Only He Xiuqi called Chi Shuo “Xiao Chi Jie” at the company. After sending He Lindi a confused emoji, Chi Shuo looked up at He Xiuqi standing beside her.
He Xiuqi was also wearing a suit today. Combined with his youthful energy, he stood tall and straight like a roadside tree. Chi Shuo had noticed him when she entered, along with the gazes directed at him by some other female colleagues.
Before Chi Shuo could answer, He Xiuqi sat down beside her, his face self-deprecating. “I figured as much. Before, when Teacher He told me she had to go accompany her partner, I only saw you and Xiao Zeng Jie. I thought it was just an excuse to reject me.” He lowered his head, his voice trailing off. “So it was true, you two are together…”
Chi Shuo smoothed her hair, nodded, and affirmed with an “Mm”: “It’s true.”
He Xiuqi looked at her, his eyes reddening. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you liked Teacher He too? That way, I wouldn’t have felt close to you and told you all those things.” He Xiuqi looked annoyed, somewhat pained. “It was the first time I liked a girl that much, but in the end, I liked the wrong person. She’s gay.”
Chi Shuo frowned. “Why did I have to tell you?”
He Xiuqi stared into her eyes, asking word by word, “Don’t you think you were despicable? My rival was hidden while I was out in the open. How can you ask me that now?”
Chi Shuo paused. It was the first time she had spoken to He Xiuqi in this tone. Then she chuckled. “Are you saying you think I sabotaged things behind the scenes for her to be with me?”
“Isn’t that it?”
“He Xiuqi.” Chi Shuo called his name. “I didn’t want to explain anything to you, but your unreasonable behavior is really unsightly. Your assumptions are just that—assumptions. I barely mentioned you in front of her, okay? Where did you get the audacity and courage to flatter yourself like that?”
It was still about ten minutes before six. Most people from Chi Shuo’s department weren’t at their seats but mingling and chatting at other tables. This gave them the space to talk.
He Xiuqi laughed, a chilling smile unlike his usual sunny disposition. He still clung to the point that Chi Shuo hadn’t told him. “Then why did you hide it? What were you afraid of? Afraid she’d get together with me?”
Chi Shuo: “…”
She found she truly couldn’t understand He Xiuqi’s logic. Did he think the reason He Lindi was with her and not him was solely because she hadn’t told him she liked He Lindi?
Chi Shuo had always considered herself fairly even-tempered, not easily angered. But now, she was truly provoked. Her angry demeanor was drastically different from her usual self. Her drawn-on eyebrows pressed down, her eyes filled with fury, and her words held no mercy. “Are you worthy? Are you qualified to know I like her? Did I force you to tell me you liked her? I’ve known He Lindi for years, and this is the first time I’ve seen a pursuer like you. Shameless, unreasonable people are really disgusting, you know that?”
She felt much better after venting. Being interrogated like a criminal wasn’t a pleasant feeling. Besides, she really hadn’t liked He Xiuqi for a long time, especially after catching him pestering He Lindi last time.
He Xiuqi’s hands clenched into fists. Chi Shuo raised an eyebrow. “What? Thinking of hitting me?”
He Xiuqi looked at her darkly for a moment, then unclenched his fists, stood up, and slightly lowered his head towards Chi Shuo. “Xiao Chi Jie, I have no other wish now. Hope you break up soon.”
His mood shifted quickly. The next second, he smiled at Chi Shuo and sat down elsewhere, as if nothing had happened.
Chi Shuo let out a breath. It was impossible not to be nervous just now. He Xiuqi exercised regularly and was a guy; if he had hit her, she definitely wouldn’t have stood a chance.
Xia Zhou walked over from her department area, concern in her eyes. “What happened just now?”
Chi Shuo waved her hand dismissively, pulled a tissue from the box on the table to wipe the sweat from her palms. “He Xiuqi found out He Lindi and I are together.” Her lips curled slightly in mockery. “What right does he have to question me? When He Lindi started having a crush on me, he was still drowning in homework.”
Xia Zhou patted her shoulder. “It’s okay now.”
At six o’clock sharp, Xinyue Company’s annual party officially began. The hall lights were dazzling, the stage arranged like a fashion show runway. Several cameras were set up; the scale was quite grand this year.
Since it was an internal event, the hosts were company employees—a man and a woman. They bantered on stage like a crosstalk duo, drawing occasional laughter from the employees below.
Chi Shuo couldn’t manage a laugh, only managing a faint smile and applauding along with everyone else.
After the hosts’ opening remarks, the boss, Lin Xinyue, took the stage to deliver a speech. “This year marks the sixth anniversary of our Xinyue Company. Our current success is thanks to all of you. I, Lin, thank you all here…”
For a moment, Chi Shuo felt like she was at some awards ceremony.
Next came the department performances. Soon, it was Chi Shuo’s department’s turn. Chi Shuo felt no inner turmoil. Before going on stage, another colleague asked if she was nervous.
Chi Shuo shook her head. “Not nervous.”
Not only because she had performed radio calisthenics on stage last year, but also because she had participated in the Campus Top Ten singing competition back in university. She could stay calm then, let alone now.
The minute-and-a-half performance ended quickly. Amidst the hosts’ rainbow farts, Chi Shuo and her colleagues returned to their seats.
The annual party was essentially an awards ceremony. After each department’s performance concluded, the awards began.
