Chapter 10
** Hmm? You Have a Fever Too?**
“So bitter.” The medicine burst in her mouth. Su Hao wasn’t fully conscious and mumbled vaguely. Only then did Zhou Yang withdraw his finger. His well-defined finger was damp with warmth. He turned his head, picked up the glass of water, and handed it to her. “It’s fever medicine. Drink some water. You have a fever.”
In the darkness of the night, in this room filled with a woman’s scent, the man’s voice carried a hint of suppressed hoarseness.
Su Hao held the glass. Being sick made her even more docile. She leaned against the headboard and drank in large gulps. After finishing, she felt much clearer-headed.
She pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. It was burning hot, and she couldn’t tell which side was hotter.
She set down the glass. She could roughly recognize the man in front of her. “Zhou Yang, thank you. I got caught in the rain last night. I thought it was nothing.”
Her long hair draped over her shoulders, her eyes completely defenseless.
A few seconds of silence.
Zhou Yang stood up, unbuttoning his shirt cuffs with his fingertips. His tall figure towered over her. “You should change your clothes before sleeping. You spilled water just now.”
Su Hao instinctively reached down and touched the front of her clothes. They were damp. She was wearing a white belted dress. Realizing this, she lightly grasped the blanket and pulled it up, covering her faintly visible shape.
Her voice remained gentle. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll go back now. The medical kit is on the coffee table. Inside, there’s a thermometer and some common medications. If your fever hasn’t broken by tomorrow morning, remember to take another pill.” With that, Zhou Yang turned and walked out of the bedroom to the living room. He paused, the taste of alcohol still on his tongue. He pressed his tongue against his teeth, then bent down and picked up his phone and room card from the coffee table. The hand he extended was the same one that had given her the medicine. His long index finger still seemed to retain a trace of warmth.
He stared at it for a moment, then put his phone and room card into his pocket. With his left hand, he grasped his right index finger, lazily cracked it, and left the suite.
As soon as he was gone, the imposing aura that had filled the room left with him. A faint scent of wine still lingered in the air.
Su Hao’s body felt weak all over. She remained leaning against the headboard, looking out at the living room. After hearing the door close, she got out of bed, took off her dress, and put on her pajamas. She was about to break into a sweat, so she didn’t dare take a shower. After changing, she hurried back to bed and pulled the covers up to her chin.
Under the effect of the medicine, combined with her exhaustion, she quickly fell back asleep.
—
The next morning, Su Hao was woken by her alarm. She turned over. Her first action was to reach up and touch her forehead. It seemed the fever had broken. She sat up, put her feet on the floor, and felt much better. On the living room coffee table, sure enough, there was a medical kit. Su Hao walked over and opened it.
Zhou Yang had placed the thermometer on top, in a very conspicuous spot. She saw it immediately. After taking it out, she pressed it against her forehead.
A moment later, she looked at it.
36.7°C (98.1°F).
The fever had broken. She breathed a sigh of relief. Her phone on the table beeped insistently.
Chen Yu had sent a message.
**Chen Yu:** Su Hao Hao, have you gone to the company yet? Take a photo of last quarter’s records and send it to me. I’m reconciling the general ledger here. There are two entries with incorrect dates.
Su Hao became much more alert. She picked up her phone and typed.
**Su Hao:** I just woke up. I’ll take a photo and send it to you when I get there.
After sending it, Su Hao glanced at the time. It was so early. Why was Chen Yu up so early today?
**Chen Yu:** Okay. Just send it to me. Don’t tell Zhang Xian. And don’t tell Lu Mimi either.
Su Hao was silent for a few seconds. She understood why Chen Yu had messaged so early. She must have made a mistake with her accounts and wanted Su Hao to cover for her.
Su Hao thought for a moment and typed back: **Okay.**
She was new, still just an assistant. Encountering this kind of situation was a bit awkward, but it wasn’t a fatal mistake. She would help if she could.
