Xiao Wang held a stack of documents in his hand. "I didn’t see you outside, so I came in to check."
In truth, he had come specifically to find Zhou Zhuofei.
He studied her expression carefully and realized his judgment wasn’t wrong. Her smile was forced, clearly indicating something was weighing on her mind—and this time, it seemed different from before.
So he tentatively asked, "Are you okay?"
"I... I’m fine," Zhou Zhuofei hesitated but still didn’t tell the truth.
It was the same reason as always—she couldn’t just start seeking help from others over baseless suspicions.
But saying nothing would make her seem insincere, so she selectively shared a little.
"I just wasn’t paying attention earlier and spilled some water. Luckily, I reacted quickly." She showed Xiao Wang her damp sleeve cuff.
Xiao Wang followed her gesture and noticed not only the obvious water stain but also a patch of reddened skin.
"Your hand?"
"Huh?" Only then did Zhou Zhuofei realize the area near her cuff was slightly red, probably from scalding hot water earlier. She hadn’t noticed, likely because her mind was too preoccupied to register it.
"It’s nothing, just a minor thing." She tugged her sleeve to cover her wrist, missing Xiao Wang’s worried gaze as she kept her head down.
She kindly reminded him, "Xiao Wang, do you have other matters to attend to? It wouldn’t be good if you stayed away too long."
"I’ll leave soon. By the way, you can rest in my office if needed. I’ll message you."
"Okay, I’ll head over once Zhan Zilang returns."
Before leaving, Xiao Wang deliberately glanced back and saw Zhou Zhuofei absentmindedly lower her head again.
This wasn’t just a matter of his intuition anymore—she was clearly troubled, and it most likely had something to do with Xie Huai.
He sat diagonally across from Xie Huai, so he had seen it clearly earlier: ever since Zhou Zhuofei appeared, Xie Huai’s gaze had lingered on her.
Xiao Wang was all too familiar with that kind of look—the way those in power, wealthy and influential, would scrutinize young, beautiful faces.
Xie Huai had a formidable reputation. Though Ling Yu wasn’t close to him, he often expressed admiration for him. And now, a man like that had taken a keen interest in Zhou Zhuofei.
Xiao Wang was deeply concerned.
He had witnessed too many similar cases—young, pretty girls dazzled by glamorous lives, believing they’d found a shortcut to success. They might enjoy a few years of luxury, but eventually, they’d sink deeper into the quagmire of materialism, becoming mere playthings of money and power.
He didn’t want to see Zhou Zhuofei go down that path.
But if Xie Huai truly had such intentions, with his means, could Zhou Zhuofei resist those temptations?
For a moment, he felt restless, an indescribable anxiety gnawing at him.
His thoughts were so chaotic that he had to pause at the meeting room door to compose himself before entering.
A while later, Zhan Zilang finally returned, and Zhou Zhuofei immediately rushed over to discuss what had happened earlier.
He had heard Xie Huai’s words too, but he didn’t think much of it. "Isn’t it normal for him to greet you since he knows you?"
"Was that a greeting?"
"Wasn’t he just reminding you about your wet sleeve? That’s considerate, isn’t it?"
Zhou Zhuofei fell silent. She knew this wasn’t something she could discuss with Zhan Zilang.
First, he was male. Second, he belonged to the same social class as Xie Huai. He couldn’t empathize with her, let alone understand the oppressive fear Xie Huai instilled in her.
"Forget it," she decisively gave up. "Pretend I never mentioned it."
"Huh?" Zhan Zilang was still baffled. "No, seriously, I don’t get it. Zhou Jie, explain it to me properly. What do you think Xie Huai did?"
"I think he’s messing with me." Seeing his confused expression, her already anxious mood turned fully impatient.
Her tone grew sharper as she waved him off. "I already said you wouldn’t understand, yet you keep pushing me to explain. Let’s just go."
Without giving Zhan Zilang a chance to respond, she led the way to Xiao Wang’s office.
Technically, they were supposed to wait in the meeting room, but since Xiao Wang had promised to message her, they could find a place to sit and rest properly.
Inside Xiao Wang’s office, the two settled into their seats.
Zhan Zilang could tell Zhou Zhuofei was in a bad mood, so he wisely avoided provoking her further. Still, he felt wronged—he hadn’t done anything, so why did it feel like he’d messed up?
Zhou Zhuofei also realized she’d lost control of her emotions and unfairly taken it out on him. This had nothing to do with Zhan Zilang—just because he was good-natured didn’t mean she should snap at him.
After a while, she calmed down and apologized sincerely.
"Zhan Zilang, I’m sorry for speaking harshly earlier. I shouldn’t have lashed out at you."
