ORCBRB – Chapter 94

Chapter 94

After completing her graduation defense at Yanjing University, Sang Shi'an walked quietly through the campus alone, still able to recall the times two years ago when she attended classes, took exams, and fell in love on this very campus.

As her gaze fell upon a familiar academic building, the faces in her memory vanished along the white corridor. Time seemed to stand still for a subtle moment, leaving only a hazy play of light and shadow.

Until her phone rang.

Jian Cenyu's voice came through the phone, so gentle it was almost surreal. "Did the defense go well?"

"It went well, it's over." Sang Shi'an inhaled the fragrance of the winter plum blossoms and squinted her eyes in comfort. "I'm walking around the school. I saw a few couples, both girls."

Jian Cenyu played along. "Oh? How could you tell?"

Sang Shi'an said, "Intuition. They just didn't look so innocent."

Jian Cenyu laughed. "Like our relationship back then?"

The memory was pulled back to the beginning of her sophomore year, when she and Jian Cenyu were photographed living together, after which many rumors about them dating spread around the school.

Sang Shi'an denied it, "Don't drag me into this, Cenyu Jiejie. You were the one who wasn't innocent."

Jian Cenyu let Sang Shi'an have her way. "Alright, I seduced you. It was my fault."

After they had been on the phone for five minutes, the sound of an assistant hurrying Jian Cenyu came from her end. Sang Shi'an heard it and asked, "Are you at the company?"

"Yes. I was planning to pick you up, but my father suddenly notified me to attend an interview..." As Jian Cenyu said this, her tone sounded a bit helpless.

Since Jian Corporation began hiring professional managers, nearly ten officially appointed managers had come and gone. They all seemed suitable, yet none of them were quite right.

After the pharmaceutical reform project had completely stabilized, Jian Cenyu barely participated in Jian Corporation's operations anymore. Jian Zhihuan once again held all the power, and he was as picky about managers as he would be about choosing a son-in-law, finding fault in everything.

Of course, one couldn't blame Jian Zhihuan for being harsh. With Jian Cenyu as such a fine example before him, it was truly difficult to find an equally outstanding manager.

Even if there were a second Jian Cenyu, that person would certainly not be satisfied with the annual salary offered by Jian Corporation and would always have their eyes on the company's shares, which was a deal-breaker.

After Jian Zhihuan fired another one two days ago, Jian Corporation once again posted a recruitment notice and hired top headhunters to find suitable candidates. And so, a new round of interviews was about to begin.

Sang Shi'an asked, "How many people are you interviewing today?"

"About ten." Jian Corporation was now considered a leading enterprise in the pharmaceutical industry. With stable sales through medical insurance channels and the launch of Jian Cenyu's anti-cancer drug, it had attracted many managers.

"So the interviews will last until the afternoon?"

"Not necessarily. There are many things to assess, so it might continue into the evening. I might not be able to have dinner with you."

"It's fine, I'll go home and have dinner with my parents." Sang Shi'an was very considerate and urged Jian Cenyu, "Go help Uncle Jian with the interviews. If their abilities seem similar, pick one with a gentler face, so Uncle Jian finds them more pleasing to the eye."

Jian Cenyu smiled and replied, "Alright."

Sang Shi'an had a simple lunch, then went home to shower. She carefully smoothed every strand of her hair and reapplied her makeup exquisitely. She chose a bottle from Jian Cenyu's commonly used perfumes and sprayed it behind her ears, then slowly changed into a black, custom-made suit.

Passing by her accessories, for the first time ever, she didn't reach for any flashy jewelry, but instead chose a classic jacquard tie in dark red.

Jian Cenyu rarely used ties, but she had a cabinet full of them. Thinking about their intended purpose, Sang Shi'an's ears couldn't help but turn red.

She slipped off the wedding ring on her hand, kissed it under her lips as if it were a lucky coin, then carefully placed it in her suit pocket before turning to Jian Cenyu's accessory cabinet to choose a watch.

She had no choice. Her own watches were almost all the flashiest models from various brands, expensive enough to buy a house. Wearing one to Jian Corporation would make her look like she was there to discuss an acquisition, not for an interview.

