The morning sun reflected off the tall glass walls of Zhen Group Tower, making the entire building glow like a crystal in the center of the city.
Inside the CEO's office on the top floor, Liang Zhen stood near the wide window, looking down at the busy streets below. Cars moved like small dots and people rushed through their morning routines.
Behind him, the office door knocked twice.
"Come in," he said calmly.
The door opened and Mei Lin stepped inside with a tablet in her hand. Even though she had been working at the company for a few weeks now, she still felt slightly nervous every time she entered his office.
Liang Zhen turned around.
For a brief second, his eyes paused on her.
Something about her presence always made him strangely aware. He could never explain why.
"President Liang," Mei Lin said politely. "The meeting with the investors has been moved to eleven."
She placed the tablet on his desk.
Liang Zhen nodded slightly.
"Noted."
Mei Lin turned to leave, but just as she reached the door, it suddenly opened from the outside.
Liu Xinyi walked in confidently.
She was dressed elegantly, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. Her eyes quickly scanned the room before stopping on Mei Lin.
A faint smile appeared on her lips, but it wasn't friendly.
"Oh, you're still here?" she said lightly.
Mei Lin remained calm. "I was just leaving."
Liu Xinyi stepped closer to the desk and crossed her arms.
"You know," she continued, "working as President Liang's secretary isn't easy. It requires experience."
Mei Lin didn't respond.
Liu Xinyi leaned slightly toward her and spoke in a softer voice.
"Some people get hired because they are lucky. Others stay because they are actually capable."
The meaning behind her words was obvious.
Before Mei Lin could say anything, another voice suddenly spoke.
"That will be enough."
Both women turned toward Liang Zhen.
He was standing behind his desk now, his expression calm but firm.
"Xinyi," he said, "if you have work to discuss, then discuss it. If not, don't waste time."
For a moment, Liu Xinyi looked surprised.
She hadn't expected him to interrupt.
"I was just talking," she said quickly.
Liang Zhen didn't respond. His eyes shifted briefly toward Mei Lin.
"You may go," he told her.
Mei Lin nodded once and quietly left the office.
The door closed behind her.
Inside the room, Liu Xinyi forced a small smile.
"You didn't have to be so serious," she said.
Liang Zhen simply returned to his chair.
"Focus on your work."
Meanwhile, Mei Lin walked down the hallway toward the elevators. She let out a quiet breath she didn't realize she had been holding.
Working in such a big company was already stressful. Office politics only made things harder.
As she stepped into the elevator, another person quickly slipped inside before the doors closed.
It was Zhang Ming.
He looked at her and smiled casually.
"Morning, Secretary Mei."
"Morning," she replied.
Zhang Ming leaned slightly against the elevator wall.
"You handled that well," he said.
Mei Lin looked confused. "Handled what?"
He chuckled.
"Xinyi. She's been working here for years. She thinks the CEO's office belongs to her."
Mei Lin didn't say anything.
After a moment, Zhang Ming added jokingly, "But don't worry. Our boss isn't blind."
The elevator reached the lobby and the doors opened.
They stepped out together.
At the same time, inside the CEO's office, Liang Zhen sat silently behind his desk.
For some reason, the conversation from earlier was still on his mind.
He rarely involved himself in small office conflicts. Normally he would ignore things like that.
But when Liu Xinyi spoke to Mei Lin that way, something inside him reacted instantly.
It wasn't anger exactly.
It was something else.
A strange, unfamiliar feeling.
Liang Zhen leaned back slightly in his chair, his gaze drifting toward the door Mei Lin had just walked through earlier.
Why did it bother him?
Why did he feel the need to step in?
He had only known her for a short time.
Yet every time she was near, something inside him felt… different.
As if some invisible instinct was quietly pulling his attention toward her.
Liang Zhen frowned slightly at the thought.
He didn't understand it.
But one thing was becoming clear.
Without realizing it, he had already begun watching over her.