Chapter 17
Edward Quan ·
I looked at her.
“I can’t just pretend those twenty-three years never happened.”
She nodded.
“I understand.”
I was silent.
Then said gently:
“But if you really want to…”
She looked up.
I continued:
“We can start by getting to know each other.”
Ye Manqing began to cry.
My nose stung too.
But this time—
I didn’t cry.
I just handed her a tissue.
Then said:
“Oh, but there is one thing.”
She immediately looked at me.
“What?”
I answered seriously:
“Please don’t tell my dad I just talked for two hours.”
Ye Manqing: “…”
She was stunned.
Then laughed through her tears.
It was the first time I’d seen her laugh sincerely.
Chapter 24: The President Wants to Give Me a Bonus, but I Think I’m About to Be Fired
Three months later.
Things gradually settled down.
Xia Siyu recovered well.
Baozi had gone back to kindergarten.
Gu Mingzhe continued running Tiansheng.
And I—
Finally got to be an ordinary employee.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Until one morning—
The HR manager called me into the conference room.
I immediately tensed up.
“Did I do something wrong?”
She smiled.
“No.”
That made me even more nervous.
“Then why did you call me in?”
“There’s a new decision about your position.”
I felt the world spinning around me.
That was it.
The company had finally had enough of my mouth.
I immediately bowed my head.
“I know I talk too much.”
“But I’ve been trying to improve!”
“Last week, I only talked to my coworkers during our break!”
“And it wasn’t my fault the photocopier broke!”
The HR manager: “…”
She handed me an envelope.
“Ms. Song.”
I took it with trembling hands.
“Yes?”
“Congratulations.”
I was stunned.
“Congratulations?”
She nodded.
“The company has decided to give you a special bonus.”
I stood motionless.
“A bonus?”
“That’s right.”
I immediately opened the envelope.
Inside was a bonus notice.
One million yuan.
Me: “…”
I looked again.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven digits.
My mind went blank.
The HR manager smiled.
“President Gu said this is to recognize how much you helped.”
I looked up.
“Ma’am…”
“Yes?”
“Could the company have printed the wrong amount?”
She laughed.
“No.”
I swallowed.
“Will they deduct it from next month’s salary?”
She: “…”
“No.”
I asked trembling:
“Then do I have to work a million extra hours to pay it back?”
The HR manager closed her eyes.
“Song Ruoxi!”
I jumped.
“Yes!”
“YOU JUST HAVE TO ACCEPT THE BONUS!”
I immediately stood straight.
“Yes, ma’am!”
Once I left the conference room, I called Dad right away.
“Dad!”
He sighed.
“What now?”
“I got a one-million-yuan bonus!”
There was silence on the other end.
Then Dad asked:
“What did you just say?”
“One million yuan!”
My father was silent for a long time.
Finally, he asked slowly:
“Ruoxi.”
“Yes?”
“Are you sure it isn’t ransom money?”
Me: “…”
DAD!
I’M YOUR DAUGHTER!
HOW CAN YOU THINK THAT ABOUT ME?!
Chapter 25: A Confession That Silenced the Whole Conference Room
Six months later.
I had gotten used to life at Tiansheng.
Regular pay.
Friendly coworkers.
Steady work.
Most importantly—
I hadn’t caused the police to mobilize again.
That was a very proud achievement.
But there was one thing that gave me a headache.
Gu Mingzhe.
I didn’t know when it began, but he started appearing in my life more and more often.
In the morning, he asked if I’d eaten.
At noon, he called me to lunch.
In the evening, he asked if I needed a ride home.
On weekends, he often used Baozi missing me as an excuse to invite me over.
I began to suspect—
Was he trying to hire me as a free babysitter?
One day—
I decided to ask him directly.
“President Gu.”
He looked up.
“Yes?”
“Are you trying to hire me as a nanny?”
He paused.
“What?”
I explained seriously:
“Because you keep inviting me over lately.”
“Baozi likes me a lot.”
“But you’ve never mentioned a salary.”
Gu Mingzhe looked at me.
For a long time.
Then he laughed.
“No.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Good.”
But then he suddenly asked:
“Ms. Song, you really haven’t noticed?”
“Noticed what?”
He looked at me.
His gaze was gentle.
“I like you.”
Me: “…”
I stood motionless.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Then I immediately asked:
“You like me as an employee?”
Gu Mingzhe: “…”
He took a deep breath.
“No.”
I thought about it.
“You like me as Baozi’s friend?”
“Not that either.”
I was even more confused.
“Then what do you like me as?”
He stood up.
Walked over to me.
Then said slowly:
“I like you.”
“As a man likes a woman.”
I was completely stunned.
Gu Mingzhe looked at me.
“Would you consider it?”
I swallowed.
After a long while, I asked:
“President Gu…”
“Yes?”
“Are you divorced?”
The air froze instantly.
He looked at me.
I looked at him.
After a long time, he slowly shook his head.
“No.”
I immediately stepped back.
“Then we can’t.”
He paused.
I said seriously:
“You’re still married.”
“Ms. Siyu has only just recovered.”
“Baozi needs his parents, too.”
“Even if you really like me, I can’t return your feelings.”
Gu Mingzhe fell silent.
After a long while, he lowered his head.
“You’re right.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
He looked at me.
There was a trace of sadness in his eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
I shook my head.
“It’s all right.”
He smiled.
“Thank you for being honest.”
I nodded.
“You’re welcome.”
Then I thought about it.
And added:
“Oh, will this affect my attendance bonus?”
Gu Mingzhe: “…”
He laughed.
“No.”
I was immediately reassured.
What a good president!
Even after getting rejected, he wouldn’t dock an employee’s pay!
Chapter 26: The Wife Returns with an Unexpected Decision
A week later.
Xia Siyu asked to meet me.
We chose a small café.
I arrived on time.
She was already waiting.
Her face was much rosier than before.
When she saw me, she smiled.
“Ruoxi.”
I sat down.