Gu Xun's new apartment was quite close to Gu Corporation—a spacious 300-square-meter flat in a high-end residential complex with an excellent environment.
After checking the property prices online, Jiang Mo did some quick calculations and realized that with her current monthly salary, she could never afford such a place in this lifetime.
"Take this bag—it's lighter," Gu Xun said, handing her a less heavy one when she reached for the groceries. He carried the rest himself.
The private elevator led straight to the front door. Jiang Mo changed into a new pair of slippers at the entrance, set down the bags, and began exploring her new surroundings.
The entire apartment was decorated in a monochrome palette of black, white, and gray, including the furniture. Even the sofa followed the same scheme—not a single pop of color in sight.
The only vibrant thing was a vase of roses on the table, freshly bought from the supermarket earlier.
Though the color scheme leaned toward the dark side, the interior design was undeniably tasteful—clearly a high-budget project.
The living room was huge, the bedrooms were huge, the kitchen was huge, and even the bathroom was as big as a rental unit in a first-tier city.
One could only say—being rich was great.
Jiang Mo made a point of checking out the guest bedroom. Hmm, plenty of natural light.
Wonder if our young CEO Gu needs someone to take care of the place.
If she got assigned here, it wouldn’t be half bad.
Gu Xun handed her a bottle of NFC juice. "I’ll have to trouble you with dinner tonight."
He wasn’t particularly skilled in the kitchen and had originally planned to ask Aunt Wang or Chef Li to help. But during their shopping trip, Jiang Mo mentioned she’d learned a lot from Chef Li and volunteered to handle dinner.
After a brief consideration, he nodded in agreement.
"No trouble at all, it’s my duty," Jiang Mo eagerly took on the task, hoping to impress the young boss.
Who knows? If he took a liking to her, maybe he’d transfer her here.
A true man should strive for greatness—how could one remain content in a subordinate position forever?
Her mother was still untouchable for now, but she could always find another path.
And if the young CEO was always busy, wouldn’t it be perfect if she got transferred here? The boss could work outside to support her while she enjoyed life at home.
Heh.
The thought was so delightful that Jiang Mo couldn’t help but chuckle to herself.
Gu Xun, busy organizing the groceries, was about to ask whether the ingredients needed prepping when he noticed her grinning like a fool.
Jiang Mo snapped out of her daydream and realized she’d been caught.
"I was going to ask—should we prep these ingredients now or just store them in the fridge?"
She quickly took the items from his hands. "Young CEO Gu, you should go rest. Leave this to me—no need to dirty your hands."
"Alright," Gu Xun replied, glancing at his now-empty hands before heading to his study to work.
Once he was gone, Jiang Mo exhaled in relief and got to work organizing the ingredients on the counter.
With noon approaching, she hurried to prepare lunch.
Gu Xun was in a meeting in his study, so she didn’t want to disturb him. She quickly whipped up three dishes.
Meanwhile, Gu Xun was in the middle of a Feishu video conference. After the meeting ended, Zhuge Shen stayed on the call.
"You’re really starting to carry yourself like a CEO now. That stern expression of yours is kind of intimidating—did you see how those old-timers were sweating bullets today, too scared to argue back?"
"Their projects lost that much money—they don’t have the right to complain," Gu Xun replied dismissively. These so-called company veterans had become nothing but parasites. If it weren’t for Gu Guofeng’s sentimentality, he would’ve forced them into retirement long ago.
Zhuge Shen agreed. "Every time we try to push a new project, those guys block it. So damn annoying."
"By the way, I’ve finalized the plans for the northern district project. I’ll send them over later. Since I’m coming over tonight to celebrate your move, I’ll clock out early."
Gu Xun nodded, checking the time. It was already lunch hour. "Fine. We’ll discuss it after I review it."
After ending the call, Gu Xun left his study and was greeted by the aroma of food.
Two dishes were already set on the black marble dining table in the living room.
In the kitchen, Jiang Mo was busy scooping the last stir-fry onto a plate.
"Young CEO Gu, please go ahead and eat. There’s just one more dish—it’ll be ready soon."
"No rush," Gu Xun replied. "We’ll eat together once you’re done."
Jiang Mo sped up and finished the final dish.
Gu Xun invited her to join him at the table. Since it was just the two of them, she didn’t stand on ceremony.
"Young CEO Gu, please try my cooking and let me know what you think."
Truth be told, several members of the Gu family had already tasted her food, but this was her first time cooking for Gu Xun.
As a caretaker, winning over the employer’s stomach was crucial.
