Chapter 70: The Pitiful Female Supporting Character from a Patriarchal Family in the 2000s (17)

Ai Xiaoling had a strong desire to make progress.

After experiencing the benefits of learning design, she would go to the design institute next door whenever she had free time.

For He Wenlei, having someone to share his workload also meant earning more money. The two hit it off and even worked overtime together after office hours.

They talked and laughed, getting along very well. To outsiders, they seemed inseparable and might even be in a relationship.

He Wenlei was a technical homebody, while Ai Xiaoling was lively and pretty. Most people in the design institute were men, and for a time, many were envious.

Quite a few people even joked about He Wenlei in private.

That day, after finishing work, the two walked downstairs. He Wenlei suddenly said to Ai Xiaoling, “Can I ask you for a favor?”

“What favor? If I can help, I definitely will.” Ai Xiaoling looked enthusiastic and was more than willing to help.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” He Wenlei suddenly asked.

Ai Xiaoling’s expression stiffened slightly upon hearing this topic.

Ye Zhou had been acting strange these past few days, which was already enough for her to handle. A colleague from the opposite desk also asked today whether she was in a relationship with He Wenlei and if he still had a chance.

Back when she was in school, even more people confessed to her. At that time, she did not think much of it. Now, she just wanted to make money, and this kind of situation really made her feel uneasy.

“I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just asking.” He Wenlei quickly explained and then softly said, “I have someone I like.”

Upon hearing this, Ai Xiaoling’s expression changed again.

She really did not expect it. She was a bit curious about what kind of person someone like the gentle He Wenlei would like.

“Do I know her?” she asked curiously.

He Wenlei shook his head and looked at her, saying, “If you don’t have a boyfriend, next time someone asks about us, can you say we are getting to know each other?”

“Why?” Ai Xiaoling was confused.

He just said he had someone he liked. Besides, their relationship was very pure.

Even more pure than between friends.

“Don’t ask. I’ll teach you seriously. In the future, for any design that you complete independently, if I look it over and don’t need to revise it, you’ll get the full design fee.” After speaking, He Wenlei turned and walked away.

Ai Xiaoling stood in place, her eyes thoughtful.

Could it be because of his coworkers?

She had been going back and forth to the design institute these days. His colleagues seemed to feel “unwilling” about how close they were.

Because He Wenlei spoke gently and his mannerisms were not that masculine, they often gave him strange nicknames, as if assuming he could not get a girlfriend.

He did not seem to fit in well.

Ai Xiaoling sighed inwardly, feeling very sorry for him.

She was just about to turn around and leave when she remembered there was a set of measurement data she had not given to He Wenlei. She quickly walked in the direction he had left.

As Ai Xiaoling turned a corner, she suddenly saw two people at the end of the street. Her pupils widened in shock. Afraid that He Wenlei would see her, she quickly turned around and jogged back the way she came.

He Wenlei was…

Not far away.

Ye Zhou was sitting in the car, his eyes fixed on Ai Xiaoling.

After work, he did not leave.

He had been waiting in the car the whole time and naturally saw Ai Xiaoling and He Wenlei come downstairs laughing and talking. Then, after He Wenlei left, she still “reluctantly” stared at his back and even ran after him.

Then she nervously ran back.

Just like a conflicted girl who had fallen in love.

Jealousy surged in Ye Zhou’s heart. He was so jealous he could hardly think straight.

Not only was she avoiding him, but she was also so close to He Wenlei.

Could it really be, as others said, that Ai Xiaoling had “fallen for someone else” and now liked He Wenlei?

He had treated her so well, and yet she was such an ungrateful little thing.

Watching Ai Xiaoling walking back, Ye Zhou could not help himself. He pretended to be passing by and drove his car up to her, rolling down the window. “I happened to be passing by. Get in, I’ll give you a ride back.”

“Little boss, I’m going to my sister’s place. I can’t go back with you,” Ai Xiaoling said apologetically.

She had already asked around.

