“Brother Yu, how did the promotion go today?” Xiao Yitong hurried over to pick him up, muttering about the next venue as he asked Yu Junqing.
“It was fine. I’m just a little tired. Let me rest for a bit.” Yu Junqing’s complexion was slightly pale, his brows heavy with fatigue. He had forced himself to stay in top form outside, but the moment he got into the nanny van, he collapsed onto the back seat like a deflated balloon.
“Brother Yu, are you… okay?” Xiao Yitong hesitated. He did not know whether he should say it. The past few days of high-intensity work had certainly boosted Yu Junqing’s popularity and profits, but honestly, it had only been a matter of days, and he already looked like a shirt wrung straight out of a washing machine—he had slimmed down an entire size.
“Mm… I’m fine…” Yu Junqing mumbled into the pillow and quickly drifted off to sleep.
Xiao Yitong calculated the distance to the next venue. It would take a little over half an hour to get there. Letting Brother Yu nap for a while in the car was probably a good idea. He really did look exhausted.
Over the past few days, a rumor had been circulating among the upper management at RQ. Apparently, the boss’s mood had been fouler than ever. Almost every proposal submitted had been rejected. Unless someone had a death wish, they should avoid approaching him right now. The reason? Supposedly, the boss’s wife had made him sleep in the study for a whole week!
Huang Qian was busy organizing all the contracts they had signed recently. As of today, the company had brought in quite a number of artists. Most of them were capable and emotionally intelligent. After joining, they climbed steadily with the company’s support. They were smart, and it had allowed President Bo to quickly recoup much of his earlier investment.
Huang Qian had been feeling much more relaxed lately. There was little that required his direct involvement now. He mostly stayed in the background and reported progress to President Bo.
Speaking of which, Huang Qian glanced stealthily at the door. Good. No one was there. He quietly took out his phone and logged into a Weibo burner account—“The President’s Wife Made Him Sleep in the Study.”
He could not resist checking the post he had made two days ago:
#Today I Discovered a Huge Secret! Turns out our President has been in such a bad mood these days because the President’s Wife made him sleep in the study for a week!#
He counted. One, two, three, four… a total of thirty-four likes! Those little brats had seen it—and even dared to like it! Wait, something felt off. Huang Qian looked again carefully. Yes, thirty-four likes. The problem was… he had not liked it himself. So who was that extra like from?
A bad feeling crept up his spine. He swallowed and tapped into the newest follower notification. It was a small account. Whew, thank goodness.
Wait.
Huang Qian’s eyes widened.
The username of that small account—“Yes, I Am That President.”
Crap crap crap crap!
He slammed his phone screen off. He must be hallucinating from overwork. It had to be an illusion! Huang Qian clasped his hands and bowed devoutly to the company mascot on his desk. Please do not let President Bo find out it was really me!
Just as Bo Rui exited the burner account and was about to check the latest updates about Yu Junqing on his main account, Liang Xin knocked and entered.
“President Bo, I’ve arranged all the client engagements you asked for. Here’s the schedule and details.” Liang Xin pretended not to notice the Weibo page still lit on the phone screen and focused solely on the documents in his hands, acting like a person with zero presence.
“Alright, I got it.” Bo Rui skimmed through them. Standard procedures. Nothing would go wrong.
“Then I’ll head out.” Liang Xin secretly breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave.
“Wait. There’s something I want to ask you.” Bo Rui called him back, his gaze on Liang Xin’s back tinged with amusement.
“…What is it, President Bo?” Liang Xin instinctively shrank his neck. Why did he feel an icy blade pressing against his spine?
“I recently heard a very interesting rumor.” Bo Rui looked at his guilty posture and became nearly certain. As expected—who else but this gossip king?
“Yes, President Bo? What rumor? Do you need me to handle it?” Liang Xin turned around stiffly, staring at the floor as if he wanted to burrow into it.
“No need to handle it. It’s just amusing. I heard that I was kicked into the study by my wife for a week. I’m quite curious myself. Since I did not even know about it, who exactly has been spreading it so enthusiastically?”
Liang Xin kept pretending ignorance while cursing Huang Qian in his heart. A bunch of idiots! They had agreed it would stay internal. How did it reach the boss? Useless teammates!
Seeing Liang Xin’s dark expression, Bo Rui suddenly felt much better. For days he had been in a foul mood because his “big treasure” had been so busy he only came home to sleep. Turning one’s suffering into someone else’s suffering really did feel satisfying.
“Fine. Let’s let this matter pass. But as my assistant, you failed in supervision. This month’s bonus is gone.”
The words dropped like a bomb.
What?! President Bo, you cannot do this! I finally built up a decent bonus. I was planning to buy premium imported cat food next month—specifically requested by His Majesty the Cat! If I do not buy it, he will scratch me to death!
Liang Xin stared at Bo Rui, his eyes filled with silent pleading—and resentment.
He had clearly heard everything that day outside the door. His boss had even said in surprise, “Does that mean I’ll be sleeping alone for a week?”
