Aurora London Games, 247 New King's Road, Chelsea, London, UK.
Felix held a pile of documents in both hands, twisted the handle of the general manager's office with great effort, and pushed the door open with her shoulder. Perhaps because she was in a hurry to go to the bathroom, she took two steps too fast and accidentally twisted her high heels, and fell straight forward.
"ah."
The documents were scattered all over the floor, but Felix found that she did not fall on the carpet. She turned around and saw Yaxiu holding her waist. Apparently, in the split second just now, the general manager, who usually did not like exercise, actually prevented the accident in time.
Just as Felix was thinking about how to tactfully express her willingness to thank Ash for his help with money or even overtime work, anything that "would not deepen the relationship between her and Ash", she was pulled up by Ash and steady. She looked up and saw Ash holding the phone to his ear in his right hand, motioning for her to get out and not interfere with his call, and he didn't even ask her to pick up the document.
"It's okay," Ash squatted down to pick up the documents, "It was just a little accident... Hey, don't slander me, do I look like someone who would have an office romance? It's not enough to be in a fight for more than ten hours at work, and then I continue to be in a fight for another ten hours after get off work, do I look that stupid?"
Of course, these words were not addressed to Felix, because Ash was speaking Chinese.
Felix walked out of the office and closed the door, leaving a crack. He put his ears close to the door and heard Ash say, "Next time Naven comes to London, let's find a bar and talk slowly. What do you want to discuss with me now?"
Felix immediately heard that the person Ash was talking to was Mr. Cha, the chairman and general manager of the head office. Nevermore was Mr. Cha's English name. Although it was very strange to use this word as a name, in China it was like someone naming themselves "Never", but after all, this was a game company, and they were Chinese, so everyone was used to it. Not everyone had a name like "Ash" that mixed Chinese and English.
"Ah? Setting up a new mobile game project team in the London branch... the initial budget investment is so large?"
"No, of course I'm happy, but why did such a good thing fall on me? No matter how you think about it, this must be a big project that all the studios in the headquarters want to grab, right? And in terms of technical strength..."
"Well, well, okay, since you have already made the decision, I won't refuse... What are your requirements? Do you want me to take people back for training?"
"Ah? Get married? Why should I get married? What does this have to do with me?"
Felix opened his eyes wide and listened attentively to the sound inside.
"Even if I get married here, it doesn't mean I will be a permanent resident. I can still get divorced after marriage. Do you think I'm some kind of artifact or strange fire that I won't regret once I'm bound to you? If you're worried and afraid that I'll run away halfway through, I can sign a gambling agreement with you. Can the board of directors be assured if I get married here?"
"Even if you want to develop an IP that can last for decades, you don't need to have the same person in charge from beginning to end, right? And if I can really run it, do you need to worry about no one taking over? Even if I return to China, the studio will not follow me - everyone has signed a non-compete agreement."
The sound was getting farther and farther away. It seemed that Ash was walking to the floor-to-ceiling window. It was too far away and Felix's Chinese level was only good enough to play Chinese mobile games, so she could only hear it vaguely. She was so anxious that she couldn't help but push the door open a little, hoping to hear it more clearly.
"… Don't think about it. What else can I think about now that you've said this? Actually, I had this plan in mind, but I was delayed by work and couldn't make up my mind. I should thank you for taking the initiative to push me."
"Don't worry, I will select someone from the company before next Tuesday."
... ...
...
“Really, I heard him tell Naven with my own ears that he would choose someone in the company to marry before next Tuesday!”
In Bar Soho, Aurora's staff occupied two booths, separated by a white horse sculpture. No one was listening to the resident band's performance. Felix, assistant to the general manager's office, raised his head and drank the whole bottle of Qinlei. His face flushed slightly, and he looked even softer under the dim light of the bar: "He was very sure, it seems that he has already chosen someone!"
"And he didn't just choose one person." Weisser, the operations manager, analyzed, "He said 'choose one', which means he has many potential marriage partners in the company to choose from, and he is very confident that they will not refuse his proposal."
"Is he so confident?" Technical Manager Diya looked confused: "He doesn't seem to be very close to anyone..."
"Maybe he thinks that with his status and position, no woman in the company can refuse him." Finance Director Wei Xi sneered, "Power oppression, unspoken rules, sexual harassment, there is always one way that suits him."
