CHAPTER 385: CHAPTER 385

Ye Yuning returned to the studio after lunch.

She called Chen Wei into her office and asked her to arrange a workstation for her near the elevator entrance.

Chen Wei was startled. "Boss, are you planning to personally supervise everyone’s work? They won’t slack off!"

The employees at Manlang were all thoroughly dedicated, a fact Chen Wei had clearly observed.

Hearing this, Ye Yuning shot her an irritated look. "What are you thinking?"

When it came to work ethic, Manlang was probably the best in all of Upper City.

"Then why do you want to work by the elevator entrance?" Chen Wei asked. "Isn’t the lighting in your office bright enough?"

Ye Yuning was speechless. What does she mean, not bright enough? The lighting in her office is already very bright.

"My husband might be coming to the studio frequently to wait for me after work from now on," Ye Yuning explained.

Chen Wei was stunned.

She stared at Ye Yuning, completely bewildered, failing to see any connection between her boss moving her desk and her husband visiting.

Seeing Chen Wei’s blank look, Ye Yuning’s head throbbed; she had no idea where to even begin explaining.

She always felt a bit uneasy about Xiao Linye coming to wait for her after work. The staff here have all gotten used to calling me "Boss." If Xiao Linye heard that, it would be disastrous!

"Pass this down," Ye Yuning instructed. "From now on, when anyone sees me, they are not to call me ’Boss.’ Understood?"

"You don’t like that title? Then what should we call you? Director Ye?"

"No ’Director Ye’ either!"

"Then what?" Chen Wei’s lips twitched.

"Just call me Yuning," Ye Yuning stated.

Chen Wei’s mouth fell open, forming an ’O’. Already baffled, she now stared at Ye Yuning in even greater confusion.

Seeing Chen Wei’s slow uptake, Ye Yuning’s headache intensified.

She cleared her throat twice. "Go on, try saying it."

Judging by Chen Wei’s reaction, it’s going to be very risky if Xiao Linye comes to wait for me after work tonight. Besides, he was so serious when he mentioned it at lunch; it’s clear he’ll definitely come.

Chen Wei snapped back to reality, her eyelids twitching violently. "Boss, this isn’t appropriate, is it!?"

Calling the boss by her first name? We’ve never done that before. The others would probably be just as awkward as I am, completely unable to say it.

"Just say it when I tell you to," Ye Yuning said. "Such a spineless display."

Chen Wei felt wronged. "It’s not just me who’s spineless."

I bet everyone who hears this will be baffled, and then they’ll all become just as spineless.

Ye Yuning’s breathing grew heavier. "Are you going to say it or not?"

Chen Wei remained silent. Why is she being so pushy?

"If you don’t, you’ll be fined!" Ye Yuning huffed.

The moment she heard the word "fine," Chen Wei tensed up.

This awful woman, she’s actually trying to get at my wallet!

Her earlier awkwardness vanished instantly. She stood up straight and stammered, "Yu- Yuning!"

Logically, it’s just a name. If she says to call her that, then call her that. We’re all human; it’s not like it’s unspeakable, is it?

However, as Chen Wei uttered "Yuning," she immediately felt goosebumps erupt all over her skin.

Why does this feel like some kind of forced intimacy?

"See? That sounds perfectly fine," Ye Yuning said. "Relay this to everyone. They all need to address me this way."

Chen Wei was speechless. What on earth is this fixation of hers!

But seeing how serious Ye Yuning was as she gave the order, Chen Wei began to understand the underlying reason.

Her husband, nine times out of ten, doesn’t know her true identity.

"Alright, I’ll inform everyone right away," Chen Wei said.

"Remember, anyone who gets it wrong will be fined one hundred!"

"Bo— Yuning~!" Chen Wei yelped, the "ss" of "Boss" dying on her tongue as the mention of one hundred sent her into a panic.

"Isn’t one hundred a bit much?"

"Then it’ll make everyone remember more clearly!" Ye Yuning stated firmly.

Seeing her resolute expression, Chen Wei finally nodded. "Well, alright then!"

She quickly relayed the new directive.

Everyone reacted almost identically to Chen Wei, especially upon hearing about the one-hundred fine.

They had never once been fined since joining the studio.

Now, hearing from Chen Wei that they would be fined for not addressing their boss by her first name, they all looked horrified.

A cold sweat broke out on their backs, even though nothing had actually happened yet.

Returning to the office, Chen Wei looked ashen. "Bo— Yuning, everyone has been informed!"

Truth be told, this form of address was unusually awkward for them.

Ye Yuning nodded. "Is the workstation ready too?"

"Yes," Chen Wei confirmed with a nod.

Ye Yuning hummed in acknowledgment. "Well done."

Then, she gathered all her necessary office supplies and moved them out to the new spot.

Her workstation was closest to Luo Xin.

Seeing Ye Yuning, Luo Xin immediately sat up much straighter in her seat.

The designers in the main hall, noticing Ye Yuning seated among them, all dove into their work, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

Although Ye Yuning was usually quite approachable, working alongside the boss inevitably made everyone feel tense.

"Luo Xin, help me photocopy this," Ye Yuning said, handing a document to Luo Xin.

Luo Xin stepped forward respectfully. "Okay, Bo—" Before the word "Boss" fully left her mouth, Chen Wei immediately shot her a sharp look.

That one look made my mind go completely blank! Luo Xin thought.

She quickly corrected herself, "Okay, Yuning."

Phew, that was a close call!

Throughout the afternoon, anyone who needed to speak to Ye Yuning found it incredibly awkward.

But the thought of that hefty fine made them all catch themselves just in the nick of time.

And Xiao Linye, true to his word about waiting for her after work, indeed showed up. He even arrived half an hour early that day.