A cold voice could be heard from within the room. “Enter.”
Wen Xuxu pushed the door and peered inside first. Yan Rusheng sat on his posh chair, his elbow propped on the arm of the chair. His forehead was pressed against the back of his hand. The three buttons on the collar of his white shirt were unbuttoned.
He looked exhausted.
“President Yan.” Wen Xuxu walked quietly across the room and took Yan Rusheng’s cup away.
The cup which contained the black coffee from this morning was still unwashed.
She held the cup and gazed intensely at Yan Rusheng. However, she remained silent.
…
“Sister Xuxu, are you getting snacks for your afternoon tea?”
There was a bakery selling western pastries next to the company. Many of Flourish & Prosper’s employees patronized the shop in the late afternoon to buy pastries to accompany their afternoon tea.
The moment she entered, Wen Xuxu met a colleague she knew and she greeted her warmly.
“Mm.”
She nodded lightly in response and walked straight to the section displaying the pastries.
She scanned through the display of pastries and pointed at a triangular mousse. She said to the staff, “I’d like a slice of this and please remove the cream and jam from the surface.”
“Miss, the cream and jam combination makes this particular mousse special. Are you sure you want to remove it?” The staff retrieved the cake from the display and asked Wen Xuxu uncertainly.
Wen Xuxu nodded in confirmation. “Yes, I don’t want it. Thank you.”
Just as she was about to pay, she glanced at the beverage section behind the cashier. She decided to get a carton of milk as well.
The elevator reached the highest level and Wen Xuxu stopped for a moment after stepping out. She looked at the stuff in her hands and couldn’t help but press her lips together.
Usually, people are the sleepiest around this time in the afternoon. Everyone was holding a cup of coffee in their hands to keep themselves awake while working. The atmosphere was solemn and hushed as usual.
Wen Xuxu walked to Yan Rusheng’s office and stood at the entrance, ready to knock on the door.
“I was in Country F the past two days and I’m in a bad mood right now. Stop beating around the bush and get to the point.”
From inside the room, Yan Rusheng’s voice could be heard talking to someone, most likely on the phone.
Wen Xuxu’s extended hand abruptly stopped in midair and trembled for a moment. Her fingers curled tightly and she bowed her head, her eyelids drooping.
She stared at the stuff in her hands and laughed at herself.
…
“Sister Xuxu, I can tell that the President’s afternoon meal came with curry sauce again.”
Wen Xuxu leaned against the long bar counter along the office pantry wall. She was holding the mousse that she’d bought earlier on. She devoured the mousse in big mouthfuls without a spoon.
Her colleague had come in to get water and lightheartedly made fun of her.
Wen Xuxu hated curry sauce. But Yan Rusheng loved to order food with curry sauce from time to time on purpose. There was an unspoken rule too—as his secretary, Xuxu had to also eat whatever he was having for lunch that day.
Whenever she had lunch with curry sauce, Xuxu wouldn’t be full. She always had to sneak out and buy snacks to fill her stomach in the afternoon.
Hence when her colleague saw her eating in the office pantry in the afternoon, she assumed that the President’s lunch today had come with curry sauce.
Wen Xuxu’s mouth was stuffed and she smiled foolishly when she heard this.
It wasn’t that she had lunch with curry sauce, she didn’t even have a single morsel of food.
She polished off half of her cake and opened the carton of milk. She took a few gulps and was about to continue eating.
She glanced casually at the entrance and then immediately halted her actions.
A pair of sinister-looking eyes were looking at her coldly, leaving her unable to continue eating.
“President Yan.” She froze for a few seconds before she recovered and hurriedly greeted Yan Rusheng.
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