"Is it possible that Ash really has several girlfriends who can get married at any time?" Human Resources Manager An Nan pondered, "But I've never seen him get close to anyone, but he said he chose them in the company... Sonia, what do you think?"
Deputy General Manager Sonia was spinning her wine glass. An Nan called her twice before she came back to her senses. She shook her head and said, "I don't know. He is always focused on work. It seems that he doesn't have any private time."
"You don't even know Sonia? Is it so secretive?" Weisser was a little surprised: "You are the employee with the longest tenure and the longest service with Ash."
Among so many middle-level management cadres, Sonia, the general secretary and deputy general manager, is the youngest and most experienced, because she was the first employee to join when Ash came to London to set up a branch three years ago. At that time, she was a freshman in college and was accidentally deceived by Ash to work part-time. After careful consideration in her sophomore year, she resolutely dropped out of school to concentrate on work. It can be said that Aurora London Branch was established by Ash and Sonia. This effort and determination also brought her rich rewards—she was able to buy a house in Old Street at the age of 23. Although it is not a luxury house in the city center, it is close to the city center. For a female student from Essington, this is already an achievement of class leap.
"But why would the headquarters ask Ash to get married?" ACT project manager Tamashi looked confused: "Do they even want to control the private lives of managers?"
Felix explained, "It seems that the headquarters wants to arrange a very important project for us, but Yaxiu may return home at any time, so the headquarters requires him to get married and settle permanently in the UK before they are willing to let him take over the project. This will avoid the situation of changing the person in charge in the middle."
"It seems to make some sense, but it also doesn't make much sense." Diya complained, "The brain circuits at the headquarters are so weird."
"If Ash really gets married, he will probably stay in London wholeheartedly." Vichy shook his glass and said, "You know his character well."
"So he has no choice but to accept it." Weisser spread his hands. "If he misses this opportunity, he may never have the chance to be in charge of such an important project in his life. He has to get married even for his career. What's more... he seems to have a potential candidate that he is satisfied with."
"Could it be Freya from the brand department?" Tamashi suddenly said.
"It's possible." An Nan shook his glass and smiled, "I wouldn't be surprised if Freya showed up with Ash's child... But from what I know, either Freya is in unrequited love or Ash doesn't like women, otherwise they would have killed someone in the past three years."
Everyone in the company knew that Freya liked Ash, and even Freya went to work just to pursue Ash. It wasn't that Freya was a second-generation rich, but she was definitely not short of money—because her best friend, the manager of the second operation project department, Shivlin, was an investment genius.
Three years ago, when Freya and Shivlin first joined the company, they happened to encounter the trend of virtual currency. Shivlin decisively pulled Freya into the market, and successfully sold it a hundred times a year later. But perhaps because she didn't spend much money and relied entirely on her best friend for support, Freya actually forgot to cash out this investment. When she remembered, the virtual currency she held had increased three thousand times.
With just this operation, Freya's income beat 100% of the employees in the company. A week after this news came out, the whole company, including Ash, fell into melancholy, thinking, "What's the point of working for a lifetime?"
The reason why Freya and Shiffrin, two financially independent young rich ladies, still stay in the company is because Freya has always wanted to provide Ash with a comfortable living, while Shiffrin accompanies her bestie to work to pass the time and also takes advantage of the company's online stock trading.
When it comes to Ash getting married, everyone's first reaction is Freya. Ash certainly doesn't hate Freya, but he has never accepted Freya's love. It feels like a shock shooter who lets Freya fly, or a sea king who keeps Freya as a fish.
But that was all. No one thought Ash was a scumbag. If it was someone else, Freya would have been eaten up by her and her money. Sometimes they suspected that Freya was fishing. After all, a sexy, cute, rich, and love-brained blonde Veela would pester you every day and say "I will do whatever you say". Which normal person could resist the criminal impulse to abuse her
"It can't be Freya," Weisser said firmly.
"Why? Wouldn't it be nice to find someone who likes me?" Felix propped his chin with both hands and said yearningly, "If I were Ash, I would definitely choose someone who only has eyes for me."
"Because Freya's love is too frivolous." Sonia said calmly while shaking her glass, "The passionate love that lasted for years was too unreal and too illusory, just like a science fiction story. Ash had always refused to accept it, thinking that Freya's feelings were just a whim. If he really dated Freya, she might soon find it boring... He couldn't be sure whether Freya loved him or loved everything he had done for her."
