AMBTICBPIB Chapter 83

Chu Yi returned home brimming with joy. He had received a reply from a company offering him an internship. Tomorrow marked the official start of his internship journey.

As soon as he stepped through the door, Chu Yi eagerly shared the good news with Shen Jin.

When Shen Jin first learned about Chu Yi’s internship plans, he immediately invited him to join his own conglomerate as his special assistant.

Chu Yi refused. “I’m not going.”

“Why not?” Shen Jin asked. If Chu Yi worked at the conglomerate, they could commute together, and more importantly, Shen Jin could see him anytime during the workday.

Chu Yi explained, “Everyone at your company knows me, and you’d inevitably end up favoring me, making everything too easy. I want to test my own abilities.”

Faced with his young friend’s unwavering determination, Shen Jin had no choice but to let him have his way.

When Chu Yi was applying to companies, he specifically warned Shen Jin, “Don’t secretly help me behind my back!”

Shen Jin sat beside him, watching as Chu Yi typed in the company names. He chuckled, “Alright.”

After submitting his resume, Chu Yi suddenly turned to Shen Jin and asked, “This isn’t your company too, is it?”

Shen Jin looked at him, his gaze sincere. “No.”

Hearing this, Chu Yi felt relieved.

After sending out his resume, Chu Yi waited anxiously. To his surprise, he received a call from the company’s HR department just a few days later, informing him that he had been hired.

What he didn’t know was that the internship company was still Shen Jin’s—a subsidiary of the group.

That morning, Chu Yi planned to take a taxi to work, but Shen Jin insisted on driving him.

When they were still two hundred meters away from the office, Chu Yi asked Shen Jin to pull over. “Just stop here. I can walk the rest of the way myself.”

He didn’t want anyone to see him getting out of such a luxurious car, especially since he was just an ordinary intern.

Shen Jin said, “I’ll pick you up after work.”

Chu Yi made a deal with him. “Then wait for me here when you come. Don’t come to the company entrance.”

Shen Jin agreed readily. “Okay.”

His quick agreement made Chu Yi feel a little guilty. He leaned forward and hugged him. “Thank you, darling. I’m off to work now.”

Faced with Chu Yi’s spontaneous embrace, Shen Jin pinched his chin and kissed him. “Good luck.”

As Chu Yi arrived at the company building, he ran into another classmate who had also been hired by the same firm.

The young man’s name was Wang Xin, whom Chu Yi had barely seen at school. Since they were waiting for the elevator together, Chu Yi took the initiative to greet him. Wang Xin glanced at him but didn’t respond, as if he hadn’t heard.

*He’s probably just introverted and doesn’t like talking,* Chu Yi thought, not taking it personally.

Inside the elevator, Wang Xin silently observed Chu Yi from behind, puzzled by how they both had been hired. This company was notoriously difficult to get into.

During his internship, Chu Yi was assigned assistant duties, though his role differed from those of assistants like Chen Ye and Sister Xiaolan.

Chu Yi’s tasks mainly involved fetching coffee for his supervisor, printing documents for colleagues, and handling deliveries.

This was typical for interns just starting out; companies rarely involve them in strategic planning from the outset.

However, Chu Yi had anticipated this. That’s precisely why he had avoided joining Shen Jin’s conglomerate, wanting to earn recognition through his own merits.

During his part-time jobs, Chu Yi had done everything, so he didn’t find anything unusual about the tasks. Wang Xin, however, was deeply dissatisfied. As a top graduate of Lan University, he felt it was beneath him to be assigned such trivial tasks.

Yet Wang Xin kept his discontent hidden.

In just one day, Wang Xin seemed to have become acquainted with everyone in the department. He was charming and quick to call colleagues “Sister” or “Brother,” leaving the dozen or so team members with a very favorable impression of him.

The young women in the department were particularly fond of Chu Yi, drawn to his delicate features and handsome looks. They often shared snacks with him.

The first day at work passed uneventfully, but unexpectedly, Chu Yi and his colleagues were asked to work overtime.

With just ten minutes left before quitting time, Manager Meng suddenly assigned everyone a urgent task. The project required immediate completion, meaning no one could leave until it was finished.

The others wore expressions of resigned exasperation, as if this were a common occurrence.

Sister Wang, sitting next to Chu Yi, muttered under her breath, “Overtime again? They always assign tasks right before quitting time. What were they doing all day? They always claim it’s urgent, but it’s never truly that urgent.”

Sister Wang voiced what everyone was thinking, but there was no way out. When the supervisor assigned a task, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and work overtime, even if they didn’t want to.

Since all the full-time employees were staying, the two interns, Chu Yi and Wang Xin, naturally couldn’t leave either.

