Chapter 21

That summer job, Gu An’an only worked for one day.
Hilarious, she earned in one day what would take others half a year, maybe even more.
But even though the money was good, Gu An’an had no plans to go back. High income came with high risk. If the second-generation heirs she encountered last night had been a bit more reckless, or if they hadn’t known her, there was an 80% chance she would have been at a disadvantage.
For girls, the definition of “disadvantage” was broad, and the likelihood of getting hurt was much higher than for boys of the same age. Gu An’an, though confident in her “Super Barbie” strength, capable of taking on two opponents if necessary, always remembered one rule: two fists can’t fight four hands. The most expensive thing in the world was regret medicine.
And she was poor. She couldn’t afford regret medicine.
Of course, Gu An’an would never admit that she earned a year’s living expenses in a single night.
As a temp without a contract, she just called the next day to say she wouldn’t come again. The supervisor, though regretful, wouldn’t argue.
What Gu An’an couldn’t understand was why her Uncle, legendary for having no women around him except the female lead, the paragon of chastity, kept sending her messages in the dead of night.
“Arriving at 12:15.” Gu An’an: shade.gif, ramble.gif.
Resigned, she went to take a “battle shower.”
She spent the whole day at home, not even washing her hair. Just as she was putting on body lotion, the doorbell rang.
Since the Mr. Lu in her life had repeatedly criticized her for wearing pajamas at home, Gu An’an was now a bit conscious. Before opening the door, she put on a sun-protection shirt.
When she opened the door, Xie Jinxing was standing there, head lowered.
Still in the formal suit from a high-level meeting, too busy to change, and his hair perfectly combed, except for a single strand at his temple loosened by climbing the stairs. It didn’t harm his BOSS aura; if anything, it added a hint of youthfulness.
The weather was too hot, so he draped his suit jacket over his arm. In his other hand, he held a faintly glowing phone, scrolling through messages.
Hearing the door, he slightly raised his head, a trace of obvious fatigue on his face. Beneath his dark, deep-set eyes, the shadows under his eyes were accentuated by the light.
“Just got off work, Uncle?” Gu An’an was shocked. Were CEOs really this relentless?
“Mm.”
Xie Jinxing turned off his phone and asked, “May I come in?”
Gu An’an muttered “oh oh” twice and hurried aside.
They brushed past each other, her narrow apartment door barely 1.2 meters wide. Even with Gu An’an taking a deep breath and holding in her stomach, the proximity was unnervingly close.
For a moment, a sweet, citrusy scent from the young woman hit him, as if he could smell freshly sliced fruit. Xie Jinxing politely nodded to her as he passed through the doorway, then made his way to the shoe cabinet. He retrieved a pair of men’s slippers, worn only by him, and slowly slipped them on.
Gu An’an stood by, acting like a dutiful wife, taking his jacket and hanging it on her coat rack.
Wait, was something off here?
Before she could dwell on it, Xie Jinxing strode further into her private space.
He was really tall, 1.88 meters, perfectly proportioned, statuesque and elegant. Standing there, the light cast his shadow over her, swallowing her in darkness.
Gu An’an stepped aside to follow, thinking she should at least pour him a drink.
But living alone, she had no serving utensils, no guests, no preparation.
Xie Jinxing was already at the sofa. Gritting her teeth, Gu An’an poured a glass of cola from her own cup.
Xie Jinxing sat down properly, folding his long legs. In the tight space between the coffee table and sofa, it looked slightly cramped for him.
“Tea, Uncle.” Gu An’an quickly moved the coffee table a little, giving his legs room.
He nodded and took the cup, but it was her cat-shaped ceramic mug, tiny in his hands. And inside wasn’t water, it was black, sweet cola.
Xie Jinxing: “….”
Gu An’an scratched her cheek, embarrassed. “There’s only cola at home. I usually drink it because no one visits.”
Xie Jinxing looked at her.
Gu An’an returned his gaze.
A long pause, filled with faint awkwardness.
God, she was only twenty. He couldn’t possibly expect her to have tea and goji berries, right?
Of course, he didn’t expect tea. Setting the cup down, he said calmly, “It’s fine. Just give me water.”