"Are you going to reject such a good girl just because of this?" Tamashi seemed a little regretful.
"There aren't so many ups and downs in reality, and he doesn't even have a chance to test it." Sonia smiled and said, "In order not to get hurt, he doesn't contact. That's the kind of person he is."
"Felix, where is your distant relative?" Vichy suddenly asked.
Felix was startled, then reacted: "Are you talking about Sister Fanxing?"
Sister Fanxing is of course not called Fanxing, but she is the head of Fanxing Studio, which is also the branch of Aurora in the UK. However, Fanxing Studio focuses on game development, while Aurora London is also responsible for distribution operations and other matters.
"That's impossible." Diya spread her hands and smiled: "Fanxing is about the same age as Weixi! How could Ash like such an old-"
Snapped!
Vichy slammed the wine glass on the glass table, glanced at Diya with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and Diya immediately became silent and put the cookies into her mouth obediently.
"Ash and Fanxing do have close contacts. After all, the project requires frequent communication." Weisser pondered, "But at most, it can only be said that there is some possibility... The possibility that Ash chooses Fanxing is not higher than anyone else here."
"Could it be that the person Ash really wants to marry is..." An Nan flicked her amethyst earrings and said slowly, "Is she among us?"
"I'm not interested anyway," Wei Xi squinted at them, "Are you interested?"
“Neither was I,” Tamashi replied.
"Who would be interested in him?" Felix immediately agreed.
"I only communicate with Ash about work." Weisser smiled.
"If he pursues me, I might consider it, but he actually wants to skip marriage and get married directly, I don't like it!" Diya looked at Sonya: "Sony, you think so too, right?"
"Of course." Sonia took a sip of Tequila Sunrise, her face showing a slightly drunken blush, shrugged and smiled: "Besides, who would fall in love in the company? Working eight hours is not enough, and you have to watch another eight hours after get off work. Don't you feel bored?"
"It seems that it's not us." An Nan sighed, "It seems that we won't know the truth until next Monday."
"Isn't it next Tuesday?" Felix blinked: "Ash said that the selection will be made next Tuesday..."
An Nan smiled and said, "What day is next Tuesday?"
"Number 15... Wait!"
Diya reacted instantly: "Next Tuesday is February 15th!"
"If Ash really wants to propose, he will definitely choose next Monday, which is Valentine's Day, February 14th." Vichy ran his finger along the rim of the wine glass. "Although he may ask her out on the weekends tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, Ash is a person who attaches great importance to rituals. He will even try his best to get the platinum trophy when playing games. He will definitely not choose an ordinary day to propose."
"Honestly, proposing on Valentine's Day doesn't really feel like a ceremonial event. It's a bit too old-fashioned." Weisser complained, but her face was full of smiles. "But considering his personality, he's already very hardworking to notice this."
"Wei Xi, how do you know that Ash will try his best to get the platinum trophy when playing games?" Diya asked curiously: "You also have his game friends? But don't you hate games very much? You don't even play our own games..."
Wei Xi turned his head away: "Maybe he said it on Instagram-"
“You still follow him on Instagram?”
"Ah, does Ash have a social media account?" Felix was shocked: "I'm his assistant, how come I never knew about it!?"
"I found his YouTube account," Weisser said, "but he only collected videos of knife forging, fishing, and house renovation. I thought I would find a lot of videos of beautiful women."
"Is there any difference between Chinese Valentine's Day and British Valentine's Day?" Tamashi suddenly asked.
"I only know that girls in Japan will take the initiative to give chocolates on Valentine's Day." Diya raised her hand, "Many mobile games also have Valentine's Day events where female characters give chocolates. I think that should be the case!"
"It seems to be similar. We also give chocolate, red roses, teddy bears and cards." An Nan said: "But in the UK, gifts are usually given by men to women..."
Sonia shook her glass and said calmly, "No matter what, everything will be clear in two days, on Monday."
"Yes, this weekend is our boss's last weekend as a bachelor." An Nan smiled softly, stood up and took her GUCCI tote bag: "I have something to do, so I will go back tonight."
"See you next Monday, everyone."
After An Nan left, everyone else left as well, but their farewells seemed to have some inexplicable deep meaning.
... ...
...
Monday, February 14th.
