Most of the diners in this Chinese restaurant were families.
Jiang Ruolan suddenly thought of her parents back in Province A, and a trace of melancholy flickered across her eyes.
Zhou Yi noticed it cautiously.
"What's wrong? Something on your mind?"
Jiang Ruolan opened her mouth but didn’t know how to respond.
Professionally, Zhou Yi was her superior.
Personally, they weren’t even friends.
She couldn’t confide in him about such things.
Jiang Ruolan could only shake her head. "It's nothing."
Zhou Yi sensed her hesitation and spoke slowly,
"Ruolan, you can actually talk to me about anything, even if it’s not work-related."
"You’ve been abroad for so long. Maybe your friends back home aren’t in Huaihai, or maybe you’ve grown distant. As my most trusted right-hand, I’d like to help ease your worries."
"Employees and bosses can be friends too—at least, that’s what I believe."
Zhou Yi’s smile was sincere, as if he genuinely wanted to share her burden.
When a woman faces an unsolvable problem, it’s best to seize the opportunity—never think of avoiding it.
If you can resolve it, her admiration for you will grow, even to the point of dependence.
She’ll turn to you first with her troubles, and once she "needs" you, you’ll have entered her world.
If you can’t solve her problem, don’t worry—you can still offer advice.
Even a few comforting words will do.
As long as you show you care, she’ll feel it.
Whether or not you succeed, your attitude alone can move her.
Most women in real life are like this—emotional creatures who often say, "It’s your attitude that matters."
Of course, gold diggers are an exception. Without money, you won’t win them over. Be cautious.
For someone like Jiang Ruolan, who rarely lets her emotions show, this was the perfect chance to learn about her personal life.
Once you’ve broken through that initial barrier, she won’t hesitate to confide in you again.
The more aloof a woman is, the fewer friends she tends to have. Used to being independent, she rarely shares her troubles, not wanting to burden others. Jiang Ruolan was no exception.
So everything depended on Zhou Yi’s approach.
Fortunately, he was also someone capable of solving problems.
Jiang Ruolan felt a warmth in her heart—perhaps from the lively atmosphere of the restaurant, or perhaps from Zhou Yi’s kindness. She let go of the detached social norms she’d learned abroad, the so-called "keeping your distance."
With a hint of sadness, she said,
"Actually, I was thinking of my parents. I originally returned to spend more time with them, but I couldn’t find a suitable job in Province A, so I ended up in Huaihai."
Zhou Yi smiled faintly. "That’s easy. You could bring your parents here to settle down."
Jiang Ruolan shook her head. "They have their own social circles back home. Leaving would make them uncomfortable."
Zhou Yi thought for a moment. "Then how about I give you three extra days off each month to visit them?"
[Jiang Ruolan’s Affection Points +5]
Jiang Ruolan was genuinely stunned.
This couldn’t be. She knew Zhou Yi meant well, but such preferential treatment would surely stir discontent among other employees, which wouldn’t be good for the company.
She proposed an alternative.
"If possible, I could give up my weekends and adjust my schedule instead. That way, my total days off would match everyone else’s, and there’d be no complaints."
Zhou Yi hadn’t expected Jiang Ruolan to be so principled, unwilling to accept any personal favors.
But this was good—later on, he wouldn’t have to compromise the company’s interests just to win her affection.
He agreed readily.
"You can still take one day off each weekend and save the other four days for later. Working over twenty days straight would be too exhausting."
"Alright, Mr. Zhou. Thank you so much."
Jiang Ruolan’s smile softened, like the melting of spring snow.
She asked the waiter for a bottle of liquor, intending to toast Zhou Yi.
To him, this was a sign of her initiative.
Jiang Ruolan could hold her liquor—abroad, she mostly drank wine, but in China, beer and baijiu were more common.
"Mr. Zhou, do you prefer beer or baijiu?"
"Whatever you like."
"Then let’s have baijiu. I’ll need to learn to drink it for business anyway."
She was already prepared to go above and beyond for Zhou Yi!
