16

Luo Li felt like she could have dug out a whole castle with her toes. This wasn't just an awkward moment—it was an absolute disaster. She could practically hear the sound of crows flying over her head.

Director Lu's expression remained indifferent, as if she had simply asked about the weather. But Luo Li couldn't shake the feeling that there was some resentment behind it.

The grin on her face slowly faded, her lips pressing into a tight line as her brain went into overdrive.

She remembered thinking that this ancient artifact might be hard to deal with, even potentially tattling to her two elder relatives back home. So, after adding her as a friend, Luo Li had blocked her out of caution.

But lately, she had definitely been getting a bit carried away.

"Ah..." Luo Li fumbled with her phone, quickly swiping through her contacts with the same focus as an old man on a subway, "Really? I must've accidentally clicked something. I was so eager to learn from you that I even pinned you to the top…"

Okay, maybe not. If Director Lu saw that nickname, she'd probably be dead on the spot.

The ever-gracious Director Lu merely chuckled, "Is that so?"

Why did that sound so chilly?

Luo Li forced a smile.

Despite the awkwardness, Lu Cixue still made sure Luo Li finished her dinner, told her to rest early, and left without another word.

Luo Li regretted provoking her.

What she didn't know was that as soon as Lu Cixue returned home, she immediately checked her phone. Seeing that social media post, her pupils dilated slightly, and her fingers curled at her side.

The little cat wasn't so calm, starting to analyze the meaning behind the message.

Luo Li had asked if she had seen it, so it must have been posted for her to see.

Was it a thank you?

Logically, that seemed the most likely answer.

But something told her that wasn't it. There must be another meaning… But she didn't dare make wild assumptions.

At least she was sure Luo Li wasn't trying to distance herself.

At the pre-National Day dinner, Luo Li sat sulking a couple of seats away from Lu Cixue.

She just couldn't understand why the planning department had to join in the fun.

Couldn't they welcome their new manager with their own gathering? Why did He Qinian get to sit next to Lu Cixue?

According to Lu Cixue, they were just friends.

Luo Li knew she shouldn't let her imagination run wild, nor should she get jealous—she had no right to, after all.

The atmosphere in the private room was a bit stiff at first. It was the first time their superiors had joined such an event, and with the leadership present, everyone felt a bit restrained.

Sensing this, Lu Cixue encouraged everyone to relax, and someone suggested playing a game to break the ice.

Luo Li focused on eating, knowing that as a newcomer, it was best to stay quiet and eat more.

"Nothing too complicated—how about truth or dare? If you lose, you can choose to drink three glasses as a penalty."

Everyone agreed.

Liu Yue, who wasn't afraid of Lu Cixue, leaned over to ask if she and He Qinian would join in.

Director Lu's private life was shrouded in mystery, and hearing that someone had brought her into the game, the others quickly followed suit, insisting that she play along.

"Don't worry, there won't be any inappropriate questions. Come on, Director Lu, join us."

Lu Cixue agreed, and they pulled He Qinian into it as well.

"If Director Lu is playing, then I'll join too," He Qinian said with a smile.

Everyone cheered.

He Qinian remained silent, while Lu Cixue looked as cool and composed as ever, seemingly unfazed by the situation.

Luo Li's eyes were practically shooting sparks as she downed the drink Chen Ting had poured her.

"Alright, let's play a game called 'Seven, Pass!' Whoever messes up will have to answer a question from the person before them. How about that?"

The rules were simple, and everyone agreed, so the game began.

The first to mess up was a bubbly girl from the department, who chose truth.

"If you had to pick someone here as your ideal type, who would it be?"

Luo Li immediately adopted a curious expression, taking another sip of her drink.

She knew one of the guys in the department had a crush on the girl, and his face showed a mix of anticipation and anxiety.

"Only one choice, huh?"

"What, got regrets?"

The girl laughed, pretending to think hard. "Ideal type, huh…"

"I'd definitely choose Director Lu."

The guy's hopeful expression fell flat.

Luo Li's smile also disappeared, her fists clenching. Why did so many people want to take what was hers?

"Well, you made me pick just one. If I could pick more, I'd take everyone and give each girl a home," the girl joked, moving on from the topic.

As the game went on, everyone became more focused. Luo Li grew more excited but also a bit tipsy, her mind foggy as she struggled to keep track of the numbers. Just as she figured out her turn, she saw He Qinian lean close to Lu Cixue, whispering something.

Her carefully calculated sequence crumbled.

"Seventeen."

"Gotcha!"

Chen Ting shot her a sympathetic look, but there was clear mischief in her eyes.

"Alright, Luo Li, truth or dare?"

Luo Li, half-dazed, mumbled, "Truth."

"Truth, huh…" Chen Ting rubbed her chin, grinning wickedly. "That person who gave you the little cake yesterday…"

She didn't want to be too direct, so she asked, "Are they special to you?"

Luo Li's eyelids drooped, oblivious to the sudden hush that fell over the room.

Everyone was watching her, including Lu Cixue.

Director Lu tightened her grip on her glass, feeling her heart skip a beat.

No one knew who had taken Luo Li to the hospital that day, except He Qinian, but even he didn't know who had given her the cake.

Luo Li giggled foolishly, suddenly shy, her fair cheeks flushed. "They're very special to me."

The room erupted in playful cheers.

Lu Cixue hastily raised her glass, grateful no one was focused on her.

"Alright, let's keep going."

After a bit more teasing, the game resumed. The real goal was to drag their two bosses into the fray, but they were both too sharp, never losing once.

