Qiao Wei met the shy boy at a café near campus.
She put on her "business mode" — calm, serious, and sharp — carrying the air of someone used to giving orders.
It was so intimidating that the poor boy trembled, unable to get a full sentence out.
We're just classmates… did she have to make this feel like an interrogation?
"Qiao Wei, please give me a chance,"
the boy said at last, forcing himself to speak despite her piercing gaze.
"I really like Yun Xin. I'm not trying to pressure her or anything — I just want us to have a chance to get to know each other."
Qiao Wei arched an eyebrow, leaning lazily against the sofa.
Her fingers tapped rhythmically on the table — a steady, quiet beat that somehow landed right on his nerves.
Before long, he fell silent under the weight of her stare.
"You like A Xin?"
"Y-yes, I do."
Her lips curved slightly.
"How are your major classes going?"
"They're… fine."
"A Xin's grades in her major are nearly perfect," Qiao Wei said coolly — because she keeps letting me win.
The boy already knew that. After all, she was his goddess.
"Besides your classes, have you thought about anything else?"
"…What?"
He blinked in confusion, and then came the biggest blow he'd taken since entering college.
"You don't plan on just coasting through university, do you?
Playing games, dating some pretty girl, holding hands for a while, then drifting apart after graduation — and only then worrying about your future?"
"Look at yourself. You haven't thought that far ahead, have you?"
The boy wanted to cry. Isn't that what everyone does?
Qiao Wei lowered her head slightly and laughed.
"These days, when A Xin doesn't have class, she comes to the company with me.
By the time we graduate, at her current pace, she'll probably be able to buy a three-bedroom apartment in this city on her own salary."
The boy's fingers tightened around his cup.
"And that's just the start," Qiao Wei went on.
"She's going to study abroad, then return as one of the company's key executives."
Her eyes gleamed with disdain — as if to say, Why would A Xin ever choose a boy like you? Someone with no ambition, no direction, just waiting for life to happen?
The boy bowed his head in shame. She really is a goddess.
"Anything else you want to say?"
"I…" He took a deep breath.
"I'll stop wasting time. No more games, no more slacking off.
I'll start working hard from today, and when I've become better — I'll ask Yun Xin out again."
Qiao Wei watched him leave and snorted.
"In your next life, maybe."
She rolled her eyes.
The moment he stepped out, she was already thinking — A Xin covers herself up so much, and people still notice how beautiful she is?
"A Xin, let's finish our courses early this semester," Qiao Wei said, looping her arm through hers.
"Then we can spend more time at the company. My dad's been looking so tired lately — I really want to help him more."
And if they were at the company every day, no annoying little college boys would notice her A Xin.
Perfect excuse.
As expected, A Xin agreed without hesitation.
Qiao Wei grinned.
"A Xin, you're too good to me."
Too good. So good I can't let go of you at all.
"Why don't we… just finish all the university courses early?"
A Xin thought for a moment, then nodded.
With Qiao Wei's situation, following a normal student schedule did feel like a waste.
If Qiao Wei wanted to take over the company sooner, she'd help her do it.
Qiao Wei nearly jumped up and kissed her.
"Perfect! You really understand me, A Xin!"
Over the next year, the two of them were busier than ever — juggling coursework and company work, practically inseparable.
No one could wedge themselves between them.
Any boy who tried to pursue Qiao Wei got crushed by her fiery, commanding personality.
Anyone who dared approach A Xin mysteriously disappeared — quietly "handled" by Qiao Wei herself.
At school, everyone grew used to the sight of the two of them together.
Boys would glance over from afar, only to remember what had happened to those who'd tried before.
Then they'd exchange a look and quietly give up.
The goddess is too perfect. We can't afford to chase her.
In this day and age, to pursue someone like Qiao Wei, you had to earn the right first.
Within a year, both Qiao Wei and A Xin completed their degree requirements early and officially joined Qiao Corporation.
Qiao Wei started as a junior manager, but having worked there before, she handled everything with ease.
And by her side — always — was A Xin.
Though she was brilliant, capable of leading entire projects herself,
she chose to remain Qiao Wei's assistant.
In her fitted business suit, still wearing those black-framed glasses,
she looked proper and quiet to outsiders — the model of a serious, slightly stiff professional.
Her smile was always gentle, subtle — visible only to Qiao Wei.
This time, Qiao Wei didn't try to convince her otherwise.
She was selfish — she wanted to keep A Xin all to herself.
As Qiao Wei's position rose, she became the CEO of Qiao Corporation.
And A Xin — now Secretary Yun — stood at her side as her first and only personal secretary.
Everyone in the company knew Secretary Yun was quiet, meticulous,
her tone always soft and polite despite her reserved expression.
Outsiders thought she was distant, but insiders knew the truth:
The one truly hard to please wasn't Secretary Yun — it was President Qiao.
When President Qiao was in a bad mood, the whole company worked overtime.
When she scolded people, no one dared lift their head.
Except for one person.
One glance, one quiet word from Secretary Yun — and President Qiao's storm would instantly clear.
Everyone at Qiao Corporation understood then:
Secretary Yun was the one with the real power.
"Secretary Yun, thank you again for the other day! Let me treat you to dinner after work,"
a new employee said gratefully.
