Wushuang spent the following time like a thief, furtively watching her colleagues' movements.
Finally, when work ended and her colleagues had all left, she glanced at the director's office. He was still engrossed in his work.
After a few minutes, she messaged Tiantian.
"I'm going in. What should I say?"
"Say what you need to say. Tell the truth."
"Okay, when I return victorious, I'll bring you something delicious."
"Pizza, please. And a milk tea. I haven't eaten anything so greasy in a while. Let me indulge today."
Wushuang excitedly replied, "Me too, me too! Tonight is our sister night! Wait for me!"
Wushuang knocked on the director's office door with the box. The director looked up. "Come in."
Seeing it was her, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"You're not off work yet. Is there something you need?"
Wushuang smiled back at him.
"Nothing much, Director, it's just..."
She took out the box and placed it on his desk.
"You seem to have misunderstood."
"Oh, I misunderstood?"
The director raised an eyebrow and leisurely spun his chair halfway around.
"What did I misunderstand?"
"You misunderstood that my phone was broken. It's not, it's just that the screen is a little cracked. A tempered glass protector will fix it."
As if afraid he wouldn't believe her, Wushuang took out her phone to show him.
"You don't need to give me a new phone. See, it's fine."
The director looked at her hands, then her face, and then the box in front of him. After a few seconds, he couldn't help but cover his mouth and chuckle.
"Wushuang. You're really too adorable."
Wushuang's face flushed and her heart pounded at his words, unsure how to respond.
Seeing her shy demeanor, the director found it even more amusing. He stood up, walked to the door, locked the office, pulled down the blinds, returned to her side, and looked down at her.
"I know your phone isn't broken. This is a gift for you. Can't I give it to you?"
Wushuang was even more at a loss for words, staring at him wide-eyed.
The director reached out and enfolded her small hand in his palm.
"Actually, I noticed you from the moment you joined the company. Beautiful, gentle, capable, and sensible. I've been fond of you for a long time."
"Of course, it's not that you have to do anything with me just because you accept my phone. I just thought this color suits you very well. Seeing it, I couldn't help but think of you and want you to have it."
Wushuang's hands and face were trembling. It was the first time in her life she had been confessed to so intimately by a man, and it was by the mature and steady director, who she usually saw as so high and mighty.
Her head was spinning.
The director continued, "I want to pursue you. Can you give me a chance? Don't answer right away, take your time to consider."
Wushuang didn't know how she left his office. When she came to her senses, her car was already at the entrance of Tiantian's neighborhood.
The director reached out and gently touched the back of her head, saying with a fond expression.
"We're here. You can go down. Be careful. Can you give me an answer tomorrow morning? I hope I can sleep well tonight."
Did he mean he would be sleepless if he didn't get her answer?
Wushuang felt dazed, as if she were walking on clouds on her way to Tiantian's place.
When had she become so important in the director's eyes?
Hearing the knock, Tiantian opened the door.
Seeing Wushuang standing at the door with a vacant expression and empty hands, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.
"Why are you here so soon? Where's the pizza, the milk tea? What's with that expression? Did you see a ghost?"
Wushuang didn't enter. She squatted in front of Tiantian, cupping her face in her hands.
"I'm finished, Tiantian. I think I've fallen."
"What do you mean?"
Wushuang recounted the entire story of the director giving her the phone and then driving her back to Tiantian.
Tiantian forgot about eating and looked at her with a gossipy expression.
"Quick, quick! Do you have his WeChat? Are there any photos on his Moments? Send them to me! I'm so curious about what kind of man could have captivated you like this!"
Wushuang quickly found his WeChat and clicked into his Moments.
She scrolled from the beginning to the end. There were no selfies, only advertisements for company promotions.
For mature men like them, their WeChat must be full of clients. How could they possibly post selfies?
Tiantian thought for a moment, "Your company's official website should have it. Let me see."
The two of them logged onto their company's official website and indeed found a photo.
Good heavens, although it was a formal ID photo in a suit with a serious expression, his features weren't exceptionally outstanding. However, one could tell he was a mature and intelligent man.
Tiantian approved, "He's alright. Pretty much what I imagined. Since he has good looks and temperament, is interested in you, and you know him well, why not give it a try?"
Wushuang shyly covered her eyes and collapsed onto the sofa.
"Oh my god. I never thought I'd have an office romance one day, let alone with the director. Ah, it's so surreal!"
"Just thinking about everyone's surprised expressions when they find out makes my heart race. I'm both excited and scared right now, Tiantian, can you understand me?"
She understood.
Although her relationship with Chen Dongyang was different from Wushuang's situation, when a woman starts to be interested in a man, the feelings were often similar.
"Alright, stop showing off. I know you're about to have a sweet romance. Take care of this single dog, and a sick single dog at that. Go get me something to eat."
Wushuang then remembered she was hungry and pushed the wheelchair to take her out.
"Let's go out to eat. You've been cooped up at home all day, let's go out and get some fresh air. We're not in a hurry anyway, just a few steps."
With Wushuang's company, Tiantian's chaotic thoughts were dispersed, and she felt much better.
However, Chen Dongyang's situation was not as pleasant.
At noon, he went to fix Huihui's electric scooter. He removed the entire outer casing to inspect it and found that the battery was well-soldered and not loose at all.
By the time he reassembled everything, it was already time to go to work.
Huihui had packed a lunchbox for him to take. He felt dejected and had no appetite. He left without looking back.
He found everything displeasing throughout the afternoon and was very irritable, even scolding Douya.
After finally enduring until the end of work, Huihui called again. Doubao had a fever.
Distraught, he took her to the hospital. Huihui held the child while she received an IV drip, and he stood in the hallway, staring blankly out the window.
The feeling of frustration lingered, and his attempt to quit smoking failed. He went outside the hospital and bought a pack of cigarettes.
It had been a long, long time since he felt this way.
He had thought his heart was dead, that he had accepted his fate and was content with his current life.
But after knowing her for only two months, he found himself in this state again.
He detested himself and detested life, believing he was unworthy of love.
Yet, he lived like a walking dead man every day, mechanically repaying his debts.
How much longer could he endure this kind of life?