Chapter 16

「Is it love if it is sprouting in your heart.」

–

“Brother, you promised me that you’ll go to the theme park with me on the weekend.” Before Huo Xiaoman left, she was still holding his hand and repeating this phrase over and over.

Cheng Yan smiled and nodded as he held her hand. Huo Xiaoman finally stood up once she received an answer.

Huo Sheng smiled as he asked him, “Are you sure that you don’t want to eat dinner with us?”

“Don’t worry. My mom’s at home too.” Cheng Yan found an excuse, but he was thinking about buying new glasses before the shop closes.

Before he went, Huo Sheng suddenly turned around and told him, “ You look much more energetic with contact lenses.”

Cheng Yan was embarrassed and lowered his head, not knowing what to do.

Seeing that he was shy, Huo Sheng didn’t tease him anymore. He picked Huo Xiaoman up and walked towards the car.

Now that Huo Sheng was within earshot, Huo Xiaoman kept repeating, “Dad, Brother Cheng Yan said that he will take me to the theme park on the weekend.”

After she repeated it three times, Huo Sheng finally smiled helplessly, “Okay, okay, you’re going. Dad will go with you as well if I’m free, okay?”

Huo Xiaoman immediately hugged his neck in happiness.

After they left, Cheng Yan found an optical shop. He was looking for a pair with thick frames but he couldn’t find any. Then the assistant explained that most of their glasses have thin frames because of recent fashion trends. He couldn’t find a pair he liked, and it took him ages to find one similar to his previous pair. When he wore it, he somehow remembered Huo Sheng’s compliment and hesitated.

He took it on and off and saw that he indeed looked more energetic with the contact lenses. He bit his teeth and placed the glasses down, having made up his mind.

Just after he had made up his mind, Cheng Yan was caught by surprise by a young man who dragged him to a salon with his persuasion. When Cheng Yan came out of the shop, he helplessly looked at his hair that became shorter by more than a half.

-

On the very next day, someone cried out in surprise before Cheng Yan could sit down at his work desk.

Miao Yu grabbed Cheng Yan and spun around him three times. She said, “Cheng Yan, what happened? Are you dating? Did you fall in love? Or did you fall out of love?”

Cheng Yan praised her imagination and subconsciously stepped backwards. He covered his fringe and said with embarrassment, “Does it look bad?”

“No, no, no.” Miao Yu denied again and again. Then she lowered her voice, “I didn’t know that you have the potential. You look unexpectedly… Unexpectedly…”

“Unexpectedly…?” Cheng Yan questioned.

“Small?” Miao Yu said as she struggled to find the word.

Cheng Yan’s expression turned complicated.

Right at this moment, Liang Chen and Fatty suddenly entered the room. He saw Liang Chen look at him with surprise, and Cheng Yan turned increasingly restless.

Cheng Yan looked back and forth at her. He bit his lips and asked, “What’s wrong?”

As if Liang Chen could understand Miao Yu, she asked, “Ah Yan, did you find the right person at your blind date? ”

Cheng Yan was rendered speechless this time.

Cheng Yan bursted out laughing after seeing his expression. She smacked Cheng Yan’s shoulder and told him, “I’ll be serious now. Really, why did you suddenly want to use contact lenses now.”

Cheng Yan told her honestly, “My glasses got stepped on yesterday. I’ll get new ones tomorrow.”

“Don’t, don’t.” Liang Chen pretended to be kind and advised, “As your good friend, I feel very proud seeing you like this.”

Then she immediately took out her phone and took a picture. She turned her head and said, “I’m going to send this to my mom.”

This scared Cheng Yan but Liang Chen quickly entered the office before he could stop her.

Fatty took a glance at Cheng Yan and sat down in silence.

Miao Yu wanted to speak but closed her mouth and sat down too, seeing that the atmosphere wasn’t good.

Once Cheng Yan had settled in his seat, a notification appeared on the bottom right corner. It was a message from Miao Yu, “Did something happen between you and Brother Wang?”

“I don’t know.” Cheng Yan messaged back.

Then, he heard the notification went off with a ding-dong again. It was from Fatty Wang, “Did you finish that part from yesterday?”

“Nearly finished.” Cheng Yan answered.

Fatty Wang replied straightly, “I need it done quickly or I wouldn’t be able to sort out the data.”

Cheng Yan looked down and a sigh slipped out of his mouth.

Despite what he said, he found out that the work was very time consuming.

As a result, Cheng Yan didn’t have time to eat during lunchtime. He barely made it before the afternoon shift and handed Fatty the work.

Fatty looked grateful and thanked him. He then turned around and walked away.

After seeing what just happened, Miao Yu looked at the Fatty and Cheng Yan. In the end, he didn’t say anything.

In all honesty, this was not the first time that this happened.

There was another person before Fatty transferred to this group, and that person was also one of the old leader’s favourites.

That person always gave his work to Cheng Yan with the excuse that he had to take care of his children at home to leave work early.

If it was someone else, they would have objected, but Cheng Yan wouldn’t. He would accept the task handed to him and finish them without objecting.

If the work handed to him was credited towards Cheng Yan, then it would be advantageous towards him.

However, Cheng Yan was a passive person who would not dispute over a loss. This worsened as he was a person with few words and Old Zhang could not see it happening.

Slowly, Cheng Yan became the sort of person that people call “hard working but not capable enough”.

Miao Yu who was watching this unfold knew that Cheng Yan wasn’t that sort of person.

Yet, it doesn’t matter if he was or wasn’t since people need to strive for it in a workplace in order to achieve it.

Cheng Yan gently sighed. He suppressed his emotion and took out his own portion of work to work on.

This unknowingly continued until the evening when work was over.

Everyone in the group left work on time as always.

Cheng Yan was able to concentrate better as he was the only one left in the office.

For the whole day, he was too busy to pay attention to Huo Sheng. Now that he had time, he looked at the light in his office, feeling at ease.

Liang Chen didn’t go home on time as well. When she walked in, she asked Cheng Yan, “Are you not going home?”

“I still have a lot of work that I need to finish.” Cheng Yan answered.

Liang Chen smiled and waved her hand. “Then I’m going.”

“Oh yes,” Liang Chen suddenly looked back, “Brother Sheng is probably going to stay late. If you’re going to make coffee, make him a cup too. ”

“Okay,” Cheng Yan responded.

Just as she was about to close the door, she quickly turned around again and added, “Remember, just milk and no sugar.”

An indescribable feeling formed inside Cheng Yan’s heart from her words.

He knew that it was normal for an assistant to be familiar with the superior’s taste, so was there a need to feel like this?

He mildly laughed and looked back at his work.

Yet, Cheng Yan couldn’t sit still. Either it was because she told him to “make him a cup too” or because she told him to put “milk and no sugar”.

He pondered for a while and in the end, he stood up and headed for the break room.

Then, he knocked on the door after preparing a cup of coffee.

The person inside replied, “Come in.”

”

”

As he placed the coffee on the table, he saw the little green plant given to Huo Sheng a few days ago. It was vibrant with new branches.

He suddenly felt better and lightly smiled, “Brother Sheng, here’s your coffee. With milk and no sugar.”