Chapter 36

Thump—

The sound was soft, landing on Yuan Yi's table.

Yuan Yi was typing data on the computer when she heard the sound. She turned her head and saw a splash of blue in her field of vision.

Yu Xia went to get her water cup.

"Thank you, Xia." Yuan Yi thanked her, picked up the water glass, and was about to open it to drink when she realized something was wrong.

Looking at my watch, I saw the hands had already moved to the number "6".

Why did it take you half an hour to go to the tea room?

Yuan Yi then casually asked, "Xia, why did you take so long?"

A while passed.

No response.

Yuan Yi turned around curiously and saw that Yu Xia was still clutching her water glass in her hand, her expression was blank, and she was sitting there absentmindedly, as if she had been drained of all her energy, and she didn't know what she was thinking.

Yuan Yi waved her hand in front of Yu Xia's eyes: "Xia?"

Yu Xia's vision blurred for a moment, and she came to her senses, looking at Yuan Yi with a confused expression: "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong with you? I called you several times but you didn't answer. You seem distracted," Yuan Yi said with a smile.

"It's nothing," Yu Xia shook her head, only then realizing that she had been daydreaming. She put her water glass on the table, came to her senses, and said, "I was just a little distracted and didn't pay attention."

"What's wrong? Are you tired?" Yuan Yi asked with concern. "Or are you feeling unwell?"

"Really?" Yu Xia paused for a moment, then said uncertainly.

She had only spent a short time in the tea room with Gu Yubai. Although she felt a bit stressed, she wasn't tired.

It's a bit mentally taxing.

I always have to figure out what he means by his words.

However, she answered the second question with much more confidence: "No, it's not that I'm feeling unwell."

"Right?" Yuan Yi accurately captured the tone and imitated it perfectly.

"Looks like you have something on your mind," Yuan Yi said with a smile, her expression mature beyond her years.

"I think so," Yu Xia said casually, intentionally avoiding the topic.

A few thoughts about my boss's mind.

Let's not talk about it.

Seeing that she didn't want to continue the conversation, Yuan Yi didn't ask any more questions.

—

For some reason, Yu Xia kept thinking about what Gu Yubai had said at noon.

"I just don't want you to get hurt."

I just don't want you to get hurt.

That's all.

Yu Xia's mind was filled with this sentence all day, and it was like she was poisoned. She could even recall Gu Yubai's tone, expression, and actions when he said it, as well as the look in his eyes when he looked at her. It was like a slow-motion replay, constantly looping in Yu Xia's brain.

What's the meaning.

What do you mean by "I just don't want you to get hurt"?

Are they close?

Is their relationship such that they care about each other's safety?

Moreover, the words gave Yu Xia a strange sense of familiarity, as if she had heard them somewhere before.

Suddenly, a scene flashed through Yu Xia's mind.

"Don't get hurt."

Hold.

No wonder it felt somewhat familiar.

Her close friend had also sent her this before.

What Yu Xia found even more absurd was that she strangely felt that the sentence she shared with her partner perfectly matched Gu Yubai's tone and expression, without feeling out of place at all.

Especially the portrait of Gu Yubai that she painted.

It's even stranger now; the fit is so absurd.

Yu Xia had no time to think about where these connections came from; she was overwhelmed with worry and only wanted to figure out one thing.

She started searching online.

What should I do if my boss seems to like me?

Does your boss saying he doesn't want you to get hurt mean he likes you?

What are the consequences of an office romance?

How to politely reject an office romance?

How can I tactfully tell my boss that I have no intention of having an office romance?

[If I refuse my boss's offer, can I still continue working here?]

What kind of people are prone to office romances?

What kind of boss likes to force people to do things they can't?

Yu Xia anxiously searched for solutions on various online platforms, searching through a whole bunch of results. She thought she could find an ideal solution, but the answers in the comments section left her feeling utterly dejected.

[Netizen A: After being rejected by your boss, it must be hard to keep working here, right? The awkwardness alone is enough to drive you crazy... not to mention seeing him every day. If you have a high tolerance for stress, then disregard what I said.]

[Netizen B: Oh no, what kind of horror movie is this? How could someone want to stay at their job after being confessed to by their boss? Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps!]

[Netizen C: I think it's impossible. It's like asking if you'd want to live in the same space as your ex...]

[Netizen D: Don't even think about it, it's extremely difficult unless you have exceptional stress tolerance and a remarkably strong mentality.]

After reading these answers, Yu Xia felt frustrated, but still asked a question out of desperation.

Is there really no chance at all? I really love this job T^T

Helpful netizens also shared their experiences online.

There's nothing we can do about it. You can always find another job. Why make yourself unhappy later just for a temporary job?

