mu shook her head: “What’s his name?”
Jiang Weiwei: “He Xiaoyuan. Didn’t you also have a score sheet? On it…”
Su Mu realized instantly: “Ohhh, him! The one tied for second with all the scores!”
“So handsome!”
Jiang Weiwei, with a proud look like an overjoyed mother: “That’s right.”
Back in the office, a few remaining teammates commented together:
“Being handsome really helps. I want He Xiaoyuan’s face too.”
“He’s unbeatable.”
“I think he’s the most handsome guy I’ve seen in my life.”
“Not just you, even male celebrities can’t compare.”
He Xiaoyuan listened for a while, then interrupted: “Alright, back to work, stop praising me.”
Everyone laughed a bit more before returning to their tasks.
He Xiaoyuan noticed a flashing icon in the corner of his OA system page. He ignored it for the moment and finished typing a section in his document. Jiang Weiwei peeked over, gasping: “Whoa!”
She leaned in: “Xiaoyuan, did you check the system?”
He Xiaoyuan, still typing, looked up: “Not yet, what’s up?”
Jiang Weiwei: “Take a look.”
He Xiaoyuan switched to the OA page, clicking the flashing icon.
It was a group chat named [Come See the Handsome Guy].
He Xiaoyuan: ?
Jiang Weiwei had also been added to the group.
In the chat, Jiang Weiwei tagged Su Mu to ask what was going on. Su Mu explained, and the others all commented: “Here to see the handsome guy, check-in!”
He Xiaoyuan: …
Jiang Weiwei leaned over a few times, seeing he was busy, and didn’t say more.
After a while, she called out in the office: “Lunch with Group Three for a get-together?”
Zou Fanping reacted immediately: “What? A get-together?!”
Other colleagues:
“Group Three?”
“Why?”
“What do they want to do?”
Jiang Weiwei: “Nothing, just lunch together. Think of it as basking in He Xiaoyuan’s glow.”
Everyone understood immediately.
“Sure.”
Just a meal.
Besides, it’s competition, not a grudge.
He Xiaoyuan didn’t mind lunch. This was only the second time he switched from his document back to OA to check the group—still no real chat, just people coming to watch.
He Xiaoyuan thought for a moment, set the group to “Do Not Disturb,” and closed the interface.
By noon, Group Three came over. Scanning them briefly, all were girls.
When they arrived, they didn’t enter, just peered through the glass at He Xiaoyuan.
Yuan Miao, returning from her department, put on her badge and teased: “Very good, very good, I like this.” She hurried over to He Xiaoyuan, draping an arm over his shoulder: “Good brother!”
He Xiaoyuan pushed Yuan Miao’s arm away.
She swung it back with a playful grin: “Let’s go, lunch!”
As they walked, He Xiaoyuan glanced sideways—several girls from Group Three were quietly raising their phones, taking pictures. He Xiaoyuan was a bit helpless, when Yuan Miao suddenly stretched one arm around him, the other out to block cameras, leading him forward, cheerfully narrating: “Excuse me, excuse me, thank you, sorry, make way, make way, our artist goes first!”
Everyone in the corridor laughed.
He Xiaoyuan looked at Yuan Miao in disbelief: “You’re insane.”
Yuan Miao made a playful face and continued acting as bodyguard, guiding him to the elevator.
The group of girls behind them laughed and snapped pictures.
At the elevator, Yuan Miao extended her arms like wings, shielding He Xiaoyuan: “Don’t push, don’t push, we still have an afternoon engagement, don’t crush our male star!”
He Xiaoyuan immediately objected: “What male star?”
Yuan Miao yelled: “Oh, sorry, top-tier celebrity!”
He Xiaoyuan: “Shut up.”
She looked back, mock-serious: “Don’t act big, if this gets online, it’ll cost money to take down the trending posts!”
Everyone in the elevator laughed, including HR colleagues waiting for the elevator.
He Xiaoyuan, helpless and amused, had no choice but to play along as the “male star.”
When the elevator arrived, Yuan Miao sent him in alone, stepped out herself, leaving him facing a full elevator of girls.
He Xiaoyuan looked toward Yuan Miao outside: ?
She smiled and waved: “Go on.”
He Xiaoyuan: …
The girls in the elevator laughed; he stood in the middle, helpless, a little embarrassed, ears slightly red.
One girl from Group Three said: “Don’t be nervous, we’re all nice, won’t do anything to you.”
The elevator filled with laughter.
They all arrived at the cafeteria, sitting around a long table, finally getting to formally introduce themselves.
Normally, introductions just involved saying names—but for He Xiaoyuan, each girl stood to shake his hand. Xin Rui and Jiang Weiwei joined the excitement.
“Hello.”
“Hi, He Xiaoyuan.”
…
He Xiaoyuan, not wanting to embarrass anyone, shook each hand politely.
When he reached a girl with long curled hair and bright makeup, he heard her name: Ge Luming.
Ge Luming smiled brightly, shaking his hand: “Saw your scores—you’re really impressive.”
He Xiaoyuan nodded modestly, thinking quietly: She’s the impressive one here.
That afternoon, videos and photos of He Xiaoyuan shaking hands with the girls spread through the company’s group chat.
Also circulating was the video of Yuan Miao acting as his bodyguard.
Xu Ruomeng privately messaged him on OA: 【Screenshots】【Screenshots】【Your trainee group is killing me.】
【Now it’s spreading in all groups.】
【You’ve officially earned the title of “Spurys Male Star.”】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Helpless.jpg】
Xu Ruomeng: 【You’re the star, I’m your personal bodyguard—nobody else can steal this job!】
He Xiaoyuan: 【……】
Xu Ruomeng: 【Screenshots】【These juniors are unbelievable, now openly taking advantage of the star? Truly a model generation!】
He Xiaoyuan: 【……】
Xu Ruomeng: 【I want to shake his little hand too. Finger poke.jpg】
He Xiaoyuan shot back: 【Go do your own work.】
The videos and photos even reached the CEO’s office. Qiao Sixing saw them and thought: Someone’s boss arranges appliances and a fridge, and the person enjoys a full company life.
He packaged the media and sent it to Lu Chen, silently muttering: I wonder what the big boss thinks.
Thoughts?
Lu Chen had none; he wasn’t petty.
Leaning back in his chair, watching the videos, he thought: This is exactly what a young man’s workplace life should be—busy yet able to enjoy social fun.
Isn’t this better than staying up late every night, burning the midnight oil?
After watching, he picked up his phone.
Lu: 【Shake hands, superstar.】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Laugh cry.jpg】【Lu, you’re joining too?】
Lu: 【Shaking hands with the girls, but not me?】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Lu, should I kowtow to you and wish you a happy new year early?】
Lu: 【I want a handshake.】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Thousand-Hand Guanyin.jpg】【Come on, which hand do you want?】
Lu Chen chuckled lightly.
Watching the video, the young boy seemed a little shy in front of so many girls, but privately, with him, he was much more relaxed.
Lu Chen knew this was a sign of familiarity.
Lu: 【Not the Guanyin hand, yours.】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Photo】
Lu Chen opened the photo—He Xiaoyuan’s hand: fair and delicate skin, long slender fingers, clearly defined knuckles, clean cuticles, the wrist bones just right.
So beautiful that just looking at the hand could make someone believe he was a handsome guy in person.
Lu Chen admired it quietly, thinking some people were just beautiful everywhere.
Lu Chen replied: 【Okay, handshake done.】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Alright, gripping tight.】
Lu Chen thought of something, chuckled softly, a subtle and slightly ambiguous smile.