Boss Lu: A reborn life is destined to be without regrets!
Chapter 476 - 345. The confidence to control one’s life_2

Chapter 476: 345. The confidence to control one’s life_2

She picked up packages for Mr. Lu, bought tickets, booked restaurant tables, reserved flights, and retrieved dry-cleaned clothes.

She even had to find a cleaning lady to help Lu Jincheng tidy up his apartment in Jiangnan Garden.

It was almost unbelievable when you thought about it.

That apartment was filled with streaming computers, cosplay outfits, various little toys, and unmistakable traces of a girl’s life.

He seemed entirely unconcerned about appearances, continuing to use her like a personal life secretary in an unapologetically casual manner.

Apart from the polite "thank you" repeated over and over, judging from his expression, there was no sign of genuine gratitude—rather, it was a look of entitlement, as if it were entirely warranted.

Perhaps this was his natural instinct.

In addition to his tightly packed work schedule, some aspects of Mr. Lu’s personal life also required her assistance.

Dinners were often eaten out, and she had to secure reservations for high-end restaurants and bars for him.

His social activities were shockingly frequent.

The people he met increasingly didn’t bother to avoid her presence.

Thinking about these individuals often left He Ying stunned, even finding it hard to believe at times.

But He Ying was very sensible in this regard.

No matter who Mr. Lu met, she understood clearly which details she needed to grasp thoroughly and which ones she had to feign ignorance about.

Though it had only been a few short months, in her mind, Lu Jincheng was no longer the seemingly insincere junior who made promises he couldn’t keep; now, he seemed almost unattainably high above.

Just like the day she joined Golden Stone Media, learning about Mou Keyan’s astounding earnings per day and struggling to hide her shocked expression.

Lu Jincheng truly possessed the ability to turn stone into gold.

Time nurtured trust—on one hand, it left her perpetually exhausted, yet on the other, it filled her with satisfaction.

From the moment she willingly became his assistant, she had been hoping for such a progression.

She was increasingly aware of how much trust and closeness, along with resources and privileges, being a "life secretary" represented.

She was gambling.

Gambling that Mr. Lu would deliberately allocate enough resources and privileges to her.

She was tired of climbing step by step from the very bottom.

She also knew that the shallow platitudes of "hard work, perseverance, keep going" from inspirational books were far from sufficient.

She needed a platform, a springboard, a boost.

But Mr. Lu seemed unaware of the depth of determination she had secretly committed to.

He had never promised her any kind of formal promotion or raise.

Of course, not even a hint regarding her future beyond her assistant role had been given by Mr. Lu.

It was only when He Ying started handling numerous personal expenses for Mr. Lu—like payments to the cleaning lady, laundry charges, utility bills for the apartment, and fuel costs for the car—that Lu Jincheng issued her a private bank card.

For convenience in payment.

And then he transferred a six-figure sum into it!

He Ying naturally understood that this cash was a form of gift.

The purely living expenses couldn’t possibly add up to such an amount, no matter how extravagantly spent.

This was a form of compensation and recognition for the additional work she had done.

She hesitated for a moment, considering whether she should subtly ask Mr. Lu about how this money could be used.

But after much deliberation, she decided not to bring it up.

She couldn’t afford to let her boss underestimate her sense of ambition.

"Mr. Lu, this money is too much."

"Go ahead and spend it."

No, this kind of dialogue wasn’t suited to their dynamic.

She had gradually come to understand and align herself with the values and worldview of someone like Lu Jincheng.

Ideals, perspectives, principles.

While she looked up to him, she also set her sights on modeling herself after him.

And so, apart from using this money to pay for various personal expenses for Mr. Lu, she graciously yet tactically used it to improve herself.

She bought expensive cosmetics, decent professional suits, and maintained a routine of fitness.

She even ordered a small beauty device online and placed it in her office.

The money her boss gave her was hers to spend, but it had to be spent wisely.

