Tao Xinrou stood still, watching Fang Rong say goodbye to their colleagues.
Finally, the moment had come. Tao Xinrou grew even more nervous.
She had prepared many things: a folding umbrella, tissues, spare masks, a mini power bank, and even two individually wrapped candies.
Seeing him turn and walk toward her, she immediately stood up straight and put on a smile she had practiced eight hundred times. "Mr. Fang, shall we go together?"
Fang Rong smiled gently and nodded. "Sure. Lead the way, please."
The test began the moment they stepped out of the restaurant.
Tao Xinrou's mind launched into a fierce debate—
【Walk side by side? That would seem too familiar and presumptuous!】
【Walk in front to lead the way? Treat the boss like a follower? No way!】
【Walk behind? That makes me look even more like a lackey!】
In the end, she chose a subtle position at a 45-degree angle behind him, which allowed her to give directions while maintaining a respectful distance.
She controlled her pace as if measured by a ruler, afraid that walking too fast would seem impatient and too slow would seem lazy.
This forced Fang Rong to keep turning back to look at her. "Miss Tao, why are you walking behind?"
The soul-searching question came so suddenly!
Panicking inside, Tao Xinrou squeezed out an even more standard service smile and almost tripped over her tongue. "Ah... well... the view from behind is better—I can better monitor the road conditions for you!"
Fang Rong paused slightly at her words, turned to look at her with a hint of confusion. "Monitor road conditions? We're walking on a pedestrian path, and it seems... pretty safe."
Tao Xinrou: "..."
Her logic was instantly dismantled.
Thinking on her feet, she made something up. "It's not that. It's just that I'm used to this angle. Yes! Walking at this angle saves more energy—it's ergonomic!"
"I see..." Fang Rong had no choice but to nod and didn't press further, but he naturally slowed down.
As his pace slowed, her carefully calculated "45-degree angle" was broken, and without realizing it, they were almost walking side by side.
Tao Xinrou stiffened instantly.
Ah... the physical distance closed, and the psychological pressure increased!
To break the suffocating silence, Tao Xinrou decided to take the initiative and find a topic. "Mr. Fang, what did you think of today's training? Manager Wang's explanation of the front desk system was pretty complicated."
Fang Rong replied flatly, "It'll get easier with practice. You're a fast learner, too."
An ordinary compliment, but in Tao Xinrou's heart, it set off fireworks: He praised me! He noticed that I learn fast!
So Tao Xinrou quickly waved her hands. "No, no, I'm just muddling through. You're the impressive one—I saw you remember everything after just one try!"
"Maybe because I worked in a restaurant before and used a similar ordering system. There's some overlap." Fang Rong replied naturally.
"By the way, you don't need to be so formal with me. Just call me Fang Rong."
Tao Xinrou's mind buzzed. "Can I call you Fang Rong...?"
"Of course. And I'll call you Tao Xinrou from now on."
Tao Xinrou nodded.
This CEO neighbor wasn't as scary as she had imagined. In fact... he was even a little considerate?
*
A few days later, the new Yunlu Hotel officially opened.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was grand. Several top executives from headquarters came in person. From a distance, Tao Xinrou caught a glimpse of two prominent men in the crowd. One was Zhang Hongbin, the newly appointed manager transferred from headquarters, who was talking respectfully to a middle-aged man in a suit.
Two colleagues nearby whispered, "Who's that guy next to Manager Zhang?"
"That's Vice President Ying from headquarters—Ying Huaishan. Manager Zhang's backer. I heard they put Zhang in our hotel as a stepping stone; he'll go back to the main branch later."
Tao Xinrou's heart stirred. Ying Huaishan? That surname—it was the same as Fang Rong's?
She subconsciously looked for Fang Rong and saw him crouching in a corner, helping the cleaning aunt organize the toolbox.
After the hotel opened, many guests arrived, all drawn by the Yunlu brand. Some were VIPs coming for an experience. Tao Xinrou's guest room department was divided into a section specifically handling VIP matters, and she and Zheng Shuhui were both assigned there.
It was at this point that Tao Xinrou's precognitive visions began to take effect.
An hour before the end of the shift, Li Meili clicked over in her high heels to Zheng Shuhui's workstation and dropped a folder on her desk. "Zheng Shuhui, this is the inventory checklist for the VIP rooms on the 20th floor. Submit it before you leave today. Check every single item. If anything is missing, you're out!"
"But Wei Jiaxin was supposed to do the inventory on the 20th floor today. His name is on the schedule."
"Wei Jiaxin has other tasks. What, are you making excuses when I ask you to do something? This is a work assignment. Just follow orders. Don't give me so much lip."
Zheng Shuhui shrank back at her rebuke, not daring to argue anymore. She whispered, "Okay, Supervisor Li."
Li Meili didn't look at her again and turned to leave.
When Tao Xinrou returned, only Zheng Shuhui was in the office. She saw her pick up the folder and a pen, then wipe the tears from her face, ready to go out.
Tao Xinrou had just come back from delivering fruit to a VIP and felt a bad premonition at the sight.
After learning the situation, Tao Xinrou decided, "I'll go with you. I'll help."