6 Months Later
Six months pass, and Yun throws himself into his manager role with dedication and passion. His experience extraction skill serves him well, and he excels in his position.
One evening, as he heads home, Yun feels a sense of satisfaction. "Today's work is done, and I've even arranged for this month's ration, clothes, and toys for the children in the orphanage." He pauses, wondering what to do next, and then picks up the phone to call someone.
"Hello! Li Su speaking, who?" a voice answers on the other end.
Yun's voice was laced with a hint of playful teasing as he spoke into the phone. "Hey, Li Su! Don't you recognize my voice anymore?"
Li Su's response was curt, her tone dismissive. "Who is speaking?"
Yun's chuckle was low and smooth. "Guess, my dear. Who am I?"
Li Su's sigh was audible through the phone. "I don't know, and frankly, I don't have time for this. If you don't want to tell me, then don't. I'm busy. Don't bother me."
With that, she disconnected the call, leaving Yun smiling wryly. He dialed her number again, his determination evident in the way he persisted.
"Li Su, don't hang up! It's me, Yun. I need to tell you something. I'm coming to meet you."
Li Su's voice was laced with a hint of exasperation. "Yun, there's no need for you to come here. Whatever you want to say, you can say it on the phone."
But Yun was insistent. "No, Li Su. I need to see you in person. I'll be there soon."
With that, he disconnected the call, leaving Li Su wondering what on earth was going on.
Yun takes a day off from the company the next day to meet Li Su and sends her a message to meet him at a coffee shop. He waits for two hours, but she doesn't show up. Frustrated, Yun directly enters Manager Jiang Min's office without permission.
"Hello! Brother Jiang. How are you?" Yun asks, trying to sound casual.
Manager Jiang Min looks up from his desk, a hint of surprise on his face. "Hey! Hey! Hey! Brother Yun, how are you? Or should I say Manager Yun, hahaha?"
Yun waves his hand dismissively. "What are you talking about, Brother Jiang? There's nothing like that. You can call me however you want."
Manager Jiang Min leans back in his chair, a curious expression on his face. "How come you came here, Brother Yun?"
Yun hesitates, unsure how much to reveal. "I came to see you, and..."
He stops, unsure how to continue. Manager Jiang Min raises an eyebrow. "What else?"
Yun takes a deep breath. "I like your secretary, Li Su, and I want to date her. I texted her and invited her to meet me, but she didn't show up. Where is she?"
Manager Jiang Min chuckles. "She's working, and as far as dating is concerned, you should ask her yourself."
Yun's face falls, realizing he has been rebuffed. "Okay, Brother Jiang. I'll leave now."
As Yun turns to leave, Manager Jiang Min calls out, "Hey, Manager Yun!"
Yun turns back, a hint of hope in his eyes. "Yes, Brother Jiang?"
Manager Jiang Min grins mischievously. "Don't give up on Li Su yet. She's a tough nut to crack, but I think you two would make a great couple."
Yun's face lights up with a smile as he exits the office, determination in his heart. He will win Li Su over, no matter what it takes.
Yun asks Manager Jiang for Li Su's room number and heads there, knocking on the door with a gentlemanly demeanor. Li Su opens the door, surprised to see Yun, and thinks to herself, "He came here, didn't he understand that I am avoiding him?"
"What are you doing here?" Li Su asks, trying to hide her annoyance.
"I told you yesterday that I am coming to meet you," Yun replies, his tone casual.
"Sorry, I forgot," Li Su says, trying to brush him off.
"But I texted you 2 hours ago. I was waiting for you since then, but you didn't come," Yun persists.
"I was busy with work, so I didn't even see your message," Li Su explains, trying to justify her absence.
"Never mind, you come with me now," Yun says, his eyes sparkling with determination.
"I am a little busy right now, let's go tomorrow," Li Su suggests, trying to delay him.
"No problem, you do your work, I will wait till you get free," Yun replies, sitting down in a chair, making himself comfortable.
Li Su, seeing Yun's persistence, starts acting busy, trying to avoid him. After an hour, she tells Yun, "You can talk to me tomorrow, I will take time in work."
But Yun remains seated, waiting patiently for Li Su to finish her work. Li Su, realizing Yun's determination, finally gives in and starts working on her tasks, with Yun watching her every move. As the hours pass, Li Su can't help but feel a sense of unease, wondering what Yun has planned.