“Chu Yi, could you make copies of these documents for me?”

As Chu Yi copied the materials, he texted Shen Jin, telling him not to come pick him up. He had to work overtime and would be home late.

**Shen Jin:** What time will you be off work?

**Chu Yi:** Probably in about two hours.

He’d overheard Sister Wang saying that two or three hours of overtime was the norm.

**Chu Yi:** Just go home first. I’ll take a taxi home when I’m done.

Shen Jin frowned as he read Chu Yi’s WeChat message. Overtime on his first day? Making his little one work overtime? In his entire group, there had never been a case of overtime. Failing to complete work during regular hours meant incompetence, and supervisors who suddenly assigned tasks as overtime loomed were themselves incompetent.

He immediately called Chen Ye.

As colleagues from other departments gradually left for the day, only Sister Wang’s team remained, resigned to another grueling overtime session. The mood in the office was heavy with resignation.

Before their spirits could sink further, Manager Meng strode in, his face grim.

Seeing his severe expression, Sister Wang muttered, “Oh no, that look can’t mean we’re staying past ten tonight, can it?” She had never seen Manager Meng look so displeased.

The team’s anxiety grew.

Manager Meng scanned the room and announced curtly, “No overtime tonight. Everyone can go home.”

A wave of cheers erupted in the office. Employees scrambled to shut down their computers, grab their belongings, and rush out. Though puzzled by Manager Meng’s sudden change of heart, they prioritized escaping the office—just in case he changed his mind and called them back.

Within a minute, the office was deserted.

Watching their hasty departures, Manager Meng felt bewildered. Overtime had always been the norm for his department, and upper management had never intervened. Why had the manager suddenly called him today, ordering him to stop assigning tasks right before closing time and forbidding further overtime?

Manager Meng stared at his phone in a daze for a moment before reluctantly telling his employees they could go home.

Sister Wang and the others were overjoyed to leave on time. “This is wonderful!”

The others remarked that such a thing had never happened before.

Manager Meng’s gaze landed on Chu Yi and Wang Xin. Could it be that one of them knew the manager? How else could he explain the manager calling him personally?

Yet Manager Meng had reviewed both their resumes—they were just ordinary college students.

As they exited the building, Manager Meng noticed Wang Xin getting into a high-end sedan, while Chu Yi headed toward the bus stop, presumably to catch a bus.

About a hundred meters away, at the spot where they had parked that morning, Chu Yi spotted Shen Jin’s car. Shen Jin had indeed kept his promise.

“How was work today? Not too tiring?” Shen Jin looked Chu Yi up and down. “Did anyone bully you?”

Chu Yi shook his head. “Not tiring at all.” His tasks were a bit scattered, but not strenuous.

He told Shen Jin that everyone in the office had been very kind. Sister Wang and the others had even shared their snacks with him.

Shen Jin blinked, surprised at how popular his Chu Yi was.

Chu Yi suddenly said, “There’s something delicious in the car.”

He had caught a whiff of a sweet, fragrant aroma.

Shen Jin opened a bag. “Freshly baked bread. I bought it for you.”

These were Chu Yi’s favorite small rolls.

Still warm from the oven, their fresh, wheaty scent filled the air. The bread was soft and fluffy, making them especially delicious.

Chu Yi ate one, then another.

His eyes glanced at the paper bag beside Shen Jin. “Freshly baked bread really is the best.” He was glad he hadn’t had to work late; otherwise, the bread’s flavor and texture would have deteriorated by the time he got home.

Shen Jin watched him, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “No more. Uncle Wen is worried you’re working too hard and has already prepared a feast at home.”

Chu Yi: “Let’s hurry home, then.”

Shen Jin tried once more to change Chu Yi’s mind. “See how worried Uncle Wen is about you? Why don’t you become my assistant? That way, he’ll be at ease.”

Chu Yi: “No.”

Shen Jin raised an eyebrow. If this approach wouldn’t work, he’d try another.

The next day, when Chu Yi arrived at the office, Sister Wang mysteriously informed him that the company’s CEO would be visiting for an inspection.

The mention of the CEO sparked a lively discussion among the young women in the break room.

“I heard our CEO is incredibly handsome.”

“Not only that, I heard he’s already married and has a son.”

“Really?” Wang Xin asked from the side. “Sister Wang, is that true?”

“It should be. I heard the CEO treats his partner very well.”

“Most importantly, our CEO is so young—not even thirty yet!”

Listening to their chatter, Chu Yi couldn’t shake a strange sense of familiarity.

At ten o’clock that morning, the company’s CEO arrived.

The company manager led the way, guiding the CEO on his inspection tour.

A tall, handsome man came into Chu Yi’s view.

Chu Yi looked over—it was none other than the man from his own home.