She put down her phone, thinking about the matter. She took her clothes and went into the bathroom to shower. Her body was sweaty and sticky. She turned the hot water up to the maximum. After coming out, she felt much more comfortable. Su Hao chose a silk-like long dress to wear. As soon as she came out, she heard a knock at the door.
She walked over and opened it.
It was room service with her breakfast. Su Hao was indeed hungry. She took the cart, thanked them, and returned to the living room. She quickly ate her breakfast, then rinsed her mouth.
Then she grabbed her small bag and left the room.
Perhaps the air conditioning in the room had been set too high. A wave of heat hit her from outside. The temperature difference was large. Su Hao got goosebumps. She had just closed her door when the door to Room 603 opened. The man walked out, his suit jacket draped over his arm. His gaze landed on her. They stood at a moderate distance from each other. Su Hao opened her mouth. “Good morning.”
Zhou Yang nodded. “Good morning. Did your fever break?”
*Thud.* The door closed. Zhou Yang walked toward the elevator. He glanced at her. “Come down together. The car is waiting downstairs. I’ll drop you at the company first.”
“Mm.” Su Hao followed behind him, watching his tall back. Thinking about last night, she had to admit that she was grateful he had come to check on her. Otherwise, she probably wouldn’t have been able to get up this morning. The subtle resistance and displeasure she had felt earlier had largely dissipated. Inside the elevator, Su Hao asked softly, “Did you have breakfast?”
Zhou Yang looked down at his phone, scrolling casually. Upon hearing her, he looked up. “Yes. You?”
“I did. The hotel breakfast came promptly.”
Zhou Yang chuckled softly. “Was it good? If not, you can file a complaint.”
Su Hao nodded. “It was very good.”
But she could see the teasing in his eyes—a slightly mischievous look.
Was he plotting against someone?
Su Hao added, “It really was good. No need to complain.”
Zhou Yang laughed again. He rubbed his lips and didn’t speak. The elevator arrived at that moment. The doors opened. Zhou Yang walked ahead, Su Hao behind. At this hour, the hotel lobby was quite crowded, probably with tourists. Outside, a black Porsche was waiting, the driver holding the door open.
Zhou Yang’s tall figure drew the gazes of many women as he got into the passenger seat.
The driver then opened the rear door. Su Hao said thank you and sat in the back. The car’s air conditioning was on high, very cool. Su Hao adapted, though goosebumps still rose on her skin.
The driver started the car, pulled out of the roundabout, and headed onto the main road. Zhou Yang’s phone rang. He took a mint candy, crossed his long legs, and answered lazily. His long, narrow eyes happened to glance up and catch the woman in the back seat rubbing her arms. He casually tossed his jacket back.
The black suit jacket landed on Su Hao’s lap.
Zhou Yang looked away, his voice low. “Put it over you. We’ll be there soon.”
Su Hao was stunned.
After a second, she lightly pulled the jacket and tugged it up a little, covering her cool knees, but she didn’t put it over her shoulders.
The material of the jacket was clearly very fine, and it still held a trace of his warmth. Su Hao hesitated, glancing at the air conditioning, but then saw the driver wiping sweat from his forehead.
So she didn’t say anything.
They arrived quickly. Festina’s logo was very recognizable. This CBD district was larger than the one in Li City. The car stopped at an intersection. The driver got out and opened Su Hao’s door. Su Hao picked up the jacket, leaned forward, and handed it back to Zhou Yang. Zhou Yang was still on the phone and took it with one hand.
When his well-defined fingers took it, they grazed her slender fingers—a brief touch, then release.
Su Hao turned and quickly got out of the car. The temperature outside was high, but her arms, which had broken out in goosebumps, instantly felt warm. Today, she was carrying her small bag, a tablet, and a pen—quite heavy. She raised her hand to shield herself from the sun, looked toward the passenger seat, and waved at Zhou Yang.
Zhou Yang’s window was already rolled down. He nodded and took a moment to say, “When you’re done, send me a message. The driver will come pick you up.”
