In the end, the mahjong game downstairs stopped before 10 o’clock. 

Dong Hui had a lot of complaints she wanted to share with Zhou Lei, so she suggested going out for barbecue. As she had expected, Xiang Feifei and the others declined. 

“Alright, you all go ahead and wash up first. I won’t fight with you,” Dong Hui was always very good at saying nice things, as if she were quite considerate. 

There was a night market nearby. The two men and two women ordered some skewers and a dozen bottles of beer. 

As they ate and drank, the conversation naturally turned to the people and events at the office. 

Zhou Lei expressed his admiration for Manager Wang, saying he was a good and righteous person, and Wang Xiaoxue nodded in agreement. 

After discussing General Director Xiang and Manager Wang, the conversation inevitably shifted to Chen Xiao. 

Yi Wei had always had some complaints about Chen Xiao because of Pan Sasha. Now, after hearing Dong Hui and Wang Xiaoxue, the girls he got along well with, talk about how Chen Xiao was biased at work, he started to say some harsh things, encouraged by the alcohol. 

Zhou Lei patted his shoulder: “Alright, alright, Brother Xiao is the leader after all. Saying things like that about him is a bit much.” 

Zhou Lei’s attempt to stop him only made things worse. Yi Wei, as if he were the boss of the world, muttered, “What leader? He just joined a year before us, he’s just lucky. Look at him, always acting like an air conditioner, either smiling at one girl or buying food for another. If he dares to do that kind of thing, then he shouldn’t mind what others say. Otherwise, why would Sasha have been transferred? Heh, even rabbits don’t eat the grass near their den.” 

After returning to the dormitory that night, Yi Wei’s enthusiasm hadn’t died down. He secretly pulled his colleagues, who were still playing games, into a conversation, discussing how many girls in the provincial and city offices had been deceived by Chen Xiao’s appearance. 

Rumors about relationships often catches the attention of young people with too much time on their hands. One colleague, named Xia Qiang, who was playing games, suddenly realized and said, “I knew it!!! I once saw Brother Xiao with that newcomer, Lu Nan, feeding stray cats in the nearby park. It was around 8 or 9 in the evening…” 

Wow! That’s some explosive news. 

Zhou Lei asked seriously, “Are you sure you didn’t see it wrong?” 

“Impossible. It was when Director Tong came last time, around 8 or 9 in the evening. I’m sure, I didn’t see it wrong.” Xia Qiang said with confidence, his pimples even glowing with his enthusiasm. 

Zhou Lei made a “quiet” gesture toward a direction where a room was located—Yan Kai was sleeping in that room, and everyone in the office knew that he and Lu Nan were senior and junior in school. 

The voices outside grew quieter, but the conversation started taking an even juicier turn. 

Sun Bo, who was playing games with them, wasn’t interested in rumors, so he said, “I’m going to take a shower.” 

The three who were engrossed in rumors paid no attention to him. 

Xia Qiang looked around, drawing Yi Wei and Zhou Lei closer to him, and then said mysteriously, “Guess who I saw that night?” 

“Who?” Zhou Lei asked softly, trying to protect Yi Wei from disappointment, “Pan Sasha?” 

Xia Qiang shook his head: “No, it was He Manlin!” 

“Her?! With three people, there’s bound to be something going on!” 

“It was too far, I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Anyway, I saw Lu Nan follow Chen Xiao away, and He Manlin was left there, looking really upset.” Xia Qiang told them everything he saw that night. 

Although it was like a silent film, it left room for endless speculation. 

Some rumors, whispered under the cover of night and starting with “I heard…”, seemed to turn into undeniable facts. 

… 

The next morning, before the meeting, Lu Nan said to Chen Xiao, “I already sent the general process I sorted out to Feixiang last night. I still need to go over there this morning to discuss some things. You’re going too, right?” 

Chen Xiao nodded. Once the big picture was settled, he would leave the details for Lu Nan to handle. He thought that Lu Nan had been in a bad mood for some reason the day before, but when they spoke about work, she seemed completely unaffected. 

