Chapter 17: Mysterious Figure

Chapter 17: Mysterious Figure

Despite the promise of daily transportation, Gu Chen didn't have Shen Xian drive him that day.

By the time Shen Xian came out, Gu Chen was already gone, leaving her alone with three other busy secretaries on the thirty-fifth floor.

Ma Qi was on the phone, handling external affairs, while Chen Nuo was organizing documents by the filing cabinet. Tang Yi was skillfully typing away at his computer.

The entire floor was eerily quiet, save for Ma Qi's voice on the phone and the tapping of Tang Yi's keyboard.

The setting sun cast its last rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a diagonal glow on Gu Chen's office door with its golden handle.

"Shen Xian, didn't you go out with President Gu?"

Chen Nuo was surprised to see Shen Xian emerge from the office.

Lately, Shen Xian and Gu Chen had been virtually inseparable, and the others had grown accustomed to it.

Zhang Chi used to behave similarly. As for what they did outside, it was none of their business as employees, so they never inquired further.

Shen Xian shook her head, witnessing Chen Nuo put down the folder in her hand, then rush over to retrieve a box from her drawer and pass it to her.

"This is collagen that I asked a friend to bring back from abroad. Just mix it with warm water, give it a try. Skincare is a lifelong commitment for women."

As Chen Nuo spoke, she examined Shen Xian's face and added, "Your skin is truly amazing, but it's a bit too plain."

Shen Xian was speechless; was there such a thing as plain or rich skin?

Meanwhile, Ma Qi had just finished a phone call and, overhearing their conversation, threw a disdainful glance before returning to her work.

Tang Yi, on the other hand, remained completely engrossed in the lines of code on his computer, not reacting in any way.

Shen Xian had long grown accustomed to this office environment: Sweet Mei's warmth and friendliness, Ma Qi's arrogance, and Tang Yi's aloofness as a tech expert.

It was a good balance for her, who didn't particularly enjoy socializing. For someone like her, having less complicated interpersonal relationships was already a blessing.

Indeed, when Gu Chen was absent, the atmosphere on the 35th floor seemed slightly more relaxed.

After thanking Chen Nuo, Shen Xian fetched a glass of water and returned to her office. There were still documents to review. At this stage, she was in a phase of familiarization, learning, and applying what she learned simultaneously.

Fortunately, Gu Chen didn't demand her to be as meticulous as a professional senior secretary.

As she worked diligently at her desk, Chen Nuo's words "a wise bird chooses its tree" echoed in her mind. Could it be that, besides embezzlement, Peng Fei had also made the wrong alliances back then?

But whom did he belong to?

However, Shen Xian's curiosity was soon answered.

It wasn't until Shen Xian was almost at the subway station after work that she remembered she had left her house key in the office. It would take her about ten minutes to go back for it. She was grateful she hadn't realized this after getting on the train.

As she walked, she browsed her phone and saw Chen Nuo's post on social media: "Another month-end overtime day. Only a sweet mousse can save this adorable me now."

The picture showed a cartoon girl exhausted from work and a cake, implying that Chen Nuo had been busy all afternoon without finishing those documents.

Coincidentally, there was a coffee shop along the way back that Shen Xian knew Chen Nuo liked to order from. However, she wasn't sure if they served the type of cake Chen Nuo mentioned.

She didn't often indulge in cakes or sweets, so she wasn't well-versed in their varieties or flavors.

In this aspect, Shen Xian was quite different from most girls.

"Hello, do you have a cake called Mousse here?"

As Shen Xian asked this, the clerk gave her a curious glance. "Which one are you referring to, ma'am?"

"Just the cake, the Mousse cake," Shen Xian replied, feeling that she might not have been clear enough. Her voice rang out crisply as she repeated herself.

The clerk looked at Shen Xian helplessly, even with a hint of confusion in her eyes. She led Shen Xian to a glass cabinet nearby.

"In here, we have all our cakes - Mousse, Raspberry, Black Forest, you name it. Which one would you like? Mousse comes in several varieties too."

It was the first time Shen Xian realized there were so many types of cakes. The variety was overwhelming, and for a moment, she couldn't identify which one matched the photo Chen Nuo had sent.

The dazzling array of cakes was giving her a headache. Shen Xian decided to take out her phone and show the picture to the clerk.

"Oh, ha-ha! You're looking for Strawberry Mousse!"

The clerk chuckled, skillfully opening the cabinet door and selecting a cake from the many designs. As she packaged it, Shen Xian could finally see that the cake indeed resembled the one in Chen Nuo's picture.

After paying for the cake, Shen Xian couldn't help but marvel. Chen Nuo was truly the epitome of a meticulous girl, knowledgeable about skincare, cosmetics, health supplements, coffee, and sweets, able to distinguish their effects and flavors.

What mental effort it must take to remember all this!

Shen Xian couldn't help but shake her head at the thought. For her, deciphering intricate bomb circuits was far more manageable.

When Shen Xian returned to the 35th floor, Chen Nuo was the only one left, meticulously categorizing documents.

Seeing Shen Xian come back, Chen Nuo didn't react much at first. However, her whole being leaped towards Shen Xian when she spotted the strawberry mousse in her hands.

"Woah, Shen Xian, you're my savior!"

Taken aback by the sudden embrace, Shen Xian stepped back, grateful for her sneakers instead of heels. Otherwise, with Chen Nuo's lunge, she would have surely fallen.

"Did you come here just to bring me cake?" Chen Nuo released Shen Xian, looking at her eagerly. Her hand already reached for the bag containing the dessert.

Steadying herself, Shen Xian replied coolly, "No, I came for my house key."

One asked insincerely, while the other answered sincerely.

"Is there still a lot left? Do you need help?"

Since joining Shenfei Group, Shen Xian had received the most help from Chen Nuo. She also hoped to do something for her in return.

Chen Nuo, without any hesitation, began to enjoy the cake. Upon hearing Shen Xian's words, she glanced at the half-open cabinet and the stacks of documents on the side table, and casually replied, "It's fine, organizing these is just a minor task. I'm mainly here for the cake, hahaha..."

There was no sign of exhaustion or frustration from overtime on Chen Nuo's face; instead, she laughed as easily and joyfully as usual, her eyes curving into crescents.

If Shen Xian hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would have assumed from Chen Nuo's social media posts that she would be dealing with overtime with a gloomy expression. Yet, Chen Nuo seemed to be genuinely delighted by just a slice of cake.

Shen Xian's lips curled slightly. Each person here had their own responsibilities, and Chen Nuo surely had her unique approach to tasks, especially when it came to filing important documents, which required order and categorization for easy retrieval later.

"If you don't need my help, then I'll leave?"

"Go ahead, I'll finish soon."

With her mouth full of cake, Chen Nuo waved Shen Xian off. After she had left, Chen Nuo called out, "Thanks for the cake."

Shen Xian responded from afar before heading back to her office to grab her house keys and head downstairs.

As autumn deepened, the nights grew darker earlier. By the time Shen Xian descended the stairs, dusk had already settled in.

Stepping out of the office building, she caught a glimpse of a furtive figure darting around the corner.

Shen Xian's heart skipped a beat. How could he be here!