Chapter 143: If Winter Comes, Can Spring Be Far Behind?

Chapter 143: Chapter 143: If Winter Comes, Can Spring Be Far Behind?

’I’m done for!’

’The President actually said so much to me all at once!’

’Is this a warning that she could fire me at any moment?’

This was Bai Jie’s first thought.

The poor girl was so scared she almost dropped to her knees. She hurriedly spoke up again. "President Yan, I won’t! I’m not going to date anyone, you can rest assured!"

"Besides, I have no interest in that right now. All I want is to work hard and improve myself. Men and all that will only slow me down when I’m filing reports..."

"For the next few years, I’ll stay by your side and do my best to assist you in your work!"

Yan Luoxi was speechless.

’The more she tries to explain, the worse it gets!’

’Ugh.’

’I’m exhausted.’

’Forget it.’

Yan Luoxi had given up on explaining. She waved her assistant away. "Mm, I understand. You can go back to work now."

Hearing this, her assistant, Bai Jie, felt as if she’d been granted a full pardon.

"Yes, President Yan! I’ll get back to work now!"

She nodded hurriedly.

As she was leaving, she didn’t forget to pledge her loyalty one more time. "I will work hard, you can count on it!"

Then she scurried out of the office.

Watching her assistant carefully close the door on her way out, Yan Luoxi was at a loss for words.

’Great.’

’I’ve probably just earned myself another nickname among the staff: the "perverted she-devil."’

’Sigh...’

With a soft sigh, Yan Luoxi pulled her gaze away from the door and turned back to stare blankly out the window at the trees, which were already nearly bare.

*

*

*

If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

Once December arrived, it was as if Modu had plunged into winter overnight.

The weather outside had already turned a bit chilly.

After a long day of work, gathering around a charcoal fire for a bubbling, steaming beef offal hot pot was an absolutely delightful experience.

That’s right!

Gu Yizhou was having the time of his life.

To sort out the corporate structure for Dongzhou Dynasty Technology LLC, Gu Yizhou had, for the first time ever, stayed late at the office to work overtime.

’Even though it’s not for my actual job, staying after hours to get things done should still count as overtime, right?’

’Hmm... Of course it counts.’

After an hour and a half of "overtime," Gu Yizhou finally finished outlining the company’s framework.

When he was done, he glanced at the time on his computer and saw it was already 7:30 in the evening.

He paused, slightly taken aback. Just as he was about to pack his things and leave, Song Sisi sidled up to him with a grin, stopping him and offering to treat him to dinner.

Gu Yizhou was about to refuse, but Song Sisi explained that her brother was treating.

It was mainly to thank him for the trouble he went through taking her drunk brother home late one night. Plus, her brother was already waiting downstairs.

A 200-kilogram muscle-bound hulk was waiting to block his exit!

Gu Yizhou assessed the situation.

’Damn, they came prepared!’

In the end, he had no choice but to agree.

「Meanwhile, in Apartment 305 of the Binjiang No.1 Mansion District.」

Yan Luoxi lay forlornly on the sofa, once again glancing up at the clock on the wall.

7:56 PM.

She flicked her tail and looked toward the door again.

Still no sign of him.

She had been home for almost two and a half hours.

Considering Gu Yizhou’s staunch, dog-like refusal to ever work overtime, he should have been home an hour and a half ago.

But!

It had now been nearly two hours past his usual arrival time.

’Why isn’t he back yet?’

Other than the time she had deliberately stayed away, this was the first time she hadn’t seen Gu Yizhou by seven-something in the evening.

’It’s better if he doesn’t come back.’

’I can have the house all to myself, and I won’t have to put up with his dog-stink!’

Yan Luoxi thought peevishly, but her body betrayed her true feelings.

She was currently sprawled on the sofa, looking completely listless.

She wanted to take a nap.

But for some reason, she just couldn’t fall asleep.

Originally, she’d thought that being home alone would be much happier than when that dog of a man was around.

After all, whenever Gu Yizhou was home, he was always tormenting her in the most despicable ways, constantly trying to pet her.

And the petting itself wasn’t even the worst part.

He just had to pet her fur backward!

And after that, he would smush her face!

That was why she’d always believed she’d be more comfortable on her own.

But now!

She flicked her tail, having already lost count of how many times she’d glanced at the front door.

’Could that dog of a man have gotten into a car crash?’

’Or maybe he got mugged?’

’Or could he have snuck off for a tryst with that flat-chested little vixen?’

Yan Luoxi hopped off the sofa. She padded over to the front door and peeked through the cat flap.

It was pitch-black outside, with absolutely no sign of movement.

A flicker of disappointment showed in her eyes. She silently returned to the sofa, curled into a tight ball, and buried her head in her stomach.

The apartment felt strangely empty.

Curling up like this made her feel a little better.

...

An unknown amount of time passed before Yan Luoxi lifted her little head to glance at the clock again.

8:15 PM.

She looked away from the clock and back toward the door.

’When is that dog of a man going to come home?’

...

8:55 PM.

Yan Luoxi once again lifted her little head to look at the clock on the wall.

Another forty minutes had passed.

’It’s so late... where in the world did that dog of a man go?’

Anxiety began to creep into Yan Luoxi’s heart.

Though she always grumbled that things were better when that dog of a man was gone, at this moment, she finally understood. She was just all talk. She never truly wanted anything bad to happen to Gu Yizhou.

Suddenly!

Yan Luoxi’s ears twitched.

’Footsteps?’

She raised her head, her gaze fixed on the door.

Less than a minute later,

The door swung open.

Gu Yizhou stepped inside. "Xiaobai, Daddy’s home!"

"..."

Yan Luoxi stood up but remained on the sofa.

She wanted to go and greet Gu Yizhou.

’But if I do that, won’t I really be just a pet cat welcoming her owner home?’

After a moment of hesitation,

Yan Luoxi finally hopped off the sofa and padded over to Gu Yizhou.

’I may be going to greet him,’

’but it’s mainly so I can curse him out from up close!’

’You dog of a man!’

’So you do know the way home?’

’And you reek of beef offal hot pot!’

’You dog!’

’Instead of coming home after work, who was the hussy you went out for hot pot with?!’

Gu Yizhou crouched down and stroked her head. "I came back late today. Did you miss Daddy?"

’No!’

Yan Luoxi backed away a few steps, feeling flustered.

Gu Yizhou took off his shoes and jacket, then headed into the room.

"There’s no place like your own cozy den!"

After a filling hot pot dinner, there was nothing better than collapsing on his own sofa.

"Ahhh~"

"So comfortable!"

Hearing that, Yan Luoxi fought the urge to roll her eyes at him.

’Hmph!’

’So you finally admit you’re a dog?!’

With a little pout, Yan Luoxi padded over to Gu Yizhou, hopped onto the sofa, and settled down beside him.

She tucked her little paws under her chest and stared at his profile, her mind starting to wander.

Gu Yizhou reached over and stroked her back.

PURRRR~

RUSTLE—

An occasional gust of wind blew outside, carrying the faint sound of rustling leaves.

Gu Yizhou and Yan Luoxi sat there together.

In that instant,

Yan Luoxi felt all the frustrations of her workday, and the desolate feeling she’d had while home alone, simply melt away...