“Before cracking such a joke, did you not consider what your boyfriend would think?” Yan Luji has seen Lin Yao’s boyfriend; a very sunny fellow, his good friend Xiao Dong’s cousin.

“Boyfriend?” Lin Yao was stunned for about 3 seconds, but immediately dashed to Yan Luji, grabbing his arm and gleefully said, “You’ve agreed to it????”

“Who agreed to anything?” Yan Luji used his other hand to try to release himself from Lin Yao’s strong grip. This woman sure has some strength.

“But you just called yourself my boyfriend.” Lin Yao reiterated.

“Who’s your boyfriend!”

“You are!” Lin Yao pointed her finger at Yan Luji.

“I made no promises.”

“You just are.”

“You …”

“Even if you aren’t now, you will be in the future!” Lin Yao completely didn’t understand Yan Luji’s words, insistently laying down the law.

“I’ve never seen such a thick-skinned woman.” Yan Luji felt like his horizons were broadened.

“So are you agreeing to it or not?” Lin Yao didn’t care, how could she pursue anyone if her skin wasn’t thick?

“I don’t!” Yan Luji loudly rejected her. Why did it feel like he’s talking to a hooligan who’s actually a woman of respectable origins? At that thought, Yan Luji’s face darkened 3 shades.

He shoved the wildflowers back into the evildoer’s hands, Yan Luji didn’t want to continue this conversation with Lin Yao.

“I’ll just take this as the first time you’re sending me flowers.” Lin Yao happily shook the bouquet of flowers in her hands, and yelled at Yan Luji’s departing figure.

“You …” Yan Luji was so exasperated he turned around again and when he saw Lin Yao’s smiling face, he felt like all his 3 views^[1]3 views: world view, view towards life, and personal values. Essentially means that Yan Luji has never met such a person like Lin Yao and now that he has, it has completely changed the way he … Continue reading have changed, “You better know when to stop.”

“I’m telling you, Yan Luji. This is the first time I, Lin Yao, am pursuing someone, and I will not give up until I succeed.” Lin Yao vowed. “You had better wash well then lie down flat^[2]躺平 actually has a bit of sociopolitical connotations to it (won’t be explaining here but comment if you wanna know) but derives its figurative meaning from literally lying down flat. In … Continue reading for me.”

The pitiful Director Yan felt his blood rushing to his head, as though he was struck by both a heart attack and high blood pressure at the same time. He hurried back to the classroom, reached for his phone and dialled for Xiao Dong, and spoke without hesitation, “Is Lin Yao your cousin’s girlfriend?”

“She’s not ah.”

“Why not?” Yan Luji didn’t dare believe what he just heard.

“Must she be?” 

“She must be!” Anger rushed to his head and Yan Luji threw his phone on the ground. Since she wasn’t, did that mean the crazy woman out there is actually for real?

Lin Yao merely watched on as Director Yan tried to make a break for it, as though she didn’t feel any discouragement or disappointment from being rejected.

“When I used to watch how male leads on television yell at the female leads, I felt like they were as juvenile as juniors in middle school, but yelling actually felt so good!” Lin Yao immediately felt the urge to give her overbearing persona just now a huge thumbs up.

Seeming to be content by the flowers she “received”, Lin Yao was in a state of bliss. Having taken the first step in her road towards love, Director Yan should now understand her intentions moving forward right?

==

The weekend passed incredibly slowly after the confession, and she managed to get to Monday with much difficulty. Arriving at the office very early in the morning, she felt that she loved her job so much she could die.

In the previous week, Lin Yao sieved out those in the R&D department with lower scores from the health test form, took their pulse and prescribed the necessary medication. Previously, Yan Luji had instructed her to pass on the details of the patients whose physical health were weaker so he knew to reduce their workload.

Speaking of this, Lin Yao didn’t understand why corporate employees in other companies couldn’t wait to use up their sick leave but when it came to Feng Teng’s R&D department, they needed their boss to come up with ways to send them on vacation. Anyway, it didn’t matter if she didn’t understand, because what mattered was that she could see Director Yan.

“Dr. Lin.” From the desk outside the office, Assistant Zhang greeted Lin Yao.

“Is Director Yan in?” Lin Yao asked.

“He is.” Assistant Zhang nodded.

“Then I will head in now.” Before Lin Yao walked into Director Yan’s office, she peeped in both directions and, noticing that no one was looking, took the opportunity to subtly adjust her clothes, then knocked on the door.