Gu An’an searched the house for a kettle, none.
Forgive her, she lived on cola, Sprite, and Fanta. The most health-conscious thing she’d done recently was buy bottled water after feeling overheated. But the bottle had run out at lunch.
Too hot to go out, she had spent the day at home.
Finally, she found a chilled bottle of water in the fridge.
Xie Jinxing: “….”
Three seconds of silence.
“I’m not thirsty. Leave it there.”
Though he said he wasn’t thirsty, he actually was. Hesitating, realizing she wasn’t going to make him tea, he gave up.
He glanced at the two drinks on the table, the cola and bottled water. The cup was clearly personal. He reluctantly accepted the bottled water.
After all, pure water was acceptable; high-sugar drinks at midnight were against his disciplined lifestyle.
Gu An’an sat slowly opposite him.
She watched him open the bottle and take a sip of the ice-cold water. Her gaze drifted to his lips as his throat moved. The cold water made them red, and a faint sheen remained when he removed the bottle.
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.” She quickly looked away.
He raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment on her daze.
They sat silently for a while, until Gu An’an remembered: “Uncle, why did you come so late? Is there something you needed?”
He tightened the cap on the bottle, then spoke slowly: “Yes, there’s something.”
He didn’t reveal it immediately, instead asking why she had worked at the bar last night.
“To earn living expenses.” Gu An’an answered, as before. If he hadn’t lost his memory, he should recall asking the exact same question in the safety passage of the fourth floor yesterday.
“Mm.” He nodded, as if yesterday had been a dream. “Only one night, did you earn enough?”
Gu An’an: “….”
She blinked, glancing at him.
Not sure why he asked, he was busy, just got off work around midnight. Could he really have come just to check if she earned enough? Maybe the old man instructed him to look after her. Not impossible.
Though she wanted to say she earned enough, over 120,000 in one night, she glanced at his expression and hesitated: “Did I…earn enough or not?”
He noticed her small, wandering eyes, curious what went on in her head. She seemed to overthink even the simplest questions. Did he always interrogate people like this?
Amused, but he asked again: “Are you studying directing?”
“Yes.”
“Why directing?”
Gu An’an sniffed. She could say her grades weren’t enough and she was reassigned, but that sounded lame. For someone like Xie Jinxing, with a mind surpassing his resume, it sounded underwhelming.
She wrapped it up: “I like watching movies.”
“How’s it going?”
“Terrible!”
She froze, remembering she spent all her time chasing Lu Xingyu. She hadn’t studied at all. Without last-minute cramming, she’d fail all courses.
Xie Jinxing’s expression? He smiled, immediately realizing he’d hit her weak spot.
Gu An’an, embarrassed, shot him a quick glare, then quickly looked down, pretending to be obedient.
He ignored her nervousness, watching her eyes like an experienced elder checking a student’s progress.
“Not good.” Honest, she admitted: “Very bad.”
“Mm.” He nodded. “Poor results can be addressed with direction.”
“?” She expected mockery, but he wasn’t rigid about grades.
“However,” his long lashes trembled as light filtered through, softening his tone: “You’re already a sophomore. Since you decided to work during summer, have you thought about your career?”
Gu An’an: “….”
“Have you decided on a career path? Attended employment lectures? Or planning further studies?”
Gu An’an: “….”
Silence.
“Oh.” He nodded.
No words, yet everything said. At that moment, his reprimand was deafening.
Damn, this was the gap between ordinary people and a CEO. Ordinary sophomores were thrilled to earn 120k in a night; he had already planned his career and achieved remarkable results.
She forced a stiff smile: “Uncle, I…”
He lowered his eyes, hiding a trace of smile.
A cunning adult, no clue what he calculated, but his face revealed nothing. As if tonight, he just happened to encounter a girl working a night job. A responsible elder, correcting a young relative’s missteps.
“Still want to work this summer?” he asked.
Gu An’an: “?”
She thought and replied: “Can I?”
She remembered fearing him, imagining him as a plot-dominating villain. Now, face to face, her strong heart was shattered by his simple words. Tears in her eyes, she wanted to appear serious and earnest, hoping the Xie Corporation would consider hiring her in the future.