After getting ready, she put on a warm cashmere coat and went to a nearby print shop to print ten copies of her resume. She didn't know how many interviewers there would be, but it was always better to be prepared.

It was exactly two in the afternoon when she arrived at Jian Corporation. The sunlight was warm, and Secretary Gu, who had received her call, was already waiting on the first floor.

It was worth mentioning that Secretary Gu had now been assigned to Jian Zhihuan's side and had become the president's special assistant. Sang Shi'an followed her, getting the green light all the way, and went directly to the president's office on the top floor.

On the way, Special Assistant Gu specifically confirmed with Sang Shi'an again, "Are you sure I don't need to inform Young CEO Jian?"

Sang Shi'an waved her hand. "No need. Won't she find out when I go in later? Just help me get into the interview list. No need to cut the line, just put me last."

Special Assistant Gu had also been at that shareholders' meeting back then and had witnessed the thrilling twenty minutes when Sang Shi'an and Jian Cenyu's relationship was exposed.

The first time she saw the wedding ring on Jian Cenyu's hand, even though she hadn't seen Sang Shi'an since, she subconsciously felt that the owner of the other ring had to be Sang Shi'an.

It was probably just an intuition.

When Sang Shi'an contacted her today, she thought, she had finally gotten her answer.

When Sang Shi'an was led into the waiting room, the head of human resources was also there. Seeing Sang Shi'an being brought in by Special Assistant Gu, he first greeted them eagerly. But after learning that Sang Shi'an was there for an interview, his expression changed, and he didn't even deign to look at the resume Special Assistant Gu handed him.

"Special Assistant Gu, even though you work for CEO Jian, you can't just pull strings like this. How old is this little girl for you to dare bring her in for an interview through the back door? Let me give you a word of advice as someone who's been around: don't think you can treat the company as your own home just because you've climbed high. You won't even know what hit you when you get kicked out."

Sang Shi'an frowned and asked Special Assistant Gu with some uncertainty, "Is he really the head of human resources at Jian Corporation?"

The man had worked in the HR department for twenty years. Last year, all his superiors had finally left, and he was in his prime. He answered directly himself, "That's right."

Sang Shi'an said no more, only feeling that Jian Corporation was doomed. She didn't know if Jian Zhihuan was getting old and his judgment was failing, or if the previously fired managers had deliberately retaliated against Jian Corporation by promoting such a person.

There were several other people waiting for interviews around them. Sang Shi'an had no intention of arguing and walked straight out.

Special Assistant Gu accompanied her and suggested, "Miss Sang, why don't you wait in Young CEO Jian's office? I'll come get you when it's your turn."

Sang Shi'an didn't want special treatment. "You go on with your work. I'll just stand outside for a bit. No need for special treatment. I've had to stand for half a day waiting for clients in the US before."

Thinking of that outstanding resume, Special Assistant Gu couldn't help but lament the gap between people. She had thought her former boss, who had developed something that chemists couldn't in a lifetime at such a young age, was already outrageous enough. But now that her boss's girlfriend had returned to the country, Special Assistant Gu, who was in a somewhat similar field, felt like she wanted to be reincarnated.

Sang Shi'an waited outside for a full two hours before Special Assistant Gu, who had gone in to deliver a document that needed Jian Cenyu's urgent signature, came out and beckoned to her.

Sang Shi'an smiled and nodded, picked up her resume, and walked calmly towards the president's office.

As she passed the waiting area, the HR manager was surprisingly still there. He looked at Sang Shi'an as if he had seen a ghost. Sang Shi'an walked past him without a sideways glance, and Special Assistant Gu knocked on the door for her.

When Sang Shi'an walked in, they were discussing the results of the previous interviews. "Number three has an impressive resume, but he left his former company on very bad terms. The risk is too great."

"Number six is pretty good in all aspects, but he's a bit old. He'll have to retire in a few years. I might as well keep doing it myself."

"CEO Jian, what do you think of the ninth..."

The interviewer closest to the meeting room door saw the sudden appearance of Sang Shi'an. Not remembering whose assistant she was and having lost his patience after a full day of interviews, he frowned and asked directly, "Which department are you from?"

