Mai Ding really was driven to the bank by his overly enthusiastic coworkers. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, he walked up to the ATM, and of course An Zi Yan had come along too. Aside from the ATM camera, nobody could see the scheming look on Mai Ding’s face. Only he knew the bank card he had taken from his wallet was not his own, but An Zi Yan’s. He was not at fault. There was nothing despicable about this either. If anyone was to blame, it was An Zi Yan!
After withdrawing the money, Mai Ding was taken to a Japanese izakaya. An Zi Yan sat alone in the quietest seat far away, ordered sake for himself, and looked like someone who had nothing to do with the gathering. After two drinks, everyone started complaining about the company, other departments, and particular people. Mai Ding only listened from the side. He had never imagined that people who usually looked so polished, sharp, and capable at work had accumulated this much stress. The workplace really was profound. Mai Ding had only just joined the company, so he had not yet found any shared grievances to complain about with them. He secretly glanced at An Zi Yan and wondered whether he had accumulated a lot of stress too, but there was nothing to read from that profile except how attractive it was. An Zi Yan only stared out the window without saying a word. Then he suddenly took out his phone. Who was he texting? A few seconds later, Mai Ding felt the phone in his bag vibrate.
[Watch your hands. You’re sitting too close to the person beside you.]
Mai Ding instinctively pulled his hand back. Wasn’t An Zi Yan looking out the window? How had he even seen that? He was about to reply when another message arrived.
[Only one more drink.]
[Stop grinning like an idiot. You look stupid.]
At that moment, Mai Ding felt like a puppet being controlled remotely. Under the table, Guo Ping kicked his foot. “Don’t say your shifu never helps you. Your boss already dislikes you this much, so use your head. Go toast him and suck up to him a little.” Mai Ding absolutely did not want to, but he had no choice. He still had to put on a show in front of everyone. He picked up his cup, arranged a flattering expression on his face, and walked toward An Zi Yan. “I…”
“You what? Instead of wasting time on these little tricks, put more effort into your work.” Hearing criticism like this come from An Zi Yan made Mai Ding feel incredibly strange. An Zi Yan rested one hand beside his mouth while using the other to push away the cup Mai Ding was about to raise in a toast. His fingers deliberately brushed across the back of Mai Ding’s hand. Mai Ding froze. H-he was doing unnecessary things again. Luckily, Mai Ding’s body blocked him from everyone else. Otherwise they would all have seen the wicked curve of An Zi Yan’s mouth, half exposed to Mai Ding and half hidden behind his own hand. He was making unnecessary expressions again too.
If we get found out, I’m not taking responsibility.
Mai Ding hurried back to his seat. Seeing his reddened face, his coworkers assumed he was embarrassed after being rejected and laughed even harder. Feng Fei Meng drained her cup. “He actually believed it. He really went over to toast him.”
“Your shifu tricked you. Yan hates people sucking up to him more than anything.”
On his very first day, Mai Ding had already experienced workplace bullying.
Once everyone had drunk enough and left the izakaya, someone suggested going to karaoke. An Zi Yan’s icy voice instantly extinguished all enthusiasm. “You all seem to have plenty of energy. I suppose I haven’t been giving you enough work.”
“Haha, I’m actually a little sleepy. Maybe we should just go home.”
“Yeah, work is exhausting. My back is killing me.”
Everyone started looking for designated drivers or hailing taxis. For safety’s sake, Mai Ding naturally could not be the last person to leave. While nobody was paying attention, he secretly slipped An Zi Yan’s car keys out of his bag and whispered, “You can’t drive after drinking. Because of your long history of deception, I’ll be holding on to these for now.” He stuck out his tongue and, before An Zi Yan could react, quickly darted into a taxi.
The next day, harsh light from outside made Mai Ding’s eyes snap open. He sat up, looked at the alarm clock, and cried out in shock. Scrambling out of bed to find his clothes, he muttered nonstop, “Crap, I’m almost late. I should’ve drunk less yesterday. Strange, I definitely set an alarm.” Suddenly he turned and glared at An Zi Yan, who was still asleep, then reached over and shoved him. “You turned my alarm off, didn’t you? Get up!! Do you hear me, An Zi Yan? I’m talking to you!” An Zi Yan’s phone rang at that exact moment. With his eyes still closed, he switched on speakerphone and answered in a terrible mood. “Hello?”
“Yan, there’s a document that needs your signature before we can submit it.” It was Guo Ping.
“Deal with it later. I’m outside handling something. I’m busy.” What a shameless liar, lying without even blinking. Because the call was on speaker, Mai Ding could only make furious faces beside him without daring to speak.
“Okay.” Guo Ping was about to hang up when An Zi Yan added, “Put that guy called Mai-whatever on the phone. I need to tell him something.” Mai Ding was already baring his teeth and waving his claws.
“This… I thought you took him with you to handle whatever you’re doing.”
“He just started and he’s already late? Tell him if he doesn’t want to work, he doesn’t have to come back!” An Zi Yan hung up. Mai Ding threw himself onto the bed and rammed his head into An Zi Yan through the blanket. “What is wrong with you?! Are you trying to drive me to death? I hate you! I’m taking you down with me!”
“Who told you to steal my keys yesterday?”
“You petty bastard! You childish bastard!” Mai Ding was still happily cursing him when his own phone rang. The moment he answered, Guo Ping’s roar came through. “You know Yan already hates you and you still dare show up late? Get over here!”
“Shifu, I’m sorry. I-I drank too much last night and overslept.”
“Hurry. Get here before Yan gets back to the company.”
“Yes, I’m coming right…” The other end hung up before Mai Ding could finish. He glared at An Zi Yan again. Now he did not even have time to die together with him. “This is all your fault. Maybe there’s something wrong with my judgment. The eyes of the masses really are clearer. Just how much do you hate me?” An Zi Yan lazily opened his eyes and tugged Mai Ding down. Mai Ding fell onto the bed and tried to get up, only for An Zi Yan’s hand to press him down. Teasingly, he said, “Who knows? Maybe I really do hate you.” He pulled Mai Ding closer and suddenly kissed the tip of his nose. There it was. There it was again. A shameless liar who could lie without blinking. Mai Ding sensed that the clothes he had just put on were in danger, so he pushed An Zi Yan away and crawled out of the trap. “I still have to go to work!”
“Spoilsport.” An Zi Yan rolled over, preparing to go back to sleep, and weakly waved one hand. “Then go work hard.”
“That’s what I wanted to say to you!!”
Standing inside the crowded bus, Mai Ding kept touching the tip of his nose as though something impossible to erase still lingered there.
Is this your problem, or mine? Why, why don’t I want you to treat me gently anymore? How did you know? The way you treat me is actually the way I like most.
No. That thought just now was only an excuse. Because it was you, it no longer mattered what form your love took.