I Secretly Read My Boss' Diary (GL) - Chapter 3

July 10th: The day I almost lost the Silly

My roommate dragged me out to karaoke today. I didn’t want to go at first, but when I saw the Silly behind us, pecking at the air like an excited chick, I figured the karaoke atmosphere might not be so bad after all.

The Silly seemed to have never been to a place like this before. Her dazed expression drew curious glances. I hurried ahead to shield her behind me, not wanting others to see her. Truth be told, I wanted to hold her hand, pull her into my arms, and declare to everyone eyeing her, “She’s mine!”

But I lacked the courage…

The Silly was too absorbed in her surroundings to notice anything else, let alone my fervent gaze.

*******

The Silly seemed to love singing. Her soft voice, like a gentle caress, struck not just my ears but my heart. It felt warm and tingling, like a gentle electric current. I sat in the corner, watching her intently. Even though she was only drinking ordinary soda, it felt like a burning ember had settled in my stomach.

By the end of the night, the classmates who had come with us were drunk, crying, and making a scene, unable to stay still for a moment. The Silly seemed drunk too, giggling foolishly as she watched the others jump and dance in the middle of the karaoke room. Worried she might feel sick on the way home, I went to the front desk to ask for some milk. But when I returned, I discovered the Silly was gone.

The bar was a chaotic mix of people, and I couldn’t bear to imagine what might happen to her right under my nose. In that moment, I felt like I was going mad. I searched every corner of the bar frantically, finally finding her sound asleep in a bathroom stall, her arms wrapped around the toilet.

Ignoring the strange looks from others, I trembled as I pulled her into a tight embrace.

She was safe. Thank goodness…

*******

When Yan Zhao woke from her dream, tears were streaming from the corners of her eyes. She didn’t know why she was crying, but the thought of the person in the diary frantically searching for their beloved Silly filled her heart with unbearable ache.

She had personally experienced the chaos of a bar during her college days. Thinking it would be fun, she went once with her classmates, but she never set foot in such a place again.

Looking back, she remembered getting drunk and going to the restroom. In her hazy state, a pervert had grabbed her from behind.

Fortunately, the pervert seemed to have been heartbroken and equally drunk. After holding her for a moment, he released her. Because she was also heavily intoxicated, she couldn’t recall which classmate found her in the restroom and escorted her back to school. But from that day on, she never dared to go to a bar again.

She couldn’t even imagine what that person would go through, recklessly searching for her Silly. Yet, judging by the diary entries, he still hadn’t told Silly the truth. Otherwise, the diary wouldn’t have been so full.

After lounging in bed long enough, Yan Zhao finally remembered that she was supposed to join her colleagues for a welcome lunch for the new boss. The thought of the stern-faced Terror sent her curling into a cocoon under the covers, letting out a mournful groan.

The precious weekend hours that should have been dedicated to sleep were now being forcibly halved by the new boss. What kind of earthly suffering was this…?

Though Yan Zhao had no desire to attend the company event, she knew it wouldn’t look good if everyone went except her. After tossing and turning in bed for a while, she finally dragged herself out with a gloomy expression. She washed up, made herself a simple bowl of noodles, changed her clothes, and hurried to the office.

By the time Yan Zhao arrived, all seven members of her department were already there. As soon as she stepped into the office, Liu Yiyang pushed her toward Dong Wan, while the rest of the team gathered around, propping their chins on their hands to watch the spectacle.

“Liu Yiyang, if you’re so tough, don’t hide!” Dong Wan shouted, pointing at him with her hands on her hips.

Liu Yiyang grinned and stuck his tongue out at Dong Wan. Just as he was about to retort, Zhang Sheng walked in. Noticing Liu Yiyang sizing up the bewildered Yan Zhao and Dong Wan’s furious expression, Zhang Sheng immediately recognized that the troublemakers were at it again. He clapped his hands to get everyone back to their seats.

“Sister K, did you drive today? Yan Zhao, Liu Yiyang, and the others don’t have cars. Can you give them a ride later?”

Sister K raised her head, her face a mix of exasperation and amusement. “You’re really something, boss. Why didn’t you mention this earlier? I thought we’d be drinking tonight, so I took the subway.”

According to company tradition, newcomers—especially leaders—were subjected to a ritualistic drinking session. Sister K, a veteran employee with a high alcohol tolerance, particularly enjoyed this “reserved program” and had deliberately left her car at home to fully indulge.

