I Secretly Read My Boss' Diary (GL) - Chapter 23

Yan Zhao had never regretted buying light-colored pants so much. To make matters worse, she hadn’t brought a jacket today, so if her pants got stained, she wouldn’t have anything to cover herself with.

As the car slowly pulled up to a high-end restaurant, Yan Zhao pressed her face against the window, scanning the area for any nearby stores or boutiques. Finding none, she resignedly turned her gaze to Gong Muyu, the driver. A sudden idea struck her, and she pulled out her phone to send a text message.

Gong Muyu engaged the parking brake and heard her phone chime. Assuming it was a family member calling at this hour, she was surprised to see Yan Zhao’s name light up the screen.

Gong Muyu instinctively glanced back at Yan Zhao, who was wildly signaling at her with her phone. Opening the message, Gong Muyu froze, startled by its contents. Remembering Yan Zhao’s awkward expression when she turned around earlier, she couldn’t help but smile.

Seeing Gong Muyu laugh after reading the message, Yan Zhao grew furious. I’m already in such a mess, and she’s laughing at me? She immediately sent another text, her indignation seeping into every word.

Gong Muyu read the message, desperately suppressing the laughter that threatened to escape. She simply replied, “Got it,” then told Yan Zhao to wait in the car while she stepped out.

Noticing Sun Yiming still sitting motionless in the passenger seat, Gong Muyu’s smile faded. “Manager Sun,” she said, “why don’t you go upstairs and place the order? Yan Zhao and I have something to discuss. We’ll be up shortly.”

Sun Yiming sensed an odd tension between them. He wanted to ask Yan Zhao what was going on, but seeing her slumped in the back seat, clutching her backpack with a resigned expression, he paused. After a moment’s hesitation, he nodded.

“Alright. I’ll wait for you in the Bamboo Garden upstairs. Call me when you’re ready.”

After speaking, Sun Yiming glanced at Yan Zhao’s complexion again, still feeling uneasy. He leaned down and knocked on her car window. When she rolled it down, he asked with genuine concern, “Yan Zhao, are you feeling unwell?”

Yan Zhao felt another wave of warmth spread through her, but seeing Sun Yiming lingering, she felt like she might burst into tears.

If you don’t leave now, I might actually start feeling sick.

Though inwardly miserable, desperately wishing Sun Yiming would disappear, Yan Zhao forced a smile. “Thank you for your concern, Manager Sun. I’m fine. You should go upstairs now.”

Sun Yiming nodded, as if wanting to say more, but Yan Zhao’s patience had run out. Before he could speak, she gritted her teeth, barely suppressing a roar.

“Manager Sun, please just go.”

Hearing the impatience in Yan Zhao’s voice, Sun Yiming finally realized he had overstepped. He waved at her, then trudged toward the elevator with a helpless expression.

Watching Sun Yiming slowly walk away, Yan Zhao sat in her car and dramatically bowed to Gong Muyu beside her, as if in prayer. Gong Muyu rolled her eyes at Yan Zhao’s antics, flipped her hair, and strode out of the parking garage.

About fifteen minutes later, Gong Muyu appeared in Yan Zhao’s line of sight, carrying a handbag. Yan Zhao waved at her like a drowning woman spotting a lifeguard.

Gong Muyu couldn’t help but chuckle at Yan Zhao’s expression, thinking she looked like a small pet trapped in a car, only its head visible. With that thought, she quickened her pace and slipped the handbag through the car window.

“I didn’t know what brand you prefer, so I just grabbed two random packs of tampons. I also picked up some underwear and pants, though I’m not sure if they’ll fit. Just make do for now.”

After glancing around to ensure no one was watching, Gong Muyu turned to Yan Zhao. “No one’s around. Roll up your window and I’ll keep watch while you change in the car.”

Yan Zhao hesitated briefly, but there was no time for modesty now. After thanking Gong Muyu, she rolled up the window.

Gong Muyu stood facing the windshield, keeping watch while lost in her own thoughts. She knew Sun Yiming had only invited Yan Zhao today, and she understood his motives all too well. But she also knew Yan Zhao too well. If she allowed Sun Yiming to get too close, he’d likely trick this silly girl into falling for him in no time.

Though Gong Muyu didn’t know much about Sun Yiming, she could tell from his eyes that he wasn’t one to settle down. To someone like him, the naive Yan Zhao might seem like a novelty, and it wasn’t impossible that he was simply lusting after the novelty.

Even if Yan Zhao didn’t like Gong Muyu and wouldn’t accept her, Sun Yiming was still a terrible match for her. If she allowed Yan Zhao to be with him, he would only ruin her.

The thought made Gong Muyu’s heart ache. Fortunately, Sun Yiming hadn’t confessed his feelings to Yan Zhao yet. Even if he did now, Yan Zhao probably wouldn’t immediately agree, given her presence.

