"Hahaha, why do I get the feeling this place has the vibe of a street-side barbecue stall?"

With everyone sitting around in small groups, Lu Ming suddenly spoke up with a laugh.

Hearing this, Xiaolu, who was beside him, shot him a speechless look.

’Does he even know how to talk?’

’A thirty-six-million-dollar mansion, and you’re comparing it to a barbecue stall?’

Lin Chu didn’t seem to mind, however. He just smiled. "It just shows it’s lively and full of life. It’s not often everyone can get together for a meal like this, is it?"

Xiaolu’s lips twitched. She actually wanted to ask why Lin Chu hadn’t brought Du Xiaoman.

But looking around, she saw that Lin Chu hadn’t brought anyone else. This gathering had no "hostess."

’Well, alright then.’

’He’s impossible to figure out.’

’Still, Lin Chu’s two female assistants were really... Ugh, each one was prettier than the last.’

’One was a Peking University graduate, incredibly capable, a total social butterfly who could go toe-to-toe in conversation even with Brother Feng.’

’The other was a sweet, well-behaved girl who looked like the "good wife and loving mother" type. She had already become the fourth person manning the grill.’

Watching them, Xiaolu’s heart sank on Du Xiaoman’s behalf.

’My dear friend, besides your long legs and those white schoolgirl-style thigh-highs, you don’t have any other advantages.’

’What’s she going to do?’

’I can occasionally keep Lu Ming in check; our relationship is about fifty-fifty.’

’But with a man like Lin Chu, Xiaoman doesn’t stand a chance. There’s no possibility of her being in control. He can only be the one who dominates, while she can only be the one who worships.’

She nonchalantly snapped a photo.

She sent it to Du Xiaoman: "I checked for you. No girls around your man, it’s all his bros."

Du Xiaoman: "[Pouting] Then why didn’t he bring me?"

Xiaolu: "Maybe he’s afraid other guys will hit on you. You’re his treasure, he has to hide you away, right?"

Du Xiaoman: "Emmm, okay, okay, I get it. Mwah! You go have fun."

Du Xiaoman didn’t tell her best friend that Lin Chu was going to see her at her school that night. It wasn’t a case of being fake friends; some things were just a little too private to share.

...

Meanwhile, Lin Chu was listening to Liu Junfeng shoot the shit.

These kinds of gatherings were his forte; you could call him the king of parties.

That old dog was currently talking about war.

He was going on about how to fight a war, how the first battle would be the last, how "we aren’t targeting anyone in particular, but every other player on this planet is trash," and how "the glory of the red flag will surely cover the entire world"... and so on. His speech got everyone’s blood pumping, and the air was filled with constant laughter and cheers.

A moment later, Lin Chu turned his head and saw Gu Jiayan quietly bringing over a plate of skewers.

She set it down, gave a polite smile without saying a word, and then returned to the grill.

It gave off a feeling of "the happiness belongs to them, while she has nothing," especially since she was wearing a white dress, which only made her seem more forlorn.

’Is she just clueless?’

’Or just socially awkward?’

’She didn’t seem socially awkward when I talked to her before.’

After a moment of thought, Lin Chu lit a cigarette, got up, and walked over to her.

"What are you up to? How did you end up on grilling duty?"

Gu Jiayan looked up at Lin Chu and smiled faintly. "Oh, I like grilling. I find it pretty fulfilling to cook for other people."

"Alright, alright, you do you then. Hey, Master," Lin Chu said, turning to the professional griller next to her. "Is your company hiring? See, this little sister of mine here wants to come work for you."

The grill master couldn’t help but chuckle. "No way, this job’s all smoke and fire. But the young lady is a fast learner. She’s already got the hang of it."

Gu Jiayan couldn’t help but laugh at the exchange.

Though, she found the way Lin Chu referred to her a little strange. ’Little sister’?

It gave off a kind of old-school gangster vibe, completely different from the President Lin she was used to seeing in the office.

’But, in a setting like this, it seemed that was exactly the right vibe to have.’

"You know it. If I ever get fired, I’ll just go grill skewers for a living."

Her mood lightened, and she replied with a beaming smile.

Lin Chu laughed. "Go for it. You can be the ’BBQ Beauty.’"

He paused, then his expression changed. "Hm? Are you trying to jinx yourself? You haven’t even officially started work yet and you’re already thinking about getting fired?"

Although Lin Chu said it with a smile, Gu Jiayan still felt a hint of pressure. She quickly denied it, pouting her lips in a cute, flustered way. "I... I was just saying. Sorry, I misspoke."