After checking with Zhang Sheng, they were relieved to learn that the newly appointed manager had booked a hotel nearby. After a quick discussion, they decided to have Sister K, Li Nan, and Da Lin ride with Zhang Sheng, while the others would take taxis.

Just as they finalized their plans, General Manager Mu walked in, carrying her bag. She paused, noticing the group gathered in the office, and greeted them, “Everyone’s here? Does anyone need a ride later?”

Liu Yiyang, ever quick to speak, blurted out, “No need to trouble you, General Manager Mu. We’ll just grab taxis.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Liu Yiyang was met with a barrage of glares. Zhang Sheng, standing right in front of him, even pinched his waist. Liu Yiyang winced in pain but forced himself to endure it, mindful of the manager’s presence.

“It’s no trouble at all,” General Manager Mu replied. “I’m heading that way anyway. Just wait a moment while I grab a file from my office, and we can leave.”

Having already experienced the woman’s temperament, Zhang Sheng exchanged a meaningful glance with the others, signaling them to slip away early.

As Gong Muyu turned and entered her office, Zhang Sheng waved his hand, immediately leading Sister K, Da Lin, and the others toward the elevators.

By the time Yan Zhao and Dong Wan realized what was happening, the group had already boarded the elevator on the third floor and descended to the underground parking garage.

Yan Zhao silently cursed Zhang Sheng as “a cunning old fox.” With the boss having already given the order, it would be inappropriate for them to sneak away again. She could only return to her seat with a long face, mentally stabbing a voodoo doll of Zhang Sheng.

Gong Muyu only needed a few minutes to retrieve a document. When she emerged from her office, she saw Yan Zhao sitting at her desk, playing with a small doll displayed on the surface.

She wanted to call Yan Zhao’s name, but as the syllables reached the tip of her tongue, her heart felt like it had been clenched in a fist, the pain making it difficult to even breathe.

Gong Muyu swallowed hard and walked over to Yan Zhao, her slender, pale fingers tapping lightly on the desk. When Yan Zhao, who had been resting her head in her arms, looked up with her large, dewy eyes, Gong Muyu’s heart seemed to skip a beat. She quickly turned her gaze away.

Yan Zhao, absorbed in playing with the doll on her desk, seemed unaware of Gong Muyu’s arrival. When she heard the tap, she lifted her head from her arms and looked up at the person standing before her. Recognizing Gong Muyu, she quickly grabbed the doll and stood up.

“General Manager, are you ready to leave?”

Gong Muyu’s heart raced from Yan Zhao’s earlier gaze. Suppressing the urge to reach out and touch her head, she nodded. “Yes, let’s go.”

With that, Gong Muyu called out to the others and turned to walk toward the elevator. As she turned, she noticed Yan Zhao lightly patting her chest, clearly startled by her sudden outburst. Gong Muyu paused, glanced back at Yan Zhao, and seemed about to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

The elevator arrived quickly. Gong Muyu stepped in first, carrying her bag. Yan Zhao, holding Dong Wan’s hand, stood to her right, occasionally glancing at Gong Muyu.

As Dong Wan had mentioned earlier, Gong Muyu’s waist was indeed remarkably slender, yet she possessed ample curves in all the right places.

Yan Zhao glanced at Gong Muyu, then looked down at herself in comparison. She pursed her lips, feeling a pang of unfairness. We’re both women, yet the difference is so vast…

Gong Muyu, who had been subtly observing Yan Zhao, couldn’t help but notice her glances. Assuming Yan Zhao might have recognized her, Gong Muyu suddenly felt a surge of nervousness.

Before Yan Zhao could imagine what Yan Zhao might say next, the elevator dinged to a stop. Dong Wan, who had been standing on one foot, lost her balance from the sudden halt and stumbled against Yan Zhao.

Caught off guard by Dong Wan’s sudden weight, Yan Zhao lurched toward Gong Muyu. Damn it! she thought, but before she could react, Gong Muyu caught her.

Yan Zhao found herself sprawled against Gong Muyu’s shoulder, the sensitive skin of her wrist pressed against his chest. The soft contact made her unconsciously flex her arm, which slid down to wrap around his waist.

She couldn’t help but exclaim, “Holy shit, you’re so thin…”

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