Chapter 298 - 297: Boo Hoo Hoo

Chapter 298: Chapter 297: Boo Hoo Hoo

Shan Jinjin pretended she didn’t know their connection to Huo Xingye, dutifully informing them that they couldn’t go in without an appointment.

Gu Qingyin wasn’t one to make things difficult. Just as she took out her phone to make a call, the door to the president’s office opened. Xue Ning, dressed in a sharp suit, walked out. He was both surprised and delighted to see them. "Sir, Madam!"

After Huo Yunjing made his official public appearance, those around them had changed how they addressed the couple, simply calling them "Sir" and "Madam," but with no shortage of respect.

Xue Ning strode over with a smile. "The Family Head is right inside. The two of you can go straight in."

Gu Qingyin said helplessly, "I would have loved to, but your new little secretary here is far too conscientious."

Shan Jinjin looked terrified, with panicked tears welling in her eyes. "I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize who you two were. I..."

"Why are you still here?" Xue Ning frowned at Shan Jinjin, but his gaze landed on the file in her arms. "Didn’t I tell you to take that file to the finance department?"

Shan Jinjin explained anxiously, "I was just about to get on the elevator when I ran into them. I just asked them a question, and when I learned they didn’t have an appointment, I stopped them. I really didn’t mean any harm."

"Right, right, you didn’t mean to," Gu Qingyin said, openly placating her. "That’s great. Excellent work. Next time you meet someone you don’t recognize, you should do the exact same thing, all right?" She smiled warmly. "Now, hurry along and get back to work."

Shan Jinjin: "...Okay."

It was warm inside the office. Gu Qingyin placed the down jacket she’d brought on the sofa, while Huo Yunjing set the insulated food container on Huo Xingye’s desk. "Drink this while it’s hot."

Huo Xingye glanced up and smiled at his parents before lowering his head to continue reviewing the document. He didn’t put down his pen until he’d reached the last page and signed his name. Only then did he pick up the insulated food container, ready to have the soup.

"So, how does that Shan Jinjin usually try to win you over?" Gu Qingyin asked curiously. ’It’s been so long, and her favorability score just barely hit 20. She must be having a tough time with her conquest.’

Huo Xingye took a sip of soup, a faint, unreadable smile on his face. "She engineers all sorts of ’coincidental’ encounters, uses work as an excuse to get face time with me, tries to show off her skills..." He paused for a moment. "Her work performance is actually quite good."

’Case closed!’ Gu Qingyin thought. ’Those 20 favorability points are all from his appreciation of her work performance.’

’It’s been ages. This generation of conquerors really isn’t up to snuff!’

’As for her work performance... Gu Qingyin figured it was probably a cheat provided by the system, and not a very powerful one at that. Otherwise, she wouldn’t still be a junior assistant by now.’

"Are you still interested in the system?" Huo Yunjing asked. "If you still want to study it, I can go capture it for you."

Gu Qingyin nodded eagerly. The peaceful days had gone on for a long time, and she was, admittedly, getting a little bored.

Huo Xingye raised an eyebrow slightly and pressed the intercom button. "No overtime tonight. Tell Shan Jinjin to stay behind."

The assistant on the other end acknowledged the order calmly, but after hanging up, she stared blankly for several seconds. ’Did Shan Jinjin actually catch President Huo’s eye? Surely President Huo’s taste isn’t that bad!’

When Shan Jinjin received the notification, her heart pounded wildly. She was both ecstatic and anxious.

’Has Huo Xingye finally come to his senses? Or did Gu Qingyin and Huo Yunjing say something to him?’

The system wasn’t sure either. "Huo Xingye probably wouldn’t get angry over something so minor," it said. "Even if he was angry, there’d be no reason to make you stay after hours. Could it be... he wants to spare you the public embarrassment?"

