Chapter 1 | The New Coworker
At 9:07 on Monday morning, when Xu Zhiqing walked into the conference room with her laptop in her arms, it was already packed.
She stopped by the door and glanced inside, making sure she hadn't gone to the wrong floor or remembered the meeting time incorrectly.
The people who usually managed to drag even the 9:30 regular staff meeting out until the last minute before showing up were all here today without exception.
There were even two extra chairs near the projection screen.
"Zhiqing, over here."
Lin Wanting waved to her and moved aside the stack of materials piled on the neighboring seat.
Xu Zhiqing walked over and sat down, placing her laptop on the table.
"What's the occasion?"
"You don't know?"
Lin Wanting lowered her voice.
"I heard there are new hires, and not just one."
"Do we need the whole department here for a new-hire introduction?"
"Not for an ordinary new hire, obviously. But I heard one of them was recruited from a competitor. Some people are even saying she knows the chairperson."
Xu Zhiqing opened her laptop without replying.
New rumors surfaced in the company every day.
Someone said the creative director was preparing to jump ship. Someone else said the company was negotiating a merger. There were even rumors that the Annual Brand Project had already been assigned to another team.
The more specific a rumor sounded, the less credible it usually turned out to be.
She didn't have the energy to care who the new hire knew behind the scenes.
There were only twelve days left until the internal selection for the year's biggest brand project. She had worked until three in the morning revising the market analysis, and then received additional materials from the client at six that morning.
If the manager hadn't specifically required everyone to attend, she should have been at her desk checking the data instead of sitting here listening to a new-hire introduction that had nothing to do with her.
The conference room's glass door opened again.
Chen Jiawei, head of the department, strode in, followed by the HR manager and two unfamiliar women.
The woman in front wore an off-white blouse and dark gray trousers, clutching the folder the company had just issued her. She looked a little nervous and had been fussing with her cuffs ever since she entered.
Xu Zhiqing glanced at her once, then looked away.
Not until the second woman walked in.
The black high heels stepped onto the gray carpet without making much noise, yet Xu Zhiqing felt as if she had heard something suddenly snap beside her ear.
Her hand stopped on the keyboard.
The cursor on the screen continued blinking steadily, waiting for her to type the next character.
But she couldn't move at all.
The woman standing beside the manager wore a simply tailored pale blue dress, her long hair falling smoothly behind her shoulders. Her makeup was far more refined than it had been five years ago, but the expression between her brows and eyes hadn't changed.
When she lowered her eyes slightly, she looked innocent.
When she lifted her head and smiled at someone, she was warm in exactly the right measure.
Su Yanxi.
Xu Zhiqing had never imagined she would see her again.
At least, she shouldn't have seen her here.
"Good morning, everyone."
Chen Jiawei clapped his hands, quieting the conversations.
"I asked everyone to come here on short notice today because I wanted to introduce two new coworkers. We've had more projects lately, and the company also wants to expand the team in the Brand Planning Department."
He introduced the woman standing on the left first.
"This is Zheng Yushan. She'll be joining the Digital Planning Team."
Applause broke out.
Zheng Yushan nervously bowed to everyone and briefly introduced her previous work experience.
Xu Zhiqing didn't hear a word.
She stared at her laptop screen, deliberately refusing to look ahead.
The conference room's air conditioning was turned down low, yet her palms gradually began to sweat.
The last time she had seen Su Yanxi five years ago, Su Yanxi had looked at her with that same calm expression.
That day, Su Yanxi had stood outside the door of Xu Zhiqing's rented apartment, her eyes red as if she had been crying for a long time.
She had said she truly didn't know how things had ended up like this.
She had said she was only worried that no one would take care of Zhou Yuheng after he got drunk.
She had even said that if Xu Zhiqing really minded so much, she could stop contacting Zhou Yuheng in the future.
Every sentence had sounded like an apology.
Every sentence had also made Xu Zhiqing look like the one making a mountain out of a molehill.
She hadn't listened any further.
She had closed the door and completely cut off contact with Su Yanxi.
Five years.
She had changed her phone number, moved twice, and deliberately avoided every occasion where she might run into mutual friends.
And yet Su Yanxi had appeared at the company where she worked, standing less than five meters away.
"And next, we have Su Yanxi."
Chen Jiawei's voice pulled her back to reality.
"Yanxi worked as a brand planner at Hechuan Consulting. She participated in quite a few projects focused on the women's consumer market. She'll be joining our team, so I hope everyone will exchange ideas with her."
Su Yanxi took a step forward.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Su Yanxi."
Her voice was as gentle as Xu Zhiqing remembered.
"I'm very happy to have the opportunity to join the company. I still have a lot to learn, and I hope we can work well together."
Several coworkers applauded politely.