“Okay.” Su Hao smiled.
In the sunlight, only one of her dimples showed, like a crescent moon. Zhou Yang rested his arm on the window. One side of his body was in the cool air conditioning, the other side was in the blazing sun, feeling a strange mixture of cold and hot. He squinted slightly. Su Hao had already turned and was walking toward the building.
The driver closed the door, returned to his seat, and started the car.
Zhou Yang watched the slender figure disappear from sight. He looked away. Just then, a call came in. He didn’t notice and answered it.
Li Xiu’s sweet voice came through. “You went on a business trip? Why didn’t you tell me?”
He was startled, pulled the phone away from his ear, and saw two overlapping calls. He brought it back, held it to his ear, and asked casually, “Are you my girlfriend now?”
Li Xiu choked on the other end. Her face flushed slightly.
Zhou Yang leaned back, one hand resting on the jacket. The jacket still held a little warmth—whether his or Su Hao’s, he didn’t know. He tapped his fingers but didn’t move his hand. He laughed. “Even if you were my girlfriend, you couldn’t control me. Understand?”
“You know what kind of person I am. You’re still chasing me, aren’t you? Hm?”
Li Xiu’s flushed face instantly cooled. She let out a harsh “Pfft,” threw a tantrum, and immediately hung up.
The call disconnected, automatically switching to the other call.
It was from Li Yi.
The man was silent for a few seconds.
Li Yi: “You really are clearly, unapologetically trash.”
And yet so many women still liked him. Li Yi couldn’t figure it out.
—
The Festina branch in Haishi didn’t have as many people as in Li City. It only occupied the fourth and fifth floors of the building. As soon as Su Hao entered the lobby, the branch’s cashier came down to meet her.
Her manner was gentle, but her eyes kept sizing Su Hao up.
Regarding the finance department at headquarters, they were most afraid of Zhang Xian and Lu Mimi. When those two came, they couldn’t hide even a single cent.
But the cashier Chen Yu was quite careless.
The cashier smiled lightly. “Are you new?”
Su Hao nodded. “Yes.”
“Replacing someone?”
“I’m just assisting for now.”
“Oh? No one’s left, though?”
“No.”
“Who are you mainly helping?” This person kept asking in the elevator, her manner very friendly, very subtle. Su Hao glanced at her. A few seconds later, she smiled. “I help Sister Zhang Xian.”
Sure enough.
The cashier’s expression stiffened.
The next second, her attitude became much more respectful.
Seeing this, Su Hao didn’t say anything.
She understood a bit more. The elevator quickly arrived at the fifth floor. The cashier led her to the office. Su Hao took out her tablet, notebook, and pen and sat down at the large table.
Here, there were only the cashier and the accountant. Above them was direct administrative management.
There was no designated CFO. The staff here were also quite scattered. Accounts and receipts were sent to Su Hao for review. The personnel were chaotic. Su Hao paused, then fixed her gaze on the cashier.
Whenever there was a problem, she would chase after this cashier for answers.
That way, no one could pass the buck and impede the work.
After she sat down, several people gathered outside the door and talked about her.
“I heard she’s under Zhang Xian. But since Zhang Xian is so strict, did she really train this person?”
“Maybe Zhang Xian is bluffing us. That old witch is so arrogant. Would she really train someone?”
“Right. Lu Mimi is so capable, and the old witch won’t even train her. Would she train a newcomer like this?”
“This person definitely works under Chen Yu.”
The voices were faint. Su Hao’s finger, which had been scrolling on her tablet, paused.
They had guessed it already?
Those people, having received a definitive answer (that she was insignificant), left. As they walked away, one said, “If she works under Chen Yu, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Right.”
About half an hour later, the cashier went out and came back in, bringing Su Hao an iced coffee. Su Hao tapped her fingers on the table and said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” The cashier stood behind Su Hao and casually glanced at her work.
