13. Is He Jealous?
Han Zhao immediately straightened his posture. “President Zhou.”
Ling Xi also greeted him, but her heart started pounding. It was already after work. He was not going to drag her back to the office for more work, was he?
After getting off work, Zhou Mingye had handled a bit more business. As he drove away, he spotted two familiar figures by the roadside at a glance. In the fine, misty rain, the two of them were chatting pleasantly.
Since he did not have any plans for the evening anyway, his foot paused and pressed on the brake. He decided to show a bit of concern for his subordinates.
“Get in. I’ll give you a ride since it’s on the way.”
Ling Xi and Han Zhao both froze.
“No need, President Zhou. I’ll just take a taxi,” Han Zhao refused instinctively.
Ling Xi also waved her hands. “No need to trouble you.”
She had that much awareness, at least.
On a rainy day, Zhou Mingye saw the person he liked standing in the rain waiting for a car and wanted to send him home. Who would have thought there would be a female colleague standing next to him as well? How annoying.
Hearing the two of them refuse in unison, Zhou Mingye frowned. “It’s not convenient to park here.”
The meaning behind his words was obvious enough. He thought the two of them were dawdling.
“Then, sorry to trouble you, President Zhou.” Ling Xi took the initiative to pull open the car door. She turned her head and said to Han Zhao, “Assistant Han, can I sit inside?”
Seeing this, Han Zhao could only nod stiffly.
The car merged smoothly into the flow of traffic, and the cabin fell into a strange silence.
It was Ling Xi’s first time being in such a confined space with both of them at once. Her face was turned toward the window, but in truth, her mind was already straining to catch any unusual scent in the air.
Zhou Mingye glanced at the two of them through the rearview mirror and asked Han Zhao, “Where do you live?”
Ling Xi snorted inwardly. As if you wouldn’t know where Han Zhao lives. Just keep pretending.
The more you try to cover it up, the more it proves you have a guilty conscience.
Han Zhao was clearly nervous, his body tense. “Send Ling Xi first.”
“Your place is closer. Send you first,” Ling Xi blurted out. As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized something was off. She had only been at the company for half a month, yet she knew a colleague’s home address so well?
Han Zhao glanced at her awkwardly and cleared his throat.
“Before, when we worked overtime, Director Jiang drove each of us home. I remember your place is on Wangjiang Road, right?” Ling Xi lied without batting an eye.
Zhou Mingye listened to the two of them go back and forth and grew a bit impatient. “Just say the name of the residential complex.”
Han Zhao gave an address. It was a shopping mall several kilometers away. “Please drop me off here, President Zhou. I have something to do.”
“Mhm.”
A few minutes later, the car came to a steady stop by the roadside. Han Zhao quickly got out. Ling Xi watched him close the door and hurry toward the mall entrance.
He really got off early? Was he deliberately avoiding suspicion in front of her?
Once Han Zhao left, the air inside the car seemed to freeze instantly.
Ling Xi stole a glance forward. Zhou Mingye’s profile looked a bit colder than before.
Could it be that because she and Han Zhao appeared so familiar, he was jealous?
Just as she was thinking this, Zhou Mingye suddenly asked her, “You and Han Zhao seem pretty close?”
Just as expected!
Ling Xi hurriedly drew a clear line. “Our department has good relationships in general. Since I’m new, everyone takes good care of me. I often ask Assistant Han for advice on work matters.”
“Advice on what?”
“Um… things like writing reports, drafting company documents.” Ling Xi made something up casually. In truth, she did not need to rack her brain much to handle those tasks.
“You need to ask for advice on that?” Zhou Mingye glanced at Ling Xi. “Look at previous materials and put in a bit of effort yourself. You can do it well.”
Ling Xi felt this topic could not continue.
It was already after work. Why should she be discussing work with her boss in the car?
She quickly changed the subject, pretending to speak casually. “I heard Assistant Han’s wife is an English teacher. I was thinking of asking him to introduce me to her so I could improve my English.”
Zhou Mingye was not interested in his assistant’s private life. He raised his eyebrows slightly, and the tension on his face eased a bit. “Is that so?”