He crossed his legs, slowly opening his killing-without-blood lips:
“I happen to need an assistant for miscellaneous work.”
Gu An’an had mentally prepared herself for a reflective evening, resolving to improve tomorrow, but she misheard.
Her eyes widened: “Ah?”
“If you really want to learn something this summer,” he added casually, “you can work by my side.”
Gu An’an: !!!!!!!
She was shocked, eyes wide, heart racing.
But Xie Corporation had high standards, non-211/985 graduates weren’t accepted. Although she was from a 985, the assistants around him were at least master’s level. She realized she had underestimated her charming, wealthy, family-loving uncle.
“Uncle ncle!” she grabbed his hand, shaking it up and down: “I’m willing! I really want to learn!”
She felt she had misjudged him, far from a villain, more like a golden Buddha.
She thought she had to apologize for previously misjudging him, even if he didn’t know, showing concern for her elder.
“Uncle, you came home so late, haven’t eaten? Hungry?”
His gaze lightly fell on her hand holding his.
When she lived in the Xie household, she had been pampered. Even after moving out for half a year, her hands remained delicate, soft as cotton.
Holding his long, bony hand, soft and pliant, made her feel light-headed.
She asked several times, no answer, so she looked down.
Then: !!!!
She realized she had brazenly held the male lead’s hand for a long moment. Gu An’an, fearless!
She quickly withdrew her hand, kneeling in apology: “Sorry, uncle! I didn’t mean it. I have a habit of grabbing people when happy. Sorry if I hurt you!”
He didn’t speak; the released hand rested on his lap again.
His face showed no expression, but the hand curled slightly.
Gu An’an was nervous, if her memory was correct, he didn’t like being touched. Most CEOs had quirks: ten out of ten were obsessive or had stomach issues. He likely had a cleanliness obsession.
“I washed my hands,” she explained earnestly. “Jasmine soap, plus sanitizing wipes.”
“Mm.” He formed a loose fist, cleared his throat: “Nothing. You’re overreacting. Can uncle chop off your hand?”
Gu An’an: “….”
Deciding to move past it, she tried to change the subject: “Then, uncle, are you hungry?”
He remained persistent.
“A little. But…” He had just finished a three-hour meeting, and it was past midnight. Normally, he wouldn’t eat.
Before he could refuse, she stood: “I’ll order takeout!”
“All the takeout nearby? I know which are best!”
Xie Jinxing: “….”
“But at this hour, some shops are already closed,” Gu An’an muttered, spinning happily around her room. When this little girl was happy, joy seemed to shine from every corner of her face. “But who am I? The little queen of takeout! I order from the nearby places every day, so I know all the owners really well! I even have their phone numbers.”
Without waiting for Xie Jinxing to respond, she dialed one of the numbers at full speed.
The other side answered quickly, but the tone was less than friendly.
“I give up! What do you want to eat again? Small pot rice noodles? Or wonton noodles?!” the owner barked. “I’ve been running this shop for three years, living freely every day. Since meeting you, I suddenly feel like I have a job!”
Gu An’an, completely at ease with the owner, grinned: “I’ll have a small pot of rice noodles, extra beef! And a portion of wontons, no green onions, please.”
“Got it, got it!” The owner hung up.
Though grumbling and annoyed, the owner obediently started cooking.
Gu An’an didn’t mind being hung up on and turned to Xie Jinxing, who hadn’t said anything: “Uncle, you have to try these noodles! Authentic Yun Province rice noodles, and the meat is really flavorful. Their takeout is super popular, people even travel here just to taste it.”
“…” Xie Jinxing sipped water with restrained composure and nodded. “Alright, thank you, An’an, for the treat.”
This meal cost Gu An’an fifty-three yuan. She had a ten-yuan coupon, so she ended up paying forty-three.
Still buzzing from the sudden summer job, they sat opposite each other on the living room sofa. Gu An’an looked at Xie Jinxing, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit with gold buttons, and realized with a jolt:
Ahhhh, this isn’t like the carefree basketball club kids who happily eat anything. This guy is a real gold-stacked young master.
