Chapter 9: No gain, no early rise

The next day.

Yan Nian woke up naturally at around seven o'clock, got up slowly and went to the bathroom to wash up.

After tidying up and leaving the bedroom, Yan Qilin and Xu Yiqing sat at the dining table and had already eaten breakfast.

One was holding an iPad and the other was holding a newspaper, and there was no communication.

There was a breakfast left for her on the table.

Auntie is busy in the kitchen.

Yan Nian walked over in slippers.

Hearing the noise, Yan Qilin put down the newspaper and looked up. Seeing her, he smiled lovingly: "She's started to read."

Yan Nian nodded and went over to sit opposite them.

Xu Yiqing pushed breakfast towards her: "You must eat breakfast. You didn't eat it yesterday."

Yan Nian stirred the hot porridge in the bowl and drank it slowly.

Yan Qilin put down the newspaper and asked, "How's work going? Is it going well?"

Yan Nian replied: "Yeah, it's pretty good."

Yan Qilin said, "That's good. Dad was worried that you wouldn't be able to adapt."

Yan Qilin looked very tired and rubbed his eyebrows.

Since returning to Lindu, I come back late every night and look listless without my glasses.

Yan Nian put down the spoon in his hand: "Dad, are you coming home for dinner tonight?"

Yan Qilin had just stood up when he heard this and stopped, saying with a smile, "I'll try to come back as soon as I can."

Not getting a definite answer, Yan Nian pursed her lips, drooped her eyelashes and nodded dejectedly.

After breakfast, Xu Yiqing and Yan Qilin each had something to do, so the three of them went out together, but in different ways.

Yan Nian didn't ask anyone to take him there, and he took a taxi from the roadside to go to the company.

It was only nine o'clock when I arrived downstairs at the company. I came quite early, and there was no one on the 32nd floor.

Yan Nian sat at his workstation for a while, then stood up and went to the pantry to get some water.

When I went out, I happened to meet Zhou Ran walking in with his long legs.

He was carrying a briefcase and was not as formally dressed today as he was yesterday.

A white shirt and black trousers with a slightly open collar, looking casual and unrestrained.

It felt like I had been up all night, and my eyelids were tired.

Yan Nian greeted, "Good morning, Mr. Zhou."

"Yeah." Zhou Ran walked over and didn't forget to order her, "Come to the office and make me some coffee."

Yan Nian: “…”

Yan Nian stopped and turned around, Zhou Ran had already walked to the office door.

Remembering his words "Here, I have the final say", Yan Nian thought for a while and had to follow him in.

Zhou Ran's office was square and faced south. This time, the blinds were drawn, letting in excellent light.

I didn't take a close look yesterday, but the rest area is fully equipped.

Yan Nian walked to the rest area to find the utensils needed to make coffee, but he still couldn't find any coffee beans.

Yan Nian stood in front of the display cabinet and looked around.

In just a moment, Zhou Ran disappeared from the huge office.

Fell asleep on the ground?

Yan Nian scanned the ground, making sure the person wasn't sleeping on the floor. He had simply vanished from the office, his whereabouts unknown.

Yan Nian didn't hesitate and prepared to go back to get his phone to ask Gu Pingping about the whereabouts of the coffee beans.

Just as she took a step forward, Zhou Ran suddenly appeared behind her: "What are you looking for?"

Yan Nian felt a chill on her back, her shoulders trembled, and she turned towards him suddenly.

He was sandwiched between a secret door of the same color as the wall, with only half of his body exposed, looking at her with a tired expression.

Yan Nian's heart was beating a little faster at this moment, his brows were slightly knitted, and his tone was naturally not very cheerful: "I didn't find any coffee beans."

Zhou Ran came out, and before the door closed, Yan Nian saw that behind the secret door was a temporary lounge with a simple bed. The curtains should be closed, and the light inside was dim.

Zhou Ran walked up to her, his tall and straight body formed an extremely oppressive shadow covering her. Before she could avoid it, Zhou Ran slowly raised his right hand and took something from the display cabinet above her head.

The distance between them is very close, and it is extremely ambiguous.

The mature masculine scent filled her nose. Yan Nian raised her eyes vaguely, and the slightly open neckline and prominent Adam's apple were right in front of her.

