38 Shadow in heart

The 9-to-5 office life was calm and stable. Zhang Ziwen loved this seemingly dead-end job. His demands were low—just to be fulfilled. It wasn't just flirting with the charming boss Li Yan on QQ during leisure time, but also chatting with the frequent visitor, Xu Ying. These two beauties kept swirling around him like a carousel.

Every day at the company was fulfilling and nourishing. Zhang Ziwen deeply loved this job. He wasn't asking for much—just to feel productive instead of wasting time. Somehow, having a job was a bit of self-respect. He could now squeeze onto the bus with the other commuters in the morning, bustling along with the same hurried pace. For someone who had long been unemployed at home, this feeling was magical, joyful, and even a bit proud. This happiness directly translated into his work, and the results were self-evident.

Zhang Ziwen, who was already quite good-looking, often wore a smile. His highly approachable smile, coupled with his distinct features, exuded a charm that was hard to describe. Colleagues in the advertising department quickly formed a deep impression of this cheerful Zhang Ziwen in a short time. Even the department heads who had previously looked down on him had somewhat changed their views. Who could say anything against someone who could do such a dead-end job? 

Diligent, hardworking, passionate, and always available. Whenever needed, Zhang Ziwen would appear promptly and handle tasks swiftly and efficiently. Not only that, if he noticed the department trash cans were full, he'd take them out without hesitation. If you were busy and didn't even have time to grab a cup of coffee, a glance from Zhang Ziwen would have a steaming cup placed before you immediately. Everything was done casually and naturally, without any awkwardness.

These seemingly trivial acts quickly won over the entire advertising department. From top to bottom, everyone praised him. The position of the office clerk seemed tailor-made for him, making him perfectly suited for it. This was the consensus of the advertising department. More importantly, his work posed no threat to anyone in the advertising department, with minimal chances of climbing up. Moreover, no one competed with him for his job. It was believed that after the three-month probationary period, barring any surprises, he could continue to happily work here. This was exactly what Zhang Ziwen wanted. By then, with a raise in salary, albeit not much, at least there would be a stable income, making his wallet a bit richer.

In just a week, Zhang Ziwen had become well-known throughout the advertising department. Though his position was small, his reputation was large. Especially with his handsome appearance, friendly smile, and masculine charm, everything about him had become a private topic among many women in the advertising department. Good-looking, friendly, without a glamorous background or intimidating status, Zhang Ziwen was clearly the ideal lover for unmarried women with average conditions and modest requirements. Moreover, approaching him was very easy—just a little manipulation could bring him right before them. Unfortunately, this unexplained increase in Zhang Ziwen's workload had doubled for no reason.

Zhang Ziwen had no complaints about these inexplicable trivial matters. As long as it was work-related, he would appear before these women. Unfortunately, while they saw him, there was seemingly no way to dig deeper or get closer to him beyond superficial work-related exchanges. Except for his fatally charming smile, they couldn't get anything else. This left these older unmarried women itching, unable to find a good way to seduce him, adding a touch of mystery to Zhang Ziwen in their hearts.

Women's curiosity can create myths. Gradually, more and more women became interested in Zhang Ziwen, and their interest began to spread beyond the advertising department to other departments. Before long, many women in various departments knew about this young and handsome man who was doing a job with little future prospects. He was easy to communicate with. It was believed among these women in private that Zhang Ziwen was undoubtedly the most popular and handsome man of the year.

Meal times were the most troublesome for Zhang Ziwen. He dreaded encountering the rude Mu Qing and wanted to delay going there later, but time did not allow. Moreover, Xu Ying would report promptly at noon, inviting him to the cafeteria together with warmth and friendship, making it hard for him to refuse. This matter troubled Zhang Ziwen for several days.

Zhang Ziwen learned to be obedient and never sat by the window or near the glass room. He tried to sit in inconspicuous places. However, this annoyed Xu Ying a little. Being able to have lunch with Zhang Ziwen every day was a matter of great face for her. He was now the ideal lover of the young single ladies of New Australia Group. Every time Xu Ying appeared in the cafeteria with Zhang Ziwen, it would attract jealous and envious glances from many women. Xu Ying was feeling a little proud these days and naturally didn't want to sit in any dark corners.