Ash got out of the car, wrapped his windbreaker tightly and yawned. He would stay up late playing games every weekend, but on Monday morning he looked like Yuan Shu had just been resurrected, which fully demonstrated what "dead bones in a grave" meant.
He could still maintain a little energy when driving, but as soon as the cold wind blew on his face he immediately felt pain and sleepiness. He quickly quickened his pace, said hello to the security guard on duty outside, and went into the warm room.
"Ash, sh, sh, sh, sh~"
Ash instantly became alert, ready to hug the warm and soft girl in his arms. Although she was also wearing a sweater, it could not hide her breathtaking body curves at all. She was warm and cute in a skirt and black stockings. She felt soft and elastic when he hugged her, just like hugging a solid ragdoll cat.
The receptionist was not surprised to see this scene, but she still put down her phone and stopped watching TikTok, so as to avoid being discovered by her boss that she was slacking off as soon as she got to work.
"Good morning, Freya." Ash rubbed her pink hair head and sighed lovingly: "Even if you want to hug me, you don't have to wait for me at the door every Monday... I promised you once a week, you can redeem it anytime."
"But what I look forward to most every Sunday is going to work on Monday~"
Freya tilted her head and smiled foolishly, saying something that only a possessed person could say: "The number of hugs is refreshed every Monday. After every Monday, I look forward to the next Monday! And you, Ash, are always very sleepy and cute on Monday mornings. Maybe you will fall asleep in my arms while I'm hugging you, and then I will quietly carry you back to my home~"
Freya has been attacking Ash for a long time, but her display of affection regardless of time and place will obviously have an indelible negative impact on the office worker environment. Generally speaking, in this case, Ash would either eat her or fire her. In short, he cannot allow such a black sheep to affect the production efficiency of surplus value. However, Ash chose the third way: to make three rules.
You can date as you like after get off work, but you can never cause trouble during work. But Ash never accepts Freya's invitation to date after work, he either works overtime or goes home to spend a pleasant night playing games on the 98-inch TV.
Perhaps knowing that he was not being kind, Ash later relented and agreed with Freya that he could hug her during work hours, but there was only one chance per week. So in the past three years, Freya would hug Ash every Monday when he entered the company. Occasionally, when Ash was slacking off and didn't want to go to work, Freya would wake him up, otherwise she would not be able to complete her weekly tasks.
The amazing thing is that there aren't actually that many rumors in the company. Freya's outstanding friendliness, adorable personality, and impeccable looks make the entire company happy to raise her as a daughter. Everyone is happy to see the interaction between Freya and Ash, and it feels like seeing their daughter playing house with kindergarten kids.
Ash looked at her for a while, then leaned over and rubbed her face, like two cats licking each other's fur: "Freya."
"Um?"
"You are so warm."
"Hehe." Freya raised her head happily, her nose twitching, "I feel like you seem a little different today, Ash. Do you have something to tell me?"
"yes."
"Really?" Freya's eyes lit up, and her expression instantly became nervous: "I, I, wait a minute, I'll go touch up my makeup first—"
"Send the research report before 11 o'clock." Ash flicked her forehead: "I need it urgently."
"I know—" Freya touched her forehead, looking unhappy: "Are you free tonight?"
"No, I have to work overtime." Ash couldn't help but yawn: "I have to have a video conference with the headquarters..."
"I knew it." Freya took out a gift: "Chocolate I made myself!"
Ash took it and smiled, "Thank you, I have snacks for tonight's overtime work."
Freya stood on tiptoe and kissed Ash on the cheek, straightened his collar, and said crisply, "Then I'll get back to work!"
Watching her skipping away, although still very sleepy, Ash felt much better. Even the sadness of going to work on Monday was washed away. He hummed a song as he took the elevator to the third floor.
*
Freya walked into the lounge and saw the black-haired girl making coffee. She hugged her from behind and cried, "Sif—Ash still hasn't proposed to me—Wuwuwu—"
"I've already said it." Shivlin said calmly, "He will not consider you as a candidate for wife. If he wanted to, he would have eaten you in the past three years."
"Then why did you remind me to send chocolates today, Sif?"
"This is to pave the way for the future." Shivlin said, "Based on Yaxiu's personality, you basically have no hope before he gets married. He is conservative and traditional at heart, and your personality makes him feel insecure. Unless something happens to test your relationship, he will never easily accept your feelings."
"But if he gets married, won't I have even less hope?!"