Other employees only got a maximum of fifty yuan per day for business trips. For a half-day, it was twenty-five. For trips to other cities, it was one hundred yuan per day.

Ye Zhou actually doubled the amount for her.

If he were just generous, it would be fine. But he treated others by the normal standard.

Ai Xiaoling felt like she was playing with fire and had gone too far. If she messed this up, the riches and glory of her future would be gone.

Ye Zhou said, “I’ll take you there.”

“My sister is here.” Ai Xiaoling pointed ahead at an approaching electric scooter.

Ye Zhou gripped the steering wheel tightly. “Then be careful.”

“Mm-hmm, little boss, you drive safely too.” Ai Xiaoling gently reminded him.

In the past, Ye Zhou would have felt warm for quite a while after hearing that. Now, he just felt she was being excessive.

She was sweet and considerate to everyone.

Just being polite.

Even though Ye Zhou was annoyed inside, on the surface he nodded and softly replied, “Mm, I know.”

Watching him drive away, Ai Xiaoling let out a sigh of relief.

She really hoped that her relationship with Ye Zhou could remain simple.

Nothing complicated must happen.

According to the plot development, originally Ye Zhou saw Ai Xiaoling struggling after her divorce and wanted to help her, even giving her capital to start a business. But she wanted more and tried to develop a relationship.

In the end, she brought trouble upon herself, lived a hard life, and died.

Too tragic.

Ai Xiaoling did not want to repeat the same mistake. She truly just wanted to earn money quietly and become a beautiful rich woman.

Ye Zhou could not take it anymore.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

Halfway through driving, he wanted to turn back and question Ai Xiaoling.

But he could not find her anywhere along the way.

Ye Zhou then drove to the supermarket. She was not there either.

He waited for two hours, and still, she and her sister did not return. He then drove back to the building materials store. She still had not returned.

After waiting for Ai Xiaoling the whole night, she actually stayed over at Ai Xiaofen’s place.

Ye Zhou had another sleepless night. The next day, he dragged his feet as he went upstairs to the office.

Just as he reached the stairway, a voice came from outside the door, asking, “Xiaoling, do I really have no chance at all? Not even fair competition?”

Judging from the voice, it was Zhao Ming from the institute next door.

“You’re very good. It’s my problem. I’m really sorry,” Ai Xiaoling apologized sincerely.

“You’re together with He Wenlei now?” Zhao Ming was unwilling to give up.

Ai Xiaoling smiled, “Not yet.”

Her tone sounded relaxed, but to Zhao Ming, it meant they were close to being together and were getting along well.

Not only did Zhao Ming give up hope, but Ye Zhou, standing at the stairway, also suddenly dimmed his gaze.

What more was there to ask?

She and He Wenlei were about to be together.

“I really didn’t expect to lose to He Wenlei,” Zhao Ming still couldn’t make sense of it.

Ai Xiaoling seriously said to him, “Don’t say that. Everyone has their own type and the right to choose. He Wenlei is great too. You’re great as well.”

Zhao Ming nodded and left with his head down.

Ai Xiaoling suddenly felt that He Wenlei really was a great shield. And didn’t he also need her?

Just a couple of days ago, a guy from the testing institute upstairs had confessed to her. A direct rejection would be too hurtful. They all worked in the same building and would see each other often.

“This might not be a bad idea,” Ai Xiaoling muttered to herself. As she turned around, she suddenly saw Ye Zhou walking in. She tensed up slightly, “Little boss?”

When did he get here?

How much had he heard?

“Get ready. Come with me to the construction site later,” Ye Zhou said to her.

“Okay!”

The two sat in the same car, but the atmosphere quietly changed.

Ye Zhou handed her a hundred yuan. “Today’s attendance pay.”

“Just for the morning?” Ai Xiaoling didn’t take the money and softly asked.

“A morning. Take it.”

Ai Xiaoling shook her head. “Other colleagues only get twenty-five for half a day. I can’t take more. Otherwise, others will complain.”

She used to be happy to receive more, but now she was just anxious.

