3

There's no such thing as a free lunch, and this truth has been fully confirmed in my current situation.

300,000—it doesn't sound like a small amount, especially for an assistant. This should be an unimaginable salary standard, right? But when I actually took on the role of an assistant, I realized! That 300,000 is absolutely worth it for the guy named Yu Wenye, my boss.

In the past, I always thought that since I could take care of six dogs and three children at the same time, handling someone like Yu Wenye, an adult who can take care of himself and is of normal intelligence, should be a piece of cake. But, just like many things in this world, reality doesn't always go as expected.

There are indeed people like my boss—Yu Wenye, a rare breed.

"Oh, Xiao Die, don't leave me, I can't live without you!" The deep male voice came from the guy beside me—this disheveled man. As he spoke those disgusting words, he put on an exaggerated expression of sorrow, despair, and extreme pain, while flailing his hands around dramatically.

What's going on now? If it were someone else, they'd probably be curious, right? But I'm not. Not only am I not curious, I'm trying my best to ignore it.

I lowered my head and focused on slicing the cucumber. Cucumber? I've almost developed feelings for this cucumber!

Why do I say that? Because I've been slicing it since he woke up at 8 a.m., and by now, it's almost time for lunch, and half of this cucumber is still intact. The reason for this isn't that I'm bad at cutting, it's entirely because of this annoying guy beside me.

I'm going crazy. How can there be such a strange person in this world? Every day, every single day, he tortures me like this. I feel like I'm about to lose my mind.

For example, while I was washing the cucumber, this guy suddenly dragged me into his music room to listen to him sing. I hadn't even heard two lines before he insisted on teaching me how to sing. After I sang a couple of lines, he was satisfied and told me to go back and continue slicing the cucumber.

But! His torment didn't end there! As soon as I returned and stood still, he suddenly rushed over to make me look at the new outfit he'd paired together to see if it looked weird. He's such a good-looking guy with such a great figure, so no matter what he wears, it's bound to look great, right? Besides, these are all clothes personally designed by famous designers! Just as I was seriously suspecting that this guy was just bored and trying to mess with me, he volunteered to teach me how to match clothes, saying that "clothes are very important for girls" and so on. But when I walked into his dressing room and was shocked by the mountainous piles of clothes, he suddenly claimed he didn't have anything suitable for girls and told me to go back and continue slicing the cucumber.

However, just as I managed to wash the cucumber and was about to peel it, he glided over like a ghost and asked me why his cucumber face mask wasn't ready yet. He exaggeratedly complained about my slow pace. What could I do at this point? After all, I'm a professional worker! Reluctantly, I had no choice but to apologize.

Because of his urging, I quickly peeled the cucumber. Just as I was about to start slicing it, he excitedly came over to introduce me to his facial cleanser. From the production process to the functions, he excitedly explained everything about the facial cleanser he was using. I couldn't help but wonder, what does his facial cleanser have to do with me? After I patiently listened to him explain all the details, he then gave me a puzzled look and asked me why I wasn't making his cucumber face mask. At that moment, I was furious, but despite my anger, I still had professional ethics and could only grit my teeth and endure it in silence.

Enduring, enduring—after going through all that, I started to understand this guy's routine a bit better! Although I couldn't lose my temper, I could choose to ignore him! Just like right now, I am absolutely committed to pretending he doesn't exist, even though this annoying guy keeps babbling next to me.

"No, this feeling still seems wrong! Xiao Zuo, what do you think? How should this line be delivered?" After finishing that disgusting line, the guy who was standing beside me put down his white notebook and brought his handsome face up right in front of mine. Although he was indeed handsome, what did that have to do with me? Plus, he was blocking my view completely.

"I'm not really sure about this, boss!" My tone was full of helplessness.

