The Green Tea Supporting Girl Is Still Playing Her Role Today (GL) - Chapter 85

Chapter 85

The Spring Festival holiday passed in the blink of an eye, and soon the day to return to work arrived. Xie Zhifei still immersed herself in the warmth of tender affection, and even when she wanted to play a little longer in the evening, she was not allowed. She grumbled, “Sister, just a bit longer~”

“No, you cannot be late tomorrow. Go to sleep early.” Wen Pinghan tucked her in properly and stopped her from moving around.

“Are you always this proactive about going to work? Do you never arrive late?” Xie Zhifei asked.

Wen Pinghan said, “Tomorrow is different.”

Xie Zhifei asked, “How is it different?”

Wen Pinghan replied, “There is a return-to-work red envelope, worth several hundred yuan. Do not pass up something free.”

Xie Zhifei said, “……”

The next morning, Wen Pinghan hurriedly bought some breakfast. After they finished eating, she urged, “Hurry up and go. I will head over right away.”

“Are we not going together?”

“No, quick quick quick, do not be late.” Wen Pinghan slung her bag over Xie Zhifei’s shoulder and pushed her toward the door.

“I am not in a hurry. I do not need that return-to-work red envelope.”

“I do. If you do not want it, then get one for me. Hurry up and claim it.”

“Alright!” Xie Zhifei suddenly felt a sense of mission. She gripped the bag and dashed downstairs energetically.

For once, she arrived at the company even before Fang Ningshu. When Fang Ningshu stepped into the office doorway, Xie Zhifei said smugly, “Secretary Fang, you are late.”

“No, it is exactly nine o’clock.” Fang Ningshu said calmly, without any panic.

Xie Zhifei glanced at the time and saw that it was indeed neither early nor late. She pouted and asked, “Why are you so late today?”

“You are the strange one. Why are you so early? Did you not have any nightlife last night?”

Xie Zhifei felt aggrieved. “She actually resisted my charm and temptation just for a return-to-work red envelope.”

Fang Ningshu smiled faintly.

“By the way, have the Wen family members left here?” Xie Zhifei asked seriously.

“Yes, they all moved out two days ago,” Fang Ningshu said.

“That is good.” Xie Zhifei stretched lazily. “Let us get to work.”

The entire morning consisted of various meetings. Xie Zhifei talked until her mouth and tongue grew dry. After going over all the important matters, the meeting finally adjourned. She looked at the time and saw that it was already twelve-thirty.

“Has the return-to-work meal gathering started yet?”

Today not only featured a return-to-work red envelope but also a return-to-work meal gathering, held at a nearby hotel.

Fang Ningshu said, “It starts at twelve. It has just begun, so if you hurry over, you can still get some hot food.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up. Do not miss out on something free.” Xie Zhifei rushed to the hotel in a flurry. She soon found Wen Pinghan’s seat, where the other woman was chatting with Lin Zhimin. She did not know what they were discussing, but both of them laughed at the same time.

“Ch-Chairman Xie, you are here too?” Lin Zhimin spotted Xie Zhifei first and greeted her hurriedly.

Wen Pinghan turned her head, glanced at her, and then moved her chair aside a little to make room for one more seat.

Xie Zhifei pulled over an empty chair and squeezed in. She greeted the table with a beaming smile. Everyone nodded back, ate their meals a bit awkwardly, and tried to find topics to chat with her about.

Someone asked how her New Year had been.

Xie Zhifei replied, “Happy happy, exceptionally happy.”

Someone asked if she felt cold.

Xie Zhifei said, “Not cold not cold, nice and warm.”

Someone asked if sitting like this felt cramped.

Xie Zhifei replied, “Not cramped not cramped, both warm and happy.”

Wen Pinghan was speechless and rubbed her forehead. She picked up a piece of taro, prepared to eat it, and suddenly heard Xie Zhifei ask, “Is this taro good?”

“It is not bad.”

“Let me try some too.” Xie Zhifei passed over her bowl.

Wen Pinghan carefully scanned the surroundings. In the end, under her expectant gaze, she placed the taro into Xie Zhifei’s bowl.

Xie Zhifei ate it in one bite and nodded repeatedly. “Not bad not bad. Is there anything else good to eat?”

“The braised pork is not bad either. It is fatty but not greasy. Want to try it?” Wen Pinghan asked.

“Sure.” Xie Zhifei nodded eagerly.

Wen Pinghan picked up a piece of braised pork and, while she was at it, added several other tasty dishes into Xie Zhifei’s bowl. As she turned the lazy Susan, she suddenly realized that everyone else was staring at them in stunned silence. She gave an embarrassed smile and withdrew her chopsticks.

Lin Zhimin could not help but sigh. “Sister Han, your relationship with Chairman Xie is really good now!”

“Yeah.” The colleague across from them also could not help but laugh. “Chairman Xie turns out to be so approachable. When she first sat down, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Come come, Chairman Xie, have some of this soup quickly.”

The colleague turned the soup pot over. Xie Zhifei was busy eating the food in her bowl, but Wen Pinghan glanced at the soup pot and shook her head. “She does not drink winter melon soup.”

