After work, Lin Yue didn’t even eat dinner and went straight into the mall to buy a tie, planning to practice at home by following a video tutorial.
When Qin Yan returned, Lin Yue was sitting on the living room carpet. On the coffee table sat a cream pumpkin—narrow at the top and wide at the bottom—and rather amusingly, it was wearing a black tie around its “body.”
Qin Yan took out her phone, approached, and snapped several photos of Lin Yue’s actions.
Hearing the shutter sound, Lin Yue glanced sideways. “What are you doing?”
Qin Yan chuckled as she checked her photo album. “I just think it’s hilarious. Why are you practicing on it? You even drew eyes and a mouth on it. Hahaha…”
Lin Yue shrugged. “No choice. I tried other methods before, but they weren’t ideal—too thin. This cream pumpkin at least looks somewhat human.”
Exhausted, Qin Yan flopped onto the sofa and showed the photos to Lin Yue. “Can I post this on my Moments?”
Lin Yue gave a casual glance, her hands never stopping as she practiced tying the tie. “Sure.”
Qin Yan immediately edited a post and sent it to her Moments.
[Hahaha, I can’t stop laughing! Just how far will a roommate go for work?]
After posting, Qin Yan tugged at Lin Yue’s sleeve. “By the way, have you eaten?”
Lin Yue instinctively shook her head. “No, I’m not hungry.”
Qin Yan clicked her tongue. “Such a workaholic. I’ll make you a bowl of noodles.”
“No, no need,” Lin Yue quickly protested. “You’ve been teaching all day—just rest. I’ll make something later myself.”
It was summer vacation, but Qin Yan had supplementary classes at school.
Qin Yan stood up. “It’ll only take ten minutes; it’s not tiring. Wait here. I’ll throw in the baby bok choy we bought the day before yesterday from the fridge, or it might wilt soon.”
Lin Yue sighed. “Alright, thank you, Yanzi. Tomorrow, my boss doesn’t have much scheduled, so I should be able to get off work on time. I’ll treat you to a meal.”
“Sounds good,” Qin Yan said as she headed to the kitchen.
Lin Yue had a big appetite, but she had to maintain her figure, so she could only eat bland, boiled foods every day.
Qin Yan, who also watched her figure, sliced some cucumber strips, boiled konjac noodles, and blanched two baby bok choys. Their simplest dinner was ready.
Just as they were about to eat, Qing Jing returned.
Qin Yan quickly called out, “Qing Jing, have you eaten? Do you want some?”
Qing Jing glanced at the plain, watery food on the table and shook her head. “No need.”
Her tone was slightly stiff, and she went straight to her room without looking back.
Lin Yue didn’t even lift her head.
After dinner, Lin Yue washed the bowls and returned to the living room to continue practicing. She already knew how to tie the tie, but her technique lacked speed and elegance.
When Qing Jing came out with her clothes to take a shower, Lin Yue was about to go back to her room.
Unexpectedly, Qing Jing walked straight over, watched her for a moment, and couldn’t resist sneering, “Go practice in your room. Is tying a tie for your boss so impressive? What are you showing off here, and who are you trying to impress?”
Lin Yue’s hands stilled. She closed her eyes, silent for two seconds, then opened them and threw the tie aside. The cream pumpkin, jostled by her movement, fell to the floor and rolled a couple of times.
Lin Yue stood up and faced Qing Jing, retorting sharply, “If you’re sick, go to the hospital. Don’t bark at me here.”
Lin Yue didn’t believe Qing Jing failed to understand that the profession of a secretary, especially one working for a big boss like He Yuan, required not only broad knowledge but also attention to trivial and meticulous details.
It was a role that combined comprehensive, service-oriented, confidential, and intermediary functions, making one both a manager and a frontline worker. The most crucial aspect was handling all trivial matters promptly during work to assist the leader in operating more efficiently. In daily life, this extended to minute details like knowing the boss’s food preferences, health conditions, allergies, and even mundane tasks like tying a tie.
She didn’t want to be misunderstood for no reason, nor did she appreciate Qing Jing’s attitude.
Qing Jing sneered, “Weren’t you quite tolerant before? Why not now? Has your tongue gotten sharper since becoming President He’s secretary?”
Lin Yue retorted with equal coldness, “I used to tolerate you because I still considered you a classmate and a friend. But now, I’ve realized some people just take advantage of kindness. Why should I keep tolerating? Do I have a masochistic streak?”
Qing Jing’s face darkened considerably. She had heard from colleagues that Lin Yue had received praise from Director Zhao of Dachuang and, alongside He Yuan, successfully closed a deal with Dachuang.
Meanwhile, she felt her own situation was worse than a secretary’s—her boss constantly assigned her nanny-like tasks without involving her in any business matters. Her parents were somewhat disappointed in her over this, and being fiercely competitive, she couldn’t accept losing to Lin Yue, whom she deemed inferior in every aspect except looks.
Qing Jing even entertained the nasty thought: Did Lin Yue land the secretary position under He Yuan solely because of her pretty face?
Qin Yan, wearing earphones, remained unaware of the commotion outside.
Lin Yue picked up the cream pumpkin, carried it straight back to the kitchen, and then returned to her room.
Feeling frustrated, she curled up into a ball, resting her chin on her bent knees, and began browsing rental listings on her phone.
This apartment was far from the city center, belonging to Qing Jing’s relative. While she had no major complaints aside from the long commute to work, given the current circumstances, it was better to start looking for a new place early.
At the same time, in a luxurious apartment overlooking the river, He Yuan walked to the floor-to-ceiling window while drying his damp hair.
The luxury apartment was situated on a prime axis in the bustling city center, bordered by the North-South Elevated Road to the west and connected to Metro Line 1 to the east. It offered views of famous scenic high-rises to the north and stretched river scenery to the south.
With four bedrooms and two living rooms spanning nearly 600 square meters, it was priced at over a hundred million.
From this vantage point, the city’s beauty seemed to unfold entirely. Looking down from above, the myriad lights resembled strings of stars scattered across the ground.
However, some had no mind to appreciate the scenery. He Yuan casually picked up his phone from the coffee table and scrolled through it. When he saw his brother He Lin’s social media post about being punished by their mom for turning in a blank exam paper, he chuckled smugly and even gave it a like.
Little did he know that like would cause trouble. The next second, his phone rang. He Yuan answered helplessly, hearing his mother’s vigorous voice on the other end.
“My dear big baby, you’re liking posts? Instead of wasting time, why not find a girlfriend?”
“Got it,” He Yuan replied resignedly. “Mom, can we discuss changing that nickname?”
“Did you discuss moving out with me? Hmm? Something’s off about you. You always used to make excuses before, but this time you agreed so readily. Could it be that you have someone you like?”
He Yuan chuckled lightly, “Something like that.”
A surprised shriek immediately came from the other end of the phone, followed by the call being abruptly hung up.
He Yuan shook his head. Without even thinking, he knew they must have gone to tell his father.