Just as Xia Ning was about to reprimand him, Qin Xun halted, pointing to the surveillance camera on the ceiling.
"Be cautious; the walls have ears. There are no cameras here."
Xia Ning paused, gazing upward at the camera, and inquired, "Is it not visible from this angle?"
A mysterious smile graced Qin Xun's face. "On my second day in the company, I seized the opportunity while assisting the janitor with cleaning cobwebs to secretly adjust the camera's position."
He traced an imaginary line in the air beside him. "From here begins the blind spot."
"It's my territory!"
"Today, I shall lend it to you!"
He looked at Xia Ning, grinning. "Now you can eat with peace of mind!"
Xia Ning regarded him in silence for a moment before breaking into a gentle smile, her demeanor suddenly growing noticeably cooler.
After savoring two chocolates, her complexion improved considerably.
However, she noticed Qin Xun had logged into a game on his phone and was dominating it.
With a smile gracing her lips, she remarked softly, "You have quite the skill!"
Qin Xun, focused on his gameplay, glanced at her. "Shall I help you rank up after I finish this match?"
Xia Ning replied, "Thanks, but I'll pass."
Qin Xun suggested, "Then keep an eye on things for me, and I'll help you next time."
Xia Ning pondered for a moment. "...Fine!"
Seated at her desk, her interest in watching the piglets wrestle had waned as she discreetly observed Qin Xun's successive triple, quad, and even quintuple kills.
Her expression grew increasingly sour.
An hour slipped by.
As Qin Xun secured yet another victory, Xia Ning finally could not contain herself and asked, "With you slacking off like this, don't you feel any guilt?"
Qin Xun turned to Xia Ning, amused by her audacity to watch videos on her first day at work.
"How can such words escape your lips?"
He set down his phone and scoffed. "This company pays me a meager 2000 a month, with no accommodation or meals provided."
"Does this wretched boss not feel guilty?"
"In a mere fortnight, I've produced 18 PPTs!"
"Were it not for the need to secure an internship certificate for graduation, would I endure such exploitation?"
Upon hearing "wretched boss," Xia Ning's expression soured, but the mention of "18 PPTs" surprised her.
Eighteen PPTs?
In just half a month?
Subtracting four days off, that leaves only eleven days.
This fellow slacks off at work, so expecting him to work extra hours during holidays is utterly impossible!
That averages one to two presentations a day?
She recalled Cheng Wan's pride in bringing her to Qin Xun, surely considering him an exemplary employee; thus, his PPTs must be commendable.
She knew Cheng Wan was meticulous to a fault.
In blunt terms, she nitpicked at every detail.
How irritating!
Would a typical PPT even meet her standards?
Is Qin Xun truly skilled at crafting PPTs?
...
Qin Xun observed Xia Ning, who remained silent.
"Do you doubt me?"
Xia Ning shook her head, truly believing he was bragging.
No one could consistently produce the quality of PPTs Cheng Wan demanded while slacking off all day.
Qin Xun intensified his tone. "This wretched boss genuinely pays me 2000!"
Xia Ning's eyes widened, "???!"
They were speaking about entirely different matters.
Wait, how many times has this guy cursed at me like this?
What a lack of decorum!
She studied Qin Xun, who seemed indignant, and asked, "If you're so adept at making PPTs, why not find an online shop that specializes in them?"
"Each PPT can sell for four to five hundred; why remain in this... dismal company?"
Qin Xun laughed, feeling he had found a kindred spirit. "You think this company is dismal too!"
Xia Ning: "…"
In her lifetime, she had never felt so speechless as she did today.
Qin Xun picked up the thermos on the table, removed the lid, and leisurely took a sip of water like an old-timer.
"It's not that I don't want to switch jobs; there are risks involved."
"In my first internship, on the seventh day of working diligently, a massive fire broke out. The boss faced criminal charges and went to jail!"
"In the second company, on the seventh day of even more diligent work, the boss had a fatal car accident."