Everyone froze again. Lin Zhimin said with a laugh, “Wow, Sister Han, impressive. It has not been long since your promotion, and you already know the boss’s preferences so well.”

Wen Pinghan smiled. “At least you have to start by knowing what the boss does not like to eat.”

Everyone burst into laughter.

After the meal, people gradually returned to the company to work, in groups of three or five. Xie Zhifei had arrived late and ate the latest. By the time the employees had mostly dispersed, she looked at Wen Pinghan, who was dawdling, and asked softly, “Why has not Sister left yet?”

“What do you think?”

“Are you afraid I ate too much?”

“Yes, and afraid you will sneak some more.”

“Under your watchful eye, how would I dare?”

“What is there you would not dare? You stole several pieces of my taro.”

Xie Zhifei chuckled nonstop. Then she pulled a red envelope from her pocket and stuffed it into Wen Pinghan’s bag. “Here, the red envelope is turned in.”

Wen Pinghan patted her pocket. “Keep it secure.”

“Chairman Xie, you two have not left yet?” Li Jiachuan returned from the restroom, saw them still there, let out a breath of relief, and hurried over.

“Yes, we are leaving right away.” Xie Zhifei’s expression changed instantly. She put on a stern face, picked up her bag, handed it to Wen Pinghan, and walked ahead with considerable poise and coolness.

Wen Pinghan pressed her lips together, held the elevator door open, and the two of them stood behind Li Jiachuan. They exchanged a glance and simultaneously turned their heads away to stifle their laughter.

A few days later, it was Li Feng’s birthday. To accommodate his girlfriend’s business, he had Zhao Xiaojing organize a birthday cocktail party. Zhao Xiaojing then handed the task of inviting the guests to Wang Wan.

Wang Wan enthusiastically called the people on the list. She soon reached Xie Zhifei and asked her to notify the others, especially not to leave out Fang Ningshu like last time.

“Sister, are you going?”

“It is Li Feng’s birthday. Is Brother Gu going too?” Wen Pinghan asked.

Xie Zhifei replied, “Probably? Maybe?”

“If Xiaojing is organizing this cocktail party, will you go too?” Wen Pinghan asked again.

“Yes, she invited quite a few businesspeople. I might as well go and expand my network a bit. We actually do not have that many birthdays or parties to host. It is mainly just to provide a social occasion.” Xie Zhifei smiled.

“I understand. If you go, then I will go,” Wen Pinghan said.

“Alright.”

Upon arriving at the cocktail party venue, Wang Wan spotted the three of them right away. She immediately darted over and said happily, “You are here! I saved you a good seat. Come on.”

The three of them were led to the observation deck on the second floor, where they could enjoy the night view. There were few people up there, and they could see the lively scene downstairs.

They ate some fruit and watched Zhao Xiaojing receive guests downstairs, handling it quite elegantly.

Before long, it was time for the cake-cutting. Xie Zhifei took Wen Pinghan’s hand and went downstairs. Everyone gathered around to sing. At that moment, Gu Zhizhang finally arrived fashionably late.

He walked to Li Feng’s side, said happy birthday, and then stood off to one side. His gaze scanned the crowd, and he unexpectedly caught Wen Pinghan’s eyes. He instinctively walked toward her.

Wen Pinghan unhappily averted her gaze and said softly, “Let us change places.”

Xie Zhifei saw Gu Zhizhang approaching and nodded. She turned around, took Wen Pinghan back upstairs, and Fang Ningshu followed closely behind.

Unexpectedly, Gu Zhizhang followed them up. Wang Wan glanced over, hesitated for a moment, and then chased after him. She said, “Cousin, where are you going? The birthday boy is still downstairs. Are you not going to keep your good brother company?”

Gu Zhizhang ignored her and walked onto the observation deck. The women ahead turned back to look at him. He immediately felt his heart in turmoil. He leaned silently against the railing and looked at them with complex emotions.

“What a coincidence. You are all here.” At that moment, another man walked over from the adjacent balcony.

“Long time no see.” Xie Zhifei’s eyes lit up with delight. “Where have you been busy lately?”

“I went abroad on a business trip. I only got back two days ago,” Li Hongyan said with a smile.

“Then did you not spend the New Year abroad too?”

“Yes.”

“That must have been tough.”

“It is fine. How has your company been lately?” Li Hongyan smiled and walked aside with her to chat about recent events.

Wen Pinghan, Fang Ningshu, and Wang Wan sat to one side eating fruit. They occasionally chimed in and discussed their own topics.

Only Gu Zhizhang seemed out of place. He first stared at Wen Pinghan for a long time. When she did not spare him a single glance, he unwillingly shifted his gaze, which involuntarily fell on Xie Zhifei.

In the past six months, Xie Zhifei’s growth had been visible to the naked eye. She was no longer clingy and could handle things on her own. At gatherings, he always heard others praising her, which was different from the Xie Zhifei who used to only act spoiled and have fun.

Her gaze no longer seemed to linger only on him.

