The welcome party was scheduled for 7 p.m. sharp.
The dishes were laid out neatly, and everyone arrived on time.
Everyone… except our department head.
We waited for twenty minutes.
> "Let's just start," I finally said. "I'll call his assistant."
Everyone nodded.
I stepped out and made the call.
> "Hello?" his assistant answered.
> "Where's the head?" I asked. "The party's already started. Is he coming?"
He replied calmly,
> "The head is busy with work. He'll join you after finishing. You don't need to wait."
I rolled my eyes.
> "We already started. It's been almost half an hour. The food's going cold and people are hungry. Tell him to come. Fast."
Then I hung up.
---
Inside the office...
"The call?" Xiang asked.
"It was the newcomer. Zhou Ye," the assistant replied.
> "What did she say?"
"She said the dishes went cold and asked you to join quickly."
Xiang, reading a document under the desk lamp, adjusted his glasses.
"Hmm… we'll go in five minutes."
His assistant tilted his head.
"Sir, you're acting different today. You never attend welcome parties. But now…"
Xiang gave him a sharp look.
"Prepare the car."
By the time they arrived at the restaurant, only Manager Li and I were still there.
> "Where are the others?" he asked.
Manager Li hesitated.
> "They left… the party was over, Head Xiang."
"Then why are you two still here?"
She pointed at me.
"Zhou Ye got drunk… after one can of juice. My husband's picking me up now."
She gave an awkward smile.
"Please look after her, sir."
And then she left.
Only three of us remained.
The assistant knew better than to linger—he disappeared like a shadow.
Xiang walked over to me.
"Zhou Ye," he said, trying to wake me up.
No reaction.
He called his assistant again. No answer.
He looked around and realized he was completely alone with me.
With a sigh, he helped me up. I slumped onto his shoulder, totally out of it.
I wasn't walking properly—I stumbled and fell.
He didn't catch me in time.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "Did it hurt?"
"You crazy man," I mumbled, half-asleep. "Why do you always push me away?"
He blinked.
"When did I push you?"
"You don't need to know…" I sniffled. "You just… never looked at me."
He stood stunned.
"What? What happened?"
I didn't reply.
He supported me toward the car, but I refused to sit.
Gripping the door, I wouldn't let go.
He struggled to make me sit. Finally, he managed.
But when he walked around to the other side…
The seat was empty.
I had escaped.
He searched frantically and finally spotted me walking away. I had already called my friends.
"Zhou Ye!" he shouted, running up to me.
I stumbled, about to fall—but this time, he caught me.
His voice was firm and annoyed.
"What are you doing? Why did you leave the car?"
"I don't want to ride with you, Mr. Head."
"Why not?"
"I don't take rides from strangers."
His voice sharpened.
"Why am I a stranger to you?"
My heart skipped. I couldn't meet his eyes.
"Mr. Head," I said softly. "I'm your employee. Not your girlfriend. You don't need to take care of me."
He sighed, visibly frustrated.
"Then I'll wait here until your friends come."
I looked at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Now what?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said. "Just thinking about how crazy you were back in college. And now your subordinates call you a demon. Funny, isn't it?"
He gasped.
"Who are you calling crazy?! I'm still your boss!"
"That's why I said it, Mr. Head."
Right then, my friends' car pulled up.
They rushed toward me and hugged me like I'd returned from battle.
> "I'm so proud of you," Xin whispered with a wink. "You did it."
"Huh? Who told you I succeeded?" I asked, before collapsing into her arms.
He stood there—awkward and confused.
"Take care of her," he told them. "Give her some food."
Ling and Meng exchanged glances, then looked at me.
"So it was him, right?" they whispered.
I suddenly lifted my head, eyes half-closed, and mumbled,
"Yes… it was him…"
Then I passed out again.
He turned silently and walked back to his car.
"Bye, Mr. Bus!!" I suddenly shouted.
He flinched and peeked from his window.
My friends quickly covered my mouth and shoved me into the car.
As we drove away, he stood there like a golden retriever left out in the rain.
---
Back in his car...
His assistant returned.
"Sir? Why are you zoned out?"
"Zoned out? Me? I was… admiring how clean the road is. Our office should be like this."
The assistant looked around. The road was covered in dry leaves.
"Where did you go?" Xiang asked.
"Umm… nature called, sir. I couldn't control it."
"Don't change the subject. I know what you're thinking."
The assistant snorted.
"Sir… you're acting suspicious."
---
The next morning...
I woke up groggy.
As I opened my eyes, I noticed three pairs of legs in front of me.
I blinked up at them.
My friends.
> "What… why are you all here?"
Xin smirked.
"We brought you to my house last night. Don't you remember anything?"
I rubbed my forehead.
"What did I do?!"
Ling folded her arms.
"Zhou Ye, we thought you were a calm girl. But what you did…"
Xin leaned in close.
"You really don't remember?"
I shook my head frantically.
Meng whispered, dramatically,
"You were kissing your department head—your crush."
I froze.
They stared at me.
I stood up, completely calm.
"So… Xin, you were texting your boyfriend last night, right? And you were eating snacks?"
They blinked.
"You knew we were bluffing?" Ling groaned.
I gave each of them a light smack.
"Stop pranking me!"
They burst into laughter and recapped everything I did while half-conscious. It was total chaos.
And yet… deep down…
I couldn't stop wondering if any of it was real.
Because in my heart, I already knew—
This story wasn't over.