A thought struck Shan Jinjin. ’What kind of business requires waiting until everyone has gone home for the day?’ In all the time since she’d been transferred to the executive office, this was the first time the entire department wasn’t working overtime!

"A private matter, of course!" the system said, growing more confident with each word. "He’s definitely fallen for you!"

’What’s the favorability score now?’

The system confidently checked, then exclaimed, "It’s 26!"

Shan Jinjin’s eyes lit up instantly. She turned and headed to the restroom to freshen up. For maximum effect, she even spent points to redeem a bottle of perfume that would make anyone who smelled it develop a favorable impression of her, though its effects were short-lived.

When quitting time arrived that evening, all the assistants and secretaries in the executive office packed up their things in perfect unison and flocked to the elevators. In just five minutes, the entire floor was empty, leaving only a bashfully smiling Shan Jinjin behind.

She smoothed down her skirt, then knocked on the door to Huo Xingye’s office.

"Come in."

Huo Xingye’s voice was as deep and steady as ever, inspiring a sense of complete reliability in anyone who heard it.

Shan Jinjin patted her burning cheeks, pushed open the office door, and put on what she considered her sweetest smile. In a deliberately cute voice, she began, "President Huo, to have me stay behind so late all by myself... were you hoping to..."

The words died in her throat before she could finish. She had just spotted Gu Qingyin and Huo Yunjing sitting on the sofa.

The two of them were staring at their phones with intense concentration, as if they were... playing a game?

’Are they nuts?!’ Shan Jinjin complained to the system. ’I thought they left ages ago, but they’ve been playing games in his office all afternoon? They’re grown adults! Don’t they have anything better to do?’

Hearing this, Gu Qingyin’s fingers faltered, and she let an enemy minion slip past.

Fortunately, Huo Yunjing had her back, swooping in to instantly eliminate it. "Focus," he said.

"Right, right," Gu Qingyin muttered, ignoring Shan Jinjin and refocusing on the game.

Huo Xingye spared a sliver of his attention from his computer screen for Shan Jinjin, offering only two words: "One moment."

Shan Jinjin: "...Of course, President Huo."

She had no idea what she was here for, but it clearly wasn’t what she’d been expecting. A pang of regret shot through her. ’If I’d known, I wouldn’t have spent points on that perfume. What a waste.’

After more than ten minutes, Gu Qingyin casually tossed her phone aside, stood up, and stretched her neck. "Okay, no more playing. Time for business."

Huo Yunjing rose with her, thoughtfully retrieving her phone and placing it on the coffee table.

Gu Qingyin began to circle Shan Jinjin, sizing her up.

Shan Jinjin went completely stiff. ’Does she know I have designs on her son?’ she asked the system internally.

System: "Probably?" It couldn’t think of any other explanation.

’What do I do now?!’ Shan Jinjin started to panic. ’I haven’t even confessed my feelings yet! If she asks, should I admit it? Will it affect Huo Xingye’s favorability score for me?’

The system was uncertain. "Just play it by ear," it could only advise. "Don’t panic yet."

Shan Jinjin took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Sister Qing, why are you looking at me like that?"

Gu Qingyin stopped directly in front of her and dropped a bombshell. "How did you bind yourself to your system? Is it a relationship similar to that between a Magic Artifact and a Heavenly Master?"

It was as if a bomb had gone off in Shan Jinjin’s head. ’What is she talking about?! How does she know?! System!!’

The system was just as dumbfounded. It had guided countless hosts through even more mission worlds, but this was the first time anyone had ever called out its existence. It frantically scanned its mission manual, but unfortunately, there were no instructions for how to handle such a situation.

It was an unsolvable problem.

Fortunately, Gu Qingyin was merciful. "Oh, I can hear the two of you talking," she explained. "I noticed it the very first time we met." She smiled. "Don’t worry, I don’t mean any harm. I’m just curious about the system. Could you take it out and let me have a look at it?"

A chill inexplicably ran through the system’s data stream. "WHIMPER—!"