Unexpectedly for Ji Rui, in the following days, Le Tong was very quiet, as if that night had never happened.
Aside from disappearing early the next morning, in the days that followed, every morning she would still, as usual, serve him a cup of hot, fragrant coffee when he sat down. In the evenings, when he stayed late working overtime, she could often be found quietly sitting at her desk, tapping away at her keyboard.
Ji Rui couldn't be considered a vain person, especially when it came to overly attentive behavior from the opposite sex, which he found more annoying than pleasing. But after spending a night together with her, and finding that she acted like she'd forgotten everything, completely disregarding him, he found himself feeling something indescribable.
In most people's eyes, Ji Rui not only had an impressive family background but was also highly capable himself. His outstanding appearance, which could make women—even men—scream with admiration, had kept him at the top, surrounded by a halo, as the dream husband of many socialites and heiresses for the past five or six years.
But he didn't know that, in the eyes of some who were familiar with him and rational, like in Le Tong's view, he was nothing more than a high-functioning machine—valuable, but not attractive.
"Le Tong!"
A week had passed since that incident, and he finally couldn't hold his curiosity any longer, calling out to the woman who was turning to leave after putting down his hot coffee.
Le Tong was already by the door but quickly turned back, "President, is there something you need?"
The simple black work suit she wore fit her perfectly, revealing her graceful and charming figure unmistakably.
She looked at him with her clear, bright eyes as usual. Her face bore no deliberate flattering smile, yet it inexplicably made Ji Rui feel quite comfortable.
"How long have you been working here?"
He could almost feel the corner of his mouth twitching at his own words, which came out as a blatant attempt to find something to say.
"It will be six months by the end of the month, President."
Le Tong's expression was calm. Though she couldn't discern the meaning behind the boss's question, she still answered truthfully.
The moment she answered, she was already mentally prepared to hear about a transfer or, perhaps, a dismissal.
Even though she didn't know much about his personal life, she could imagine that keeping a woman he had spent the night with nearby wasn't the style of a man like Ji Rui.
Ji Rui stared at her face, "Are you satisfied with your salary?"
Ji Rui felt his hint was more than clear enough.
Since she didn't seem to have any inappropriate desires, as long as her demands weren't excessive, he was willing to spend the money.
Le Tong raised her eyes to glance at him. Although her gaze was still clear, he distinctly saw that it carried a hint of something different, even though it flashed by quickly, he trusted his eyes not to be mistaken.
"President, I am very satisfied with the company's salary and benefits."
Le Tong lowered her eyes, hiding the sarcasm that welled up like a tide. She wasn't the cleverest, but she could hear the unspoken implications in his words.
She wasn't wealthy, but for someone like her, who only needed to feed herself, the salary from the Ji Family was enough to maintain a decent petite bourgeoisie lifestyle and even save a little.
Ji Rui stared at her lowered eyes, feeling a faint surge of displeasure akin to anger welling up inside.
"No other requests?"
If his previous words had been somewhat oblique, then this question was equivalent to opening his wallet and handing it to her, saying, "Take as much as you'd like."
Le Tong raised her eyes, giving him a bland look, "President, should I make an announcement on the company forum, declaring that I, Le Tong, am very satisfied with the company's salary and benefits?"
Ji Rui stared at her, realizing that his usually compliant and docile secretary was indeed a little hedgehog. He had indeed underestimated her before.
"Go out and think about it before you answer me!"
Ji Rui waved his hand, signaling she could leave.
Le Tong didn't come to see him for the rest of the day, causing the dissatisfaction within Ji Rui to grow even larger.
From a young age, he had grown accustomed to solving any issue with money. To him, anything that could be resolved with money was not considered a problem. Therefore, he truly hoped she would demand a hefty sum, so they could then settle everything between them.
He had a night of pleasure, and she, in return, received a large sum of money.
This way, neither owed the other anything.
But now, with her not asking for anything, he felt as if there were a bomb buried nearby, uncertain of when it might suddenly explode.
As usual, Ji Rui worked overtime until after nine before leaving. Le Tong waited until she heard the sound of the elevator door opening and closing in the distance before she began to pack up her desk, leaving the company a few minutes after him as usual.
The place she lived was only a few minutes' walk from Ji Mansion, and every day, she commuted on foot.
After several days of overcast and rainy weather, the skies finally cleared, but the temperature still lingered around a few degrees. As she stepped out of the building, a gust of north wind hit her, making her shiver, dressed as she was only in a blouse, short skirt, and suit jacket.
The phone rang at this moment, and Le Tong huddled to take out her phone and answer the call.
"Tongtong, where are you?"
On the other end of the line, her close friend Luo Yuanyuan's voice came through.
"At the office." The outside really was cold, and Le Tong unceremoniously turned up the collar of her jacket, as there was no one around to see it at this time anyway.
"Working overtime again? Your President Ji is such a Demon, working overtime every day of the week."
Luo Yuanyuan was a rich girl, and if Le Tong had to guess, she was probably either at a fitness club or having a drink with friends and calling her during a free moment.
"Yuan'er, get to the point, or I'm hanging up!"
Le Tong's teeth were chattering from the cold, and she only wanted to hang up quickly so she could run home and take a hot shower.
"Hey, hey... don't hang up! Let me tell you, I have a good buddy who's just returned from studying abroad..."
Luo Yuanyuan was good at many things, except her tendency to be long-winded when speaking, often taking a long time to get to the point. If Le Tong were cozily tucked in her warm bed, she would certainly listen attentively.
But right now, she was unbearably cold, and had to interrupt her, "Yuan'er, if you don't want to collect my dead body, wait until I get home to talk!"
With that, she didn't wait for the other end to respond and quickly hung up the phone.
Cold enough to almost turn into a snowman, Le Tong trotted to the alleyway. As she approached, a series of urgent horn sounds greeted her.
"Tongtong, over here!"
Le Tong reluctantly found herself dragged by Luo Yuanyuan to a high-end bar not far from her home, her hands clinging to the door, resisting going inside.
"Yuan'er, I don't want to drink!"
The company's party that day had left her drinking excessively, and the events that followed left a significant shadow in her mind. Standing at the bar entrance, she wanted nothing more than to turn around and leave.
"Alright, you don't have to drink alcohol, just have some juice then!"
Luo Yuanyuan agreed readily, using all her strength to pull her into the bar.
Le Tong was forcibly seated by Luo Yuanyuan at the bar, vaguely sensing a peculiar atmosphere nearby. She looked up, following her instincts, and found herself locking eyes with Ji Rui's cold, icy gaze.