Favoritism

When Dragon City was first established, it covered roughly ninety thousand square kilometers, divided into thirteen administrative districts and several hundred towns and villages. Its initial population was around three and a half million, mostly military personnel, their families, and overseas Chinese.

Over the past five years, the former Asian Alliance's three major Chinese residential regions-Seven, Eight, and Nine-had completed their integration. Their regional designations and independent governments had been abolished, merging them into a single entity known as the Chinese District.

Since the Unification War, the Chinese District's economy, technology, military, and other sectors had all entered a period of comprehensive recovery. With the climate warming and the political situation stabilizing, its gradual rise had become unstoppable. Against this backdrop, more and more people were heading overseas to do business.

Dragon City had a unique political environment, and most of its residents were Chinese. For capitalists, ambitious opportunists, and anyone willing to venture abroad in search of a chance, it was undoubtedly a place where fortunes could be made-and where fitting into everyday life was easier.

The Chinese who had settled there first also had relatives and friends back home. Once they had established themselves, a wave of family reunions followed. Many who were struggling back home, or simply wanted to seek opportunities elsewhere, came to join them. As a result, Dragon City's registered population had surged in recent years to nearly eight million, not counting unregistered residents.

The growing population brought Dragon City enormous economic potential. Over the past two years, the city had begun expanding outward, building new districts and launching land-reclamation projects. In short, it looked like a city brimming with hope.

The Yu Family lived in Longkou District, but Yu Jinrong's eldest son, Yu Mingyuan, had his company on Lush Forest Avenue in Zhannan District.

Lush Forest Avenue was one of the few respectable commercial areas in Zhannan District. The district's public infrastructure and economic development simply couldn't compare with Longkou, whose residents habitually called Zhannan a slum or a dump full of hoodlums.

People's sense of superiority was always baffling. They lived in the same city and belonged to the same race, yet they still couldn't fucking escape regional prejudice. There was a pecking order everywhere.

A little after nine that morning, with a gentle breeze and bright sunshine outside, Su Tianyu took a taxi to the Rainbow Sky Building on Lush Forest Avenue. He went up to the thirteenth floor and found Yu Mingyuan's offices.

The company's name was straightforward and blunt: Mingyuan Trading Co., Ltd.

After Su Tianyu politely explained why he had come, the receptionist led him into Yu Mingyuan's office, which measured over forty square meters.

"Oh, you must be young Su?" Yu Mingyuan was around thirty-five or thirty-six, a little under 1.8 meters tall, with an average build. He wasn't particularly handsome, with small eyes and a pointed chin, and looked a little like Liang Tian from I Love My Family. But once a man had money, people unconsciously gave him a certain aura. So Yu Mingyuan looked rather distinguished, with fair skin and black-framed glasses that lent him a scholarly air.

"Yes, Su Tianyu. Nice to meet you, Mr. Yu!" Su Tianyu politely extended his hand.

"I happened to be out on business when you came to my house that day. Otherwise, I would've liked to chat with your second uncle, haha!" Yu Mingyuan patted Su Tianyu's shoulder and casually invited him over. "Come on, have a seat."

"Sure."

The two walked over to the sofa and sat down.

"Here, have some tea." Yu Mingyuan poured Su Tianyu a cup himself.

"You're too kind, Mr. Yu!" Su Tianyu replied with a smile.

Yu Mingyuan pushed the cup toward him, looked him up and down, and asked, "I heard from my dad that you graduated from Old West Point."

"That's right." Su Tianyu was relaxed as well. "I mentioned it when we were drinking and chatting last time-my major might not be much of a fit for your company."

"That's fine. If you could master something as complicated as troop deployment, doing a little business won't be hard, haha." Yu Mingyuan casually asked, "My dad said you're thinking of taking the civil service exam?"

"Yes, that's the plan."

"Young Su, my dad was really happy when you came over for dinner last time. He told me he'd only just joined the Management Council and didn't know the people or the place, so he'd still need the support of established families in the sanitation departments under him. And he really likes your second uncle." Yu Mingyuan spoke easily. "With that connection, you're no outsider here."

"Right." Su Tianyu nodded in agreement.

"Work here for now. When the civil service exams start next year, you handle the test yourself. Once you pass, I'll find the connections you need." Yu Mingyuan got straight to the point. "My company's only just started operating. We've been open less than three months, and there isn't much going on yet. You'll come along with me on business."

Su Tianyu grinned. "A male secretary?"

"Haha, I already have a secretary-a woman. For now, we'll bring you on as assistant to the general manager," Yu Mingyuan said softly. "Get familiar with the company first."

"You got it!" Su Tianyu immediately played along. "Would you like some coffee, boss?"

"Haha, you adapt fast. Just what I'd expect from a top graduate. But you certainly won't be serving tea and coffee. Let's get your onboarding done first." Yu Mingyuan raised his voice. "Linda!"

The door opened, and a fair-skinned, beautiful young woman a little over 1.7 meters tall walked in. "What can I do for you, boss?" she asked with a smile.

"Su Tianyu, our assistant to the general manager. Take him through onboarding," Yu Mingyuan instructed.

"Of course. Mr. Su, this way, please..." The secretary immediately gestured for him to follow.

"Please, no titles. Let's keep it casual. Tianyu or young Su is fine." Su Tianyu stood and extended his hand to her.

"All right. This way, please." The secretary smiled as she ushered him out.

"I'll get going, then, Mr. Yu."

"Go ahead." Yu Mingyuan nodded.

