The break room had no open windows, and the curtains were drawn.
The pain in Su Hao’s head had eased a little. She got up and moved to the sofa, sitting down and pressing a hand against her abdomen, taking a moment to recover.

 

She’d experienced this kind of pain before, but never for this long.
Perhaps it was due to the pressure from work.

 

By now, it had eased considerably. She took a deep breath, and slowly, the discomfort lessened even more.

 

At that moment, the door was pushed open.

 

She turned her head.

 

The tall man stood there holding a cup of water, leaning casually against the doorframe. His expression was hard to make out. The next second, he walked in and placed the cup on the coffee table.

 

Zhou Yang tugged lightly at his shirt collar. His tone was soft, half-smiling but not quite.

 

“Why did you suddenly want to go to Kyoto?”

 

Su Hao leaned back against the sofa and met his gaze.
“Business trip.”

 

“Just a business trip?” Zhou Yang’s well-defined fingers tapped against the table.

 

Tap. Tap.

 

Su Hao watched his fingers in silence for a few seconds, then smiled gently.

 

“Not entirely.”

 

“And where else are you going?” Zhou Yang curled his lips into a shallow smile. His tone sounded casual, like idle conversation, but there was an undercurrent of pressure.

 

Su Hao smiled back.
“That’s private.”

 

Private.

 

Zhou Yang’s jaw tightened.

 

After a few seconds, he stood up and gestured toward the cup.
“Drink it. It’ll get cold.”

 

Then he turned and left, closing the door behind him.

 

Once the door shut, the room fell into darkness. Su Hao sat on the sofa for a while. The stabbing pain gradually faded, and only then did she get up, open the door, and walk out.

 

The large office was empty.

 

Zhou Yang was gone.

 

Only President Zeng remained, seated in his chair flipping through documents. When he turned and saw her, he startled slightly.

 

“Su Hao, are you feeling better?”

 

“Much better, President Zeng.” She smiled at him, a faint blush creeping up her ears out of embarrassment.

 

President Zeng stood up instinctively.
“If you’re still uncomfortable, you can rest a bit longer.”

 

“No need. I should get back to work. Thank you, President Zeng.”

 

After speaking, Su Hao walked to the door, pulled it open, and left the office.

 

President Zeng watched her go before slowly sitting back down, letting out a breath.

 

---

 

Back in the finance office, Su Hao pulled out her chair and sat down. Only then did she realize how weak she still felt—she was even sweating slightly.

 

Lu Mimi rolled her chair over with a nudge of her foot.
“Why were you in President Zeng’s office for so long?”

 

Su Hao glanced at her.
“He asked me some questions.”

 

“Did you apply for a business trip too?” Lu Mimi asked tentatively.

 

Su Hao nodded.

 

Lu Mimi looked incredulous.
“You can finish all your work and still apply for a business trip?”

 

“If I don’t apply,” Su Hao said calmly, “does that mean I won’t be sent?”

 

Lu Mimi froze.

 

After a long moment, she pushed her chair back to her desk.

 

If it were Chen Yu, she would have avoided business trips like the plague—complaining endlessly. But complaints never changed anything. She’d still be forced to go, dragging her suitcase along, working herself to exhaustion with no time to enjoy anything, only to come back to even more work.

 

For them, business trips were mostly thankless labor.

 

That was why Su Hao had been hired as an additional finance assistant.

 

Yet Su Hao was proactive—and never complained.

 

It made no sense.

 

---

 

Her period still affected her efficiency. She worked slower than usual and forgot about lunch entirely. It wasn’t until Tang Yu knocked on the door that she snapped out of it.

 

“I totally forgot,” Su Hao said.

 

“Of course you did,” Tang Yu laughed. “I was heading to the livestream room anyway, so I came to get you. Didn’t expect you to still be working.”

 

Tang Yu noticed her pale complexion.
“Not feeling well?”

 

“It’s my period,” Su Hao said, gesturing toward her stomach. She was much less shy around another woman.

 

“Ah, got it.” Tang Yu nodded. “There’s red bean soup in the cafeteria. Drink some. Don’t eat cold cucumber.”

 

Su Hao laughed.
“That’s your favorite.”

 

Tang Yu laughed too, only then realizing it.

