Shine on Me

If I keep being this "silly," will Lin Yusen keep asking me to work overtime?

I turned off the lights in the main office and peeked into his office, knocking on the door. "Vice President, aren't you leaving yet? I'm heading off first."

"Wait a moment."

He tidied up some documents, turned off his office lights, and walked out with me.

The office building was exceptionally quiet at night. For a while, it seemed like the only sounds in the entire building were our footsteps. After walking in silence for a bit, I couldn't help but ask him, "Vice President, why do you always make me work overtime?"

"Nie Xiguang, your family owns 49% of this company's shares. Half the profits go to your family."

"So?"

"So, I'd feel guilty making others work overtime—like I'm exploiting the surplus value of the laborers," he said gently. "But with you, I don't have that guilt."

"..." What was I supposed to say to that?

"Also, Nie Xiguang, could you not call me 'Vice President' after work?"

"Why?"

"Hmm, it feels like I'm still working for you even after hours."

"..."

Could I say that I'd already gotten used to this side of Lin Yusen these past few days? Maybe this was his true nature? I remembered how he chatted with Dr. Fang—casual and witty like this...

As we talked, we had already left the office building. Speechless, I waved at him and ran off. "Lin Yusen, goodbye!"

Suddenly, he called out, "Nie Xiguang, come back."

I ran back. "What is it?"

"This morning, the Wuxi clay doll on my desk—was that from you?"

I looked up at the sky. "Yeah. Someone said to focus on the main contradiction, right? When I went back to Suzhou last time, I had an epiphany while waiting for the train at the station, so I bought one there. Fifteen yuan. No need to thank me."

"Oh, right," I added. "That's supposed to hang in your car, not sit on your desk."

He stared at me. "You bought it so long ago. Why only give it to me now?"

"Before, I was busy recovering from the trauma of that big meal." One meal wiped out all my salary since I started working here

"Was the damage that deep? If you'd given it to me earlier, maybe I wouldn't have forgotten my wallet." He suddenly laughed and tossed me a small bottle. "No brand, no label, no instructions. Dare to use it?"

I reflexively caught it. "What is this?"

In my palm was a small jade-green bottle. It was made of jade but didn't feel cold at all—warm, as if someone had been holding it for a long time.

I unscrewed the cap, and a light, herbal fragrance wafted out.

"Traditional Chinese ointment for scars."

"Huh?"

"You can use this to fade the scars from those minor injuries. It works well."

"Thanks..." I suddenly didn't know what to say. "Actually, it's fine. The scars will fade on their own soon."

"That may be true, but looking like this, how am I supposed to take you out?"

Take me out where? I looked at him in confusion. And what was with that picky expression...

Lin Yusen handed me a red invitation.

"Vice President Lin's friend's wedding banquet? The one where that girl screamed and made you fall last time?" Yu Hua asked, handing me a big red apple."Yeah, he said his friend was just passing by Suzhou last time to deliver the invitation when he saw me climbing through the window. It scared him half to death—seems he has acrophobia or something... This apple is really good though."

After praising the apple, I continued, "Vice President Lin said she's been feeling really guilty, so she specifically invited me to her wedding in Shanghai on New Year's Day... Should I go?"

Yin Jie exclaimed, "Of course you should go! Free food and drinks—why wouldn't you? Wait, you probably don’t have to give a gift, right?"

I hesitated. "...Probably not? But that’s not the point."

"How is that not the point!" Yin Jie jumped off the bed and swiftly opened the invitation. "Look here—oh, your name is written together with Vice President Lin’s, so you don’t have to give a gift! Huh, your name looks like it was added later."

"Well, obviously. They didn’t know me at first."

"True. Anyway, if you don’t have to give a gift, you must go! Dress up nicely! Later, go back to your dorm and pick out the perfect outfit! Goal: free food and drinks!"

...Why do I feel like she’s more excited than I am?

"Ah, come to think of it, you’re actually attending a wedding banquet with the vice president!" Yin Jie sighed dramatically. "This is what they call adversity reveals true friendship! If I’d known jumping out a window would change Vice President Lin’s opinion of you, you should’ve done it ages ago."