What I didn't say out loud was that even if I did know, I wouldn't want to say anything to this guy. Sometimes, I seriously wonder if this guy even gets thirsty. Since he woke up in the morning, he's been blabbering nonstop in front of me. While I was pondering this, I saw a joyful expression slowly appearing on Yu Wenye's face. Suddenly, I realized—oh no… I'm about to be forced to learn something ridiculous again.

"Is that so? Well, it's true! For something so specialized, most people wouldn't understand it," he said, seemingly understanding, as he moved his head out of my line of sight.

If you think this guy is going to quiet down, you're wrong! Based on my experience with him this morning, he will do everything possible to make sure I can't have a moment of peace.

"Although you don't understand, I can teach you! Look, I'm being so generous, right? That way, even if you don't work as my assistant in the future, you won't starve to death," just as I was about to continue slicing the cucumber, he put his head back in front of me. How can someone look so good? This guy is handsome no matter what expression he makes. But if this scenery were static, it would be perfect.

"Thank you for your generosity!" I said, forcing a smile.

Look at the tone of this guy, he's acting like I can't survive outside of being his assistant. But no matter how much it offends my pride as a super-skilled worker, what can I do? After all, this annoying guy is my boss.

"Haha! I knew it, stop slicing the cucumber! Come on, let's practice together!" He excitedly said, grabbing the knife from my hand and pulling me out of the kitchen into the living room.

I seriously suspect that my boss is just bored and messing with me for fun. This is evident from the fact that he has two copies of the script. Who in the world prepares two scripts for themselves to memorize? Obviously, it's the guy in front of me. He had planned this all along and wanted me to rehearse lines with him.

Although I figured this out, what can I do? He's the boss, and what is the boss? The boss is my god. Alright, God says what goes!

As I grumbled in my heart, I took the script from his hand.

"Let's start from here," he said, pointing at a section of the script as soon as I opened it.

I followed the direction of his finger and happened to catch a glimpse of the script's content, instantly getting goosebumps. Wouldn't lines like this be too "Korean drama"-ish?

"What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and start!" As I was pondering just how cheesy the script was, he urged me to begin.

But how could I say such cheesy lines? Just looking at those black words on the white paper was enough to make my skin crawl! But since he's the boss, I had no choice but to endure it.

"My dear, how can you leave me? How can you abandon me? You are the only reason I live in this world. If you leave, it means my death." I forced myself to read out this line with as much passion as I could, all while trying to suppress the discomfort I felt.

"No! How could I let you die? I'm leaving because I believe this is the only way for you to live well!" He closed his eyes, his face full of sadness and rapture.

I really don't know how this guy can say such cheesy lines without even flinching. As I stared at him, seemingly lost in the role, I couldn't help but feel a little sympathy. Even though the words were so cheesy, paired with his expression, it looked so beautiful, sorrowful, and deeply touching. So this is why those long, boring TV dramas always cast good-looking actors, huh?

"With you, I exist." I did my best to cooperate, but the line felt weird coming out of my mouth. I wasn't sure what my expression looked like, but as I uttered the words, I could clearly feel a tingling sensation on my scalp, as if I had just been electrocuted, my hair standing on end.

"Ah! Not bad, not bad! You're a fast learner!" Just as I was about to die from the disgust, he suddenly patted me on the shoulder with a satisfied look, his voice full of excitement.

Seeing his expression, I instantly knew what helplessness felt like. The same person who had been so affectionate a second ago now turned into this annoying figure.

"Thank you for the compliment!" I said with an irritated tone, throwing him a helpless eye-roll.

"You're welcome! Now go make me a cucumber mask! I've been waiting for you for three hours and 38 minutes!" He snatched the script from my hand and disappeared with an air of nonchalance.

This guy… I can't even find the right words to describe him. He constantly disrupts my work, but somehow acts as if it's me who hasn't been doing my job properly and he's been trying to tolerate my lack of seriousness?

