The four monitors in front of Huo Rou were divided into multiple windows, displaying the desktop of each person's computer.
Everyone was a master. Although it was a local area network, each person had made some modifications to their own computers. This gave Huo Rou more work, and it was why she praised Xiao Yuda for hiring good people.
She leaned back lazily in her chair, having spent the entire afternoon watching lines of code and program executions.
Even though no one came to report to her or hand over tasks, after watching for an afternoon, she had a general understanding of the projects they were working on.
As soon as the workday ended, Huo Rou shut down her computer, picked up her small bag, and left the office with a light heart.
As she got out of the elevator, she ran into Shen Sitong in the lobby.
Indeed, she was a social butterfly. She chatted with everyone, and everyone seemed happy talking to her.
Huo Rou was a little impressed. After all, her own amiability was a facade, while Shen Sitong's was innate. She could see from her eyes that she genuinely wished for everyone she talked to to be happy.
Seeing Huo Rou, Shen Sitong quickened her pace, linked her arm loosely around Huo Rou's, and greeted her with a smile.
Huo Rou was a little surprised by the sudden gesture of linking arms. She responded with a smile, hiding her surprise.
If it were someone else she had just met who had approached her like this, she might have instinctively spun around and delivered a sideways kick.
But Shen Sitong had gauged the distance perfectly. The loose link of her arm conveyed a sense of both distance and closeness.
"Sister Huo, I've called a taxi. Which direction do you live in? If it's on the way, we can go together."
"She's a director, she must have a car. Why would she share a taxi with you?" a female colleague chimed in with sarcasm.
"It's none of your business. I asked Sister Huo, not you. What are you getting so worked up about?" Shen Sitong retorted directly to the woman, showing no courtesy.
"Look at your pathetic self, trying to curry favor. Who wants to talk to you!" The woman, in her high heels, swayed elegantly as she walked out of the company and into a luxury car.
"Sister Huo, it's not that I'm gossiping, but she's very vain and her words and actions are very annoying. You should stay away from her if you encounter her, to avoid affecting your mood."
Shen Sitong stretched her neck towards the direction the woman had gone and snorted, her ponytail swaying. She looked so cute.
Huo Rou chuckled at her childlike behavior.
"Sister Huo, what are you laughing at?" Shen Sitong tilted her head, then, as if remembering something, asked with a hint of embarrassment, "Do you think I was too childish just now?"
"No, I just think you're very cute," Huo Rou explained with a smile. "My son has never done such a cute thing since he was little."
"Ah? You have a son?" Shen Sitong's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're so young, and you already have a son? Wow, a beautiful lady's son must be handsome too!"
Huo Rou caught sight of a very familiar, small figure out of the corner of her eye.
"Over there, do you think he's handsome?"
Shen Sitong followed Huo Rou's gaze and indeed saw a little dumpling waiting by the door.
"He's that handsome?" Shen Sitong's aesthetic preferences kicked in again.
So handsome and cute, it was almost unfair!
"Sister Huo, can I go closer to take a look?" Shen Sitong pleaded with Huo Rou, her heart burning with curiosity.
"Of course," Huo Rou nodded.
When Shen Sitong squatted in front of An An and offered him a candy from her bag, An An's eyes curved into a smile. "Thank you, sister."
"Ahhhh!" Shen Sitong cried out excitedly from the bottom of her heart.
"He called me sister," she said, looking up at Huo Rou with a blissful expression. "Ever since I was in college, all the children have called me auntie. An An actually called me sister!"
"My godmother taught me to call any pretty young lady 'sister' and that girls are always young," An An explained obediently, then promptly handed the candy he had just received to Huo Rou.
"Mom, you eat it."
An An's sensible behavior made Shen Sitong scream again.
"He's too well-behaved," Shen Sitong said enviously. "I want to fall in love and have another child as handsome and sensible as An An."
"That won't do," An An said very seriously. "An An is one of a kind."
Shen Sitong didn't chat with them for too long, as it was the peak of rush hour, and lingering longer would mean more people.
"You guys should get going. We left right on time, so there aren't too many people yet. Rush hour is about to start, so Sister Huo, you should hurry home."
"I'll give you a ride," Huo Rou offered.
Shen Sitong shook her head, not wanting to trouble them. Just as her taxi arrived, they parted ways.
Getting into the car, Huo Rou didn't see Qin Ningyi and felt a moment of disappointment.
An An, being quick-witted, noticed the look in Huo Rou's eyes as she opened the car door, as if she were looking for his father.
He spoke up to explain for his father. "Dad hasn't finished work yet. Grandpa Zhang was supposed to pick you up, but I got out of school early and came with him."
"Finished school early again?" Huo Rou recalled the hour-long drive that morning and figured it must have delayed Qin Ningyi's work, and he was now making up for lost time.
"If I finish the day's lessons early, I can leave early," An An said, holding Huo Rou's arm and smiling brightly. "It's Mom's first day at work, and I wanted to pick you up too. So I worked a little harder today."
Huo Rou raised her hand and gently ruffled An An's soft hair, smiling tenderly.
Old Zhang didn't drive them back to Meicheng Yunfu but directly to the Qin Group building.
"Miss Huo, Young Master said he wants to treat you to dinner. Would you like to go up and wait for him?" After picking An An up a few times, Old Zhang had changed how he addressed Qin Ningyi, effectively acknowledging An An's identity.
This time, Huo Rou didn't refuse. She took An An out of the car and went up to the 66th floor.
Several of Qin Ningyi's assistants were queuing up to see him. As soon as Huo Rou entered, their eyes were all on her.
Qin Ningyi, who had been looking down at his documents, looked up at the sound. Seeing Huo Rou, the corner of his mouth turned up in a smile.
"Wait for me, I'll be done soon," he said softly. "There are some snacks on the coffee table. Have something if you're hungry."
"Okay, you work," Huo Rou said, taking An An to sit down. She didn't touch the desserts on the table and took out her phone to handle some trivial matters.
Qin Ningyi's gentle voice made the assistants exchange surprised glances.
Xiao Konglin's eyes widened too. While it was true that Mr. Qin had always been patient with Miss Huo and never spoke harshly, his words today were practically dripping with affection.
The sweet feeling was almost overpowering the desserts he had just bought and placed on the table.
After finishing all his work, the assistants left one by one. Just as Xiao Konglin was leaving and turning to close the door, Qin Ningyi's even gentler voice came from inside.
"Arou, there's something I want to ask you."
"Yikes, goosebumps!" Xiao Konglin's hand slipped, and the door slammed shut with a bang that startled him into turning and running.