By the time Su Wan returned to her rented apartment, night had completely fallen.
The bruise on her knee had swollen again, so she wrapped an ice pack in a towel and pressed it against the injury, wincing at the cold. On the table lay the employee handbook she had brought back from work earlier—a thick stack that seemed to weigh her down. Rubbing her tired eyes, she didn't allow herself to slack off. She sat on the small stool and, under the dim light, began reading each word carefully.
"Employee Code of Conduct, Article 3: Attire must comply with professional standards; casual shoes, jeans, and other informal clothing are prohibited..."
"Assistant to the CEO, Article 7: Must respond to the CEO's needs at all times, including but not limited to work tasks and personal errands..."
The dense regulations made her head spin, but the thought of the 800,000 debt and Ling Yao's icy gaze kept her focused. By 1 a.m., she had barely managed to jot down the key points in her notebook before she slumped over the desk and fell asleep, her dreams haunted by Ling Yao's cold reprimands and Lin Wei's contemptuous eyes.
The next morning, Su Wan woke up with dark circles under her eyes. The first thing she did was head to the nearby second-hand market. With the little savings she had left, she bought a second-hand black professional suit and a pair of low-heeled leather shoes, spending a few extra yuan to have them altered by a street tailor. Standing in front of the mirror, she saw herself in the ill-fitting but still presentable outfit, took a deep breath, and whispered to herself, "I can't make any mistakes today."
She arrived at the company an hour early, clocked in, and headed straight to the break room. After spending the entire night researching, she had finally figured out how to control the coffee temperature—boil the water, let it sit for three minutes, pour it into a warmed cup, and then adjust it to 65 degrees using a thermometer. After searching the entire break room and finding no thermometer, she had to rely on trial and error, brewing one cup after another, testing the temperature, and discarding the results. Her fingertips were reddened from the hot water, but she didn't notice.
By 7:20 a.m., Su Wan carefully carried a steaming cup of coffee into the CEO's office. Ling Yao was already there, standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows on the phone. His posture was straight, like a pine tree, and the lines of his broad shoulders and narrow waist were accentuated by the neatly pressed white shirt. Morning sunlight streamed across his silver-gray hair, creating a shimmering halo. Some strands of hair fell across his forehead, obscuring part of his eyes but couldn't hide the cold, commanding aura that surrounded him. His side profile was sharp, with a high nose and tightly pressed lips. His voice, even while speaking on the phone, had a deep, magnetic tone that emanated authority, even from a distance.
Su Wan carefully placed the coffee on the right side of his desk, exactly 15 centimeters from the screen, following the placement guidelines she had read in the employee handbook. Just as she was about to leave, Ling Yao finished his call and turned around.
His face was enough to make anyone's heart skip a beat. His deep purple eyes were narrow and intense, with slightly upward-turned outer corners that gave off an aloof air. They were now calmly fixed on her, like a dark pool reflecting the morning light. His skin was pale and cold-toned, making his lips seem even thinner, and his jawline was defined, exuding a reserved, sensual appeal.
"Coffee." His voice was succinct as he reached for the cup. His hand was well-defined, his nails neatly trimmed, and despite wearing no accessories, there was a quiet strength in the smoothness of his wrist and the faint blue veins beneath the skin.
Su Wan's heart leaped into her throat as she anxiously watched his reaction. She wasn't sure if the temperature she had labored over would meet his standards.
Ling Yao took a sip, and the warm liquid slid smoothly down his throat. The temperature was perfect, and the sweetness of the three teaspoons of sugar balanced the bitterness of the coffee. Surprisingly, the taste was just right—better than any other coffee he had ever had. He looked up at Su Wan, his deep purple eyes briefly flashing with a subtle surprise. What had started as an arbitrary and harsh demand now seemed to have been met by this seemingly clumsy girl.
"The temperature is acceptable." He placed the cup back down, his tone still neutral, but lacking the usual biting coldness. "What about breakfast?"
"It's on the desk outside. I made a sandwich with eggs and ham this morning, without the lettuce you dislike." Su Wan replied softly, aware that Ling Yao had an allergy to lettuce.
