178: One more colleague

Outside the door, the crisp sound of high heels echoed, “tap, tap, tap,” one after another, with a quick and rhythmic pace.

The sound gradually approached, exceptionally clear in the quiet environment.

Yu Miaoyin frowned slightly, pondering to herself, listening to the footsteps, it seemed to be a woman.

Soon, the door was pushed open.

What met Yu Miaoyin’s eyes was a woman with long, wavy hair.

Her curly hair cascaded freely over her shoulders like seaweed, gleaming with a healthy luster.

She was dressed in a fitted business suit that perfectly accentuated her graceful figure, making her appear both capable and charming.

On her legs were black stockings, imprinted with a delicate letter, adding a touch of mysterious sexiness to her.

The red-soled high heels on her feet were strikingly vibrant, and with every step, she seemed to declare her confidence and flamboyance.

The woman’s features were bright and captivating, her eyes deep and luminous, like twinkling stars in the night sky.

Beneath a high nose bridge was a full and sensual mouth painted with a rich red lipstick. She tilted her chin slightly, exuding a unique aura.

Yu Miaoyin was momentarily stunned when she saw the other person.

Firstly, she was captivated by the other’s beauty; it was a striking beauty that made it impossible to look away.

Secondly, she felt as if she had seen the other person somewhere before—the familiar eyebrows, the familiar expression—but she couldn’t recall where they might have met.

The person who walked in was Liu Ruyan.

She had just returned from eating and didn’t expect to see an extra person in the room as soon as she entered the office.

She was also stunned, looking at the suddenly added office chair and the woman, Yu Miaoyin. She blinked, thinking she had entered the wrong office.

So she stepped back, checked the sign on the door, and confirmed that this was indeed her office.

She frowned, her gaze returning to Yu Miaoyin, and began to scrutinize her carefully.

Yu Miaoyin was slender, and her simple dress perfectly showcased her gentle demeanor.

Her face was small and delicate, her skin as fair as snow, with a faint blush, like cherry blossoms in spring.

Her large, watery eyes, clear and bright, were currently looking at her with a hint of confusion.

Her long, dark hair fell softly down her back, swaying gently with her movements.

Liu Ruyan immediately recognized the other person because she had also attended the concert that day.

“It’s you, why are you also…” Before she could finish, Liu Ruyan pursed her lips and sighed inwardly. The situation was now clear; the other person had obviously also fallen into Lu Chen’s grasp.

She had felt something was off during the concert that day, and now it seemed her suspicions were confirmed.

Liu Ruyan shook her head, sighing inwardly once more, and at the same time, she gritted her teeth at Lu Chen, cursing him silently, “That damned scumbag! He’s truly disgusting!”

Yu Miaoyin was slightly taken aback when she heard Liu Ruyan’s words.

Then she tilted her head, a hint of innocence and bewilderment on her face, and asked, “Do you know me?”

Liu Ruyan’s lips curved into a half-smile as she let out a soft huff: “Who doesn’t know you? The big star.”

As she spoke, she crossed her arms over her chest, a hint of disdain in her eyes, and looked Yu Miaoyin up and down.

Yu Miaoyin’s face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head a little shyly, unconsciously tugging at the corner of her dress, and whispered, “I’m not really a big star; I just got lucky and everyone recognized me.”

She looked up slightly, her eyes sparkling with sincerity, and gazed at Liu Ruyan, “Do you work at Lu Chen’s company? I just started today, and there’s a lot I don’t understand yet.”

Liu Ruyan raised an eyebrow, her lips still holding that helpless smile.

“Yes, I work here. We’ll be colleagues from now on.”

Liu Ruyan looked around, her gaze sweeping over every corner, then she shook her head slightly, her tone a mix of sarcasm and lament.

She leisurely said, “I really don’t know how many more colleagues this room will have after a while.”

Yu Miaoyin looked up, her face puzzled, clearly not understanding the deeper meaning in Liu Ruyan’s words, and couldn’t help but ask, “What do you mean?”

Liu Ruyan shook her head again, dismissively saying, “Nothing.”

With that, she turned and walked towards her seat. Her steps were light, each one carrying the distinct rhythm of her high heels, the red-soled heels tapping crisply on the floor.