“I heard it from Xu Jing. Assistant Han and his wife were university classmates. They both graduated from University A, and their relationship is pretty good.”
As she said this, Ling Xi put on an envious look, taking the opportunity to clearly state her own position.
Zhou Mingye looked straight ahead, thinking that he had only casually asked a question in the elevator that morning, yet Ling Xi was now in such a hurry to explain herself to him. Was she afraid he would misunderstand?
The corner of his mouth twitched. “You don’t need to tell me so much.”
Ling Xi: ?
You do not like hearing about other people having families now?
Afraid that saying more would only lead to more mistakes, Ling Xi stayed much quieter for the rest of the drive.
When the car stopped at the entrance of Ling Xi’s residential complex, the rain outside had grown heavier again.
She raised her hand to open the door and said to Zhou Mingye, “Thank you today, President Zhou.”
Water had pooled along the roadside. Ling Xi hopped forward two steps, and suddenly her foot slipped. An arm grabbed her firmly.
Immediately, a large umbrella covered them. “Why are you jumping around in the rain?”
Ling Xi thought, isn’t it because you parked in a puddle?
After these past few days, she had become a bit more familiar with Zhou Mingye and knew that he was not as fierce as he looked. Once she steadied herself, she muttered softly, “I was afraid of getting my shoes wet.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the umbrella tilted toward her side. Zhou Mingye spoke in his usual commanding tone. “Take it.”
The two of them were standing very close. Ling Xi could even smell a faint fragrance on Zhou Mingye’s clothes. She froze for a moment. Was he giving her the umbrella?
“Hurry up. My clothes are already getting wet,” Zhou Mingye urged her.
Raindrops pattered against the ground.
Ling Xi took the umbrella and asked, “Do you have another one in your car?”
Zhou Mingye had already turned and walked back around to the driver’s seat. “I don’t need one.”
Uh… that made sense too. He could drive straight into his villa’s garage. He did not need an umbrella at all.
Her concern just now really was a bit presumptuous.
Ling Xi thanked him and walked into the residential complex under the umbrella.
Along the way, that familiar fragrance still lingered around her nose.
She felt like she had smelled it somewhere before, but she could not recall where.
When she reached home, she decided not to think about it anymore. She took the umbrella to the balcony, opened it, and set it aside.
*
The next morning, as soon as Ling Xi arrived at the company, she saw that the meeting room lights were already on.
She set her bag down and went over, seeing that people from the Technical Department were filing in one after another.
The bug issue with the new product still had not been resolved.
With the National Day holiday approaching, Zhou Mingye required them to complete debugging before the break.
Ling Xi checked the equipment and the water dispenser. There was nothing she needed to assist with, so she went to handle her own work.
At noon, the meeting still had not ended. Ling Xi went in to help place a lunch order.
When she walked past Han Zhao, he pointed toward Zhou Mingye. Ling Xi made an OK gesture.
After noting down the meal order, Ling Xi stood to the side and double-checked it.
At the conference table, Zhou Mingye’s phone suddenly vibrated. He answered it. On the other end was Xue Yang’s voice. “I’m near your company. Want to come down and grab a meal?”
Everyone else had their heads down, looking at the materials in their hands. Zhou Mingye lowered his voice. “I’m in a meeting. Not very convenient.”
Xue Yang held the steering wheel with one hand. “I just got back from a trip and brought you a gift. How about I bring it up to you? It’s taking up space in the car.”
The corner of Zhou Mingye’s lips lifted slightly. “Thanks. I’ll have someone come down to get it.”
As he said this, he raised his gaze and happened to meet Ling Xi’s eyes.
Ling Xi took two seconds to react and immediately understood. She nodded at him.
After asking where Xue Yang was, Zhou Mingye hung up and looked at Ling Xi. “The Western restaurant behind the company. I’ll send you the phone number.”
“Okay, I’ll go right away.” After receiving instructions, Ling Xi stepped out, sent the lunch order information to Xu Jing, and took her phone downstairs.
There was only one Western restaurant behind the office building, so it was not hard to find.
