Wearing a sophisticated cream-colored shirt and fitting slacks, Xia Yi emerged from her automobile into the cool morning air.
She hadn't anticipated He Shihan waiting at the office entrance with his customary composure.
"You're early," she said, fiddling with her purse's strap.
He smirked as he said, "I could say the same about you,"
Xia Yi's eyes narrowed. "Or maybe you just enjoy lurking."
"I enjoy good company," he replied with ease.
"And today, I'll need it."
They entered the building together. Xia Yi's heartbeat accelerated; she was beginning to feel more of the effects of being close to him than she wanted to acknowledge.
In both the worst and the finest ways, his presence was overwhelming.
___
There was tension in the air within the boardroom.Time was of the essence as they worked to finalize their combined proposal.
Xia Yi remarked, "Here's the draft," and pushed the paper across to He Shihan.
"I highlighted the key changes."
He skimmed the pages with acute accuracy. "Looks solid."
"You sound surprised."
"I'm not," he said, looking her in the eye.
"Just impressed."
Xia Yi gave an eye roll.
"I'll take that as a compliment, for now."
There was an unmistakable undercurrent—an electric charge in the air that neither could ignore—but their discourse remained professional.
___
Xia Yi ended up working late at the workplace later that night.
She was surprised by a knock on her door.
He Shihan intervened without requesting authorization.
"Still here?"
"Clearly," she stated, looking at the time. "What are you doing here?"
"Thought you could use dinner."
He displayed a bag from a neighboring eatery.
Although her lips quirked, she kept her gratitude for the gesture hidden from him.
"Bribing me with food now?"
"Just trying to stay on your good side."
In her office, they ate in cozy solitude across from one another. The walls separating them appeared to thin as the night became darker.
He Shihan finally responded, "You know," "you're not as cold as you pretend to be."
An eyebrow was raised by Xia Yi.
"You're not correct. I'm just as chilly as I appear to be.
Slowly and deliberately, he grinned.
"No. All you're afraid of is someone approaching."
Her heart skipped a beat, but she covered it up right away.
"And you think that someone is you?"
His voice was low as he leaned forward.
"I think you're curious."
Xia Yi looked him in the eye without hesitating.
"Curiosity isn't enough."
"Maybe not," he said to himself.
"But it's a start."
___
Conflicted, Xia Yi looked after He Shihan as he left her office.
She wasn't sure if she should stop it or let it happen, but the boundaries between their professional relationship and personal sentiments were beginning to blur.