The pushover offended a top-tier boss

When Ye Zhenzhen received the notification, she was very nervous.

She felt intimidated when she met Zhou Huaijin's mother. It wasn't because Zhou's mother was fierce; quite the opposite, she seemed very kind and spoke softly. But it was that understated elegance and distance that made Ye Zhenzhen feel like a duck placed among swans, completely uncomfortable.

Moreover, she felt even more guilty this time than before. Last time, she was merely a "temporary secretary for the leader," completely innocent and with a clear conscience.

This time she slept with someone else's son, which is all ambiguous and she feels guilty.

If people found out, they would definitely think she was a vixen who climbed the social ladder by using her looks.

She steeled herself and walked toward the reception room.

At the other end of the corridor, Chen Zheng suddenly appeared and called out with a grin from afar.

"Aunt Lan, you look so young again." He grinned and leaned closer.

Zhou's mother was amused by him and patted his arm, saying, "You're so sweet-talking."

"Zhengzheng," her tone became more serious, with the concern of an elder for a younger person, "you mustn't misbehave anymore. Study hard here with your brother. After a while, I'll have your uncle find a way to transfer you back."

"Also, you should go back to see your mother when you have time; she talks about you all the time."

Chen Zheng patted his chest and assured her, "Aunt Lan, don't worry, my brother has made arrangements. We're doing legitimate things."

Ye Zhenzhen rolled her eyes inwardly at Chen Zheng's obedient behavior in front of his elders. This guy was usually incredibly sarcastic and sarcastic in front of her, but he acted all high and mighty when he was with his elders.

Zhou's mother's gaze fell on Ye Zhenzhen again.

Ye Zhenzhen quickly stepped forward, trying to make her voice sound as natural as possible: "Hello, Auntie."

"Xiao Ye, we meet again." Zhou's mother nodded, her gaze lingering on her face for a moment.

Zhou Huaijin sat down at the tea table and said with a smile, "I recently got a new Lao Ban Zhang tea, please try it."

Ye Zhenzhen quickly sat down to prepare tea.

She was incredibly panicked. She had just learned it yesterday, and the exam was today.

She picked up the tea tongs, lifted the gaiwan, and placed it on the tea rinse bowl. Her movements were fairly steady, but her fingers trembled slightly. She rinsed the gaiwan and teacups with boiling water.

She didn't know how much tea to put in, but luckily Zhou Huaijin helped her break off a small piece.

She picked up the kettle and poured water. The flow was fairly steady, but not high enough; the water jet hit the tea leaves and splashed a few drops onto the table.

She carefully picked up the gaiwan, her fingers gripping the rim and bottom, afraid of touching the scalding hot sides. With a flick of her wrist, the tea slowly flowed from the gaps in the gaiwan into the fairness cup. Her movements were a little stiff and the rhythm a bit off, but at least she didn't spill any.

She poured the tea into the teacup, filling it to about seven-tenths full, and presented it to Zhou's mother with both hands.

Zhou's mother picked up the teacup, first looked at the color of the tea, then brought it closer to smell it, and finally took a sip.

He put down his teacup and said gently, "Xiao Ye, you haven't brewed tea much before, have you?"

Ye Zhenzhen lowered her head, her face slightly flushed: "I... I just learned it yesterday."

"Old tea only needs about six seconds to steep; steeping it for too long will make it bitter," Zhou's mother said gently, her tone still soft and gentle.

Zhou Huaijin chimed in with a smile, "Perfect for her to practice her skills."

Zhou's mother glanced at her son, then turned away and changed the subject.

"Zhouzhou, I've recently set up several dates for you. They're all from Beijing, and their family backgrounds, education, and looks are all quite good. When we go home for the New Year, you can—"

"Mom," Zhou Huaijin interrupted her, "Didn't I already say? Why bring it up again?"

"How old are you? Aren't you worried?" Zhou's mother's tone became a bit harsher.

She turned to Chen Zheng and asked, "Zhengzheng, is your brother secretly dating someone over here?"

Chen Zheng's eyes flashed quickly, and Ye Zhenzhen's heart jumped into her throat. She lowered her head, feeling a little uneasy.

