Female colleagues clustered around him, smiling and complimenting him in unison, "Right! Yan Hua, I have to say, that suit you're wearing today looks really good on you!"
"Yeah, yeah. Where did you buy it? It makes you look so dashing. I might buy a set for my boyfriend too!"
Surrounded by these female colleagues, Yan Hua wore a rather proud look on his face. He even adjusted the collar of his suit, tugged at the lapel, and fiddled with each button ever so slightly.
Then, raising his head proudly, he said, "I didn't buy it myself. It was picked out by Lu Xue, my junior assistant, as a token of gratitude for me!"
The female colleagues immediately let out exclamations, while the male colleagues all wore envious looks on their faces.
One of them blurted out, "I wish I could have a female colleague give me a suit too. Why is it that no one ever gives me one?"
"Humph? You think Miss Lu Xue would give you a gift? You're dreaming too big!"
Everyone burst into good - natured teasing, and soon the topic shifted elsewhere.
But Mu Yuze's face didn't look good. Although he didn't directly unwrap the gift box in the changing room, he could tell from the little bit of fabric visible through the transparent packaging the pattern and color. It was exactly the same as the suit Yan Hua was wearing now.
His good mood vanished like smoke, and his face darkened.
When Yan Hua saw his boss coming out of the meeting, he was about to stride forward to report something to Mu Yuze. But Mu Yuze quickened his pace and soon left Yan Hua behind. After entering his office, he slammed the door shut with a "bang".
Yan Hua scratched his head and stood at the door, completely bewildered as to what he had done wrong.
Could it be that this suit he was wearing today was too handsome, making the boss feel out - shone and a bit jealous?
...
Mu Yuze sat alone in his office. The more he thought about it, the more irritated he felt.
He had been looking forward to it all day, but it turned out that the gift box in the changing room wasn't for him but for Yan Hua.
He stood up and paced back and forth in the room restlessly. A sense of unwillingness suddenly welled up in his heart.
Why did she give a gift to Yan Hua but not to him? Was Yan Hua more important to her than him?
He was, after all, her boss. Even just to curry favor with her superior, Lu Xue should have done something on the surface!
Mu Yuze rubbed his temples irritably. Just then, Lu Xue came in through the door as usual, about to hand him a document. But Mu Yuze didn't turn around.
Lu Xue called out to him again. Seeing that Mu Yuze still had his back to her, his back seemed to be radiating anger.
Lu Xue was puzzled. What was going on today? Mu Yuze seemed to be acting strangely all over.
During the day, he seemed overly happy. His tone when talking to his subordinates at work was much nicer than usual.
But in the evening, his attitude suddenly turned so bad. He ignored everyone.
Lu Xue walked around to his side and gently patted his shoulder, saying softly, "Boss, don't you want to look at these documents?"
Lu Xue called out to him several times before Mu Yuze finally turned around.
After turning around, he stared at Lu Xue for a few seconds and then suddenly spoke.
"How do you feel about working here these days?"
Lu Xue nodded. "I feel great. You and Yan Hua have taken good care of me. I've learned a lot in the company."
Mu Yuze held back for a long time but finally couldn't help it. "Then who do you think is more important to you, me or Yan Hua?"
Lu Xue didn't expect Mu Yuze to ask her this question. She thought for a while and then, as if realizing something, suddenly spoke.
"Did you see the suit I gave Yan Hua?"
Mu Yuze's eyes darkened. Sure enough, that suit was really given to Yan Hua by Lu Xue.
Mu Yuze turned around and walked back to his desk. He lowered his head expressionlessly and started to review the documents, ignoring the girl in front of him.
After waiting for a while and seeing that Mu Yuze didn't respond, Lu Xue stepped forward again and whispered beside him.
"Don't tell me you're angry about this?"
Mu Yuze glanced at her casually and calmly replied, "Do you think I would be angry about such a trivial thing?"
Lu Xue stifled a laugh, thinking, "Judging from your appearance, you're clearly angry about this. Why won't you just admit it?"
While Mu Yuze was lowering his eyes to review the documents, she sneaked into the changing room at the back and rummaged through several drawers for something.
Seeing that Lu Xue didn't seem to have any intention of explaining and even started to go about her own business after just a few words, Mu Yuze's annoyance grew.
He reviewed the documents on his desk faster and faster. The pen scribbled his signature on the paper, and every stroke seemed to convey his unhappiness.
When he finished reviewing the documents on his desk and looked up, he found a small velvet gift box placed in front of him.