The Unspoken Tension

Qiao Shifeng lightly tapped Qiao Tiantian with his chopsticks.

"I'm not hungry, I don't want to eat. Stop saying things that will make Ruirui laugh at us."

"Ah! Uncle, you hit me again! I'll tell Dad, and he'll make you pay for this," Qiao Tiantian pouted.

Lin Ruirui smiled as she watched the playful exchange between the two. She could clearly feel the faint, lingering gaze directed at her face.

After a long day at work, Lin Ruirui had just finished when she received a message from her best friend. The two of them worked in different departments, so their messages never ceased after office hours.

"Dear, my colleagues are going out for dinner tonight, but I really don't want to go… I had originally planned a dinner at a western restaurant to thank Uncle for being our free driver yesterday, but I guess that won't happen now."

Qiao Tiantian's pitiful voice came through the message.

Lin Ruirui quickly responded: "No worries, we'll eat together next time. Just drink less at the party and have Uncle or your little uncle pick you up. Since I'm not there, be careful on your own."

The moment Lin Ruirui sent her message, she got a call from Qiao Tiantian.

"Ruirui, my dad has time to pick me up today. Why don't you and little uncle go to the western restaurant? I've already made the reservation, and it would be a waste not to go."

"Us? I'm not sure if it's convenient."

"What's inconvenient? You're already familiar with my little uncle. It's settled. I'll let him know and have him pick you up after work."

Before Lin Ruirui could respond, the call ended abruptly.

"Ruirui, are you still here?"

A clear, youthful voice interrupted her thoughts. It was the manager, Chen Cheng.

"Yes, I was just about to leave. Aren't you working overtime today, Manager?"

Chen Cheng was known as the king of overworking. He was always the last one to leave the office, which made the junior employees hesitant to leave too early.

Lin Ruirui, who used the back door to enter the office, had full confidence in the reliability of her work, so she never felt the need to compete in the office hierarchy. As a result, she was always the first to leave when the clock struck five.

"Not today. I finished my work early. I heard your friend canceled, so why don't we leave together?" the manager suggested.

"No need to trouble you, I have—"

"No problem, no need to be polite. It's a good opportunity to bond as colleagues," the man insisted, taking her bag and leading her to the elevator.

"Manager, I've made plans with a friend. Looks like I can't leave with you today," Lin Ruirui explained to the overly eager manager once they were inside the elevator.

"Who is it? A boyfriend?" he asked curiously.

"No!" she replied quickly.

At that moment, the elevator doors opened, and Lin Ruirui was surprised to see Qiao Shifeng stride into the elevator.

When he saw Lin Ruirui, he froze for a moment. Then, both of them acted as if they didn't know each other, avoiding eye contact and turning their gazes elsewhere.

The manager greeted the CEO, then leaned closer to Lin Ruirui and whispered, "By the way, Ruirui, have you ever been asked if you have a boyfriend?"

Lin Ruirui glanced at the man in front of her, his broad shoulders resembling a small mountain, before shaking her head.

"How coincidental. I'm also single. So, what kind of man do you like?" he asked again.

At this point, Lin Ruirui chose not to answer. The question felt too intrusive, and it wasn't the time or place to talk about it with someone she barely knew.

Luckily, the elevator soon arrived at the basement floor.

The manager, still holding her bag, started to walk away.

"Manager, my bag!" Lin Ruirui called, hurrying after him.

"I'll take you wherever you're going," he offered.

"No need, I'm just meeting a friend. There's no need for you to make the effort," she responded.

"Don't be so polite. We see each other every day, and who knows, we might become even closer in the future," the man said with a suggestive tone as he led her towards the underground parking lot.