The Lost Lamb's Trap - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Stars

The next day, Duan Jiayang got up early to put on makeup. It was almost 8:30 a.m. when she finished, and as usual, there was no time for breakfast. Duan Jiayang rushed out to her car.

The housekeeper called out, “Getting up so early, you should at least eat something.”

No one in her family ever pushed her to go to work, so they weren’t surprised by her sudden early start. She often worked in bursts of enthusiasm, and when she was on a roll, she was more motivated than anyone.

Perhaps due to her recent emotional rollercoaster, repeated frights, and late nights, a pimple had appeared on the side of her nose. She had covered it with makeup that morning, but it still hurt a bit. Taking advantage of the empty office, Duan Jiayang took out a mirror to check it, thinking she needed to get a facial over the weekend.

The office door opened. She didn’t pay attention, assuming it was a colleague. But then Lin Ke’s face appeared in the mirror, and Duan Jiayang jumped in surprise, knocking the mirror over. She quickly righted it. The eerie feeling from Lin Ke’s message last night came flooding back.

The two of them locked eyes in the reflection.

Lin Ke was wearing a white suit with shoulder pads, looking sharp and professional. Her eyes held a smile, and her usual intimidating aura was replaced by a gentle, refined warmth.

“Did you eat?” Lin Ke asked.

Duan Jiayang put the mirror down and began typing furiously on her keyboard. She had spent the previous day learning the basic functions of the software using the tutorial Lin Ke had given her.

Lin Ke didn’t leave. She leaned her hands on the edge of the desk, looking at Duan Jiayang’s file. Her voice was incredibly soft. “Xiao Yang, I’m sorry… I was wrong.”

Duan Jiayang’s heart pounded erratically in her chest.

Lin Ke leaned in closer, her voice a warm whisper in Duan Jiayang’s ear. “I shouldn’t have argued with you… I’m sorry…”

Yesterday, she was acting crazy, saying she’d do it all for her, and today she was being submissive. Duan Jiayang couldn’t tell what was real and what was fake. She was afraid of this strangeness, yet this very strangeness, combined with Lin Ke’s sudden closeness, made her legs feel weak and her heart pound with panic.

Just then, the office door opened, and several colleagues came in, laughing and chatting. The distance between Lin Ke and Duan Jiayang hadn’t changed, and the newcomers were shocked for a moment. Then, Lin Ke slowly straightened up and returned to her office.

A colleague glanced at Duan Jiayang’s computer, seeing the modeling diagrams. They all returned to their desks. Yang Ruiqi put her bag down and chatted with Duan Jiayang. “Is Director Lin teaching you how to do modeling?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s so much more convenient having a female boss,” Yang Ruiqi said. “If it were Old Zhang, I’d say he was taking advantage of you.”

The pose had been overly intimate. Duan Jiayang didn’t respond and continued working on her design. Yang Ruiqi took a sip of water and asked a new intern, Xiao Li, to brew some tea. Xiao Li was a new intern and did all the office errands. Yang Ruiqi looked at Duan Jiayang, whose brows were furrowed.

Yang Ruiqi sat sideways and said, “You don’t look so good. Do you have a headache?”

Although her makeup was flawless, her emotions couldn’t be hidden. The pain in Duan Jiayang’s temples felt dull. “I drank a little yesterday and fell right asleep when I got home,” she said.

“That explains it.” Yang Ruiqi finally booted up her computer to start her day.

Duan Jiayang relaxed her grip on the mouse, her tense body finally releasing its strain. She was covered in a cold sweat. It was so hot.

Lin Ke returned from her office again, a piece of toast and a carton of milk in her hands. She walked past everyone and placed them on Duan Jiayang’s desk, along with a small red pouch containing various chocolates.

She left immediately, not lingering.

Duan Jiayang felt hot again… hot all over.

…

For several days in a row, Duan Jiayang kept running into Lin Ke everywhere. Sometimes, Lin Ke would bring her breakfast. Other times, she would simply talk to her. In front of others, Lin Ke was poised and kept her distance. But in private, she would get very close and whisper, asking if she was still angry or if she was hungry. Lin Ke kept her word and didn’t use her position to ask her to do anything in her office, but Duan Jiayang was very uncomfortable. She was even more afraid to look at the one-way glass in the office, convinced there was a demon watching her from behind it. The demon was biding its time, and if she gave it even one look, if she gave in to a forbidden desire, it would seize her, and she would deserve to be devoured.

At this rate, the words “I’m sorry” could be used to justify all of Lin Ke’s past craziness.

And it seemed like Lin Ke’s busiest period was over. She liked to wander around when she had nothing to do. She was not much older than her colleagues, but she knew so much. In the workplace, competence was everything, and the department’s opinion of her had risen significantly.

