New Boss Drops In

Did you hear? We’ve got a new director. A beta, from what I heard.

“Really?”

“Apparently headquarters parachuted her in. She’s got serious pull—even our boss bows and scrapes around her.”

“She’s not the big boss’s daughter from headquarters, sent down to experience life, is she?”

“I think it’s possible.”

Midway through the workday, when no one was watching, was when everyone loved to slack off the most. Lin Meng efficiently compiled yesterday’s documents and sent them to the client for review, then she let herself slack off too.

Because she’d been working overtime day after day, her current workload felt effortless—she could finish every task in half the time.

The rest of the day was her slacking time. Recently she’d picked up illustration online and wanted to take on a few side gigs after work.

Just as she finished the line art for a drawing, she overheard her colleagues talking.

Lin Meng had been at the company only a year and was already deputy team leader. Her greatest ambition was simply to drop the “deputy” from her title; as for any higher position, she hadn’t even considered it.

A team leader’s twenty-thousand-a-month salary plus a year-end bonus was enough for her to live comfortably on her own. Once she’d saved up for a few more years, she’d figure out how to lie flat.

...

While the others were still buzzing about the new director, Tang Xiaoman came over with two cups of coffee. She set a vanilla latte in front of Lin Meng. “Here, Mengmeng.”

Tang Xiaoman had been buying her coffee since last week—and not just any coffee. This brand wasn’t cheap. Lin Meng wanted to refuse, but she’d already bought it... and the vanilla latte really was delicious.

This time, as always, Tang Xiaoman set the coffee on Lin Meng’s desk. Lin Meng hesitated, then called out to her. “Xiaoman, thank you... but please don’t buy me coffee anymore...”

At that, Tang Xiaoman turned back with a deep frown. “Why?”

Lin Meng heard her tone turn cold and hurried to explain. “It’s not that the coffee is bad. I just think it’s wasteful for you to bring me coffee every day. Money doesn’t come easy for anyone—you should save it and buy yourself something nice...”

At that, the corner of Tang Xiaoman’s mouth curved upward.

So Lin Meng was worried she was wasting money.

Her salary at this job wasn’t nearly enough to cover her expenses. But her mother and sister, worried she wasn’t doing well out there, often subsidized her—sending money every half month.

They even sent her red envelopes on holidays.

She might look like a lowly employee, but she actually had over three hundred thousand in savings. Her sister was a financial expert; part of her savings was with her sister, quietly making more money.

She spent freely every month, yet her money kept growing.

She was the only one in her family without grand ambitions. She just wanted an ordinary job, to work honestly for a few years, then go home, lie flat, and live as a little parasite off her mother and sister once she couldn’t stand the hardship anymore.

But lately, she’d been watching Lin Meng.

Lin Meng always came to work and left alone. She never complained, never seemed sad, never even showed a flicker of emotion—she was as emotionally stable as a capybara.

Maybe it was because the last time she’d seen Lin Meng without her glasses, both her face and her personality had instantly captured Tang Xiaoman’s heart. She finally understood what TV dramas meant by “love at first sight.”

This crappy company used to let out at six. By the time you got home, ate dinner, and scrolled on your phone a bit, you had no time left for yourself. She’d wanted to quit for ages.

But because of Lin Meng, she’d held on. Then things took a turn—she hadn’t expected a company that only knew how to exploit its employees to move quitting time to four in the afternoon.

Unless the boss’s brain had short-circuited, she had a reasonable suspicion: the boss had a crush on someone here, and since he was too embarrassed to confess, he’d started by letting everyone off early.

Tang Xiaoman snapped back to reality at Lin Meng’s words. “It’s not wasteful. How much can a cup of coffee cost? You helped me with so many PPTs, Mengmeng, so the coffee is my thank-you gift. Saying that makes you sound distant.”

Lin Meng pressed on. “But you’ve helped me too.”

At that, Tang Xiaoman smiled as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Exactly—good friends help each other. Unless Mengmeng doesn’t consider me a friend anymore.”

Lin Meng was rendered speechless. Yun Huaizhu had told her to keep her distance from Tang Xiaoman, but Tang Xiaoman really did treat her as a friend. If she acted too aloof, would it truly hurt Tang Xiaoman’s feelings?

Just as she was thinking that, the office door suddenly opened and a woman in a brown leather skirt walked in. “Oh my, so lively! Did I come at a bad time?”

The moment she spoke, the chattering office fell silent. Everyone hurried back to their desks, looking guilty.

Lin Meng looked toward the woman.

She looked to be in her twenties, wearing a short brown skirt, a high-end Chanel-style brown plaid jacket, and silver hoop earrings on her small earlobes. She had a warm, generous air about her.

As for how Lin Meng knew the jacket was high-end—well, she’d seen Yun Huaizhu wear the same style.

