Fang Zhiyi looked at her and said, "Well, I was fired by President Yan, but today he hired me back."
The surrounding colleagues stared at Xiao Ruoruo as if she were a fool.
"You!" Xiao Ruoruo was so agitated that she tripped over her own feet and nearly fell, but a hand conveniently caught her.
Fang Zhiyi nodded at the gloomy face before him. "Good afternoon, President Yan."
Yan Beichen carefully adjusted Xiao Ruoruo’s clothes before coldly asking, "Why are you here? Did you forget something?"
"President Yan, he said you hired him back!" Xiao Ruoruo puffed up angrily. "Were you lying to me?"
The nearby colleagues exchanged curious glances—what was this woman’s deal?
Yan Beichen’s expression darkened with confusion. "When did I hire you back?"
Fang Zhiyi clapped his hands. Right—this domineering CEO usually only played the role of president and had no clue about the company’s day-to-day affairs. No wonder he didn’t even know his own brother had started working here.
"It was Vice President Yan who hired me as his assistant," Fang Zhiyi explained. Just then, the elevator arrived, and a crowd of employees rushed in to avoid being late. Yan Beichen frowned and pulled Xiao Ruoruo back before she could confront Fang Zhiyi further. "Let them go first. I’ll take you up in my private elevator."
After questioning one of his managers, Yan Beichen finally learned about the events of the past few days—including the fact that his younger brother was now working in the vice president’s office upstairs.
"Bang!" He slammed his fist onto the desk, startling Xiao Ruoruo, who had been absentmindedly chewing on a pen nearby. "What’s wrong?"
Yan Beichen narrowed his eyes. "That Fang Zhiyi actually pulled this behind my back!"
Xiao Ruoruo looked lost. Yan Beichen gestured for her. "Come here."
She hesitantly approached, only to be abruptly pulled into his lap. Yan Beichen inhaled deeply, intoxicated by the scent of her hair, as Xiao Ruoruo’s ears turned bright red. His thoughts began to wander.
Meanwhile, in the vice president’s office upstairs, Yan Nanzhe was reviewing documents under Fang Zhiyi’s guidance, occasionally glancing up at the tablet in front of him.
"Brother Fang, if my older brother finds out you installed cameras in his office, won’t he lose his mind?"
Fang Zhiyi took a bite of an apple while watching the screen with amusement. "Know thy enemy, and victory is assured. Installing cameras is nothing."
"Whoa, are they taking clothes off now?" Yan Nanzhe’s pen froze mid-air. "Damn… my brother really doesn’t hold back."
"Who’s interrupting now?" On the screen, just as Yan Beichen was about to succeed, a manager knocked on the door with a report. Xiao Ruoruo, disheveled, accepted the file while the manager’s eyes gleamed with gossipy delight.
"Hey, Brother Fang, isn’t that the manager you said was the old man’s spy?" Yan Nanzhe snickered.
Fang Zhiyi tossed the apple core into the trash. "Tonight, I’ll take you to dinner. You should get acquainted with the company’s middle management."
"Especially the old man’s informants."
The dinner that night was lively. All the mid-level managers attended, and since Fang Zhiyi had always been their main point of contact, they showed him respect. Though rumors had spread about his firing, he had instantly reappeared as the vice president’s assistant—leaving everyone speculating about the real story.
Yan Nanzhe played the part of the carefree rich heir, toasting and drinking with the group before dragging them to the next venue. The managers were thrilled, their opinion of him rising significantly.
After all, Yan Beichen would never deign to eat with them, let alone slap them on the back like old buddies.
These seasoned professionals knew that with the vice president’s arrival, factions would form. But after tonight, most would likely side with Yan Nanzhe—who’d want to curry favor with a boss who’d drag you down with him?
That same night, Yan Beichen forcefully took Xiao Ruoruo to bed. Afterward, she lay on his broad chest and whispered, "I don’t like you just because you’re rich."
Post-release, Yan Beichen regained some rationality. Staring at the woman who merely resembled his lost love, he felt an inexplicable disgust but said nothing.
The next day, the vice president’s office buzzed with activity as important documents poured in. Fang Zhiyi sorted through them, keeping some and sending the rest downstairs to Yan Beichen.
Yan Beichen noticed nothing unusual—after all, Fang Zhiyi had always handled most of the paperwork. But Xiao Ruoruo began complaining. Fang Zhiyi had left her with a pile of tedious, trivial tasks that left her overwhelmed.
Between fetching coffee and other errands for Yan Beichen, she felt like she was spinning in circles.
"Damn, she’s the first person to spill coffee all over my brother," Yan Nanzhe remarked, watching the surveillance feed in shock.
"She didn’t mean to—just clumsy," Fang Zhiyi teased.
On screen, Yan Beichen didn’t get angry. Instead, he stripped off his coffee-stained shirt, flaunting his muscular physique in front of Xiao Ruoruo.
"No way, a sequel?" Yan Nanzhe perked up. "My brother’s really continuing yesterday’s plot?"
"Ahem, stop watching before you get an eyeful," Fang Zhiyi flipped the tablet facedown. "Get ready—we’re meeting some partners this afternoon."
Downstairs, employees near the CEO’s office kept sneaking glances as… questionable noises drifted out.
A passing manager coughed. "Ahem, focus on work. The vice president announced year-end bonuses will double!"
"Nice!" No employee could resist money.
The manager shot a strange look toward Yan Beichen’s office and shook his head.
Did this CEO have any brains at all?
Watching Yan Nanzhe shake hands and negotiate contracts, Fang Zhiyi leaned back on the sofa, sighing inwardly at how foolish the original owner of this body had been—working himself to death for someone else, only to meet a tragic end.
Yan Nanzhe might seem like a reckless brat, but he wasn’t a bad person—just rebellious. His later villainy was probably just plot necessity. Still, Fang Zhiyi had found his breakthrough through that very arc. After all, a capable antagonist meant he had potential. Now, all Fang Zhiyi had to do was prop him up and enjoy an easy retirement.
"Brother Fang, it’s done!" Yan Nanzhe returned excitedly after a busy afternoon. Seeing his enthusiasm, Fang Zhiyi smiled and nodded.
Just as they were about to leave, Fang Zhiyi suddenly grabbed him.
"What’s wrong?" Yan Nanzhe blinked in confusion.
Fang Zhiyi pointed toward the lobby, marveling at fate’s irony.
There stood Xiao Ruoruo.