As the weather got warmer, Lin Ke bought drinks for everyone. Duan Jiayang also got one, but on closer inspection, her order was always different from the others. It would say “less sugar, extra red bean,” and sometimes she would get an extra bowl of double-skin milk custard.

Yang Ruiqi turned her head to look at Duan Jiayang’s cup. “Huh, yours is different.”

“I asked for it myself,” Duan Jiayang said.

“Oh,” Yang Ruiqi said, not pressing further. She knew she didn’t have the same standing as Duan Jiayang. Not only would the director order something special for her, but if she herself were buying drinks, she would also get something special for the group’s heiress, sighing internally at how some people were just lucky with their birth.

Everyone loved being specially favored, and Duan Jiayang was no exception. She spun the label on her cup to hide the small details.

When no one was around, Duan Jiayang took out her phone, swiping her finger over the “add friend” notification, but realized there was no way to refresh WeChat. When someone approached, she quickly flipped her phone over and returned to her computer.

At noon, everyone went to the company cafeteria. The company provided free meals with a different variety of dishes every day. It was often a buffet, and the food made by the kitchen staff was quite good, so very few people ordered takeout.

However, Duan Jiayang was a picky eater and didn’t like greasy food. She was also feeling unwell today and had no appetite.

Everyone was inviting her to the cafeteria, and Duan Jiayang was trying to figure out how to decline when her father called. Duan Jiayang usually didn’t like talking to her father in front of colleagues, so she went to the pantry to take the call in private.

Duan Litian had been on a business trip for a few days. He had heard from the housekeeper that she was looking for him. Lazily, he asked, “The housekeeper said you were looking for me yesterday. What’s up?”

Before Duan Jiayang could answer, Duan Litian answered his own question, “Run out of money?”

Duan Jiayang hadn’t been spending much recently, only buying a ring, and she wasn’t in the mood to shop. “No, that’s not it. I…”

She was cut off as someone came in to make coffee and greeted her. Duan Jiayang pursed her lips. Her father seemed to understand. “Is it about Lin Ke?”

Duan Jiayang put on her Bluetooth headset and hummed in agreement. The employee making coffee would take a few minutes, and her father started to get impatient, asking what was going on.

Duan Jiayang waited patiently for the employee to leave. When he was gone, she lowered her voice and said, “Can you just give Lin Ke a different position, put her in another important role?”

It felt disloyal to ask this since she had just learned so much from Lin Ke. It was too soon to be burning bridges. “You… you can give her a promotion. Just don’t let her stay here. It’s a waste of her talent.”

“Huh?” Duan Litian was confused and his voice got louder. “What nonsense are you talking about now?”

Duan Jiayang opened her mouth to speak, but a voice from behind her interrupted. It was Lin Ke. “I think it’s better to get promoted step by step, without using connections. Thank you for your concern, Jiayang.”

Duan Jiayang’s back went rigid.

Lin Ke smiled faintly. “Are you hungry? Didn’t you go to lunch?”

Duan Jiayang gripped her phone, not daring to turn around. The calm of the past few days felt like it was about to shatter. She had a feeling Lin Ke knew her true intentions, and that smile felt more like a knife.

Over the phone, she could hear her father’s breathing change. Duan Litian, fearing she had put him on speaker, gritted his teeth and pretended to be gentle. “Come to my office in a bit.”

She knew she would be scolded if she went. Duan Jiayang quickly hung up. “No, I have a headache.”

Lin Ke leaned against the counter, her hand propping up her chin. “Were you just on the phone with your uncle about me?”

Duan Jiayang didn’t reply. Lin Ke walked in front of her, her eyes gentle. “Thank you for your concern, Xiao Yang,” she said, word for word. A single glance at her made a wave of guilt wash over Duan Jiayang. She had wanted to get rid of Lin Ke, but now it felt like she was showing concern for her.

Lin Ke accepted her kindness with grace and asked even more gently, “Are you still angry?”

Duan Jiayang let out a soft “Ah,” her ears feeling hot.

Lin Ke said, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been so harsh.”

Duan Jiayang was uncomfortable. She didn’t think it was that serious. Every time Lin Ke apologized, it felt strange. Either Lin Ke was crazy, or she was in big trouble. Duan Jiayang turned away, avoiding eye contact. “Stop apologizing and saying you’re sorry.”

“Hmm?”

Duan Jiayang spoke the truth: “You weren’t really being harsh. You were just being crazy.”

She waited for the next word. Lin Ke’s lips parted, and she bit her lip, smiling.

After a while, she asked, “Do you want some coffee?”

