C19 Work Overtime

Upon returning to the office, Jingyan's good mood lingered. He noticed Shu Ann deeply engrossed in her work. Normally, he would have criticized her for being as slow as a snail. But today, he surprisingly refrained from giving her a hard time.

Meanwhile, Shu Ann was slumped over her desk, unable to muster any happiness. The mountain of paperwork in front of her made her head throb, yet she couldn't just toss it aside like trash. She knew if she did, there would be serious consequences.

She couldn't understand why bosses always dumped piles of work on their employees instead of handling it themselves. But then again, they did pay for the work, so it wasn't really a matter of fairness.

Resigned, she picked up the files and began reviewing them meticulously, not missing a single detail. It seemed that focusing on one task at a time wasn't so difficult after all.

As she thought about this, her brow furrowed again. She buried herself in the work, realizing she'd likely have to work late. Time slipped by unnoticed until her stomach growled, prompting her to glance at the clock.

Rubbing her stomach, she realized she'd been working for hours without a break. There wasn't enough time to go out for food, so she decided to skip dinner, planning to treat herself to a big meal the next day.

Through the window, she saw the city lights glowing against the dark sky, their allure tempting her to get lost in their beauty. She took a few steps forward, standing silently by the window, lost in thought.

The city's splendor wasn't hers to enjoy, just something to admire from afar. With half the paperwork still unfinished, her head ached once more.

"I really don't know when these days will end. Come on, Shu Ann, you can do it!"

Such a spirited voice didn't go unnoticed. Lih Jingyan's lips curled slightly, and the amusement in his eyes was unmistakable, clearly entertained by her determination.

He never expected... to see this hidden side of her. Today, he witnessed something new.

While Shu Ann was working late, complaining about being alone in the office, Lih Jingyan had quietly stayed there too, not leaving. Maybe it was a psychological thing; he just wanted to be there, silently keeping her company.

Seeing the stack of files on her desk through the window, he felt a pang of sympathy. Yet, he quickly returned to his own work, as if that moment of empathy was just an illusion.

Shu Ann was completely unaware of her boss's presence, probably because she was so engrossed in her work. Her back ached, and she glanced at her desk before grabbing a cup to make some coffee.

Coffee isn't great in excess, and for a young woman, staying up late working isn't ideal either. Most people would choose work over exhaustion, right? No matter how tough it gets, you have to finish what you started.

Lih Jingyan, lost in thought, sent a text to his assistant, asking him to bring over some late-night snacks, specifically requesting three portions. The assistant could see right through it, making the extra effort seem unnecessary.

Perhaps feeling a bit guilty, Jingyan forced himself not to glance in her direction, thinking that out of sight, out of mind, would help him stay focused.

Shu Ann took a sip of coffee, her lips pursed and her brow furrowed. She wasn't a fan of coffee; she preferred juice. But what choice did she have? Without it, she feared she might just fall asleep at her desk.

The story of the four travelers in "Journey to the West," who faced 81 challenges on their way from the East to the West, came to mind. Compared to their journey, her struggles seemed insignificant. With her determined nature, she wouldn't just abandon her work, even if it meant drinking coffee all night.

She lost count of how many times she silently cursed her boss, almost sneezing aloud in the office. The air conditioning was on, but it wasn't cold, which made her wonder why she felt this way.

After downing two or three cups of coffee, she was wide awake but found herself needing frequent bathroom breaks. It was no surprise, given how much she'd been drinking.

Just as she stepped out of the restroom, her phone rang. Without checking the caller ID, she answered.

"Hey, Ann, what are you up to so late?" The familiar voice of Mooh Yang came through.

Shu Ann stretched and mumbled, "What else? Just working overtime. Let's chat later once I finish these files. My head's a mess right now."

Mooh Yang, concerned, joked, "It's so late, and there's nothing to eat. Want me to bring you a midnight snack? I worry you might starve before tomorrow."

He wasn't particularly surprised by her overtime, but he did have some thoughts about her boss. He didn't ask if she was the only one working late; he figured he'd find out when he got there.

Unexpectedly, Shu Ann agreed quickly, without hesitation. "Sure, but it's late, and I don't want to trouble you. I'm starving, and I really don't want instant noodles. If you're free, come over. Call me when you're downstairs, and I'll come find you."

Shivering slightly, he hung up the phone. Meanwhile, someone else at the company was unaware of what had just happened and was still thinking about how to explain why they were at the office so late.

The assistant had bought some late-night snacks but got delayed on the way, which turned out to be quite fortuitous, as it allowed for an unexpected turn of events.

Jingyan was known for being a workaholic, indifferent to anyone who tried to interrupt him. He hated being disturbed while working. But this time, he was restless, constantly checking his phone. He couldn't figure out why he felt this way. Maybe it was the sight of that frail figure, yawning repeatedly, that stirred a bit of compassion in him.

He quickly bought her favorite snacks and drove to the company in less than twenty minutes. He knew Shu Ann's preferences by heart. Standing outside the office building with a large bag of food, he was quite conspicuous under the streetlights. Luckily, it was late at night, and the office was empty. If it were daytime, the employees would have been gossiping about him standing there.

Wanting to surprise her, he didn't call right away. As long as someone was still working, the building's doors remained open, with a security guard on duty. Shu Ann, being cautious, had called the guard to let him know a friend would be arriving soon, ensuring he could enter without any issues. She wouldn't have done this for just anyone; Mooh Yang held a special place in her heart.

At that moment, she was placing completed files on her colleagues' desks, ensuring everything would be ready by morning. The large office was so quiet that even her soft murmurs echoed. If she weren't so brave, she might have been spooked by the tales of office ghosts whispered by the female employees.

Where there are women, there's bound to be gossip. They chat about this and that, and once, they even swapped ghost stories that gave everyone the chills.

"Why am I drifting off again? Can’t I just focus for once?" she mentally chided herself.

Having someone to talk to is nice, better than feeling isolated and talking to herself. She sighed, leaned back in her chair, and closed her eyes. Maybe a short break would help since the coffee wasn’t doing much.

The footsteps were so soft that she didn’t hear them as she relaxed with her eyes closed. Only Lih Jingyan noticed when he came in. A flicker of something unreadable passed through his eyes. He picked up his phone and texted his assistant, telling him not to come over anymore. After all, if someone else was already bringing her food, what was the point of him doing it too? He found a reason for himself, avoiding further explanations. But if he truly didn’t care, why would he have sent his assistant in the first place?

Mooh Yang rarely saw Shu Ann like this. Instead of waking her, he quietly placed the food on the table and started massaging her pressure points. It was his way of relieving stress when he was exhausted. With no one to rely on, he had to shoulder all the burdens himself.

This small gesture made her open her eyes. She was always quick to notice when someone touched her, especially since she hadn’t fallen asleep yet.

"Why didn’t you let me know you were here? Did you bring my favorite snacks?" she asked, not bothering with formalities. She shot him a glance and grabbed the bag of food without waiting for a response.

She was surprised he managed to find crystal dumplings but didn’t dwell on it. She carefully opened each item, knowing that filling her stomach was the most important thing right now.

Mooh Yang shrugged, "What can I do? I'm just as frustrated. I walked right in and saw you sleeping so soundly, so I didn't want to disturb you. And now you're blaming me? I'm telling you, Ann, you can't go through life like this."