It's Hard Being the Bad Guy

Chapter 14

Working is nothing like being at school. No one rings a bell to signal the end of the day; it's more like everyone checks the time, and when they feel it's time to rest, they voluntarily take a break.

Wen Ai sat at his small desk, stealing a glance at the clock. It was already 12:15, but the person at the big desk in front showed no sign of taking a lunch break. He was fully focused, typing away on the keyboard, completely immersed in work.

Without any cue from the leader, Wen Ai didn't dare to take a lunch break on his own. He had no choice but to endure hunger and stay at his post.

After a while, the rhythmic sound of keyboard typing finally ceased. Wen Ai internally cheered, thinking he could finally go for lunch. However, Xu Changzhou pulled out another document from the basket, reading and writing notes. It didn't seem like he would finish anytime soon.

Wen Ai's previous enthusiasm quickly dissipated, and his stomach, now grumbling, couldn't bear the hunger any longer.

Xu Changzhou paused, pushed up his sleeve to check his watch, and frowned, "Lunch break has already started half an hour ago. Why didn't you remind me?"

Wen Ai rubbed his stomach, feeling a bit aggrieved, "I thought you were aware of the time. Don't you feel it's mealtime?"

"I'll pay attention next time." Xu Changzhou pinched the bridge of his nose, picked up his suit jacket draped over the chair, and said, "Let's go, have lunch."

Wen Ai didn't want to walk with him, jumped up from the chair, and dashed away, "See you in the afternoon!"

Xu Changzhou couldn't help but shake his head at Wen Ai's hasty exit. It seemed if he went along, he wouldn't enjoy his meal properly.

The company provided a self-service buffet for lunch. Wen Ai arrived late, and many dishes were already gone. There was only an empty heating tray with a few scattered remnants.

Wen Ai picked a few visually appealing items onto his plate and sat down to fill his stomach. While eating, he noticed Kelly and decided to join her, sitting across from her.

Kelly seemed a bit surprised to see him alone, but quickly regained her smile and started chatting with him.

Wen Ai subtly asked her if she knew how their professor obtained the internship quotas. Kelly apologized, claiming she didn't know, and swiftly finished her almost sauceless vegetable salad before bidding farewell to Wen Ai.

Apart from Kelly, Wen Ai didn't know anyone else in the office, so he focused on eating, putting his thoughts to rest.

Americans don't have the habit of taking a nap; instead, they prefer solving problems with coffee. Wen Ai, however, couldn't cope. After finishing his meal, drowsiness set in. Usually, he could take a short nap in his dorm bed, but now he couldn't find a place to rest.

Returning to the office was definitely out of the question. Sleeping under Xu Changzhou's watchful eyes was akin to sleeping on the edge of a cliff, requiring constant alertness. Finding a peaceful nap was next to impossible.

Wen Ai found a shaded spot on the terrace to wait, counting up to the 35th floor of the building across from him. Suddenly, an unknown number dialed into his phone.

Wen Ai swiped on the screen, "Hello, who's this?"

There was silence on the other end for a moment, "You don't have my number? I remember giving you my business card."

Wen Ai heard Xu Changzhou's voice and hesitated, "I... forgot."

"Save it after we hang up," Xu Changzhou continued, "Have you finished eating? Where are you now?"