Military Order

"Yeah, what a coincidence!" Li Xun said awkwardly.

Dai Ying swore that was the one time in her life she'd been bold.

How could it be just then?

Looking at the exceptionally handsome face before her, Dai Ying's entire mind went blank, filled with worries about what would happen if this incident leaked. She had always maintained a serious, cold, and unsmiling image in front of her subordinates. From now on, there would be a subordinate who knew her completely opposite side, and he would always be around her.

What if he told everyone about her drunken state?

She had done so well before, yet colleagues still gossiped behind her back, calling her an old maid and a cold-hearted tyrant. If her subordinates found out that the usually aloof her had actually paid someone to kiss her, and paid a hundred yuan per kiss, what would they say about her behind her back?

Would they pity her?

What was the use of having such a high position?

She didn't even have anyone willing to kiss her, so she had to pay someone?

Would they sympathize with her?

What was the use of earning so much? Wasn't her bed cold and empty at night? Did she have to hire someone when she missed a man?

From now on, when she walked through the Screenwriting Department, would everyone immediately start a frenzy of complaints about her the moment she entered the office?

So, the great leader who appeared so cool and aloof on the surface lived such a disgraceful, decadent, and debauched life in private?

Would she still have the confidence to criticize her subordinates in the future?

And all the embarrassment, awkwardness, discomposure, and humiliation she felt today were all brought about by this man in front of her!

Dai Ying looked up at Li Xun, this genius she had been looking forward to for weeks, this "office catfish" in her eyes, who had barged into her life in such an unexpected manner.

"You promise me, you won't say a word about last night to anyone, not a single word, not even half a word, understand?" Dai Ying said, her face red, her tone serious.

Li Xun understood his superior's current worries and immediately patted his chest to guarantee, "Uh, Leader, I promise you, what happened last night, you know, I know, heaven knows, and earth knows. If any third person finds out about this in the company in the future, you don't even have to say it, I'll resign immediately to atone. How about that?"

Dai Ying nodded, but the more she tried not to recall last night, the more the images from last night flooded her mind. To stop herself from overthinking, she looked at the documents in front of her, but couldn't read them at all.

Her face grew redder and redder.

"Leader, do you need anything else?"

Dai Ying waved her hand absentmindedly, "Alright, you can go out now!"

"Then I'll be going out now, Leader."

After Li Xun left the office and closed the door, Dai Ying couldn't help but stand up and pace back and forth in the office, her mind racing with thoughts that made her feel uneasy.

"What is he thinking now? What is he doing? Is he already bragging to his colleagues?"

"I kissed our great leader, do you believe me? Bragging? Who's bragging! I'm telling you, not only did I kiss her, but she paid me to kiss her, do you believe that? You don't believe me?! Come and see! I even have the transfer record here, ten thousand yuan, a hundred yuan per kiss, and I reluctantly kissed her a hundred times."

"Let me tell you, don't let the leader's usual aloof and arrogant demeanor fool you. You haven't seen her in private, she's so charming, flirtatious, alluring, enchanting, and seductive. Have you heard of 'thirty like a tiger'? I've finally experienced it!"

"What flavor is it? Strawberry? What are you thinking, big brother? Who do you know whose mouth tastes like strawberries? Let me tell you, it's the authentic braised pork flavor, and it's smooth and delicious! Mmm, a mouthful of oil, so satisfying!"

"You want a taste too? Dream on! I was chosen by President Dai because my parents gave me a good face. What do you have? This plate of braised pork belongs only to me!"

"Why is the transfer record time 5 AM? Because I woke up at 5 AM! Why was I at President Dai's place at 5 AM? No, I really only kissed her a hundred times, I didn't provide any other services, I really didn't do anything else, just slept. What? You don't believe me? Well, there's nothing I can do if you don't believe me!"

Dai Ying's imagination ran wild, and as her imagination grew, her face became redder and hotter!

No!

She absolutely could not let the scene she just imagined come true.

If it really happened, she would... she would... she would castrate him first, and then jump off a building!

He had promised to keep it a secret.

But she didn't trust him!

Dai Ying pressed the speed dial button on her desk phone and said, "Xiao Ting, call Li Xun back in!"

A minute later, Li Xun returned to the office with a confused expression.

Dai Ying hesitated for a moment, then took out her phone and said, "I'll transfer another one hundred thousand yuan to you later as a confidentiality fee, in exchange for your absolute secrecy about last night. You cannot reveal it to anyone, including your parents, your friends, or even your spouse, understand? If any third party finds out about this, I'll make you pay!"

Li Xun smiled faintly and said, "Just this? You should keep the money. A gentleman loves money and gets it righteously. Although I'm poor, I don't take just any money. But don't worry, I'm always tight-lipped. My parents are far away in Xiang Province, so they definitely won't affect you. And I'm currently single, so you don't need to worry about my wife or girlfriend. Besides, I hardly ever drink, so I don't even have the chance to say drunken things. And I sleep very soundly, I don't talk in my sleep, so you can rest assured, this matter will never be leaked by me. On the other hand, you, after one glass of white wine, you're not yourself anymore. Your posture last night, sigh, it was too spectacular. I wish I had recorded your appearance then, you absolutely wouldn't imagine the huge difference between your appearance then and now."

"So, rest assured, there will never be a third party who knows about this between us!"

