You Have the Right to Keep a Secret Love

Chapter 4: I Came to Join This Family, Not to Break It Apart...

"Do you think there's still a chance for me and Gu Yan to repair our relationship?"

On her first day at work, after a team dinner, Qixi spent most of her time dealing with her personnel files and procedures. That night, she returned to the small apartment she shared with Zhao Yiran.

Since her disagreement with her parents about studying abroad, Qixi was determined to break free from their shelter and make her own way in the world. Coincidentally, Zhao Yiran worked at the nearby court and competing law firm, and there happened to be a vacant room in the two-bedroom apartment she rented. Qixi immediately decided to become Zhao Yiran's roommate.

"It's impossible," Zhao Yiran sympathetically replied. "Haven't you noticed that Gu Yan is the type of person who speaks little but means what he says? Now that he's made it clear that he can't be friends with you, I feel like you're out of luck. Why don't you try to win over your boss instead? It doesn't matter if your relationship with colleagues is distant, just make sure you please the boss."

Qixi could only cry out to the heavens in frustration. Her boss was Gu Yan's older sister, and she seemed even more difficult to handle than Gu Yan himself. Qixi was determined to help Gu Yan seek justice, and if her true identity were exposed, she couldn't imagine the consequences.

Especially after the team lunch where she couldn't eat a single bite, upon returning to J&H Law Firm, Qixi learned the true nature of Gu Xuehan from the conversations and subtle cues of her other colleagues. They didn't call her a goddess because she was even more divine than a goddess, but simply because beneath her goddess-like appearance, she had a heart of a female demon.

"She must have told you that she wants to cultivate her own loyal team before selecting new members, right? But that's not true. None of the other interns in the firm wanted to join her team for the long term. Although Gu Yan brings in a lot of revenue, working for her is like working non-stop, just as necessary as eating and drinking. Young people can't handle it."

"Before you, she actually recruited other new team members who ended up applying to transfer to other lawyer teams after a few days..."

"Her energy is beyond what ordinary people can match. The previous intern who joined her team was fresh and tender, but burnt out within a week. Gu Yan, on the other hand, shines even brighter. Maybe it's a matter of constitution. I've seen her younger brother endure her grinding for so long, yet his face still looks so good. Could it be that the two of them have some secret to rejuvenation?"

"But don't worry, Qixi. You're so beautiful; maybe you can endure a bit longer before becoming yellow and withered."

This consolation was even worse than not being comforted at all.

...

As Qixi recounted, she looked at Zhao Yiran with tearless eyes and said, "Anyway, that's the situation. But even if I can't survive in this team, I can't transfer because other lawyers already have full staff."

Since she had been determined to go abroad, Qixi was late in looking for a job and sending out resumes. Most law firms had already filled their positions, so it was lucky that she managed to get an offer at J&H Law Firm.

After hearing Qixi's words, Zhao Yiran could only pat her shoulder and say, "Sister, there's nothing more to say. Just grieve and bury it."

"..."

"But since things have come to this, why not try shamelessly? I think you should start with Gu Yan. After all, Gu Yan has just entered society and isn't as cunning as his sister. Regardless, you were classmates for four years, so he should have some sentiment towards you. Find out what he likes, buy him gifts, show concern when he's facing difficulties. Over time, you can repair your relationship."