Sang Shi'an handed her resume forward and said, "I'm number twelve."

Her voice immediately caused Jian Cenyu and Jian Zhihuan to look over.

Jian Cenyu's gaze swept over Sang Shi'an's attire, faintly guessing her purpose. Jian Zhihuan, however, didn't realize it and thought Sang Shi'an was there to see Jian Cenyu. Just as he was about to wave to Sang Shi'an, he heard Jian Cenyu, who was sitting next to him, ask, "Number twelve for the interview?"

The other interviewers were not familiar with Sang Shi'an. Even those who had seen her at the shareholders' meeting two years ago only found her face familiar after two years had passed, but couldn't remember where they had seen her.

Someone asked, "Young CEO Jian, did we add another candidate?"

Jian Cenyu nodded and gestured for Sang Shi'an to hand her resume to the interviewers present. "A last-minute addition. Since no one was particularly satisfied with the previous candidates, we can see one more today."

Look at this one?

Isn't she a bit too young?

It wasn't until they opened the resume in their hands and saw Yanjing University and Harvard under the education section that they felt a slight interest to read on. But it was only a slight interest. After all, Jian Corporation was a company with a market value of over a hundred billion. Which CEO applicant didn't have a first-class education? Cambridge, Stanford—they could take their pick from the world's most prestigious universities.

Another interviewer read faster and had already reached the professional experience section. "You recently manipulated the price of US grain futures? I bought that Leliefu stock last year, and it allowed me to pay off my mortgage directly. That mysterious fund manager was you?"

"And the restructuring and acquisition of Nacotai before that..."

The impressive resume immediately triggered waves of admiration in the meeting room. It wasn't that they were exaggerating, but these senior executives would more or less chat about investments and stocks during their social interactions, and keeping up with current events was a necessary factor in making bets.

Even those who were unaware could now take out their phones, search online, and learn about the sensational impact of these events in the capital circle.

Thus, the initial disdain due to her appearance and age gradually transformed into admiration for her resume, but then, suspicion began to grow.

Number three, who had just been interviewed and was very satisfactory in all aspects, had turned to the pharmaceutical industry for an interview only because he had a falling out with his former employer and was blacklisted by his previous industry.

But number three's resume was far from being as impressive as number twelve's. These internship experiences were only labeled as such because of her student status; in reality, she had clearly been involved in the core business of top investment banks. If she were to stay and develop in the United States, the resources and information she could obtain would be incomparable to what Jian Corporation could offer, and her future would undoubtedly be limitless.

So, why would number twelve choose to return to China and apply to their Jian Corporation? A resume like this would be fought over anywhere. For others, the CEO position at Jian Corporation might be a difficult challenge, but compared to number twelve's resume, it was like retirement.

Did number twelve really not commit murder or arson at her previous employer? Was she really not hiding back in the country because she was wanted?

A buzz of whispers filled the meeting room. Jian Zhihuan had only known that the Sang family had paved many paths for Sang Shi'an, but he didn't know the specific details of her experiences over the past two years. At this moment, he couldn't help but feel a bit emotional.

But at the same time, he was also a bit hesitant.

He leaned towards Jian Cenyu and asked in a low voice, "Is she really sure about this?"

Jian Cenyu's gaze swept to Sang Shi'an, who was sitting in the interviewee's seat. They made eye contact for a brief second before she looked back down at her documents. "If she doesn't want to work later, we can just interview other people."

Jian Zhihuan was speechless.

Jian Zhihuan had always known his daughter to be rigorous and serious when it came to work. Hearing such an irresponsible statement so suddenly left him choked up, not knowing how to refute it.

But he had been tormented by the revolving door of managers at Jian Corporation for nearly a year. Sang Shi'an's resume was so impressive that he really didn't want to miss this opportunity to retire early.

Jian Zhihuan's gaze fell on Sang Shi'an across from him. Just as he was about to speak, Jian Cenyu tugged on his sleeve. "She probably doesn't want her identity to be revealed just yet."

Jian Zhihuan nodded, thinking it made sense.