I glared at her. "If jumping from the second floor got you a promotion, would you do it?"

Yin Jie looked conflicted. "How big of a promotion?"

...I decided to ignore her.

I’d been putting off giving Lin Yusen an answer about the wedding when, not long after, I received another "red bomb" (wedding invitation).

This one was an email from our old leader.

"Watermelon, are you in the country on January 2nd? You should be on break around Christmas if you’re abroad, right? If you’re free, come back—your big sis is getting married! If you’re in the country, you must come! If you’re abroad, you must send a red envelope! My Shanghai number is 159xxxxxxxx. Make sure to contact me, you jerk—you haven’t reached out since going abroad."

It ended with a fierce, scowling emoji, very much in her style.

Dazed, I reread the email several times, still confused about the "Christmas break abroad" part. With a sigh, I dialed the number in the email.

The call was quickly answered. "Hello, who’s this?"

"It’s me, Watermelon."

"Ah! You deadbeat, finally contacting me! Wait, this is a domestic number—you’re still in the country?"

"...Where else would I be? This is my Wuxi number. You guys have it."

Our leader sounded shocked. "Wait, didn’t you go abroad to study?"

"Who said that?" I facepalmed. "I just went on a trip overseas for a while. I even texted you guys asking for your addresses so I could send gifts..."

"We all changed to Shanghai numbers, remember?"

"..."

Okay, fine—I had considered they might’ve changed numbers. With how connected everything is now, finding new contact info would’ve been easy. But in the three months since returning, I’d subconsciously avoided reaching out, always thinking, "I’ll contact them later," until it dragged on till now..."I was wrong... Send me everyone's contact info later. Why would you think I went abroad?" Even if we lost touch, how could that idea come up?

"Rong Rong mentioned it, I think. Plus, you didn't join Shengyuan either." The boss sounded confused.

Why would Rong Rong say I went abroad? I was baffled, but the mention of her made me want to change the subject. "Oh, never mind that. I'll definitely be at your wedding."

"Just showing up won't cut it. All of you need to come a day early to help out. Come on the 1st, okay? Hehe, we're broke, so we're decorating the venue ourselves."

All of us?

...

I hesitated, then immediately refused, "I probably can't make it on the 1st. You know how 'Finance' is—month-end crunch time..."

"Even on New Year's Day?" The boss sounded skeptical.

"Yeah, yeah, brutal, right?" Afraid she'd press further, I quickly chuckled and said, "Getting married so soon, Boss, you're not..."

She must have heard this too many times because she exploded instantly, "I am NOT pregnant! Damn it, you guys are so filthy-minded!"

"I didn't say you were pregnant!" I protested.

"Then what were you going to say?"

I thought for a moment. "I was going to say... Boss, you're not... making your husband pregnant, are you? =="

Silence on the other end, then an eruption of laughter: "HAHAHAHAHA! Exactly! That's it! Xiguang, out of everyone, you're the only one who saw through the truth! HAHAHA! Come celebrate next year after he gives birth!"

Her laughter made me shiver. "Boss, your sense of humor is so low."

"It's hilarious, okay? By the way, Xiguang, you sound like you're in a great mood."

I paused. "Do I?"

"Yes! I can smell it through the phone."

After hanging up, I rested my chin on my hand and zoned out for a bit. Even the boss on the phone noticed my good mood—I must really be in high spirits. But why? It's not like anything earth-shatteringly good happened.

Could it be...

I instinctively glanced toward the deputy general manager's office, where Lin Yusen was.

...Could it be because a super handsome guy finally stopped hating me?

Yeah, that must be it. What a joyous occasion! Before the year ends, after his car accident and my rooftop stunt, Lin Yusen and I have finally entered—

A harmonious and wonderful superior-subordinate relationship.

Wasn’t it tough?

More complicated than some people’s love stories, right?

So, I concluded!

To maintain this newfound friendship, I should attend his friend’s wedding after all! Can’t let someone get married feeling guilty, can we?