Come to think of it, every time Yun Huaizhu came to see her, she wore something different.

Did Yun Huaizhu throw away every outfit after wearing it once? Wasn’t that too wasteful?

Just as she was thinking that, the woman smiled easily. “Why is everyone so nervous? Let me introduce myself—I’m the new director, Tan Xiangwei. I’ll be counting on all of you from now on!”

Someone immediately said, “Hello, Director Tan!”

“Hello, Director Tan. I’m Lu Ping, the team leader. I hope you’ll guide me on work matters in the future.”

Tan Xiangwei smiled. “Great! Everyone’s so enthusiastic. By the way, since it’s my first day, I wanted to treat everyone to cake and milk tea, but I don’t know your tastes, so I posted a form in the work group. Write down your favorite cake flavors and milk teas. They’ll be delivered after lunch break.”

“Wow! Director, you’re so thoughtful—I think I’m falling in love with you!”

Tan Xiangwei chuckled again, then scanned the room and found Lin Meng in the middle of the second row. “I want to play for a few more years, so I’m not planning to find a girlfriend yet, but you’re all welcome to have a secret crush on me.”

With just a few light words, she dissolved the awkward atmosphere.

She noticed that while she spoke, that person listened seriously; once she finished, the other woman quickly reined in her emotions and opened her computer to continue working.

She really was a cold person.

In Tan Xiangwei’s impression, Huo Yi also counted as a heartless person—after all, every omega who fell for her ended up heartbroken, crying and swearing never to see her again.

Huo Yi seemed outgoing and cheerful, smiling at everyone with narrowed eyes, but she used smiles to mask her coldness. For someone as cold as her—someone who measured everyone by profit—to actually be serious about an ordinary person... how interesting.

...

After Tan Xiangwei posted the form in the group, Lin Meng didn’t fill it out. She’d already had the vanilla latte Tang Xiaoman gave her today; if she drank more, she’d go over her calorie limit.

The weather had been too hot lately, and she didn’t want to move. If she had two drinks and cake in one day, she’d definitely gain weight within a week.

If she gained weight, she’d have to buy new clothes, and that cost money. Better to watch what she ate for now.

After Tan Xiangwei’s self-introduction, everyone went back to their own business. Lin Meng had almost finished the work in her hands. Her line art had been scrapped over a dozen times, and she’d finally drawn a draft she was satisfied with.

After that first step came refining the lines, then coloring.

Lin Meng wasn’t very familiar with it. Anyway, she was just drawing for fun—she’d take it step by step.

Besides that, something else was on her mind—whether she should make things clear with Tang Xiaoman.

If she kept this up, Tang Xiaoman would keep being so good to her, and she’d be like a scumbag stringing someone along. That really wasn’t right.

As noon approached and it was almost break time, Lin Meng absentmindedly shut down her computer and turned to look at Tang Xiaoman. This time, instead of waiting for Tang Xiaoman to come to her, she went over. “Xiaoman, want to grab lunch together?”

Tang Xiaoman’s eyes lit up. This was the first time Lin Meng had ever invited her to eat. She thought all her efforts these past days had finally paid off. She was so excited she didn’t know what to say and nodded repeatedly. “Mm-hmm!”

...

The cafeteria, the same corner as always. Lin Meng had claimed this seat; usually no one came here, so it was quiet—perfect for a frank conversation.

She got her food and sat across from Tang Xiaoman. Tang Xiaoman noticed she hadn’t taken any soup and thoughtfully placed the tomato egg-drop soup in front of her.

“Mengmeng, this is the first time you’ve ever asked me to come with you. Do you know how happy I am?”

Lin Meng was about to speak, but when she heard Tang Xiaoman’s words, guilt spread through her like a tide. She gave a guilty “mm” and buried herself in her food.

Seeing her focused on eating and no longer paying attention, Tang Xiaoman, as usual, began chattering away. “That Director Tan who came today looks so young. I wonder which rich family’s eldest daughter she is. I’ve never heard of a wealthy Tan family in Jing City.”

Tang Xiaoman was trying to spark Lin Meng’s interest, but Lin Meng was agonizing over whether to make things clear with her right now.

Tang Xiaoman was used to Lin Meng being silent during meals, so she continued. “Director Tan said she doesn’t plan to get a girlfriend, but she allows others to have secret crushes on her. She’s really confident and generous.” Then she shifted the topic to Lin Meng. “But come to think of it, Director Tan is a beta, just like Mengmeng.”

Lin Meng looked up. “Is that so strange?”

Tang Xiaoman shook her head. “Not really... I just heard that marriages between wealthy families are usually between alphas and omegas of similar rank. The chance of them producing a beta is very small, and betas aren’t favored in the family either. Of course, I just read that on some anonymous forum, so I don’t know if it’s accurate. Anyway, someone as confident as Director Tan must have a family that dotes on her.”

