Qin Ran had so many little bottles she wanted to try, and now that the weather was getting warmer, she was eager to use the one labeled "Summer Time." From the name alone, she guessed it would have a rich, sweet scent.
Pouting playfully, Qin Ran finally wore down Yu Shuman's resistance, and she got to use the new bottle.
The next morning, Qin Ran made breakfast and then left for school. Yu Shuman slept in a bit, waking up to a call from Xiao An. Xiao An told her she'd be arriving in half an hour, so Yu Shuman quickly got up, hurriedly ate the breakfast Qin Ran had made, and was just putting the dishes in the sink when the doorbell rang.
Xiao An was at the door with the housekeeper Qin Ran had hired. The housekeeper immediately noticed that Yu Shuman had just finished eating and hadn't cleaned up. Smiling warmly, she said, "Oh, why are you doing the dishes, Manman? That's my job. Little Qin hired me to take care of things like this. If you do it all, I'll be out of work!"
Yu Shuman could only say, "Sorry to trouble you," before leaving with Xiao An.
During breaks at work, Yu Shuman didn't forget to work on her thesis. Occasionally, she received messages from friends. The producer from the suspense drama also sent a message, saying that the filming would wrap up in a little over a week and asking if Yu Shuman would like to visit the set.
Yu Shuman politely explained her current schedule, saying she probably wouldn't have time to visit, and wished the production a smooth wrap-up.
The producer quickly replied, asking her to focus on her own work and not worry about visiting. He also mentioned that they would need her for promotional activities when the show was about to air.
Yu Shuman readily agreed. Sister Li had already set aside time for the new drama's promotional events. After finishing her conversation with the producer, Yu Shuman heard someone calling her. "Manman!" She looked up and saw the underground idol who had been in the same group with her before.
Her outfit was more mature than before, with a slightly different style, but her personality hadn't changed. After some small talk, the idol quickly shifted the topic to Ling Miaohan. "Ling Miaohan's not doing so well lately. I thought she'd be the most successful among us."
Yu Shuman frowned. She didn't like Ling Miaohan now, but she didn't want to gossip about her behind her back either. She tried to change the topic, but the idol added, "But I heard her second brother is back. Her fans are saying he's going to protect her."
Yu Shuman's ears perked up. For some reason, she thought of the man she had seen at the airport who looked so much like Ling Miaohan. Curious, she asked, "Her second brother? Is he someone powerful?"
"Yeah," the idol recalled all the gossip she knew before saying, "Apparently, he's some kind of special forces king, really tough. He's won a lot of competitions and has connections up high. Basically, you and your little Qin should be careful."
"Uh…thanks for the warning."
Hearing this, Yu Shuman couldn't help but feel a little anxious. But when she came home to find Qin Ran the same as always, she relaxed. A few days later, Yu Shuman saw Zeng Qian reporting in. Unlike before, when she was always surrounded by assistants, today Zeng Qian came alone.
She was carrying a small bag, wearing a gradient light green off-the-shoulder dress, and had a pair of tinted sunglasses on. The front desk mentioned she walked in boldly, likely getting snapped by paparazzi, which probably landed her on Weibo's trending topics.
Zeng Qian noticed Yu Shuman and immediately waved, "Manman!"
Yu Shuman informed Xiao An before walking over to her. "You're here already? That was quick."
"I actually think it took too long. I had to negotiate with my old company for ages and even brought in my family's legal team to finally get out. I came straight here after handling my resignation paperwork."
They sat in the first-floor lounge and chatted for a while. Casually, Yu Shuman asked, "Who's helping you with the onboarding?"
"It's your manager, Manman, umm...what's her name..." Before Zeng Qian could remember, Sister Li walked over from the elevator. Zeng Qian, full of enthusiasm, stood up and loudly greeted her, "Sister Yan Li!"
Yu Shuman almost burst out laughing and quickly turned away so Sister Li wouldn't see her smile. She had caught a glimpse of Sister Li's smile slowly fading.
Having worked together for a while, Yu Shuman knew Sister Li hated being called by her full name. It seemed she found her name unpleasant. And this time, it happened in the bustling company lobby, with other artists walking by, right in front of them.
Once Yu Shuman composed herself and turned back, she saw Sister Li approaching with a somewhat awkward smile. Sitting down, Yu Shuman thought Sister Li could dig a three-room apartment with her toes from embarrassment. Losing her name like that was just too painful.
Sister Li caught Yu Shuman sneaking a smile and couldn't help but glare. "Don't you have work to do?"
