Chapter 10

At 4 p.m., Ruan Xinyi scrolled through her list of followed public accounts and chose a dessert shop with good reviews and slightly higher prices. She ordered afternoon tea for everyone in the office, carefully selecting options to suit most tastes.

As for the money Wen Xihan had transferred, Ruan Xinyi not only spent all of it but also covered a few hundred yuan from her own pocket.

About forty minutes later, she received a call notifying her that the afternoon tea had arrived.

Zhou Xuan, busy organizing meeting minutes, had her hands full and asked a male colleague to help Ruan Xinyi collect it.

Ruan Xinyi didn’t mind and followed the male colleague silently to the first-floor elevator.

Halfway down, the male colleague seemed to finally muster his courage and asked tentatively, “Um, Xinyi, is it okay if I call you that?”

Ruan Xinyi kept her eyes on her phone and replied coolly, “You’d better call me by my full name to avoid any misunderstandings.”

The male colleague suppressed his disappointment and cautiously asked, “Then can we add each other as friends? Just as ordinary colleagues, of course…”

Hearing this, Ruan Xinyi couldn’t outright refuse. She gave a soft “mm” and then smiled gracefully, casually adding, “But I should let you know—I already have someone I like. I like them very, very much.”

The male colleague, who had just sent her a friend request via the group chat, froze mid-expression. Forcing a laugh, he said, “Congratulations.”

After approving the friend request, Ruan Xinyi put away her phone and replied politely yet distantly, “Thank you.”

When she received the beautifully packaged bags from the delivery person, Ruan Xinyi carefully verified the order and set one portion aside.

The male colleague carried half of the bags. On their way back, neither of them spoke, with an invisible awkwardness lingering between them. Ruan Xinyi, however, found the silence satisfying—she disliked unnecessary complications, especially those she could preemptively avoid.

Back in the office, Ruan Xinyi placed the tea and cakes on the central table, raising her voice slightly to announce, “Everyone, come grab some afternoon tea! Courtesy of General Manager Wen!”

The male colleague glanced at her in surprise and asked in a hushed voice, “Are you sure it’s General Manager Wen’s treat?” He had assumed it was Ruan Xinyi’s, given that she had set a portion aside.

Ruan Xinyi took two servings for herself and Zhou Xuan, shrugging. “Of course. If you don’t believe me, ask Sister Zhou.” She then carried three portions back to her desk.

“Sister Zhou, here’s yours,” Ruan Xinyi said, placing one portion on Zhou Xuan’s desk. Her gaze briefly flitted to the tightly shut door of Wen Xihan’s office, a subtle trace of dissatisfaction flashing across her face.

“Thanks, Xinyi!” Zhou Xuan glanced at her colleagues, who were busy picking up their afternoon tea, and sighed in relief. “By the way, don’t forget to take a portion to General Manager Wen.”

Ruan Xinyi tapped her fingers lightly on her desk, holding up the portion in her hand. She flashed a small, gentle smile at Zhou Xuan and said, “I was just about to do that.”

---

“Knock-knock—”

“Come in.”

Hearing Wen Xihan’s cool voice, Ruan Xinyi pushed the door open gently.

Wen Xihan, as usual, wore her frameless glasses on her tall, straight nose. The glow of the computer screen reflected off her lenses, highlighting her fair complexion and her stern expression.

She glanced up briefly at Ruan Xinyi, her brows slightly furrowed, before returning her focus to the screen.

Though Wen Xihan said nothing, Ruan Xinyi could read the sentiment in her gaze—a silent but clear: Why is it you again?

Ruan Xinyi’s heel hesitated imperceptibly, but she quickly adjusted her mood, ensuring her composure betrayed nothing.

She placed the tea on Wen Xihan’s desk, smiling warmly yet impeccably. “General Manager Wen, here’s your portion.”

Wen Xihan instinctively straightened her posture slightly, her expression guarded as she regarded the ever-polite and flawless Ruan Xinyi. She replied curtly, “Thank you.”

With poise, Ruan Xinyi responded, “You’re welcome, General Manager Wen. It’s just part of my duties as your assistant.”

Wen Xihan felt a faint sense of being cornered. She glanced at the tea’s packaging logo, recognizing the high-end brand. After a brief pause, she asked, “How much extra did you cover? I’ll reimburse you.”

This shop was one she had visited twice before, known for its premium quality that matched its price.

Ruan Xinyi chuckled faintly, leaning in slightly as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her tone was light but pointed. “Have you forgotten, General Manager Wen? You gave me a whole six hundred thousand yuan that day.”

Wen Xihan: “…”

Her thoughts spiraled as she wondered when Ruan Xinyi had become so sharp-tongued and petty. No, wait—she’d already experienced her sharpness that night…

Seeing that Wen Xihan didn’t reply, Ruan Xinyi smiled and stepped back, reverting to her “model assistant” demeanor. “General Manager Wen, I’ll leave you to your work.”

“Ruan… Ruan Xinyi,” Wen Xihan called out just as she was leaving.

“Yes?” Ruan Xinyi turned back, her expression calm, though a flash of triumph danced in her eyes.

“That thing you mentioned earlier…” Wen Xihan hesitated before continuing, “Is it just the six hundred thousand?”

Ruan Xinyi appeared earnest and sincere as she replied, “Not entirely. There’s one more thing.”

“What else?” Wen Xihan frowned, genuinely starting to wonder if she’d left something behind at the hotel.

