The pushover offended a top-tier boss

When she got home, her mother was frying meatballs in the kitchen.

He peeked out when he heard the door open, looked her up and down, and when his gaze landed on her face, he couldn't help but praise her:

"Your face is so rosy, it seems the medicine is working quite well for you."

"Keep drinking, don't stop!"

Ye Zhenzhen hummed in response, her eyes darting away.

It does have an effect, but it's not that medicine.

She suddenly felt guilty, as if her affair had been discovered.

Thankfully, Mom changed the subject to what she cared about most: "By the way, how was that young man you met today?"

Ye Zhenzhen said, "No, that's not appropriate."

"What's wrong with it?"

"He's unpatriotic, a Western-worshipping sycophant. He went abroad for a year and a half, and now he thinks everything foreign is delicious."

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Ye's mother immediately said, "That won't do! We can't accept someone like that! He's traitorous material; no matter how good his conditions are, we won't consider him!"

"I'll do as you say!" Ye Zhenzhen nodded repeatedly.

Okay, all done.

"Lin Zhi's back?" her mother asked again. "Why didn't you call her home for dinner?"

"She said she'd only be here for a little while, then she left," Ye Zhenzhen lied guiltily.

"Where could she go during the Lunar New Year?" the mother couldn't help but ask.

"She said she was going abroad on a business trip, but foreigners don't celebrate the New Year." Ye Zhenzhen walked into the kitchen, pinched a meatball, and stuffed it into her mouth.

Mother Ye sighed, "This poor child."

Ye Zhenzhen couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache. Lin Zhi hadn't been home for Chinese New Year for several years. There was nothing to miss about her family.

In the afternoon, Ye Zhenzhen cleaned the windows with her mother.

She stood on the windowsill, holding a rag, breathing on it to wipe away the dust from the glass, while the snow outside fell heavier and heavier.

The TV was on, and Binzhou TV was broadcasting the news. The volume wasn't very loud, but the living room was quiet, and every word could be heard clearly.

"Comrade Zhou Huaijin, the Party Secretary of the New District, braved the wind and snow to visit the elderly living alone in the mountain village, bringing them New Year's warmth and blessings."

Ye Zhenzhen turned around and looked at the TV screen.

On the television, the man was still wearing that dark gray overcoat, standing in front of a low house, with a vast expanse of white snow and a few bare trees behind him. An elderly man with white hair held his hand, his eyes red-rimmed. Zhou Huaijin bent slightly, tilted his head, and listened attentively.

The scene changes, and Zhou Huaijin stands in front of the camera, with snowflakes still clinging to her coat.

Tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve. I wish everyone a happy family and all the best.

Ye Zhenzhen looked at the serious and upright man on TV and suddenly had a strange feeling.

Just a short while ago, that person was here, embracing her and kissing her under the falling snow.

He took advantage of her time and again at the county government's guesthouse.

They forced her to say some embarrassing things.

Are these two people really the same person?

"Oh my, Secretary Zhou is still out running around in this heavy snow. He's such a good official." Mother Ye poked her head out of the kitchen, glanced at the TV, and exclaimed sincerely.

"Young and promising, and handsome too. By the way, what does his wife do?" Ye's mother turned to look at Ye Zhenzhen with a curious expression.

Ye Zhenzhen replied, "He's not married yet."

"You're so old and still not married?!" Ye's mother exclaimed in shock.

And one can't help but sigh, "They must have had too high standards!"

"That's true. What kind of person would it take to catch someone's eye if a man is both good-looking and of high status?"

Ye Zhenzhen stood in the living room, looking at the face on the TV screen.

"Who knows?" she muttered to herself.

The fact that he would even be interested in me just shows how strange his taste is.

She turned around and glanced at herself in the entryway mirror.

She has an oval face, fair skin, big eyes, a slim waist, and long legs.

You look great too, don't you, Ye Zhenzhen? Don't underestimate yourself!

He must have been blinded by his own good looks!

The top leader gave her a strict order—she had to send WeChat messages every day, no slacking off, no disappearing, and no just sending a single emoji to fool people.

Ye Zhenzhen was truly obedient this time, sending him photos of every little thing, so frequently it was like she was doing a live broadcast.