Ling Xi pushed the door open and looked around. Just as she was about to take out her phone to make a call, she turned her head and saw the man she had seen at the previous summit.
So it was him.
The other party also recognized Ling Xi and waved at her.
Xue Yang had already ordered. The server brought over a plate of pasta. Ling Xi stepped aside and smiled at Xue Yang. “President Zhou asked me to come down and pick something up for him.”
“Sorry to trouble you.” Xue Yang pushed a beautifully packaged gift box toward the edge of the table.
She had not looked closely at him during the summit. Now that he was right in front of her, Ling Xi quietly observed Xue Yang.
He looked about the same age as Zhou Mingye. He was wearing a white T-shirt with a cartoon dog on it and a knit cap despite the hot weather. His aura was somewhat like that of a trendy streetwear shop clerk.
“You haven’t eaten yet, right? Want to have a bit together?” Xue Yang raised his hand to call the server over to order more food. Ling Xi hurriedly declined. “No need. I still have to go back to work.”
The other party smiled. “Are you worried Zhou Mingye will scold you? Don’t worry. Given the relationship between the two of us, he won’t say anything.”
What kind of relationship?
Ling Xi really wanted to ask.
He came specially to find Zhou Mingye, brought him a gift, and had linked arms with him at the summit.
Was having Han Zhao not enough for Zhou Mingye? He was actually flirting everywhere.
With these thoughts running through her head, Ling Xi kept her gaze on Xue Yang and stood by the table without sitting down.
If anyone else were to stare like this, Xue Yang would feel uncomfortable. But Ling Xi was born with a sweet-looking face and bright eyes. It only made people feel that she was keeping a polite distance, without any sense of offense.
Ling Xi picked up the gift box. “Please take your time eating. I’ll head back first.”
Xue Yang had already chosen his meal but had not yet placed the order. All he could do was watch Ling Xi’s back and say goodbye.
*
The meeting finally ended close to one o’clock.
Zhou Mingye returned to his office, loosened his tie, and sank deeply into the leather chair.
After taking a sip of water, he raised his hand and rubbed his brow.
On the desk sat the red wine gift box. Zhou Mingye opened it and took a look. It was a limited edition from a well-known Spanish winery.
He took out his phone and sent Xue Yang a message: “Busy today. We’ll drink together another day.”
“I’m free anytime.”
Xue Yang then sent another message. “Can you bring the administrative secretary along?”
Zhou Mingye replied with a question mark and put his phone aside. He noticed that there was still an insulated bag on his desk.
He opened it. On top was a note, written in neat, graceful handwriting.
“Boss, the meeting was tiring. The meal has been ordered according to your usual preferences and should arrive just about now. If it’s completely cold, one minute in the microwave will do. Enjoy your meal.”
There was no unnecessary chatter, not even a signature, but the information was clear and everything was thoughtfully considered.
Han Zhao had been in the meeting with Zhou Mingye all day. Who prepared the meal was self-evident.
On one side of the desk stood the umbrella Zhou Mingye had lent Ling Xi the night before, neatly folded.
He opened the food container. Inside was chicken rice from the place he often ate at, with vegetable juice placed separately.
Several consecutive hours of intense focus and discussion in the morning had drained both his mind and body. At this moment, a hollow sensation rose faintly in his stomach. He took the container out. It still carried a trace of warmth.
After a few bites, Xue Yang sent another voice message. “Help me ask her if she has a boyfriend.”
Zhou Mingye replied: Ask her yourself.
Xue Yang: I don’t even have her contact info. Besides, she was pretty cold toward me. I invited her to eat lunch together and she wouldn’t even go.
Zhou Mingye glanced at the message. The hand holding his chopsticks paused for a moment.
Xue Yang: Then give me her WeChat.
Xue Yang: Say something.
Xue Yang: You’re not seriously unwilling to introduce her to me, are you?
This guy really had too much time on his hands. Zhou Mingye could not even be bothered to respond. He turned his phone face-down on the desk and continued eating.
°.✩┈┈∘*┈˃̶୨୧˂̶┈*∘┈┈✩.°
Author’s Note:
Who was secretly feeling smug? I won’t say it. [dog head holding a rose]