From a professional standpoint, Sang Shi'an was now the second-largest shareholder of Jian Corporation. Given that Jian Cenyu wanted to continue her research and had no interest in the position, it was compliant and reasonable according to the company's articles of association.

From a personal standpoint, Sang Shi'an was now practically his daughter. What was wrong with a family member inheriting the company?

Since Sang Shi'an wanted to go through the interview process, it was natural that she wanted to convince the senior management with her own abilities. After being reminded by Jian Cenyu, Jian Zhihuan decided to cooperate with Sang Shi'an.

"Miss Sang, your resume is very impressive, but I believe everyone here shares the same question as I do." One of the interviewers spoke first. "You are only twenty-two years old and have so much internship experience in the United States. You should be more adapted to the business environment there. Why did you come to Jian Corporation to apply? After all, Jian Corporation doesn't require overly complex capital manipulation."

Sang Shi'an smiled politely, mimicking the tone Jian Cenyu used at press conferences—superficially very cultured, but in reality, devoid of much emotion. "My partner and family are in Yancheng, and I have a very favorable impression of Jian Corporation. As for your point that Jian Corporation doesn't need complex capital manipulation, I do not agree with that statement."

"Jian Corporation has a mature management system. To my knowledge, Jian Corporation will be increasing its product lines by twenty percent in the next two years. Coupled with the successful launch of Young CEO Jian's anti-cancer drug, Jian Corporation also needs to make significant adjustments to its production capacity, which will inevitably involve large-scale capital operations. My resume is perfectly suited for this task."

The outside world only saw Jian Corporation soaring to new heights because of its new cancer drug, but they didn't know that completing this patent was also a major challenge. It wasn't just for the benefit of Jian Corporation, but also to race against related research abroad.

To get the drug into the market faster and more widely, it required not only continued research and testing from Jian Cenyu's side but also cooperation from Jian Corporation's production side. Every step of the way required a large amount of capital.

Sang Shi'an had hit the nail right on the head for these interviewers from Jian Corporation.

Half an hour later, she left the meeting room. This was just the preliminary interview; there might be second and third rounds later.

As soon as she opened the door, Special Assistant Gu came over to ask, "How did it go?"

Sang Shi'an's face was relaxed and smiling. "It was gentler than I expected."

"That's good. Do you need me to take you to the office?" Special Assistant Gu lowered her voice, hinting, "Young CEO Jian has a new office."

Sang Shi'an's eyes flickered, looking slightly guilty. "I've already been there. I know where it is."

Special Assistant Gu laughed. "Right, that was a redundant question from me. I'll get back to work then?"

Sang Shi'an said goodbye to Special Assistant Gu and went to Jian Cenyu's office herself. There were very few people working on this floor; the secretaries and assistants were all in their offices, making it seem empty.

Before entering the office, Sang Shi'an glanced at the security camera in the hallway, then pushed the door open as if it wasn't there, sat down on the sofa, and started chatting with Su Ningyue.

They hadn't seen each other in a long time. Two years ago, she had chosen the exchange student program, while Su Ningyue had taken a leave of absence to go to Northern Europe. Su Ningyue had never been very interested in finance, adopting a get-by attitude, and the cultural atmosphere of Northern Europe was indeed more suitable for her.

Nearly an hour later, the office door was pushed open, and Jian Cenyu came in with a stack of folders. Sang Shi'an rubbed her sore eyes and saw Jian Cenyu beckoning to her. "Come here."

She wasn't as serious as she had been in the meeting room, her face held the familiar, pleasant smile Sang Shi'an knew. The thought that this pleasure was because she had come for an interview today made Sang Shi'an suddenly put on airs. She leaned back against the sofa. "I'm tired, too lazy to move."

"Spoiled." Jian Cenyu walked towards the sofa, and as she sat down, she suddenly reached out, bent over, and lifted Sang Shi'an by the waist.

Sang Shi'an was startled and struggled with her arms and legs to get down, but Jian Cenyu placed her directly on the narrow edge of the sofa's backrest. The backrest was a thin strip, with a complete drop behind her. To avoid falling, she could only cling obediently to Jian Cenyu.

