After Becoming a Full-Time Employee, I Signed a Romance Contract with My Ice-Cold Boss - Chapter 8

I Have Plenty of Experience Taking Care of Kids!

“Shh—”

He Shuyi cast a wary glance around her. Only after confirming that no one was paying them any attention did she finally let out a breath of relief.

She hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should be sharing the secrets of an “old” well-connected hire with a “new” one. But then she figured that since both she and the newcomer were on General Manager Jiang Fengyi’s side, she felt the weight lift off her shoulders.

“She was planted here by Chairman Jiang. She’s from the Zhao family.”

“The Zhao family is…” Xu Que looked at He Shuyi, waiting for her to continue.

“The very same Zhao family that wants a marriage alliance with the Jiangs!” At this point, He Shuyi became even more cautious, covering her lips with her hand. “According to rumors leaked from the Zhao family, General Manager Jiang has already gone on a blind date with Zhao Ruofei.”

“Zhao Ruofei is Zhao Ruxuan’s older sister; they’re family. The Zhaos are one of the top families locally, so as the second young mistress of the Zhao house, she’s used to being arrogant and bossy.”

“Even after joining our company, she doesn’t take work seriously at all. Setting aside the constant tardiness and leaving early, she pesters Sister Wu every day for General Manager Jiang’s private schedule. Sister Wu is being driven crazy by her; she hides the moment she sees her coming.”

“So, she doesn’t have to work but still gets a monthly salary?” Xu Que asked.

He Shuyi: “…”

Why is that your takeaway?

“That’s not the point. The point is, if the blind date between General Manager Jiang and Zhao Ruofei is successful, they’ll eventually become one family. What happens if Zhao Ruxuan decides to stay here forever?”

She vented her grievances to Xu Que: “You just got here, so you don’t know how difficult she is to deal with.”

“No.”

“No what?”

“The blind date between General Manager Jiang and Zhao Ruofei was not successful.”

“How do you know?” He Shuyi’s eyes lit up as she remembered that the person in front of her was also a connected hire. “Do you have some inside information?”

Xu Que told her with absolute certainty: “General Manager Jiang already has someone she wants to marry.”

She recited her lines with a straight face: “The two were college sweethearts. They’ve been in a relationship for many years and have a very strong bond.”

“Hiss—”

He Shuyi covered her mouth tightly to keep herself from crying out in shock. She hadn’t expected Xu Que to drop such a bombshell the moment she arrived.

“Don’t worry, I know you told me because you trust me. My lips are sealed; I won’t tell a soul.”

Seeing that some colleagues were looking over because of her sharp intake of breath, He Shuyi smiled apologetically at them. “Sorry, a mouth ulcer flared up.”

After dismissing the colleagues, He Shuyi was about to warn Xu Que as an experienced senior to stay far away from Zhao Ruxuan so she wouldn’t be bossed around by the entitled socialite.

Unfortunately, she was one step too late.

Zhao Ruxuan had already spotted Xu Que.

She felt a spark of curiosity toward this new face in the office. Among the sea of office workers who looked withered and gloomy from the daily grind, only the newcomer, Xu Que, radiated a vibrant energy.

Especially her eyes—they were startlingly bright. Like a sudden morning star appearing in a dark sky shrouded by clouds, they were eternal and dazzling.

“You, are you the new one today?”

Zhao Ruxuan took off her sunglasses, her vision no longer obscured, and let her gaze linger shamelessly on Xu Que.

“Sit closer so I can get a look at you.”

Xu Que ignored her.

Zhao Ruxuan didn’t look offended at all. Good-looking people usually had a bit of a temper; she could understand that. If someone were too submissive, it would actually take the fun out of it.

“Are you single?” She scanned Xu Que’s body. “Would you consider being with me?”

Xu Que gave her a cold rejection: “I have a fiancée.”

“You have a fiancée!”

It wasn’t just Zhao Ruxuan who was shocked; He Shuyi, standing to the side, was too. She blinked: “You’re so young and you already have a fiancée?”

Xu Que continued with her script: “Yes, I’ve been with my girlfriend for a long time.”