Duan Jiayang knew she was changing the subject. “Just stop acting crazy in the future, and I’ll consider that an apology.”

It wasn’t that Duan Jiayang thought Lin Ke was wrong in only one area, she felt there were too many things to apologize for.

Duan Jiayang walked out with her phone, but Lin Ke reached out and tugged at her clothes, whispering, “I won’t ever be crazy again.”

Duan Jiayang’s body trembled.

“What?”

“I won’t be crazy anymore,” she repeated.

Duan Jiayang got goosebumps. Was that something she could even say? She tried to pull her sleeve back, but Lin Ke’s fingers hooked onto the fabric and tightened their grip.

“Let go.”

“Will you forgive me then?”

“Can you do it? You’ve been crazy more than once or twice.”

“Yes,” she said. “So will you stop being angry and forgive me?”

“Let go, and I’ll forgive you.”

Lin Ke let go, and Duan Jiayang scurried away in a panic.

This wasn’t a tug-of-war, it felt more like playful bickering.

Back in the office, Duan Jiayang closed her eyes for a moment. Her eyes ached.

“Crazy.”

“Huh?” someone responded. It was the intern, Li Yuanchen. Duan Jiayang slid her chair back, straightened up, and asked, “Why are you back so early?”

He handed a box to Duan Jiayang. It was a take-out container of fried buns with a clump of chili sauce on top. “I came back to work on my design. I’m having a hard time keeping up with everyone’s pace.”

Duan Jiayang shook her head, not taking it, and understood the intern’s anxiety.

A little later, Yang Ruiqi returned. Li Yuanchen stood up and asked her a question, but Yang Ruiqi either didn’t hear him or thought the question was too simple to answer.

Duan Jiayang knew how to do it. The steps were written on a document right beside her. She answered him, and Li Yuanchen looked at her with a mix of surprise and admiration.

Duan Jiayang felt a little proud. She had been making good progress in her learning and was no longer at the bottom of the company’s hierarchy. She told Li Yuanchen, “If you don’t understand something, you can ask me. I’m also still learning and figuring things out, so we can help each other.”

“Thank you,” Li Yuanchen said, smiling gratefully.

These were all basic skills that just required practice. Duan Jiayang felt a sense of accomplishment with her progress. Lin Ke had given her a week to submit the file, and she planned to work on it over the weekend. She subconsciously had her weekend plans laid out and would have to cancel some dates.

Duan Jiayang felt a little hungry. She had planned to order takeout, but deliveries could only be left at the front desk on the first floor, and she was too lazy to go get it. She decided to just keep working on the file. Yang Ruiqi took out a blanket, spread it over her desk, and took a nap. Duan Jiayang became even quieter with her movements.

In the afternoon, Lin Ke had a big meeting. The weather was getting hot, and the air-conditioned meeting room felt stuffy and oppressive. Lin Ke sipped a cup of iced water to stay alert.

Yang Ruiqi, as an experienced employee, went along to help with the design presentation. Xiao Li went as an assistant, carrying laptops and files. Both were impressed by Lin Ke’s ability. She was fearless in front of the executives, spoke eloquently, and hit on all the right points. In comparison, their previous director was pathetic.

The three of them walked out, laughing and talking. The atmosphere was lively, but then Lin Ke stopped. She turned her head and looked down, her eyes cold, her brow furrowed. She crushed the disposable cup in her hand, the remaining ice water soaking her fingers. A small piece of ice melted in her grip.

The other two followed her gaze. The tall glass building obscured the view below, but they could make out a blurry scene. Duan Jiayang was talking to a woman. They were too far away to see faces, but the woman had a good figure and a sophisticated air. She handed a gift bag to Duan Jiayang, who accepted it. The two stood downstairs, laughing and chatting.

Yang Ruiqi, with a woman’s intuition, sensed something was wrong with her boss. Lin Ke was angry. The gentle gaze she usually reserved for Duan Jiayang had become sharp and intense as it focused on the other woman.

Yang Ruiqi didn’t understand and didn’t dare to speculate. Lin Ke quickly regained her composure, lowering her head to wipe her reddened fingers with a tissue. She said quietly, “Don’t be nervous.”

“Huh? What not to be nervous about?”

Lin Ke’s lips were smiling, but her hands were clenched.

Xiao Li said, confused, “Is that Duan Jiayang’s blind date? Is… is she a woman?”

This was typical of someone with no work experience—no sense of social cues. Yang Ruiqi glared at him fiercely. “How could a blind date be a woman?”

“Oh, right.”

All the way back, Yang Ruiqi was trying to figure it out, stealing glances at Lin Ke. Was Director Lin homophobic? Why else would her face be so dark?