They hadn't even settled in properly at the hotpot spot yet, and the scent of roasted skewers already wafted from inside.
"I wonder what it would be like to make a reckless decision, like inviting Jiang Yue here on a Thursday night. A work day. After having one or two rounds of delicious hotpot and beer, we'll drunkenly escort ourselves home while singing by the roadside and getting nasty looks from passerbys." Meilin muttered and chuckled, sighing to herself.
She wondered when things would become simple.
Simple or reckless? Alcohol on a Tuesday night was definitely reckless. Haha.
Suddenly, Meilin remembered a file she'd forgotten at the senior editor's office. He'd repeatedly reminded her that they would be having a meeting tomorrow and the file would be needed. Tomorrow was Thursday. It would be bad if she didn't take it home to review because that would mean more work for her tomorrow.
"I forgot something at the office," called said as she wondered how she could've forgotten such a file. "I'll join you all back here in ten or twenty minutes."
Minjie gave her a thumbs-up. "Okay, but hurry. Don't let us finish the lotus root without you!"
As the others filed into their seats, Meilin turned back toward the office building, her heels clicking against the pavement. She entered the lobby again, greeted by the cool hush of after-hours silence.
She berated herself again and again for forgetting that file. But it wasn't entirely her fault. She hadn't even finished working when her teammates invited her to eat hotpot and this would be the third time they'd be asking in four months. If she declined again, they might think she had pride or something else was up.
Rather than taking the elevator, she moved toward the stairwell and ascended two flights in quiet determination.
The senior editors' offices were on the top floor—a place Meilin rarely visited, unless summoned. But she'd left a client folder on Assistant Editor Lin's table earlier in the day. It wasn't urgent, but if she didn't fix the typos in it tonight, her morning would be hell. They wouldn't be able to make use of it at the meeting.
It wasn't even her job but since it had been assigned to her, she would do it. Sweat had slowly begun to gather on her forehead and she dabbed at it with the back of her sleeve, the retrieval of that file being the only thing on her mind.
Sighing as she finally got to her destination, Meilin pushed open the glass door to the upper-level office suite, the corridor bathed in low hallway light. It was usually locked after hours, but someone had clearly forgotten to shut it completely.
Her heels slowed as she neared the end of the corridor.
Then she heard it.
A moan.
'Am I hearing things?' Meilin wondered, pausing for a few seconds but nothing followed.
Suddenly, the silence that encased the vicinity was penetrated by a sharp gasp. Followed by a long moan.
Meilin froze mid-step, her stomach clenching in curiosity and surprise.
The sounds came again—this time unmistakably a woman's voice, breathy and sultry, drifting from the corner office.
Her brows furrowed. That was Senior Editor Zhang's room.
She wasn't trying to eavesdrop. She was just... rooted to the spot.
A giggle followed a man's chuckle.
The giggle was distinct. Familiar.
It had to be Sandra.
The office femme fatale. The woman whose heels always clicked louder than anyone else's. The one with the sultry red lipstick and the slinky pencil skirts that should undoubtedly be unofficial in any workplace. Rumors about her flings floated like cigarette smoke through the office, but no one ever had proof.
Until now.
Meilin's eyes widened, her legs firmly rooted to a spot.
Instinct screamed at her to turn and leave, but she heard the sudden scrape of a chair being pushed back—and a belt unbuckling. She didn't have to put that much effort into peeking to see the senior editor Lin's figure standing in-between Sandra's parted thighs. She doubted the skirt was ridden up, because they normally reached her upper thigh and left zero to one's imagination.
Meilin knew so many men in the office lusted after Sandra but she'd heard about how proud Sandra was. So...she was actually sleeping with an editor... or even several men in the office?
Meilin shook her head. That was none of her business.
Panic surged through her as footsteps echoed. If they came out and saw her—
She spun on her heel and ducked into the women's restroom nearby, barely managing to keep quiet as the door clicked shut behind her.
Heart hammering, Meilin tiptoed into a stall and sat down—not because she needed to pee, but because her knees had gone weak.
A moment later, she actually did need to pee.
Her bladder, apparently confused by the adrenaline, gave her no choice.
She finished quickly, washed her hands in silence, and creaked the restroom door open just enough to peek out.
Silence.
Had they left? She'd spent at least ten minutes here.
Meilin took a careful step into the hallway, her nerves still taut—
And ran right into someone.
"Ah—!"
"Whoa. Easy there, sweet girl." The sultry voice came as someone tried to steady her.
Meilin stumbled back despite the person's support, balancing herself on her own only to meet Sandra's perfectly sculpted face and towering heels. Her long lashes were curled dramatically, her lipstick slightly smudged—red like a fresh crime.
Sandra's eyes sparkled as she tilted her head. "Meilin, right?"
"Y-yeah," Meilin said, throat dry. She tucked her hair from her face, trying to ease her fast beating heart.
"You work in Strategy, right?"
"Yes. Strategic Communications Department. I—uh—I forgot a file and—"
"Mmm." Sandra crossed her arms slowly, smirking. "Did you see anything... interesting while you were up here?"
Meilin blinked rapidly. "See what?"
Sandra leaned in, her perfume heady and intoxicating. Her lips curled into a devilish grin as she eyed Meilin's undoubtedly anxious eyes. "Exactly."
And then she walked away—hips swaying like a metronome set to dangerously confident.
Meilin stood there for a beat too long, mortified and stunned. Then, she practically ran down the stairs.
By the time she rejoined her colleagues, they were all seated and casually laughing about who could handle the next batch of the spiciest broth.
"There you are!" Minjie said. "We almost started the second round without you! Come and sit, Team Head Guo Lin is paying for this round so eat as much as you want!" She said and some of the team members laughed along.
"Sorry," Meilin exhaled, adjusting her blouse as she sat and dropped her bag, settling in and finally calming down. "I—uh—had to use the restroom upstairs."
"Girl, the way you're sweating, you'd think you climbed Everest," Weiwen teased as they dug in while Guo Lin ordered their drinks.
The night was just beginning.
And Meilin already had a secret she wished she could forget.