“Yesterday afternoon…” Chen Xiao wanted to ask if she was feeling down, but he changed his words when he met her clear gaze, “What did you have for dinner?” 

Lu Nan was taken aback for a moment and then said, “Whole wheat bread.” 

“Oh. Was it good?” After asking, Chen Xiao realized how silly the question was, but since he had already asked, he casually added, “I think it’s kind of dry and not that tasty.” 

“It’s okay. Good food and staying slim are always contradictory,” Lu Nan thought to herself, slightly frowning: Did he take the wrong medicine? Does he expect me to say ‘cookies are better than low-sugar, low-oil, low-calorie ones’? 

Chen Xiao silently looked Lu Nan up and down: She’s definitely not fat. 

Because the discussion was related to the big event, Lu Nan spoke quietly to Chen Xiao. 

Yi Wei gave a knowing glance to the colleagues he gossiped with last night, signaling Xia Qiang to look at Chen Xiao and Lu Nan, standing near the window of the meeting room—look, the morning meeting hadn’t even started, and yet, they were already sneaking off to whisper in the corner. 

When the morning meeting started, Lu Nan’s work report was very brief: “Yesterday morning, I went to Feixiang with Manager Chen to discuss matters. In the afternoon, I returned to the office to sort out materials. Today’s work plan is basically the same as yesterday.” 

Such a light report and plan, yet Manager Wang didn’t seem to have any objections. 

The colleagues who had gossiped together while eating barbecue last night exchanged knowing glances, feeling that this was yet another strong piece of evidence. 

… 

After the morning meeting, they took a taxi to Feixiang. Lu Nan opened the passenger door first and somewhat awkwardly said, “From the beginning, it’s always been Brother Xiao paying for the ride. I really feel bad about it, so let me pay today.” 

Chen Xiao didn’t want to argue over a few dozen yuan at the waiting spot, so he silently sat in the back seat. 

When they arrived at Feixiang, both Chen Xiao and Lu Nan got straight to work. 

The program schedule that Lu Nan had sent last night had already been reviewed by Mr. Yang, and there were no major issues. Mr. Yang was very focused on the event and said to Chen Xiao, “The advertising company has a lot of experience with event planning, but I still want the creative department to make some adjustments to the program content.” 

Actually, adjusting the program wasn’t a big deal. Lu Nan glanced at Chen Xiao and seriously emphasized to Mr. Yang, “Regarding the program, we have two requirements. First, it must focus on Yuan Chuan classic liquor; second, it’s about controlling the costs.” 

Mr. Yang nodded, “Don’t worry, Manager Chen, Manager Lu. For an event like this, I’m definitely aiming to maximize its influence. Once the program content is adjusted, I’ll send it to you for review. I’m confident about controlling the costs.” 

Mr. Yang had already calculated the details with his wife, Sister Pei. 

The subsidy that Chen Xiao helped Feixiang apply for could reach 100,000 yuan (paid in advance by the distributor, with the manufacturer covering the alcohol). 

Since the focus of the large tasting event was on the liquor, the food could be a bit more economical, for example, with a cost of 300 yuan per person for ten people per table. The expected number of guests was around 140, so with 15 tables and 2 spare, the total food cost should be controlled at just over 50,000 yuan. 

Although the wine was aged for 20 years, the price for tasting wine was much lower than that of finished products. Even if two bottles were opened per table, that would total 34 bottles. The cost for this part should stay under 20,000 yuan. 

All arrangements will be handled by the company’s own staff, ensuring the cost is kept to a minimum. 

This discussion took almost two hours. This time, Mr. Yang invited Chen Xiao to stay for dinner, but he politely declined. 

When leaving, Chen Xiao told Mr. Yang that he would submit the signed document as soon as possible, and that Lu Nan would handle the details and communication. 

Mr. Yang nodded. “That would be fine. Manager Lu is always very meticulous in handling things.” 

As they left Feixiang, Chen Xiao said, “I remember there’s a good Cantonese restaurant nearby, let’s go. You’re treating me to dinner.” 

His tone was very natural, leaving no chance for Lu Nan to refuse 

Lu Nan, left behind, didn’t react immediately: Who’s treating whom to a meal? Am I treating him? 

