Xia Yan inexplicably picked up the phone beside her. The screen was still lit, displaying a message from someone named Ke Yaru. Xia Yan swore she hadn’t meant to peek at its contents.
She silently glanced at Lu Zhengting’s peaceful sleeping face, then quietly placed the phone back exactly where it was on the coffee table. Narrowing her eyes, she walked to the dining table and stared at the array of dishes before her—colorful, aromatic, and flavorful—yet she had no appetite at all, as if her earlier stomach growling had been a fleeting moment. If there was one thing she’d learned deeply over the past few days, it was that no matter how sad or miserable she felt, she would still eat something and never let herself go hungry.
After taking a few simple bites, she cleaned up the kitchen and returned to her room, going through the motions of showering and going to bed.
The night arrived quietly, so still it brought a sense of peace to the heart. The sky was dotted with countless stars, and the full moon shone bright and crisp. Tomorrow was sure to be a fine day.
The next morning, Lu Zhengting woke up feeling sore all over. Rubbing his temples, he realized he’d spent the entire night sleeping on the living room sofa in his clothes. His expression darkened instantly. With a cold face, he returned to his room, took a quick shower, and changed clothes. When he reappeared, Xia Yan was already up and making breakfast in the kitchen.
He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, his deep gaze fixed on Xia Yan as she moved around. When she suddenly turned to grab a spatula and caught him staring, she paused briefly before continuing as if nothing had happened. The kitchen was filled with a rich aroma—she’d been simmering the congee for an hour, adding her own secret touch.
She ladled out a bowl, brought it to her nose to sniff, and wore a satisfied expression. If it weren’t too hot to drink, she’d have downed it in one go. Remembering the silent figure behind her, she slowly said, “Do you want some?”
“...”
Xia Yan took a small sip and then added casually, “If you do, get it yourself.”
Lu Zhengting had a terrible temper when waking up, especially when he hadn’t slept well. Seeing Xia Yan’s infuriating attitude, he felt an impulse to haul her over and spank her. Xia Yan, completely unaware, carefully cradled her bowl of congee and walked past him nonchalantly, as if she truly had no intention of getting him a serving.
On the table were pickled vegetables she’d prepared the night before. Congee with pickles—just the right combination, soothing for the stomach and filling.
Lu Zhengting fetched a bowl from the kitchen himself. By then, Xia Yan was almost done eating. Today was her first day reporting to the Lu Group, and no matter what happened between her and Lu Zhengting, she wouldn’t easily give up this job. It wasn’t because she was eager to work at Lu’s, but because she believed what Lu Zhengting had said—if he gave the word, no company in Jiang City would hire her.
At 7:30 a.m., Xia Yan was ready to leave. Lu Zhengting was still leisurely pacing around the living room. Seeing this, Xia Yan shook her head. As someone earning a salary, she naturally couldn’t compare to the boss—he could go whenever he wanted, but she couldn’t. With that thought, she grabbed her bag from the shoe cabinet, ignored Lu Zhengting, and left without even a goodbye.
She didn’t want to stay in this place any longer. Last night, she’d been dead tired but couldn’t fall asleep with her eyes closed, leaving her with dark circles under her eyes as she headed to the company for her first day. The experience was both amusing and frustrating.
Lu Group, Human Resources Department.
Xia Yan was very punctual. She never arrived late for agreed-upon times, and she rarely showed up too early either—she was good at timing. The reporting process was quick and simple. After meeting with the HR manager, she was taken to the Finance Department.
After a brief introduction to her soon-to-be colleagues, Xia Yan officially began her internship. During this period, the financial matters she could access wouldn’t include the company’s core data. On her first day, most of her tasks involved helping colleagues with follow-ups, processing documents, gathering information, and assisting.
“Xia Yan, could you take this file to Manager Ke’s office? I’ve got some things to handle here.”
“Sure, but I don’t know where Manager Ke’s office is.”
“Take the elevator to the 15th floor, turn left when you get out, and you’ll see it.”
“Alright, I’ll go now.”
Xia Yan got up from her chair, took the stack of documents, and headed toward Manager Ke’s office following the directions. The elevator happened to stop right in front of her. As she looked up, she saw Lu Zhengting standing inside, with his secretary behind him. Xia Yan froze for a moment. As the elevator doors began to close, she hesitated about whether to step in, then heard the secretary behind Lu Zhengting smile warmly at her.
“Mr. Lu...”
“Miss Xia, please come in quickly.”
“...” Could she refuse?