The clicking of high heels on the floor? Yan Luji had a strange hunch and lifted his head, his face darkening immediately when he saw Lin Yao: “What are you doing here?”

“Obviously because there are things to discuss ah.” Lin Yao lifted the file folder in her hands, “There are 5 people in the department who scored less than 40 points. I cleaned up the data and summarised their personal details and medical situation for you.”

“Leave it here, thank you.” Yan Luji seemed like he planned to keep things short with Lin Yao.

“There is a lot of medical jargon in the document. It’s likely you won’t understand if I don’t explain it.” Lin Yao added.

Yan Luji dithered for a while and when he lifted his head to say something, he found that Lin Yao’s eyes were frighteningly bright and she was staring unflinchingly at him. He felt shivers go down his spine, then placed an internal line call with his desk phone, “Assistant Zhang, could you come in for a while?”

“Why are you calling Assistant Zhang in? Isn’t that like inviting a third wheel in?” Though Lin Yao said this quietly, Director Yan’s sharp ears managed to catch it.

Yan Luji could nearly feel his veins burst, but held onto the remaining shred of sanity he had and endured the urge to chase her out. Good thing Assistant Zhang came in quickly.

“Assistant Zhang, I will pass on the engagement duties with the clinic to you.” Yan Luji then turned to Lin Yao, “Dr. Lin, you can approach Assistant Zhang from now on if there are any issues.”

Please do not bother him anymore in the future!

“Yes, Director.” Assistant Zhang faced Lin Yao, “Dr. Lin, shall we talk outside?”

He’s doing this to avoid her? Lin Yao clenched her jaw and internally repeated to herself, ‘We are in the office, we are at the company, do not be rash.’

“Dr. Lin?” Assistant Zhang thought that Lin Yao didn’t hear him and called for her again.

“Alright. If I have to work with Assistant Zhang, then I will work with Assistant Zhang.”

Assistant Zhang felt like he was innocent and maligned. What did she mean when she said that? Was working with him such a punishing experience?

“So when will Director Yan pass me his health test score? I have the entire department’s except yours.” Lin Yao asked

“That’s right, Director Yan. We are missing your results.” Assistant Zhang, who had just received a new project, was very responsible.

Yan Luji stared at his own assistant. Assistant Zhang’s expression was that of innocence. What did he do wrong? Why did the Director stare at him? How scary!

“There is no need for me to take the test, my body is pretty healthy.” Yan Luji said shamelessly.

“Director Yan, it is not wise to lie in front of a senior state official^[3]The ‘senior state official” mentioned here refers to Lin Yao since she can diagnose by looking..” Lin Yao said. 

“I am the boss here. Are there any issues if I choose not to do the test?” Yan Luji turned to Assistant Zhang.

“No … no issues.” It was obviously Lin Yao who asked the Director, why was the Director staring at him again? Assistant Zhang suddenly felt that the atmosphere in the office was a bit strange.

“Yan Luji, what do you mean? Why is it that you don’t know how to draw the distinction between public and private interests?” Lin Yao was perceptive and caught onto what Yan Luji was doing. Isn’t he basically trying to completely avoid her?

“I know how to draw distinctions.”

“You don’t! You can’t just avoid me or joke around with your health like that just because I like you.” Lin Yao re-evoked her domineering persona, “As long as you are an employee at Feng Teng, your health is my responsibility.”

“You …” Yan Luji subconsciously looked at Assistant Zhang. Unsurprisingly, Assistant Zhang was so agitated he was shaking, his mouth gaped open so wide one could shove a chicken egg in. “You should head out first.”

“Yes.” Assistant Zhang quickly retreated out of the office, and carefully closed the office door before shrieking, “OH, MY GOD! Dr. Lin is pursuing Devil King Yan?”

“This is the office, don’t speak carelessly.” Yan Luji could already see gossip flying about in the air.

“I’m not saying this carelessly, it’s true that I like you.” Lin Yao couldn’t care less about gossip. Since she liked someone, she wouldn’t be afraid of others knowing.

“But I don’t like you!” Yan Luji rejected her once more.

“Why don’t you like me?” Lin Yao felt a little offended.

“You’re not the kind of type I like.”

“It’s not like you like me, how would you know you don’t like my type?” Lin Yao suggested, “How about we start casually dating and if you really find that I’m not your type, then let’s discuss again.”

“Again …” Yan Luji placed his palm against his forehead, he was being led around in circles by her nonsensical logic. Reining in his impulse to tell her off yet again, Yan Luji said, “Regardless, I don’t like you and I won’t date you. I’m going to start working now, please leave.”