Of course, Yan Zhao’s hesitation wasn’t because she knew Gong Muyu’s feelings. Though Yan Zhao might seem foolish at times, she wasn’t impulsive. Pursuing Yan Zhao with a “frog-boiling-in-slow-water” strategy was perfect. Given enough time, Yan Zhao would gradually “surrender” under the subtle influence.

Yet despite understanding this, Gong Muyu lacked the courage to confess again after being decisively rejected once. She no longer believed Yan Zhao would ever accept her.

Perhaps Yan Zhao simply isn’t interested in women…

The moment this thought crossed Gong Muyu’s mind, a chill ran through her, making it feel difficult to breathe.

If her suspicions were true, her hopes might be dashed forever. Worse still, Yan Zhao might already find her budding feelings distasteful, forcing them to part ways and never cross paths again.

Yan Zhao, now changed, carelessly crumpled her discarded clothes and tossed them into her handbag. She pushed open the car door, stepped out, and slowly approached Gong Muyu, who was leaning against the hood of the car.

“Thank you so much, General Manager Mu. I would have been utterly embarrassed without your help today.”

Startled by Yan Zhao’s words, Gong Muyu, still shaken by her own fears, took a moment to react. She looked Yan Zhao up and down before asking, “How do you feel now? Are the pants comfortable?”

Yan Zhao glanced down at the athletic shorts Gong Muyu had bought for her and nodded in satisfaction. “They fit perfectly—neither too big nor too small. Even better than the ones I bought myself.” She smiled gratefully at Gong Muyu.

Gong Muyu watched Yan Zhao’s expression without speaking, simply nodding and gesturing for her to head toward the elevator.

From the day Gong Muyu joined the company, she noticed that Yan Zhao’s height hadn’t changed much since their first meeting in their freshman year.

Naturally, Gong Muyu knew Yan Zhao’s clothing sizes like the back of her hand. Experience proved her observation to be spot-on.

“General Manager Mu, how much do I owe you for the purchase? I’ll transfer it via WeChat.”

Hearing Yan Zhao’s words, Gong Muyu stopped walking.

“No need. It’s not much at all. Consider it compensation for making you stay late today.”

Yan Zhao was about to reply when her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket. She quickly pulled it out to check the caller ID.

When she saw her mother’s number on the screen, she froze, rooted to the spot.

She glanced at Gong Muyu before answering the call. The moment it connected, her mother’s urgent voice came through:

“Zhaozhao, why haven’t you called Mom in so long? Did something happen? Chong hasn’t been in touch either. Has he contacted you?”

Yan Zhao was at a loss for words as her mother fired off question after question. Before she could answer, her mother continued:

“And another thing, who was the man who answered your call last time? Is he a boyfriend? Can you bring him home to meet Mom during the holidays?”

Hearing this, Yan Zhao could no longer contain herself. Rubbing her forehead, she called out in exasperation, “Mom!”

“Mom, stop jumping to conclusions. He’s just a regular colleague. I was busy outside, so he answered the phone for me.”

“Mom, Yan Chong and I are both grown up. You don’t need to worry about us. Besides, Yan Chong has his father looking after him. Stop fretting over nothing.”

After a moment of silence, Mom retorted, “How can you say that, child? Chong was raised by me, after all.”

Yan Zhao had always known her mother was a soft-hearted person, but as she grew older, her heart had become even softer, bordering on saintly. Despite her earlier fury towards Yan Chong, the person she still worried about most was him. No matter how many times Yan Zhao tried to reason with her, explaining that Yan Chong was beyond help, her words always fell on deaf ears. Initially, Yan Zhao patiently listened to her mother’s rambling, but after countless repetitions, even her usually good-natured temperament finally snapped.

Silently listening to Mom’s endless chatter on the other end of the line, Yan Zhao’s fingers repeatedly hovered over the red “End Call” button, yet she couldn’t bring herself to press it.

Gong Muyu, sitting beside Yan Zhao, noticed the tears welling up in her eyes and reached over to silence the call.

Yan Zhao looked up at her in surprise. On the other end of the line, Mom’s voice grew increasingly agitated until she finally hung up in anger.

“I’m sorry. I’ve made a fool of myself again.”

Seeing Yan Zhao like this, Gong Muyu’s heart softened. Her right hand, which had been hanging by her side, moved slightly before finally reaching out to stroke Yan Zhao’s hair.

“Silly girl, don’t you know all women go through menopause? Trying to argue with someone in that state? That’s just plain foolish.”

By the time Yan Zhao followed Gong Muyu upstairs, her mood had improved considerably.

Support I Secretly Read My Boss’ Diary (GL)