Yu Shuman knew Sister Li was trying to shoo her away. "No rush," she said, even asking Xiao An to get some coffee. Then she sat there, beaming at Sister Li, clearly intending to stay. Sister Li shot her another glare, but Yu Shuman didn't budge.
Sister Li was at her wit's end. She thought to herself, I really hate it when people use connections to get ahead! And this one isn't just any connection; she's the biggest one in the entire company. She's the boss's lady, after all.
With no other options, Sister Li pretended Yu Shuman wasn't there and started discussing business with Zeng Qian. Yu Shuman found it a bit tedious to listen to and realized it wasn't something she needed to hear. After Xiao An brought the coffee, Yu Shuman grabbed hers and made a quick exit.
She went to the elevator, intending to go upstairs. Soon enough, the elevator chimed, signaling its arrival. Yu Shuman stepped aside, unsure if anyone was inside. Whether there was or wasn't, it was basic courtesy to make way.
A tall man wearing a baseball cap and mask stepped out. He had long legs and confidently strode out when the elevator doors opened. Yu Shuman's first thought was that he seemed handsome, even though she couldn't see his face. He looked like someone who could make the company a lot of money.
Spending so much time with Qin Ran had made her start thinking this way. She even evaluated other artists as if they were commodities. Yu Shuman knew it was impolite, but since Qin Ran held such an important place in her heart, she couldn't help but look at others that way.
But as the man walked past, Yu Shuman felt something was off. The silhouette was familiar. And then it hit her—wasn't that Ling Miaohan's second brother? The guy she saw at the airport?
Suddenly, all sorts of worrying thoughts crossed her mind. The underground idol had said he was a special forces king and would protect his sister… Could they be turning to violent means since normal business tactics weren't working, like some sort of assassination attempt?
Yu Shuman shook her head to get rid of those ideas. What am I thinking? This is a society governed by law, in broad daylight, no less. Even if Ling Miaohan's second brother were to do something drastic, he wouldn't choose such a public place like the company.
She decided not to go to her floor just yet and pressed the button for the top floor instead. When she arrived, the receptionist smiled upon seeing her. Suddenly, Sister Li's earlier teasing words, "Everyone in the company knows," echoed in her mind. She tried to calm herself, reminding herself it was just a joke.
There's no way everyone knew, right?
But the receptionist said nothing, didn't even need to check, and let Yu Shuman through directly. She even mentioned, "The boss is free right now, Manman. You can go in."
Yu Shuman nodded and thanked her, walking past the CEO's office and the executive secretary's office to reach the Chairman's office door. The assistant she had seen before, back at the filming base before New Year's, was at her desk.
Finally, someone tried to stop Yu Shuman. The assistant stepped aside, picked up the phone, and dialed the internal line. "Miss Yu is here to see you..." she began before the call was abruptly cut off. Moments later, the Chairman's office door opened, and Qin Ran peeked out.
Her face lit up with a smile. "Manman, you're here! Come in, come in!"
Qin Ran rushed out of the door, practically skipping to Yu Shuman's side, and led her into the office. This was actually Yu Shuman's first time in the Chairman's office. The previous time, during the scandal with Pei Qi and Ling Miaohan, they were in the conference room.
Yu Shuman looked around Qin Ran's office, noting how stark it felt. The overall theme was black, white, and gray, even the office chair a black leather seat. Yet the office was dotted with pink bunny plushies, adding an oddly cute contrast.
These pink bunnies were both out of place and perfectly fitting, softening the room's otherwise harsh atmosphere. When Yu Shuman sat on the guest sofa, she instinctively hugged one of the small stuffed bunnies.
After settling Yu Shuman, Qin Ran went to the in-office minibar and made two cups of coffee. Freshly brewed coffee might be more flavorful, but it was a hassle to make with the machine. Qin Ran opted for instant coffee, adding sugar and milk to Yu Shuman's cup and leaving hers plain.
Turning back, she saw Yu Shuman holding the bunny plushie.
Well, her wife was indeed adorable.
Qin Ran placed the coffee on the table in front of Yu Shuman, but Yu Shuman didn't seem interested. She had just finished the coffee Xiao An had made, so her stomach was already full.
Casually, she asked, "Did you know Ling Miaohan's second brother came to the company earlier?"
Yu Shuman: What if he's here to assassinate Xiao Ran?!
Qin Ran: Manman! It's broad daylight, he wouldn't dare! (Looks nervously at the bodyguard who gives an okay gesture, finally relaxing)