The next day in office, as I walked to my seat, I noticed something bizarre. Nearly all the employees were dressed like me. My style, my hairstyle—everything. I stopped one of them and asked, "Oh, wait, what is happening here?"
He gave me a knowing smile. "They all think Mr. Han likes your style. So, they're dressing like you, hoping they might get an opportunity like you got."
I was speechless. Completely dumbfounded.
Suddenly, Han Sheng walked in. As if on prompt, everyone scrambled into a line, fighting to stand in front, eagerly greeting him. "Mr. Han! Mr. Han!" they chimed in unison.
His face shifted into an expression I couldn't quite read—something between confusion and annoyance. Watching his reaction, my eyes darted between him and the scene in front of us.
Then I closed my eyes, pressing my fingers to my head, repeating to myself, "He can't see me. He can't see me. He can't see me." But just as I thought I could disappear, he called out, "Su Yan!". My heart skipped a beat. "Su Yan!" he repeated.
"Yes, Mr. Han!", I said, stepping forward, forcing a smile despite the fluttering anxiety in my chest.
Before I could say anything more, he looked at me and said, "Come with me to my office," he commanded.
I sighed, tossed whatever I was holding, and followed him back.
Once inside, he sat down in his chair, his expression still unreadable, I stood there awkwardly, tried to speak. "I... I just wanted to explain it to them, but I don't know why, they….," I stammered, completely losing my confidence.
Han Sheng raised his eyebrows, signalling me to get to the point. "Go on," he said, his tone sharp.
Gathering my courage, I blurted out, "They want you to take advantage of them!" I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for his reaction.
For a moment, there was silence. Then his expression shifted. "It's all because of you," he said accusingly, before immediately changing his tone and smirking. "No, actually, it's because of my charm."
Hearing that, I nearly silenced. I did my best impression of vomiting, clutching my stomach dramatically.
"You, you, you!" he sizzled, pointing at me in mock offense.
"Go and make me a coffee," he finally said, dismissively waving me off.
I had no choice, so I went to make him one. When I brought it back, he took a sip and frowned. "It's too hot. Make another one."
Annoyed, I stormed back and returned with another cup. He took another sip and shook his head. "Now it's too cold."
Grinding my teeth, I went back again and made a fresh cup. This time, he took one sip and said, "It's not hot enough."
He was playing with me. By the end of it, I felt like I'd run a marathon.
Finally, after satisfying Han Sheng with the perfect cup of coffee, I dragged myself back to my desk. But as I approached, I noticed a commotion. Everyone was gathered around, welcoming someone new to the team. Curious, I glanced up only to see Su Ming.
Seeing me standing in a corner, she walked towards me. With a bright smile, she extended her hand. "Sister, please take care of me in the future", she said.
My mind raced. "What is she even doing here?" before I could gather my thoughts, the room buzzed with curiosity. "Wait, do you know each other?" someone asked eagerly.
Before I could respond, Su Ming jumped in dramatically. "Yes! She is my elder sister," she declared.
The crowd erupted with cheerful reactions. "Oh, that's great! How nice!" they chimed in, nodding approvingly.
But inside, I was screaming. What? What is she even doing here? Oh no, my good days… they're over. They're all coming to an end.
That evening, I found myself at a small bar with a few close friends, venting about the whirlwind day at work. As the drinks kept coming, I let loose about everything—the rumours, the coffee-running marathon, and the ultimate disaster: Su Ming joining the company.
"I'm telling you," I slurred, waving my glass around dramatically, "My peaceful work life is officially over! She's going to ruin everything."
My friends laughed, trying to console me, but I was already too deep in my misery. With one last gulp of my drink, I slammed my head onto the table with a loud bang, groaning, "My heavens, my good days are over!"
And just like that, the alcohol took over, and the night faded into black.
As my head hit the table with a dramatic thud, Fu Qian, who had been quietly nursing his drink beside me, let out a long, exaggerated sigh.
"Finally," he muttered, leaning back in his chair, "My ears can take a rest now."
He signed the air with mock relief, making the others burst into laughter. Even in my half-conscious state, I could hear him grumble, "You should come with a mute button, Su Yan."
As Fu Qian dragged me home, I was completely devoured by the drinks. My words slurred as I started blabbering, "I want chicken... your hand is chicken!" Without thinking, I bit down on Fu Qian's hand.
"Ow! Su Yan, stop it!" Fu Qian yelled, clearly annoyed. "You're strong, even when drunk!"
Still in my drunken haze, I muttered, "Fu Qian, take me to your house," but instead, he pressed the calling button at Han Sheng's place.
Han Sheng appeared at the door, his brows furrowed. "What's going on?" he asked.
"She's drunk. Strong too. Handle her," Fu Qian replied, shaking his head in defeat.
I looked up at Han Sheng, my blurry gaze locking on him. "You… you look like my scumbag husband!" I declared, my voice loud and rambling.
Han Sheng's expression shifted, and without another word, he lifted me effortlessly in his arms and carried me inside. He gently placed me on the bed, adjusting the sheets to make me comfortable.
But just as he was about to leave, I grabbed his hand and mumbled, "Chicken… tasty chicken," before biting him lightly.
"Su Yan, seriously?" he muttered, trying to suppress a laugh. He stayed still for a moment, watching me with an expression that softened. His eyes reflected something unfamiliar—almost tender.
After a while, he sighed, brushed a strand of hair from my face, and whispered, "Sleep well." He tucked the blanket around me, gave my head a light tap, and quietly left the room.