A Subtle Game
The man swiftly stood up as if burned, his gaze flickering uneasily, unwilling to look back a second time. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart, then hurried out of the room, as if something ominous were chasing him.
The moment the door gently clicked shut, Lin Ruirui, who had kept her eyes tightly shut, suddenly opened them. A sly smile crept across her lips. In truth, she had never fallen asleep; she had simply wanted to see how he would react.
She sat up, reaching for the cup of honey water on her bedside table, draining it in one gulp. Savoring the sweetness that spread through her throat, she sighed contentedly. Afterward, she lazily settled back into the warmth of her bed, continuing to relish the calm and comfort of the moment.
The sound of the front door closing echoed from outside. Smiling, she let herself drift back to sleep, unconcerned, not in any hurry.
The next morning, her best friend's call came promptly.
"Hey, Miss, are you up yet? Me and Uncle are almost at your door. Hurry up and come greet us."
"Just woke up. Come on over," Lin Ruirui replied.
She hung up the phone and got out of bed, heading to the bathroom. After a quick freshening up, she changed into a pretty white dress, exuding an innocent, pure look—completely different from the seductive allure she had worn the day before.
The original owner had quite striking features—neither bland nor excessively bold—but just refined enough that with a little attention, she could appear exactly as desired. It was no wonder her best friend often envied her beauty, claiming her face could embody every kind of grace.
When Lin Ruirui opened the door, she saw her energetic best friend, holding a cup of soy milk, with a burly man following behind her, carrying a small, pitiful-looking bag.
"Good morning! I brought you breakfast myself. Aren't you touched?" her best friend greeted, smiling.
"Touched, touched," Lin Ruirui replied, pushing her best friend off of her, amused.
Qiao Shifeng, unable to stand the closeness, reached out and tugged his niece's shirt, pulling her away from Lin Ruirui.
"Uncle, what are you doing?" Qiao Tiantian complained.
"Eat quickly. Do you two want to be late?" the man said with an indifferent expression.
"Boss has spoken, hurry up and eat," he added.
Qiao Tiantian obediently took the breakfast from her uncle's hands and headed to the table.
Lin Ruirui and Qiao Tiantian both worked in a department at Qiao Shifeng's company. Although Qiao Shifeng had the powerful physique of a man of action, his intellect was equally sharp. His company was well-known in the area and employed hundreds of people, offering great pay and benefits for the long-term staff.
Qiao Tiantian and Lin Ruirui, however, had only managed to get in due to their connections, finding their way into low-level positions. Their work wasn't difficult—more like office assistants—but as newcomers, they were far removed from the company's top brass. Had it not been for the night before, when Qiao Tiantian had called her uncle to help, they wouldn't have been able to get anywhere near the boss.
It was unclear what kind of persuasion Qiao Tiantian had used to get the boss himself to come and pick them up for work that morning.
Lin Ruirui, however, was completely unfazed. The only odd thing was that the man seemed uncomfortable, his demeanor a little stiff and awkward, as though he were still carrying a sense of unease around her.
Even Qiao Tiantian noticed the difference and asked, "Uncle, did you not sleep well last night? Your face looks strange, and why do you keep eating with those chopsticks? Are they that sweet?"
As soon as her words left her mouth, Lin Ruirui couldn't hold back her laughter, and she watched as the man's face turned a deep shade of red, his ears even more so, his beard doing little to hide the blush.