Su Tianyu was about to follow the secretary out, but after he had taken two steps, Yu Mingyuan suddenly called out, "Wait a moment, young Su!"

"What is it, boss?"

"Uh, come out with me tonight. There's a dinner reception," Yu Mingyuan said after a moment's thought.

"Sure," Su Tianyu answered.

About an hour and a half later, Su Tianyu finished his onboarding and was assigned a private office to the left of the general manager's.

The office measured over twenty square meters, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a tiny private bathroom. In a company of comparable size, those perks put him second only to the boss.

To be fair, Su Tianyu wasn't thin-skinned, and he hadn't come to this company intending to start as a low-level clerk. He considered that a waste of time. He'd be better off staying home, reading, and preparing for next year's civil service exam.

Besides, Yu Jinrong's desire to win over the Su Family was obvious. Before coming, Su Tianyu had expected them to arrange an easy position for him-neither paying him to do absolutely nothing nor making him work too hard. It would count as a gesture of goodwill.

But Su Tianyu had never expected Yu Mingyuan to make him assistant to the general manager. In a normal company, that position was effectively the chief administrator, one of its unquestioned leaders.

Yet Su Tianyu didn't even fucking know what the company's business was, and they had given him a position like this. That was a little too strange.

What Su Tianyu hadn't anticipated, however, was that Yu Mingyuan's special treatment was far from over.

Over the next few days, Su Tianyu collected a generous monthly salary of three thousand while doing fuck all. During the day, he admired the female clerks' legs, drank tea, and caught up on sleep. At night, he accompanied Yu Mingyuan to all sorts of social engagements, meeting plenty of people in government and business owners in the trading sector.

Yu Mingyuan's circle was remarkably varied. He knew people in customs, the Police Affairs Bureau, the Security Association, and the military, and seemingly had good relationships with all of them.

Half a month passed in a flash, and October arrived.

Su Tianyu finally couldn't take it anymore. Yu Mingyuan treated him too well and gave him far too much freedom. It was getting downright abnormal.

At noon that day, Su Tianyu snatched a sales report from the secretary and insisted on delivering it to Yu Mingyuan's office himself. "Mingyuan, take a look. This is the sales department's customer acquisition report."

"You don't need to deliver that yourself." Yu Mingyuan had grown close to Su Tianyu and had personally told him to use the familiar form of his name. "Just have Linda bring it in. Your main job is to rest up and conserve your energy."

"I'm plenty rested. I drink tea and eat sea cucumber and abalone every day. You've got me so overnourished I'm getting nosebleeds, Mingyuan!" Su Tianyu said with a smile.

Yu Mingyuan looked up and smiled, giving Su Tianyu a suggestive look. "We've got plans tonight-an apartment party. A few friends of mine from District One will be there, along with some pretty girls who can dance. You're coming with me."

"...Dancing every day is killing my back."

"That's why I told you to rest up. Your main job right now is to drink well and dance well." Yu Mingyuan himself was quite busy and paid close attention to every aspect of the company's affairs. "All right, head back for now. I'll call you when it's time to leave."

"Mingyuan, work aside, are we friends?" Su Tianyu asked.

"With your intelligence, how can you even ask that? Who else in this company gets to address me that casually?" Yu Mingyuan replied, looking up.

"No, it's just that all this makes me nervous! You've got me... wondering whether we're related by blood." Su Tianyu put it delicately. "Tell me honestly, are you...?"

Ring, ring!

Just then, the phone on the desk rang. Yu Mingyuan picked it up and took the call right in front of Su Tianyu.

About three or four minutes later, Yu Mingyuan hung up, stood, and said to Su Tianyu, "Something's come up. I need to head out. Oh, stop overthinking it and get back to work. I'll pick you up tonight."

Su Tianyu felt a little helpless. "All right."

"Haha, you can take a nap this afternoon. We'll be out pretty late tonight." Yu Mingyuan patted Su Tianyu's shoulder and headed out.

Su Tianyu followed him, intending to return to his office.

"Oh, right!" Yu Mingyuan suddenly turned back at the door. "How far do you live from the office?"

Su Tianyu paused. "I'm out near the suburbs. About ten kilometers?"

"How do you usually get to work?"

"By bus."

"That's too much hassle. We start early here." Yu Mingyuan returned to his office, pulled open a drawer, and selected a car key. "We got a vehicle yesterday to settle an outstanding debt-a big SUV from good old Ford. You can drive it."

With that, Yu Mingyuan pressed the key into Su Tianyu's hand.

"Huh?" Su Tianyu stared at the key in bewilderment. "I... I get a company car too?"

"Your position qualifies, haha." Yu Mingyuan turned and left.

Su Tianyu was certainly no fool. On the contrary, he was smart, which was why he was genuinely starting to feel uneasy. Even the way Yu Mingyuan looked at him seemed a little off.

That evening, after work.

Su Tianyu sat in the little pavilion at home, his chin propped on his left hand. He glanced sideways at Big Bai, who had come over for tea, and asked, "If one guy treats another guy well without any limits, what do you think he wants?"

"For you to take care of him in his old age and bury him when he dies."

"...Give me a serious answer!"

"How the fuck is that not serious? Who besides your dad would treat you well without any limits?!" Big Bai paused. "Actually, that's not necessarily true. Maybe he's got his eye on your asshole."

"If that's what he wants, he should say so! Him not saying anything is what makes me nervous." Su Tianyu replied shamelessly, then stood up. "Playing that game with me? Just watch how I make him whip his dick out first!"