“Honestly, you’re unbelievably similar to that guy.”
This sentence stabbed through my just-settled nerves like an icy awl, catching me completely off guard. The air seemed to freeze in an instant.
“Meow… huh?!”
I jerked my head up and met her gaze, one filled with curiosity and a complex sort of nostalgia.
That guy… which guy?
I stared hard at Ning Dongya, trying to find any trace of teasing or jest on her face. Yet, in those deep eyes, aside from a lingering amusement, there was a kind of near-scrutinizing focus, as if she wanted to see through my exterior and discover some vague reflection hidden inside.
In the tense atmosphere, Ning Dongya’s breath once again brushed against me, nearly suffocating.
Why did she say that? Just how much… does she know?
“Ugh…” I bit my lower lip tight, afraid she’d connect me even more closely with her ex-boyfriend. My fingers unconsciously clenched at the fabric on my knees, my nails almost digging into my palm.
Because the more she connected the dots, the higher the risk I’d be found out.
But when I looked up again, I noticed the playful smile had disappeared from Ning Dongya’s eyes, replaced by a brief dazed expression.
That absentminded look was a far cry from the sharp, cold CEO she usually was, making me momentarily confused.
It was as if… I had returned to that time…
Back then, she would also sometimes space out like this, just staring at me.
But that brief sense of familiarity vanished in an instant. By the time I snapped out of it, she was already back at the lectern.
“Alright, let’s continue discussing the manifestations of metal surface corrosion.”
Coming back to my senses, I picked up my stylus and nodded at her.
“Okay!”
Soon, the morning class ended.
Although not much was covered, it at least changed my impression of Ning Dongya. I never expected that someone like her, a CEO, would also be teaching stuff even low-level interns needed to learn.
Next up was lunch.
Ning Dongya deftly turned off the projector, her fingers tapping a few times on the keyboard, dimming the screen. She turned around, waved at me.
“Let’s go, little one.” She picked up the suit jacket draped over her chair, slipping it on with a smooth motion. Her gaze swept over me, lips curling in a faint, almost invisible smile. “I’ll take you to try the company cafeteria. An important part of the intern experience.”
“Meow… A-Are we going to the staff cafeteria?” I asked hesitantly, my tail unconsciously tensing.
Are we eating together again? I was hoping she’d eat hers and I’d eat mine…
But I guess that’s not really possible…
“What else?” She raised an eyebrow, as if my question amused her. “You want to eat the good stuff in my office again, like before? It’s not impossible…”
“N-No, that’s not it, meow!” I shook my head frantically, my little tail behind me wagging in panic.
No way, if we went to her office, eating would be the least of my worries!
She deliberately drew out her words, enjoying the way my eyes widened and my head shook furiously. “But today, I didn’t have time to arrange anything, so let’s just experience the regular staff meal for once.”
“Oh, o-okay.”
Even though I’d still be eating with her, at least it was in the cafeteria. With others around, she probably wouldn’t do anything too embarrassing… right?
She strode toward the door, the sound of her heels unusually crisp in the now-quiet classroom. “Keep up. Why is this little one so unenthusiastic about eating?”
“Ugh…” I resigned myself, standing up and trailing after her slowly, doing my best to keep at least five meters of safe distance.
Ning Dongya seemed to see right through me but said nothing.
This time, to avoid her probing further, I decided to take the initiative and start a conversation.
“By the way, for things like lunch, couldn’t you have your secretary arrange it?”
“Yes, that’s true. But today, I’m just teaching you, so there was no need to call her in as well,” Ning Dongya answered from ahead.
“I see.”
I nodded. Unexpectedly, she’s surprisingly down-to-earth in these areas.
In my mind, CEOs’ secretaries should be social experts, masters of all the unspoken rules, and would have taken the initiative to arrange her lunch once they saw Ning Xueyang at the company today.
As I kept searching for more to talk about, we exited the multimedia room. The corridor was still empty, but with lunch break approaching, the faint sounds of distant chatter could be heard.
This made me even more nervous, as if I could already foresee being the center of countless gazes. I kept my head down, eyes locked on the sleek hem of Ning Dongya’s suit and the sway of her skirt, like a pet being led by its owner, ever vigilant of its surroundings.
“Why so slow—afraid I’ll eat you?” Ning Dongya called out without looking back, her voice tinged with mischief.
“N-No, meow!” I instinctively sped up, nearly bumping into her when she stopped abruptly.
Soon, we arrived in front of a frosted glass door with the company logo. The smell of food and the clamor from inside drifted out through the crack. She turned sideways, one hand on the handle, those deep eyes glancing at me with a hint of… wicked amusement.
“Here we are, little one—the cafeteria.”
I didn’t respond, glancing at the opening hours posted on the door, then at the busy staff inside.
Sensing my confusion, Ning Dongya smiled and explained, “Technically, it’s not open yet. But I’d rather avoid unnecessary gossip, so I brought you here early. Let’s just eat whatever’s available.”
I nodded. For someone like me who either ate instant noodles at home all day or skipped meals altogether, the cafeteria food was perfectly fine.
But what worried me was Ning Dongya herself—a company CEO. Could she really eat cafeteria food?
Her next move, however, gave me the answer.
She actually pulled out a staff ID badge—wait, the CEO’s ID badge? That’s such a foreign concept!
I remembered when I first joined, people told me the badge doubled as the cafeteria meal card. No one would require her to wear it unless she often ate in the cafeteria. Otherwise, there’d be no reason to make a special badge just for the CEO.
“Alright, I’ll go to the kitchen and get the food. You wait for me at a table. Don’t get in the way.”
The moment Ning Dongya said I didn’t have to follow her, I practically leapt at the opportunity, finding a seat immediately. Ning Dongya smiled and headed to the kitchen.
But before I could even settle in, a teasing voice rang out behind me.
“Well, well, well, whose little sister is this? So pretty. Why are you here all alone?”
Then, two hands landed on my back.
The unexpected touch and that flirtatious tone made my skin crawl.
Don’t tell me… am I really about to be harassed?!