Lin Meng nodded in agreement.

Yes—a family’s love can make a person confident and bright, help them grow strong.

Lin Meng thought the topic would end there, but Tang Xiaoman caught her off guard with a sudden turn. “Mengmeng, do you know what a secret crush feels like?”

Lin Meng: ?

She’d never had a secret crush—how would she know what it felt like?

Lin Meng fell silent, preparing to answer, when Tang Xiaoman looked at her with longing. “Having a secret crush... I feel like it’s sweet and sour. Just seeing her every day makes my heart feel sweet. But she doesn’t know, and she can’t give me any emotional response. Just thinking about that makes my heart feel bitter and stifled—like the sour-bitter smell of burnt paper. So...”

She’d said enough for Lin Meng to understand clearly, but this person still played dumb. “Mm, it does sound a bit sad... Can’t you control yourself and stop liking her?”

Tang Xiaoman froze at that answer. “But... you can’t control feelings. Liking someone, loving someone—it’s blurry and hazy, like sugar melting in your mouth, sweet and delicate. You can’t see clearly what it is. Once you try to look too closely at what love is, it’s no longer pure love.”

Lin Meng had never heard that perspective before—it actually made a lot of sense.

Just as she was about to nod, Tang Xiaoman suddenly reached out and placed her hand over Lin Meng’s. “Mengmeng... you know who my secret crush is, right?”

Feeling the warmth of Tang Xiaoman’s palm, Lin Meng slowly pulled her hand back in refusal. She sat up straight and placed both hands on her knees, gripping her pants tightly. “Sorry, I really don’t know.”

From the way Lin Meng pulled her hand away, Tang Xiaoman could tell she probably had no chance. Her eyes seemed to dim for a moment, then she lowered her head dejectedly. “So I’ve been rejected...”

Lin Meng’s conscience was being tortured relentlessly, but she felt some things needed to be said clearly. She didn’t want Tang Xiaoman to keep suffering that sour bitterness called a “secret crush.”

She lowered her head, overwhelmed with guilt. “I’m sorry.”

Seeing her guilty, pained expression, Tang Xiaoman felt as if a pair of large hands were squeezing her heart. She looked up at Lin Meng, who was about to cry. “It’s okay, Mengmeng. We’ll still be good friends after this, right?”

Lin Meng’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She slowly raised her head and looked at Tang Xiaoman, whose eyes were brimming with tears.

Tang Xiaoman continued, “I’m good to someone not because I have a secret crush on them, but because they’re a good person who deserves my kindness. Besides, Mengmeng is good to me too. I only helped you with a small thing, but you repaid me generously. You don’t need to be afraid of owing someone. Friends don’t keep score—the deeper the bond, the less they count. I hope that starting today, you can let go of the burden in your heart, not worry about gains and losses, not worry about how much you owe others. Let’s just be normal friends, okay?”

This was the first time anyone had said something like this to her.

Lin Meng was stunned for a long while before nodding. “Okay...”

After that meal, Lin Meng had clearly rejected Tang Xiaoman, but their relationship didn’t seem affected. Tang Xiaoman still treated her as a friend.

Only today did she learn that feelings could be like this.

...

After lunch, Lin Meng lay on the sofa in an empty office to rest, but today she couldn’t fall asleep no matter what. Her world had been shaken once again.

Friends...

Friends really were complicated things. She seemed to remember having friends before, but it was so long ago she couldn’t recall clearly.

It was Tang Xiaoman who had taught her today, for the first time, that friends could be like this.

If friends were like this, then what did that make Yun Huaizhu, who was even closer to her?

Just as Lin Meng was tossing and turning over the question, someone suddenly knocked on the office door. Startled like a rabbit, she perked up her ears and sat up from the sofa.

She remembered this office was supposed to be empty—why would someone come here?

Lin Meng hesitated, then said, “The door’s unlocked. Please come in.”

The moment she spoke, Tan Xiangwei opened the door and came into view. Lin Meng quickly stood up. “Director Tan, is there something you need?”

Seeing her reaction, Tan Xiangwei gave a reassuring chuckle. “You’re Lin Meng, right?”

Lin Meng nodded. “Mm, that’s me.”

Tan Xiangwei smiled again. “No need to be so nervous. It took me a long time to find this place. Do you like quiet spots?”

Lin Meng nodded again, but she was more concerned that Tan Xiangwei had spent so long looking for her. “Is there something urgent you need me for?”

Tan Xiangwei said, “I posted a list in the group this morning, right? Everyone in the company wrote down what they wanted. Why didn’t you fill it in? Did you forget?”

At that, Lin Meng lowered her head sheepishly. “Um... I already had a latte today, and I’m trying to lose weight, so I didn’t fill it in.”

