A Manager’s First Steps and an Unexpected Reunion

The wind whispered softly outside the window.

High up in the multi-storied Shengxia Tower, Xia Chu stifled a quiet yawn.

Her initiation into the company had proceeded without a hitch.

Following Grandpa Xia’s directives, she had swiftly been assigned her own office and a team of subordinates, thus officially becoming a manager at the Xia Family Foundation.

Though she frequently encountered relatives within the company, some close, some distant, their demeanor was often less than amiable.

Behind her back, she knew, they exchanged all sorts of jests, much as they had during her childhood.

Xia Chu feigned ignorance, a coping mechanism she had long since mastered.

She understood that under Grandpa Xia’s stern governance, the foundation operated devoid of sentiment or human connection, driven solely by the cold, unforgiving logic of numbers.

It was a world where the winner took all, and only the victor reigned supreme.

Yet, no sooner had she reported for work yesterday than He Manyu’s call came that very evening.

He Manyu showered her with pleasantries and extended a warm invitation for her to return home for a family dinner, a reunion.

Evidently, He Manyu had misinterpreted Xia Chu’s actions, believing her entry into the foundation signaled a change of heart, a potential green light for her own schemes.

Xia Chu’s immediate impulse was to sever the call.

She had no intention of assisting, especially not in a manner that would jeopardize her nascent career.

However, at this nascent stage, as a newly appointed manager, she was too vulnerable, too lacking in influence.

It seemed more prudent to appease the other party for now.

After a brief moment of deliberation, Xia Chu addressed the phone:

“So, your intention is for me, a manager who has only just commenced my role at the foundation, despite not having returned home for several years, to swiftly reunite with the family post-onboarding, and then, shortly thereafter, approve a loan application submitted by your own company?”

‘In simpler terms,’ ‘do you even grasp the concept of avoiding impropriety?’

He Manyu quickly caught on, profusely assuring Xia Chu that she understood, admitting it was a mother’s momentary lapse in judgment.

She then urged Xia Chu to work diligently and wished her a swift promotion.

‘All in all, she had, for the time being, managed to gain a foothold and set things on the right path.’

****

“Eat out?” Bai Jingjing echoed, utterly astonished.

“Are you serious?”

‘Good heavens,’ ‘her own daughter—no, her girlfriend—who had never once suggested venturing out, was actually inviting them to dine outside?’

After a moment’s contemplation, she inquired, “Has a new restaurant opened near Ayana Community?”

‘She simply wished to sample its fare, contemplating that if it proved satisfactory, they could always order takeout in the future.’

Luo Xuan shook her head, extending her phone towards her.

“See for yourself.”

[Chuxia: Are you free tomorrow midday, you and Bai Jingjing? Let’s meet for lunch. Address: 33 Changle Avenue North Section, downstairs of Shengxia Tower.]

“That location is several kilometers from Ayana Community,” Luo Xuan remarked.

“It’s highly improbable to be the scenario you’re imagining.”

Moreover, if my memory serves me, Shengxia Tower is, in fact, the Xia family’s corporate headquarters.

While I can’t recall the specific company it houses, it undeniably ranks among the most pivotal assets within the entirety of the Xia family’s vast holdings.

“We’ll find out tomorrow, once we’re there,” Bai Jingjing declared.

Both she and Luo Xuan were presently enjoying their leisure at home, with no pressing engagements, making them perfectly available for a lunch outing.

“Alright.”

Anticipating the reunion with her best friend tomorrow, Luo Xuan found herself plagued by an unbidden sense of guilt.

Consequently, she slept uncharacteristically soundly that night, refraining even from her usual cuddles with Tuantuan.

Naturally, during the night, when Bai Jingjing happened to roll over, Tuantuan inadvertently pressed against Luo Xuan’s face; such incidents were, of course, unavoidable and entirely beyond their control.

In any case, a night redolent with the scent of coconut milk passed, and the new day dawned.

Just past ten in the morning, both women donned their chosen attire for the outing, readying themselves to depart.

Under a clear sky, Bai Jingjing, dressed in her familiar attire, settled into Luo Xuan’s car.