He probably doesn’t eat anything that isn’t air-shipped or organic…right?
A little nervous, Gu An’an stole a glance at him.
Xie Jinxing ignored her furtive eyes and, after agreeing to hire her, immediately pulled up a contract and sent it to her phone.
Her phone beeped, and she opened the file, a clearly detailed employment contract.
Gu An’an read it line by line. Her limited legal knowledge couldn’t cover most clauses, but one thing was perfectly clear: the numbers. She shuddered and counted zeros silently, then muttered them aloud: “One, ten, hundred, thousand, brother…dad…”
Shaking, she counted again. It was definitely 100,000.
“U-uncle… did you accidentally add an extra zero to my salary?”
“?”
“This one,” Gu An’an pointed at her phone, her hand trembling, barely able to believe it.
“The contract I gave you has been carefully reviewed,” he replied.
She wasn’t underestimating herself, she just didn’t have the capability for such a salary. She thought 10,000 was already huge, a premium only granted by Xie Jinxing out of respect for Grandpa Xie.
Her hands shot up in the air, almost lifting the phone like an offering, ready to kowtow three times.
The shock made her lean forward involuntarily. The sweet scent of orange floated into her nose. Her hair had grown since the past half-month; after so many washes, the usual “instant noodle” waves were gone. Her soft, silky hair had natural curls but never tangled, fluffy under the light. Her big eyes, wide and innocent, made her look like a small animal unaware of danger.
When she had handed him the cola earlier, she hadn’t looked like this. Xie Jinxing chuckled. “Numbers in Arabic might be wrong. Check the uppercase numerals.”
“Oh…” Gu An’an looked down: only two characters, ten thousand.
Her heart felt like it had been shot into the air, leaving her dizzy. She muttered nervously: “Maybe my eyes are playing tricks…I don’t like carrots, maybe I’m night-blind…”
Xie Jinxing heard her muttering, calmly pointing to the light above.
“Have you seen my grades from last year…?”
He tapped a few times on the phone and laughed: “Giving you this much is because you’re worth it. No doubt. I’m a businessman, businessmen never make a loss.”
Simple, blunt logic, but strangely convincing.
Gu An’an was persuaded.
If he believed in her, she might as well trust herself. Maybe she had talents even she didn’t know about, waiting to be discovered by a CEO.
How wonderful that thought was.
“If you want to start, print two copies of the contract tomorrow. Both signed. Come to Xie Corporation Building by noon and go to HR for stamping and signatures.”
Could she refuse? With a monthly salary of 100,000, yearly 1.2 million, she would crawl out of her coffin if needed to sign this contract!
“Okay, okay, I’ll be there on time.”
…
As it turned out, Xie Jinxing, no matter how rich, was still human. He didn’t insist on air-shipped ingredients or organic vegetables. He could eat regular boxed meals, and he enjoyed the small pot rice noodles like any normal person.
He just ate moderately, because his long-term self-discipline prevented overindulgence. No wonder he had a perfect figure.
Task clear, Xie Jinxing didn’t linger.
Even though he personally had no ulterior motives toward the girl, appearing at her apartment past midnight to share a late-night snack was already very impolite, even crossing boundaries, especially since she was a younger relative of a different surname.
Gu An’an enthusiastically saw him to the elevator, watching his car drive off.
Xie Jinxing checked the rearview mirror, saw her waving from afar, and called assistant Li.
Li, used to receiving late-night calls from the workaholic boss, quickly noted the instructions to handle everything the next morning.
Phone hung up, Xie Jinxing rubbed his nose bridge.
“Boss, where to?” asked driver Zhang, accustomed to late-night work.
“Return to Lingshui Villa.”
Lingshui Villa was Xie Jinxing’s private residence, conveniently close to work.
Back home, he didn’t rest immediately. Instead, he pulled out the files Liang Chengli had given him. The documents were thorough but had vague key points. Xie Jinxing felt something strange about Su Ruan. He reviewed the materials multiple times. Except for the mysterious “Guardian Immortal” aspect, everything seemed ordinary.