The place she had once touched quietly was now right in front of her.

Yan Nian couldn't help but swallow.

Zhou Ran handed her the coffee beans and curled his lips condescendingly: "Don't be lazy just because you can't get it."

"..." Yan Nian's mind went blank for a moment, but his words immediately brought her back to reality. She lowered her eyes and fluttered her eyelashes a few times. She didn't want to refute his hearing problem.

He took the coffee beans, moved to the table, started weighing the coffee beans, and ground them according to the proportions.

She can make coffee, Zhou Ran knew that in the past.

Zhou Ran folded his arms and looked at her for a while: "Is it hot?"

Yan Nian didn't know why, but Yu Guangzhong's eyes were always on her, making her feel a little uncomfortable.

I thought Zhou Ran asked her politely because she helped me make coffee and he couldn't find anything to talk about, but I didn't hear any concern for his employees in his question. Besides, she wasn't hot.

Yan Nian: "Not hot."

When I looked up during the break, my eyes met Zhou Ran's.

Zhou Ran pursed his lips and looked at her: "Your face is so red?"

Yan Nian: “…”

Zhou Ran coughed lightly and said righteously, "I just asked you to help make some coffee. Don't think of anything else. I don't like special treatment. Public is public, and private is private."

Yan Nian felt quite puzzled. Didn't he mean by this to show that he was a good leader who was impartial and just?

But it didn't sound serious at all, instead it sounded like he was so charming that it was a sin for anyone to blush in front of him.

Zhou Ran came over and leaned on the edge of the table, continuing to explain: "Although I can't stop you from having... delusions about me, this is in the company, so I still have to remind you carefully!"

Yan Nian didn't show any emotion. After listening to him, the words he searched for were, "you, have, delusions about me."

So the combined translation means: I am a good leader who clearly distinguishes between public and private affairs and is honest and upright. Don't have any delusions about me just because you are alone with me, do you understand?

Yan Nian recalled that Mr. Zhang who came to the office yesterday said he was "playing serious."

After Zhou Ran repeatedly emphasized in front of her not to have any thoughts about him.

Could it be that this person is also pretending not to know her?

In this case, since she had cut off ties with him, it was normal for him to feel embarrassed and want to retaliate against her.

Yan Nian maintained the attitude of a subordinate towards his leader and responded respectfully: "Well, you don't have to be so blunt. I will pay attention to it. However, thank you for your broad-mindedness and kind reminder!"

Zhou Ran: “…”

There were only the two of them in the huge office, but Yan Nian couldn't stop talking about "you". She also had the attitude that if she ignored him, outsiders would not say that she did not give face to her leader. After she finished speaking, she quietly made coffee without saying a word.

Zhou Ran's lips tightened, and he seemed unhappy. After standing by her side for a moment, he told her, "Put it on the desk. I'll catch up on some sleep."

After saying that, he turned around and went back to the rest room.

Yan Nian stared at the secret door for a long time, then looked at the height of the display cabinet above her head. She was tall enough to reach it.

So, he just implied that she was short.

Yan Nian complained in his heart, putting coffee beans on top is because you are afraid that people will steal them?

I touched my cheek in annoyance. Did I really blush just now?

While waiting for the coffee to be brewed, Gu Pingping also pushed the door open from outside.

Seeing her eyes widened: "Yan Nian."

Yan Nian calmly replied "good morning" and put the coffee on the desk without making a sound.

Gu Pingping looked at her, then at the coffee on the desk, and asked in dismay, "Is Mr. Zhou here?"

"Well," Yan Nian said calmly, "the coffee is ready. I'll be out first."

Gu Pingping still didn't react until he saw Zhou Ran's briefcase on the chair, only then did he realize that someone had arrived.

You usually don't dare call to urge people until the sun is already high in the sky, so why are you coming so early today?

So fresh!

Gu Pingping tried to figure out his leader, who usually felt tired even after walking a few steps, but yesterday at noon he went to hang out in the translation team for the first time, and he would glance over there from time to time when he left the office.

Gu Pingping looked at the figure at the office door.

Could it be that this old man has taken a fancy to Yan Nian?

There is no such thing as no gain!