Su Yanxi's gaze slowly swept across the conference room, as if she were seeing everyone sitting there for the first time.
At last, she looked at Xu Zhiqing.
Their eyes met in midair.
Su Yanxi froze for a moment, then broke into undisguised delight.
"Zhiqing?"
Her exclamation brought the applause, which had just been dying down, to a complete stop.
Everyone followed her gaze toward Xu Zhiqing.
Xu Zhiqing remained in her seat, her fingertips still resting on the keyboard.
She didn't answer.
But Su Yanxi seemed to have confirmed that she hadn't mistaken the person and walked straight around the conference table to stand in front of her.
"It really is you."
She smiled.
"I thought I was seeing things."
Lin Wanting looked from Su Yanxi to Xu Zhiqing.
"You two know each other?"
"We grew up together."
Su Yanxi answered naturally, with even a hint of nostalgia in her voice.
"Our families used to live very close to each other. We went to the same school from elementary through high school. We were practically together every day back then."
Several gasps immediately rose from the conference room.
"What are the odds?"
"Childhood friends who end up at the same company."
"Zhiqing, how come you've never mentioned it?"
Xu Zhiqing finally raised her head.
Su Yanxi stood beside her, not a trace of awkwardness in her smile.
As if they truly were nothing more than childhood friends who hadn't seen each other in years.
As if those five empty years had never existed.
"We haven't been in touch for a long time," Xu Zhiqing said.
Her tone was flat. She didn't reciprocate the closeness Su Yanxi was deliberately creating.
The atmosphere in the conference room paused briefly.
The amusement in Su Yanxi's eyes faded for an instant, then quickly returned to normal.
"That's right," she said softly. "Everyone's been busy since graduation. I've always wanted to find a chance to reach out, but I was afraid I'd bother you."
It sounded reasonable and considerate.
It even supplied a ready-made excuse for Xu Zhiqing's coldness.
Chen Jiawei failed to notice anything amiss and instead said with a smile, "So you two know each other. In that case, Zhiqing, I'll leave it to you to help Yanxi get familiar with the place."
"Manager, I'm currently preparing the Annual Project. I may not have much time," Xu Zhiqing replied at once.
She had refused too quickly.
Someone nearby looked surprised.
Chen Jiawei was also taken aback.
Su Yanxi, however, stepped in to smooth things over.
"It's okay. I can get familiar with things on my own."
She smiled at the manager.
"Zhiqing has always been very serious about her work. Once she gets busy, she even forgets to eat. I used to have to remind her all the time."
With one sentence, she pulled them back into the position of being inseparable.
Lin Wanting couldn't help laughing.
"That habit hasn't changed. Last week, she was so busy she didn't realize until four in the afternoon that her boxed lunch was still sitting on the desk."
"She was the same way when she prepared for competitions."
Su Yanxi seemed to have finally found someone with whom she could share memories.
"Once she got focused, she couldn't hear a thing anyone said around her."
Several coworkers began asking about their past.
Su Yanxi answered with perfect restraint.
She didn't mention anything unpleasant, choosing only memories that sounded warm and amusing.
She said Xu Zhiqing hadn't dared go onstage alone as a child, so the two of them had always entered competitions together.
She said that whenever Xu Zhiqing forgot to bring her homework, Su Yanxi would go home with her to get it.
She even said that in high school, the two of them had promised that no matter where life took them, they would be friends for the rest of their lives.
Every word was true.
At least, it had once been true.
That was precisely why it was so easy for everyone to believe they had a wonderful relationship.
Xu Zhiqing didn't correct her.
She knew perfectly well that no matter what she said now, it would only make her look strange.
If she denied it in front of everyone, they would ask what had happened between them afterward.
If she said they were no longer friends, everyone would wonder which of them had done something wrong.
And Su Yanxi was best at putting on a look as if she wanted to speak but stopped herself whenever people began asking questions.
She didn't even need to lie.
All she had to do was say, with red-rimmed eyes, that it was all her fault, and everyone else would gladly imagine the version that suited her best.
"All right. You can catch up on old times later," Chen Jiawei said, tapping the table. "Zhiqing, organize a set of the department's current project materials for Yanxi later. She has experience in brand strategy, and I plan to have her follow you all for a while to get familiar with the Annual Project."
Xu Zhiqing's expression finally changed.
"The Annual Project is still in the internal proposal stage."
"I know. That's why she'll only be getting an overview for now. I won't assign her any core responsibilities immediately."
"The current materials contain unreleased client product information. Under company protocol, new hires can only access them after completing the confidentiality clearance."
She was stating the company policy exactly as written.
Chen Jiawei could find no grounds to argue.
"Then we'll discuss it once the clearance is complete."
"Okay."
Xu Zhiqing lowered her head and entered a new task on her laptop.