“Luo Xuan,” she inquired, “Changle Avenue is in the city center, a rather bustling district, isn’t it?”

“Indeed, it is,” Luo Xuan affirmed, her gaze fixed steadfastly ahead.

“Why do you ask?”

“Well then, feast your eyes now, drink in the sights to your heart’s content,” Bai Jingjing said, casually propping up a fair leg.

“Once we enter the inner ring, you’d best focus on the road; traffic there is considerably heavier.”

“…”

A faint blush bloomed on her pretty face, and she promptly redirected her full attention to driving.

The journey of a few kilometers was neither particularly short nor long, yet securing a parking spot consumed a fair amount of time.

Fortunately, Luo Xuan had accounted for ample lead time; having departed at half past ten, it was almost half past eleven by the time they parked, perfectly aligning with their lunch plans.

The address Xia Chu had provided, ‘Four Seasons Tea Restaurant’ located beneath Shengxia Tower, was conspicuously visible, allowing them to spot it instantly upon approach.

Bai Jingjing opened her phone, checking for any new messages.

“I wonder where Xia Chu is seated.

Did she send you a text?”

“No need,” Luo Xuan replied.

“Just look up.”

“Eh?”

Upon hearing this, Bai Jingjing lifted her gaze, only to behold a striking beauty standing before them, impeccably clad in professional attire.

A closer look confirmed it: this was none other than her daughter—no, her girlfriend.

“You’ve arrived,” Xia Chu murmured, her voice soft.

“I was concerned you might struggle to find the place, so I came out to escort you in…”

Perhaps due to being in public, she seemed a little out of her element, her voice even softer than it typically was at home.

“It’s perfectly alright; this is merely a restaurant, quite simple to locate,” Luo Xuan said, raising a hand in greeting.

“Well, I’ll be! You actually made it out.

I can’t even recall the last time I saw you venturing outside.”

“It’s, it’s fine, it hasn’t been that long, really.”

Xia Chu offered a casual reply, only then realizing that Bai Jingjing had remained utterly silent.

‘What was the matter with Bai Jingjing?’

More precisely, she was gazing, unblinking, at Xia Chu, at Xia Chu in her professional guise.

A crisp white shirt, a long tie, a form-fitting pencil skirt, and a pair of sheer black stockings comprised her ensemble.

These close-fitting garments accentuated the woman’s stunningly curvaceous figure with breathtaking precision.

“Bai Jingjing?” Xia Chu whispered, her voice a soft summons.

“Hm? I—I’m perfectly fine,” Bai Jingjing stammered, jolting back to reality and subtly swallowing.

“Xia Chu, that outfit suits you perfectly.”

Xia Chu’s ears flushed faintly.

“Is that so? It’s… it’s just my work uniform.”

“Truly, it’s exceptionally beautiful, incredibly fitting,” Bai Jingjing asserted with earnestness.

“Not only does the work uniform suit you, but you could also *make* the uniform work for you.”

“…”

‘It was certainly the first time she had ever received such a peculiar compliment.’

Luo Xuan, too, now took note of her best friend’s attire.

To be frank, it had been so long since they last met that she hadn’t realized Xia Chu’s figure had blossomed so remarkably.

‘It was primarily ‘Tuantuan’ (TL Note: A playful euphemism for breasts) that had grown considerably since Xia Chu had left her home years ago.’

Luo Xuan felt a pang of envy.

She knew that if she were to don such a professional ensemble, she could never achieve the same captivating effect as her best friend, nor could she possibly mesmerize Bai Jingjing in the same fashion.

‘Perhaps she ought to strategize by exploring other styles of attire.’

“Please, come inside first,” Xia Chu invited, patting the hem of her shirt as she addressed the two young women.

“I’ve secured a table for us, right by the window.”

‘It was a table she had booked on a monthly retainer.’

Settling into a table in the tea restaurant’s northwest corner, Luo Xuan surveyed her surroundings, then, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, “Xia Chu, what prompted you to suddenly venture out, and invite us to dine at such a distant location?

And of all places, here…”

She gestured upwards, indicating the towering Shengxia Tower directly above them.

“For a few reasons,” Xia Chu replied, extending the menu towards them.

“However, let’s order first.”