 

Chatting as they went, Su Hao felt the pain ease even more.

 

But when they reached the cafeteria, the atmosphere was unusually lively.

 

Looking ahead—

 

At a four-seat table by the window sat Zhou Yang and Assistant Lu.

 

No wonder everyone was buzzing.

 

Zhou Yang was on the phone, a steak and coffee placed in front of him. Assistant Lu had a laptop and an identical steak beside him. Clearly, the cafeteria had set up a special arrangement just for the two of them.

 

The cafeteria was packed. People who had already finished eating still occupied seats. Two-seat tables were squeezed with four people; four-seat tables with eight.

 

The area around Zhou Yang was the most crowded—almost entirely women.

 

He sat there effortlessly charismatic, shirt unbuttoned at the collar, one hand holding his phone, the other tapping the table. Occasionally he sipped his coffee.

 

In the entire cafeteria, his presence was the strongest—impossible to ignore.

 

Tang Yu whistled softly.
“What kind of wind is blowing today? President Zhou is actually here.”

 

Su Hao looked away and walked toward the food counter.

 

Tang Yu, still dieting, took cucumber, eggs, and a bowl of white fungus soup. Su Hao chose a balanced meal and added red bean soup.

 

They searched for a place to sit—but finding seats was difficult.

 

People who were done eating didn’t leave, and no one could chase them away.

 

After circling around, they reached Zhou Yang’s row.

 

Just as Zhou Yang put down his phone, his gaze swept over—and met Su Hao’s eyes midair.

 

His lips curved slightly.

 

Assistant Lu noticed too—and saw them looking for seats. He hesitated, then leaned closer and said quietly:

 

“President Zhou, we still have seats here.”

 

Zhou Yang glanced at him and smiled faintly.
“And then?”

 

“Miss Su—”

 

Zhou Yang leaned back, long legs crossed, eyebrows raised, saying nothing.

 

Assistant Lu understood immediately. He turned and waved.

 

“Su Hao, Manager Tang—there are seats here.”

 

Instantly, the cafeteria erupted.

 

Su Hao and Tang Yu stopped short.

 

Su Hao glanced at Zhou Yang—so dominant, so composed—then looked away, lowering her voice as she tried to tell Tang Yu to keep looking.

 

But Tang Yu, seeing Assistant Lu’s refined face, thought to herself that he must be secretly in love with Su Hao.

 

She immediately pulled Su Hao along.
“Let’s go. There aren’t any other seats anyway.”

 

Su Hao froze.

 

The next second, she firmly挣开 Tang Yu’s hand.

 

“I’ll sit here,” she said.

 

She sat down at a small aisle seat beside several male employees from the testing department. The three men froze in surprise and awkwardly made room.

 

Tang Yu was stunned.

 

After hesitating, she squeezed in beside Su Hao. Five people crowded into a four-seat table.

 

Tang Yu looked at her.

 

Su Hao smiled lightly.
“Let’s eat.”

 

“…Okay.”

 

The cafeteria fell into silence.

 

No one could believe that Su Hao had rejected an opportunity to sit with President Zhou.

 

Assistant Lu—who had never played matchmaker before—awkwardly withdrew his hand and adjusted his glasses, glancing uneasily at Zhou Yang.

 

Zhou Yang rested his fingers against his lips, eyes lowered, as if he hadn’t seen anything.

 

But Assistant Lu knew better.

 

The man was angry.

 

He cleared his throat and whispered,
“President Zhou… is Miss Su avoiding you?”

 

This was already the second person to say that.

 

The first had been Su Qian.

 

Zhou Yang glanced at Su Hao, now chatting easily with the men beside her.

 

She looked exactly like she had before he ever confessed—warm, approachable.

 

Yet once he had confessed, she’d turned cold and prickly.

 

After ten minutes, Zhou Yang picked up his coat, straightened his shirt, and left the cafeteria with Assistant Lu under everyone’s gaze.

 

As they passed Su Hao’s table, Zhou Yang glanced at her lightly and strode away.

 

Everyone at the table felt that look and instinctively looked up—only to meet Assistant Lu’s polite smile.

 

“Enjoy your meal, Miss Su, Manager Tang.”

 

Tang Yu waved cheerfully.
“Take care.”