She didn’t dare accept it.

Ye Zhou was acting strangely. It felt like he was using money to buy her off.

“I can give however much I want. There are no rules,” Ye Zhou didn’t expect she wouldn’t even take the money now. Not even happy to see it. He stuffed the money into her hands, sourly saying, “You weren’t like this before. Did He Wenlei tell you not to take it?”

Ever since she started getting close to He Wenlei, she had changed.

Ye Zhou now had a strong opinion about He Wenlei. If he had known, he would never have rented this place to open his company and would’ve made sure someone like He Wenlei never appeared in Ai Xiaoling’s life.

“What does it have to do with him?” Seeing that Ye Zhou wasn’t happy and afraid of angering the boss who could lead her to success, Ai Xiaoling quickly accepted the money. “I’m just afraid others will complain.”

“If you don’t say anything, who would know? I told you to quit the shop and follow me, so I naturally have to make sure your income is guaranteed,” Ye Zhou said with confidence.

Ai Xiaoling was actually convinced. She looked at him. “Little boss, no matter what happens in the future, you have to remember that I followed you to strike it out on my own.”

Don’t abandon her once he’s successful.

She was so loyal.

Ye Zhou heard her words, clenched his fists tightly, his palms sweating, and straightforwardly said, “You said before that you’d always follow me. Wherever I go, you’d go too. Didn’t you say that?!”

He had taken it seriously.

But she turned around and wanted to be with He Wenlei.

He could never let them be together.

“Yes. Little boss, wherever you are, I’ll be there,” Ai Xiaoling immediately expressed her loyalty. “I work really hard. You’ve seen it. I don’t care about the salary. I just care about learning.”

“You said you wanted to eat well and live well with me.” The veins on Ye Zhou’s hand bulged from clenching so tightly. His gaze bore straight into Ai Xiaoling. He spoke through gritted teeth, “Didn’t you say that? Haven’t I done all that?!”

He had treated her so well.

He could give her a good life for the rest of her life.

Ai Xiaoling had never seen him like this and was immediately scared. She shrank her neck and said weakly, “Yes, but I’ve also worked really hard. I often work overtime. I never asked for a raise. You were the one who gave me more—”

What had she done wrong?

He was acting so scary.

When Ye Zhou heard her only mention work, he nearly lost his breath and raised his voice uncontrollably. “You think just doing that is enough?”

“You didn’t tell me there were other duties—”

“Ai Xiaoling!”

Ai Xiaoling felt it was over. She quickly returned the one hundred yuan he had just given her and tried her best to reassure him, “I don’t want attendance pay or overtime pay. Little boss, don’t be angry. I’ll work even harder from now on.”

Ye Zhou was so angry he didn’t even have the strength to get mad anymore. He just stared at her, his gaze burning, unmoving.

In the cramped car, the silence was terrifying.

Ai Xiaoling wasn’t stupid. Of course she could infer the deeper meaning behind his words. The more she understood, the more frightened she became. She was on the verge of crying.

Why was it so hard to just do her job properly?

She just wanted to get rich, not get written off the story.

Ye Zhou finally softened his tone. “What I meant was—”

“I think He Wenlei is quite nice. Right now we’re just getting to know each other. But it definitely won’t affect work. When it comes to work, wherever you are, I’ll be there. I’ll work hard. Being able to follow you is my good fortune.” Ai Xiaoling gritted her teeth and blurted it out.

Before she could finish her words, she felt the pressure in the car drop sharply. She was scared out of her wits.

Ye Zhou didn’t say another word. He drove faster than usual all the way out of the city to the construction site.

After the work was done and they came back, Ye Zhou gave the money to Ai Xiaoling again and said with a stern face, “Dating affects work efficiency. My employees are not allowed to date.”

Ai Xiaoling immediately raised her hand and swore, “I won’t date. I definitely won’t date. Not until I achieve financial freedom, I won’t get into a single relationship.”

She spoke quickly and Ye Zhou didn’t respond.But for the next three days, Ye Zhou ignored her.