"You don't even have this little bit of common knowledge. You're quite a failure as a woman. Haven't you ever paid attention to life tips? It's really frustrating."

Mumbling to himself, Chu Ge no longer looked at Tong Yaqi's face and focused his attention on the pizza in his hand. It wasn't that Tong Yaqi's smile wasn't nice, but he was worried about sparking any emotional flames with Tong Yaqi.

After a few bites of pizza, Chu Ge's stomach was filled, and he felt quite invigorated.

"Director Tong, aren't you going home this late? Won't your husband rush you?" After finishing a slice of pizza, Chu Ge casually asked a question, with the subtext of reminding Tong Yaqi that she has a family and shouldn't have any unnecessary thoughts about him.

"Home? Husband? Ha ha... what is that? Is it better than this pizza?" Tong Yaqi replied self-deprecatingly. Although she still wore a smile, it was tinged with bitterness.

Not expecting such an answer from Tong Yaqi, Chu Ge didn't know what to say, so he simply picked up another slice of pizza and continued to eat silently.

"The day I met you was the day I divorced him. Oh, I'm not afraid of you laughing. I really thought about suicide at that time. If it weren't for your cup of Fleeting Clouds, I might have..."

Feeling the atmosphere grow heavy, Tong Yaqi forced another free-spirited laugh, though it was indeed a bit strained.

Hearing Tong Yaqi say this, Chu Ge also felt a bit relieved. It turned out she really thought about suicide that day. Fortunately, he met her, saving a life.

In common scenarios, one might offer a few comforting words at this moment, but Chu Ge clearly isn't someone who follows the script, grinning, "Uh... so I'm pretty honored. But with your qualities, Director Tong, finding someone again is just a matter of waving your hand, isn't it?"

Tong Yaqi shook her head, "Once is enough for me. I don't want to get married a second time. Living alone, unrestrained, is pretty nice. If I'm ever truly lonely, hitting the bar and finding a man pleasing to my eyes for mutual needs isn't a bad choice either."

Hearing Tong Yaqi say this, Chu Ge felt a bit upset inside. However, he knew he had no position or reason to interfere in Tong Yaqi's life, so he just smiled and didn't say anything more.

After all, some things are just fleeting, once passed, they're past.

Seeing no change in Chu Ge's expression, Tong Yaqi somehow felt a bit disappointed. The pizza, which was delicious just now, seemed to lose its flavor.

"Director Tong, it's late. You should go rest early. No work is more important than your health."

Seeing Tong Yaqi fall silent, Chu Ge said with a smile, getting ready to call Qin Ruojing once she left.

Tong Yaqi nodded, "Mm, I'll go once I finish this pizza."

At that moment, the quiet corridor suddenly echoed with the sound of an elevator door opening, but neither Chu Ge nor Tong Yaqi paid it any mind, assuming it was the security making rounds. One continued looking at the printer, the other kept their head down eating pizza.

However, when the sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor, they both paused, realizing the person in the corridor wasn't the security on patrol.

Because, outside the door was the distinct sound of high heels clicking.

Hearing the increasingly close footsteps, an inexplicable look appeared on Tong Yaqi's face, while Chu Ge couldn't help but show a wry smile.

Creak, the office door was pushed open once more.

"Chu Ge, you... Director Tong?"

Qin Ruojing was about to ask how Chu Ge's work was going when she suddenly saw Tong Yaqi holding a half-eaten pizza, staring blankly at the door with their eyes meeting, leaving her stunned.

After a few seconds of being dazed, Tong Yaqi quickly snapped out of it, hurriedly stood up from her chair, filled with doubt and embarrassment, and greeted Qin Ruojing.

"Hello, Chairwoman."

"Oh, hello, Director Tong. You are..."

"I was just handling some work stuff, and when I came out, I accidentally saw the lights on in the Operation Management Department, so I came to check. I saw Chu Ge. I happened to have pizza that I couldn't finish myself, so I brought it for Chu Ge to share."

Although everything Tong Yaqi said was true, for some reason, facing Qin Ruojing's gaze, she felt somewhat guilty, her heart racing a bit, wishing to explain further, more detailed.

"I see."

Looking at Tong Yaqi in front of her, Qin Ruojing, although sensing something slightly off in her demeanor, didn't say much, just nodded slightly, and discreetly glanced at Chu Ge, who was nonchalantly gnawing on pizza.

Qin Ruojing couldn't help but feel somewhat relieved, glad she hadn't brought the food she bought for Chu Ge, or Tong Yaqi seeing it would definitely overthink it. He wouldn't want others to know he was placed there by Qin Ruojing.