Chi Shuo hadn’t thought it concerned her, until Lin Xinyue announced her name on stage: “Chi Shuo, Excellent Employee.”
Chi Shuo froze on the spot. The supervisor sitting beside her nudged her playfully. “Performed very well last year.”
“Thank you, Supervisor.” Chi Shuo finally felt a bit nervous. Receiving the title of Excellent Employee was easy enough to say, but being commended at the annual party like this was a truly difficult affirmation to achieve.
It really did feel like an awards ceremony. Holding the certificate and smiling for the camera, Chi Shuo still felt a bit dazed.
Thinking about it, Chi Shuo indeed deserved to be Xinyue’s Excellent Employee. She was diligent and serious in her work. Even if she occasionally slacked off, she never made mistakes. And her handling of the Xiang Qingya matter was particularly outstanding.
Returning to her seat, Chi Shuo felt the certificate was somewhat heavy.
Having come to Xinyue Company just over two years ago, this award truly carried significant weight. Colleagues smiled, congratulated her. Chi Shuo humbly thanked them and returned to her seat.
The supervisor took a sip of red wine and asked, “How does it feel to receive an award on stage?”
“Just…”
“Very good.”
They both laughed. Chi Shuo carefully placed the certificate in her bag, took out her phone, eager to share the news with He Lindi.
But He Lindi already knew when she went on stage: 【Saw Xia Zhou’s Moments post. My girlfriend is amazing!】
Chi Shuo looked at the words, her lips curving upwards as she chatted with He Lindi.
At 9:30 PM, Xinyue Company’s annual party concluded. All employees stood up, raised their glasses to the leaders on stage, drank wine or beverages together, and then dispersed.
Chi Shuo wrapped her down jacket tighter and walked out of the hotel entrance with Xia Zhou and the others.
Excellent employees received not just a certificate but also a considerable bonus. Standing by the roadside, Chi Shuo said, “I’ll treat you guys to something good tomorrow.”
“Okay, thank you, boss.”
Two minutes later, Yue Ke drove over. They were already on winter break, but this was the first time Chi Shuo had seen him recently.
Getting into the car, Yue Ke turned his head, looked at Chi Shuo in the back seat, and greeted her with a smile: “Biao Sao.” (“Biao Sao” (表嫂) is a Chinese term used to address or refer to the wife of one’s cousin (表哥).)
Chi Shuo: “…”
Xia Zhou and Zeng Guai burst out laughing. “Hahaha!”
Chi Shuo rubbed her forehead. “Just call me by my name.”
“Can’t do that.”
“Sister Di told me to call you this.”
Xia Zhou, as Yue Ke’s girlfriend, also smiled and joined in: “Biao Sao, what are we eating tomorrow?”
Yue Ke’s task was to drive them home. He dropped Zeng Guai off first, then Chi Shuo. Afterward, the couple, Yue Ke and Xia Zhou, would go off for their private time.
Forty minutes later, Chi Shuo arrived at the underground parking garage of Yunshang Garden. She was staying at He Lindi’s place tonight, as requested by He Lindi.
Xia Zhou leaned against the car window and waved goodbye to Chi Shuo. “Biao Sao, see you tomorrow.”
Chi Shuo’s lips curved. “See you tomorrow.”
Before she could turn away, she saw Yue Ke cup Xia Zhou’s chin and kiss her.
The car window slowly rolled up. Chi Shuo walked towards the elevator, sighing inwardly, unsure what to feel emotional about.
Soon, the elevator stopped in front of He Lindi’s apartment. Chi Shuo entered the passcode while calling He Lindi. “I’m at the door.”
“Hungry?”
“A little.”
The food at the annual party banquet was quite good, but Chi Shuo hadn’t eaten much because He Xiuqi had ruined her mood.
He Lindi’s voice was soft. She had finished work and was now at the hotel. “Then make yourself something later?”
“Okay.”
During these few days of long-distance relationship, the feeling wasn’t great, but thankfully, He Lindi would be back the day after tomorrow.
Chi Shuo opened the door, changed her shoes, and heard He Lindi say, “I left something for you on the coffee table.”
Chi Shuo looked towards the coffee table. There was a rather thick booklet lying on it.
Chi Shuo put the phone on speaker, walked over, and realized it was a photo album. A sticky note was attached to the cover.
It read: At the amusement park, you said you wanted to create a photo album for me, filled with pictures of me. I said your idea was a bit later than mine, because long ago, I bought a photo album, filled with pictures of you. I never thought you’d see this one day. Until now, I feel I can hand it over to its rightful owner.
The signature was He Lindi.
Chi Shuo removed the sticky note. The elegant handwriting and the content made her fatigue from the day vanish.
She sat on the sofa, examining the album. It didn’t look very new, but not old either. It was about the size of an A4 paper, maybe an index finger’s joint thick, with a black cover, well-protected.
He Lindi was still on the phone: “Opened it yet?”
Chi Shuo picked it up. “About to open it.”
She coughed lightly, her expression serious, as if handling a piece of art, then began looking at the first page.
The photo on the first page was of Chi Shuo during the Campus Top Ten singing competition in her sophomore year. She looked somewhat young and inexperienced.
“Unexpected, right?”
“I went to watch you sing, even specifically brought my camera.”
Chi Shuo’s eyes reddened.
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