This was completely unexpected. 

Lu Nan had imagined things clearly the evening before: when going out with Chen Xiao, she should have at least four or five chances to pay for the ride out of ten; as for meals, if they could avoid eating together, they should; if they had to eat together, she would try to make it a split bill. 

But she didn’t expect that after making a little progress on paying for the car, she’d be completely confused by the meal situation. 

The words she had prepared to refuse no longer fit the current situation. 

Should she say, “I don’t want to treat you to a meal?” 

Uh… could someone who has had several free meals say that? 

Lu Nan had no choice but to take out her umbrella and hurry to catch up. “Is it far?” 

Chen Xiao turned around and saw Lu Nan, who had hidden herself completely under the umbrella. He wanted to laugh but quickly held it in. “Not far, about four to five hundred meters,” he said.  

As expected, he saw the smile on the other person’s face almost fade. He then straightened up and said, “Just kidding, it’s a few kilometers. Let’s take a taxi.” 

As he spoke, he stopped a taxi and opened the passenger door, then turned to ask Lu Nan, “Do you want to sit here?” 

For a moment, Lu Nan felt what it truly meant to be “stuck in a difficult situation.” If she didn’t sit, it would make her earlier rush to get in the car seem like a joke. If she did sit, that would be even worse—was she, as a subordinate, really going to have her superior open the car door for her? 

However, Lu Nan’s skin was evidently not that thin. She quickly responded, closed the umbrella, and casually got into the passenger seat, and casually said to the stunned Chen Xiao, “Thanks, Brother Xiao. I’ve learned, next time I’ll remember to open the back door for you.” 

Chen Xiao shook his head lightly, smiling as he got into the car. 

When they arrived at the Cantonese restaurant Chen Xiao had mentioned, Lu Nan asked what he wanted to eat. He casually replied, “Whatever the host prefers.” 

“Is there anything you don’t eat, Brother Xiao?” 

“Anything except celery.” 

She smiled and said, “What a coincidence, I don’t like celery either. How about bitter melon… is that okay?” 

“That’s fine.” 

Oh, you’re the one who said it was okay. 

After a moment’s thought, Lu Nan ordered half a white-cut chicken, sweet and sour pork, roast meat platter, boiled shrimp, bitter melon and rib soup, and a portion of shrimp dumplings. 

While ordering, she estimated that with the tea, tableware, and napkin fees, it should come to no more than 300 yuan. 

The expenses are within a manageable range. She thought to herself. She hadn’t bought any clothes this month, and only spent about 500 yuan on daily food and drink, so she could afford this meal. 

Lu Nan wasn’t worried about the money; after all, she had already had several meals treated by Chen Xiao, totaling at least 800 yuan, so it was only right to return the favor. 

The Cantonese restaurant’s master chef really was good. The bitter melon was blanched, so it was only slightly bitter. Even though Lu Nan didn’t particularly like it, she thought it would be good to have some bitter melon soup in the summer to clear heat and detoxify. 

The other dishes were even better. Lu Nan ate half a bowl more rice than usual, thinking: No rush, this is lunch, not dinner. Worst case, I’ll run two more kilometers at the gym after work. 

“Isn’t the taste quite good?” After they had almost finished eating, Chen Xiao casually asked. 

Lu Nan nodded: The price is also quite good. 

Although Chen Xiao had said that Lu Nan should treat him to the meal, there’s always a possibility for things to go differently. To avoid a situation where she and Chen Xiao would both try to pay the bill, she excused herself to go to the restroom and settled the bill. 288 yuan—she had estimated it perfectly. 

The sun outside was intense, so there was no rush to leave. They stayed in the air-conditioned restaurant, drinking some tea to refresh themselves. 

“With this work intensity, is the pressure big?” Chen Xiao suddenly asked, likely out of concern for his subordinate’s work situation. 

Lu Nan shook her head. “It’s fine, manageable.” 

It was just that for the past two days, she had been busy with her main work all day. The rest of the time, she was really only busy for about two hours.