The Secretary - Chapter 4

Wei Wan tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep.

Ever since graduating from university, she’d moved out of her family home –  forced into it by Xu Huai. He couldn’t stand the thought of her outside his sight, constantly crossing half the city to pick her up and drop her off for work, shielding her with an iron fist from any interaction with other men.

Back then, Wei Wan worked at a branch of the CDC, a mundane nine-to-five job with nothing much in terms of prospects.  It wasn’t a terrible position; it just meant climbing the ladder slowly, gaining seniority over time. 

Xu Huai had found this acceptable, saying they were getting married soon anyway and that she would be needed to look after their children someday.

At the time, Wei Wan readily accepted this plan for her future because it mirrored her own family structure. Her mother was a simple, gentle woman who had become a full-time homemaker after marrying her father, Wei Zhengting, finding happiness in raising their daughter.

Her father, always busy with his career, would return home late but always make sure to check on his little girl.

Wei Wan would peek through the door crack and see the golden light illuminating the living room, hearing her parents murmuring softly outside before her mother would let out a quiet giggle.

Her mother never meddled in her husband’s business, always extending warm hospitality to any visitors who graced their home. When there were no guests, she dedicated herself entirely to caring for her daughter and husband. Their love was a quiet, enduring thing – unchanging after decades together. This very steadfastness led to an unexpected event when Wei Wan’s mother became pregnant at an advanced age, defying her frail health to bring their son into the world.

After Wei Zhengting died in a car accident, Wei Wan’s mother fell ill for a long time, and the family’s emotional weight instantly shifted to Wei Wan’s shoulders.

She had planned to apply for graduate school but couldn’t because she needed to care for her mother at home and deal with her brother’s numerous hospital visits. Thankfully, Xu Huai was there to help, offering a hand during this chaotic period. Once things finally settled down, he saw an opportunity and suggested she move out.

Wei Wan couldn’t bear the thought of her mother being alone with her younger brother, and Xu Huai reasoned that they needed a stable foundation for their future marriage and family. He promised to buy a house near Wei Wan’s place once they were officially settled, allowing her to care for both her mother and their future together.

Wei Wan had moved out and never returned.  After breaking up with Xu Huai, the idea of moving back became unthinkable. She poured all her energy into her work, navigating complex political landscapes and eventually transferring to the provincial health department.

Working at the Provincial Health Department meant putting down roots and striving for advancement. During those early days, she often worked late into the night, making sure her mother wouldn’t see her exhaustion.

Her mother couldn’t understand how a woman could survive in the workplace or strive for professional growth. She also couldn’t fathom why her daughter wasn’t married by now, despite being past a conventional marriageable age. Seeing Wei Wan working relentlessly, she would constantly urge her to find a husband. 

That was why she had started seeing Zhang Cheng.

To Wei Wan’s surprise, her mother loved him. She said his personality mirrored her father’s from his youth –  a kind and righteous young man.

Thinking about her mother, Wei Wan hesitated, wondering if she should give Zhang Cheng another chance. After all, nobody was perfect; he was talented, well-educated, and had quickly gained the attention of their superiors. He just needed time to mature.

However, every time Wei Wan closed her eyes, a flash of orange fire danced before her vision – the image of it imprinted on the man’s face. She tossed and turned restlessly, unable to sleep. A female civil servant smoking would give a terrible impression. If their director saw her puffing away, what would he think?

He might develop a negative bias against her.  If she wanted to progress in her career, that would be disastrous.

And then there was the question of how and when he had arrived at the fire escape. Had he heard everything she and Zhang Cheng had said? What would he think of Wei Wan based on their conversation? 

The director had personally kept Zhang Cheng in the unit; surely, he must have seen something special in him. Now that Wei Wan was clashing with Zhang Cheng, wouldn’t it cause a problem for her career if the director took offense?