CEO, I'm Not The Girl You Once Knew (Hiatus)

Twenty two

On her way back to her apartment after work, Shi Xiao Xi decided to stop in front of a convenience store.

Her legs were tired and sore. The fast-paced environment she had found herself in made her feel like a leaf being dragged through a river current. Thinking about how she had to go to work again tomorrow made Shi Xiao Xi feel drained.

Shi Xiao Xi opened the fridge in the convenience store and looked at the alcoholic bottles there. One bottle couldn't possibly hurt, right? She also needed consolation for her hard work.

After a few minutes, Shi Xiao Xi closed the fridge door without taking anything. She strode towards another fridge and picked a carton box of banana milk instead. After paying for it, Shi Xiao Xi went out of the convenience store and sat down on one of the chairs that were placed there.

As Shi Xiao Xi drank her milk, she looked at the busy people passing her by and the vehicles that zipped down the highway.

She sighed. "It's indeed hard to make money."

Shi Xiao Xi browsed her phone and saw Lin Zhicheng's call that she had accepted earlier. Thinking about Lin Zhicheng also made her think of Ai Wei.

How nice it would have been if she had also been born into a rich family. She remembered that at this time in the evening, Ai Wei would have been eating at home with her family. There were servants who would lay down delicious food on the table, and if Ai Wei wished, she could call her personal massage therapist to knead her muscles.

Later, Lin Zhicheng would also call her, and the two of them would talk about their day. It was an easygoing life.

Shi Xiao Xi placed her chin on her palm and sighed. Without being aware of it, she had done an exact copy of Ai Wei's habitual gesture when she was feeling tired.

"Ai Wei has a life like that, while I still have to make my own dinner and feed myself."

It was indeed true that without comparison, one wouldn't feel inferior. Shi Xiao Xi massaged her ankles and stood up, preparing herself for the long walk home.

...

Maybe it was true that lightning never strikes in the same place twice, because Shi Xiao Xi's second day of work went better than the day before.

There weren't any emergencies like yesterday, so Secretary Wen was more laidback. Ah Lam came to her desk from time to time to chat with her about trivial things, and Shi Xiao Xi was also polite in talking to her.

She knew that it wasn't completely Ah Lam's fault that she had screwed up yesterday. But Shi Xiao Xi didn't think she would be able to become good friends with Ah Lam. They were very different in their ways of going through life.

Shi Xiao believed in the wise proverb that people of totally different principles can never act together. [1]

During lunch time, Shi Xiao Xi went to the cafeteria with her co-workers. She had already introduced herself to them, so they already knew each other at a surface level.

Aside from Executive Secretary Wen and Ah Lam, there was one more deputy secretary in the Chunlan group. Her name was Luo Fanyin, with the endearing nickname of 'Yinyin.' While Ah Lam was cool and chic, Luo Fanyin was a soft and natural beauty, whose skin looked as if it could squeeze water.

"Sister Yu, did you hear about that actor XXX that had a scandal with the popular celebrity XXX?"

"Wait, really? Let me see!"

Secretary Wen and Ah Lam huddled over Ah Lam's phone and gossiped together, while Shi Xiao Xi and Luo Fanyin quietly ate their food. Naturally, the two of them finished eating earlier.

Shi Xiao Xi looked at Ah Lam's tray that was still half-full. She glanced at Luo Fanyin who carried her tray and stood up.

"Yinyin, you already finished eating?" Ah Lam turned around at the slight sound, looking surprised. "Are you still doing that diet?"

Luo Fanyin blushed. "No, I already stopped a while ago."

Secretary Wen also raised her gaze up from Ah Lam's phone screen and squinted her eyes. She gave a short, barking laugh.

"You indeed look a bit thinner. You look much better in your clothes now, I remember you used to bulge out in your skirt."

Luo Fanyin lowered her head. "Thank you."

"Yinyin, I still haven't finished eating, so can you do me a favor?" Ah Lam rummaged in her purse and finally brought out a card. "Can you buy me milk tea from the shop at the corner of the street? I'll treat you as well! Please, oh please, goddess Yinyin?"

Before Luo Fanyin could reply, Secretary Wen piped up as well. "I'll have one as well, just one of the classics, make it fifty percent sugar."

Perhaps their voices were a bit loud, because the people at the next table also heard it and came over.

"Ah Lam, are you going to buy milk tea? Can you cover me as well? I want a large matcha, and tell the boss to put a lot of tapioca balls in it!"

"Me too, me too! Thanks in advance, Ah Lam!"

"Ah Lam, can I order cheesecake as well? It's just right next to the milk tea shop..."

Shi Xiao Xi pursed her lips and glanced out of the window. Because it was around twelve in the afternoon, the sun was hot in the sky. Luo Fanyin was wearing a silk blouse, a tight skirt, and high heels which would make it difficult for her to carry everything.

But Ah Lam didn't seem to notice this problem and continued on taking orders.

Shi Xiao Xi finally spoke up and asked, "Could we call for a free service delivery? We ordered so many things, naturally they wouldn't refuse, right?"

Shi Xiao Xi felt that Luo Fanyin should be reluctant to leave the air-conditioned office building to walk under the hot sun.

Ah Lam snapped her fingers. "Yeah, maybe we could try that! I don't have their phone number though, so Yinyin should ask them."

"Oh, don't forget to buy my cheesecake on the shop next door!"

"Tell the boss to put a lot of sugar in my milk tea, thank you!"

Numerous voices continued to shout their orders, while Ah Lam started chatting with other people.

Shi Xiao Xi met Luo Fanyin's overwhelmed gaze and picked up her tray as well.

"I'll go with you."

[1] 道不同，不相为谋。This old saying not only tells us how to choose a true friend, but also advises us to pick people we can best work and collaborate with.