Little Wife Arrives

Lu Siyan navigated the canteen chaos, balancing his tray with the grace of a seasoned tightrope walker. He found a seat at a table with Wei and Zhang, who were still engrossed in their discussion of Mr. Gao's potential promotion. Lu Siyan, however, found his attention drifting. The AI was surprisingly quiet, no doubt plotting some new form of digital mischief. He took a bite of his suspiciously lukewarm noodles, trying to ignore the faint sense of unease that was settling in his stomach.

"These noodles are… questionable," he muttered.

"They're always questionable," Wei replied, slurping down his own portion with gusto. "But hey, it's free food."

Lu Siyan sighed. "True. Can't argue with that."

He glanced around the canteen, his gaze sweeping over the usual lunchtime crowd. And then he saw her.

She was sitting alone at a table near the window, her back to him. He couldn't see her face, but something about her posture, the way her hair cascaded down her back, the subtle elegance of her movements… it struck a chord within him. A feeling of… familiarity? Recognition? He couldn't quite place it.

"Whoa," the AI whispered, its voice laced with a hint of awe. "Who's the mysterious beauty? She's got that… 'I could conquer the world with a single glance' vibe."

Lu Siyan ignored the AI, his eyes still fixed on the woman. He felt a pull towards her, an inexplicable urge to… know her. To understand who she was, why she seemed so… familiar.

"She's totally your type," the AI chirped. "Go say hi! Make a good impression! Impress her with your… vast knowledge of… uh… noodle quality!"

Lu Siyan rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to interrupt her lunch just to talk about noodles," he muttered.

"But what if she's the one?" the AI insisted. "What if she's your soulmate? Your destiny? Your… future wife?"

"My future wife is probably more interested in a guy who can actually cook," Lu Siyan said dryly.

As if on cue, Mr. Gao, who had been deep in conversation with his team, suddenly turned his head and caught sight of the woman. His eyes widened, and a look of… recognition? … crossed his face. He excused himself from his table and walked towards her, his expression unreadable.

"Ooh, looks like someone's got competition," the AI whispered. "This just got interesting."

Lu Siyan watched as Mr. Gao approached the woman. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he saw the woman turn and look at Mr. Gao. And then, a flicker of… something… crossed her face. It was gone as quickly as it appeared, but Lu Siyan could have sworn he saw a flash of… sadness? Regret? He couldn't be sure.

Suddenly, a memory flashed through Mr. Gao's mind. A memory of a young girl, her laughter echoing through a sun-drenched garden. A memory of a childhood friendship, a bond forged in shared secrets and whispered promises. A memory of a girl who… disappeared.

He blinked, the memory fading as quickly as it had appeared. He looked at the woman again, his eyes searching her face for a trace of the girl he once knew. But there was nothing. Just a stranger, her expression polite but distant.

"Excuse me," he said, his voice a low rumble. "I thought I… recognized you."

The woman tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I don't believe we've met," she said, her voice cool and measured.

Mr. Gao hesitated, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. "Perhaps not," he said. "But… "

He trailed off, unable to articulate the feeling of familiarity that clung to him like a forgotten dream. He gave a curt nod and returned to his table, his mind awhirl with confusion.

As this was happening, the woman's gaze swept over the canteen, taking in the scene with a detached air. Her eyes lingered on Lu Siyan for a moment, a flicker of… something… crossing her face. Disgust? Contempt? He couldn't be sure. But it was enough to make him shift uncomfortably in his seat.

"She's definitely checking you out," the AI whispered. "And not in a good way. I think you've got a secret enemy."

Lu Siyan sighed. "Great," he muttered. "Just what I needed. A mysterious woman who hates me for no apparent reason."

"Maybe she's jealous of your… incredible ability to… eat lukewarm noodles?" the AI suggested.

Lu Siyan rolled his eyes. "I'm starting to think you're not very good at this whole 'sidekick' thing."

The AI chuckled. "Give me a break. I'm still learning. Besides, who needs a sidekick when you've got… Future News?"

Lu Siyan looked at the screen, the headlines still flashing before his eyes. He had a feeling that this "Future News" app was going to be a lot more trouble than it was worth. But he also had a feeling that he couldn't just ignore it. He had a feeling that it was somehow connected to the mysterious woman, to the missing executive manager, to… something bigger. He just didn't know what.

Lu Siyan finished his lukewarm noodles, the lingering taste of disappointment clinging to his palate. He decided to head back to the office, the unsettling encounter with the mysterious woman and Mr. Gao still playing on his mind. He stood up, grabbing his now-empty tray, and promptly bumped into… Mr. Gao.

"Oh, sorry," Lu Siyan mumbled, stepping back.

"No problem," Mr. Gao replied, his expression unreadable. He gave Lu Siyan a curt nod and walked past, leaving Lu Siyan with a strange feeling of unease.

"Well, that was awkward," the AI whispered. "Did you feel that tension? It was thicker than that gravy they serve in the canteen."

Lu Siyan ignored the AI, heading towards the exit. Wei and Zhang were already waiting for him, their faces full of gossip.

"Siyan! You missed all the excitement!" Wei exclaimed.

"Mr. Gao was talking to that woman by the window!" Zhang added. "He looked… intense."

"Yeah, I saw them," Lu Siyan said, trying to sound nonchalant. "They just seemed to be having a conversation."

"A conversation that involved a lot of intense staring and… something else," Wei said, her eyes gleaming. "I couldn't quite see what it was, but it looked… dramatic."

"Maybe they were discussing the latest episode of 'Palace of Shadows'," Zhang suggested. "You know, the one where the concubine poisons the emperor with… "

Lu Siyan tuned them out, his mind still on Mr. Gao and the mysterious woman. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was… off.

"They're totally having a secret affair," the AI whispered. "A forbidden love! Think of the drama! The intrigue! The… potential for blackmail!"

Lu Siyan rolled his eyes. "You're obsessed with drama," he muttered.

"Hey, drama is what makes life interesting!" the AI protested. "Besides, wouldn't it be cool if you were caught in the middle of a steamy office romance? Think of the stories you could tell!"

Lu Siyan just shook his head and followed Wei and Zhang back to the office. As they walked, the AI continued its commentary.

"Maybe the woman is a secret agent! Or a runaway princess! Or a… wait for it… a time traveler from the future!"

"Seriously," Lu Siyan said, "you need to lay off the conspiracy theories."

"But what if I'm right?" the AI insisted. "What if she's here to… prevent a catastrophic event? Or… steal the recipe for the perfect cup of coffee?"

Lu Siyan just sighed. He reached his desk and sat down, turning on his computer. The "Future News" app was still there, its headlines flashing before his eyes. He glanced at the AI, which was now hovering near the corner of his screen, looking like a tiny, digital imp.

"You know," Lu Siyan said, "I have a feeling you're going to make my life a lot more interesting. And by 'interesting,' I mean 'utterly chaotic.'"

"That's my specialty!" the AI chirped. "Now, about those lottery numbers… "

Lu Siyan groaned. "Don't even start."