The Chronicle Of Seducing A Mature Woman (GL) - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Chengdu, Midsummer.

Zhong Xiao’ou was dressed in professional attire, one hand gripping the bus handle and the other guarding her bag. It was the morning rush hour; the bus was so packed that people were pressed chest-to-back and back-to-chest. Xiao’ou held her breath and tucked in her chest, feeling like she could hardly breathe.

Today was her first day at Classic International. She had jumped ship from her previous company for a doubled salary and a much larger corporate scale. More importantly, her best friend, Chi Wei, worked here, so she wouldn’t have to face the awkwardness of adjusting to a new environment alone.

The first day was quiet—just onboarding and getting to her workstation. Her department head gave her some materials to study to get familiar with the company. While Xiao’ou was buried in her reading, a QQ notification popped up. She recognized Chi Wei’s avatar instantly.

“What are you doing? How are you feeling?”

“Reading materials. It’s okay, I guess, but everyone looks so busy. My boss seems really serious—is he hard to get along with?” Xiao’ou’s desk was in the main hall, directly facing the manager’s office. Looking through the glass at her manager’s stern expression made her feel a bit intimidated.

“Oh, stop it, you’ll be fine. Manager Wen is actually easygoing—much better than the ‘Old Monster’ in my department. You always get nervous in new environments. Instead of worrying about that, you’d better think about this afternoon. Don’t say I didn’t warn you: per tradition, every new hire has to give a self-introduction during the afternoon training. It’s all about first impressions, classmate! It directly affects your probation performance score.”

“……”

Upon receiving this message, Xiao’ou stopped chatting. Nervously, she opened a document to draft her introduction. Xiao’ou was a person who got anxious easily and was particularly timid. This was why, at twenty-six, she had never had an official girlfriend.

She couldn’t remember exactly when she realized she liked women; it felt like a natural progression. She was simply drawn to women instinctively. It wasn’t that she hated boys, she just couldn’t bring herself to like them. When she saw tall, clean-cut guys, her reaction was usually just a detached “Oh” or “He’s okay,” as if it had nothing to do with her. But with women, there was always that inexplicable flutter in her heart and a gaze she couldn’t pull away.

However, she was too timid. She hid her sexual orientation deep inside. Even if she liked someone, she didn’t dare pursue them or confess. Plus, she looked very “straight.” Except for someone with “golden eyes” like Chi Wei, Xiao’ou was probably the only person in the world who knew she liked women.

Xiao’ou shook her head and stared at the blank document. Her mind was just as blank. How should she introduce herself? “Zhong Xiao’ou, 26, female, likes women. I really want a girlfriend right now—no, actually, I’ve wanted a girlfriend since I was old enough to remember…” Would everyone look at her like she was a monster? Would they fire her on her very first day?

Her imagination was running wild. By the time the Administrative Department notified her at 3:00 PM to go to the conference room, she had only managed to write a few dozen words.

Classic International was expanding its business this year, so many departments were shorthanded. The conference room was packed. Seeing the crowd made Xiao’ou break into a nervous sweat; the thought of speaking in front of them made it worse. The HR Manager—the “Old Monster” Chi Wei had mentioned—began a formulaic welcome, introducing the company and the various department managers. Xiao’ou didn’t listen; she used a pen to scribble her introduction on a piece of A4 paper.

“Next, let’s welcome President Gu from the Group to share a few words…”

Amidst the rhythmic applause, Xiao’ou clapped mechanically.

“Hello everyone, I am Gu Ming. Welcome to Classic International…”

The voice was beautiful—like the crisp, clear sound of ice cracking. It was sharp and elegant. Xiao’ou lifted her head from her “hieroglyphic” scribbles on the A4 paper and saw her. It felt like a fated encounter.

The woman on stage had her hair swept up, her skin was snow-white, and she wore a white shirt with an open collar. Her features were exquisite and captivating. Xiao’ou couldn’t look away. It felt as if her heart had stopped beating; she didn’t want to move her gaze for even a second.

I… ah… ahhh! So beautiful… so handsome… Xiao’ou was practically on the verge of a nosebleed. She couldn’t hear a word the woman was saying. She didn’t know if this was “love at first sight.” Back in university, she had felt an immediate liking for two seniors, but it had never been like this—a feeling of losing her heartbeat, of being a “living corpse” paralyzed by an electric shock.

