Finally, when Ning Dongya finished the last grain of rice on her plate, the torturous lunch hour was finally over.
On our way back, we just happened to see the police and security guards escorting those two men who had harassed me earlier, walking right past us.
The two of them glared at me in unison,
Their eyes laced with venom, scaring me so much that I shuddered all over and instinctively wanted to hide behind Ning Dongya.
“Ugh…”
The cold metal handcuffs on their wrists clinked together intermittently, sounding especially harsh in the quiet corridor.
Pushed forward by the police and security, they still turned back to look at me again, their eyes filled with unwillingness and malice, as if silently accusing me of being the reason for their miserable outcome.
Ning Dongya didn’t say anything, just subtly shifted her body to shield me behind her.
Only when that suffocating pressure faded away along with their footsteps did I finally exhale, long and silent, as if all my strength had been drained. My tense tail drooped weakly, curling gently around my wrist.
“Let’s go.” Ning Dongya’s calm voice sounded above my head. Sensing my stiffness, her tone softened a bit. “Sorry, this was my miscalculation. I didn’t expect it would take so long for them to access surveillance and file records in the security office. I thought it would be over by now, so I brought you this way.”
“Th-this isn’t your fault, it’s just… bad luck this time, meeting people like that.”
I clung to Ning Dongya’s sleeve, subconsciously rubbing my face against her back.
For some reason, in this moment, I actually felt a strange sense of reassurance. Even though Ning Dongya herself was supposed to be the most dangerous one here…
Just then, a rustling murmur of discussion reached my ears. It was the nearby employees, all watching Ning Dongya and me huddled together and whispering about something.
Seeing this, I became even more nervous, hurriedly using Ning Dongya’s sleeve to hide my face.
Already rattled by those two bad guys earlier, and now this…
Maybe Ning Dongya would have one of her mischievous spells later and bully me again…
She reached out, taking my little, restless hand into her palm.
Ugh…
As expected, she’s starting again!
But, strangely, things didn’t turn out like I thought.
After holding my hand, she didn’t do anything else. Instead, the warmth of her soft palm kept flowing to me, giving me a sense of security I couldn’t put into words.
“Don’t be afraid. Just follow me—they won’t say anything more.”
Ning Dongya patiently soothed me, then turned to the nearby groups of employees. Her voice was much louder than before.
“Isn’t that right?!!”
Completely different from when she was comforting me, her cold, commanding voice sounded like a warning to everyone around.
Seeing Ning Dongya like this, nobody dared to gossip anymore.
But I couldn’t help but wonder—was it really okay for her to act like this?
After that, we returned to the multimedia room from before.
She seemed to have things to do. As soon as she brought me back to the classroom, she left, saying she’d return after her break was over.
I watched Ning Dongya’s departing figure, feeling a little confused.
Why does she spend so much time on me when she’s so busy?
It only made me more suspicious—had I given something away?
But I didn’t dare ask her to confirm it, since that would basically be walking straight into her net.
But soon, I remembered that I’d promised Ling Xiaoxiao I’d join the competition. Maybe I should use this time to practice what Ning Dongya taught in the morning.
With that thought, I found a random seat and picked up my graphics tablet.
I became so absorbed in drawing that I lost track of time. When I snapped out of it again, Ning Dongya’s voice was already praising me by my ear.
“Not bad at all, your lines are much smoother than they were this morning.”
Ning Dongya’s voice came out of nowhere by my ear, tinged with a hint of approving laughter. My hand shook from the surprise and nearly dropped the stylus. The cat ears on my head shot straight up.
“Meow?! Ning—Director Ning! When did you come back?” I spun around in a panic, my heart still pounding from the scare. How could she move so quietly?
She was already standing behind me, leaning in slightly, her eyes fixed on my sketch as if studying a piece of art. The afternoon sunlight shone through the window, outlining her profile in a soft golden glow, her long lashes casting a gentle shadow beneath her eyelids.
“For a little while now,” she replied easily, her gaze still on my drawing. “You were so focused, I didn’t want to interrupt. Looks like… all that practice paid off. Here—your transitions are much more natural than they were this morning.”
Her praise made my cheeks flush and filled me with a little pride, but it was quickly drowned out by a huge wave of unease. She was standing so close!
Her warm breath brushed past the tip of my ear, sending a tingling sensation through me. I could even smell her familiar, faintly cool scent, mixed with a bit of the afternoon sunlight.
“Th-thank you, Director Ning…” I mumbled, shrinking back instinctively, only to bump against the back of the chair, unable to move.
I could only stay stiff and still, letting her gaze wander between me and my drawing. My tail, tense, curled behind me, the tip sweeping anxiously over the seat.
She seemed to notice my tension and finally straightened up, putting a bit of distance between us. Still, those deep eyes stayed locked on me, filled with inquiry and… some playful expression I couldn’t read.
Then I remembered—the competition was being held by Ning Dongya’s company, so maybe she knew what the topic would be.
Maybe I should…
“Um… Director Ning,” I mustered my courage, my voice barely louder than a mosquito’s, twisting the edge of my shirt with my fingers. “Do you… do you know what this company competition’s topic… will be about?”
After asking, my heart was practically pounding out of my throat, my tail anxiously swiping the chair leg.
Ning Dongya’s eyes slowly lifted from my sketch, turning to me. That hint of a smile on her lips deepened, as if she’d known I’d ask.
“Hm? Why are you suddenly curious about that?” Her gaze was sharp, as if she could see right through my feeble disguise. “Thinking of entering?”
“Meow!” Her guess was so spot-on I nearly jumped, my cat ears bristling, and I waved my hands frantically. “I-it’s just curiosity! Yes! I just wanted to prepare in advance…”
But faced with Ning Dongya’s playful gaze, my excuse sounded weak and unconvincing.
She didn’t press me any further, only gave a soft “heh” and straightened up, folding her arms and looking down at me from above. Her eyes held both scrutiny and a knowing amusement.
“The topic…” She deliberately paused. “Since it’s an internal company selection, of course it’s related to our business focus.”
Her words gave nothing away, yet hinted at so much.
“But, little one, rather than digging for hints about the topic…”
Suddenly, she bent down, coming so close that I could see the curve of her eyelashes, her warm breath brushing over my ear.
“I’d suggest you,” her voice dropped low, “focus your attention where it should be.”
My heart skipped a beat, all the blood in my body rushing to my face.
When I finally snapped out of it, she was already up at the podium.
“Alright, lunch break is over. Next is the afternoon lesson, so pay attention.”
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