So who was the person she liked now?

Gu Zhizhang gazed at her profile. She looked so relaxed and pleased while chatting with Li Hongyan. In the past six months, she seemed to have interacted with Li Hongyan the most frequently. Besides him, Gu Zhizhang could not think of any other man who could draw her attention away.

Was he really inferior to Li Hongyan?

Gu Zhizhang drank cup after cup in silence. Li Feng and Zhao Xiaojing finally found a moment to come up and look for them. The two headed toward their respective friends. Li Feng thumped his chest. “Why are you drinking again?”

Zhao Xiaojing saw that Xie Zhifei was discussing serious matters with Li Hongyan, so she sat down beside Wen Pinghan, hooked an arm around her neck with a mischievous grin, and asked softly, “She is chatting so animatedly with him. Are you not jealous?”

“She has to talk to so many people in a day. If I got jealous over that, I would drown myself in vinegar,” Wen Pinghan said with a laugh.

Zhao Xiaojing chuckled twice. “I really wish Li Feng could learn from you. What a generous heart!”

“Learn what?” Li Feng heard his name and walked over to ask.

“Nothing. Go keep your drunken friend company instead.” Zhao Xiaojing rolled her eyes at Gu Zhizhang.

Li Feng looked back at Gu Zhizhang awkwardly. Gu Zhizhang waved it off, walked over lazily, placed his cup on the table, and then went to Li Hongyan’s side. He gave an enigmatic smile. “What are you talking about? Can I join?”

“No problem. We are discussing your mother. The night before last, as soon as I returned to the country, I heard that Li Hongyan and Xie Zhifei were mutually in love,” Li Hongyan said.

Everyone turned to look at him in unison, puzzled.

Li Hongyan smiled faintly. “Aunt Gu said that to my mother and even suggested that I propose to the Xie family. My mother asked me to confirm, but I was completely baffled. I have no idea where Aunt got that information from. Zhizhang, do you know?”

“I had absolutely no idea,” Gu Zhizhang said through gritted teeth. But he could guess that his mother had said it to curry favor with Li Hongyan’s mother, thinking it would please her.

“Then it seems it was all Aunt’s own idea. Alright, have I cleared things up now?” Li Hongyan asked Xie Zhifei.

Xie Zhifei nodded, shot Gu Zhizhang an unhappy glance, and turned to go find Wen Pinghan and the others. Unexpectedly, someone grabbed her wrist.

“Afei, you and him… what exactly is going on?” Gu Zhizhang asked hoarsely.

Xie Zhifei turned back, shook off his hand, and asked puzzled, “What do you mean what is going on? Is it not all just your mother making things up?”

“Then do you… still like me?” Gu Zhizhang asked hesitantly.

Everyone looked at him in surprise, including Xie Zhifei.

“No, how did he…” Zhao Xiaojing muttered a couple of words when the person beside her suddenly stood up and positioned himself in front of Xie Zhifei.

“Gu Zhizhang!” Wen Pinghan glared at him furiously and demanded, “You knew all along that she liked you, did you not?!”

Gu Zhizhang froze, unsure how to respond for a moment. He looked at her silently.

Wen Pinghan continued, “Of course. Everyone here knew how much she used to like you. Even the oblivious Wang Wan could see it. How could you possibly not have noticed?!”

“Hey… how am I oblivious?” Wang Wan muttered in protest. She had just stood up when Fang Ningshu pressed her back down.

“I…” Gu Zhizhang started and stopped, looking at Xie Zhifei with a pained expression. “I just did not want to ruin this friendship.”

“So you kept saying you saw her as a sister, so you could shamelessly enjoy her kindness toward you, her dependence on you, and use it to satisfy your selfishness, your vanity?!” Wen Pinghan pierced through his facade ruthlessly, leaving him momentarily stunned.

Zhao Xiaojing rolled her eyes. “I said long ago that he could not possibly have been oblivious. He was just pretending to be clueless. What a waste of my Afei’s prime youth!”

Fang Ningshu glanced indifferently at Gu Zhizhang and suddenly wondered if he had truly been unaware of her feelings in the past.

Li Feng also looked at Gu Zhizhang somewhat awkwardly. Li Hongyan shook his head in disappointment.

“Was your liking for me even genuine? It was just a momentary novelty. The more you could not have me, the more you wanted me. For someone like you, who is used to everyone revolving around you, once you realized Afei would no longer orbit you, you started to panic, did you not?” Wen Pinghan demanded.

“No, that is not it. You have to listen to my explanation… I really like you, and Afei too, I—” Gu Zhizhang reached out to pull Xie Zhifei, but Wen Pinghan slapped his hand away.

“Do not touch her!”

Gu Zhizhang looked at Wen Pinghan in astonishment. It was the first time he had seen her so angry. Her fierce gaze left him at a loss, unsure what to do.

“Sister…” Xie Zhifei gazed at her back, a smile slowly gathering in her eyes. She reached out and held her hand. “I do not want you two to argue because of me~ If you are upset and need comfort, can I come to your place tonight? (*^▽^*)”