She had to look radiant, stylish, elegant, live with refinement, and exude taste.

This was surely what her boss expected her to achieve using the money he gave her.

As for the future...

She’d focus on her efforts and leave the rest to fate.

As someone close to Lu Jincheng, no news escaped He Ying’s notice.

She knew that at the end of last year, the president of Nanhu University personally called for mid-level cadre positions to be openly competed for, solving many vacancies.

One of these positions was the newly appointed student affairs director, Guo Minjie.

Across the bureaucracy, there were plenty of people who could smell the intentions, immediately recognizing this as a deliberate promotion; the whole competition process had merely been formality to legitimize placing Guo Minjie in the role.

Having served as Student Union president for several terms and once considering staying on campus, He Ying had a far deeper understanding than the average college student.

She realized this role of student affairs director was merely a stepping stone.

With Lu Jincheng’s backing, Guo Minjie was very likely to use this position as a springboard, perhaps transferring to a government role before long.

That’s just how he operated—he never shortchanged anyone around him.

Since Mr. Lu demonstrated jaw-dropping wealth-generation capabilities in the internet industry, everyone could see he had boundless prospects ahead.

Sure enough, individuals came in small groups—young, attractive fresh talents; classmate friends harboring fond memories—all approached with attempts to cozy up and ingratiate themselves, if only to establish some ties, some possible safety net.

But Mr. Lu had reserved his unique trust only for her.

Unequaled trust.

Was he rewarding her determination to abandon the thought of joining the public sector and go all-in?

Or was it for her relentless dedication and hard work?

Or maybe for her loyalty and firm stand, unlike other Student Union members who jumped ship for higher pay?

Or perhaps... for some other reason?

She didn’t know the answer.

At the same time, what discouraged her somewhat was that although Mr. Lu had explicitly and implicitly praised her looks—going so far as to offer bold compliments on her figure and sense of style, even "suggesting" a color for her stockings—it seemed there was no deeper implication.

The time was almost up.

He Ying grabbed the down comforter, pulled it aside, and let her body meet the slightly chilly air.

He had given her half an hour, and she could’ve squeezed some sleep into that time.

Skipping sleep altogether might lead to slight fatigue in her appearance.

But a shower was a better option.

The carefully maintained polished image of herself mattered greatly.

And lately, it seemed even Mr. Lu could see.

She had been far too busy.

Winter vacation was supposed to be a period of rest, yet from late December until now, over a month had passed.

She had been endlessly working without pause.

The boss vacationed back in his hometown, and as his assistant, it naturally fell upon her to handle most of the everyday tasks.

Chasing new media trends, reviewing new uniform designs, testing the latest short video iterations...

The matters tied to the suburban factories in Jiangcheng alone were enough to keep He Ying fully occupied.

Despite her family urging her time and again, she still hadn’t bought that ticket to return home.

Because she had come to realize she now had the capability.

She could root herself in the big city, thrive in a vibrant industry, and perhaps one day save up enough for a small apartment’s down payment—the future looked bright.

Her brother’s tuition, the hefty betrothal gifts, the post-graduation matchmaking...

All those issues that had once plagued her seemed to have vanished, no longer weighing on her heart.

Whenever He Ying thought of these things, she’d become somewhat emotional, even find it hard to sleep.

Though few people knew of her family background, looking back at the path she had traveled to reach this point, it almost felt surreal, like a dream.

While her peers were still struggling with jobs and uncertain futures, she had already secured her bet, firmly established herself in her assistant role.

In this race, she didn’t even have competitors.

She already possessed the confidence to independently manage project progress, live on her own, and steadily improve her life.

This sense of achievement even made her body grow warm in hidden places—around one or two inches below her lower abdomen—a burgeoning energy reigniting within her.

The video call connected, and the girl massaged her stiff cheeks, a soft smile spreading across her face.

"Mr. Lu, can you hear me?"