"Sorry about that." I tried to hold back my impulse to punch that smiling face and squeezed out those words between my teeth before turning back to the kitchen. However, just as I turned, I couldn't help but overhear him muttering to himself, "You're not even mad? How boring."

So it turns out this whole morning's torment, both mentally and verbally, was just because this guy was bored and looking for some fun!

This damn guy, does he think I, Zuo Anan, am a soft target? Although I'm a professional worker with strong work ethics, I'm not a pushover. I know when to stand up for myself. But… if I offend him, my 300,000 yuan… Is 300,000 more important?

While I was lost in thought, I picked up the knife again to continue cutting the cucumber.

At that moment, a tall figure in black suddenly appeared behind me. What was this guy up to now? Was he looking for more fun because he was bored? No, even though 300,000 is important, I can't just ignore such obvious provocations. After all, there's a long road ahead, and if I keep giving in, how am I going to get through the days to come?

So...

"An..." Just as the person behind me was about to speak, I tightened my grip on the knife, turned around sharply, and shouted in an aggressive tone, "I'm cutting the cucumber now! Making the mask, cutting cucumber, making mask!" I yelled loudly while waving the knife around, dancing with it. This is what they call striking first. I absolutely couldn't let this guy have any chance to react; otherwise, who knows what kind of nonsense he would say next.

"This..." The person standing behind me, who had been the target of my intimidation, was clearly startled by both my shout and the knife in my hand. But after my outburst, when I saw who was standing in front of me, I was startled too.

Such tragic things happen in the world. The person I had meant to intimidate was, of course, the one who dressed in fancy clothes yet had an empty, lonely heart—Yu Wenye. But now standing behind me was none other than the person I was most familiar with—my childhood friend, Gong Benhan.

"Uh..." As soon as I realized the person behind me wasn't Yu Wenye but Gong Benhan, I instantly understood what "awkward" really felt like. However, Gong Benhan looked even more awkward than I did.

Probably because I had been so forceful with my previous outburst, he looked a little dazed, as if he had completely forgotten what he had wanted to say.

"Gong, Gong Benhan..." Just as I was about to apologize and say something, suddenly, a burst of laughter came from behind Gong Benhan.

Following the sound of the laughter, the person emerging from behind Gong Benhan wasn't Yu Wenye, but the very person I had meant to intimidate! Seeing that handsome face with a big smile, I really… couldn't bring myself to stay angry.

Is this the advantage of being good-looking?

However, just because I wasn't angry didn't mean others wouldn't be, and that "other" person was, of course, the one who had been mocked—Gong Benhan. The moment I was distracted by that smile, Gong Benhan, who had previously looked surprised and frustrated, instantly resumed his usual cold demeanor and said in a frosty tone to Yu Wenye, "Ye, you better not let me find out what you've been up to."

I could clearly feel the cold, icy pressure in Miyamoto Han's words, as though the temperature had dropped to -80°C. Although he wasn't speaking to me, I couldn't help but shudder at the intensity of it.

"Uh…" After hearing Miyamoto Han's words, the smile on Yuwen Ye's face instantly vanished, replaced by a pitiful expression.

His eyes narrowed slightly, giving him the look of a child who'd been caught stealing candy and was about to cry from fear of being scolded. His nose wrinkled slightly as he kept sniffing, and his lips puffed out in an exaggerated pout. He looked almost like a cute, innocent child who was in trouble.

"I-I didn't…" Yuwen Ye sobbed, tapping his two index fingers together, his hands trembling.

Seeing his expression like that, I thought to myself, even if there were some deep grudge between us, it would probably fade away right now. After all, such a pitiful look can unconsciously touch the softest part of one's heart, making people want to soften up and show compassion.

"Better not." However, Miyamoto Han clearly didn't share that feeling, or else he wouldn't have said those words so coldly, without even blinking.

Speaking of coldness, why was it cold? I had never seen Miyamoto Han look like this before! He was always someone with a warm smile in my memories.