Sister, I advise you to run away quickly. If your boss is a petty person, think about what kind of good thing he'll do to you after you refuse him. How can you continue working there? He might very well want to trip you up and retaliate against you. For your mental and physical health, you should run away quickly!

[Yes! Running away is the best decision! Office romances are the worst thing you can do in the workplace. If you run away now, you still have a way out. If you postpone it any longer, you'll really be uncomfortable at work, uncomfortable in your personal life, and you'll end up with nothing to show for it.]

Besides, how would you feel working with someone you like who doesn't like you? It's definitely uncomfortable and awkward. Do you want that feeling to accompany you throughout your career? So it's best to escape as soon as possible.

Looking at these comments, Yu Xia felt that they all had their own points and made sense, but... these issues didn't seem to apply to Gu Yubai.

Amidst the chorus of voices advising her to quit, Yu Xia weakly uttered a sentence.

However, my boss doesn't seem to be that kind of person; he's quite fair and honest, separating public and private matters.

Upon hearing this, netizens fell silent.

[Netizen A: ...]

[Netizen B: ...]

[Netizen C: ...]

[Netizen D: ...]

Yu Xia also fell silent, feeling as if she had offended netizens.

After several seconds of silence, a new message finally appeared in the comments section.

It was posted by user D.

[Netizen D: Haha, if you want to have an office romance, just say so. Why all this fuss? Are you treating us like part of your play?]

Upon seeing this, Yu Xia frowned, puzzled as to why netizens' attitudes had suddenly changed drastically, becoming sarcastic and pointed, when she was simply stating the truth.

Although the words were not particularly harsh, the tone of the attack was quite obvious, given that everyone involved was active online.

No, I'm just stating a fact; there's no need for such sarcasm.

Yu Xia replied.

Fortunately, other reasonable netizens quickly spoke up below.

[The person upstairs doesn't need to be so harsh. They didn't say anything specific, just that their boss isn't that kind of person. But not all bosses are petty men.]

[Exactly! This is clearly a newbie seeking help after encountering something like this for the first time. Everyone has moments of confusion; there's no need to be so aggressive.]

[What do you mean "playing"? Don't just learn a word and start using it indiscriminately, okay? The internet isn't your toilet where you can dump anything. Just ignore him; some people are just too aggressive and can't stand anything.]

Seeing these normal comments, Yu Xia's discomfort dissipated considerably.

Indeed, there are still more good people than bad in the world.

Unable to find an answer online, Yu Xia quickly logged off. She had no interest in arguing with anyone online; she had only come to ask a question, not to start a fight.

But just as she was about to put her phone away, it suddenly rang.

Yu Xia was taken aback. She clicked on the message and saw that it was from her friend B, who was worried that her mood would be affected. B had sent her a private message.

Sister, don't pay attention to that person. She just said something rude, it's not your fault. I saw your question, and it's not impossible. From your description, your boss seems pretty normal. Maybe you're overthinking it? Perhaps he didn't mean what you think he meant.

A simple "I don't want you to get hurt" might not seem to mean much, but most girls are generally more sensitive, so it's understandable that they might think that way. However, from another perspective, for some straight men, especially someone like your boss (who's a bit rigid), this might just be a very ordinary sentence, and perhaps it doesn't really mean what we're thinking. Thinking about it this way, your worries are easily resolved. Of course, this is just my personal speculation, and my analysis is based solely on your description. It may not be entirely accurate; the specific situation depends on your own circumstances. However, staying vigilant is essential, as girls need to be more attentive to protect themselves. Best wishes for your work!

Genuine kindness in the world can easily touch people's hearts.

Yu Xia felt a warmth in her heart when she saw this message.

Thank you! Your analysis is very insightful. I will observe further and think about this issue more carefully. I also wish you success in your work and all the best!

After being comforted like this, Yu Xia felt much better.

She felt that the netizens were right. The phrase "I don't want you to get hurt" really doesn't mean anything, especially for someone like Gu Yubai. He might just be worried that her getting hurt would affect his work, and he doesn't want to spend money to support an idle person.

Thinking about it this way, it seems very much in line with Gu Yubai's style. That's right! This is exactly Gu Yubai's thinking! This makes perfect sense!

Everything makes sense now!

After changing her perspective, Yu Xia felt the situation was more and more accurate, and realized that she had been deluding herself.

Yu Xia pushed open the door.

They became increasingly convinced of their new ideas.

How could she possibly think Gu Yubai likes her just because of one sentence? That's ridiculous.

You're overthinking it.

However, just as she pushed open the door, a familiar figure appeared before her.

Their eyes met.

Hold.

The construction that was finally completed seems to have collapsed again, and this inexplicable feeling has returned.

It's over.