Jiang Ruolan ordered a bottle of baijiu and filled both their small cups to the brim.
In one swift motion, she downed hers.
"Mr. Zhou, this one’s for you."
The liquor was harsh, something she wasn’t used to, but it certainly packed a punch.
This bold side of Jiang Ruolan made her even more vivid and real in Zhou Yi’s eyes.
He raised his cup in return and drank it all in one go.
They shared a smile.
Under the influence of alcohol, the atmosphere seemed to shift subtly.
Jiang Ruolan tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks flushed—whether from the liquor or something else was unclear.
"My tolerance isn’t great. If I get drunk later, don’t laugh at me," Zhou Yi teased.
Jiang Ruolan chuckled, brushing it off.
Someone like Mr. Zhou would surely remain graceful even when drunk. He was probably just being polite.
She poured another round, and this time they sipped slowly, chatting about work between drinks.
For Jiang Ruolan, moments like these were rare.
Her job was always high-pressure, fueled by coffee just to stay alert.
When had she ever had the luxury of leisurely meals and drinks with her boss?
Overseas, people emphasized keeping their distance—colleagues hardly ever socialized outside work, communicating mostly through emails.
Living abroad for so long had made her feel detached.
But being back in China filled her with joy, reviving familiar feelings—like her university days, sitting across from classmates or friends, laughing over drinks.
Those days were long gone.
For the first time in years, she felt a pang of nostalgia.
It was Zhou Yi who had drawn out this side of her—a Jiang Ruolan rich with emotion.
As she looked at him now, she thought, If this were university, Mr. Zhou would’ve been the campus heartthrob, chased by countless girls.
He was truly captivating.
For a moment, she forgot their age difference, thinking of him the way she might have in her college days—evaluating whether a guy could be her boyfriend.
[Jiang Ruolan’s Affection Points +5]
This was the first time she’d felt her heart flutter because of Zhou Yi’s handsome face.
In this moment, he wasn’t her boss—just a charming young man.
As she gazed at his captivating smile, her vision grew slightly hazy.
Alright, truth be told, her alcohol tolerance wasn’t that great, and she realized she shouldn’t drink anymore—otherwise, she’d be drunk.
But the liquor’s delayed effect had already kicked in; she was tipsy now.
“President Zhou, it’s getting late... Let’s meet again tomorrow.”
Her eyes were hazy, the corners tinged with a seductive flush, while her cheeks bloomed with a rouge-like glow. Her lips parted slightly as she gazed at Zhou Yi with an intoxicating, languid allure.
Zhou Yi stood up to steady her. “Where do you live? Let me take you home. I can’t let you go back alone in this state.”
Jiang Ruolan felt her steps wavering—she really could use someone to accompany her. Safety first, after all.
Besides, Zhou Yi gave off such an upright, dependable vibe that she didn’t hesitate before nodding. “Alright, then I’ll trouble you, President Zhou.”
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
agon king storylines. At the start, I obtained the "Ultimate Lackey System" - the more I act as a lackey, the stronger I become. What else could I do? I chose to become the personal henchman of the ultimate villain, Su Muwan. I provoke all sorts of chosen ones, snatch away their opportunities, and commit every evil deed imaginable. You ask who's behind me? Hmph! You're not worthy of knowing my lady's name! ...... ....... I am Su Muwan, the eldest daughter of the Su family. Since childhood, I've possessed extraordinary talent in martial arts, which led to my arrogant and domineering personality in my past life. I was even foolish enough to repeatedly challenge those favored by heaven, ultimately resulting in a tragic death. In this life, I must behave and absolutely cannot walk the same path again!! However... SLAP!! "So you're the Dragon King, huh?!" When I saw my little lackey swagger over and viciously slap the Dragon King who was hiding his identity, I felt my heart sink. Su Muwan's suspended heart finally died as she watched Qin Luo, her utterly loyal lackey, standing before her. She fainted on the spot from shock. Heaven is determined to destroy me!! (Pure love 1v1, light-hearted, no angst, single female lead, villain, reincarnation, lackey)
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