She saw that Su Hao had organized the accounts very clearly, with extreme care. The cashier’s expression changed. Another ten or so minutes later, Su Hao picked up her pen and noted a few points of concern in her notebook. “The price of this batch of materials last month didn’t fluctuate much. Why is the fluctuation so large this month? Isn’t it the same supplier?”
The cashier hesitated, then called the accountant over.
The two explained together. After listening, Su Hao called Zhang Xian.
Soon, she explained the issue to Zhang Xian. Zhang Xian made a phone call.
Half a minute later, she sent Su Hao a file. Su Hao opened it. The prices were clearly listed. She showed it to the two of them.
“What about the purchasing department? Please ask them to come up.”
The two women’s expressions changed. They looked at Su Hao, unable to believe it. She really was trained by Zhang Xian. But she was so meticulous—practically a demon.
In one morning, Su Hao had uncovered a few minor discrepancies. The cashier went downstairs to pick up lunch for her. After setting it down, she didn’t say much. She sat down and started providing Su Hao with some data. Su Hao didn’t rest. After lunch, she continued working on the next tasks. Around 3 p.m., she had finished processing part of it.
Su Hao reported her progress to Zhang Xian, then sent Zhou Yang a message.
**Su Hao:** I’m done.
About twenty minutes later, Zhou Yang replied.
**Zhou Yang:** Good. I’ll tell the driver to pick you up.
**Su Hao:** Mm.
**Zhou Yang:** Since you finished so early, do you want to go to the World Trade Center area? I can have the driver take you.
**Su Hao:** No, I still have work tomorrow.
**Zhou Yang:** Alright.
Another half hour passed. Around 4:30, the driver arrived at the building entrance. Su Hao came down with her small bag and a ledger in her hands.
After getting into the car, she received a call from Zhang Xian.
Zhang Xian said, “Su Hao.”
That one word made Su Hao’s heart skip a beat.
“Sister Zhang Xian.”
“Chen Yu recorded two transactions incorrectly this morning, didn’t she? You found them and sent them directly to her. You didn’t report it to me?”
Su Hao paused, tightening her grip on the ledger.
“She tried to be clever, and you went along with it?”
“I’m sorry, Sister Zhang Xian.”
“Collegial affection isn’t like this. We don’t care about your private relationship with Chen Yu. But at work, be straightforward. Reporting isn’t tattling. It’s documentation.”
Su Hao exhaled and nodded. “I understand.”
“I was wrong this time.”
“Mm. That’s it.” Zhang Xian wasn’t inclined to get angry. Su Hao’s attitude in admitting her mistake was good, so she didn’t say more. She had made her point and hung up.
—
By the time she arrived at the hotel, Su Hao’s mood had calmed down a bit. She kept thinking about it, knowing she couldn’t be soft-hearted next time. Back in her room, she collapsed onto the sofa. Suddenly, she missed her mother and Liao Yun.
So she called Liao Yun and her mother in turn. As she chatted, her mood lifted.
The truth was, after graduating, she had rarely worked. She had devoted all her energy to caring for the elderly. So this society was still unfamiliar to her.
Dinner was brought up by hotel staff. After eating, Su Hao rested for a while, then took a shower. Changing into her pajamas made her feel even more comfortable. Su Hao browsed the news and her Moments for a while, relaxing her nerves. Then, around 8 p.m., she went to sleep.
Perhaps it was because her mind had been so focused during the day, but as soon as she lay down, she fell asleep.
A few hours later, in a daze, she heard her phone ringing. Su Hao reached out from under the covers, picked it up, and answered.
It was Assistant Lu.
His voice was a bit urgent. “Su Hao, are you at the hotel?”
“Yes, I am.” Su Hao woke up fully, looking at the lamp by the bed.
“Can you go check on General Manager Zhou, please? I just called him, and he didn’t answer. He drank quite a lot tonight.”
Su Hao hesitated.
Assistant Lu: “Don’t hang up. Go check and just let me know.”
Su Hao thought to herself.
