Weakness Trap - Chapter 61

The scene fell silent for a moment.

As the studio owner, Yu Qingluan didn’t need to do anything her mere presence was enough to intimidate the slacking employees.

Especially when they were discussing such embarrassing topics.

Not only Yu Lingxue, but even Lyra and the others were sweating bullets.

It wasn’t until Yu Qingluan drew closer that she noticed they were gathered around her newly hired assistant. Tilting her head, she wore a puzzled expression. “Is this the new employee? Have you all introduced yourselves?” she asked, thinking to herself how quickly the local assistant had integrated.

“We were just in the middle of greeting her,” Lyra replied, nodding obediently like a chick pecking at grains.

“Then take some more time to get acquainted. We’ll have a meeting at 1:30 this afternoon to report on last month’s progress,” Yu Qingluan said briefly before turning and heading into her office.

Only after Yu Qingluan’s footsteps faded did Yu Lingxue’s tense heart finally relax.

She let out a sigh, unsure why she had been so nervous.

Being overly anxious could easily give her away. Besides, Yu Qingluan hadn’t recognized her earlier and had even hired her into the studio. Any further nervousness would only make her seem suspicious.

Meanwhile, Lyra and the others were still whispering among themselves.

“Do you think she heard us mention ‘little lover’?”

“Hopefully not, but you said it pretty loudly…”

“Can’t you say something comforting? I was sure she didn’t know about that.”

Yu Lingxue overheard every word but took a moment to process it.

English wasn’t her native language, and some phrases were so advanced she had to wonder if she’d misheard due to her limited proficiency.

“Glacier? Come on, I’ll take you to complete the onboarding procedures,” Selina said as she arrived, spotting Yu Lingxue and rescuing her from the crowd of colleagues.

“Don’t worry, everyone here is really nice. No need to be nervous,” Selina reassured, immediately sensing Yu Lingxue’s discomfort a skill befitting her role in HR.

“Yeah, they’re just a bit too enthusiastic,” Yu Lingxue replied, feeling somewhat overwhelmed.

She desperately wanted to clarify what “little lover” meant.

Was it what she thought? Had Yu Qingluan, under immense pressure over the years, taken on several lovers?

Or was she mistaken, and it was just a joke among the employees?

Yu Lingxue preferred to believe the latter. She recalled Lyra and the others’ earlier reactions, if Yu Qingluan really had lovers, they wouldn’t have been so tense.

But if it were the former,

Yu Lingxue took a deep breath.

Regardless, she was in this position now.

Whatever Yu Qingluan asked of her, what choice did she have but to accept?

Besides, if it really meant being a “little lover,” she’d be more than happy to comply.

“You don’t need to arrive this early in the future. Except during product launch periods when things get hectic, our workload is generally light. Coming too early just means boredom arriving later helps avoid the rush,” Selina explained as she handed over the contract.

“Understood,” Yu Lingxue replied, resolving to stay calmer from now on.

“Please review the contract. We have a one-week probation period. Since you’ll be working closely with Qingluan, it’s important to see how well you two mesh. If she isn’t satisfied, we’ll have to let you go,” Selina added, taking the medical report to glance over. Finding no issues, she outlined their requirements.

“Generally, what will I need to do?” Yu Lingxue asked after reviewing the contract.

It was a formal employment agreement with no hidden traps. After signing her name, she turned to Selina for guidance.

“As an assistant, your role is quite similar to that of a secretary lots of tasks, and they can be pretty varied. It’s hard to sum it up in one sentence. Simply put, you’ll do whatever Qingluan needs you to do. That includes listing her to-do items, reminding her of meeting times, organizing market data and recent news we report to her, and so on.”

Selina had never served as Yu Qingluan’s assistant herself and wasn’t entirely sure how Lyra had handled things previously.

“You can go ask Lyra later she probably has a lot to share with you. Oh, and since our studio is still small, we don’t provide breakfast or lunch. But we do have a fridge and a microwave, so you can bring your own meals to heat up or grab something from the Tims nearby.”

This was Yu Lingxue’s first time working as someone else’s employee, especially with Yu Qingluan as her boss.

She nodded earnestly, looking no different from a fresh college graduate.

Selina felt both relieved and concerned as she observed Yu Lingxue’s clear yet naive gaze.

Yu Qingluan worked hard, and having an assistant who was straightforward might make things easier.

But then again, as a designer, Yu Qingluan would attend various exhibitions and banquets. An assistant without a bit of perceptiveness wouldn’t do.

Well, there was still a one-week probation period.

Selina sighed as she watched the “innocent graduate” Yu Lingxue leave the office.