The dishes were on the lighter side. Gu Xun sampled the braised pork ribs and was surprised—it was actually quite good.
Better than he’d expected.
"Not bad."
Jiang Mo grinned. "Heh, glad to hear it."
All her behind-the-scenes practice had paid off.
Thanks to Wang Xia and Chef Li’s guidance, she’d easily picked up on the Gu family’s preferences.
Chef Li had even given her crash courses, tailoring dishes to each family member’s tastes.
Now, it was finally coming in handy.
Neither of them had a huge appetite, so four dishes were more than enough—there were even leftovers.
Under Gu Xun’s refined dining manners, Jiang Mo found herself eating more gracefully too.
After the meal, Jiang Mo cleaned up the kitchen and asked, "Young CEO Gu, should I head back to the main house for now and return later, or is there anything else you need me to do here?"
Gu Xun thought for a moment. Since Jiang Mo hadn’t brought her scooter today, going back and forth would be a hassle.
"There’s a projector in the living room. If you’re done, you can watch something."
"Got it."
Yes! She could officially slack off this afternoon.
And what better companion for slacking off than milk tea?
Jiang Mo opened a food delivery app, applied a discount coupon, and ordered three cups of Mixue’s "Orange Smash" to meet the minimum spending requirement—total cost: thirteen yuan.
Then she scrolled through her phone, checking for updates on her idol, Zhou Wansen.
Turns out he was currently vacationing on an island.
Guess the entertainment industry wasn’t doing so hot either.
After some mindless scrolling, she got a call from the delivery guy—he couldn’t bring the order upstairs and had left it with the concierge.
The concierge brought the delivery to the door, eyeing the unmistakable Mixue packaging.
Who’d have thought the wealthy here drank Mixue too?
The door opened to reveal a young woman. "Your Mixue order."
"Thanks!" Jiang Mo took the drinks.
Back inside, she immediately grabbed one and took a big sip—pure bliss.
Then, holding another cup, she tiptoed toward the study like a thief.
Hearing a knock, Gu Xun looked up. "Come in."
The door cracked open slightly, revealing only Jiang Mo’s head peeking in. "Young CEO Gu, I bought some milk tea and got one for you too."
Gu Xun finally noticed the drink in her hand. After a pause, he said, "Thanks."
"How much? I’ll transfer you the money."
"No need, it’s really cheap," Jiang Mo insisted, quickly placing the cup on his desk. "I’ll leave you to your work."
Mission accomplished, she happily returned to binge-watching dramas.
Gu Xun had been busy for quite a while and felt a bit thirsty. Picking up his cup, he saw the tea inside was already finished. Glancing at the untouched milk tea beside him, he grabbed a straw, poked it open, and took a sip. Sweet and sugary—definitely something girls would like.
Heading out to the restroom, he could faintly hear laughter coming from the living room.
Jiang Mo was in the living room, thoroughly engrossed in her phone. By the time it was a little past five, she reluctantly got up, stretching lazily. Time to get to work. Guests would be arriving soon.
She went to wash some fruit first. Just as she finished, the doorbell rang.
She hurried over to open the door.
"Miss Zhang!"
The door swung open to reveal Zhang Ruoduo standing there in sunglasses, looking even more stunning than before. Her warm chestnut-brown waves cascaded down, and she wore a fitted, silky red slip dress—elegant and undeniably feminine.
"Jiang Mo?" Zhang Ruoduo drew out her words, as if confirming the name. "What are you doing here?"
"Please come in," Jiang Mo stepped aside, handing her a fresh pair of slippers. "Young Master Gu said he was hosting guests today and asked me to help."
Zhang Ruoduo removed her sunglasses. "I see. Thanks for your hard work."
"No trouble at all."
Zhang Ruoduo swapped her heels for slippers, placed the bottle of red wine she was carrying on the coffee table, and glanced around. "Where’s Gu Xun?"
Jiang Mo replied, "Young Master Gu is in the study. I’ll go get him."
Zhang Ruoduo smiled. "No need. You go ahead with your work. I’ll find him myself—might as well take a look around."
Not long after, Zhuge Shen arrived.
All familiar faces.
Jiang Mo checked the time. This guy must have clocked out right after work and come straight over.
"Deep Ge, here’s some water."
"Thanks," Zhuge Shen handed her an exquisitely packaged fruit basket, then sipped his water as he headed to the study.
The moment Zhuge Shen entered the study, he spotted Zhang Ruoduo inside. "Thought I was early today, but you beat me to it."
