HU LEI HAD A GOLD MASTER

By Thursday mid-morning, Hu Lei was exhausted and in need of a long night's sleep. She was used to staying up for prolonged hours and days with minimal rest. However, she was still made of flesh and bones. She had become exhausted to the point of death. Also, she had taken a more relaxed approach to life in the last four months since returning to Supreme City. The change was a little jarring.

When she felt that she could no longer hold off her tiredness, she could not help folding her hands and closing her eyes for a moment.

Around her, her new co-workers looked at her with disdain, huffing and puffing. Hu Lei could really not be blamed because she did not understand how offices worked beyond the obvious. If she had melded well with the other people or at least, expressed goodwill, they would be showing perfunctory concern for her health.

Unfortunately, when she had come in on Tuesday, she had been fired up for work in an effort to prove a certain evil emperor wrong. Therefore, she had been too distracted to talk to the people around her. She had declined their invitation to go to lunch together. At the end of the day, she had chosen to remain in the office for longer instead of joining the group for Korean barbeque.

On Wednesday, a rumour had begun. Apparently, someone had heard from a reliable source that Hu Lei had a gold master who had helped her get the job with Etude Technologies. The people were inclined to believe because of her dressing. There was no way a young entry-level marketer could afford her designer clothes or that limited edition bag. It did not occur to them that she could be the child of some rich man. Though she wasn't, it was still a possibility.

By Thursday, she was a persona non grata. When she lay down on her desk to rest her eyes, the co-workers felt that she was a pampered mistress who did not understand hard work. Inadvertently, she proved all the unpleasant rumours that had come up and made a lot of people unhappy.

On the highest floor of the building, a certain immortal-like man with sharp eyes looked at the security camera footage. The unmoving figure on a desk looked so defenceless and vulnerable on the large desk. However, that was beside the point. He had been pleased by the dedication displayed by the woman in the last two days. However, she had fallen asleep almost as soon as she had arrived in the morning. It was already past noon.

Zhong Feng left his office with large purposeful steps and stepped into the elevator. His lips lifted in a small smile as he pressed a button. He wanted to see her face in person when she opened her eyes.

When he stepped out of the elevator on the ninth floor, he caused a sensation among the people who were still in their offices. Fortunately, most of the people had already left their workstations for lunch. Those who remained did not have the guts to approach the big man.

Without a pause in his steps, he walked straight to Hu Lei's desk. He looked at the little animal that remained clueless of the danger approaching. Her head was placed heavily on her arms, and her hands were clutched into little fists. Her face was exposed, but a few strands of hair had escaped from her bun, framing her countenance beautifully. His eyes were drawn to the slightly parted lips as she exhaled, completely immersed in deep sleep.

He could not understand how she could leave herself so vulnerable in a public space.

When his hands reached to shake her awake rudely, he was surprised to see her eyes open unceremoniously. Unlike her usual bright look, the opened eyes looked cold and hostile. For a moment, she looked at him like this before she blinked repeatedly, restoring her harmless look.

"Oh, it's you." She said.

Zhong Feng looked at her like he had found the most fascinating puzzle. It seemed the little kitten was not as simple as she looked. He looked forward to unravelling her, one layer at a time. But for now…

"Miss Hu, it seems that you are too comfortable." He spoke with a mysterious smile.

A cold shiver flowed through her bones, causing her to suddenly sit up with an awkward look in her eyes. She had completely forgotten that she was in the office. And now, the evil emperor had found her sleeping on the job. Life as a small subject was truly terrible.