"What are you doing..."

Jian Cenyu patted Sang Shi'an's waist and asked, "Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"

"It's been a long time since I had an interview. Can't I practice at your Jian Corporation?" Sang Shi'an was being stubborn, unwilling to admit it was premeditated.

She had waited for so, so long for the previous manager to be fired.

Jian Cenyu smiled and shook her head. "Sure. Then I'll go tell the executives that you were just here to practice, and they can just give you a score?"

"Hey—" Sang Shi'an bit Jian Cenyu's chin in frustration. "Fine, I'll talk, okay?"

Jian Cenyu held the back of Sang Shi'an's neck, as if holding a misbehaving kitten. "I thought that even if you didn't go back to Shengyu, you would start your own company, or enter the securities market directly with the connections you've built in the US."

Sang Shi'an met her gaze, was quiet for a moment, then asked, "Your Jian Corporation doesn't have a rule that the CEO can't have a side business, right? In that case, why should I go work myself to death for an investment bank? Your Jian Corporation isn't some small enterprise; its market value is almost two hundred billion, a household name across the country. Other candidates aspire to it, so why can't I be envious?"

"There's indeed no rule against developing a side business, but the operations at Jian Corporation are quite complex. It might not be as easy as you think. Is that still okay?" Jian Cenyu asked again.

"Of course I know it's not that easy. If it were really easy, you could do it part-time yourself instead of searching the world for a professional manager."

Sang Shi'an said playfully, "I think what you should be considering right now is how big of a risk it is to hand such a large company over to a twenty-two-year-old graduate."

"That does seem to make some sense. Too young, and publicly single. It doesn't fit Jian Corporation's stable image." Jian Cenyu acted like an extremely picky interviewer.

The interviewee sighed along with her. "Yeah, what to do, I'm not qualified."

Jian Cenyu lowered her head and bit Sang Shi'an's lip. "Then we'll just have to waive that requirement."

Sang Shi'an laughed. They shared a quiet kiss, and after it was over, Sang Shi'an couldn't help but laugh again. "You've asked me so much. Does this mean I passed?"

Jian Cenyu didn't answer. Despite Sang Shi'an's poised demeanor in the meeting room just now, her eyes now held a hint of nervousness as she looked at Jian Cenyu—an expression only revealed to someone extremely close.

How could Jian Cenyu not know that part of the reason Sang Shi'an chose Jian Corporation was because of her? Being loved so directly and passionately, Jian Cenyu raised her hand, covered Sang Shi'an's eyes, and tried hard to restrain herself so she could finish her words.

"You were the only one among today's interviewees who saw that Jian Corporation needs to adjust its corporate strategy. Your resume is also the best fit. They're just worried that you'll be hard to control, that you'll quit after a few days, and they're also afraid that you'll be too aggressive due to your experience in investment banking."

Sang Shi'an said with dissatisfaction, "My allowance is directly linked to Jian Corporation's dividends. How would I dare to be reckless?"

"That's true, but I saw that you didn't want to tell them about your shareholding in Jian Corporation for now, so I didn't mention it."

"If I told them, wouldn't it look like I got in through the back door?" Sang Shi'an removed Jian Cenyu's hand from her eyes and said, "Actually, their concerns are not without reason. I might indeed make some rather aggressive work arrangements."

Jian Cenyu: "Do you have any plans?"

"Not like Jian Zhenyang, trying to transform the company's business." Sang Shi'an wrapped her arms around Jian Cenyu's waist, pulling her closer, her eyes playful. "But I will approve more funding for you. Will that seem very fatuous?"

Jian Cenyu slowly met Sang Shi'an's eyes. "So, you're saying that in the future, if I want more research funding, I just need to please you?"

Sang Shi'an looked arrogant, like a peacock displaying its feathers from the most beautiful angle for Jian Cenyu. "Any money that Jian Corporation can't provide, I can personally find a way to make up for you."

For a researcher, this was a huge temptation. The laboratory burned through a large amount of funds every day from the moment one opened their eyes. With repeated testing, the money thrown in didn't even make a sound.