Her posture was graceful and swaying, exuding a certain casualness and freedom, yet one could subtly sense her inner detachment.

Yu Miaoyin kept staring at the other person, her brows slightly furrowed.

She still felt the other person looked familiar, constantly searching her mind, as if she had seen her somewhere. Finally, she couldn’t help but ask, “Have we met somewhere before?”

A faint smile appeared on Liu Ruyan’s lips, and she said, “Of course we have. I watched your concert.”

Yu Miaoyin suddenly understood, nodding gently, “Oh, so that’s it.”

After a brief silence, Yu Miaoyin spoke again, her eyes full of curiosity and sincerity: “What kind of work are you mainly responsible for at the company? I’m still not very familiar with the business here.”

Liu Ruyan frowned slightly, feeling a bit impatient, but still forced a small smile and dismissively replied, “Just some daily tasks, nothing special.”

As she spoke, she casually flipped through the documents on her desk, deliberately avoiding Yu Miaoyin’s gaze.

Yu Miaoyin didn't notice Liu Ruyan's coolness and continued to ask enthusiastically, “Is the work difficult? I’m a bit worried I won’t do well.”

Liu Ruyan lifted her eyelids, glanced at Yu Miaoyin, and said in a flat tone, “You’ll get used to it. It’s not difficult.”

After speaking, she lowered her head and continued to flip through documents, saying no more.

Yu Miaoyin seemed unaware of Liu Ruyan’s perfunctoriness and then asked, “Are the colleagues in the company easy to get along with?”

Liu Ruyan sighed lightly, rolled her eyes almost imperceptibly, and her lips curved into a faint smile as she answered briefly, “They’re alright.”

In Liu Ruyan’s opinion, the other person was just a new woman Lu Chen was pursuing, so there was no need for her to say much to her.

Yu Miaoyin also noticed the other person’s impatience. She tilted her head, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes, truly unable to understand why the other person held such hostility.

But she didn’t dwell on it.

After all, which worker doesn’t carry a bit of resentment when going to work?

Her gaze fell on Liu Ruyan again, and what surprised her more was the other person’s beauty.

Those bright and captivating features, that unique temperament, secretly startled Yu Miaoyin.

There was also a strange sense of vigilance.

Then, her gaze shifted to another seat, and she pondered, “Who could this person be…?” At this moment, Liu Ruyan sat in her seat, pretending to flip through a few books, suddenly feeling inexplicably annoyed, and a sense of urgency and tension surged in her heart.

She knew that, given the current trend, she would likely soon lose her sense of presence with Lu Chen.

But her video was still in Lu Chen’s hands, and she had to retrieve it from him as soon as possible while she still had some presence.

Liu Ruyan bit her lower lip, a look of determination flashing in her eyes. She felt she couldn’t wait any longer; she had to take the initiative.

She abruptly stood up, her movements crisp and decisive, grabbed a document from the table, and walked towards the door.

Yu Miaoyin saw the other person leave, merely glancing at her indifferently, not paying much attention.

Then she lowered her head again, starting to familiarize herself with the documents in her hand, wanting to find information about her Senior Sister’s company, as this was one of her purposes for being here.

Liu Ruyan quickly arrived at Lu Chen’s office.

She looked at the closed door, her heart uncontrollably accelerating, feeling a slight tension.

Then, she took a deep breath, slowly raised her hand, elegantly brushed her hair, gently tucked her curls behind her ear, and carefully tidied her appearance.

She bent slightly, her fingers gently pinching the hem of her skirt, pulling it up a little, just enough to reveal a sliver of black stocking lace, adding a touch of sexiness and charm.

Immediately after, she slightly bent her knees, her slender fingers deftly loosening the fixed buttons on her high heels a bit, instantly making her whole posture more languid and alluring.

After preparing all this, she straightened her back, a confident smile on her face, holding the documents in her arms, and walked gracefully into the office with a cat-like stride.

Her waist swayed gently like a willow in the wind, each step carrying a unique rhythm. From the side, her smooth body curves, enveloped by the fitted business suit, appeared even more shapely and captivating, making it impossible to look away.

Liu Ruyan took a deep breath, steadied herself, and gently pushed open the door to Lu Chen’s office.