She no longer looked at Su Yanxi.
After the meeting ended, everyone filed out one after another.
Several coworkers gathered around the new hires, introducing nearby restaurants and the company's internal systems.
Surrounded by the group, Su Yanxi still glanced toward Xu Zhiqing from time to time.
Xu Zhiqing packed up her laptop and prepared to leave through the other side.
"Zhiqing."
Su Yanxi called out to her again.
This time, everyone heard.
Xu Zhiqing had no choice but to stop.
"What is it?"
"I just started here, so there are a lot of things I'm not familiar with."
Su Yanxi walked toward her with the folder in her arms.
"Could we have lunch together? I'd also like you to show me around the area."
"I have plans at lunch."
"What about tonight?"
"I have plans tonight too."
"I see."
Su Yanxi looked a little disappointed but didn't press any further.
"It's okay. We'll have plenty of time in the future."
She placed particular emphasis on the last sentence.
Xu Zhiqing looked at her.
Everyone else would think it was an ordinary remark.
Only Xu Zhiqing knew that Su Yanxi wasn't expressing hope.
She was issuing a reminder.
A reminder that they now worked for the same company.
From that day on, Xu Zhiqing would see her every day.
"Yanxi, your desk is ready," the HR manager called from the doorway.
"Coming."
Su Yanxi answered, then smiled at Xu Zhiqing once more before turning away.
Xu Zhiqing didn't respond.
She carried her laptop back to her desk and immediately opened the Annual Project's cloud folder.
The files, which had previously been accessible only to core project members, still had their original permissions.
She checked the access logs one by one, then downloaded several unfinished proposals to an encrypted hard drive.
"Are you okay?"
Lin Wanting pulled out the neighboring chair and sat down.
"Why do you ask?"
"Shouldn't you be happy to see an old friend?"
Xu Zhiqing kept her eyes on the screen.
"We haven't been in touch for a long time."
"Did you two have a falling-out?"
"Something like that."
Lin Wanting studied her expression but didn't continue asking questions.
"If you don't want to show her around, I can help."
"No need."
"Really?"
"The manager assigned it to me. I'll handle it."
Xu Zhiqing closed the cloud page.
She didn't want a personal relationship to affect her work, much less give anyone the impression that she was excluding a new coworker.
That was exactly the method Su Yanxi knew best.
First, act close in front of everyone. Then make every refusal Xu Zhiqing offered look deliberate.
The Xu Zhiqing of the past had always chosen to give in.
Because she was afraid of disappointing other people, and tired of explaining herself over and over.
She had thought that if she backed away far enough, Su Yanxi would eventually stop.
The facts had proved her wrong.
During lunch, Lin Wanting and several coworkers took the two new hires out to eat.
Xu Zhiqing stayed in the office, reorganizing the documents she needed to confirm with the client that afternoon.
The entire floor fell quiet, leaving only the air conditioning and the sound of typing.
Her phone vibrated on the desk.
It was a new internal email.
The sender was HR.
Su Yanxi's account had been officially activated and added to the Brand Planning Department's shared data group.
Xu Zhiqing opened the permissions page and discovered a new access request beside the Annual Project's master folder.
The applicant was Su Yanxi.
The request had been submitted at 10:42 that morning.
The new-hire introduction had ended less than half an hour earlier.
Under normal circumstances, no one would know the project's full folder name on their first day.
Much less know whom to contact for access.
Xu Zhiqing stared at the record and immediately selected Deny.
A window popped up, asking her to enter a reason for rejection.
She typed: Confidentiality procedures and project assignments have not yet been completed.
Less than a minute after she submitted it, footsteps sounded outside the office door.
Su Yanxi had returned alone.
"Why didn't you go with them?" Xu Zhiqing asked.
"I said I wasn't feeling well and wanted to come back and rest first."
Su Yanxi set a hot latte on her desk.
"No sugar. Oat milk."
It was the combination Xu Zhiqing used to drink.
She hadn't had oat milk in two years.
"I don't need it."
"I only bought it while I was getting mine."
"Then drink it yourself."
Su Yanxi didn't take the coffee away.
She stood beside the desk and saw the permissions management page on Xu Zhiqing's screen.
"You rejected my request?"
"The Annual Project isn't information a new hire should access on her first day."
"Didn't the manager say he wanted me to get an overview first?"
"He also agreed that we would wait until the confidentiality clearance was complete."
Su Yanxi was silent for a moment, then gave a soft laugh.
"You're still so careful."
"It's company protocol."
"I didn't mean anything by it."
She sat in the empty seat beside them, her fingers slowly rubbing the rim of the paper cup.
"I only heard that you're currently in charge of the annual rebranding project for that new-generation women's brand, so I wanted to do some preparation first."
Xu Zhiqing said nothing.