Jian Cenyu leaned down. "Then how should I repay you?"

Their noses touched, and an ambiguous atmosphere circulated in the air. Sang Shi'an's breathing was unsteady, her eyes fluttering as she blinked. "It depends on how much funding you want."

Jian Cenyu's actions answered Sang Shi'an's question about how much funding she needed.

The slanting evening sun was still blinding, and Sang Shi'an was so dazzled she couldn't open her eyes. She had taken off her jacket upon entering the office, but it still couldn't block the heat spreading from her chest. She was panting heavily. "Go draw the curtains."

"It's one-way glass, and we're so high up, no one will see."

"That's still not okay. Or let's go inside." The sofa Sang Shi'an was on was rather close to the window, making her feel extremely ashamed. Her hands pressed against Jian Cenyu's shoulders, and as soon as she relaxed them, she couldn't help but tighten her grip again. "Hurry up."

Jian Cenyu went to draw the curtains and even locked the door, clearly not planning to go to the break room inside, intending to fool around right here.

After the white suit was taken off, the lake-blue silk fabric underneath shimmered with a dark light, making Jian Cenyu's exposed skin look exceptionally fair.

Sang Shi'an couldn't resist reaching out to unbutton it, but Jian Cenyu found an opportunity to lift her up and place her directly on the desk. A subsequent kiss fell like a torrential downpour. Sang Shi'an's hands quickly lost their strength. Jian Cenyu's breath was against her, her five senses were constantly amplified, and the physical sensations were exceptionally intense.

Jian Cenyu's breathing also became unsteady, and she called out to her in a low voice, "An'an, the desktop might be a bit hard. If it hurts later, you'll have to bear with it."

Sang Shi'an: "Can't you change to another pla—"

Her voice was swallowed.

"No."

The fine, custom-made Italian desk was not as hard as Sang Shi'an had imagined, but it was truly overstimulating.

Last time in the break room, they were isolated from the outside noise. She didn't know what was going on today, but people kept coming to knock on Jian Cenyu's office door.

There was Special Assistant Gu delivering documents, senior executives coming to discuss interview candidates with Jian Cenyu, and other company employees Sang Shi'an couldn't identify.

Every person who came would linger at the office door for several minutes, first knocking, and then possibly calling Jian Cenyu.

Then they would wait a little longer, only leaving after confirming that Jian Cenyu was really not in the office.

Jian Cenyu's phone had been silenced after the first call rang. Sang Shi'an bit her own wrist tightly, her legs hanging over the edge of the desk trembling constantly, sobbing fiercely.

Yet she didn't dare to make a single sound.

She didn't know why the soundproofing in the office of such a large company like Jian Corporation was so poor. The sound of knocking on the door was like a beat on her heart, triggering waves of uncontrollable shivers.

But Jian Cenyu was completely unconcerned, making a mess of the desk, devouring Sang Shi'an again and again, and even asking her, "Is CEO Sang satisfied? Can my funding be approved?"

Sang Shi'an's neck arched back. Even during her refractory period, she wasn't spared, and was soon forced into the next wave.

By the time they finished, the sky was completely dark. Sang Shi'an let Jian Cenyu help her get dressed. Even though Jian Cenyu's number of times was about the same as hers, Sang Shi'an was extremely frustrated by the difference in their physical stamina.

As Jian Cenyu helped her put her shirt back on, Sang Shi'an kicked Jian Cenyu's leg. "Aren't you tired?"

Jian Cenyu's eyes were filled with laughter. "Maybe I'm not as severely dehydrated as you."

Sang Shi'an ground her teeth and cursed at her in a low voice, "Get lost..."

Jian Cenyu carefully dabbed the sweat on Sang Shi'an's face with a tissue, trying her best not to ruin her makeup. "I meant you were crying so pitifully."

Sang Shi'an: "You think I'd believe that?"

"You will." Jian Cenyu leaned down and gently kissed Sang Shi'an's lips, as if to soothe her.

Jian Cenyu's smiling voice came from between their lips, like a vixen causing chaos in the company: "Because CEO Sang dotes on me the most."

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