After my first day of work, Fu Qian and I met for a quick coffee. "So, how was your first day?" he asked casually. I let out a dramatic sigh, took a deep breath, and launched into a full-on explanation.
"I came late on my first day, and then the CEO called me! I thought he was going to get angry, so I said my husband had a heart attack, blah, blah, blah—this whole novel-like excuse! And then, just when I thought I'd escaped, he walked in, and—oh my God—it all went downhill from there!" I poured my heart into the story, rambling on without taking a single breath.
Midway through my epic tale, Fu Qian suddenly stood up saying, "WAIT!" and stopped a man walking past our table. "How was your day today?" he asked the stranger.
"Nice," the man replied, summing it up in a single word before walking away.
Fu Qian turned back to me, sat down, and said, "See? If I ask you a question, you answer like that. Not with a whole paragraph."
I sat there, stunned and a little embarrassed, as he sipped his coffee.
After hearing him say that I started to snap at him. "Oh, so you don't want to hear me either, huh?" I wailed dramatically. "Aaaaa, my heavens! He doesn't want to hear me!" I sobbed, feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness.
Fu Qian panicked and waved his hands awkwardly. "Okay, okay! Don't make that face. Just... just go on, will you?" he said, trying to calm me down.
Sniffling a bit, I pulled myself together and continued talking about my first day, determined to finish my story.
The next day at work, as I stepped out of the elevator, suddenly, people from other departments surrounded me. They all looked at me, eager to know the truth. "Is it true? We heard about you and the new CEO," one of them asked.
Realizing the situation, I quickly acted, putting my hands on my chest. "Yes, he wants to... take advantage of me," I said, playing my part.
Everyone around me froze, whispering to each other in shock. "What?" they muttered. I couldn't help but laugh quietly to myself.
Amidst the chatter, one person said, "Actually, it's a good opportunity. You must have used it." "Huh?" I thought. Then someone else chimed in, "Yeah, it was. When will it be my turn?".
I just stood there, stunned. "What?", feeling more and more bewildered by the situation.
And before I knew it, I felt like I was about to trip in my heels. "Oh my God, what in the world is going on?"
After finally sending them away, I strolled back to my chair and started working. As I focused on my tasks, I noticed everyone around me chatting and laughing, their eyes glued to their phones. Turns out, they were gossiping in the group chat about me and the CEO, speculating on how he was taking advantage of me. I couldn't help but feel a knot in my stomach.
Meanwhile, Han Sheng's assistant was also in on the conversation. He was sitting in the CEO's office, reading the messages on his phone and laughing to himself.
As the assistant was absorbed in the group chat, laughing to himself, Han Sheng silently approached from behind. The assistant, completely unaware, continued reading and chuckling at the messages.
"What is that?" Han Sheng asked, his tone sharp.
The assistant immediately turned around, startled to see Han Sheng standing there. In a panic, he quickly hid his phone, trying to act casual. "It's nothing," he said, trying to brush it off.
But Han Sheng didn't seem convinced. "Show me that," he said, demanding to see the phone. After a brief moment, the assistant handed over his phone. Han Sheng looked at the screen, and his expression darkened. "Su Yan! You are really good!" he said, his voice cold with anger.
The assistant, feeling the pressure, nervously gulped, almost choking on his own saliva. "RIP, Su Yan!"
It was already midnight when I finally finished my work. I stretched my arms, standing up from my chair, ready to head home. But just as I was about to leave, Han Sheng walked in.
Seeing him, I froze. "What are you doing here now?" I asked, my voice betraying my surprise.
He stepped closer, his expression serious. "Why did you spread rumours about me like that?"
Panic surged through me. "How did he know?" I thought, my mind racing as I instinctively wanted to run.
But before I could, he grabbed my hands, stopping me. With surprising strength, he lifted me up and placed me on the table.
I crossed my arms tightly over my chest, trying to maintain some distance. "What do you want to do?" I asked, my voice shaky with panic.
"You said I wanted to take advantage of you, right? Well, I'm just going to make it true", he said with a smirk.
He stepped closer. "No, no, no," I stammered, scrambling to get away. In a panic, I slammed my palms on the desk and jumped to the other side, trying to run.
As I was about to run, Han Sheng grabbed me again, his grip firm. "Okay, okay," I said with a sigh, "I'll clear your name tomorrow."
I paused, trying to catch my breath, but his face twisted into a smirk. "That's not enough," he said.
I frowned, confused. "Then what do you want?"
His gaze swept over me, a dark glint in his eyes. My heart raced, and I quickly added, "No, no, I won't do anything you're thinking."
He chuckled lightly, his tone calm but commanding. "I just want you to run errands for me. In this office, you'll have to do whatever I ask. Bring me coffee, for starters."
"What? No way!" I shouted, shaking my head in disbelief.
He shrugged casually, "Then let's resume that."
I stared at him, frustrated but defeated. "Fine," I muttered under my breath. "Tomorrow, I'll clear your name, and I'll also run errands for you." He nodded with satisfaction.
With that, I turned and walked away, heading home, my mind swirling with everything that had just happened.