"No way!" Chen Zheng replied, "My brother is dedicated to serving the people, how could he have time for romance? He works overtime until midnight every day, and doesn't even rest on weekends. It breaks my heart to see him like this."

Zhou's mother glanced at Chen Zheng, half-believing and half-doubting: "You're not allowed to help him lie to me."

"How could that be? Aunt Lan, don't you know me?" Chen Zheng assured her sincerely, "I've always been simple and honest since I was a child, and I never lie."

Ye Zhenzhen scoffed inwardly.

If he were simple and honest, then all the crows in the world would be white.

"Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend?" Zhou's mother turned the conversation to Chen Zheng.

Chen Zheng quickly waved his hand: "My older brother hasn't even talked to him yet, how old am I?"

"You only ever learn bad things," Zhou's mother said reproachfully, then sighed and turned to Zhou Huaijin, her tone softening, "Fine, you decide for yourself."

Zhou Huaijin smiled.

"Mom, please stay a few more days this time." His tone was much gentler than before. "I'll have Chen Zheng and Zhenzhen show you around Bin City."

"Oh dear, what's there to see?" Zhou's mother waved her hand. "We've already been to all of these places."

"Things are very different now than before." Zhou Huaijin picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Bin City has changed dramatically."

After thinking for a moment, Zhou's mother shook her head: "No, I'll go back after I finish sweeping your grandmother's grave. There's still a lot to do at home. Take care of yourself and don't stay up so late."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, she checked the time and got up to leave.

Zhou Huaijin followed behind her and saw her out.

Ye Zhenzhen followed behind, escorting her all the way to the elevator. Only when the elevator doors closed did she let out a long sigh of relief.

Chen Zheng leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, looking at her relieved expression, a mischievous smile playing on his lips: "What's wrong, nervous meeting your mother-in-law?"

Ye Zhenzhen glared at him: "Shut up."

Zhou Huaijin did not come back for lunch.

In the afternoon, Ye Zhenzhen and Chen Zheng were making red envelopes in the office.

There was 220,000 yuan in cash spread out on the table, stacked there in piles, which made me happy just looking at it.

As Chen Zheng stuffed money into the red envelope, he teased her, "Sister Ye, secretly slip a couple more bills into your own red envelope, no one will know anyway."

Ye Zhenzhen's eyes lit up: "Is that okay?"

On second thought, the money was originally hers. No, it was from the card Zhou Huaijin gave her. If she put a couple more bills in, wouldn't that just be moving money from her left pocket to her right?

"No." She sealed the red envelopes and neatly stacked them in a pile.

I took a picture of Zhou Huaijin with my phone.

【It's all packed】

A few minutes later, he replied: "Just send it directly."

Looking at the line of text, Ye Zhenzhen suddenly had the illusion that she was "paying her employees year-end bonuses out of her own pocket."

She withdrew the money, she prepared the red envelopes, and now she's expected to distribute them.

She carried the bag full of red envelopes to the secretariat on the seventh floor.

"The leader has given everyone a New Year's red envelope, one for each person." She handed out the red envelopes one by one.

The office suddenly became lively. Everyone accepted the red envelopes, their faces beaming with smiles.

"Thank you, Teacher Ye!"

"Long live the leader!"

Ye Zhenzhen was also happy, as it was the first time she had received such a large red envelope.

But the moment she left, the atmosphere in the office changed.

Several female employees huddled together and started gossiping.

"Have you heard? She's hooked up with Chen Zheng, and she's so smug now."

"She knows how to play the victim. Wasn't it Chen Zheng who pleaded for her and got her transferred to the eighth floor?"

"Someone saw her come back this afternoon carrying a Chanel bag."

"Now she doesn't even care about Director Chen anymore; the eighth floor is practically hers alone."

Ye Zhenzhen was unaware of any of this. She was sitting at her workstation on the eighth floor, legs crossed, happily scrolling through her phone.

She's happy whenever the boss isn't around.

The leader accompanied his mother to sweep the grave, then saw her off; he definitely won't be back in the afternoon.

The agreed-upon three days, that is—

whee.

She was watching a funny video and was laughing so hard she was doubled over, almost to the point of tears.

The next second, the internal phone rang:

"Ye Zhenzhen".

Ye Zhenzhen's smile froze on her face.

Why is he back?