If it didn’t work out, she could always be replaced.

The other two candidates from the interview weren’t bad either one even had three years of assistant experience but Yu Qingluan hadn’t shown much interest in them.

Instead of immediately seeking out the talkative Lyra, Yu Lingxue went to Yu Qingluan’s office and knocked on the door.

“Come in. Hmm? Have you finished the onboarding process?” Yu Qingluan seemed to be sketching, holding a tablet casually.

“Yes, I’ve signed everything. We can communicate in Chinese my family always speaks Chinese at home. Is there anything you need me to do?”

Even though she had mentally prepared herself, Yu Lingxue still felt unsettled seeing Yu Qingluan up close again.

She clenched the hem of her clothes, took a deep breath to calm her nerves, and walked toward Yu Qingluan.

Yu Qingluan smoothly switched back to her native language.

“There is. Have you picked up your laptop yet? If not, take that one over there and organize the spreadsheet for the fourth-quarter financial report we’ll need it for this afternoon’s meeting.”

She was still struggling with which pattern to use. With the new assistant here, it was a good time to delegate some miscellaneous tasks.

“Then go ask Xiao Xuan if everything has been confirmed with the Velvet Society organizers find out our position in the lineup. Also, double-check the models’ status with Selina.”

As she spoke, Yu Qingluan set down her tablet and looked at Yu Lingxue, pondering what else needed attention.

The Velvet Society, Yu Lingxue understood.

So Yu Qingluan had chosen to collaborate with them. It seemed the studio’s designs would be showcased at next month’s fashion show.

This was probably their first time participating in an event of this caliber, right?

No wonder they were so busy.

“You know about the Velvet Society’s fashion show, right? If not, look it up. Later, during the meeting, take notes on everyone’s comments, Is this for me?”

Yu Qingluan looked at the small meal box that had suddenly appeared before her.

A layer of condensation still clung to the lid, blurring the contents, but she could vaguely make out steamed buns inside.

“That’s right. You looked so busy, I figured you probably hadn’t eaten breakfast,” Yu Lingxue said, feeling relieved that she had thought to grab an extra portion before leaving home that morning.

“My mother in law made it traditional Chinese breakfast. I hope it suits your taste.” With that, Yu Lingxue opened the container.

Of course, it was actually the food Li Ran had given her yesterday, which she had reheated that morning.

But in a way, it was indeed made by her “mother in law.”

Seeing the meat buns and millet porridge with pickled vegetables, Yu Qingluan’s gaze softened.

She had thought she wouldn’t get to eat something like this for at least another month.

“Thank you, that’s very thoughtful of you,” Yu Qingluan said as she accepted the meal box, noticing the chopsticks tucked underneath.

“Have you eaten already?” It wouldn’t feel right to take someone else’s breakfast.

“I ate at home,” Yu Lingxue replied, her cheeks flushing again with a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

“So, you brought this especially for me?” Yu Qingluan tilted her head, looking at Yu Lingxue and giving her a playful wink.

Yu Lingxue froze for a moment, then felt her ears burning.

Did Yu Qingluan always act like this toward others?

That wink sent such an electric thrill through her that Yu Lingxue felt like she was floating.

“Mhm.” Yu Lingxue had to lower her head, afraid her expression might give her away and make Yu Qingluan suspicious.

Yu Qingluan chuckled softly. “So nervous are you afraid I’ll get upset and fire you?”

Yu Lingxue’s makeup was heavy, making it hard for Yu Qingluan to guess her age, so she treated her like a junior from school, teasing her for fun.

Yu Lingxue’s entire body felt hot, her eyes welling up with tears, as if steam might rise from the top of her head.

Meanwhile, Yu Qingluan, the one who had caused this reaction, remained completely unfazed, simply picking up a spoon and starting to slowly sip the porridge.

She left Yu Lingxue standing there, head bowed, burning with embarrassment, biting her lip to hold back tears.

After a few minutes, Yu Lingxue dared to sneak a glance upward, only to find Yu Qingluan watching her.

The moment their eyes met, the tears Yu Lingxue had struggled to hold back nearly spilled over.

Yu Qingluan laughed again, set down her spoon, and rested her chin in her hand, gazing at Yu Lingxue with a gentle, charming smile that only made her more flustered.

“Am I really that scary?” she asked in a joking tone, her voice laced with amusement.

Yu Lingxue felt a jumble of embarrassment, frustration, and panic. Her head was so hot she could probably fry an egg on it. She didn’t know what to do whether to shake her head or speak and ended up fumbling awkwardly.