"No one received their wages, so I had to leave."
"This is my third internship, and I've been here for 15 days. Just 15 more days, and Sister Cheng will provide me with the internship certificate."
"Out of the three companies, this one is the only one that survived the initial trial; this boss is quite resilient!"
Xia Ning stared at Qin Xun, dumbfounded.
She recalled half a month ago, when she had gone on an outdoor adventure with her friends in a foreign land and encountered a pack of wolves.
Although there were no casualties, she had been sufficiently frightened to recuperate in the hospital for a few days.
That was what delayed her return home and caused her to miss the company's opening.
Could it be... was it this fellow's doing?!
Xia Ning regarded Qin Xun, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
"Perhaps... the boss of this company isn't quite as fortunate."
Qin Xun raised an eyebrow and turned to her.
"Hey! You cannot say such things! We mustn't indulge in superstitions!"
"I pray daily for the longevity of our company's boss!"
"After all, it's my internship certificate on the line."
After a brief silence, he observed Xia Ning's strikingly beautiful face, lowered his voice, and mysteriously added, "You know?"
"The reason the boss is still alive and hasn't faced misfortune is because of..."
Xia Ning, captivated by his expression, leaned in closer and asked softly, "Because of what?"
Qin Xun glanced around to ensure no one was listening, then smiled and said, "It's all because I've been diligently slacking off these days."
"I speculate that the harder I work, the more the boss exploits me."
"The more I am exploited, the greater the repercussions they face."
Pausing for effect, he declared with righteous indignation, "Thus, it's not my desire to slack off."
"But if I'm not allowed to do so, the company's boss should prepare for the worst."
"That wretched fellow is bound to meet a dreadful fate."
Xia Ning: "???"
"Then the boss of this company should... thank you for your... kindness?"
Qin Xun waved his hand nonchalantly. "I often find myself moved by my own kindness."
Xia Ning: "…"
She silently scrutinized Qin Xun for a while before breaking into a soft smile, internally passing judgment on him.
She decided to ignore him, turning back to her computer, logging into her email, and opening a new message.
She downloaded a video and pressed play.
In the footage, a yellow lemon dropped into ice water, shattering into several pieces.
The lemon slices mingled with the ice water, transforming into a refreshing summer beverage.
It was an advertisement for lemonade.
She was studying.
At that moment, Qin Xun's voice echoed in her ear.
"Watch it with confidence! I'll keep an eye on things for you!"
Xia Ning: "…"
"Thanks!"
Qin Xun: "No need! We're all in this together!"
He observed Xia Ning engrossed in the video, feeling pleased.
In comparison to her, he hardly considered himself a slacking expert.
On his first day, he had worked diligently for half the day before starting to slack off, all while remaining cautious and meticulous.
Look at her; the first thing she did at work was slack off, as if she treated the company like her home!
Slacking off, slacking off...
The morning quickly passed.
Slacking off, slacking off...
The afternoon soon followed.
In the blink of an eye, six o'clock arrived!
Over thirty people in the office gradually packed their belongings and prepared to leave.
Five or six minutes later, most had already departed.
Xia Ning closed her email and glanced at Qin Xun, surprised to see him still engrossed in watching anime on his phone.
"Aren't you leaving?"
Suddenly, she realized. "You must want to sponge off the company's Wi-Fi a bit longer?"
Qin Xun turned off his phone, casting her a casual glance.
"Vision!"
"Expand your vision!"
He placed his hands slowly on the keyboard, his expression growing serious, his brows furrowing slightly in focus.
"While slacking off, one must also get the work done."
"Otherwise, this slacking will not last long."
Xia Ning watched him feign seriousness, puzzled.
Suddenly!
Qin Xun's demeanor shifted.
He fixed his gaze intently on the computer screen, his fingers flying over the keyboard, leaving a blur in their wake.
Tap tap tap!
Tap tap tap tap tap!
It sounded like... firecrackers!
Xia Ning gasped, her mouth agape.