Le Tong was frightened by her own logical reasoning, breaking out in a cold sweat as she left the hotel. She hesitated for a moment but decided to go home first to take a shower and change clothes, calming herself down and thinking about how to face the cold-faced president whom she had "overwhelmed" by misfortune.
The hotel wasn't far from where she lived and not far from her company either. By the time she finished freshening up and returned to the office, she was just five minutes shy of the start of work.
Ignoring the discomfort in her body, Le Tong hurriedly stowed her bag and immediately went to the pantry to brew coffee. While waiting, she was lost in thought to the bubbling sound of the coffee pot.
As the rich aroma of coffee slowly filled the pantry, a gentle rain began to fall outside. Le Tong frowned as she looked out the window, trying to recall something, but her head still throbbed with pain, and she seemed unable to remember anything.
The tiny rain droplets gathered on the glass and slowly slid down in a cycle, much like the brevity of life—what one can bear is ultimately limited, and clinging to what's ought to be let go is futile and unbearable.
The timer chimed, signaling that the coffee was ready, and Le Tong shook her head. Some things, if forgotten, might actually be a blessing. Why bother trying to remember?
After all, it's not even something good!
Although Le Tong tried hard to suppress the melancholy mood brought on by the rainy weather, she couldn't help but feel nervous at the thought of facing the president whom she "overwhelmed" last night.
She poured the brewed coffee into a cup, ready to deliver it to the president, when she suddenly remembered something. She took out the pills she bought at the pharmacy from her pocket and gulped them down. Some pains, she was unwilling to endure again.
"President, your coffee."
Apart from her somewhat hoarse voice, Le Tong believed everything seemed normal.
Ji Rui lifted his head from the stack of documents, "Late!" Behind his cold eyes, there was a faint hint of inquiry.
The sexy man who sat on the windowsill in the morning, haloed by golden sunlight like a deity, was indeed just an image from her dream.
Le Tong slightly lowered her head, thinking he wanted her to forget, to act as if last night never happened, right?
"I'm sorry, President. I was a bit caught up today, so I'm ten minutes late." Since he wanted her to forget, Le Tong didn't want to stress herself further.
Usually, she would return fifteen minutes early to ensure this cold and harsh president could have freshly brewed coffee right when he arrived at the office.
Ji Rui didn't respond, he took the coffee, sipped it slightly, his eyes downcast, ignoring Le Tong.
Le Tong said no more, tactfully turned to leave, gently closing the door behind her.
In truth, he needn't test her so deliberately, for even if he distrusted her, she, beyond professional relations, refused any entanglement with him!
Though she relished privately mocking him or teasing those socialites who chased after him, and though she admired his looks, that admiration was merely innocent appreciation, like admiring a statue without wanting to bring it home.
Even if last night she did "overwhelm" him, it was only alcohol's influence, not any inappropriate longing for him.
Moreover, although she's naturally optimistic, she isn't childish and doesn't indulge in unrealistic dreams.
Working as the president's secretary at Ji Family for over half a year, her first task every workday has been preparing coffee for the president, the second—helping him avoid appointments with noble young ladies and screening calls, and the third—handling his administrative tasks.
Initially, receiving so many calls from socialites, Le Tong thought President Ji was a playboy who left affections everywhere.
It didn't take long for her to realize, President Ji didn't leave his affections all over, quite the opposite; he was heartless!
No need to ask her how she knew; anyway, whenever she met his icy eyes, she often thought this man might not only be heartless but also soulless.
Of course, whether President Ji is heartless or soulless has nothing to do with her, as long as he doesn't dock her pay.
Le Tong pulled out a chair to sit down, preparing to start her day's work. As she lowered her head to turn on the computer, the image of Ji Rui sitting on the windowsill flashed by again. To her surprise, she realized that his features possessed an indescribable allure.
Thinking again about his poker face and those few sharp words earlier in the morning, Le Tong chuckled silently, realizing that the line between a deity and a demon is thin.
After setting aside matters concerning President Ji, Le Tong's mood gradually dimmed. Though naturally optimistic, today marked the anniversary of her mother's passing. Despite her efforts to forget, on this day, she couldn't help but remember that a year ago, she officially became an orphan with no one to care for or check on her.
Two days ago, she had planned to ask Ji Rui for an afternoon off to visit her mother's grave. But after last night's incident, she couldn't bring herself to request leave from President Ji.
Although he hadn't said it outright, she knew very well that after that incident, in his eyes, she was likely equated with those noble young ladies she regularly rejected over the phone and secretly mocked. Or perhaps, she was even below them, as those women shared a matching social status with him, whereas she had nothing.
Finishing work on time, Le Tong bought offerings at the supermarket and took a taxi to the cemetery, arriving at dusk.
The rain continued, and due to the rain, the deep autumn air turned cold and damp. Le Tong, though unable to recall anything, found her body obedient, somewhat numb to the penetrating chill after a day of pain.
Holding an umbrella, she squatted before her mother's small tombstone, arranging the offerings.
Six years ago, the mother who had depended on each other with her collapsed suddenly and was diagnosed with liver cancer. The doctor said that unless she underwent a liver transplant, she wouldn't live beyond three months.
The cost of a liver transplant was high, and the nearly three hundred thousand yuan fee led Mrs. Le to abandon treatment. But a month after the diagnosis, Mrs. Le underwent the liver transplant surgery.
Upon waking post-surgery, Mrs. Le's first question was for her daughter.
"Tongtong, where did you get three hundred thousand?"
Le Tong was peeling an apple, and when she saw her mother awake, she tossed the apple and knife aside, clasping her mother's hand with teary eyes, she said.
"Mom, I sold the jade pendant Dad left me. You aren't mad at me, right?"
Mrs. Le didn't say anything, slowly closing her eyes. It wasn't clear whether from exhaustion or sorrow.
In truth, that jade pendant still hangs around Le Tong's neck. She didn't know if it was worth three hundred thousand, as she never appraised it, but its value was always priceless in her heart.
After the surgery, Mrs. Le and her daughter led several years of poor but happy times. Yet a year ago, Mrs. Le was struck by a persistent high fever, sent to the emergency room, and never woke up afterwards.
...