Cui Ling

Biodata

Background

Cui Ling came from a poor family and completed his education with financial support from the Qin Group. After graduating, he turned down other offers and joined the company to repay that help. Qin You’s father, the group’s president, came to appreciate his abilities and promoted him into an important position while he was still young 38.

Cui Ling later became Qin You’s assistant. Although he resented being transferred to work for an heir he considered incompetent, he felt responsible for helping Qin You become a capable general manager, in gratitude for the president’s support 2 38.

Appearance

• Cui Ling wears glasses 24.

Personality

Cui Ling is capable, conscientious and protective of Qin You, even when frustrated with him. He initially judges Qin You harshly, but reconsiders after Qin You agrees to report to work despite his injury. His frustration returns when he discovers Qin You playing Happy Match during a company meeting 2 10 11.

His sense of responsibility can lead him to interfere in matters Qin You has explicitly placed off-limits. After being reprimanded for discussing the blind date with Yan Tingshen, Cui Ling gradually recognizes that he has overstepped and resolves not to bring up matters involving Yan again 37 38 49.

Skills and Responsibilities

Company administration

Cui Ling handles Qin You’s schedule, documents and assignments while helping him navigate the Qin Group 11 28 41.

• Introduces Qin You to the group’s departments and operations and reminds him about his assigned proposal 11.
• Acts as Qin You’s stand-in and handles documents on his behalf while Qin You stays away from the company 28 32.
• Brings Qin You Kaiqiang’s records and follows up on the public-relations response to its problems 43.

Personal and logistical support

Cui Ling manages arrangements for Qin You outside the office, including medical care and event preparations 7 15 21.

• Arranges hospital support after Qin You’s car accident and a doctor to accompany him to work 7 10.
• Organizes rehabilitation equipment and adjacent bedrooms for Qin You and the injured Yan Tingshen at Zeshui Bay 15.
• Arranges an emergency medical helicopter at Qin You’s request for the charity banquet 21.

Relationships

• Qin You — His employer and the heir he was entrusted to assist. Cui Ling’s loyalty persists despite his frustration with Qin You’s gaming, delegation and restrictions on his involvement in private affairs 10 11 38.
• Qin Hengzhong — The chairman who assigns Cui Ling to help Qin You establish himself at the Qin Group. Cui Ling also passes on the chairman’s instructions and documents 11 18 38.
• Qin You’s father — The Qin Group president who recognized Cui Ling’s ability and repeatedly promoted him. Cui Ling hopes to repay his appreciation by helping Qin You succeed 38.
• Yan Tingshen — Qin You’s guest and a business figure Cui Ling initially advises him to keep at a distance. Cui Ling later tries to help Qin You’s pursuit of Yan, despite being told not to interfere 7 15 37.

Story Role

Qin You’s return and the car accident

Cui Ling collects Qin You from a private room and returns him to the Qin Residence for his first public appearance since returning to the country. At the banquet, he is drawn away to attend to Yan Tingshen, leaving Qin You briefly alone with his scheming cousin 2 3.

After Qin You intervenes in an attack on Yan’s car, Cui Ling helps arrange hospital care and warns him that involvement with the Yan family could create further trouble 4 7.

Zeshui Bay and the charity banquet

When Qin You invites Yan to recover at Zeshui Bay, he orders Cui Ling not to interfere in their relationship. Cui Ling nevertheless helps prepare the villa and receives an unusual assignment: write a proposal to make Yan fall for Qin You within three days. His emailed response is “Haste makes waste” 14 15 18.

At the charity banquet, Qin You rescues Pei Sheng and Yan from a collapse. Cui Ling acknowledges that Qin You’s advance safety precautions helped protect people, including himself. Qin You subsequently warns him not to mention Yan or people connected to him, threatening to cut his bonus 21 23 24.

Reprimand and continued work

Cui Ling passes on Qin Hengzhong’s blind-date arrangement with Miss Liu. After the date, he tells Yan what Qin You said to Miss Liu, hoping to clear up a misunderstanding. Qin You catches him and orders him to hand some duties over to a new hire for disregarding his instructions 32 37.

Cui Ling continues assisting Qin You with company affairs, including the Kaiqiang problem. He later reflects on his interference and resolves not to mention matters related to Yan Tingshen again 41 43 49.