Ask for leave
Monday morning at 9:30, Tan Huaiyu's law firm.
Tan Huaiyu's assistant, Xiao Zhou, looked up at the still empty workstation by the door for the nth time, then looked down at the watch on her wrist, her delicate eyebrows furrowing into a knot.
Something's not right, something's really not right.
Her immediate supervisor, Tan Huaiyu, a lawyer known in the industry for his rigorous self-discipline and almost demanding punctuality, has been acting strangely this month, or more precisely, since last Wednesday.
First, last Wednesday, he was unusually late by fifteen minutes. Although Attorney Tan was still impeccably dressed and calm when he entered, Xiao Zhou noticed that his walking posture seemed a little... stiff.
Moreover, there was a faint bluish tint under his eyes, as if he hadn't rested well. At the time, Xiao Zhou thought it was because something urgent had happened, or that he had stayed up all night reviewing case files.
Then this Thursday, he was twenty minutes late. This time it was even more obvious; Attorney Tan came in supporting his back, sat down extremely slowly, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
He seemed somewhat absent-minded all morning, and his reactions seemed slower than usual. Twice when she went in to deliver documents, she found him staring blankly at the computer screen, with his ears turning a suspicious red.
On Saturday, which was the day before yesterday, things seemed to have "worsened," and we were a full half hour late.
Moreover, he was restless all day, constantly adjusting his posture, and when he went to the break room to get water, his steps were as slow as an old man's. In the afternoon, during a relatively unimportant internal meeting, he surprisingly lost focus. When he was called on, he paused for two seconds before reacting.
After the meeting, Xiao Zhou clearly saw that Attorney Tan slowly stood up, holding onto the edge of the conference table, and then moved back to his office with extremely cautious steps.
Today, Monday, it's already 9:30, the time when Attorney Tan usually starts work without fail, and that spot is still empty.
Xiao Zhou couldn't sit still any longer.
This is highly unusual. Attorney Tan has never been absent from work without a valid reason, and he rarely even takes sick leave.
Is he sick? Is it serious? But yesterday, although he seemed strange, he didn't seem to have a persistent high fever.
She hesitated for a moment, then picked up the internal phone and dialed Tan Huaiyu's office landline. No one answered.
She tried calling Tan Huaiyu's cell phone again. The phone rang for a long time, and just when Xiao Zhou thought no one would answer again, the call was picked up.
"Hello?"
The voice that came through was a deep, slightly aloof male voice, not Tan Huaiyu's.
Xiao Zhou was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized that this was probably Mr. Qi, Attorney Tan's partner.
My impression of him is that he is a man with a cold demeanor and not very talkative, but he looked at Attorney Tan with great focus.
"Hello, Mr. Qi? I'm Xiao Zhou, Attorney Tan's assistant." Xiao Zhou quickly and politely introduced himself.
"Yes, I know." Qi Shuo's voice came through the receiver, calm and even. "Looking for Huaiyu?"
“Yes, Mr. Qi. Attorney Tan hasn’t arrived at the office yet today, and no one is answering his phone. I’m a little worried, so…”
Xiao Zhou carefully chose his words, expressing concern without prying into his privacy.
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone. Then, Xiao Zhou seemed to hear a very faint, almost imperceptible gasp, as if someone wanted to speak but had their mouth covered, followed by the rustling sound of fabric rubbing together.
Then, Qi Shuo's voice rang out again, seemingly a little lower than before, though his tone remained steady. But Xiao Zhou inexplicably felt that beneath that steady tone lay some other emotion.
"He took the day off today," Qi Shuo said succinctly.
"Taking leave?" Xiao Zhou asked instinctively. "Is Attorney Tan feeling unwell? Is it serious? Is there anything I can help you arrange?" She was genuinely worried, after all, Attorney Tan had always been her role model and support.
"Yeah, I'm not feeling well." Qi Shuo's answer was still brief, but he paused for a moment, as if adding a sentence, his voice carrying an indescribable, almost helpless certainty, "I need to rest."
"Oh, I see... So what's wrong? Is it a cold or something?" Xiao Zhou asked out of professional habit and concern.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. This time, Xiao Zhou vaguely heard a muffled humming sound, as if coming from the nose, filled with annoyance and drowsiness, and Qi Shuo seemed to say in a low voice, "Don't move," his tone carrying an undeniable yet unusually gentle force.
Then, Qi Shuo's voice became clear again, and he answered his assistant's question, but this answer...
"Back injury." Qi Shuo's voice was as calm as ever, without even a hint of emotion, but what he said made Xiao Zhou freeze instantly. "An old injury has flared up again, and it's quite serious. You need to rest in bed for a few days."
Back injury...back injury? Old injury recurring?
Xiao Zhou's mind raced. "Does Attorney Tan have a back injury? I've never heard of that."
He's usually in good physical condition and goes to the gym regularly. Although he looks thin, his core strength should be pretty good... Wait a minute! Something's been wrong since last Friday. His walking posture is strange, he sits down and gets up slowly, and he's always holding his lower back...
In a flash, some vague clues seemed to be connected. Attorney Tan's strange walking posture, the frowning and pained expression when he sat down, and the subtle, profound meaning in Mr. Qi's tone.
