Yan Xin shook his head in confusion, picked up the documents nearby, and was about to review them when the office door was pushed open again.
"Assistant Zhang, you've come at just the right time. I have some documents here that need to be sent to the Marketing Department, but I can't step away right now. Could you trouble yourself to make the trip?"
Yan Xin gave a faint, calm smile and handed the documents over.
Zhang Shanshan paused slightly, her gaze naturally drifting to the lunchbox on the side, and she couldn't help but smile. "Mr. Yan, you should eat first. Taking care of your health is the priority—don't let Manager Fang's kind gesture go to waste."
Hearing this, Yan Xin finally remembered the lunchbox and let out an involuntary soft laugh. As he picked it up to eat, Zhang Shanshan's voice rang out again: "Manager Fang is truly good to you, Mr. Yan. Even as your assistant, I feel a bit inadequate in comparison."
"Hmm?"
Sensing the deeper meaning in those words, Yan Xin couldn't help but look up.
Seeing Yan Xin's bewildered expression, Zhang Shanshan feigned surprise. "Mr. Yan, you don't know?"
"Know what?"
Yan Xin was a bit puzzled.
"The reason Manager Fang is so good to you is, of course, because she has feelings for you."
Zhang Shanshan explained cheerfully.
Yan Xin's expression shifted subtly at this, and as he thought about how kind Fang Shiqing had been to him lately, it all clicked.
Zhang Shanshan picked up a stack of documents from the desk, deliberately acting as if she knew nothing. "Good women like Manager Fang are rare these days, Mr. Yan. You should seize the opportunity—don't bury yourself in work all the time. What a dull life that would be."
"Assistant Zhang, you've misunderstood."
Yan Xin smiled. "Manager Fang is only grateful to me."
Zhang Shanshan didn't say anything more, simply turning to leave with a calm demeanor. But in that moment of turning, a cold smirk flickered across her face.
She knew Yan Xin well. A little hint here and there, and he'd grasp the underlying meaning. From this, it seemed the relationship between him and Fang Shiqing wouldn't last long.
Meanwhile, Fang Shiqing was completely unaware of this. During the lunch break, taking advantage of Pei Shaoze's absence, she hurried to the CEO's office, grabbed Su Banxia, and shared her joy.
Listening to the news she brought, Su Banxia genuinely felt happy for her.
"Banxia, I'm so nervous right now. Do you think it's time to break through this barrier?"
Fang Shiqing's face was full of anticipation.
"Observe a bit longer. Yan Xin has a long reaction time, so don't show your hand until the very last moment."
Su Banxia raised an eyebrow.
Fang Shiqing was in high spirits. After a brief chat with Su Banxia, she left the office, unable to suppress the smile on her face.
Pei Shaoze walked in from outside, glanced at Su Banxia sitting at her desk, and said coldly, "What kind of spell did you cast on Manager Fang?"
He had clearly seen the sheer delight on Fang Shiqing's face, as if she'd been eating honey.
"Tch, what spell? It's a good remedy!"
Su Banxia wore a look of profound mystery.
"The company's been busy lately, and Secretary Su still has time for these antics?"
Pei Shaoze frowned slightly, his words carrying an elusive meaning.
Su Banxia cleared her throat and said slowly, "Mr. Pei, all the tasks you assigned me have been completed successfully."
Seeing the composed look on the little woman before him, Pei Shaoze snorted coldly. Then he pulled a contract from the desk and tossed it in front of her. "The company is about to sign a deal with the Song family, and we're short on people. This task is yours."
"The Song family?"
Su Banxia was taken aback. She had no prior dealings with them.
"Secretary Su, don't forget the 13 million you owe me."
Pei Shaoze kindly reminded her, noticing her flustered expression.
Su Banxia's mouth twitched slightly, and she gritted her teeth as she accepted the assignment.
If she could successfully sign the contract, she'd get a 3% commission. Though it was only a few hundred thousand, it would at least chip away at her debt.
With that thought, Su Banxia's motivation surged, and she threw herself wholeheartedly into her work.
These days had been uneventful but fulfilling. In her spare time, Su Banxia would occasionally chat with Fang Shiqing about her progress with Yan Xin, mentally noting every step forward between them.
On Fang Shiqing's end, her pursuit of Yan Xin never ceased. Guided by Su Banxia, her so-called "scheming advisor," she sent him gifts in all sorts of creative ways every day.
Some were food, others were practical items. As the weather turned colder, Fang Shiqing even knitted a scarf and personally delivered it to Yan Xin.
Seeing Fang Shiqing's shy and endearing demeanor, Yan Xin finally couldn't hold back his thoughts. He cleared his throat and said slowly, "Manager Fang, you really don't need to keep giving me these things."
"Mr. Yan, please don't mind. These are just a small token of my appreciation."
Fang Shiqing blushed and spoke softly.
Seeing this, Yan Xin steadied himself and said tactfully, "Manager Fang, I understand your intentions, but back then, I helped you purely out of friendship. I had no other thoughts. Please don't misunderstand."
At this, Fang Shiqing's expression shifted subtly, and her smile turned awkward.
"I appreciate your kindness with the scarf, but I can't accept it."
Yan Xin handed the beautifully wrapped box back to her.
"Mr. Yan..."
Yan Xin awkwardly turned his face away, paused, and then added, "Manager Fang, I think we should just be good friends, right?"
"Right, right... friends."
A bitter smile crossed Fang Shiqing's lips, and her spirits seemed to plummet from the clouds to the depths.
What was she hoping for? It was all just her own delusion.
Fang Shiqing didn't remember how she walked out of Yan Xin's office. She felt as if all her strength had been drained, each step like treading on cotton.
"Shiqing?"
Zhang Shanshan approached with documents in hand and was a bit surprised to see Fang Shiqing like this.
Fang Shiqing seemed not to hear, moving like a zombie with vacant eyes.
Zhang Shanshan instinctively stepped forward to block her path. "Shiqing, what's wrong?"
"Shanshan..."
A bitter smile tugged at Fang Shiqing's lips, but in the end, she said nothing.
"Did someone bully you?"
Zhang Shanshan asked with concern.
Fang Shiqing shook her head with a wry smile. "It's fine this way. At least it completely shatters my illusions."
"Hmm?"
Zhang Shanshan looked at her, puzzled.