“Then, should we have lunch together at noon?” Lin Yao blinked, trying to charm him with her adorableness while inviting him out.

“Do you know that you’re very thick-skinned?” Yan Luji scathingly commented.

“I know ah.” Lin Yao said nonchalantly, “How could I pursue anyone if my skin wasn’t thick.”

“You …” Director Yan, with his ever poisonous tongue, was again rendered speechless. Indeed, trees die without their bark, but one has no enemies if one has no need for face^[4]树不要皮必死无疑，人不要脸天下无敌 means that if one is shameless (不要脸 or no face), one is able to defeat all their enemies..

“I won’t disturb you anymore. Let’s meet for lunch at the canteen, bye bye …” Lin Yao completely did not give Yan Luji a chance to refuse her before flying out of the office. 

Director Yan was once again angered and flung wireless mouse off the table.

Once Lin Yao stepped out of the office, she couldn’t help but cup her scalding cheeks, and exhaled a mouthful of bad energy^[5]I’m not too sure about what 浊气 means (literal translation is foul/ bad air) because I’m not too familiar with TCM. I imagine it’s like bad juju..

The woman inside just now had such thick skin, Lin Yao almost couldn’t recognise herself. Grabbing her phone, she quickly clicked on the ‘Treasured Book of Dating’ app^[6]恋爱宝典 app is an app for people to pursue the other party. PS. It actually exists for any readers who are in need of it ^^.

Rule #1 of the Pursuit of Love: Have thick skin, as thick as a copper wall.

Rule #2 of the Pursuit of Love: No matter what the other party says, only listen to what you yourself want to hear.

Rule #3 of the Pursuit of Love: One must pester relentlessly, unless one no longer wants to pursue the other party, never give up!

After following the above 3 rules for 3 months, remain a chaste heroine^[7]No english equivalent of ‘贞洁烈妇’, but such is essentially a character from olden (feudal?) times, and is one who remains steadfast, ‘chaste’ and true to her beliefs and … Continue reading, then snap your fingers and receive!

“Medicine packet, just persevere! Just wait till 3 months is up.” Lin Yao silently recited the 3 rules to herself, before heading to find Assistant Zhang.

Assistant Zhang was currently writing a new post on the forum on the TOS system and clacking away on the keyboard, his whole body seized with excitement.

“Assistant Zhang?” Lin Yao knocked on his desk.

“Dr. … Dr. Lin?” Assistant Zhang, who was still up in his ears in gossip, abruptly raised his head and saw the person in question, and felt a little uneasy.

“Here are the details. Take a look at them and let me know if there is anything you don’t understand.” Lin Yao handed the file folder over.

“Will do, will do.” Assistant Zhang received the folder while in a fluster.

“Oh right, does Director Yan like drinking coffee?” Lin Yao asked.

“I think … yes, he does.” It seemed like she was trying to find out Boss’ likes and dislikes?

“Don’t brew any coffee for him next time.” Lin Yao fished out a small packet from her pocket and passed it to Assistant Zhang, “He doesn’t sleep well and shouldn’t have anymore caffeine. Brew a drink with this next time.”

“This is?” Assistant Zhang stared at the small seed-like things in the packet and asked.

“These are jujube seeds, and drinking it improves sleep.” Lin Yao explained.

“Dr. Lin really cares for our director ah.” Assistant Zhang chuckled.

“Didn’t you hear just now?” Lin Yao had ‘Don’t be a ZB^[8]ZB or 装逼 (zhuang bi), which means to put on an act.’ written all over her face, “I like your director, I’m pursuing him.”

“Ah … haha …” She said it so bluntly that Assistant Zhang didn’t know how to respond besides shooting her a foolish smile.

“Help me out next time!” Lin Yao shot him a look.

Assistant Zhang thought, “Director, I really let you down and broke your trust, I’m really trying to think of ways to get out of this …”

==

Director Yan: Do you want our gossip to be spread around the entire company?

The medicine packet: What about it, it’s not shameful to like you.

Director Yan: …

Crab (the author): This is a thick-skinned female lead.

---

TL: Before you guys raise your hackles, I know, I know. Why is chapter 19 (~2.2k words) so much shorter than chapter 18 (5.9k in total)? Who knows ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ but since its so short I didn’t split it up this time ^^ Also, take a shot every time Director Yan says ‘you …’ and also, very unsurprisingly, my ref section grew longer in this chapter.

You can support me on ko-fi if you like my translations (๑╹U╹)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