"The photoshoot location was nearby, so I came straight after," Zhang Ruoduo replied. "Seems like you, the big-shot executive assistant, clocked out early while your boss is still grinding away."
Gu Xun was indeed still reviewing reports. Zhuge Shen clicked his tongue. "Come on, boss, stop pretending. With a beauty right in front of you, at least spare a glance."
"Alright, done," Gu Xun removed his gold-rimmed glasses.
"Now you’re making me look lazy," Zhuge Shen noticed the cup of orange tea on the table. "Since when did you start drinking milk tea?"
"Jiang Mo bought it," Gu Xun stood up. "Let’s move to the living room."
The group relocated to the living room. Zhang Ruoduo slid the bottle of wine forward. "Housewarming gift."
"Wow, you’re generous. I can’t compete," Zhuge Shen quipped. "Here, I figured a big-shot CEO like you wouldn’t lack for anything, so I brought some fruit—get your vitamins in."
Zhang Ruoduo defended Gu Xun. "As if Gu Corporation pays you peanuts. You’re driving a G-Wagon now."
"That G-Wagon is just for show—it’s rented," Zhuge Shen sighed. "Not like you two—a superstar and a tycoon."
Gu Xun watched them bicker. "There’s fruit on the table. Help yourselves. I’ll check on the kitchen."
Jiang Mo was prepping ingredients in the kitchen when she saw Gu Xun enter. "Half an hour, and the dishes will be ready."
She had already started the soup in the afternoon, steamed the fish, and now just needed to quickly stir-fry the shrimp, ribs, and vegetables.
"Got it. Call us if you need help."
Zhang Ruoduo also wandered over. "Can she handle it alone?"
Jiang Mo assured her, "I’ve got it. No problem."
Gu Xun said, "Let her work her magic. Let’s go back to the living room."
Jiang Mo had timed everything perfectly—half an hour was plenty.
At 6:30 PM, the dishes were served on time. "Everyone, dinner’s ready!"
Zhuge Shen looked impressed. "Jiang Mo, you made all this? You’re full of surprises."
"Heh, just a little skill," Jiang Mo set out the bowls and chopsticks.
Gu Xun took his seat first, Zhang Ruoduo chose the spot beside him, and Jiang Mo naturally sat next to Zhuge Shen.
"How about we open the wine I brought?" Zhang Ruoduo suggested.
"Sure," Gu Xun grabbed the corkscrew and poured some for the two women at the table, skipping Zhuge Shen. "You’re driving later, so no wine for you."
Mentioning cars reminded Jiang Mo of their earlier conversation. She leaned in and asked, "Deep Ge, where did you rent that G-Wagon? How much per month?"
If she could get the hang of driving, maybe she could rent one first to test different models before buying.
"What, you want to rent a G-Wagon too? Need me to hook you up?"
"No, just asking for reference."
Gu Xun couldn’t take it anymore. "That G-Wagon is his—he bought it. He’s just joking."
Jiang Mo: So the clown is me.
How could she have believed him? A high-ranking executive assistant like him wouldn’t rent a G-Wagon.
Annoyed, Jiang Mo took a gulp of red wine, then frowned. Why did it taste so… not great?
"You’re supposed to sip it slowly, not chug it like water. Otherwise, you won’t taste anything," Zhang Ruoduo swirled her glass gently before taking a delicate sip.
"If you can’t drink, don’t force it. There’s juice in the fridge," Gu Xun suddenly remembered her last drunken episode and regretted pouring her a glass.
Jiang Mo nodded—juice was definitely more her speed.
Zhang Ruoduo tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Jiang Mo, you’re young and pretty. Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Hmm, no," Jiang Mo shook her head.
"Really? A girl like you must have tons of admirers," Zhang Ruoduo sounded almost disbelieving. "Or are your standards just too high?"
Jiang Mo wasn’t sure why Zhang Ruoduo was so interested in her love life but answered honestly, "Seeing how my friends struggle in relationships, I’d rather focus on work and making money while I’m young."
"What about you, Miss Zhang? Do you have a boyfriend? Don’t worry, I’m great at keeping secrets—I won’t tell a soul."
Ooh, gossip time.
Zhang Ruoduo glanced sideways, then smiled. "No boyfriend."
"I get it. You’re a career-driven woman—men just slow us down when we’re trying to make money."
Zhuge Shen burst out laughing. "Jiang Mo, you… you’re something else."
Normally so sharp, yet completely oblivious to the obvious tension here.
A beauty was dropping hints, but her boss was as dense as a log.
