This is a rather ordinary office. The pure white ceiling hosts a whirring ceiling fan, circulating in the stifling heat of summer. The temperature is so high that it seems capable of roasting people alive. Few pedestrians stroll along the streets, overshadowed by the continuous flow of vehicles, seemingly undeterred by the scorching sun, daring to appear on this sizzling road.
In the municipal office of Haitian City's Political Consultative Conference, the tranquility instills a drowsy desire. The office, already pitifully small, currently houses only two sluggish employees flipping through the newspapers that arrived earlier in the morning, their moods tinged with boredom and vexation.
"Cheng Huan, come and see, it's Leng Yuzhe again. So handsome, making headlines once more. I wonder which celebrity he's involved with this time?" Just as the still air hoarded even its coolness, a shrill voice pierced through from the desk to the right, belonging to a girl in a suit.
She tightly clutched the newspaper, her expression extremely excited, her eyes fixed on the man with the lowered hat brim in the newspaper!
"Lost in daydreams again. I have no interest in these gossip news. Don't disturb me; I'm busy!" The girl on the left, with an air of helplessness, her small face no larger than a palm, delicate features forming a harmonious pattern on her oval face. She appeared very fresh and pleasant, adorned in a neatly tailored black and white suit, her clean-cut hair tied back. Though seemingly ordinary, she exuded a subtle, refined charm—a type that might not catch immediate attention but possessed a unique allure upon closer inspection.
Her name was Cheng Huan, the protagonist of this story. Of course, before receiving that phone call that would change her destiny, she believed she would lead a busy life similar to the other girls in the office—marry and have children in her twenties, indulge in a bit of romance in her thirties, gather with friends for Mahjong in her forties, embrace retirement along with her offspring in her fifties, and sit in a rocking chair with her old partner reminiscing about life in her sixties and seventies.
Summing up her entire life, there wasn't much to do. Cheng Huan seemed to have glimpsed her future before entering this office—a future without ups and downs, a tedious office life.
"Rigid. Do you not understand what fashion elements are? Don't you have a favorite celebrity?" The girl who had just screamed glanced disdainfully at her, mockingly saying.
"Lili, when a pile of unnumbered documents is in front of you, and you have to categorize them one by one, then organize and store them, so that you can provide them easily when the boss needs them, come sit in my place and see if you still have the leisure to read the newspaper!" Cheng Huan vented the accumulated frustration from the bottom of her heart, paying no more attention to Wang Lili, continuing to immerse herself in numbering and organizing her work.
Wang Lili pursed her lips, nonchalantly immersed in the newspaper filled with novel ideas.
"Weird, why would Leng Yuzhe choose this female celebrity? It truly tarnishes his taste!" Wang Lili occasionally expressed her dissatisfaction.
Cheng Huan, having neatly arranged a stack of documents, approached in high spirits, casting a light glance at the image in the newspaper. She smiled, saying, "The face isn't even clear. How do you know who he is?"
"This is called being a fan. As long as it's Leng Yuzhe, even if you put a strand of his hair in front of me, I can recognize it!" Wang Lili exaggeratedly exclaimed.
"I think you should see a psychiatrist. What kind of man is he that makes you so crazy?" Cheng Huan still looked puzzled, unable to understand why someone of the same age as herself could be so different from Wang Lili. Why must one interfere in other people's lives instead of living one's own life well? She couldn't comprehend where the time and energy came from.
"Forget it; if you don't understand, don't speak nonsense. You might tarnish Yuzhe's image!" Wang Lili glared at her, pushed her away, and paid no further attention to the emotionally detached Cheng Huan.
"I'm going to deliver the documents. If there's a call for me, please answer it!" Cheng Huan picked up the files, left the words behind, and exited the room.
"Got it!" Wang Lili absentmindedly responded.
Shortly after Cheng Huan left, the phone on the desk suddenly rang loudly. Wang Lili gave it a casual glance, intending to ignore it. After all, any call for Cheng Huan would likely be work-related. If she didn't answer, there wouldn't be any loss. She would wait for Cheng Huan to handle it herself.
Wang Lili could endure the annoyance of the ringing, but the phone seemed to have even more patience than her and continued to ring persistently!
"So irritating!" Wang Lili's mood, spoiled by reading the newspaper, deteriorated even further. Annoyed, she stood up, grabbed the phone, and with an impatient tone, said, "Hello, who is it?"
"Is Cheng Huan there?" The voice on the other end sounded extremely urgent!
Although the tone was urgent, Wang Lili's hearing was quite sharp. Upon hearing this voice, her entire nervous system seemed to boil. She abandoned her previous indifferent attitude, softened her tone, and even smiled, "So, you're General Cheng. Do you need something from Huan Huan? She just went out to deliver some documents. Unfortunately, you called at an inopportune time!"
"You must be Lili, right? Huan Huan mentioned you. When she comes back, ask her to call me. I am her uncle, and there's something urgent I need to discuss with her!" The urgent male voice explained.