Chapter 26

In order to have a few extra days off for the Spring Festival, Su Yao decided to take some days off, working continuously for a week. She didn’t intentionally lose weight, but she noticed she had lost two pounds naturally.

During this time, she was busy, and Liang Chuyuan was also occupied. Su Yao thought that since they had just started dating, there was no need to disclose everything openly. Having a bit of personal space could extend the honeymoon phase of their relationship, so she didn’t ask him about his busyness.

As for Zong Ming, since he confessed his feelings for her, Su Yao subconsciously distanced herself from him. She was in a relationship now, so she had to be careful about maintaining boundaries between herself and members of the opposite sex.

Especially since rumors about her and Zong Ming had started circulating in the office.

This came from Huang Wanzhi. She claimed she saw Su Yao and Zong Ming together in Wenchang. With just that sentence, calm waters were disrupted.

Although Su Yao denied it vehemently, and although most people chose to believe her, she knew that rumors wouldn’t stop there. She decided to lead by example, remaining silent on the matter and not acknowledging Zong Ming. After all, they weren’t in the same department.

So the only time she and Zong Ming had a meal together after that was at the annual dinner when they happened to be seated at the same table.

Tian Lijun wasn’t there, and there was a raffle happening on stage, creating a lively atmosphere. Zong Ming became the center of jokes, but Su Yao wasn’t in the mood and kept looking at her phone. Liang Chuyuan enjoyed collecting DVDs and watching movies at home. He mostly had collector’s editions, and recently, he had been rewatching two of his favorite films. Su Yao hadn’t seen them before, so he narrated the plots to her as they watched.

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Nkydt Ubwuwyd oyp y talyv pvsauvlzzla, yde Fw Zys oyp nyrvkhyvle. Fs xwnb ps vbyv pbl eked’v blya obld rlsrzl nyzzle bla dyxl.

“Yydytla Fw byp clld tzwle vs bla rbsdl vbl obszl vkxl yde bypd’v fskdle swa nsdhlapyvksd,” Hsdt Ykdt vlyple, okvbswv xyjkdt kv vss lxcyaayppkdt.

Fw Zys qzkrrle bla rbsdl shla, ycswv vs prlyj, cwv Twydt Eydgbk clyv bla vs kv.

“Yydytla Fw pllxp vs cl nblnjkdt bla rbsdl qaliwldvzu zyvlzu. Pke usw xkpp psxl tsse dlop vs pbyal okvb wp?” pbl pyke okvb y pxkaj.

Hsdt Ykdt jdlo obyv pbl xlydv cu “tsse dlop,” cwv bl eked’v prlnkqu, sdzu zssjkdt yv Fw Zys. Ekvb lhlausdl’p lulp sd bla, Fw Zys bye ds nbsknl cwv vs yexkv, “Yu csuqaklde kp shlaplyp, ps R’x nblnjkdt xu rbsdl. Rp vbyv vss xwnb?”

Mblal oyp y pvka yxsdt vbl nasoe, yde y qlo lhld zssjle yv Hsdt Ykdt okvb yxcktwswp lmralppksdp, yp kq bl olal y pryal vkal.

Twydt Eydgbk oyp vbl qkapv vs alynv, pvlrrkdt qsaoyae. “Yydytla Fw, obyv eslp uswa csuqaklde zssj zkjl? Nlv wp byhl y zssj.”

Fw Zys qwaasole bla lulcasop, pyukdt pbl eked’v byhl ydu rbsvsp. Rd qynv, bla rbsdl oyp qkzzle okvb rknvwalp sq Nkydt Ubwuwyd, xspvzu nydeke pbsvp pkdnl bl eked’v zkjl rspkdt qsa vbl nyxlay. Jwv lhld nydeke pbsvp olal ldswtb vs cl hkpwyzzu rzlypkdt. Fw Zys plzqkpbzu eked’v oydv vs pbyal vbkp clywvu okvb ydusdl lzpl. Nkydt Ubwuwyd oyp blap, yde pbl jdlo bso tsse bl zssjle; vbyv oyp ldswtb qsa bla.

Huang Wanzhi seemed to have anticipated Su Yao’s response, giggling. “Manager Su is still so cautious. Is it that guy who drove a Maybach that day?” She had already imagined this person as a chubby figure, otherwise, Su Yao’s secrecy wouldn’t make sense.

Su Yao’s phone vibrated, probably a message from Liang Chuyuan. She nodded perfunctorily, saying yes, and then took her phone to the restroom, not wanting to get involved in the conversation.

After coming out of the restroom, Su Yao didn’t immediately return to her seat but instead stayed in the lounge nearby, chatting with Liang Chuyuan.

When Zong Ming approached, all he saw was Su Yao smiling at her phone.

It was a bit glaring.

“Why don’t you go back? They’re giving out red envelopes outside now.”

Su Yao restrained her smile and said, “It’s too boring.”

Zong Ming sat down beside her, looking relaxed. He loosened his tie and said, “It is quite boring.”

Su Yao didn’t want people to see her alone with Zong Ming. After sitting stiffly for three seconds, she stood up and said, “But you reminded me, I shouldn’t miss out on the red envelopes.”

“Su Yao.”

Su Yao stopped in her tracks, feeling a headache coming on.

“Are you avoiding me?”

She pondered for a moment and didn’t deny it when she turned back. “Do you know how the rumors about us spread in the office recently?”

“How so?”

“That’s not important. What’s important is that we need to keep our distance to stop the rumors. And you know, our two departments aren’t that close.”

It wouldn’t be appropriate to get too close.

“I believe we haven’t done anything inappropriate.”

“But others might not see it that way.” Su Yao sighed, “I’ll go first.”

After Su Yao left, Zong Ming sat alone for a while. It was only when a colleague came over to greet him that he snapped out of his thoughts.

He had been thinking the whole time whether Su Yao was more suitable for this kind of style.

Confident and straightforward, just like in high school. Despite being someone who only focused on studying back then, she still managed to capture people’s attention.

At least she caught his eye.

***

After the annual dinner, the holidays followed one after another.

The day Liang Chuyuan returned to the country happened to be Su Yao’s last day of work.

He had an evening flight, and Su Yao went straight to the airport after leaving the office. Just as she arrived, Liang Chuyuan landed at the same time.

It had been a month since they last saw each other.

Su Yao stood at the airport gate, looking around eagerly. Finally spotting the most beautiful sight, she hurried over, the click-clack of her high heels echoing. When she hugged Liang Chuyuan, she seemed like a young girl in her twenties.

Her wool coat was soft as she nestled into Liang Chuyuan’s broad chest, soaking up his warmth. “You smell so good.”

Liang Chuyuan chuckled, his chest rumbling.

She had worked all day, dressed in professional attire. Her shirt was a bit wrinkled, and the perfume she sprayed at noon had already faded, making her look somewhat disheveled. But she wasn’t afraid of Liang Chuyuan finding fault with her. Instead, she held onto him almost greedily, feeling him massage her scalp. After a while, she finally looked up into his eyes.

“Why are you dressed so lightly?”

“The coat is on the seat.”

Liang Chuyuan hugged her waist and fetched the coat. “Let’s go back.”

“Where to?”

My place.