He didn’t press the issue, saying casually, "Thanks for your hard work. We’ll count today as overtime and pay you for it."

Hearing this, Gu Jiayan immediately replied, "No, really, there’s no need. Just consider it my housewarming gift to you. It’s the proper thing to do."

’Huh?’

Lin Chu was a little surprised; he hadn’t expected her to say that. He was starting to get a handle on her personality—she was reserved in a crowd, but pretty good one-on-one. She could even be witty.

"Alright then. In that case, I’ll move house every day. I’ll buy a new place every single day, and you can give me a gift every single day."

Lin Chu said with a wicked grin.

She: ...

After a moment of speechlessness, she looked as if she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

At the same time, she felt the staggering shock of true wealth. ’Buy a new house every day?’

"Alright then. I’ll work hard to support your home-buying habit. As long as I work hard enough, my boss will be able to buy a new house every day."

Snapping out of it, she replied with a smile that was part teasing and part gentle sarcasm.

Lin Chu joked back, "That’s a golden line! A classic! I’m going to have that put up on the company wall as the core of our corporate culture. I’ll say Assistant Gu said it to encourage everyone to work harder."

Gu Jiayan: ???

’Is he for real?’

"I didn’t say that! It wasn’t me! I only motivate myself, not other people!"

she said with a pitiful expression, looking even more torn between laughter and tears.

’This black-hearted boss really understands management. Turn the conflict between the boss and the employees into a conflict among the employees themselves.’

’Brilliant!’

Just then, Zhang Peng walked over. He glanced at Lin Chu, then at Gu Jiayan, and smiled. "Brother Chu, I wanted to report a small matter. Gu Jiayan lives too far from the office—it takes her an hour just to get here by subway. It’s very inconvenient if anything urgent comes up. I was thinking, maybe we could rent an apartment for them near the company? Treat it as employee housing?"

Gu Jiayan was stunned to hear this.

’There’s a perk like that?’

’This wasn’t in the contract. There was a one-thousand-yuan housing subsidy, but that was it.’

"Sure, you handle it. Get them a place in a nice complex. They’re girls, after all. Safety first."

Lin Chu said casually, patting Zhang Peng on the shoulder.

Zhang Peng nodded with a smile. "Got it. I’ll discuss it with them and see if they want to share an apartment or get separate studios."

He turned to Gu Jiayan. "What do you think?"

A sudden warmth spread through her. She said softly, "I’m fine with either option. You should ask what He Meng wants."

As she spoke, a strange analogy popped into her head: ’The black-hearted boss is upgrading the stable for his workhorses.’

’But as soon as the comparison formed in her mind, she immediately thought, *Ugh, that’s too cynical. How could I be so cynical?* and felt a pang of shame.’

"Okay, you guys figure it out. The skewers are about to burn!"

Lin Chu said with a laugh before turning to leave.

’Pengzi is getting more and more thoughtful these days.’

...

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

An electric scooter zoomed up and stopped at the gate. Wang Zhefei swung a leg off it, dismounting with a commanding, wide-legged stance.

He immediately drew everyone’s attention.

’We’re all driving Bentleys and Mercedes, or at least a BMW or an Audi. Who’s this guy who shows up on an electric scooter?’

’But on second thought, riding an electric scooter meant he lived nearby. And to live near Overseas Chinese Town... Tsk.’

"Man, I’m beat! Been moving all day... Holy shit, this place is awesome! Bro! Foster Father..."

Wang Zhefei said with a wide grin as he walked in and saw Lin Chu.

Lin Chu laughed and gave him a playful punch on the arm. "Get out! Right now. Immediately. This instant."

Wang Zhefei: "Alright, alright, I’m getting out, I’m getting out! Hey, uh, pack me up some skewers to go, and grab me a bottle of wine while you’re at it. I haven’t eaten yet... Time to leech off the rich!"

Lin Chu: ...

Everyone else watched the scene with grins, all of them getting the picture—this had to be Brother Chu’s actual brother.

Coming here to eat and then taking food to go—he wasn’t acting like a guest at all.

He wasn’t even acting human.

Who else here would dare to do something like that?

"Just shut up and eat something first, you bastard. Get something in your stomach! Master Gu, a plate of skewers over here! Bring him the burnt ones! And add a lump of charcoal! My buddy here likes his food extra hot!"

Lin Chu shouted over toward Gu Jiayan.

When Gu Jiayan heard this, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing. That line hit her funny bone perfectly; it easily won the award for the best joke of the night.

’President Lin really is... hilarious.’

...

...