The door slowly opened, the room was silent. Her gaze eagerly searched the room, but Lu Chen was nowhere to be seen.

Liu Ruyan’s heart suddenly skipped a beat, and an indescribable excitement instantly surged within her.

If Lu Chen wasn’t in the office, this was a golden opportunity for her!

She could take advantage of the situation to search, and perhaps she might find the video that had been worrying her day and night.

Liu Ruyan quickly turned, gently closed the door, and didn’t forget to cautiously peek through the crack of the door to look outside.

Once she confirmed no one was paying attention, she quickly walked towards Lu Chen’s desk.

Her gaze eagerly swept over the desktop; documents were piled high. She rapidly flipped through them, the papers rustling.

She didn’t miss a single corner.

Liu Ruyan’s breathing became rapid, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. A few strands of hair, damp with sweat, clung to her flushed cheeks.

The drawers were her next target.

She squatted down, her hands trembling as she pulled open the drawers.

They were crammed with various documents, notebooks, and miscellaneous items.

She carelessly rummaged through everything, tossing items onto the floor; papers and stationery scattered everywhere, but she paid no attention.

She frantically searched, occasionally muttering under her breath, “Where is it? Where is it?”

She searched through all the drawers but still found nothing.

Liu Ruyan stood up, her gaze darting eagerly around the room, then suddenly landed on the computer on the desk.

Her eyes instantly lit up, as if she had grasped the last straw of hope.

She took a few steps to the computer and plopped down onto Lu Chen’s office chair.

The computer screen was black. She frantically pressed the power button, her fingers trembling slightly from nervousness.

While waiting for it to boot up, she kept biting her lip, leaving shallow teeth marks on it.

The computer finally booted up. Liu Ruyan impatiently opened the file manager and began searching through each folder.

As one folder after another was opened, but the video was nowhere to be found, her face grew increasingly anxious.

Her hands rapidly switched between the mouse and keyboard, her clicks becoming more forceful, the mouse making a “clack-clack” sound on the desktop.

As time passed, Liu Ruyan’s heart rate accelerated sharply, and an unprecedented thrill surged within her.

She felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her throat; nervousness and excitement intertwined, making her involuntarily clench her legs.

Her eyes were full of anxiety and urgency, and beads of sweat slid down her cheeks, dripping onto the desk.

“How could it not be here? How could it possibly not be here?”

Her voice trembled slightly as she murmured, almost despairingly.

Her hand continued to click incessantly, her eyes fixed on the screen, not letting go of any possible corner, as if this would force the video out of the computer… Liu Ruyan’s fingers slid mechanically on the mouse, her eyes bloodshot, staring intently at the computer screen, not missing any file icon.

After searching for quite a while longer, she still found nothing.

The contents of this computer greatly shocked her; it was eerily clean, with almost no trace of anything work-related. What met her eyes were only some games she couldn’t understand at all.

“‘Raising Girl Elvie’? What the hell is this?”

Liu Ruyan’s brows twisted into a knot, her eyes full of confusion and disdain, as she muttered softly.

Her fingers continued to click, and she saw another game title, “‘The Kind Little Sister-in-Law’? What even is this?!”

She pursed her lips, her face filled with disgust, and let out a soft huff through her nose.

Then, she saw “Genshin Impact.” The art style of this game was completely different from the previous two, but she still didn’t understand.

“What’s so fun about these games? What does he do during work hours?”

Her voice unconsciously rose a few octaves, her tone filled with anger and disbelief, “He probably doesn’t even work properly; he just plays games all day long!”

Liu Ruyan shook her head and pushed her chair back, making a grating “creak” sound.

She stood up, hands on her hips, and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

After a brief pause, she bent down again, continuing to rummage through the pile of documents.

Her hair was a bit messy, a few strands falling beside her cheeks. She irritably pushed her hair behind her ear with her hand.

Her eyes were wide, not missing a single document, and her hands constantly stirred through the pile of papers, making them rustle loudly.

She was engrossed in her search, completely immersed in her own world, and didn’t notice a figure slowly appearing behind her.

The figure’s footsteps were very light, making almost no sound, gradually approaching and standing silently behind her, casting a shadow over Liu Ruyan.