"Yes, that's it. Chairwoman, you carry on. I'll leave now."

With a flustered heart, Tong Yaqi said with a calm exterior, nearly leaving the office just as Qin Ruojing nodded.

As Tong Yaqi's footsteps echoed in the corridor, Qin Ruojing couldn't help but take a good look over Chu Ge, with a gaze full of teasing and ambiguity.

As for Qin Ruojing's gaze, Chu Ge simply ignored it, continuing to munch on his pizza. After he finished the slice in his hand, he wiped his hands with a napkin and raised his head nonchalantly.

"Chairman, I know I'm handsome, but you don't have to keep staring at me like that?"

Seeing Chu Ge's signature smile reappear on his face, Qin Ruojing couldn't help but laugh. "I've never seen someone as narcissistic as you."

"Narcissistic? I'm just being honest." Chu Ge replied with righteous conviction.

"Come on, you've got quite the pull, don't you? Tong Yaqi actually came over just to treat you to pizza? Am I intruding, coming at the wrong time and disturbing your good moments together?"

Since only Qin Ruojing and Chu Ge were left in the office now, she dropped her usual chairman's reserve, indulging a bit in gossip.

"What do you mean, 'just to treat me'? She did it in passing. Where do you get such vivid imagination? Besides, it's thanks to Director Tong. If I were waiting here dry and hungry for you, I might have fainted by now." Meeting Qin Ruojing's gaze, Chu Ge said with a sense of helplessness.

"You two, really nothing going on?" Qin Ruojing was skeptical of Chu Ge's answer. She still felt something was off about Tong Yaqi's reaction earlier and decided to press on.

Chu Ge rolled his eyes, "Of course not. I'm just a broke little employee. Why would she be interested in me?"

Qin Ruojing nodded in deep agreement, "Hmm... makes sense."

Chu Ge was even more speechless. If Qin Ruojing had disagreed, he would have been upset, but her agreement left him equally unsatisfied. In this scenario where he felt displeased no matter what, he decided not to continue this conversation.

Seeing Chu Ge remain silent, Qin Ruojing smiled again, "But if you became the general manager, maybe things would change. So, are you interested now?"

Chu Ge stood up from his chair and stretched, "Not interested. Alright, let's stop talking nonsense. I've finished what you needed, I'm exhausted. So, are you giving me some overtime pay?"

It was only then that Qin Ruojing noticed the state of the printer, and she was startled. Even if she had no good reason to think Chu Ge would be quick, she didn't expect him to be this fast.

"You didn't just rush it to get off work early, did you?"

"Whatever you say is fine. Here, take the USB drive. The data on the computer, you delete it yourself. I'm off work now."

"Wait, I'll give you a ride. It's about to rain outside, and I need to check on things anyway."

Looking out the window, Chu Ge saw the sky had turned dark without him noticing. Thunderous clouds were hanging low, and a heavy downpour seemed imminent.

"Alright, Chairman, take a look. I'm going out for a smoke and some air."

"Okay, go ahead."

Chu Ge picked up his cigarettes and lighter from the desk and walked out of the office, while Qin Ruojing took a stack of printed papers and began checking them with a burning focus, looking every bit like a workaholic.

Chu Ge stepped into the corridor, casually stretched his limbs, and had just lit a cigarette when he saw Tong Yaqi coming out of her office. He smiled and greeted her.

"Director Tong, heading home?"

"Yes, heading home. Still need to wait?"

Chu Ge nodded with a wry smile and shrugged, looking a lot like an exploited worker.

Seeing him like this, Tong Yaqi couldn't help but laugh, and she approached him, lowering her voice, "It's such an honor to work overtime for the chairman. Anyone else would dream of it and wake up smiling. What do you have to complain about?"

Chu Ge scratched his nose with amusement, "Oh, come on, what kind of mindset is this? Qin Ruojing is a person; am I not? I just don't get it. Hurry back, it's about to rain. See you Monday."

Tong Yaqi curled her lips and shook her head, "It's tomorrow, right? We agreed I would take you out to dinner on Sunday."

Chu Ge was speechless, "Wasn't that pizza just now a treat?"

"How is that a proper meal? Alright, we'll call tomorrow—let's do that."

Without waiting for Chu Ge to say more, Tong Yaqi walked towards the elevator in her high heels, leaving him with a view of her back.

Watching Tong Yaqi enter the elevator, Chu Ge genuinely couldn't figure out what was on her mind.

After smoking two cigarettes, he realized thinking about it was useless. He decided to observe the situation tomorrow.

Chu Ge turned to head back to the office, but just as he was about to go inside, the lights suddenly went out.

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