What if there was someone in his room.
Su Hao lowered her voice. “What if he has company—”
“He doesn’t.” Assistant Lu said. “He asked me to send him a file half an hour ago. In that half hour, he hasn’t answered any calls.”
“I’m afraid he might have alcohol poisoning.”
Hearing that, Su Hao became a little worried herself. Her other thoughts dissipated. She put on her slippers. “Okay, I’ll go check.”
She pushed open her bedroom door, went into the living room, and called the hotel front desk, asking them to send up a key card. Su Hao opened her door. The call was still connected. She took the key card, walked to Room 603, and swiped it open.
The two suites were identical.
There was indeed the smell of alcohol in the room, along with a faint scent of fir—the scent Zhou Yang always carried. The lights were on in the room. Assistant Lu asked over the phone how it was.
Su Hao walked toward the living room.
She saw at once the man leaning on the sofa, looking as if he was asleep. His tie was loosened and hanging down. His collar was slightly open, revealing a small amount of skin.
He looked completely relaxed.
But his brow was furrowed.
Assistant Lu: “How is he?”
“He seems to be asleep.”
“He can’t hear the phone in his sleep?” Assistant Lu sounded skeptical. As Su Hao got closer, she noticed a faint redness on Zhou Yang’s neck. Intuitively, she walked over, sat on the sofa, and reached out the back of her hand to touch his forehead. At that moment, Zhou Yang leaned toward her.
His arm rested on the back of the sofa. His chin came close. He half-opened his eyes, his dark eyes fixing on hers. His voice was hoarse. “I think I have a fever.”
Su Hao leaned back a little, paused, and said, “I’ll get the thermometer.”
The man responded lazily. “Okay.”
She stood up and walked toward the door. After a few steps, she asked, “How did you get a fever?”
Zhou Yang laughed, pulling at his tie with his fingertips. “Did you give it to me?”
A bit teasing.
Su Hao said, “Are you delirious from the fever?”
With that, she left the suite and returned to her room. Assistant Lu had heard everything on the other end and didn’t dare speak for a moment.
But then he thought about it. General Manager Zhou always flirted effortlessly. A casual joke now and then was normal. And since the joke was aimed at Su Hao, it definitely couldn’t be taken seriously.
Assistant Lu added, “Last night, General Manager Zhou seemed to have gone to bed very late. I heard he was on the balcony smoking for a while. That’s just what I heard.”
“I don’t know if that’s when he caught a chill. But anyway, I’m relieved. He drank Rémy Martin tonight—very strong—and quite a lot of it. That’s why I was worried. Thank you for your trouble, Su Hao.”
“It’s nothing. There’s medicine here.” Su Hao picked up the medical kit, hung up the phone, and walked back to Room 603. She entered the living room.
Zhou Yang’s long legs were sprawled out. He had his hand over his forehead.
It seemed the combination of alcohol and fever was making him uncomfortable. Su Hao set down the medical kit, picked up the thermometer, and said, “Come here.”
He stirred, rested his arms on his knees, and leaned forward.
Su Hao pressed the thermometer to his forehead.
She looked at it.
It was red.
37.8°C (100°F).
Su Hao: “Do you need to see a doctor?”
“Just medicine is fine.” Zhou Yang grasped her wrist and glanced at the number on the thermometer.
Before Su Hao could react, he let go.
Su Hao put down the thermometer. “You drank alcohol. You need to have some hangover soup first, then take the medicine two hours later.”
“So particular?” Zhou Yang looked into her eyes. She was crouching, very slender, wearing a simple gray cotton dress. Plain. Yet there was an indescribable femininity about her. He looked away, turned sideways, and called the front desk, asking them to send up hangover soup. The front desk said they had hangover pills.
Zhou Yang lazily leaned his hand on the sofa. A few seconds later, he said, “Never mind.”
He turned back, pressed his tongue against his cheek, and looked at Su Hao. “Do you know how to make hangover soup?”
