Chapter 53: Yu Chengmin’s Unconventional Approach

Yu Chengmin checked her watch again before standing up, finally saying, “Alright. The truthfulness of what you said is quite high. I’ll choose to trust you this once—just once. If anything goes wrong later, we’ll all be in trouble.”

Little Ma nodded, his expression oddly conflicted.

Yu Chengmin continued, “Also, I recorded your recent ‘confession.’ Technically, you’ve already committed a crime. So now you have two choices: one, I hand the recording and your sordid details over to the police; two, you’re talented and can work as an assistant, so stay by my side and become one of my core members. Which will you choose?”

Little Ma was at a loss for words in the face of this domineering woman; her logic and actions were eccentric, to say the least.

Yu Chengmin went on, “Don’t get any funny ideas, don’t think about hacking the recording on my phone. Because that would mean you’re declaring war, and whatever happens after that won’t end well for you. I guarantee you won’t have a good outcome. You’re just a tech recluse—sure, you can show off with a high salary, but you don’t have what it takes to play with the big leagues. Understand the situation and choose quickly: will you work for me, or, with a case already hanging over your head and Qu Changfeng looking to bring you down, should I hand your criminal evidence to the police?”

It was the same scenario, just a different map—still within “The Beautiful CEO’s Personal Assistant.”

He had to keep this witch in check!

Little Ma wasn’t a cop; now, he planned to use his benevolence to tame this witch and keep her from wreaking havoc in the world.

“Alright, I’ll work for you, Boss Yu.” Little Ma made his decision swiftly.

Yu Chengmin nodded at his response, “Good. Your current rank is Level One, right? I’ll raise you to Level Four. You’ll still be my secretary. After you finish tidying up the office, your workspace will be here from now on.”

Little Ma watched her outstanding figure as she walked away.

Yu Chengmin had already stepped out, but after a moment’s thought, she turned back and handed him a key: “This is the key to my house. Once you finish with the office, go clean up my place too. The capable should do more; I trust you with tasks, others aren’t reliable or willing, and I’m rather lazy myself.”

She turned and left again.

Then, after two more steps, she came back once more, making Little Ma feel dizzy.

In truth, Yu Chengmin was a bit exasperated herself, but still pointed at his nose and said, “Enough talk. Stay low-key and obedient by my side. I’ll protect you, won’t let you suffer. Not necessarily to do good deeds—you’re no saint—but I won’t let you do anything truly evil. If anything happens, I’ll take the fall. But if you stir up trouble, I’ll crush you.”

Yu Chengmin’s repeated back-and-forth instructions for Little Ma were witnessed by countless onlookers outside, who were both baffled and awed. Some felt sympathy; after all, Yu Chengmin’s temper was only marginally better than Ni Feihong’s, and not by much.

Others took pleasure in his misfortune, sure that Little Ma was getting thoroughly disciplined by Yu Chengmin. It probably had something to do with Ni Feihong’s weakness.

Everyone was waiting for gossip.

The handsome young secretary sitting at the reception desk outside was grinning so wide his mouth was crooked.

However, as Yu Chengmin walked by the secretary desk, she stopped and said, “You’re leaving tomorrow. He’ll take your seat.” She pointed to Little Ma, still tidying inside, and left without waiting for an answer.

Damn!

The young secretary’s face turned green with frustration.

News spread quickly, and everyone who heard was stunned. Little Ma was handsome, sure, but not to this extent—what sort of skill or luck did he possess to consecutively win over two female bosses like stepping stones?

He’d won over Ni Feihong first, and now, as Ni Feihong seemed on the verge of exit, this kid, under Si Nan’s pressure, managed to secure a place by the even fiercer Yu Chengmin’s side?

Longze Meishu’s eyes nearly popped out of her head in disbelief; she thought, “This lunatic guy isn’t burning bridges by selling Sister Feihong out to Boss Yu, is he?”

It really looked like it. Meishu found him sly and unconventional.

So Longze Meishu drifted over from Ni Feihong’s side, cornered Little Ma, and said, “After work tonight, you treat me to dinner. I’ve got some juicy news waiting for you to spill.”

“You want me to spill info, shouldn’t you treat me? Who brings their own dinner to get gossip?” Little Ma replied.