Ling Yao raised an eyebrow, surprised by her attentiveness. He stood up and walked out of the office. His white shirt fluttered with his movements, revealing a glimpse of his taut waistline. He stopped in front of Su Wan's desk and saw the clean lunchbox with a neatly cut sandwich inside and a cup of warm milk on the side. Sunlight filtered through the window, softening his usually icy expression, revealing a rare warmth.
He took a bite of the sandwich. The bread was soft, the egg tender. It wasn't extraordinary, but it had a homely warmth—something he had never tasted in any high-end restaurant. He glanced at Su Wan, who was standing nearby, clearly eager for his feedback. Her eyes held a flicker of hope, like a little animal waiting to be praised. This stirred a ripple in the coldness of his heart.
"It's passable," he said casually, walking back to his office, his lips unconsciously curling into a faint smile that softened his previously frigid aura.
Su Wan sighed in relief, a small sense of achievement blooming in her chest. It turned out that with enough care and effort, even the most difficult demands could be met.
The rest of the day went smoothly. Su Wan followed the handbook meticulously, completing her tasks—organizing files, scheduling meetings, sending emails—and even proactively cleaned Ling Yao's office until it was spotless. Lin Wei still came around occasionally to make things difficult, deliberately assigning extra tasks, but Su Wan endured, using her actions to prove she wasn't as inadequate as Lin Wei claimed.
At 3 p.m., Su Wan brought the cut fruit into Ling Yao's office. He was reviewing an important contract, his brows furrowed, his complexion paler than usual. His skin, almost translucent, revealed faint veins beneath. Sweat beads dotted his forehead and slid down his high nose, dropping onto the document, smearing the ink. His breathing was quickened, his chest rising and falling. There was a visible pain in his usually cold eyes.
"Mr. Ling, your fruit." Su Wan spoke gently, noticing his unusual state.
Ling Yao didn't look up, simply gesturing for her to leave it on the desk. His fingers, holding the pen, were pale and trembling slightly, gripping it with a force that made his knuckles turn white. The wild, untamed energy of the wolf tribe seemed stronger than usual, carrying a dangerous edge.
She hesitated, but couldn't help asking, "Mr. Ling, are you feeling unwell? Should I call a doctor?"
Ling Yao suddenly looked up, his usual calm replaced by an alarming redness in his eyes, like a predator on the edge of a hunt. His pupils constricted, and faint red veins appeared around the whites of his eyes. His breath was erratic, and his lips were tight, as though struggling to suppress something violent within. Tonight was the 14th day of the lunar month, and the curse's backlash was growing stronger. He could feel his wolf nature struggling to break free.
"Get out!" he growled, his voice rough and tinged with pain, no longer the coldness it had been.
Su Wan stumbled back, startled by his outburst. But as she looked at his pale face and strained expression, her concern overpowered her fear. She recalled how his eyes had reddened when he touched her the day before, how he occasionally showed vulnerability. Driven by instinct, she didn't leave.
"Mr. Ling, if you're in pain, maybe you should rest for a bit." She spoke cautiously, her voice tinged with gentle reassurance.
Suddenly, Ling Yao clutched his chest, collapsing into the back of his chair with a muffled groan. His fingernails visibly lengthened, turning black at the tips, and his pale skin flushed with unnatural color. Sweat soaked his silver-gray hair, and his sharp canines were barely concealed behind his lips, gleaming with an icy sheen.
Su Wan froze, panic seizing her. She wanted to run but couldn't move, her feet rooted to the spot. She watched in horror as his body shifted, his pain evident. But somewhere deep inside, her fear began to melt into compassion. She didn't know what was happening to him, but she could feel his agony.
Tentatively, she reached out to touch his arm. The heat from his body was overwhelming, like burning skin. Ling Yao shuddered, his eyes snapping open to reveal a terrifying wolfish glare. He recoiled from her touch, roaring, "Don't touch me!"
Su Wan gasped, stumbling backward into the fruit platter. The plate shattered, and the fruit scattered across the floor.
Ling Yao stood