Chapter 5: Who Is She? (Continued)

The sound of the private elevator chiming broke the quiet hum of the office floor. All heads turned toward it, but most immediately looked away. They knew who used that elevator—the CEO himself.

Lee Chen stepped out, exuding authority in his tailored black suit. His cold expression was unreadable, and his sharp gaze swept across the room before landing on the new hire, Su Xiaoyan, seated at her desk.

She was already prepared, her posture straight, her desk immaculately organized. Her focused demeanor caught Lee’s attention for a brief moment before he continued walking toward his office.

“Mr. Chen,” his assistant, Zhang, greeted as he approached.

Lee gave a small nod. “Good morning, Zhang. Make sure the secretary Su is briefed and assign her some work to start with,” he said in his usual calm but commanding tone.

Zhang hesitated, stealing a glance at Su Xiaoyan. “Sure, sir."

Lee raised an eyebrow, his expression unchanged. “Beautiful”

“uhh…” Zhang Min scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “She’s not like the others who tried to use charm to get close to you. She seems serious. Professional.”

Lee’s lips twitched ever so slightly, almost like a suppressed smirk. “Good. Let’s see if she can keep up.”

---

Zhang walked over to Su Xiaoyan’s desk, clearing his throat to get her attention. “Miss Su, the CEO has instructed me to give you your first set of tasks.”

Su Xiaoyan looked up, her expression calm and composed. “I’m ready. What would you like me to do?”

Zhang handed her a tablet. “These are some pending reports that need to be reviewed and summarized. You’ll also need to prepare a briefing for the CEO’s afternoon meeting. It’s a lot for your first day, but Mr. Chen doesn’t tolerate inefficiency.”

“Understood,” Su Xiaoyan said with a small nod.

Zhang tilted his head slightly, studying her. “You’re really not nervous, are you?”

“Should I be?” she asked, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

“Well, most people who meet Mr. Chen for the first time either freeze up or run out crying. 😅” Zhang said with a chuckle. “He has that effect on people.”

Su Xiaoyan’s expression didn’t waver. “I’m here to do my job. If he’s as strict as everyone says, then I’ll just have to meet his expectations.”

Zhang raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. “You’ve got guts. I’ll give you that. Good luck, Miss Su. You’ll need it.”

---

Inside his office, Lee Chen glanced at the clock. It was nearing the time for his first meeting of the day. He pressed the intercom button on his desk.

“Miss Su, come to my office,” his deep voice echoed through the small speaker.

Su Xiaoyan stood immediately, grabbing her notebook and pen before walking to his door. She knocked softly.

“Come in,” came the cold reply.

She stepped inside, and her eyes met his for the first time since the interview. He was seated at his desk, a stack of papers in front of him, his piercing gaze fixed on her.

“You wanted to see me, Mr. Chen?” she asked, her voice steady.

Lee gestured for her to sit in the chair opposite him. “How are the reports coming along?”

“They’re almost done. I’ve summarized most of the data, but I’ll need a bit more time to ensure accuracy,” she replied confidently.

Lee leaned back in his chair, studying her. “Most people would’ve struggled to get through even half of that on their first day. Yet here you are, ahead of schedule. Impressive.”

“Thank you, sir. I believe in being efficient,” Su Xiaoyan said, her tone professional.

Lee’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Good. .”

Su Xiaoyan nodded, her calm demeanor unwavering.

After a brief pause, Lee continued. “For the afternoon meeting, I’ll need you to present the summarized data to the board. Can you handle that?”

Su Xiaoyan’s eyes widened slightly. 😲 “Present to the board? On my first day?”

Lee’s expression remained stoic. “Is that a problem?”

“No, sir. I’ll handle it,” 😁she said firmly, though her heart raced at the unexpected responsibility.

Lee gave a small nod of approval. “Good. Zhang will assist you with the presentation format. You’re dismissed.”

Su Xiaoyan stood and turned to leave, but before she reached the door, Lee’s voice stopped her.

“Miss Su.”

She turned back to face him. “Yes, Mr. Chen?”

“Don’t disappoint me.”

Her gaze met his, and for a brief moment, there was a flicker of determination in her eyes. “I won’t.”

---

Back at her desk, Su Xiaoyan worked diligently, compiling the presentation. The whispers around her hadn’t stopped since she arrived, but she tuned them out, focusing entirely on her task.

Two female employees walked past her, whispering loudly enough for her to hear.

“She’s already been in the CEO’s office twice today. 😏 Suspicious, don’t you think?”

“Definitely after all she is the CEO sectary, I bet she’s trying to get close to him.” Nini shagi said with a hit of jealousy

Su Xiaoyan’s jaw tightened, but she kept her focus on her work.

Zhang walked over to her desk, breaking her concentration. “Miss Su, how’s the presentation coming along?”

“Almost done,” she replied, showing him the slides on her tablet.

He glanced through them and nodded. “Looks good. Just make sure you rehearse. The board members can be intimidating, but you seem like you can handle it.”

“I’ll be ready,” she assured him.

As Zhang walked away, a male employee approached her, trying to strike up a conversation.

“Hey, Miss Su, right? I’m Liu Kang from accounting. You’re new here, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am,” she replied politely, not looking up from her work.

“Well, if you ever need someone to show you around or grab lunch with, let me know,” he said with a grin. 😏

“Thank you, Mr. Liu, but I’m fine,” she said, her tone cool but courteous.

Liu shrugged, slightly disappointed. “Alright, but the offer stands.”

---

As the hours passed, Su Xiaoyan finalized her presentation and rehearsed silently at her desk. When the time came, Zhang escorted her to the boardroom, where the senior executives were already seated.

Lee Chen entered moments later, his presence commanding immediate attention. He took his seat at the head of the table and gestured for Su Xiaoyan to begin.

She stood at the front of the room, her tablet in hand, and began presenting the data she had meticulously summarized. Her voice was steady, her explanations clear and concise.

The board members exchanged impressed glances, nodding in approval as she spoke. Even Lee Chen, who rarely showed emotion, seemed satisfied with her performance.

When she finished, there was a brief moment of silence before one of the board members spoke up.

“Well done, Miss Su. It’s rare to see such professionalism from someone so new to the company.”

“Thank you,” Su Xiaoyan replied, bowing slightly.

Lee Chen stood, signaling the end of the meeting. As the board members filed out, he approached Su Xiaoyan.

“You exceeded my expectations,” he said simply.

“Thank you, Mr. Chen,” she replied, a hint of pride in her voice.

He nodded once before walking away, leaving her to process the whirlwind of her first day.

---

Back at her desk, Su Xiaoyan allowed herself a small smile. It had been a challenging day, but she had proven herself. The whispers and rumors around her no longer mattered.

As she packed up her things to leave, Zhang walked by, giving her a thumbs-up. “Great job today, Miss Su. I think you might actually survive working here.” 😏

She chuckled softly. “Thanks, Mr. Zhang. I’ll take that as a compliment.”

With that, she left the office, ready to face whatever the next day would bring.

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