Tan Xiangwei nodded. “Oh, I see... But skipping desserts won’t help you lose much weight. How about this—fill it in first, and I know a yoga studio. After work I can take you there to relax. Just half an hour of practice a day can shape and slim your body.”

Lin Meng froze.

Had she heard wrong? Her boss wanted to take her to a yoga studio.

But after work, she just wanted to go home!

If she brushed off this boss now, would the woman make things difficult for her later?

With that thought, Lin Meng steeled herself and quickly took out her phone. “Thank you, Director Tan. I’ll fill it in right now... Actually, I also practice yoga at home. If I practice an extra hour this week, I can definitely burn off the calories, so I won’t trouble you.”

Seeing her reaction, Tan Xiangwei smiled in amusement. “Is that so? What a shame.”

“I’m really sorry.”

...

Lin Meng’s intuition told her that Tan Xiangwei was not someone to be trifled with, and it was best to keep some distance from her.

On the form, she wrote chestnut mousse and a strawberry milkshake, while her colleagues wrote all sorts of things. They probably couldn’t all be bought at one dessert shop.

Come to think of it, Director Tan was quite thoughtful—she knew everyone had different tastes in milk tea and even reminded people to note their sugar level.

Tan Xiangwei gave Lin Meng a very familiar feeling, as if she’d known someone of this type before.

But she’d just rejected Tang Xiaoman today, and Tang Xiaoman’s words had sent her into deep thought, so for the moment she couldn’t remember who that person was.

...

Seven in the evening.

In Jing City, there was a vintage-style luxury restaurant called Fenghe Xuan. Many wealthy madams liked to play cards here. It had a large purple bamboo garden, and the decor was all retro opulence.

Huo Yi gathered the last red dragon and revealed her hand. “Thirteen Orphans. I win.”

The other three at the table couldn’t help exclaiming. “Oh my, Young Miss Huo, how is your luck so good today?”

“Yeah, you haven’t lost a single round.”

Huo Yi gave them a friendly smile. “I don’t extend credit here.”

“Oh, you’re so mean! We know you don’t extend credit.”

The speaker then placed a two-hundred-gram gold bar, sealed in a plastic bag for investment, in front of Huo Yi. “I’m done for today. My luck’s terrible. Let’s play another day.”

“Yeah, yeah. Huo Yi’s not only lucky at cards, but she gets a pure suit every hand at mahjong too. With luck like that, what are us unlucky ones supposed to do?”

Huo Yi smiled at that, then said, “The resort project in the western part of the city—my family assessed a 68% return rate. If you want to gamble on luck, you can follow me for a round.”

The three present felt as if a pie had fallen into their laps. “Of course we’ll follow! In all of Jing City, who doesn’t know that Young Miss Huo is the best at making money?”

Huo Yi had spent only an afternoon playing mahjong, and she’d pulled in two hundred million in investment plus a gold bar.

Just as she was about to wrap up beautifully, a woman carrying this year’s latest limited-edition diamond bag entered. The others laughed at the sight. “Oh my, isn’t this Eldest Miss Tan? What wind blew you here?”

Tan Xiangwei smiled. “I thought I could catch up, but you’ve all finished. How boring.”

Seeing her arrive, Huo Yi said to the people across from her, “Then let’s gather another day. Next time, if you don’t lose a layer of skin, you definitely won’t leave.”

Everyone laughed at the joke. Before long, they took the hint from Huo Yi’s expression and left the antique pavilion where the mahjong table sat.

Only after the others had left did Huo Yi look up at Tan Xiangwei. “New official taking office—how does it feel?”

At that, Tan Xiangwei rolled her eyes. “I’ve been working diligently for you, and you won’t even give me a cup of tea before interrogating me. You’re really too much.”

Huo Yi spoke into the walkie-talkie. “Purple Bamboo Pavilion, west wing—send a pot of pre-rain Longjing tea.”

Tan Xiangwei said, “That’s more like it.”

She sat by the mahjong table, fiddling with the red dragon tile. “That small company was just something Su Yutang bought on a whim, right? Why are you meddling in her company’s business? Just because she’s been confined by her mother, you’re helping her make money? The Young Miss Huo I remember isn’t this generous.”

Huo Yi acted as if she didn’t understand the implication. “After all, we’re partners now. If her company loses money, I’m affected too.”

Seeing her put on this act, Tan Xiangwei wanted to laugh. “Come on. Even if that tiny company went bankrupt, it wouldn’t affect you at all. I think you’re trying to poach her people, aren’t you?”

By the time Tan Xiangwei said this, Huo Yi’s expression had turned ugly. But Tan Xiangwei continued as if she couldn’t read the room, lifting and setting down the mahjong tiles with crisp clicks. “But that Eldest Miss Su is quite devoted. For her sweetheart, she actually acquired the company and even changed quitting time to four in the afternoon. If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to help falling for her.”