"How dare you! I’m your supervisor! And besides, there’s a printing room next door! You’re in charge of all the copying!" After saying this, he glared at me fiercely and turned away! 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Standing in the empty tea room, an elderly cleaning lady walked in, "Young lady, it’s not time to get water yet."

"Huh?"

"You’re new here, aren’t you?" The cleaning lady started mopping the floor, "I’ve been with this company for ten years, and I know everyone here."

"..."

"If you want some water, hurry up and get it. Finish and leave quickly, so your supervisor won’t see you and scold you."

"Ma’am, I’m here to work."

"Of course, you came here to work. Outsiders can’t come in here; there’s a swipe card system downstairs, and no one without an appointment can enter!" The lady laughed as she spoke.

The lady seemed so kind and friendly, "Ma’am, I mean I’m here to work in the tea room!"

"What? Young lady, did you offend your supervisor?"

If I really offended them, there would be some explanation for sending me to the tea room. I was sent here directly.

"No." I looked at the lady innocently.

"Last time, a young girl made a mistake in the data of a document and was punished by working in the tea room," the lady said, "You didn’t offend him, so why are you here?"

Shake my head...

After mopping the floor, the lady said, "Alright then, rest here for a while; there’s nothing to do now." After saying this, she exited.

I looked carefully at the small tea room, even this tea room had Bai Juyi’s "Tea" hanging on the wall.

What a poetic and artistic company!

And they treat new employees so harshly!!

At the very least, they should tell me what I’m supposed to do, right?

Not a single person here! The lady’s gone too! Sigh, sitting by myself, zoning out...

Huang Puchen is also in this building, right? Which floor might he be on? We’re working in the same company, how nice, now I can see him every day, just as I was daydreaming, I heard noises outside...

"What’s up with the minister today? Why so angry?"

"Who knows."

"Probably tried to hit on Secretary Li and got rejected again?"

Several people chatted noisily as they entered the tea room, glanced at me a few times, and walked straight to the kettle, "Huh? Where’s the water?" one asked, looking at me.

"And no coffee made," another complained.

"Don’t you know to have all this done before we arrive?" one shouted at me.

"Right, if you can’t even make tea, what did the company hire you for?"

"You’re new, aren’t you? Haven’t seen you before."

I stood up and was about to say something when the lady hurried in, saying, "Sorry, sorry, I just had an upset stomach and delayed everything. Don’t blame her; it’s not her fault."

The lady took all the responsibility. There’s clearly water in the dispenser; if there’s no coffee, just drink plain water.

"There’s water in the dispenser. If you want it hot, it’ll boil in a bit." I can’t stand people who are all bark and no bite!

"Where did this wild girl come from? Who’s she bothering?" one heavily made-up woman said.

This woman’s makeup, really! Is she dressing up as a ghost?

"I’m an employee here! I make the rules in this tea room!"

"Oh, I thought you were some big deal, just a tea girl acting tough!"

Soon, the tiny tea room was packed from our argument, and the lady couldn’t persuade them, those women screamed at me, and eventually, someone called the minister over.

"What are you all doing here? Got nothing better to do?" The minister yelled at the crowd watching the commotion.

The crowd heard the minister’s shout and promptly left the tea room, leaving only the ones involved.

The four women seemed really afraid of this minister, with their heads down and hands nervously not knowing where to place them.

"Arguing? Go on, continue! Weren’t you very self-righteous just now?" The minister yelled at them, clearly not in a good mood, "And you!" The minister pointed at me, "Messing things up as soon as you arrive, can’t even boil water! I really don’t know why the company hired you!"

I rolled my eyes several times in my mind; no one told me what I’m supposed to do!

"All of you, stand in the hallway outside!"

What is this, a school? Is standing outside as a punishment a thing here? Seeing as they obediently walked to the hallway outside, "Didn’t you hear me?" The minister yelled at me again!

Fine, I’ll go! Shouting so loudly, afraid others won’t know you’re disciplining people!

...

Passing by the four actual troublemakers, I glared at them! Getting me punished too! They didn’t even say until when we have to stand; if it’s until the end of the day, this spot would probably be seen by many, right? I sighed inwardly, hoping Huang Puchen wouldn’t see me.

After half an hour, the elevator doors opened, and a charming man in a black suit walked out. I glanced idly at my toes, and the ones next to me started buzzing.

"Look, look, he’s looking at us."

"He’s coming towards us, oh my god, finally noticed me?"

"He noticed me, not you."

"Who says? It was me!"

In the end, the man stopped in front of me. Thinking it’s the minister, I looked up with a face of ’what do you want now?’ At that moment, I really wanted to find a hole to crawl into, talk about fearing something and having it happen, I stuttered, "Ji... Huang Puchen?"

"Come with me."

"Oh." I obediently followed him. As we passed the others, my eyes drifted to them making eyes at Huang Puchen!? I made a ghost face at them, held my head high, turned around, and followed Huang Puchen into the elevator.

Huang Puchen pressed the elevator button. I stood beside him, sneaking glances at him. It’s the first time I’ve seen him dressed like this; compared to the formal wear, he looks more radiant in casual clothes, yet at this moment, he’s like a superior king, instilling fear.

"Why are you being punished to stand?" Huang Puchen’s voice was still so gentle.

I told Huang Puchen about what happened in the tea room.

"They assigned you to work in the tea room?" Huang Puchen asked.

The point isn’t where to work; the point is your employees’ fussiness, can’t work without coffee or tea, you know? My boss, that’s the real issue!

"Yes." I silently nodded, feeling somewhat aggrieved inside.

Huang Puchen took his hand from his pocket and embraced me without saying a word.

The elevator stopped on the 18th floor, Huang Puchen released me and walked out first. Was it my imagination? The warmth on Huang Puchen’s face vanished, replaced by an expressionless and slightly cold demeanor.