Zhao Ruxuan kept staring at Xu Que. After a long pause, she said, “Fine, so you’re not single.”

She spoke with supreme confidence: “I can give you something better. If you really can’t part with your girlfriend, that’s fine; I don’t mind.”

He Shuyi’s eyes widened. She stole a glance at Zhao Ruxuan and then quickly looked at Xu Que. She was both appalled by Zhao Ruxuan’s lack of values and sympathetic toward Xu Que’s predicament.

Xu Que remained cold: “My girlfriend and I have a very good relationship. We don’t need anyone else joining us.”

The corners of Zhao Ruxuan’s mouth turned down. “Don’t refuse a polite offer only to be forced later. Do you know who I am?”

“I don’t care who you are.”

With that, Xu Que walked away, not bothering to give Zhao Ruxuan another glance. Behind her, He Shuyi hurried to catch up.

Zhao Ruxuan was shaking with rage. She pointed at Xu Que’s retreating back and threw out a threat: “This lady will make you come back and beg me on your knees!”

In the pantry, Xu Que sat on a high stool, nibbling on some nuts. She looked down, swiped her phone screen open, and tapped into her chat with Jiang Fengyi.

Xu Que: [I just caused some trouble for you]

Jiang Fengyi was currently handling company business. Her phone, which wasn’t on silent, suddenly “dinged.” She picked it up and saw Xu Que’s avatar flashing on the screen.

Jiang Fengyi: [What kind of trouble? Curious.jpg]

Xu Que: [Zhao Ruxuan took a liking to my face (Crying emoji)] Xu Que: [I said I have a girlfriend, and she actually said she doesn’t mind QAQ]

Jiang Fengyi: [Don’t worry, I’ll handle this.]

Jiang Fengyi: [Let’s have lunch together. Wait for me in the parking lot after work.]

The rare use of kaomoji and emojis added a touch of fun to her otherwise dull workday.

Xu Que: [Okay :)]

Xu Que was about to turn off her screen when she thought of something. She turned back to look at He Shuyi.

Suddenly, she spoke up: “Let’s exchange contact info.”

He Shuyi was still worrying about the revenge Xu Que might face from Zhao Ruxuan. Hearing this out of the blue, she froze for a long moment before pulling out her phone. “You scan me.”

[I have accepted your friend request. Now we can start chatting.]

Xu Que skillfully changed the nickname and said, “Send me some stickers, make them the cute kind.”

When chatting with Jiang Fengyi, she realized she didn’t have any cute stickers to use as replies.

“Then you’ve asked the right person! My phone is full of stickers; I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.”

He Shuyi simply tilted her phone screen toward Xu Que, acting very generous: “Here, pick whichever ones you like yourself.”

Xu Que picked a few she thought Jiang Fengyi would find interesting and then stopped. “These will do, thanks.”

After sending the stickers, it was almost time for the lunch break.

He Shuyi gave her a warm invitation: “Let’s go to the cafeteria together. They have sweet and sour pork ribs today—the cafeteria auntie’s cooking is top-tier!”

Xu Que: “Sorry, I have a lunch date. Let’s go to the cafeteria together next time.”

“Who is it?” He Shuyi said casually. “It couldn’t be that fiancée of yours, could it?”

Xu Que didn’t make a sound, effectively confirming it.

“Really?” He Shuyi was quick on the uptake. “Then I won’t disturb your romantic date. I’ll head out first.”

“Yeah, see you this afternoon.”

Xu Que took the elevator down to the parking lot alone and found Jiang Fengyi’s car. Just as she was about to send a message, the car lights flashed, and the passenger door unlocked.

“Get in.”

Xu Que buckled her seatbelt. As soon as she got in, she couldn’t wait to recount everything that had happened outside the office.

“She only showed up right before the lunch break?”

Xu Que nodded. “Based on what Shuyi said, she does this often. She doesn’t respect this job at all.”

“Shuyi?”

“Oh, that’s Xiao He’s name.”

“In just one morning, the two of you have become that close?”

Xu Que replied with a smile: “That’s thanks to our General Manager Jiang’s eye for people. She really is as easy to get along with as you said.”

