Red String Across Worlds: BL System

Chapter 3

The bustling energy of the company felt like a tangible thing, a mix of ambition and anxiety hanging in the air. Lin Mu, still adjusting to the feel of Bai Fan's slightly smaller frame, navigated the corridors with a newfound confidence. He kept an eye out for the golden boy, Ye Ming, remembering the System's description. It wasn't hard to spot him - radiating a natural charisma, surrounded by a small group of equally fresh-faced trainees, all vying for his attention.

Lin Mu approached with a casual smile. He channeled Bai Fan's inherent shyness, but added a touch of the easy charm that was second nature to him. "Hey, you must be Ye Ming, right? I'm Bai Fan. We... uh... joined at the same time?" He offered a slightly awkward but genuine smile.

Ye Ming turned, his eyes bright and friendly. There was an open sincerity about him that Lin Mu immediately recognized. He lacked the subtle air of superiority that often clung to those born with privilege. "Oh, hey! Bai Fan, right? Nice to meet you! This whole thing is kind of overwhelming, isn't it?" He chuckled, a warm, genuine sound.

Over the next hour, Lin Mu subtly steered their conversation, offering quiet support and a few well-timed jokes that drew genuine laughter from Ye Ming. He made sure to listen more than he spoke, showing a genuine interest in Ye Ming's aspirations and his slightly nervous excitement. It was easy to see why the original Bai Fan might have considered him a friend, before the tide turned so tragically. Lin Mu decided then and there that he would indeed befriend Ye Ming. The brotherhood reveal could wait for a more opportune moment, let fate play its hand.

When the time came to sign their initial contracts, Lin Mu's actor's eyes scanned the document with meticulous care. He might be lazy, but he wasn't stupid. He noticed the stark differences between the standard contract offered to newcomers and the slightly more favorable one Ye Ming was presented with. He subtly inquired about certain clauses, feigning confusion, but his mind was working a mile a minute.

"Is it possible," he asked the contract manager, his voice polite but firm, "to perhaps include a clause regarding accommodation support for the initial months? As someone who recently moved to the city..." He trailed off, adding a touch of vulnerability to his expression.

The manager, a harried-looking woman with tired eyes, barely glanced up from her paperwork. "Standard contract is standard. Take it or leave it."

Ye Ming, however, spoke up. "Actually, Manager Li, I was just talking to Bai Fan, and he mentioned he's just out of the orphanage. It would be really helpful if the company could offer some initial support for housing, wouldn't it?" Ye Ming's earnestness was disarming.

Manager Li finally looked up, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She glanced from Ye Ming's sincere face to Lin Mu's subtly hopeful one. Perhaps influenced by Ye Ming's unsolicited support, or maybe just wanting to move things along, she sighed. "Alright, alright. Let me see what I can do. We have some basic dormitories... I can see if there's a space available for a temporary period."

Lin Mu offered Ye Ming a grateful smile, which the younger man returned warmly. He continued to negotiate, subtly leveraging Ye Ming's unexpected advocacy, and managed to secure not only temporary accommodation support but also a slightly higher initial salary and a commitment for more professional development opportunities. It wasn't the VIP treatment, but it was a far cry better than the raw deal Bai Fan had likely signed.

After the contract signing, a slightly less harried Manager Li introduced them to their respective teams. To Lin Mu's surprise, she announced, "Bai Fan, you'll be sharing a manager with Ye Ming - Manager Wang. However, you'll have separate assistants for now. This is Xiao Mei, she'll be looking after you." A young woman with bright, eager eyes and a slightly nervous smile stepped forward.