"Seeing how hard you're working, I thought I'd try to help you out."

When she said those words, Xue Xiaodie's eyes held a gentle smile, but her expression was exceptionally serious. Clearly, she wasn't joking.

But Lu Zhe felt that everything in front of him was too absurd.

He stood there stunned for more than ten seconds, then asked with utter bewilderment, "How are you going to share the burden?"

Xue Xiaodie: "Whether you want to fool President Xia in the future, or if you want to keep something from Xiao Caitang, you can ask me for help."

Lu Zhe's eyes widened: "Are you sure? You want to see me?"

Xue Xiaodie smiled and said, "What's so hard to be sure about? It's just two girlfriends, I'll help you sort it out. Besides, a straight guy like you who hasn't had much dating experience, no matter how smart you are, often can't figure out what girls are thinking because you don't have this kind of experience. Although I don't have much dating experience either, I'm a girl. Putting myself in their shoes, I can roughly guess what Xiaocaitang and President Xia are thinking, and when they will react."

Lu Zhe: "Then you..."

Xue Xiaodie: "Then I can give you some advice. For example, do you want to see Xiao Caitang tonight, or do you want to secretly go see President Xia without Xiao Caitang's knowledge?"

Lu Zhe felt his throat was unusually dry, and the words he spoke were somewhat weak.

He chuckled twice and said, "It's so late, of course I'm going to bed. I have to go to work tomorrow..."

Before he could finish speaking, the girl in front of him sighed helplessly, and then he couldn't continue.

Xue Xiaodie said quietly, "I've made myself so clear and frank, is there any need to hide it from me? These past few nights, if you weren't with President Xia, you must have been with Xiao Caitang, right?"

Lu Zhe stared, speechless.

Xue Xiaodie tapped his chest with her finger and said playfully, "Alright, I know you're probably too embarrassed to say it, but it's okay, I'll say it for you. Don't be so reserved. Try to relax a bit in front of me."

Lu Zhe asked in a low voice, "You saw everything that happened these past few nights?"

Xue Xiaodie smiled and shook her head: "How could that be? I haven't installed cameras everywhere. But even if you can't see them, you can guess a lot of things. Besides, you're not the only one who can't hide her emotions."

Lu Zhe: "What do you mean?"

Xue Xiaodie: "I'm talking about Xiao Caitang. We're both girls, and sometimes her behavior is enough for me to understand how far things have progressed between you two. As for President Xia, I really can't figure him out. But I think that for uncertain things, we should first consider the worst-case scenario."

Lu Zhe: "The worst-case scenario..."

Xue Xiaodie stuck out her little tongue, still wearing a relaxed smile on her face, but the words she spoke were not so relaxed.

She said, "The worst-case scenario is that President Xia, like Xiao Cai Tang, has already won you over. But it's okay. Even in the worst-case scenario, I don't think it will reach the point of despair. As long as you don't completely hate me, reject me, or push me away, it's far from being despair."

Lu Zhe choked up at this moment: "How could I possibly hate you..."

Xue Xiaodie tilted her head and smiled, "That's good. Anyway, I just wanted to remind you tonight that Xiao Caitang already knows about your clothes, so you can't mess things up with President Xia again. I can help you fool Xiao Caitang, but President Xia is a different story. It's best to keep it completely from her."

Lu Zhe: "What are you hiding from her...?"

Xue Xiaodie: "Xiao Caitang bought you a set of clothes, and the fact that you took the day off today to help Xiao Caitang with her school enrollment procedures, you need to keep that a secret from President Xia."

Lu Zhe: "..."

Perhaps the girl in front of him had brought too much of an impact tonight, because he felt that his mind was not quite working properly.

So he simply gave up thinking and did what he most wanted to do at that moment—a move that came from the bottom of his heart.

He opened his arms and hugged Xue Xiaodie tightly.

The girl didn't resist at all; her slender arms quietly climbed onto his back and hugged him. But Xue Xiaodie's hug was very restrained; she didn't use much force.

Xue Xiaodie tilted her head slightly and whispered in his ear, "There shouldn't be anything else I need to remind you of for now, but you still need to be more vigilant. Little Cai Tang isn't easy to fool, and President Xia is even harder to deceive. You must be extremely careful. Okay, I'm going to sleep now, so I won't disturb your activities tonight."

Lu Zhe shook his head: "I don't have any activities tonight, I want to keep you company."

Xue Xiaodie said, "Don't stay with me. Xiao Caitang might come over in the middle of the night at any time. It's too risky for you. If you don't have any plans with them tonight, then get a good night's sleep and rest."

Lu Zhe wanted to say something more, but at that moment, Xue Xiaodie stepped out of his embrace and pushed him away with gentle but firm hands.

"Your health is the most important thing. Get some rest; you have to go to work tomorrow. Don't worry, I'll still keep an eye on things for you at the company tomorrow. Now... goodnight."

After saying this with a smile, Xue Xiaodie waved her hand and turned to leave.

Lu Zhe took a step forward, instinctively wanting to catch up with her. But remembering what she had just said, especially her last "goodnight," his feet were rooted to the spot.

The bedroom door opened and closed again, and the soft footsteps quickly disappeared through the door.

Lu Zhe looked at the curtains being gently swayed by the night breeze, feeling lost and forlorn.

————

After washing up, Xue Xiaodie lay on the bed, staring at the dark ceiling, and muttered to herself, "A wife is not as good as a concubine, a concubine is not as good as a stolen one, and a stolen one is not as good as one that can't be stolen... No, I don't want to give up my position as a wife!"

Perhaps her actions tonight served to whet his appetite, but that was not the girl's true intention.

"The key thing is, now both Xiaocaitang and Lu Zhe can come to me for advice, and they come to me with a sense of guilt..." The girl's voice was barely audible, but she gritted her teeth, "You all owe me favors!"

Xue Xiaodie pulled open the zipper on the small cushion next to her pillow and peered inside using the out-of-the-way light from the window.

Inside the cushion was a photo of Lu Zhe—a photo taken secretly a few days ago. In the photo, he was looking down at a book, looking very serious. And this was the look Xue Xiaodie knew best.

At night, the colors in the photo were indistinct; only the outlines were visible. And the silhouette of that figure was something she knew all too well.

If you didn't get a hug before, how about now?

The girl hugged the small pillow and gently closed her eyes.

————