As a working professional who has been working for several years and is no longer a naive young girl, some indescribable associations uncontrollably flashed through Xiao Zhou's mind.
Add to that the faint, suppressed noises coming from the other end of the phone, and Mr. Qi's words, "Don't move..."
Xiao Zhou's face flushed red instantly.
"Oh...oh oh! My back, my back injury!" Her voice rose an octave unconsciously, then abruptly fell back down, filled with barely concealed embarrassment and understanding. "I understand, I understand! Um...let Attorney Tan get some rest! Don't worry! I'll handle the work matters! I'll CC him on any urgent matters and he can look at them when it's convenient for him! I won't disturb his rest!"
She spoke very quickly, as if she wanted to hang up the phone immediately.
"Yes, thank you." Qi Shuo seemed unsurprised by her reaction, his tone remaining calm. "I will pass on the message to him."
"Okay, okay! Goodbye, Mr. Qi! I wish Attorney Tan a speedy recovery!" Xiao Zhou said almost in a hurry, and then quickly hung up the phone.
Hearing the busy tone from the receiver, Xiao Zhou sat at her workstation, her face still flushed and her heart pounding. She patted her cheeks, trying to calm herself down.
Considering Attorney Tan's "unusual" behavior these past few days, and the unspoken understanding conveyed by Mr. Qi's calm tone—a feeling only those with experience can comprehend—"everything is understood without words"...
Xiao Zhou's face turned even redder, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl upwards.
It seems that Attorney Tan and his Mr. Qi have an exceptionally good relationship... It's just that this battle is a bit too intense, affecting their regular work attendance.
She shook her head, banishing the explicit images from her mind, and refocused her attention on her work, feeling inexplicably much lighter and happier.
Well, I need to work hard today to relieve the pressure on Attorney Tan, who was "injured on duty" (?)!
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, in the master bedroom of Qijia Apartment.
The heavy blackout curtains were drawn tightly shut, leaving only a dim, yellowish nightlight. The air was filled with a faint, cool scent of ointment, and a lingering, ambiguous, sweet aroma.
Tan Huaiyu was completely buried in the soft bedding, only his face, flushed with an unnatural redness, and his disheveled black hair were visible. His eyes were closed, his brows were slightly furrowed, his long eyelashes were wet and stuck together, and there were still traces of tears at the corners of his eyes. His lips were swollen and slightly parted, emitting soft and even breathing sounds. He was clearly sleeping very soundly and was extremely tired.
Qi Shuo had just put down Tan Huaiyu's silent phone when the screen showed the end of the call with Xiao Zhou.
He looked down at the sleeping face of the person in his arms, who was completely unguarded and even a little pitiful. His gaze swept over the deep and shallow marks on the person's neck, collarbone, and even chest, which indicated how intense the battle had been the night before. His eyes darkened, filled with pity and a deep desire that was not yet fully satisfied.
He reached out and gently brushed the damp strands of hair from Tan Huaiyu's cheek behind his ear, his fingertips caressing the delicate, flushed skin of his face.
Seemingly sensing the touch, Tan Huaiyu unconsciously stirred in her sleep, letting out a muffled, tearful whimper. Her body instinctively tried to curl up, but it seemed to aggravate her wounds, causing her brows to furrow even more and her breath to catch in her throat.
Qi Shuo immediately stopped what he was doing, and gently massaged the sore muscles in the lower back with his large hand. He only relaxed slightly when the person in his arms gradually relaxed his brows and his breathing became long and even again.
Qi Shuo's gaze fell on Tan Huaiyu's swollen lips and the pale blue shadows under her eyes, and his Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly.
Ask for leave?
Yes, I need to ask for leave.
Given Tan Huaiyu's current condition, let alone going to work, it would be an amazing feat for him to be able to get out of bed and walk to the bathroom on his own.
Last night... it really went a bit too far.
Qi Shuo recalled the last night when Tan Huaiyu cried uncontrollably, begging for mercy in a hoarse voice, and finally almost fell into a deep sleep. The last bit of remorse he had felt for the other party's "outrageous words" had long been replaced by overwhelming heartache.
but……
His gaze deepened, settling on Tan Huaiyu's slightly swollen lips, even in his sleep, and on the deep hickey he had left below her collarbone.
They'll do it again next time.
However, we need to be more careful next time.
At the very least, it shouldn't interfere with his work.
As Qi Shuo thought this, he tightened his arms around the warm, soft body in his arms, lowered his head, and placed a gentle kiss on the man's sweaty forehead.
As for the reason for requesting leave: "My old back injury has relapsed, and I need to rest in bed."
Qi Shuo's lips curled into a very faint, meaningful smile.
It's not entirely a lie, is it?
He adjusted his position to make Tan Huaiyu more comfortable, and then closed his eyes as well.
The sunlight was blocked out by the heavy curtains, and the bedroom was quiet except for the sound of the two people's intertwined, even breathing.
As for when Attorney Tan, who is suffering from a back injury, will be able to recover and return to work...
That depends on how well the perpetrator tries to make amends and takes good care of the situation.
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