But this time, something unexpected happened—Director Lu, distracted, made a mistake.

This was the moment everyone had been waiting for.

The next to ask a question was He Qinian, who kindly inquired about her most memorable childhood experience.

But the group protested in unison, "No way, Manager He! That's too easy!"

Feeling bolder, someone suggested letting Luo Li, who had failed the previous round, ask the question.

"Yeah, Luo Li is one of the stars tonight. Let her ask."

Luo Li, who had been getting sleepier, perked up at the sound of her name, swaying slightly as she raised her head.

It seemed she was supposed to ask Director Lu a question…

But whenever she looked at Lu Cixue, she saw He Qinian, and it annoyed her.

Why did Lu Cixue always hang around him? Couldn't she see that he liked her? Yesterday, she had made dinner, bought her a little cake, and even hugged her. She had turned into a cat and kissed her. Why did she have to be so close to He Qinian today?

She was so fickle.

Luo Li scrunched up her nose, her drunken emotions spiraling out of control. She had already claimed Lu Cixue as her own, and her brain couldn't stop her.

Now, she was unfairly accusing her boss of being unfaithful, feeling sorry for herself.

"Lu Cixue, don't get so close to him."

The entire room fell silent.

Luo Li pouted, her voice trembling with emotion. "You're always whispering to each other. You've barely smiled at me, but you keep smiling at him…"

Her muddled mind was in chaos, and she sniffled, on the verge of tears. "I don't like him. Stop spending so much time with him…"

Chen Ting tried to tug her back into her seat, only to see Luo Li's glass completely empty.

She had been drinking alcohol like it was water…

"She's drunk, Director Lu. Don't mind her," Chen Ting apologized, but Luo Li was immovable.

"Yeah, she's just a kid. It's not uncommon for subordinates to develop a… nestling complex?" Someone tried to smooth things over, but even they struggled to make sense of it.

"It's alright." Lu Cixue listened quietly to Luo Li's grievances, massaging her temples in silence, though she didn't seem the least bit offended.

"Maybe we should wrap it up?" Liu Yue suggested, moving to take Luo Li home.

People began to gather their things, leaving only Lu Cixue, He Qinian, and Luo Li in the room.

Liu Yue stepped outside to say her goodbyes.

Lu Cixue moved to grab her coat, but the moment she passed by Luo Li, she felt a tug on her clothes. Luo Li, sniffling, clung to her, tears streaming down her face.

"Are you mad?"

"Are you going to leave me and go home alone?"

"Please don't be mad, I won't talk about him anymore…"

Luo Li seemed to have fully embraced her role, convinced she was the one being wronged, abandoned by her lover who was now defending someone else.

Lu Cixue sighed, turning to face Luo Li with an unexpectedly gentle expression. "I'm getting my coat, and then I'll take you home. Be good."

Luo Li understood and nodded, sticking close to Lu Cixue while casting a wary glance at He Qinian.

He Qinian stiffened.

"Do you need my help?"

"No." Lu Cixue refused firmly, gently wiping away Luo Li's tears with a tissue.

He Qinian stood there, dumbfounded.

"Could you let Liu Yue know that I'm taking her home? You should head back soon too."

"Oh… sure."

Luo Li beamed as she clung to Lu Cixue, her tear-streaked face now adorned with a silly grin.

She had won—Lu Cixue had chosen her over He Qinian. That meant she had successfully wooed her.

And after wooing her? They would be girlfriends, get married, become wives…

Luo Li's fuzzy brain struggled to figure out where she and Lu Cixue stood in their relationship.

She had already kissed her and seen everything…

So they must be…

Yes, wives!

"Wife, tonight we…"

Lu Cixue quickly covered her mouth.

On the way home, Luo Li kept chattering non-stop.

"Look, I really did put you at the top of my list." Luo Li waved her phone in front of Lu Cixue, trying to show her contact list.

She was truly out of it, even daring to show Lu Cixue that her contact was labeled as "Antique."

Lu Cixue chuckled coldly, deciding not to argue with a drunk.

But this fool—getting burned and not avoiding alcohol, actually mistaking wine for juice.

Luo Li squinted at her phone, muttering to herself, "No, no, that nickname's not good… I need to change it…" It was her wife, after all.

She slowly poked at her phone, getting frustrated but still determined to fix it.

"Look, wife, look."

Stopping at a red light, Lu Cixue glanced over and immediately looked away, her pale ears turning red.

The screen now read: "Kitty (Heart) Wife"

The chat background was a photo she had secretly taken of Lu Cixue.

Apparently, she was moving along quite quickly.

Lu Cixue brought the drunk fool home, who even helpfully told her wife the passcode to her apartment.

Her wife didn't know the code to her own home, and Luo Li didn't see anything wrong with that.

After settling Luo Li into bed, Lu Cixue moved to leave, only to find the girl lying there, staring at her with wide eyes, radiating anticipation. "Wife, aren't we going to…"

Going to what, you little fool?

Lu Cixue laughed in exasperation. She knew better than to take a drunk person's words seriously.

But deep down, a tiny spark of longing flickered to life—a feeling that couldn't be ignored.

A web of restraint tightened around her.

The smile in Lu Cixue's eyes slowly faded.

She placed her hand over Luo Li's eyes, her voice rough with emotion, "Be good, go to sleep."

Those words seemed to hold some kind of magic, as Luo Li immediately quieted down.

Just before drifting off to sleep, she felt a soft, warm touch on her lips, lasting only a moment.

A single tear seemed to fall onto her cheek.