“If I’m so scary, it must’ve been hard for you to bring me breakfast,” Yu Qingluan continued, genuinely amused, thinking her new assistant was a junior who admired her after learning about her achievements.

“No!” Yu Lingxue’s voice tightened as she hurried to explain.

Meeting Yu Qingluan’s slightly tilted head, she realized she had spoken too loudly and quickly buried her face again.

“Just teasing you,” Yu Qingluan said, her laughter escaping through her nose.

“Just be like you were on the day of your interview.” She reached out and patted Yu Lingxue’s head.

Yu Lingxue’s pupils, hidden in the shadows, slowly dilated with each pat.

She jerked her head up abruptly, and Yu Qingluan’s hand slid down along her cheek.

A faint, ticklish sensation, like an electric current, ran through her entire body. Yu Lingxue had to take a step back to steady herself, barely avoiding collapsing on the spot.

“Alright, don’t be so nervous. Go back to work. As long as you do your job well, I won’t give you a hard time,” Yu Qingluan said, winking at her again with one eye.

Yu Lingxue’s heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest.

” I understand.” She fled Yu Qingluan’s office in a fluster, never expecting her first day at work to be so thrilling and nerve wracking.

Two minutes after stepping out, Yu Lingxue remembered that her first task required using the computer in Yu Qingluan’s office, so she hesitated at the doorway.

Before she could linger for another two minutes, the door opened on its own.

Yu Lingxue met Yu Qingluan’s gaze, and her face instantly flushed bright red.

“Come in and use the computer. Did I really scare you?” Yu Qingluan belatedly realized that she might have teased a bit too much.

She had assumed that people of Chinese descent were all outgoing and passionate, similar to Lyra and the others.

Who knew this one would be so timid, like a little rabbit, fleeing at the slightest provocation, yet so endearing, hiding in the nearby grass with just a pair of ears peeking out, secretly watching her.

“I apologize. I didn’t mean to do anything to you.” Yu Qingluan guided the stunned Yu Lingxue back into the office.

Yu Lingxue shook her head vigorously. “No, you’re fine.”

It was her own guilty conscience that couldn’t handle Yu Qingluan’s closeness, yet she desperately longed for Yu Qingluan’s next move.

Would she come closer, or would she step back slightly, luring her deeper into the trap?

Either way, Yu Lingxue would be overjoyed.

Three years. She had waited so long, finally finding an opportunity to openly show goodwill to Yu Qingluan and interact with her normally.

How could she possibly be dissatisfied?

“Good girl. Remember to report to me this afternoon. I’ll return your lunchbox then.”

After teasing her new assistant, Yu Qingluan was in high spirits and casually called her “good girl.”

Yu Lingxue felt her head spin, clinging tightly to the computer, not even daring to breathe too heavily, afraid that everything had been an illusion that one deep breath would shatter it all and return her to the reality where Yu Qingluan paid her no attention.

If this was what it meant to be Yu Qingluan’s little lover.

Well, that didn’t seem so bad.

After finishing the data entry for the spreadsheet, Yu Lingxue hurriedly left Yu Qingluan’s office to attend to her next task, unable to suppress the smile that finally broke free.

In the afternoon, when Yu Lingxue received the clean lunchbox returned by Yu Qingluan, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Remember to rest early.” With a smile she couldn’t hide, Yu Lingxue reminded Yu Qingluan.

Yu Qingluan was taken aback and gave Yu Lingxue an extra glance.

She didn’t notice anything unusual, but she couldn’t help recalling Yu Lingxue’s final words that day.

She knew Yu Lingxue must have had a lot to say at that moment.

Just like herself, she actually had some things she wanted Yu Lingxue to know though none of them were pleasant.

But she never expected Yu Lingxue to choose silence, replacing it with a simple reminder that left her unmoved at the time, yet made her think of those words, “rest early,” every night before falling asleep.

“I will.” Yu Qingluan sighed inwardly, growing even more aware.

She really had left Hong Kong in a hurry and come to the U.S. early just to avoid Yu Lingxue.

Yu Lingxue, however, remained oblivious to her complex feelings, suppressing her overly cheerful steps as she boarded the bus.

Her first day as an assistant had come to a satisfactory end. The role of an assistant wasn’t much different from that of a secretary. As someone who had a secretary herself, Yu Lingxue knew what secretaries usually did and seamlessly adapted to her assistant duties.

Apart from not yet figuring out what exactly a “little lover” entailed, Yu Lingxue was quite satisfied with everything else.

Apart from the nights when she lay tossing and turning in the house she had bought not long ago, Yu Lingxue would wonder just how many people Yu Qingluan had treated the same way.