He quickly waved it off. "It’s fine! It’s just… Zhou Jie, I really don’t get what you meant. Maybe I’m just slow."
"You’re not slow at all—you’re very smart. It’s just that our perspectives differ, so our experiences differ too."
Zhan Zilang scratched his head. "Oh… I guess that makes sense. But do you really think Xie Huai is messing with you?"
"'Messing' is an exaggeration. What I mean is, his mere presence makes me uncomfortable."
Hearing this, Zhan Zilang finally grasped a bit of her meaning—he, too, sometimes felt intimidated by Xie Huai.
"Zhou Jie, you can’t let that get to you! He’s not your boss, not your elder, and he can’t say one word to your parents that’ll make your life miserable for half a year. Why be afraid of him?"
"...That last part sounds like your personal experience."
"Ahem—that’s not the point. The point is, the best way to conquer fear is to face it head-on."
That was easier said than done.
Zhou Zhuofei grimaced. "What if I don’t want to face it?"
"Don’t shy away from challenges! Think about gaming—when you’re stuck on a level, do you just give up? No, you keep honing your skills until you beat it!"
"For the first time, I hate that you used gaming as an analogy."
"But am I wrong?"
Though Zhan Zilang’s words carried a naive optimism born of ignorance, Zhou Zhuofei had to admit there was some truth to them.
Her fear of Xie Huai stemmed from his power and aura, but the fact was, they had no connection—he had no authority over her.
Her boss was Ling Yu, the protagonist of this world, the one and only male lead.
As everyone knew, romance novel male leads were upstanding, law-abiding citizens—after all, the problematic ones weren’t allowed to be written anymore.
As his employee, she ought to be under his protection.
Of course, if all else failed, she still had Plan B—she could swallow her pride and cozy up to the future boss's wife.
However, Zhou Zhuofei wasn’t keen on taking that path unless absolutely necessary. It was a route she despised.
"You make a good point," she said, though a trace of unease lingered. At the very least, she wouldn’t let negative emotions drag her down anymore. "You always see things so clearly."
"Not really. It’s just that you have this idealized view of us, like we’re somehow special. But the truth is, we’re just people—we have our limits too."
Zhou Zhuofei countered, "But the fact remains, you can do things we can’t. Of course, I’d think you’re practically invincible."
"That might be true, but you’re free. Take me, for example—my family’s already mapped out my future. You think I can do whatever I want? I’m like a dog on a leash, allowed to run around a bit, but the moment my owner tugs, I’m pulled right back…"
Listen to this nonsense.
Zhou Zhuofei cut off Zhan Zilang’s self-pitying monologue. "Alright, alright. You’re the poor little rich boy, crying in your cold mansion surrounded by limited-edition gaming consoles. And I’m the free-spirited office worker stuck in a rented apartment living off takeout. We’re both tragic in our own ways."
"…Zhou-jie, you’re no fun," Zhan Zilang grumbled, his dramatic moment thoroughly ruined.
Zhou Zhuofei replied nonchalantly, "Yes, I’m cruel, cold-hearted, and utterly unfeeling."
The meeting lasted half an hour. During that time, the two of them slipped in once to refill their water, then stayed put in Xiao Wang’s office afterward.
When noises echoed from outside, they hurried out. Though Xiao Wang had given them permission to rest there, being spotted by others wouldn’t look good.
The conference room door stood wide open as people filed out—but neither Ling Yu nor Xie Huai were among them. Zhou Zhuofei and Zhan Zilang lurked in a corner, waiting for the room to clear so they could tidy up.
The spacious lobby easily accommodated over a dozen people without feeling crowded. Despite the numbers, the atmosphere remained hushed, with conversations kept to murmurs.
When Xie Huai and Ling Yu finally emerged, the room grew even quieter.
Everyone listened intently to their exchange, but Zhou Zhuofei tuned out after a few sentences. None of it concerned her anyway.
She sighed inwardly. This was exactly why she disliked corporate settings—only the higher-ups could speak freely, while everyone else had to tread carefully, gauging moods and holding their tongues. The tension was stifling.
Right now, it felt like some elaborate game of The Sims.
"Zhou-jie!" Zhan Zilang’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts, accompanied by a nudge.
"Huh?" She blinked and looked up—just as Xie Huai started walking toward her.
Oh no, not again.
Before she could even process how to react, Xie Huai spoke. "Zilang performed well today."
Relief washed over her when she realized it wasn’t her name being called.
Zhan Zilang responded smoothly, "You flatter me, President Xie. It’s all thanks to my seniors’ guidance."
Zhou Zhuofei suppressed another sigh. What could she say? He was technically praising her.
Then Xie Huai’s gaze shifted to her. "I’d also like to thank Miss Zhou for her assistance," he said, his tone layered with meaning.
