Xiaoqi went to work as usual, but rumors grew large as she passed by. More than yesterday, it seemed like all the people from all over the building knew about it already.
She even forgot to tell her friend about her work promotion as to what happened yesterday. After going back home, she immediately took a shower and changed her clothes afterwards. She wasn't in the mood to eat and she felt a bit sick and cold from what happened, so she went straight to be and slept earlier.
Even still, in the morning they just ate some ready cooked food which didn't make her any better. She still didn't have any appetite to eat and it was like her mind was blank. She even almost forgot herself about the promotion she had and was about to go to their office as usual.
For the first time, she was thankful of the rumors spreading around like fire. Not only did she remember about her promotion but she also remembered Deming telling her that he will tell the manager himself and that she just has to go straight to the office today preventing something from happening. Moreover, she wasn't in the mood to see those three idiots who confronted her yesterday with such childish tricks. If she wasn't able to suppress her desire to punish them that time, they wouldn't have been able to go to work today. What's more, they would probably report what she's done and cause an even more havoc which she would greatly not want as to make more trouble and insignificant headache to her. Therefore it was best to just stay away from them.
... Time passed ... In the office where only the sound you can hear is the clatter of the keyboard as their fingers dance across the plastic keys. Focused on their work, they utter no word until…
Ring~ Ring~ Ring~
Deming's phone rang across the room, receiving a call from someone who Xiaoqi didn't know who. She wasn't interested in it. Or to say it more aptly, she wasn't feeling well and her concentration wasn't in anywhere. Even she didn't know what she was typing after seeing that it doesn't really make sense. But she didn't realize that because she really wasn't herself at this current time.
"Yes, I understand"
"I will be there…"
"You don't need to worry about it,"
His voice was clear as he was having the conversation with someone on the phone, but it heard like something from above the water for Xiaoqi; it was unclear.
"Miss Xue," a voice called her, but she didn't hear it.
"Miss Xue?" Deming repeated looking at Xiaoqi who was probably staring blankly looking at the monitor and running her fingers through the plastic keys of the keyboard.
Deming went closer to her stopping in front of her, but all she could see was a blurry silhouette.
"Miss Xue, are you listening?" It was quite unusual for her to ignore him, and acting like she didn't hear him displeased Deming. He was about to get mad that he grabbed her hand preventing it from typing any more.
Xiaoqi noticed him, and she looked at his shocked and worried face.
"You're burning hot! Why didn't you tell me? You could've just taken a sick leave. How could you work in such condition?" He ratted worriedly but it seemed that nothing was registered clearly to Xiaoqi's mind.
Everything was simply getting blurry by the second she could faint. She was burning hot which was more probably because of the incident the other day. She not a very healthy girl, she was someone who gets sick easily since she was a little girl and she went home soaked the other day. It was no surprise she was burning hot this time.
After a few more seconds she didn't realize she fainted. But before she could fall completely, Deming caught her with his arm.
The next thing she knew, she woke up in the hospital.
It was somewhat a familiar scene clear from her mind. The first day she had walked out from their home, she ended up in the same hospital. Only, this time there was someone accompanying her. And to her surprise it was her boss!
"You're finally awake?" Deming asked Xiaoqi who just realized she wasn't dreaming at all.
"Y-yeah, how long was I unconscious?"
"About half a day,"
His tone wasn't kind at all. He seemed angry but worried at the same time.
Xiaoqi stared at him who was sitting in a chair beside her, crossing both his arms and legs. He looked elegant and handsome…
("What am I thinking?")
Xiaoqi shook her head back and forth, eradicating the thought from her mind. How could she think of something like that in such a moment?
"Is there something wrong? Are you still feeling unwell?"
He looked at her worriedly it felt reassuring.
"No, I'm fine now," she said with a gorgeous smile.
"Then that's good. Next time, don't come to work if you're sick."
"But won't you deduct my salary if I do?"
"I would deduct your salary if you go to work like this. You wasted my time, fainting in front of me. How much do you want me to deduct on your salary?"
"No!" Xiaoqi objected, "… y-you won't deduct wages of a sick lady won't you?" She said looking cute like a child with sparkling eyes, but Deming just didn't give in.
"¥100,000 it is," he said, "that should be enough to repay for watching you over the past few hours. My time is gold, and it shouldn't be wasted."
Shocked by the amount he said, her jaw dropped wide open. It was all of her salary a month. How could he say that so casually? He's already so rich, how could he not pity someone lying on a hospital bed? More importantly, since when was she so obsessed with money that she couldn't afford to lose such small amount?
Yes, it was just a small amount for her… before her father forbade her from using their family's money and froze all her back accounts. Now, she's working even when she's sick just to earn that amount of money. How pitiful she is now, yet her father still kicked her out, and now that Deming's totally a bad person. Her first impression of him was gone; ruined in a split second. Her so-called destiny, someone who could understand her thought. She was wrong.
Even though it was true that he stayed with her when she was unconscious and she was truly grateful for it, it doesn't make sense for her. Taking a total of her salary for a one whole month for just watching over her for less than a day? If some companies offer such job, she would've taken it instead; she might as well quit her job. Unfortunately, there's no such thing so there wouldn't be quitting such job either. Her recent job is the most high-paying job one could have; she can't afford to lose it.
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I can't believe he was such an evil person, I thought he was an angel sent by heaven to help me but he just added more problems to weigh on me. Gosh, I was feeling grateful, not I take back every good thing I said about him. He's so bad, how could he deduct a whole month's salary of a bedridden employee for just watching over me for half a day?
Huhuhuhu… My money… *sobs*