Ugh, you're so annoying!

[I'm peeling garlic. Look how round and white the garlic I'm peeling is!] A bowl of plump, white garlic cloves, with a dish of vinegar next to it.

[Two dogs are fighting at the door. Boss, do you like dogs? This gray one is so cute, it's the same color as your coat.] Two mixed-breed dogs are rolling around in the snow, one yellow and one gray, biting each other's tails.

[Boss, do you prefer milk candy or fruit candy?] The peanut candy plate at home is a colorful mess.

[Aren't the steamed buns my mom made huge?] A pot of freshly steamed buns.

Zhou Huaijin's phone kept vibrating on the way. He leaned back in his seat, the phone resting on his lap, glancing at it every time the screen lit up.

She's quite obedient. Before, she wouldn't contact him for days, but now she wants to show him every single thing she does in a day.

Zhou Huaijin took a picture of the sky outside the window and sent it to her.

Ye Zhenzhen replied instantly: 【Boss, you're not home yet?】

"Just set off." His reply was as concise as ever.

A desperate illiterate person: [Thank you for your hard work, boss.]

It was followed by a bowing emoji.

"And then?" Zhou Huaijin asked.

Ye Zhenzhen stared at those three words.

You've worked hard, that's all. What more do you want?

So much to do.

Today is another day I'm thinking of you. [Death smile]

She gritted her teeth, typed a line, and sent it out, feeling so hypocritical she could win an Oscar.

In the afternoon, she made dumplings and put up couplets with her parents. It was a lively and bustling time. Steam filled the kitchen, and laughter echoed in the living room.

Dad rolled out the dough, and she and Mom were in charge of wrapping the dumplings. The three of them squeezed into the small kitchen, so close together they could bump into each other if they turned around. The cutting board was piled high with plump white dumplings, the snow was still falling outside the window, the prelude to the Spring Festival Gala was playing on TV, and the house was warm and cozy, filled with the atmosphere of the New Year.

Ye Zhenzhen took a photo and sent it to Zhou Huaijin.

[Boss, did you make dumplings at home?]

I get a coin in my dumpling every year!

The couplets are already up, but do you see that the "福" (good fortune) character is crooked?

I'm going to set off fireworks! Are they not allowed where you live?

She felt like a chatterbox as she typed, but her fingers just wouldn't stop.

A little while later, I sent him another video.

Ye Zhenzhen and a group of children were setting off fireworks in the yard. First, they held sparklers and drew circles in the air, sparks flying everywhere. Then they played with firecrackers, throwing them on the ground with a crackling sound, which startled a cat nearby, causing it to jump onto the wall. Finally, they even held up a Gatling gun firework and set it off "rat-a-tat-tat" into the sky.

My phone vibrated; Zhou Huaijin had sent me a voice message.

"Too dangerous, you can't play with it."

His voice was deep and serious, with a commanding tone.

Ye Zhenzhen was having too much fun to listen to him:

"Just play, it's none of your business."

The mountains are high and the emperor is far away, so even during the New Year, he can't come to arrest her.

The message was sent, but I was pleasantly surprised to receive the following reply:

[Ye Zhenzhen, tomorrow, the setting off of fireworks and firecrackers will be completely prohibited in Nanjing County. Violators will be fined and administratively detained.]

Ye Zhenzhen was stunned.

Maru, you're getting a little too cocky.

She quickly sent a series of kneeling emojis: "No, boss—"

This is something he's capable of doing.

The city has banned firecrackers for several years, but in remote counties like theirs, far from the reach of the central government, they've been setting them off secretly, and nobody really cares.

On New Year's Eve, a large table was set for the reunion dinner. Chicken, duck, fish, meat, and seafood—everything was served—a truly sumptuous feast. All of Mom and Dad's specialties were on the table: braised pork belly, sweet and sour pork ribs, steamed sea bass, boiled shrimp, chicken stew with mushrooms, pickled cabbage with pork belly, and a plate of golden-brown fried meatballs. In the center sat a plate of plump, white dumplings, steaming hot. The family sat together, the sound of firecrackers echoing outside the window.

Ye Zhenzhen took a picture of the New Year's Eve dinner and sent it to Zhou Huaijin.