At this, Ruan Xinyi began to play coy, seizing the chance to propose her request. “That depends on whether General Manager Wen would do me the honor of having a meal together, so I can return it in person.”

Without hesitation, Wen Xihan declined. “I don’t have time recently. Also, I haven’t noticed anything missing. If it’s inconvenient, just throw it away.”

When Wen Xihan steadfastly avoided mentioning the six hundred thousand, Ruan Xinyi’s smile stiffened. Gritting her teeth, she replied, “Understood.”

“Then I won’t disturb you further, General Manager Wen.”

Watching Ruan Xinyi’s slender figure retreat, Wen Xihan hesitated briefly before pulling out her phone to transfer money to her.

However, the next moment, Ruan Xinyi promptly refunded the entire amount.

Annoyed, Wen Xihan sent it again with a message: [Take it.]

Ruan Xinyi replied with a simple “Oh,” followed by a screenshot of the order: [General Manager Wen, just reimburse me the difference. Otherwise, if I get reported for embezzlement, it wouldn’t look good.]

Wen Xihan: “…”

Exhaling deeply, Wen Xihan transferred the exact amount listed on the order, penny for penny. [Satisfied now?]

Finally, Ruan Xinyi accepted the transfer, replying formally and sarcastically: [Thank you, Manager Wen.]

Wen Xihan, visibly irritated, tossed her phone onto the desk.

---

Zhou Xuan had been busy all afternoon, finally managing to organize all the meeting minutes just moments before the workday ended. She quickly handed them over to Wen Xihan.

In contrast, Ruan Xinyi seemed incredibly relaxed. She leisurely finished her afternoon tea and passed the time, waiting for the clock to signal the end of her shift.

However, when the time to clock out arrived, Ruan Xinyi hesitated. After all, it was her first day at work, and her boss was still in the office. As a subordinate, it didn’t seem appropriate to leave before the boss. Besides, no one else had left either.

Twisting a black ballpoint pen between her fingers, Ruan Xinyi silently watched the time. About six minutes past the hour, Zhou Xuan finally emerged from Wen Xihan’s office.

Raising a finger to her lips, Zhou Xuan lowered her voice and said, “General Manager Wen said that if everyone has finished their tasks, they can leave now.”

Seeing a few colleagues eager to cheer, she quickly added, “But keep it quiet—General Manager Wen is in an online meeting.”

The colleagues nodded enthusiastically, swiftly gathering their things to leave.

Ruan Xinyi paused her pen-spinning, remaining seated and gazing toward Wen Xihan’s office with an unreadable expression.

“Xinyi, aren’t you leaving?” Zhou Xuan asked, noticing that Ruan Xinyi hadn’t moved while most others had already left.

“Huh?” Ruan Xinyi casually met her gaze, tucked the pen back into its holder, and, with a faint smile, replied, “I’m about to.”

Ruan Xinyi didn’t have much to pack, so she finished quickly.

While Zhou Xuan was still packing her laptop, Ruan Xinyi leaned back in her chair and asked, “Sister Zhou, isn’t General Manager Wen leaving yet?”

Zhou Xuan’s tone was casual. “It’s her first day. She still has a lot of work to go through.”

“Also, the company has been quite busy lately. Just leaving on time is already a blessing.”

“I see…”

“Come on, Xinyi,” Zhou Xuan zipped up her laptop bag and joined Ruan Xinyi as they headed to the first-floor elevator.

“Oh, by the way, Xinyi, where do you live? If it’s on the way, I can give you a ride.” Zhou Xuan had a car for commuting, and, concerned that Ruan Xinyi might have trouble getting home, she asked casually as they neared the company exit.

Ruan Xinyi smiled, took out her phone to check, and politely declined, “No need, Sister Zhou. My uncle is picking me up. He’s already waiting across the street.”

Just then, the traffic light at the company entrance turned green. Waving to Zhou Xuan, Ruan Xinyi said, “I’ll be off now, Sister Zhou.”

Before Zhou Xuan could respond, Ruan Xinyi jogged across the crosswalk. Within moments, her slender figure disappeared into the crowd.

---

At the spot where she had gotten off earlier that morning, Ruan Xinyi saw a Bentley conspicuously parked by the roadside. Her lips twitched slightly as she opened the car door and quickly got inside.

“Young Miss,” Uncle Cheng, sitting in the passenger seat, asked kindly, “How was your first day? Are you settling in well?”

“Not bad.” A faint smile played on Ruan Xinyi’s lips, though she didn’t notice it. “Much better than I expected.”

Uncle Cheng chuckled. “As long as you’re comfortable, Young Miss.”

“Oh, and the car you mentioned is already parked downstairs at your apartment.”

“Thank you, Uncle Cheng!”

Seeing Ruan Xinyi’s eagerness to see her new car, Uncle Cheng couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head.

---

At her apartment building, Uncle Cheng handed Ruan Xinyi the car keys and asked expectantly, “Young Miss, how do you like it?”

Looking at the understated yet luxurious Phaeton in front of her, Ruan Xinyi blinked in surprise. She hesitated before saying, “Uncle Cheng, are you sure this is a hundred-thousand-yuan car?”

Uncle Cheng, ever so deft, reminded her of her other request. “Didn’t you say you wanted something as low-key as possible, Young Miss?”

Ruan Xinyi: “…”

She had said that, but this Phaeton was a bit too...

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