There was a time when Yu Qingluan was so introverted that she had only one friend, and no student in the entire academy had a lower presence than her.

Let alone actively teasing or playing pranks on others, she would even get nervous and have difficulty breathing when trying to initiate a conversation.

Now, three years had passed, and Yu Qingluan had changed quite a bit.

Had she teased ten, or even a hundred people like this?

Yu Lingxue didn’t dare to think too deeply about it, as a sour ache was already bubbling up inside her.

Yet she couldn’t help it. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Yu Qingluan calling someone else “good girl.”

Her thoughts churned in her stomach. Unable to bear the ache, Yu Lingxue got up and went to the bathroom.

Don’t overthink it, she told herself. Caring too much, wanting too much, would only make her embarrass herself and put Yu Qingluan in an awkward position.

It had taken so much effort to get this opportunity… she mustn’t ruin it.

Yu Lingxue buried her face in a plush toy a little wolf she had sprayed with rose perfume and breathed slowly, feeling slightly calmer.

When she opened her eyes again, the little wolf was back in her arms, and the sky had brightened.

Yu Lingxue got up, took out the ingredients she had prepared, and started cooking according to the recipe.

Yu Qingluan must often forget to eat breakfast.

She needed to practice cooking quickly.

Yu Lingxue worked until 9:30 a.m., finally managing to prepare a barely satisfactory breakfast. She hurriedly packed it into a lunchbox and rushed to catch the bus to work.

“Should I reimburse you for the breakfast?” Yu Qingluan took the lunchbox and asked jokingly.

Yu Lingxue shook her head. “I had extra ingredients anyway. It would be a waste not to use them.”

She just wanted to bring Yu Qingluan breakfast.

Usually, seeing Yu Qingluan skip breakfast made her anxious. Now that she finally had the chance to make sure she ate well, how could she possibly accept money from her?

“Still, I should pay you. Thanks~ If you haven’t eaten, want to share?” Yu Qingluan pushed the lunchbox to the side a little.

The studio didn’t have an extra computer for Yu Lingxue yet, so she was still using Yu Qingluan’s spare one for work. In the mornings, she usually stayed in Yu Qingluan’s office.

Yu Lingxue shook her head, about to refuse, but after a moment’s thought, she obediently picked up the extra pair of chopsticks.

She hadn’t eaten, but she wasn’t hungry either.

Still, this was a rare opportunity to share a meal with Yu Qingluan.

The next day, and the day after, Yu Lingxue deliberately skipped breakfast, saving it to eat with Yu Qingluan at the company.

The one-week probation period passed quickly. Yu Lingxue was highly efficient at work and even brought Yu Qingluan lunch.

Yu Qingluan had no complaints, and Yu Lingxue successfully passed her probation.

“Can I make a special request?” On her first official day, Yu Qingluan half-jokingly asked Yu Lingxue.

Over the past week, they had grown much more familiar.

At least now, when she spoke to Yu Lingxue, the latter no longer blushed or grew flustered with nervousness.

“Of course, what would you like?” Yu Lingxue took out her notebook, ready to jot it down.

“I was just joking.” Yu Qingluan was stuck on a design pattern again and had wanted to tease her assistant to relax.

“You before ahem. I mean, I was going to buy ingredients today anyway.”

Yu Lingxue caught herself just in time, managing not to ask if Yu Qingluan had teased other assistants like this before.

“I want to eat those buns from before. The ones you brought on the first day.” Yu Qingluan lay lazily across the table. On days when she couldn’t sketch, she didn’t even have the energy for embroidery. All she could do was reminisce about the flavors of her hometown, finding solace in the memory like quenching thirst by thinking of plums.

“Sure, I’ll bring some for you tomorrow.” Yu Lingxue quietly moved closer to Yu Qingluan.

“Can’t come up with the design?”

Over the past week, she had gained a measure of Yu Qingluan’s trust.

Yu Qingluan generously showed her the draft sketches. “It’s for next year’s third quarter collection. If I don’t go back to Chucheng, I have no inspiration at all.”

“Not going home for the New Year?” Yu Lingxue looked at the designs but could only offer praise.

She didn’t know how to design and couldn’t help Yu Qingluan.

“I want to, but it depends on how busy I am ” Yu Qingluan scratched her head and then slumped back into her chair.

“Come with me on a business trip the day after tomorrow. We’re going to San Francisco to discuss something.”

“I’ll book the flights and hotel then. Two single rooms?”

“You’re my personal assistant one room should be enough. Or if you mind, we can book two.” Yu Qingluan said it casually.