Delightful Nemesis

Dumb Goose Can Get Angry（2）

"Are you a turtle? Why are you so slow? Come on, can’t you be more proactive? Happiness is something you have to fight for." Fei Ying had spent so much effort last night, only to end up drinking alone. All that work, and Yao Si hadn’t even kissed him, let alone held his hand. No, she had to push her. If Yao Si waited until she figured it out, it might be too late. No one pitied those who pined in silence; they had to save themselves.

"Just now, Luo Ke called and said that Ziqian is short-staffed. I see you've been cooped up at home for almost a year. Send her your resume. She’ll take it to Xi Group." The thought of Yao Si working at Xi Group, facing those two brothers every day, filled her with excitement. It would be a tangled mess of emotions—definitely not boring. As she imagined it, her smile grew. Any progress with either brother would be a win.

"Xi Group? No way." Yao Si rejected the idea immediately. Three years of high school with Xi Zixiao had been enough torment. Working under him now? She wasn’t looking to suffer.

"Why so quick to say no? Think about it. You and Ziqian, spending every day together, feelings growing, falling in love... Wow. You two have similar personalities and ideas, which means you're perfectly matched. A single glance is enough... This is the perfect office romance. You owe it to yourself to try."

"But..."

"Xi Zixiao, right? He's the CEO and busy all the time. Do you really think he has time to bother you every day? He’s not that free." Fei Ying knew better than anyone that Xi Zixiao could be that petty, but for Yao Si's “exciting life,” she kept persuading her. "Besides, you'd be working under Ziqian. You know his character. Would he let Zixiao bully you? Don't you think meeting again after nine years is fate? Now you have a chance to be with Ziqian. Are you really going to let it slip away? As far as I know, he doesn’t have a girlfriend right now."

Over the years, Yao Si had often thought about it. If one day they met again, should she abandon reason and love bravely? Many times, she had almost dialed Ziqian's number, especially when she saw couples walking hand in hand. Many times, late at night, listening to sad love songs, she wanted to tell him that she had always missed him. But she was afraid. Afraid that breaking the silence would mean losing even the distant, silent watchfulness she had.

But if she didn't take that step, there might never be an outcome between her and Ziqian. She had once waited for him outside his classroom, hoping for a chance encounter. But after waiting an entire afternoon without seeing him, she laughed at herself. That was her only impulsive act, one that ended in nothing.

She was conflicted. Fei Ying’s words had struck a chord.

Seeing Yao Si waver, Fei Ying added more fuel to the fire: "With Luo Ke and me cheering you on, what are you afraid of? Luo Ke thinks highly of you and Ziqian together." Of course, Fei Ying knew Luo Ke’s real intentions. She wanted Yao Si and Ziqian together to remove two emotional threats at once. Yao Si might be naive, but not every woman was like her. Sometimes, Fei Ying wanted to shake her awake to see the tangled emotions clearly.

"It's settled then. I'm sure Ziqian won’t object. After all, you’re very capable."

"But..."

"No more buts. Yao Si, if you’re not anxious, I am." Fei Ying, always decisive, dragged Yao Si to the mall to buy several sets of clothes for her first day. Although Yao Si wanted to pay, Fei Ying insisted. "These clothes are to push you forward. If you quit halfway, you'll have to answer to me."

When Fei Ying dropped Yao Si off at home after a week, the doorman’s expression was even more peculiar.

Sitting in the planning department on the twenty-ninth floor of Xi Group, Yao Si could see Ziqian’s office across from her. The anticipated awkwardness and small talk never happened. She was immediately thrown into the intense work. Ziqian was a workaholic. Through the glass wall, she saw him buried in work all day, not even stopping for lunch.

She lightly knocked on his door. "Old classmate, do you have to work so hard? It’s my first day, and you didn’t even take me out for lunch. That's not very friendly."

Ziqian finally looked up from his pile of documents, giving her a faint smile. "How's it going? Getting used to it?"

She shrugged. "Honestly, I’m a bit scared. If the manager works this hard, does that mean I’ll be pulling lots of overtime? I suspect Zixiao is too busy flirting and dumps all his work on you."

"You’ve always had a prejudice against him."

"That prejudice is his own doing," Yao Si shrugged again.

Ziqian remembered the high school days when Yao Si and Zixiao were deskmates. It was true; Zixiao had brought it upon himself. Yao Si was usually very tolerant, but his cousin never let things go. Thankfully, Yao Si always backed down at the critical moment, avoiding a bigger conflict.

"Thank you for your hard work."

"Oh, it’s fine." Ziqian meant she had endured his i***t cousin, but Yao Si thought he was referring to the job.

"Remember to take me out for dinner tonight, and eat the lunch on your desk. Or I'll tell Luo Ke bad things about you," Yao Si teased.

"You wouldn't." Ziqian's serious tone made Yao Si stop joking. He was right. They understood each other too well, knowing each other’s thoughts and feelings without needing to speak. Yao Si knew that asking Ziqian to give up on Luo Ke was as difficult as asking her to give up on him. He was close, yet so far, separated by an invisible chasm she couldn’t cross.

Sometimes, she felt this reunion wasn’t a new beginning but a force trying to break the deep-seated feelings in her heart.

"What's wrong?" Ziqian asked, noticing her troubled expression.

"Nothing. You’re busy. I’ll get back to work." She forced a smile, leaving his office. Before closing the door, she glanced back at him. Should she keep dreaming, or be cruel to herself and let go?

Just as she shut the door and turned towards her desk, someone suddenly appeared in front of her, and she bumped into a solid wall of muscle.