"Miyamoto-ge." His sudden coldness made me unconsciously call out to him. Maybe, I was hoping to hear the warm person I once knew.

"An'an, did that guy Yuwen Ye bully you?" In that instant, perhaps because I was lost in thought, Miyamoto Han's cold expression from a second ago suddenly transformed into an unexpectedly warm one. His gaze softened, filled with genuine concern that couldn't be ignored.

As I was dazed, Yuwen Ye seemed to use some supernatural ability and, like a ghost, moved to my side. He stood there, still with that "child caught misbehaving" look on his face. His hands, once tapping together, dropped to tug at the hem of my clothes, gently shaking them.

It was clear he was asking for my help.

If I could, I really didn't want to help this guy. After all, the mental bombardment from him all morning was enough to drive me insane. But with his almost tearful expression, it seemed like if I really revealed the truth, he would start crying in front of me.

Should I say it? Or not? Say it? Or not?

"No, he didn't bully me." After struggling internally for about a minute, I finally said those words.

Honestly, I'm not the most merciful person, and I rarely feel sympathy. But this time was different. After all, I had to work with him for a whole year! I couldn't ruin the relationship now! Yes! That's what I was thinking. It definitely wasn't because of his pitiful look that I softened and spoke up for him.

I kept repeating this to myself in my head: I did not speak up for him because of his expression.

"See? See? I really didn't bully your girlfriend!" The moment my words left my mouth, the pitiful look on Yuwen Ye's face suddenly morphed into one of excitement, as though he had just been proven right.

What is going on with the atmosphere here? Why does everyone switch their expressions so quickly, like changing masks? I scanned both of them with a dark expression, wondering if these two guys were hiding a second face.

As I observed them, I couldn't help but think about Yuwen Ye's words: "Girlfriend?"

When did I become Miyamoto Han's girlfriend?

I looked at Miyamoto Han with confusion, and he awkwardly avoided my gaze, looking away.

"Ahem…" Then, under my gaze, he coughed awkwardly, as though trying to cover something up.

Miyamoto Han must be hiding something, I thought. I've always been good at understanding others, so since he was trying to hide it, it seemed there was no need for me to clear things up. Thus, even though Yuwen Ye had mistakenly thought that Miyamoto Han and I were a couple, I didn't bother to explain.

"Wow! This is so weird! I can't believe our usually indifferent Miyamoto-ge actually has a shy side!" After Miyamoto Han's awkward cough, Yuwen Ye suddenly jumped in front of him, getting up close and pointing at his chest, teasing him in a playful tone.

"Stay in your place," Miyamoto Han replied expressionlessly, swatting Yuwen Ye's hand away.

"We're both human, why is your attitude toward me so different?" Yuwen Ye put on that pitiful face again.

Seeing him perform his "changing faces" act once more in front of me, I suddenly understood—this guy Yuwen Ye probably pulls that pitiful expression all the time. I had been too naive to think it would affect me.

In the end, my skills are still not as deep as Miyamoto Han's! I couldn't help but feel a little rueful. Look at how Miyamoto Han treated Yuwen Ye just now—he clearly knew him very well. The way he responded to Yuwen Ye, neither cold nor warm, showed that he was already well aware of Yuwen Ye's usual behavior. As Yuwen Ye's manager, it made sense that Miyamoto Han would be so familiar with him.

"Sir, are you here for something?" The moment I thought of the word "manager," I suddenly remembered this question. In those celebrity stories on TV and in novels, aren't the managers always taking their trainees to various events, whether it's for work or just for fun? If Yuwen Ye were to go out, then I could...

"Oh! I just came to confirm Ye's schedule," Gong Ben Han said, though it was hard to tell if he was talking to me or to Yuwen Ye.

"How could you do this? Gong, aren't you supposed to be the 'biological computer'? How come you're the one arranging activities for me today? Don't you remember, I have a date—an important one!" The moment Gong Ben Han spoke, Yuwen Ye immediately reacted.

