Lidu, a beautiful and bustling city in the south of Hua Country, is known for its fresh air and pleasant climate. It boasts vibrant greenery and towering skyscrapers, perfectly fusing urban and natural elements.
In recent years, the thriving tourism industry has drawn a continuous stream of visitors to this place, famous for its golden beaches and azure seas, infusing the city with vitality and wealth.
Although Lidu doesn't qualify as a top-tier city in Hua Country, it is Chu Ge's hometown, a place he always wanted to return to.
Walking through the streets of Lidu after being away for many years and witnessing the dramatic changes in his hometown, Chu Ge felt a smile unconsciously spread across his lips at the thought of finally living a peaceful and leisurely life like ordinary people.
After buying some fruits at a roadside fruit store and smelling the familiar aroma of hometown fruits, Chu Ge felt even happier.
Leaving the fruit store, Chu Ge took a banana and started eating it while walking. Whether it was his imagination or not, he felt that the bananas from his hometown were exceptionally delicious, the sky extraordinarily blue, and everything just seemed perfect.
"Get lost if you don't want to die!"
"Stop! You stop for me!"
Just after taking two bites of the banana, the voices of a man and a woman, along with hurried footsteps, came from behind.
Looking back, Chu Ge saw a young man with dyed yellow hair running rapidly toward him, holding an exquisite LV handbag in his left hand and a dagger in his right hand, shouting fiercely while running.
A few dozen meters behind the yellow-haired young man, a young woman was trying her hardest to chase after him, but her speed was evidently slower. At this rate, she definitely couldn't catch up.
Initially, Chu Ge didn't intend to meddle in this affair, but just as he was about to step aside to let the yellow-haired man pass, he noticed the young woman suddenly stagger, wearing a pained expression on her face. It seemed like she had twisted her ankle, but even so, she didn't stop and continued limping after him.
"Chasing with a sprained ankle? It looks like there must be something very important in that bag. Forget it, since I'm here, I might as well lend a hand."
After glancing again at the painful expression on the young woman's face, Chu Ge shifted his attention to the footsteps of the yellow-haired man.
After taking a few steps back, Chu Ge leisurely ate the banana. When the yellow-haired man was only three meters away, he finished the last bite and casually tossed the banana peel.
In perfect timing, the banana peel landed right where the yellow-haired man's right foot would step. He slipped on it, performing a classic face plant, and the LV bag flew high into the air.
Grabbing the LV bag as it descended in a parabola, Chu Ge glanced at the yellow-haired man. Estimating that it would be quite a while before he'd get back on his feet, Chu Ge walked over to the woman with the bag in hand.
"Is this your bag?"
"Yes, thank you."
Qin Ruojing nodded, looking at Chu Ge with gratitude, and then, with a curious glance at the banana peel that had caused the yellow-haired man to fall. Even though she had just witnessed the whole event herself, it still felt a bit unbelievable.
If it was intentional, how could someone have such precise aim in that situation? What kind of eyesight would that require?
If it was a coincidence, then his luck was simply too good, right?
"Here you go, be more careful in the future, bye-bye."
Chu Ge smiled casually, handed over the bag, and then turned to leave with confident strides.
After all, he only had a few hundred yuan in his pocket right now. If he didn't find a job soon, he'd be starving in a few days.
"Excuse me, please wait."
He hadn't walked far when Qin Ruojing's voice came from behind. He turned around, "Is there anything else?"
"Sorry, I twisted my ankle. Could you help me to my car on the next street?"
Having just returned to the country, Chu Ge indeed had nothing urgent to do. After glancing at Qin Ruojing's ankle, he nodded.
As Chu Ge supported Qin Ruojing, helping her as they slowly walked back, they immediately drew many envious and somewhat sour glances.
Men ranging from their forties to teenagers in their late teens regretted not having a banana peel in their hands earlier, completely forgetting how far they had scrambled in fear when they saw the yellow-haired man charging with a dagger.
But to be honest, seeing Chu Ge and Qin Ruojing together did indeed make people's thoughts drift toward the tale of a toad and a swan.
Qin Ruojing clearly belonged to the category of privileged women, with a perfect oval face complemented by exquisite features, a figure that was ********, curvaceous, and dressed in an expensive Chanel floral dress worth tens of thousands, looking as if she stepped right out of a shoujo manga.
And as for Chu Ge? Well, let's say he wasn't the most presentable.
