After more than half an hour had passed, murmurs had already begun to stir within the General Affairs Department. Speculation was rife about this sudden new face. Some discreetly inquired with Yang Jia, while others silently mocked the situation, convinced that Yan Qingqing's heart had been stirred by this soft-featured young man.
Such are the varied stirrings of the human heart. Of course, none dared speak aloud what they merely dared to think. What one cannot have always turns bitter. Besides, Yan Qingqing often dressed flamboyantly—wasn't it inevitable she'd invite such whispers?
Who still believes that human nature is innately good? The filth of the soul is born with us.
Even Yang Lan couldn't contain her curiosity and subtly asked Yang Jia about Han Qian—why had he been summoned by President Yan on his very first day? Moreover, he started working before his paperwork was even completed.
Gossip is a woman's instinct, and in this, Yang Jia was queen. She had already unearthed every detail about Han Qian and, glancing furtively around, she leaned in and whispered in a hushed voice:
"Sis, that Han Qian is nowhere near as innocent as he looks. I heard he and President Yan had a full-blown fight on the day of the interview. They were practically tearing each other apart, and it was only Manager Song from HR who broke it up."
A physical altercation with President Yan?
Yang Lan's brow twitched ever so slightly. The incident was no secret—on Friday, rumors had swirled about the madman who dared cross swords with the company's "Demon Queen." The image that sprang to mind made Yang Lan rub her temple. It seemed their peaceful department had just acquired a not-so-peaceful addition.
While the sisters were deep in their gossip, a knock sounded at the half-open door.
"Miss Yang, President Yan wants her secretary back immediately. There's something urgent."
Han Qian had returned. Yang Jia could no longer idle away in the department. She sprang up, practically skipping out the door, but not before snatching some snacks from the General Affairs stash. The petite girl had quite the appetite. Han Qian couldn't help but recall the scene of Wen Nuan nestled on the couch with her arms full of snacks.
What he couldn't tolerate most was someone eating in bed or on the sofa, leaving crumbs and chaos everywhere.
He sat in a daze, momentarily forgetting to retrieve the documents from Yan Qingqing. Should he go back? The memory of her sharp tongue sent a chill down his spine. Better to wait until Yang Jia was free—or, failing that, turn to the ever-gentle Miss Yang.
As Han Qian sat lost in thought, Su Liang dragged his chair over and whispered:
"Brother Qian, did you make it back in one piece? Did President Yan settle the score from Friday?"
Han Qian ruffled Su Liang's head and laughed.
"You gossip worse than a housewife. But yeah, you guessed it. She made me clean up her office and dumped a pile of work on me. Had I known she was the boss, I wouldn't have dared raise a hand."
"Come off it, Brother Qian. Don't act innocent now. Sure, she's a little fierce, but President Yan's a goddess. Plenty of guys would rather get scolded just to look at her. If you're not up for it next time, send me!"
Su Liang's expression was indecent. Han Qian gave him a pointed look.
"You serious about that? No take-backs."
"I heard she was wearing a short skirt and heels today... ah, the queen herself!"
"You've got... that kind of taste?"
"I'd gladly take a whipping."
Su Liang's lewd grin left Han Qian speechless. A girl sitting across from them muttered, "Pervert," under her breath. Abandoning Han Qian, Su Liang went off to argue with the girl about the fine line between perversion and passion.
His unfiltered nature somehow put Han Qian at ease. It was refreshing to meet someone who didn't make friendship feel like a negotiation. At that moment, hurried footsteps approached—Yang Jia had returned, clutching over twenty folders. The moment offered the others a chance to curry favor, and they rushed to help, only to be playfully kicked away.
"I'm still a kid! Don't try to take advantage of me!"
She slammed the stack of documents down in front of Han Qian. He leaned back, lips twitching. Then she plopped a can of Red Bull onto the table, panting.
"President Yan asked me to bring these to you—and she told me to get you coffee. I'm broke, so I borrowed this from the Marketing Department. Don't tell her!"
Watching the feisty little goth threaten him with a raised fist, Han Qian chuckled and tossed the Red Bull back to her.
"Thanks, Secretary Yang. Consider this your reward."
She snatched it without hesitation, then suddenly remembered his words and bristled.
"Who are you calling 'little'?"
Han Qian stroked his chin, pretending to contemplate.
"Tsk tsk... still little."
"Ahh! Sis... Han Qian is bullying me!"
In an instant, she slipped into character, eyes brimming with unshed tears. Han Qian panicked—apologizing seemed wrong, not apologizing worse. At that moment, Yang Lan emerged from the office and gave her sister a gentle knock on the head.
"She's my kid sister. Always sneaking in here to slack off and stir up trouble. Don't take her too seriously, Han Qian."
So they were real sisters? How did gentle Yang Lan end up with such a mischievous sibling?
Han Qian scratched his head and glanced around—colleagues were stifling laughter. Mortified, he muttered:
"My fault. I shouldn't have teased Yang Jia."
Yang Lan shook her head with a soft smile.
"We're colleagues now—no need for formalities. President Yan already called me. She wants results by Thursday. If you need help, come find me."
"Thank you, Miss Yang."
Receiving a task directly from President Yan sparked quiet discontent among the others. If one person started working hard, it made the rest look lazy—and that wouldn't sit well with any department head. No one wanted to work, and they didn't want to see Han Qian working either.
Newcomers should know their place. Trying to impress the higher-ups on day one?
But Han Qian wasn't like them. Many of them earned enough to live comfortably—or didn't even need to work. He, on the other hand, was desperate for money. Wen Nuan might seem easygoing now, but when Lin Zongheng returned and started whispering in her ear... well, hearts are made of flesh—they waver.
He took a deep breath and began poring over the foundational materials. He needed to understand what fatal flaw had doomed the entire planning proposal.
He read through the afternoon. When Su Liang finally announced it was time to go, Han Qian realized it was already five. He began gathering documents to take home, but Su Liang slung an arm around his shoulders and whispered:
"Brother Qian, don't work so hard. Not everyone appreciates it."
Han Qian blinked, then smiled bitterly.
"If you knew the weight I carry, you'd understand. I'm not trying to outshine anyone."
Su Liang gave his usual rakish grin.
"Everyone has their own burdens. But you've got to keep your guard up. It looked tough—you were frowning all day. If you need help, I…"
"Yes!"
"Damn, I was just being polite!"
Maybe it was chemistry, or maybe Han Qian hadn't had a real friend in a long time. But their easy camaraderie rubbed some of the others the wrong way—especially a few men.
In their eyes, Su Liang was nothing more than a lapdog.