A date? What kind of date could make Yuwen Ye react so strongly? He was jumping around like a monkey who had its banana stolen, only missing grabbing its ears and scratching its head.

"You've already mentioned it 35 times. Do you really think I could forget?" Gong Ben Han's tone clearly carried a lot of patience.

35 times? He's really a guy who's reached the extreme of nagging. If it were me being bombarded like this, I would probably crack.

"I see! That's good then! But what exactly are you confirming?" Yuwen Ye completely ignored Gong Ben Han's tone and focused on the one thing he wanted to hear. He's really the kind of person who only picks out what he wants to hear.

"I'm just here to confirm the attendees for tonight," Gong Ben Han said flatly.

Attendees? Hearing that word made it sound like some grand event, and I started wondering if they needed any etiquette staff or something. With that in mind, I couldn't help but eavesdrop more intently.

"You still need to confirm that? It's just Ruoruo!" Yuwen Ye replied without hesitation.

Is it just me, or has this guy been talking non-stop for about 24 hours since we first met, excluding the sleep time, of course? And yet, in these past 4 hours, he's been absolutely relentless. But now, suddenly, he was blushing and staring at the floor, nervously fiddling with his clothes.

Is he blushing? Over someone named "Ruoruo"? I really wanted to know who this "Ruoruo" person was, as it wasn't easy to make this guy show such a reaction.

"I'll go too," Gong Ben Han suddenly added.

The moment those words left his mouth, the excitement, shyness, and restrained energy that had been so obvious on Yuwen Ye disappeared completely. Instead, he was jumping around, looking everywhere, and scratching his head.

"You're going? Why would you go? You're so busy! Just mind your own business, no need to go!" Yuwen Ye vigorously shook Gong Ben Han, trying to get him to take back what he had just said.

His reaction seemed so suspicious to me. Why was he so desperate to keep others from going? This only made me more curious about this "Ruoruo" person.

"You don't want me to go? Well, do you think the two of you can handle things if paparazzi or reporters show up?" Gong Ben Han said with a cold expression, clearly impatient. It was easy to tell he didn't really want to go either.

"Uh..." After hearing Gong Ben Han's words, Yuwen Ye fell into thought.

He placed his hand on his chin, adopting a signature thinking pose, like Conan.

"Then, she can go too," Yuwen Ye suddenly said.

She? I scanned the room, realizing that there were only three of us here, so it must be me he was referring to.

Looking at his finger pointing straight at me, I became even more certain of that.

"Why?" The moment I realized he was talking about me, I reflexively asked those three words.

"You're my assistant! Whatever I say goes! No opinions allowed, that's final!" Yuwen Ye declared before quickly running out of the kitchen.

This guy... He's truly something else!

His spoiled behavior really made me want to strangle him. If he weren't the one paying me 300,000 yuan, I probably would have strangled him several times already.

"Don't mind him, that's just how he is." Just as I was imagining what it would be like to strangle Yuwen Ye, the other person in the kitchen spoke.

I turned to look at Gong Ben Han, whose face had returned to its usual warm and gentle expression. The stark contrast to his previous cold demeanor was so surreal. It's hard to believe the same person can have such different expressions.

"Mm!" I smiled and nodded in response.

Then, we both fell into a brief silence. It felt like the atmosphere between us had grown a little awkward. I wanted to ask Gong Ben Han why he didn't clarify when Yuwen Ye mentioned us as a couple, but looking at his warm face, I wasn't sure how to bring it up.

Sometimes, if you speak up, you might disrupt the balance that's been established. So, should I stay silent? Once the truth is out, the simple relationship might become messy, and forcing an answer could only add unnecessary awkwardness.

"Ha..." I sighed softly and turned back to continue slicing the cucumber.

Behind me, Gong Ben Han seemed to stare at me for a while, then quietly turned and left.