Hah. In his expert deduction, it had to be because the boss had been a little too… enthusiastic with certain harmonious activities and got banished to the study. He had long seen through President Bo’s true identity as a henpecked man!
Sometimes, Bo Rui truly wanted to shove a bowl of tofu pudding straight into Liang Xin’s head. He sincerely wondered what exactly his assistant’s brain was used for.
Noticing the increasingly dangerous look in his boss’s eyes, Liang Xin’s survival instincts finally kicked in.
“Understood! Thank you, President Bo! I’ll get back to work now. You’ve worked hard!” He retreated at lightning speed.
Bo Rui opened his mouth to say something, but Liang Xin had already fled. He silently questioned his hiring standards. The RQ side was no better. He was truly defeated by them all.
After sitting quietly for a moment, Bo Rui picked up his phone again.
Recently, his big treasure had been running around nonstop—promotions, events, activities. He had never realized before how much stamina the man had. He had kept it up for days straight. Still, he looked too thin, drained of spirit. What exactly was he pushing himself for?
Bo Rui had considered persuading him that there was no rush. But every time he saw him come home exhausted, he could not bring himself to dampen his determination. After his parents passed away, he had once pushed himself just as hard, fighting for a breath of pride. He worked himself into the hospital more than once before realizing—if he was all alone, who was he working so desperately for?
Now? If he worked hard, it would be for his big treasure.
His mood brightened. He picked up the client list and began making calls. Since his big treasure was working so hard, he should too. He even decided to adjust some resources—quietly use his authority to send better opportunities his way without exhausting him. And he would start brewing nourishing soups again, rotating flavors daily. At the very least, he would not let him waste away.
While Bo Rui reached clarity, Yu Junqing was still pushing himself.
“Brother Yu, can I get your autograph? I love your dramas!”
“Of course. Thank you for supporting my work.”
Xiao Yitong stood behind him, watching one person after another crowd around for autographs. He felt uneasy and glanced at Yu Junqing’s pale face. After a moment, he went to fetch the person in charge.
Yu Junqing signed for quite a while, yet he did not feel annoyed. If anything, it proved he had truly become popular.
“You don’t look so well. Did we bother you?” a young woman who looked freshly graduated asked hesitantly.
The people around Yu Junqing shot her strange looks. Some even edged away.
Realizing her words sounded accusatory, the girl’s eyes reddened. She tried to explain but choked up.
Yu Junqing understood. She had not meant harm. Fresh graduates were often straightforward. He smiled, took her autograph board, signed quickly, and handed it back.
“You just started working. Keep it up.”
Tears shimmered in her eyes as she ran off in excitement. She had embarrassed herself in front of her idol and still been comforted so gently!
Yu Junqing watched her retreating figure, vaguely amused by how cheerful her steps seemed.
Soon, the person in charge cleared the crowd. “Alright, back to work!”
“Brother Yu, are you okay?” Xiao Yitong discreetly handed him a piece of chocolate. He had not had time to eat all day.
“I’m fine. Let’s get ready.” Yu Junqing swallowed it in one bite and followed the staff.
The program aired live during prime time. That was why he had worked so hard these past days—to look better on camera. Everyone knew slimmer faces looked sharper onscreen.
When he stepped into the lone beam of spotlight, wearing a fitted jacket and pencil pants that accentuated his long legs, applause erupted.
“He’s even more handsome in person than on TV!”
“I thought there was beauty filtering! He’s actually this good-looking!”
Xiao Yitong felt his face heat up listening to the whispers.
Is… is he really that striking?
Watching Yu Junqing shine under the lights, his earlier worries eased.
The recording ended smoothly. After a brief chat with the organizers, Xiao Yitong led him away.
Back in the car, Yu Junqing leaned against the window, eyes closed.
“Brother Yu, did you hear them? You have so many more fans now—even the staff adore you.”
Yu Junqing opened one eye lazily and smiled.
“That just means our hard work paid off. Isn’t that good?”
His voice was soft with exhaustion but filled with joy.
Soon, he drifted off again. Xiao Yitong drove a little faster.
As they approached home, Yu Junqing donned his disguise and slipped out of the car.
A dark figure waited ahead.
“You’re back.”
Yu Junqing’s eyes curved with delight as he jogged forward and threw himself into familiar arms.
“Rui-ge, you came to pick me up?”
“Mm. Let’s go home for dinner.” Bo Rui weighed him subtly in his arms, clicked his tongue internally, and hoisted him onto his back.
Yu Junqing giggled, resting his cheek against his broad back, breathing in the scent he loved most.
“From now on, we work hard together. Take it easy. Eat properly. Got it?” Bo Rui said in a tone that sounded almost like a warning.
“Okay.” Yu Junqing laughed softly. He had thought Rui-ge had not noticed. He was only trying to work harder so that one day they could stand openly side by side.
They walked in quiet understanding, warmth wrapping around them.
From the stairwell, Old Li the security guard called out teasingly, “What’s this? Did your little brother twist his ankle again?”
Both of them froze—and then burst into laughter.