While his face is fairly handsome and his figure isn't bad either, as the saying goes, "clothes make the man, saddle makes the horse." With what he's wearing now, even if he had a white horse, he wouldn't have even a hint of a prince's demeanor.
A white T-shirt that wouldn't cost more than twenty bucks at a market stall, a pair of faded denim shorts, and flip-flops on his feet—altogether this outfit wouldn't cost more than a hundred bucks, making him look very much like a laborer sweating at a construction site.
As for the envious and jealous looks from those around, Chu Ge didn't mind at all. He continued to flash a mischievous smile, walking slowly while supporting Qin Ruojing.
After walking for a while, Chu Ge helped Qin Ruojing to her Audi A8, somewhat reluctantly pulling his arm away and opening the car door for her.
However, Qin Ruojing didn't get into the car. She leaned against the car door, looking at Chu Ge thoughtfully for a few seconds. Just as he started to feel puzzled, she suddenly asked, "Do you know how to drive?"
Chu Ge nodded.
"Could you do me another favor and drive me to Tianjiao Group? I've twisted my ankle, so I can't drive for the time being."
Chu Ge had a good impression of Qin Ruojing, and since he had plenty of time, he nodded again, smiling, "It would be my pleasure."
Chu Ge could sense an air of authority in Qin Ruojing, so instead of opening the front passenger door, he helped her sit at the right rear door, before getting into the driver's seat himself, starting the car, and turning on the navigation.
This small gesture left Qin Ruojing a bit surprised.
Judging by his clothes, he looked just like a laborer, but his words and actions were full of grace. He wasn't the least bit intimidated by her million-dollar Audi A8, starting the car quite effortlessly and even helping her to the "boss's seat" in the back.
After a brief moment of surprise, Qin Ruojing found herself intrigued by Chu Ge. She took a closer look at his profile from behind. Although not particularly handsome, his features were very defined, exuding masculinity.
"Thanks a lot for earlier, I still don't know your name."
"You're too kind, I really didn't do much. My name is Chu Ge, like the Chu Song in 'besieged on all sides.'
"Nice name. I'm Qin Ruojing. By the way, Mr. Chu Ge, where do you work?"
"Hehe, I just got back from outside and am looking for a job now."
Hearing this, something stirred in Qin Ruojing's heart, reminding her of the pressing matter that had been causing her so much stress without a suitable candidate to solve it.
However, not just anyone could handle this matter. With a mindset to give it a try, Qin Ruojing chatted with Chu Ge about other things.
And during this conversation, she was even more surprised to find out that regardless of the topic, Chu Ge could engage with her on it. His words, although simple and straightforward, weren't baseless ramblings. On some topics, he even gave her the feeling of a sudden enlightenment, gaining much from the exchange.
When Chu Ge drove the Audi A8 to the Tianjiao Group building and said, "We're here," Qin Ruojing was momentarily stunned. She realized she actually wanted to continue her conversation with this man whom she'd just met.
Compelled by this feeling, Qin Ruojing made a decision that perhaps wasn't deeply thought out but certainly wasn't made blindly.
When Chu Ge parked the car, Qin Ruojing didn't show signs of wanting to get out. Instead, she asked, "Mr. Chu Ge, I heard you're looking for a job. To be honest, I'm the CEO of Tianjiao Group. Would you be interested in working with us?"
Looking at the Tianjiao Group building through the car window, then at Qin Ruojing, Chu Ge couldn't help but be surprised. She seemed about his age, yet she was already the CEO of such a large corporation?
"Miss Qin, I'm flattered, but we've only just met, and you trust me this much?"
Chu Ge said this, thinking to himself, could this woman be trying to scam him?
Thinking this, Chu Ge found it a little amusing. Seriously, did he look like someone who could be worth scamming right now?
Qin Ruojing leaned elegantly against the seat, slightly curving her lips, "I'm always confident in my judgment. I also believe Mr. Chu won't let me down."
Chu Ge smiled, "Working under a beautiful CEO like you sounds great, but I wonder what you want me to do? I'm not sure if I'm capable of it."
"I want you to do something very simple, which I'm sure you can handle—to be my boyfriend."
"Uh?"
Staring at Qin Ruojing, who didn't seem to be joking, Chu Ge was stunned.
Facing Chu Ge's odd look, Qin Ruojing slightly pursed her lips into a smile, took a stack of A4 papers stapled together from her LV bag, and handed them to Chu Ge, "Mr. Chu, take a look at this and you'll understand."
Glancing at the papers he received, Chu Ge suddenly came to a realization.