Xiao’ou’s gaze was so intense that the woman on stage couldn’t help but glance back at her. Only then did Xiao’ou feel her pulse return. She quickly lowered her head and gripped the corner of the table. She was oblivious to everything else until it was time for the new hires to introduce themselves. When it was her turn, the HR Manager had to call her name twice.

“Zhong Xiao’ou… Zhong Xiao’ou…”

Someone next to her tapped her desk and handed her the microphone. She stood up abruptly and looked around. Everyone’s eyes were on her—including that woman from the stage. Xiao’ou was an introvert; she hated being the center of attention. She preferred staying quietly in a corner. Combined with the shock of seeing such a beautiful woman, she was still dazed.

In the brief silence, her palms grew sweaty. She took a few deep breaths and finally spoke: “Hello everyone, I’m new to the Planning Department. My name is Zhong Xiao’ou, I’m 26, and I’m un… unmarried… ah!”

She bit her tongue. The entire room burst into laughter, except for her department manager, Wen Chao.

…

After the two-hour training, Xiao’ou was in a state of emotional turmoil. Because of her nerves, she had performed poorly. Before she could share her “miraculous encounter” with Chi Wei, she was summoned to Wen Chao’s office.

“Zhong Xiao’ou?”

“Yes?” Xiao’ou stood with her hands crossed in front of her.

“What happened back there?” Wen Chao looked displeased. “You have three or four years of experience. That was a simple self-introduction; even fresh graduates did better than you. Out of twenty new employees, guess what score you got today?”

Xiao’ou’s head dropped lower and lower.

“Dead last! Sister, you’ve dragged down the entire department’s performance score.”

Xiao’ou’s face flushed red.

Wen Chao was a blunt, stout man. Seeing her reaction, he realized he was being too harsh. He just couldn’t understand it—a self-introduction was so simple. With her resume, she should have been top three, not bottom one. “Alright, it’s your first day, maybe you’re just not adjusted yet. You have a three-month probation; just earn the points back in other areas later. Don’t take it too heart—I tend to speak harshly when I’m frustrated.” He patted her shoulder.

Zhong Xiao’ou’s first day was a mix of depression and excitement. By the time Chi Wei came to pick her up to go home, Xiao’ou looked a bit “unhinged.” Chi Wei had already heard from the “Old Monster” that Xiao’ou had come in last.

“Chi Wei, in my entire life, I have never been dead last in anything,” Xiao’ou said, her face so gloomy it looked like it could drip water.

“What happened? I didn’t believe it when the ‘Old Monster’ told me.”

Xiao’ou: “I saw a beauty, got nervous, my brain went blank, and I choked.”

Chi Wei: “…… Why are you getting nervous over a beauty? It’s just a self-introduction!”

Xiao’ou didn’t know why either. “Manager Wen scolded me.”

Chi Wei: “Being scolded is lucky. If you were in my department, the ‘Old Monster’ would have torn you limb from limb.”

Chi Wei, a supervisor in HR, took Xiao’ou to a restaurant. She had promised to treat her to a good meal for her first day.

“Do you know who that woman is?” Xiao’ou asked eagerly as they sat down.

“Which one?”

“The one who is especially good-looking, so handsome and beautiful. I’ve never seen a woman look so good in a white shirt. Do you know her name?”

“You mean the woman who charmed you so much that you stuttered your way into last place?” Chi Wei looked at her with disdain and took the menu. “There were so many people there, how am I supposed to know who you’re talking about?”

“I think they said she’s the Vice President? President Gu?”

“You mean Gu Ming?” Chi Wei finally put down the menu and stared at her. “Zhong Xiao’ou, you’ve got quite the eye. She’s the best-looking and coolest person in the whole company. No wonder… I forgot about that. But listen, stop daydreaming. Seriously.”

“Why?”

“If there were even a chance, I would have made a move myself long ago! Would I wait for you? You’re so timid you don’t even dare to look at her, let alone chase her. President Gu is ‘Straight as an Arrow’ (Universal Straight). Plus, she’s at the top—she’s the VP, and you’re a Level 3 Supervisor. There are four or five ranks between you.”