"Boss, what do you eat at home?"

She was quite curious. What would a family like his celebrate the Lunar New Year like? Would it be a Manchu Han Imperial Feast? Would they have a professional chef at home? Would everyone at the table sit upright and address the other person as "Chief" before speaking?

A while later, Zhou Huaijin sent a photo.

The meal was beautifully presented, each dish like a work of art. But the scale wasn't as extravagant as she had imagined. There were more than ten dishes, a mix of meat and vegetables, similar to the abundance at her home, only they looked more refined, like the work of a hotel chef, lacking the warmth and homeliness of a home-cooked meal.

Zhou Huaijin put down his phone and glanced at the dining table in front of him.

He didn't have any special feelings about the Chinese New Year. When he was a child, he looked forward to the New Year because he didn't have to go to school and he could set off firecrackers. As he grew up, the New Year became a ritual that he had to go through and was somewhat tiring to perform.

My father had just arrived home and sat on the sofa for a short while before going to his study. The meal had been prepared by the chef; there were no particularly expensive ingredients. My father has always been frugal, and despite his many years in politics, he has never developed a habit of extravagance.

The meal was simple, no different from usual.

His parents had always treated each other with utmost respect and courtesy. Growing up surrounded by this environment, he developed a similar personality. He couldn't express himself, couldn't be affectionate, and couldn't say those soft, sweet words.

He has never experienced the joy of the whole family shopping for New Year's goods, doing a thorough cleaning, or jostling around in the kitchen together. The house has always been cleaned by a nanny and cooked by a chef. There has never been the lively atmosphere of the house filled with cooking fumes, the clanging of spatulas, or someone shouting from behind, "Pass me the vinegar."

After dinner, his father had tea with him for a while. The two sat in the study and talked about serious matters. The conversation didn't sound like that of a father and son; it sounded more like that of a superior and subordinate.

My phone was flooded with New Year's greetings messages.

Year after year, it's the same. There's no difference.

The secretariat's group chat was buzzing with activity. Employees started sending their blessings in a chain. Zhou Huaijin glanced at it and casually sent out a red envelope.

The message notification sound instantly caused an uproar.

In just a few seconds, the red envelopes were all snatched up.

Immediately afterwards, the group chat was filled with uniform "Thank you, leader."

In these unusual moments, everyone was unusually relaxed. Some people started to stir things up:

"Boss, one more!"

"One more +1"

"+10086".

Zhou Huaijin posted a few more.

It sold out instantly again, and the screen was filled with "Thank you, boss!"

Ye Zhenzhen was always the first to grab the item, and she was always quick to do so, but she never replied to messages.

Chen Zheng shouted in the group chat: "[Caught someone lurking in the shadows. Ye Zhenzhen, what kind of luck do you have? How come you always have the worst luck?]"

Ye Zhenzhen was sulking. Everyone else was grabbing things worth tens of yuan, or at least a few yuan.

She got one cent for the first one, two mao for the second, and two mao five for the third!

For such a small thing, she has to say thank you?

Chen Zheng directly tagged Zhou Huaijin in the group chat: 【Boss, one more, please?】

[Sister Ye, wash your hands before you try to steal this time.]

The group chat was silent for a few seconds.

Zhou Huaijin ignored Chen Zheng.

Instead, he clicked on Ye Zhenzhen's profile picture.

Transfer: 10000 yuan.

Ye Zhenzhen looked at the number, and her previously sullen face instantly broke into a smile.

She clicked "Receive Payment" before finally sending a message, completely satisfied:

"Thank you, boss."

Add a kneeling and kowtowing emoji.

Zhou Huaijin chuckled softly:

Are you happy now?

Ye Zhenzhen replied with a giggling emoji, and added:

"Wishing you a Happy New Year, and may you achieve great success in the coming year."

"That's all?" Zhou Huaijin asked him.

Ye Zhenzhen bit her lip, thought for a moment, and typed three words:

I miss you so much.

Following behind was a chubby cat with squinted eyes and a smile, holding a red heart in its arms.

Money can make her work.

Zhou Huaijin looked at the words and the cat, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.

He suddenly realized that the New Year holiday wasn't so boring after all.