 

Su Hao nodded politely.

 

Assistant Lu smiled and hurried after Zhou Yang.

 

Su Hao lowered her head and continued eating.

 

Tang Yu, however, lost her appetite.

 

She stared at Su Hao, thinking—this woman really has no feelings for Assistant Lu at all?

 

---

 

After lunch, the company gossip group exploded.

 

“Holy shit—Assistant Lu likes Su Hao.”

 

“Who’s Su Hao?”

 

“The new finance assistant—well, cashier now. Su the Cashier.”

 

“That sounds weird.”

 

“Anyway, listen—Assistant Lu saw Su Hao couldn’t find a seat at lunch…”

 

“So does Assistant Lu like her or not?!”

 

“He even greeted her before leaving.”

 

“Someone said they saw Assistant Lu lean close to Su Hao’s ear before. Super intimate.”

 

President Zeng’s burner account:
“…Sometimes what you see isn’t the truth, folks.”

 

“Bro, what do you know?”

 

President Zeng’s burner:
“Sigh… don’t be fooled by appearances. And be careful with gossip—don’t anger the gods.”

 

“Bro, why are you being so cryptic?”

 

President Zeng:
“……”

 

I’m trying to save you idiots.

 

---

 

After returning the trays, Su Hao learned about the rumors in the break room.

 

Helpless, she opened the group chat and typed:

 

Su Hao:
Assistant Lu does not like me. Please stop spreading rumors. Thank you.

 

She sent it, ignored the replies, and left the group.

 

Back in the finance office, Lu Mimi smiled when she saw her.
“So that’s how it is.”

 

Su Hao ignored the sarcasm and got back to work.

 

---

 

Wednesday night.

 

At the Zhou family residence, only soft lights were on. The villa was warm and elegant. Several wealthy women sat chatting on the carpet.

 

Someone asked Su Qian,
“Weren’t you introducing that Su Hao girl to us?”

 

“Yeah, where is she?”

 

Su Qian walked out carrying fruit, dressed in a qipao.

 

“She’s working overtime today. Next time.”

 

“Oh come on, you praised her so much before—now we can’t even see her? You’re teasing us.”

 

“Nonsense,” Su Qian snorted.
“I wish I could parade her in front of you all.”

 

Laughter erupted.

 

Just then, footsteps sounded from upstairs.

 

Zhou Yang came down, cigarette in his mouth, tying his tie.

 

The women sighed.

 

“Zhou Yang, have you decided not to get married at all?”

 

“Yes, Aunt Li,” he replied lazily, tapping ash into the tray.

 

“You’re the only heir! Your mother wants grandchildren,” Zhao Qiao teased.

 

Zhou Yang chuckled and headed for the door.

 

Su Qian stood up angrily and followed him.

 

“She’s working overtime?”

 

“Maybe.”

 

“You’re the boss—you don’t know?”

 

Zhou Yang leaned against the cabinet.
“Want me to show you?”

 

He pulled up the office surveillance.

 

The finance office was dark.

 

No overtime.

 

Su Qian nearly choked.

 

She pointed at the phone.
“She’s clearly avoiding you.”

 

Zhou Yang said nothing, cigarette tilted at his lips.

 

Su Qian complained bitterly,
“You deserve it. She liked you, you didn’t care. Now she doesn’t, and you chase her. She was even developing something with Shen He—”

 

Zhou Yang lifted his gaze.

 

Su Qian shut up instantly.

 

“Am I wrong?”

 

“You’re right,” he said lightly, though his eyes were cold.

 

He grabbed his keys and left.

 

---

 

That night, Zhou Yang parked his black Porsche outside Su Hao’s apartment complex.

 

Her bedroom light was on.

 

He sat in the car, smoking, watching the window.

 

He typed:

 

Zhou Yang:
Is your stomach feeling better?

 

No reply.

 

Twenty minutes passed.

 

Still no reply.

 

He smiled coldly, stubbed out his cigarette, and typed again:

 

Zhou Yang:
I’ll go to Kyoto with you.

 

---

 

The next morning, Zhou Yang walked into his office.

 

Assistant Lu knocked.

 

“President Zhou, Miss Su just applied to go on a business trip to Dong City. Should I still book your Kyoto ticket?”