"If Leader has nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

Li Xun's smile was evident throughout his speech, but in Dai Ying's currently suspicious eyes, this smile became teasing, mocking, sarcastic, ridiculing, and playful!

She was so angry!

Where was her authority in front of her subordinates?

"But seriously, if you really can't drink, don't drink in the future. You were too dangerous last night, luckily you met me," Li Xun reminded her kindly.

"If you mention last night again, I'll fire you immediately, do you believe me?" Dai Ying said, her face red.

"President Dai, please calm down!" Li Xun immediately clasped his hands together in surrender.

Dai Ying looked at Li Xun's grinning face, feeling even more displeased, as if the entire office was against her.

"Come with me!" Dai Ying took a deep breath and stood up.

Li Xun followed Dai Ying. The two stopped in the Screenwriting Department's office area. Dai Ying clapped her hands twice to get everyone's attention and then said:

"Everyone, please put down your work for a moment. I have something to say."

When the dozens of screenwriters turned their attention to the two of them, Dai Ying continued:

"As for the person next to me, I'm sure you're all aware of him. But there's something you might not know: Li Xun here, despite only having a high school education, is actually an exceptionally talented screenwriter, especially skilled in suspense genres."

Dai Ying paused here.

The Screenwriting Department started whispering amongst themselves. A high school education? Of the dozens of people in the Screenwriting Department, which one of them wasn't a graduate of a prestigious university?

How could someone with only a high school education suddenly appear?

Li Xun was a little surprised. He hadn't expected Dai Ying to praise him in front of so many colleagues.

He heard Dai Ying continue, "Because he's particularly skilled in suspense genres, I told him about the project our department has been working on for a month with no progress. He immediately assured me that the reason for the lack of progress was that he hadn't joined yet. Now that he's joined, everything will be simple. He immediately guaranteed me that he would deliver that script, which everyone has been stuck on for a month, beautifully within half a month!"

Most of the screenwriters' expressions changed.

A high school education, an exceptional talent? A project that dozens of professional screenwriters from prestigious universities couldn't make progress on in a month, and he could handle it easily after joining?

Who did he think he was?

The Oscar for Best Screenwriter?

What arrogance!

Han Qiaoling and Zhou Hongsu, also newcomers, looked at Li Xun in astonishment.

They hadn't noticed anything like this when he reported for duty. Was he really this arrogant?

Dai Ying's few words had completely earned Li Xun a lot of animosity.

He had incurred the wrath of the masses.

Li Xun glanced at his frosty female superior next to him, then at the dozens of future colleagues below. His head started to ache, and his face felt stiff.

So, this manipulative, cold, and aloof female vice president was digging a pit for him!

Dai Ying glanced at Li Xun. Seeing his crestfallen expression, she felt a sense of balance. The hint of triumph flashed across her lips.

She was still his superior. If she wanted to, she could control him!

This was a good opportunity to test his capabilities. Predestination was indeed clever and exquisite, but who knew if it was a work he had polished for years?

Now, he had half a month. If he succeeded, everyone would be happy, and it would also show the old-timers in the Screenwriting Department, those who gossiped behind her back, how shameful they should be!

If he failed!

She would make him pay!

But, was half a month really possible?

It should be fine, right?!

Actually, she wasn't purely trying to make things difficult for Li Xun.

A month ago, her rival iQIYI Video had grandly launched a self-produced exclusive drama, a Costume Suspense titled The Coroner. This The Coroner had exploded, not only achieving record-breaking viewership but also bringing iQIYI Video countless topics and a massive influx of new registered members, successfully igniting a craze for Costume Suspense dramas.

As far as she knew, next month, iQIYI Video would launch a sister series to The Coroner, titled Mortuary, with the same production team, although the lead actor would be a very popular supporting character from The Coroner. In addition, Gua Video also had its own Costume Suspense drama plans. The three major video platforms all wanted to capitalize on this Costume Suspense craze to accumulate more paid VIP members.

As one of the three major video platforms, Penguin Video naturally couldn't miss this opportunity.

Therefore, their own Costume Suspense project had been put on the fast track a month ago.

Dai Ying insisted on a two-pronged approach. On one hand, she contacted excellent Costume Suspense novel authors, intending to purchase mature Costume Suspense IPs. On the other hand, she gathered the excellent screenwriters within the company to brainstorm original script concepts.

Unfortunately, neither approach had gone smoothly.

Gua Video had gotten ahead of them in purchasing IPs. Gua Video had fallen behind in recent years and seemed determined to make a comeback by riding the wave of Costume Suspense, offering a price that no novel author could refuse.

The path of in-house script creation was even more frustrating for Dai Ying. She had clearly pointed her screenwriters in an innovative direction, but the drafts they submitted all bore some resemblance to the hit drama The Coroner.

It wasn't plagiarism, but could imitation, no matter how good, surpass the original?

She wanted originality!

She wanted to surpass the popularity of The Coroner!

Not to follow in someone else's footsteps!

This move of hers would not only spur on the veteran screenwriters but also put immense pressure on Li Xun. Crucially, it would curb his arrogance. She felt she was rapidly losing her authority as a leader in front of him.

Moreover, she harbored a secret hope. His enrollment form clearly indicated his talent. If she applied some pressure, what if he actually succeeded?

Although the possibility was slim, what if?

What is genius?

Can it be measured by ordinary people? If so, how could it be called genius?