He didn’t believe in supernatural things. He leaned toward a psychological explanation, Su Ruan might naturally have a talent for suggestion.
In modern psychology and criminal investigations, there are real examples of such psychological influence. Some people naturally manipulate impressions subtly, creating an image that sticks even when the target realizes something’s off.
This skill is common in business negotiations. Xie Jinxing didn’t formally study psychology, it’s just something learned naturally in their social circle.
Creating a controlled impression for a purpose is easier than it seems. The first impression often accounts for 75% of perception. Later meetings rarely change it unless something drastic happens. A few flaws left intentionally won’t matter.
Su Ruan seemed to have this talent. Innocent appearance, unthreatening aura, well-timed speech, and understanding of human nature…enough to mislead those less stable.
What Xie Jinxing cared about was how she had influenced him.
He was calm and analytical, rarely susceptible. That was what puzzled him.
But he had ways to counter it, how effective they would be remained to be seen.
…
Gu An’an, oblivious to Xie Jinxing’s calculations, went early the next morning to a print shop near her complex to make two copies of the contract.
She carefully signed her name, then headed to Xie Corporation Building.
Located in the CBD, the thirty-story building was massive. Holding the contract, she went to HR. They had been prepped, warmly welcomed her, offered fresh juice and some cakes, and quickly took the contract to the twentieth floor.
Gu An’an waited, sipping juice and nibbling cakes.
The HR assistant returned quickly, stamped two contracts, one for her, one retained upstairs, and explained company policies. Then she sent Gu An’an home.
“?” Gu An’an blinked. “I don’t start work yet?”
“Next week,” the assistant said cheerfully. “Mr. Xie is on a business trip. You’re his personal assistant, reporting directly. Mainly handling his tasks. He’ll contact you if needed. Keep your phone on.”
“Oh…okay.”
Gu An’an left, feeling like she’d gotten everything for free. She looked up at the towering building, pocketed the snacks, and realized: Xie Jinxing left her apartment past 1 a.m., and today he’s already on a business trip. He’s not made of flesh and bone, he must be steel.
Truly, being a CEO isn’t for everyone. How does his brain survive such intensity?
Feeling amazed, Gu An’an happily had lunch downstairs and then went home to nap.
The whole afternoon passed without a single notification. Though Xie Jinxing had told her to keep her phone on 24/7, he seemed to have forgotten her. From signing the contract to Monday, no calls came.
Gu An’an didn’t panic; she followed HR’s instructions and waited for her boss’s directions.
Meanwhile, in a rundown old apartment on the outskirts of Jing City…
Su Ruan was bumped from behind and fell to the ground.
Her fair wrist scraped the rough cement, bleeding slightly. Her face went pale as tears filled her eyes. She slammed her hand onto the ground, muttering a curse.
If anyone who knew her were present, they’d be shocked. The usually timid Su Ruan swore freely.
The deserted neighborhood allowed her to curse without restraint.
She stood up, kicking the object that tripped her. The dim streetlight cast a small circle of light, revealing dusty moths fluttering, scattering fine powder.
Suddenly, she froze, as if stopped by something.
Frowning, she pulled out her phone, turned on the flashlight, and studied the object on the ground. Her eyes lit up. Her annoyed expression vanished, replaced with a delighted one.
Though no one spoke, she seemed to be conversing. “Why did he come out so early this time? He shouldn’t have been here yet.”
“I understand,” she nodded. “But I need to get him home. His tail isn’t fully dealt with. Contacting him too early could cause trouble.”
“Oh.” She paused, then seemed to compromise: “No choice…strike first.”
She summoned all her strength to drag the ‘thing’, or rather, ‘person’, into hiding behind a trash bin. Then she disappeared into the darkness.
She ran fast, through alleys she knew blindfolded.
About fifteen minutes later, a group armed with knives and pipes arrived. They prowled for a while, found nothing, cursed, and left.
After waiting another ten minutes to ensure safety, she brought a cart and transported the hidden person home.
If anyone could hear inside her head, they would hear a mechanical voice:
[Host, the second chance bought with your family’s life is spent. Your mother’s life is nearing its end. This is your final rebirth.]