As the sun begins to set, Li Su finally finishes her work and looks up at Yun, who has been waiting patiently for hours. "Okay, I'm free now. What did you want to talk about?" she asks, a hint of curiosity in her voice. Yun smiles, his eyes gleaming with excitement, and begins to explain his plan...
Yun asks her to go to a coffee cafe, but Li Su refuses and suggests they go to the cafe in the same building instead. As they sit down, Li Su asks Yun to express himself. Yun takes a deep breath and begins to recite the same old lines, declaring his love for her.
Hearing this, Li Su is about to respond when Yun interrupts her again. "If you're not ready for all this right now, we can start with a date," he suggests.
Li Su looks at him, taken aback. "Do you know who I am?" she starts to say, but Yun cuts her off again.
"Yes, you're a secretary. It doesn't matter. I'm ready to bear all your expenses and give you all the happiness. Although I'm an orphan and don't have a powerful background, I will achieve everything everyone dreams of," Yun says, his eyes shining with determination.
Li Su is surprised by Yun's confidence and persistence. She can't help but wonder what drives him to be so passionate about her.
After Yun's passionate declaration, Li Su rejects his love proposal, leaving him shocked and perplexed. "Am I not good-looking? Am I not successful? What do I lack? Or do you have a boyfriend?" Yun asks, his ego bruised.
Li Su smiles sweetly and reveals a surprising truth. "There's nothing like that, Yun. Actually, my name is not Li Su but Joo Min, and I'm the daughter of Manager Jiang Min. I'm working as a secretary to gain work experience."
Yun's eyes widen in astonishment, but he quickly recovers and grins confidently. "Well, this is even better! If you're afraid of your father, don't worry about it. Brother Jiang knows me well. You can ask him anything about me. And if you're afraid of seniority messing things up, worry not. This is the modern day, and Manager Jiang and I are not real brothers. We're more like friends."
Joo Min raises an eyebrow, impressed by Yun's quick thinking and charm. "You're quite confident, aren't you?" she says, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Yun nods, undeterred. "I am. And I'm not giving up on you, Joo Min. I'll win you over, no matter what it takes."
Li Su's voice was firm and resolute, her eyes flashing with a hint of annoyance. "No, that is not the case," she said, her words cutting off Yun's attempted interruption.
Yun was taken aback, his mouth closing abruptly as Li Su silenced him with a raised hand. "Shut up! Shut up, you have been talking all the time, let me say what I have to say," she said, her tone brooking no argument.
Yun's face fell, but he nodded contritely, his eyes dropping to the floor as he gestured for Li Su to continue.
Li Su took a deep breath, her expression softening slightly as she began to speak. "As I told you, I want to gain real-life experience right now, and I don't want to waste my time on these things. I want to focus on my career. So, I am sorry," she said, her voice firm but polite.
Yun listened intently, his eyes never leaving Li Su's face as she spoke. He could see the determination in her eyes, the set of her jaw, and he knew that she was resolute in her decision.
As Li Su finished speaking, Yun nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "I understand," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I respect your choice, Li Su."
Li Su's eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze piercing as she looked at Yun. "I mean it, Yun. I don't want to be distracted from my goals. I need to focus on my career right now."
Yun nodded again, his face serious. "I understand. And I'll respect your wishes, Li Su.
Yun's words hung in the air, a desperate attempt to bridge the gap between them. "But I can wait for you till then." Li Su's response was a stark contrast to the love Yun had to offer. "Why are you not understanding? We are not made for each other. Goodbye."
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Yun sitting alone in the quiet café. He watched her go, his eyes fixed on the empty space where she had been, his heart heavy with the weight of her rejection. The café's warmth and chatter faded into the background as Yun's world narrowed to the pain of losing Li Su.
After sitting there for what felt like an eternity, Yun finally stirred, his body heavy with the burden of his disappointment. He got up and made his way back home, his face etched with sadness, his eyes red from unshed tears. The city lights blurred together as he walked, a kaleidoscope of color and sound that meant nothing to him.
The days that followed were a blur of emptiness and heartache. Yun took a week's leave from the office, unable to face the world, and lay alone at home, his mind replaying the conversation with Li Su over and over. He couldn't understand why she couldn't see the love he had to offer.
But as the days turned into weeks, Yun slowly began to pick up the pieces of his shattered heart. He threw himself into his work, using the distraction to numb the pain, and eventually, the ache began to subside. Two years passed like this, with Yun becoming a successful and dedicated employee, but the memory of Li Su still lingered, a bittersweet reminder of what could have been.