A crowd was approaching from behind her, and staying stuck there wouldn’t do her any favors. Xia Yan glanced around, assessing the situation, and at the last second, decisively stepped into the elevator. In the confined space, she felt inexplicably stifled. Beside her stood the expressionless Lu Zhengting, and behind her, the secretary with sparkling eyes. She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
What luck... It was really frustrating.
At least she’d be free once she reached the 15th floor. When the elevator chimed with a ding, Xia Yan felt the sound was incredibly welcoming. Clutching the documents, she exited without looking back, turned left, and spotted Manager Ke’s office. Putting on a smile, she knocked, waited for a response, and pushed the door open.
If time could rewind, if she could refuse, she would never have agreed to deliver that file for her colleague. No—she should say she would have firmly rejected working at Lu’s altogether.
Xia Yan stared in surprise at the woman sitting behind the desk. Her coffee-colored hair rippled like ocean waves, casually tousled. Her features were already exquisite, but the light, elegant makeup made them even more striking and refined. As Xia Yan stood there stunned, she thought to herself, What a small world!
Ke Yaru, with a similarly shocked expression, saw it was Xia Yan and felt an indescribable mix of emotions. Her view of Xia Yan instantly turned into one of an unshakable nuisance. She glanced at the standing Xia Yan, closed the file, and fixed a sharp gaze on her, saying coldly, “Impressive. I didn’t expect to see you here in the company.”
Xia Yan frowned, looking at the somewhat arrogant Manager Ke, and paused for a moment. If she weren’t a Lu’s employee now, she’d definitely talk back.
“Give me the documents.”
Hearing this, Xia Yan unhesitatingly placed the file on her desk and said flatly, “Manager Ke, if there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work.”
“Hold on.”
“Is there something else, Manager Ke?”
“Xia Yan, why are you working at Lu’s? Is it because things didn’t work out with Xiaohan, so you’re trying a new way to get Zhengting’s attention?” Ke Yaru said angrily. If that were the case, she’d fire her before Lu Zhengting even knew she existed.
“Manager Ke, that’s a personal question, and I think I have the right not to answer.”
“So sharp-tongued?”
“I’m just stating a fact. Manager Ke, if you have no work-related instructions, I’ll head out.”
“Fine, very well. Xia Yan, is it?” Ke Yaru stared at the unyielding Xia Yan, let out a cold laugh, and casually flipped through the documents she’d brought. In front of Xia Yan, she tossed them straight into the trash. “This file doesn’t have what I need. Get me a new one right now.”
“Manager Ke, you...”
“Any objections? If not, find me that file immediately.”
Xia Yan held back a surge of anger. Ke Yaru was clearly trying to bully her. She bit her lower lip, took a deep breath, and said, “Alright, Manager Ke, I’ll go now.”
Back at her workstation, the colleague who’d asked for her help, Li Ru, noticed her flushed face and whispered, “Xia Yan, you look off. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Li Ru, sorry, do you have a backup of that file?”
“Did Manager Ke give you a hard time?”
“No,” Xia Yan blurted out. She knew gossiping about a superior in the office was dangerous, so she didn’t want to stir up trouble. To be safe, she chose to stay silent.
Hearing this, Li Ru put an arm around Xia Yan’s shoulder and said apologetically, “Sorry, Xia Yan. Next time, I’ll take the file to Manager Ke myself.”
“It’s fine. It’s better if I deliver it,” Xia Yan said calmly. Ke Yaru had specifically called her out, and if someone else went, she’d likely find another excuse to make things difficult.
Seeing her firm stance and knowing the boss’s temper, Li Ru thought for a moment and said, “I still have that file saved on my computer. I’ll send it to yours now. Print and organize it. Oh, and there’s one document you’ll need to get from the archives, but I’ve forgotten where it is. You might have to find it yourself.”
“Alright, I’ll head to the archives after this.” Most of the documents were still there. Xia Yan received the files Li Ru sent, printed them one by one, and organized them. “Li Ru, how do I get to the archives?”
“It’s on the fourth floor.”
With that, Xia Yan picked up the newly compiled stack of documents, went to the archives to grab the last one, and then headed back to Ke Yaru’s office.
Ke Yaru sneered at the documents Xia Yan handed over, didn’t even glance at them, and tossed them into the trash. “This isn’t what I wanted.”
Unfazed, Xia Yan pulled another set from her folder and placed it in front of Ke Yaru.
“This one’s wrong too.”
Xia Yan calmly produced another and set it down, saying coldly, “Manager Ke, I’ve prepared multiple versions. Feel free to throw them away until you’re satisfied!”
Ke Yaru glared at the composed Xia Yan, never expecting her to do this. In truth, all the documents were exactly as she’d requested.