If it hadn't been for her timely help, the company might've suffered a major loss.
"No need," A Xin said gently, shaking her head.
"Oh… are you busy tonight?" the girl asked curiously.
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
Her eyes sparkled with admiration.
Who wouldn't envy Secretary Yun's boyfriend, whoever he was?
The rest of the office exchanged looks and silently lit a candle for her.
God help her if President Qiao hears this…
And as if summoned—
"Xiao Chen, did I hire you to dig into Secretary Yun's private life?"
The room froze.
Everyone instantly glued their eyes to their screens, typing furiously, pretending they'd seen nothing.
Qiao Wei emerged from her office, sharp eyes sweeping over the new girl.
"Your performance hasn't been impressive. I'm considering—"
"President Qiao! I was wrong! Please don't fire me!"
The girl burst into tears.
Everyone else pitied her — they'd warned her not to cross the boss by flirting with Secretary Yun.
A Xin stepped in beside Qiao Wei.
"She's new. Lack of experience is normal. Don't be too harsh — you're scaring her."
"I was only going to transfer her to another department for training,"
Qiao Wei said coolly.
"Didn't say anything about firing her. Good assistants are hard to find."
The girl sniffled, relieved beyond words.
Thank goodness for gentle Secretary Yun, she thought.
President Qiao really is as terrifying as the rumors say.
Later that evening, back in her office, Qiao Wei called out,
"Secretary Yun, I have something to discuss. Come in."
Once the door shut, her entire demeanor changed —
the fierce CEO melted into a bright, smiling woman.
"A Xin! It's almost time to get off work. Where are we eating tonight?"
Before A Xin could answer, Qiao Wei added quickly,
"Don't you dare say 'at home.' Your cooking's amazing,
but you're working all day and then cooking after hours — that's too much!
We're eating out tonight. I can afford all the chefs I want!"
A Xin chuckled softly.
"Then you choose, Weiwei."
"Gladly!"
As Qiao Wei picked a restaurant, her gaze drifted to A Xin reviewing documents nearby.
Everyone called her a business prodigy — the genius CEO who made Qiao Corporation several times stronger than before,
on track to become a global brand.
But Qiao Wei wanted to laugh.
The real genius wasn't her.
It was the quiet woman beside her — the one who wore black glasses and hid behind her bangs.
With a few taps of her fingers, she could produce perfect plans from nothing.
Brilliant, capable, flawless —
yet she never sought credit or fame, content to remain a "secretary."
Why, A Xin? Why hide all that brilliance?
Qiao Wei's eyes lingered on her face, unable to look away.
She'd thought that by becoming President Qiao, she could keep this woman by her side forever.
But she realized she'd only seen the tip of the iceberg.
And even that tiny glimpse had already pulled her in completely.
This woman… she's intoxicating.
Just a little longer, Qiao Wei thought.
When I become the richest person in the country, maybe then…
Seven years later.
Qiao Wei had become not only the richest woman in the nation,
but Qiao Corporation had also made the global rankings.
Now the company was relocating back to Jing City.
It had been over ten years since she'd left —
ten years since she nearly jumped from her high school rooftop in despair,
and a pair of warm hands had caught her, giving her a new life.
While the management team handled the move,
Qiao Wei walked hand in hand with A Xin back to their old school.
Standing on that rooftop again, her heart felt calm.
Suddenly, she laughed softly.
"I was so stupid back then — all that pain over Ji Jiang.
Now I can't even remember if I really liked him,
or if I just hated losing what I thought was mine."
The Ji and Qiao families had always been close,
and their "relationship" had mostly been gossip people wanted to believe.
Looking back, it wasn't love —
just the childish possessiveness of losing a toy.
"Too little homework," A Xin said.
"If teachers gave more, you wouldn't have had time for all that drama."
Qiao Wei burst out laughing, remembering how A Xin used to slip extra practice books into her bag no matter where they went.
Whenever she finished one, another would magically appear the next day.
She could still hear that deadly line in her head:
"Qiao Wei, you still have one more workbook left."
Back then, she'd been in the computer lab, certain she'd finished all her homework —
only for A Xin to hand her a new one. She'd nearly cried.
Now, hearing A Xin mutter "too little homework," she had to agree —
without those endless exercises, she might never have achieved what she did.
In her hardest times, what kept her going was A Xin — and those practice books.
"Lin Xiao'ai and Ji Jiang got married after graduation," Qiao Wei said lightly.
"But it wasn't exactly a fairy-tale ending.
The prince eventually realized he needed a noble princess,
and the Cinderella he once loved just couldn't fit into his world."
"So Weiwei doesn't like Ji Jiang anymore?"
"Haven't liked him in ages," Qiao Wei said, rolling her eyes.
Her gaze softened as it fell on A Xin's face.
"I stopped a long time ago.
It wasn't even love."
She suddenly remembered how A Xin once said she disliked Lin Xiao'ai—
something about Ji Jiang had been involved then too.
Her heart skipped.
"A Xin… you don't still like Ji Jiang, do you?"
"What?" A Xin blinked, then chuckled quietly as the memory returned.
"I never liked him."
"Really?"
Qiao Wei was startled.
"Then why did you help me so much back then?
We didn't share the same enemy —
so why did you stand by me?"