Meishu considered and found it reasonable, so she awkwardly said, “Fine, I’ll treat you. But I don’t find dinner that appealing. Let’s have some local snacks instead—the big noodle bowl will do.”

With that, she slipped away.

Having long since left Haihao Tower, Si Nan sat in her luxury car and received a tip from an acquaintance, her brows furrowing.

A bit of resentment, but also a sense of strangeness; logically, Yu Chengmin wasn’t someone easily swayed, so for Little Ma, that nobody, to be given such a lift, there must be a reason.

“No way, I’ve got to figure out how to get rid of this bastard. Otherwise, he looks like Yu Chengmin’s confidant now. If this continues, I’ll have no place here.”

Si Nan wasn’t really concerned about the rewards from “The Fairest”—it was just icing on the cake, at most giving her some independence, letting her buy a new luxury car each year without family support. For a student, money was secondary; what truly gave Si Nan a sense of achievement and presence was this independence.

Si Nan’s real intention was, first, Yu Chengmin was extremely attractive, almost on par with Ni Feihong; second, Yu Chengmin was clearly a core figure in the city, with unmatched personal connections and resources—she could handle nearly anything.

Thinking this, a hint of malice flashed in Si Nan’s eyes as she muttered to herself, “I need to find a way to get rid of this bastard. Do you really think my muscles are all I’ve got on you? In a different way, you really believe I can’t take you down?”

...

Yu Chengmin’s vehicle was a six-year-old, classic Volvo V40—very low-key, with no chauffeur, she drove herself.

She seemed to have a sort of cleanliness obsession in this regard, disliking outsiders getting in the way, and most people’s way of doing things didn’t sit well with her.

Entering the evening rush, she wasn’t in any hurry; in fact, this time of day let her think about many things, summarize daily affairs—it was a form of relaxation. It was a matter of mindset; if she obsessed over the traffic, the same event would become torture.

In the office, Yu Chengmin appeared indifferent, as if it were a trivial matter.

But now, waiting at the red light, thinking again of Ma Weimin, she realized how truly thrilling it was.

Without comparison, it wouldn’t matter—but all harm in this world comes from comparison.

The first to make a fool of herself, Si Nan, unexpectedly called in an industry authority, the top figure Zhou Dongyun. This caught Yu Chengmin off guard; who would have thought even Zhou Dongyun, humbled and frustrated, would find things so easy in that boy’s hands.

In Yu Chengmin’s mind, Little Ma was almost like the hidden master of the online world—a lonely expert, a peak existence.

Such a person might be a playful, worldly type, or perhaps a top expert in a certain field but a recluse unable to handle daily life. But judging by his demeanor as an assistant, he didn’t seem like someone lacking basic life skills.

So most likely, he was simply playing around with life.

Such people weren’t unusable, just troublesome to employ. At this point, Yu Chengmin couldn’t be sure: had she picked up a treasure, or brought a nuclear bomb into her midst?

But what else could she do? Yu Chengmin generally valued talent, and as a businesswoman, not an assassin, she couldn’t just make people disappear. So the best she could do was keep him close and watch him.

Since he’d appeared, it was a challenge, a problem to be solved. After all, to Yu Chengmin, being alive meant constantly solving problems, until the end.

These were roughly Yu Chengmin’s thoughts on the matter; she was already in the zone, beginning to try to manage Little Ma.

In fact, Yu Chengmin didn’t need anyone to tidy up her home. Asking him to do it wasn’t just because he was capable—it was also to increase intimacy, making him feel at ease using him. At the same time, by observing his behavior as he tidied her home, seeing what he touched and the details, she could judge him more three-dimensionally.

This was trial and error—really no different from capital operations.

Thinking about this, listening to the feminine male voice on the radio, she was momentarily lost. The green light had come on, but Yu Chengmin didn’t notice.

It wasn’t until the car behind her blared its horn that she started moving.

Behind her was a battered car with a road rage driver. At the turn, the car illegally overtook her and pulled up alongside.

She saw a woman in a police uniform, exuding a cool, razor-sharp aura—a policewoman so cool it hurt.

The officer rolled down her window and said, “Road-blocking pig!”

Then sped off.

Yu Chengmin rolled her eyes and muttered, “That idiot knows nothing about power.”

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