For the past few days, Zhang Ziwen had been dining without incident. Every time Mu Qing came in, she would go directly to the glass room with Mr. Fan. Coupled with his deliberate avoidance, it did not attract Mu Qing's attention.

However, in the past two days, something abnormal had started happening. The corner where Zhang Ziwen sat for meals became lively. There were hardly any empty seats nearby, mostly occupied by women. Some male employees who had a crush on women also joined in. The central position of the hall, on the other hand, seemed a bit deserted. Even the most popular window seats had few occupants.

This abnormal phenomenon inevitably caught Mu Qing's attention. Besides yesterday, today when she entered the cafeteria, she glanced twice in Zhang Ziwen's direction. Zhang Ziwen didn't dare to meet her gaze. When her eyes came over, he hurriedly pretended to eat, which made Mu Qing feel strange. Her gaze lingered on him for a few more seconds, hidden deliberately, which really made Zhang Ziwen's heart beat faster. He couldn't understand why his hiding tactics seemed ineffective in front of a beauty. This was something that would never have happened during his time in the military. Could it be that his tactics were not effective against beauties?

When Zhang Ziwen returned to the office, he still felt a little scared. If this continued, Mu Qing would sooner or later recognize him. These past two days at work seemed happy, and his work was going smoothly, but he still had a knot in his heart. He was afraid of being recognized by Mu Qing. Mu Qing's face kept appearing in his mind, haunting him like a nightmare. He couldn't eat well, and his sleep was disturbed. Zhang Ziwen had never been so afraid of a woman in his life. Afraid, really afraid.

Mu Qing, the beautiful woman who appeared in the cafeteria, had caused him to suffer a slap for nothing and couldn't do anything to her. The humiliating scene in the lingerie store flashed forcibly into Zhang Ziwen's mind. He seemed to feel the burning sensation on his face. It was a twist of fate. Could it be such a coincidence in this world? Zhang Ziwen smiled bitterly, shaking his head, hoping not to encounter her in the company again, not to let her recognize him. But was that possible?

The phone on the desk rang, and Zhang Ziwen listlessly picked it up. It was Li Yan calling.

"Hello, Ziwen?"

"Is there something, Li Jie?" After a week of pleasant interaction, their address had become somewhat affectionate. Li Yan was two years older than Zhang Ziwen, and she insisted on being called "Li Jie."

"There's a budget report on advertising in the right-hand drawer of my desk. Could you take it to the Investment Department and give it to a manager named Chen Dong?"

"The Investment Department?" Zhang Ziwen was surprised. Whenever he heard the words "Investment Department," his heart would race.

"Yeah, you mean you've been here this long and still can't find it? The manager's office is on the 33rd floor."

"I know." Zhang Ziwen certainly knew where the Investment Department was located. Since discovering the situation, he had thoroughly researched it on the company's internal website.

"Alright then, find the report and take it there. Don't delay, the Advertising Department is waiting for the budget approval. Remember, it's the Domestic Investment Department, don't get it wrong."

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Ziwen let out a long sigh. The more he feared something, the more likely it would happen. Faced with the inevitable, he could only hope not to encounter that jinx in the Investment Department.

The Investment Department occupied two floors. The first floor was divided into the Domestic and Overseas sections, both on the 33rd floor. The office of the General Manager of the Investment Department was on the 34th floor, along with the Finance and Financing departments.

As the elevator doors opened, Zhang Ziwen cautiously peeked left and right. It was safe; there was no sign of trouble outside the elevator. He stepped out, relieved that the General Manager's office was not on the 33rd floor; otherwise, the risk factor would have increased significantly.

Soon, he successfully delivered the budget report to the office of the Domestic Investment Department manager. Zhang Ziwen walked back towards the elevator, feeling a sense of relief and even a hint of excitement. Everything had gone surprisingly smoothly. The Investment Department was like a forbidden area in his mind. To safely exit from there made him feel exhilarated.

The elevator bell rang, and the doors opened with a crowd inside. Zhang Ziwen lowered his head and walked in, pressing the button for the 25th floor. As the doors softly closed, a faint yet intoxicating fragrance emanated from a woman nearby. Zhang Ziwen habitually sniffed a bit. Chanel Coco. His heart tightened slightly.