She forced a polite smile. "You’re too kind, President Xie."
"I’m not referring to today." His voice was low, ensuring only the three of them could hear. "I appreciate the effort you’ve put into Xie Ya’s matter."
Xie Ya? What did he have to do with this? Had that kid betrayed her? Impossible—he still needed her help with Cen Huan.
As she scrambled for an answer, a glance at Xie Huai’s penetrating stare jolted her back to reality—she wasn’t supposed to know Xie Ya.
"President Xie, I’m not sure what you mean." Her confusion was half-genuine, half-feigned. She truly had no idea what game he was playing.
"Then perhaps I’ve mistaken you for someone else. Would you join me for dinner tonight?"
Before she could reply, she caught Zhan Zilang’s wide-eyed expression—clearly bursting with questions but too afraid to voice them.
She hesitated for a second, debating whether to drag him into this mess.
But no. Using someone else as a shield to solve her own problems would make her no better than Xie Ya.
"I’m afraid I already have plans."
"What a shame." Xie Huai didn’t press further. "Another time, then."
Zhou Zhuofei offered no response, maintaining her practiced smile until he walked away. With him gone, the reactions of everyone else became painfully visible.
Huanyu’s employees remained composed, though their curious glances at her and Zhan Zilang betrayed their confusion over why Xie Huai had singled them out.
The Huanyu team, however, had far more dramatic responses—surprise, intrigue, even Ling Yu himself breaking his usual stoicism to study her with a thoughtful gaze.
The attention was overwhelming. First, she hated it. Second, she really hated it.
Outwardly cheerful, Zhou Zhuofei was secretly socially anxious. The two weren’t mutually exclusive—in her case, they coexisted in a bizarre harmony.
Her role in administration suited her perfectly. She thrived behind the scenes, quietly reveling in the fruits of her labor.
But now? It felt like she’d been shoved into the spotlight as the main character.
And this wasn’t the first time.
Being the center of attention made her skin crawl. Too many eyes on her only fueled her nerves.
Luckily, the ordeal didn’t last long. After exchanging farewells with Ling Yu, Xie Huai and his team departed, leaving the lobby half-empty.
Ling Yu retreated to his office, the remaining Huanyu staff dispersed, and Zhou Zhuofei seized the chance to duck into the conference room.
"Zhou-jie," Zhan Zilang hissed the moment they were inside, buzzing with questions. "Why did Xie Huai invite you to dinner?"
"How should I know? Ask him."
"Then why did he thank you for something involving Xie Ya?"
"Again—shouldn’t you be asking him?"
Zhou Zhuofei was certain Xie Ya wouldn’t betray her. Unless, of course, he turned out to be another useless man who couldn’t even protect Cen Huan.
"This is so weird. Why bring up Xie Ya out of nowhere?"
By now, she’d finished clearing one side of the room. Turning back, she found Zhan Zilang still rooted in place, lost in thought. She swatted his arm. "Stop overthinking and get to work."
Young and inexperienced, Zhan Zilang could sense something was off but couldn’t piece it together. Under Zhou Zhuofei’s relentless prodding, he shelved his suspicions for the time being.
The two of them quickly finished tidying up. After turning off the lights and locking the door, Zhou Zhuofei made a point of saying goodbye to Xiao Wang, as the meeting room keys were usually kept in her possession.
"Secretary Xiao, the meeting room is all set."
Zhou Zhuofei knocked lightly and peeked inside.
She noticed Xiao Wang deep in thought, his brows furrowed and lips pressed tightly together. Unwilling to disturb his work, she instinctively softened her voice.
Without waiting for a response, she added, "We’ll head out first."
At that moment, Xiao Wang looked up. His usual easygoing demeanor was absent, replaced by a serious expression. Yet, his focused and decisive air lent him a different kind of charm.
"Zhou Zhuofei, wait a moment."
Just as she was about to leave, his voice stopped her. "What is it, Secretary Xiao?"
"Do you know Xie Huai?" He quickly added an explanation, "Ling Yu noticed Xie Huai specifically greeting you, so he asked me to check."
"We’ve met once, but we’re not close." Zhou Zhuofei didn’t question Xiao Wang’s inquiry, especially since she had seen Ling Yu’s reaction herself.
She briefly explained how she and Xie Huai had crossed paths.
Her answer, however, did little to ease Xiao Wang’s concerns. If anything, it deepened his contemplation.
But how should he bring it up?
Speaking directly might come across as an intrusion.
Then another thought occurred to him. He pulled two meal vouchers from his desk drawer and placed them on the table.
"A friend gave me these a while ago, but I never had the chance to use them. You can take them."
