Hou Yichuan couldn't help but feel a mixture of amusement and exasperation at Chu Tian's words.

His boss... well, if you said he loved money, you'd be mistaken. He didn't bother with company affairs one bit, always resting if he could, never asking an extra question. But if you said he *didn't* love money, that excited expression on his face right now didn't seem fake either. It was just like how he looked during the company's year-end bonus distribution—his mouth wouldn't close.

It wasn't that Chu Tian lacked ambition; it was mainly that he really had no choice. He'd made a fair amount of money before. Although it was all in the company account, the company was his. As long as he transferred it to his personal card and paid the taxes, it would all be his. With tens of millions lying there, he definitely counted as wealthy, right? And with money, one naturally had to enjoy life. The first thing he thought of was moving out of that small, shabby house. Especially after that time Xu Qingqiu spent the night. The embarrassment of the bed being too small for two people was more than he could bear. It wasn't that he was contemplating how many people a bed should ideally hold; he just couldn't stand sleeping on a stool himself! Only someone who's actually had a stiff neck from sleeping badly knows how truly uncomfortable it is.

Therefore, buying a house and moving became an urgent priority. He even specifically browsed several real estate websites and looked at quite a few properties. He'd found a few houses he liked and was just thinking about when he might have time to check them out in person. Then, because of Xu Qingqiu's situation, "King of Mask Singer" suddenly emerged, completely tying up his cash flow. On top of that, there was "iPartment." That didn't cost as much, but even so, it was still a few million. There was no need to even think about it further; buying a house was off the table. He'd just have to stay in his current place for the time being.

As for renting a bigger place? He'd considered it, but someone else's house just wouldn't feel as good as his own. Besides, since he'd have to move eventually anyway, he'd definitely prefer moving once rather than twice. So what if the shabby house was a bit run-down? He felt he could still manage. And now, hadn't the clouds parted to reveal the moon? He had money again, so he could go back to looking at houses and buying one!

"President Chu, I don't know if we have money or not, but if we keep standing here like this, I bet we'll become a laughingstock for others," Hou Yichuan said. They had been standing on the curb of a busy road right after seeing someone off. Crucially, they were right by a parking spot. With people constantly coming and going, some passersby seemed to think they were physically 'reserving' the parking space and were giving them disdainful looks.

"Ha ha ha, let's go. Head upstairs first," Chu Tian laughed. Knowing he would soon have money, Chu Tian's mood improved considerably, and he no longer minded Hou Yichuan's teasing. The two chatted as they walked toward their company office upstairs.

"How's the filming of 'iPartment' coming along?" Chu Tian asked.

"Shooting started about half a month ago. It's over at the film and television studio," Hou Yichuan replied. "You have Cao's number, right? If you're concerned, you could visit the set."

Cao? Chu Tian thought for a moment. Ah, the Cao Hou Yichuan mentioned was Cao Zheng, the director of "iPartment." He'd met him at the company before and they were acquainted. But as for his phone number, he realized he didn't actually have it.

He actually had a sentimental attachment to this TV series. Even though it was a small-budget production, in his previous life, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say this series was an integral part of many people's youth. He wondered what the director in this world would make of it. Initially, he hadn't planned to get involved, but now that he knew filming had started, Chu Tian felt a sudden urge to visit the set. What if it was being filmed terribly? He could cut his losses in time. It would be better than waiting until filming was complete only to end up with a disaster, which would not only waste time but also result in a much greater financial loss.

"Okay, I'll go take a look later," Chu Tian said. "Oh, and send me Cao's number."

"You're really something..." Hou Yichuan muttered.

Hou Yichuan was thoroughly exasperated with his boss. Though his face showed helplessness, he obediently took out his phone and sent him the number.

After returning to the office, they discussed various company matters, including ongoing projects and future development plans. Chu Tian also took care of some documents that required his personal signature. By around four in the afternoon, most of the urgent work was done. Seeing there was still some time left in the day, Chu Tian became restless.

"Alright, Hou," Chu Tian said, "I won't stay any longer. You keep busy. Call or text me if anything comes up."

"What! You're leaving again?" Hou Yichuan exclaimed.

He felt utterly powerless when it came to his boss.

In the past, he, like many, had always longed for the boss to be away, to intervene less, and to grant more autonomy. But only after starting to work for Chu Tian did he realize that when the boss truly stepped back, he was the one who ended up being the most exhausted. Yet this particular boss was always at ease, working for perhaps two hours and then resting for half a month. Despite having his own office, he seemed to have never even set foot in it. His own desk was practically buried in dust. On the rare occasions Chu Tian did come to the company, he always stayed in Hou Yichuan's office, finishing what little work he did on the coffee table in the reception area.

Comparing the two of them, he suddenly realized how foolish he'd been in the past. If only he'd known, he could have slacked off so much more! Why had he insisted on working overtime and striving so hard? Now, the results of his efforts were clear: he had power and status. Even the autonomy he had yearned for was practically boundless. But he suddenly discovered this wasn't quite what he'd had in mind. Compared to Chu Tian, how could his hard work be more appealing than slacking off? Watching his boss about to leave again, his head throbbed. He wanted so badly to just say, 'Please stay!'

Chu Tian stretched lazily and turned to see Hou Yichuan's reproachful expression.

"Come on, what's with that look?" Chu Tian asked. "You think I've got nothing to do?"

"Well, don't you?" Hou Yichuan retorted.

"Hey! I'm about to visit the film set. Who knows what time I'll even get home? How is that having nothing to do?"

"Really?"

Hou Yichuan's expression stiffened. Could he have been mistaken? Chu Tian had indeed asked for the director's number just now. Had he misunderstood his boss? This was a bit embarrassing.

"Ah, well then, my apologies, Boss," Hou Yichuan said, trying to recover. "But if you do have some free time, please try to stop by the office more often, alright? There's so much going on here, and many things can't proceed when you're not around."

"I know, I know," Chu Tian waved dismissively. "If you're overwhelmed, hire more people. Just send anything that needs my attention directly to my phone. With communications being so advanced these days, surely we can manage remote work?"

He then added, "Alright, I'm really off now. If I delay any longer, the film crew will be done for the day."

"Alright then, Boss. Take care," Hou Yichuan replied.

Watching Chu Tian's retreating figure, Hou Yichuan couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right...

「」

"Phew! That was close," Chu Tian muttered to himself the moment he was out of the company, letting out a long sigh of relief. "Lucky for me, my acting skills haven't diminished. I almost couldn't hold it together back there."

For some reason, facing Hou Yichuan's reproachful gaze, he'd actually felt a twinge of guilt, almost enough to make him agree to stay and work.

No, this wouldn't do. He'd finally found such a dependable workhorse; how could he afford to go soft now? Thankfully, his acting skills were good enough. He'd managed to sternly reject Hou Yichuan's unspoken plea and cover up his own desire to slack off. But, having made the excuse about visiting the set, he had to follow through. He had originally planned to go home early and rest, but that was out of the question now. Besides, he was genuinely a bit curious about how things were progressing with the film crew. So, he might as well reluctantly make the effort to visit the set today.

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