She comforted herself: It's okay, what if he forgets? He's so busy every day, with meetings, approving documents, and seeing guests, who would always think about things in bed?

She dawdled to his office door and pushed it open.

Zhou Huaijin had just taken off his coat and washed his hands in the bathroom when he came out.

He gestured toward his desk.

"For you."

Ye Zhenzhen followed his gaze and saw a cup of milk tea on the table.

Her eyes lit up immediately.

"Oh, milk tea!"

"Is this for me?"

Zhou Huaijin didn't say anything, walked over, and sat down in the office chair.

Ye Zhenzhen picked up the cup of milk tea, brown sugar boba milk, no sugar. It was her favorite flavor.

The cup was still warm, and the cheese on top hadn't melted yet, so it looked like it had just been made.

"How did you know I liked this?" Her happiness was undisguised.

Zhou Huaijin looked at her and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.

She's so happy over just a cup of milk tea. She's so easy to please.

After accompanying his mother to sweep his maternal grandmother's grave, he took her for a walk around the area.

The mother was also filled with emotion: "This place wasn't like this before. Over the decades, Bin City has indeed changed a lot."

As he passed through the commercial area, he saw a milk tea shop. The GG sign at the entrance had a picture of a cup of brown sugar boba milk tea, exactly the same as the empty cup that Ye Zhenzhen had at her workstation yesterday.

He went inside, bought a drink, and handed it to her.

"Try it, lots of young girls like to drink this now."

Zhou's mother took the cup of milk tea, glancing at him helplessly: "Which little girl?"

"You guessed it already, why ask?" he laughed.

"I don't see it that way. That girl isn't particularly outstanding in any way. How did you become so infatuated?"

Zhou Huaijin thought for a moment and said two words: "Pleasing to the eye."

His mother looked at him for a few seconds, then said nothing more. She simply sighed and said:

"If you think it's good, then it's fine."

"I'll keep it from your dad for now."

"Is it good?" he asked Zhou's mother with a smile.

"It's alright," Zhou's mother finally sighed.

After seeing his mother off, he turned around and went to that milk tea shop.

"A cup of brown sugar boba milk, no sugar."

The shop assistant glanced at him, probably thinking that this man in a dark coat with a serious expression didn't quite fit the atmosphere of the place.

Two of the shop assistants even secretly guessed whether it was for his wife or his child.

He put the milk tea in the passenger seat and drove back to his workplace.

Ye Zhenzhen inserted a straw, took a sip, and felt happy again.

"Thank you, boss." Her voice carried a genuine and undisguised joy.

"Is it good?" he asked.

"It's delicious! You should try it—" Ye Zhenzhen held the milk tea to his lips.

Zhou Huaijin did not accept the cup of milk tea.

Instead, he stared at her slightly parted lips, which were stained with a little white milk foam. Because she had just drunk milk tea, her lips were slightly red and glossy.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he reached out his long arm to wrap around her waist.

Before Ye Zhenzhen could react, she had already fallen into his arms.

"Ugh—"

The next second, her exclamation was completely swallowed up.

He kissed her.

The caramel aroma of brown sugar and the rich flavor of milk spread between the lips and teeth like a silent, sweet invasion.

Ye Zhenzhen was caught off guard and flustered by the sudden kiss.

No, that won't do—was the door locked?

Her consciousness struggled to break free of its slumber. The door was unlocked. Someone could walk by in the hallway at any moment. Chen Zheng was next door, Chen Xuefei could come up to deliver documents at any time, and the cleaning lady could come in to collect the trash.

Suddenly, she felt a chill on her waist, which terrified her.

She said, her face flushed and panting:

"No, not here—"

What if someone sees her? Will she even be alive?!

Zhou Huaijin looked at her flustered and frightened appearance, a thin layer of smile in his eyes.

"If this won't work, where will it work?"

Ye Zhenzhen's face turned as red as if it were on fire, and she could only whisper, "Home...home..."

"Then come back to Yuyuan with me after get off work?" he pressed, a hint of triumph in his smile.

"Mmm..." She nodded vigorously, wanting to end this dangerous ambiguity as soon as possible.

Zhou Huaijin curled the corners of his lips into a smile.

You silly child, you're so easy to fool.