As if she hadn't noticed anything unusual, Su Yanxi continued.
"That brand started repositioning itself toward younger consumers last year. This time, they probably want to rebuild their market among women between twenty-five and thirty-five, right?"
"Who told you that?"
"Told me what?"
"The client's name and target demographic weren't included in the public job postings."
The smile on Su Yanxi's face paused for an instant.
"I used to work in a related industry, so I heard bits and pieces."
"You just said you heard I was in charge of it."
"Maybe the manager mentioned it. I don't remember specifically."
"The manager only said Annual Project in the meeting. He didn't mention the client's industry or who was responsible for it."
Xu Zhiqing's voice wasn't loud, but it left the air between them completely silent.
A flash of impatience briefly crossed Su Yanxi's eyes.
It passed so quickly it might have been an illusion.
The next second, she had resumed her innocent expression.
"Maybe I remembered incorrectly."
"You knew I was here."
It wasn't a question.
Su Yanxi lowered her eyes.
"If I said I didn't, you wouldn't believe me anyway, would you?"
"When did you find out?"
"Before I applied."
She finally admitted it.
Xu Zhiqing's hand tightened slightly around the mouse.
"So you came here because of me?"
"Of course not."
Su Yanxi immediately denied it.
"This position was a good fit for me. I just happened to see that you worked here. Just because we had an unpleasant history, does that mean I'm not allowed to apply?"
Her tone gradually turned wounded.
"Zhiqing, it's been five years."
"For you, maybe it's just been five years."
"I know you're still angry with me."
"Don't discuss this at work."
"I only want us to start over."
Xu Zhiqing stood up.
"There is no relationship between us that needs to start over."
The color finally drained from Su Yanxi's face.
She looked up at Xu Zhiqing, her eyes no longer as soft as they had been moments ago.
"You really haven't changed at all."
"You've certainly gotten better at investigating people."
"I'm only concerned about you."
"I don't need you to be."
"But I need this job."
Su Yanxi stood as well.
"So are you going to exclude me because of what happened in the past?"
With one sentence, she reversed their positions.
Xu Zhiqing's refusal became exclusion of a new hire.
Xu Zhiqing's protection of her project became a failure to separate work from personal matters.
As long as Su Yanxi acted innocent enough, any boundary could be interpreted as hostility.
Xu Zhiqing was silent for several seconds, then sat back down.
"I won't exclude you."
She closed the permissions management page.
"I'll provide you with whatever materials you need for work under company protocol. I'll also clearly assign the tasks you're responsible for."
"What about what happened between us?"
"It has nothing to do with work."
"Does it really have nothing to do with it?"
Su Yanxi took a step closer and lowered her voice.
"If it really has nothing to do with it, why were you afraid to look at me just now?"
Xu Zhiqing raised her eyes.
This time, she didn't look away.
"I wasn't afraid."
"Then what was it?"
"I didn't want to."
The corners of Su Yanxi's mouth stiffened.
The voices of coworkers returning gradually drifted in from the hallway.
She immediately hid the emotion in her eyes and put her gentle smile back on.
"It's okay."
She picked up the coffee from the desk and gently pushed it toward Xu Zhiqing.
"We can talk more slowly later."
"Take it away."
"You used to love it."
"People change."
Xu Zhiqing pushed the coffee back.
The paper cup slid a short distance across the desk and stopped between them.
Su Yanxi looked down at it, then suddenly smiled.
"Zhiqing."
Her voice was very soft.
"You're not still angry with me, are you?"
The coworkers happened to walk into the office.
Someone heard the last sentence and looked over at them curiously.
Su Yanxi stood beside Xu Zhiqing's desk, her expression carrying a hint of unease, like someone who had tried her best to make peace with an old friend only to be rejected.
Xu Zhiqing saw the questions in the others' eyes.
She also saw the familiar certainty hidden beneath Su Yanxi's fragile expression.
She was waiting for Xu Zhiqing to lose her temper.
Waiting for her to reveal, in front of everyone, the old events that no one could immediately prove.
Waiting for her to once again become the emotionally unstable one who refused to forgive.
Xu Zhiqing slowly relaxed her clenched hand.
"No," she answered calmly.
Surprise flashed through Su Yanxi's eyes.
Xu Zhiqing picked up the coffee and set it on the nearby communal table.
"But I haven't forgotten either."
She reopened her laptop and didn't look at her again.
On the screen, the access log for the Annual Project folder was still open to the latest page.
Xu Zhiqing clicked Export and saved the complete record to her encrypted hard drive.
Five years ago, she had had no evidence.
No explanation.
And no one had waited for the truth to be believed.
But this time was different.
Since Su Yanxi had voluntarily stepped back into her life, she was bound to leave traces.
And Xu Zhiqing would never let those traces disappear again.