"Boss, please can we chat some other time, I have many workloads on my plate since I was away from the office for over ten days now," Yang Zi explained before she went to her desk.

"Workload? You don't have any unattended work because Yuan Quan worked for the both of you while you were away so you don't have to worry," Yifeng said walking to her desk.

​​

"Really? Thank you so much Yuan Quan," Yang Zi thanked Yuan Quan forgetting that Yifeng was the one who ordered Yuan Quan to help her perform her duties.

"Yang Zi, why are you thanking him? Am I not the one you should be thanking?" Yifeng asked, giving Yuan Quan a mean gaze for stealing his thunder.

"Why should I thank you when you are not the one who did the work?" Yang Zi asked, her gaze on his displeased face. She knew what he was driving at, but she was only trying to tease him.

"Yeah, I know that, but he wouldn't have done your work if I didn't order him to do so. You know how selfish he is," Yifeng said, trying to label Yuan Quan as the bad guy.

"Yuan Quan that I know is not selfish, at least not to me," Yang Zi defended.

"But that is not fair. I still insist that all your gratitude should go to me and not Yuan Quan," Yifeng insisted, staring at her.

"Ok, Ok, thank you very much for your benevolence. Should I give you a hug to show you how thankful I am?" Yang Zi said, spreading her hands as if she would give Yifeng a hug if he told her to do so.

"Why not?" Yifeng said, turning to meet her.

"You are not damn serious, right?" Yang Zi asked instantly, dropping her hands down.

"Why did you ask me to hug you if you didn't mean it?" Yifeng asked, walking back to his original position, seeing that Yang Zi did not mean what she said.

"I'm leaving now since you don't want to give me a hug," Yifeng walked into his office. All this while they were talking they did not have pity on poor Yuan Quan who was bored all alone.

"Yuan Quan, don't take offense to what boss said. You know how he is, I bet he didn't mean to sound mean," Yang Zi said, trying to lighten Yuan Quan's damned mood. "This is the first time I have seen Miss Yang defend boss. Are they dating now?" Yuan Quan thought, staring at Yang Zi defeatedly.

"Miss Yang, are you and boss a thing now?" Yuan Quan mustered up the courage to ask what was on his mind.

"Am I and boss a thing, now?" Yang Zi repeated his words. She sounded confused. "What are you trying to say? I don't get you one bit."

"I mean are you and boss a couple now? As in, are you guys dating?" Yuan Quan asked timidly.

"We are not. If I and my boss ever date, you will be the first to know because we are working in the same office so there is no course for an alarm," Yang Zi said, smiling at him as she sat down. She was confused why everyone kept asking her if she was in a relationship with her boss. First it was her mum then Shui Shui and Shiyi now Yuan Quan. "Why does everyone keep thinking my boss and I are dating? I am confused," Yang Zi thought, staring into space.

Work went smoothly for Yang Zi and Yuan Quan because Yifeng did not pick on them like he usually did. Instead, he was polite and humane. Yifeng, who was working on a pile of documents on his desk, repeatedly checked his wristwatch every two minutes. What seemed to take forever to finally came thereby putting her end to his wait.

"Finally!" Yifeng exclaimed, dropping his pen down. He covered the documents he was working on and peeped through his glass wall to see whether Yang Zi was still around. Recalling what Wen Min said about taking Yang Zi out for lunch, he instantly grabbed his car keys and suit and hurried outside. He quickly composed himself before he reached their desk. He walked like a gentleman.

"Yuan Quan, Yang Zi, it's lunchtime already so let's grab a bite," Yifeng said, staring at the both of them for answers. "Boss wants to treat us out for lunch? What exactly is wrong with our boss? He is acting weird," Yuan Quan thought in disbelief, staring at Yang Zi for answers while Yang Zi was staring at him for a reply too.

"Are you guys doing a staring competition? Why is it taking the both of you so much time to conclude whether or not you want to have lunch with me?" Yifeng asked, still staring at them.

"Boss, are you sure you want me to come along with the both of you?" Yuan Quan asked doubtfully. He did not want the situation where Yifeng would shout at him for being a third wheel.

"Do you need me to repeat what I said earlier?" Yifeng asked, getting irked by Yuan Quan's silly questions. Yifeng knew Yang Zi would not follow him out if he asked her out for lunch alone, that is why he changed his strategy.

"No, you don't have to," Yuan Quan instantly replied. He would never reject free treatment, even though he might be considered a third wheel.

"Are you coming or not?" Yifeng asked firmly.

"Do you need to ask that? Of course I am coming, boss," Yuan Quan said standing up. "Look at him so excited, how can a grown up man like him love free treats?" Yifeng thought, turning to face Yang Zi now that he sorted out Yuan Quan.

"What about you Yang Zi? Yuan Quan is coming with us so this is not considered as a date so come with us Ok?" Yifeng said persuasively. He didn't mind that he was begging her, although he will be the one to pay for everything. He was wealthy enough, the bills were not his problem.

"Ok, I am coming too," Yang Zi agreed to the astonishment of Yifeng. He felt like jumping up in excitement to tell the universe that Yang Zi finally agreed to go out with him.

"What are we waiting for then," Yifeng said, smiling triumphantly as he urged them on. They entered the elevator and headed downstairs.

Yang Zi sat at the front while Yuan Quan and Yifeng sat together. "I have something to discuss with him," Yifeng informed him before he entered the car. Yuan Quan followed suit, not knowing that his high spirited mood would be ruined the next minute. Halfway into their journey, Yifeng whispered something into Yuan Quan's ear. Yuan Quan's expression fell after he listened to what Yifeng had to say. His expression showed he was very unhappy with whatever Yifeng uttered to him.

"Yuan Quan, are you Ok? You don't look happy like before," Yang Zi who noticed Yuan Quan's sad expression from the rear mirror asked worriedly.

"Do you need to ask? Of course he is Ok, am I not correct Yuan Quan?" Yifeng asked, nudging Yuan Quan with his elbow.

"I am fine," Yuan Quan replied meekly after seeing his boss' threatening gaze directed at him.

"Are you sure you are fine?" Yang Zi insisted, still glancing at Yuan Quan and Yifeng.

"Why do you still bother asking when he said he is Ok?" Yifeng asked. Yang Zi kept mute when she realised that she was being nosy.

"Can you at least smile? Yang Zi keeps thinking you are not Ok because of the frown on your face so smile," Yifeng ordered. Yuan Quan just shook his head in disbelief, seeing how unbelievable his boss was acting. He could not believe that his boss could ask him to smile after what he said to him. He did not have any choice but to force a smile on like Yifeng had ordered. The journey from then onwards was quiet until they got to their destination.

"Boss, we have arrived," The driver informed as he halted in front of a two-storey glass building.

"Yang Zi, let's go. Yuan Quan will join us after he accompanies the driver to park the car," Yifeng said as he stepped out of the car.

"Don't take too long, Ok," Yang Zi said before she stepped out of the car with her crossbody handbag in her hands. Yuan Quan was too angry and sad to reply. He just watched them enter the restaurant before he told the driver to find a suitable place to park the black Maybach.

Yang Zi and Yifeng waited for Yuan Quan to meet them inside but he didn't show up after a long time. Yifeng suggested they placed their orders first but Yang Zi insisted they wait for him since they were together.

"What the heck is keeping him waiting. I am starving," Yifeng stated angrily checking his wristwatch.

"Yuan Quan is not usually like this or did he encounter any problem outside. Let me call his line," Yang Zi said opening her handbag to remove her phone.