The slight bit of awkwardness in Jiang Fengyi’s heart dissipated strangely, vanishing before she could even grasp it.

She rested both hands on the steering wheel, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. She said nonchalantly, “Since she doesn’t want to work, she doesn’t need to come back anymore.”

Xu Que: “But what about your mother’s side…”

“I’ll deal with my mother.”

With the Zhao Ruxuan matter settled, Xu Que turned her attention to the upcoming lunch.

“What are we having for lunch?”

“We’re going to that hotpot place you wanted to try last time but couldn’t.”

This time, the hotpot restaurant was open as expected. It was peak dining hours, so the place was crowded. Chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns tumbled in a bubbling, bright red beef tallow broth, and a spicy, pungent aroma wafted through the shop.

Before Xu Que had even ordered, her mouth began to water.

“Two people? This way, please.”

After they sat down, Xu Que scanned the QR code and moved the phone in front of Jiang Fengyi. “Take a look first at what you want to eat.” Then, turning to the waiter, she skillfully ordered several essential hotpot dishes.

Jiang Fengyi looked at the phone screen and found herself at a loss. She turned to the person beside her: “Do you have any recommendations?”

The phone screen wasn’t large, so Xu Que immediately leaned in, huddling close to Jiang Fengyi to browse. Their two heads were so close they nearly touched.

“Do you eat this?”

“I do.”

“And this?”

“Yes, that too.”

Xu Que didn’t realize that her distance from Jiang Fengyi was so close that she could have kissed her just by turning her head. She was entirely focused on scrolling through the menu items on the screen, heart and soul into the ordering process.

Suddenly, her movement on the phone stopped. Xu Que sniffed. She realized that, aside from the aroma of the hotpot, there was an additional hint of a floral fragrance.

How could there be a floral scent in a hotpot restaurant? Xu Que sniffed again carefully, realizing she really liked the smell. She kept searching for the source of that fragrance beneath the heavy scent of the beef tallow.

“Did you smell…”

It was only when Xu Que stopped moving that Jiang Fengyi realized they were too close. She pulled her body back quite a bit.

The two returned to a normal social distance.

The wisp of floral fragrance swirling around Xu Que’s nose seemed to fade. She continued to sniff, but now even the faint scent was gone, disappearing completely. It was as if the fragrance had never existed, as if it had just been an illusion.

Xu Que swallowed the second half of the sentence she hadn’t spoken.

After ordering, Xu Que took Jiang Fengyi to prepare the dipping sauces. Jiang Fengyi followed her to the sauce station, not knowing where to start. In the past, whenever she ate hotpot, the staff would prepare the sauces and bring them to the table. She had never tried doing it herself.

Xu Que handed her an oil-based dipping bowl and asked considerately, “Do you want to do it yourself, or should I help you?”

“You help me.”

Jiang Fengyi watched as Xu Que expertly added seasonings to two small bowls, occasionally turning back to ask her questions.

“Do you eat spicy?”

“Do you want green onions?”

“How about cilantro?”

Jiang Fengyi nodded to everything. She had said she wasn’t a picky eater. Although there were things she hadn’t tried before, she was willing to try them now; the taste should be good.

Jiang Fengyi reached out to take her bowl, but Xu Que nimbly avoided her.

“I’ll carry it,” she explained. “When I was pouring the oil just now, a little bit got on the rim of the bowl. It’ll get on your hands easily.”

“Just go back and sit down. I’ll take care of everything.”

Xu Que’s voice was gentle, unconsciously taking on a tone used for coaxing a child.

Not only did she steady the bowl back to the table for Jiang Fengyi, but after setting it down, she also reached out to pull out the chair. As the other person sat down, she carefully covered the corner of the table with her palm to prevent any bumps or bruises.

Seeing her practiced manner, Jiang Fengyi couldn’t help but ask: “You have a lot of experience taking care of people?”

Xu Que gave a small smile. The overhead lights illuminated those dazzling eyes, and the smile seemed to overflow from the corners of her eyes.

She spoke with confidence: “I have plenty of experience taking care of kids!”

“Kids?” Jiang Fengyi pressed. “Whose kids were you taking care of?”