"This is the limitation of a man like him. The reason why he refuses to accept you is because he takes feelings too seriously and is worried that he will delay you..."
“I take relationships very seriously too!”
"Listen to me first. He takes relationships very seriously, but he has never been in a relationship before, which means he has very unrealistic fantasies about married life. Only when he is married will he know how much trouble two people will have living together. When the marriage filter is broken and you appear in front of him again, your meticulous love for him will be like pulling him back to heaven when he falls into hell. Only then will he be devoted to you."
"So do you understand?" Shivlin concluded: "First love is hopeless. Becoming the third party is your only way to win!"
"Okay!" Freya's blood boiled after hearing this. She seemed to have imagined the scene of Ash looking for her for comfort. She clenched her fists and said, "I will definitely become the third party who can destroy Ash's marriage!"
*
Ash returned to his office and sat down. He first opened his computer to check his emails, then looked at his schedule for the day. Before he could even warm up his chair, someone knocked on the door.
"Come in."
An Nan came in with two cups of coffee. Today she was wearing a slim black dress, a white scarf, and a round hat. She looked both romantic like an artistic girl and abstinent like a nun. She walked to the back of the desk and said, "Have a cup before you stay up late, unless you want to fall asleep here and drool for the whole company to know."
Ash took a sip and was so bitter that his whole body shuddered. He said with a bitter face: "Even if you add some milk, I really can't stand pure black coffee."
"You can only be refreshed if you can't stand it." An Nan stretched and said leisurely, "If you want milk, just squeeze it yourself."
As An Nan held her head high and her chest puffed out, her plump flesh tightly wrapped in a black dress looked even more trembling, reminiscent of a ripe peach, and Ash couldn't help but be drawn in. He stole a glance and felt that he was being very rude, so he turned around and looked at her openly, sipping his coffee and asked, "What do you want to see me about so early in the morning?"
An Nan pressed both hands on the edge of the table, holding her chest with her arms, squeezing the two soft balls closer together. "I heard...will there be a large-scale personnel transfer recently?"
"You are so well-informed, aren't you?" Yaxiu said with a smile, "It will be confirmed in two days, and you will be busy soon. Our company is going to recruit many, many people."
“But I am not satisfied with my current position,” Annan said. “I want to… challenge myself to do something more rewarding.”
"Hmm..." Ash crossed his arms over his chest, his expression a little conflicted: "I'll consider it, but don't expect too much, because I already have a candidate in mind."
"You know, an answer like yours can already be considered a hint of unspoken rules." An Nan reached out and stroked the back of Yaxiu's hand, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised: "If I had a recorder, you would be ruined."
Ash blinked, "But you do have a recorder."
"Of course." An Nan took out a recorder from his wrist: "I am very careful to protect myself, so as not to be eaten by my boss by accident and blackmail him without evidence."
"But, do you want to take advantage of me?" She leaned over to Ash, slightly parted her lips, and her eyes were full of charm: "For my future, I can do anything, such as..."
She flipped her right hand and there was an extra gift in her hand: "I'll make you a Valentine's Day chocolate."
"Thank you." Ash accepted it without hesitation: "Why did you give me chocolate this year?"
"It doesn't cost any money or time to bribe you, so why not?" An Nan smiled slightly, looked at him seriously for a while, and picked up his cup when leaving: "Aren't you going to drink?"
"No more drinking. I think I'm sober enough after drinking more than half of it."
"What a waste." An Nan drank the remaining coffee from Ash in one gulp, his voice slightly depressed: "I actually quite like this bitter taste, it's sobering enough, deep enough... But you seem to be more suitable for the flavor of Gesha, I'll make it for you next time."
"Okay." Ash smiled, "But I think none of them are as good as Coke."
"No taste." An Nan snorted, pushed the door open and left, just in time to see Tamashi about to come in.
The two looked at each other, An Nan smiled, patted Tamashi's shoulder and whispered, "Come on."
Ash looked up and saw Tamashi wearing a mask, and asked in confusion: "Is something wrong? Is the equipment broken or something?"
"No, there's nothing going on in the studio." Tamashi quickly shook her head.
"That… "
Tamashi was silent for several seconds, then suddenly took off her mask, revealing her incredibly beautiful face. She took out a box of chocolates that were obviously bought from a store and placed it on the table. Then she took a deep breath, her neck turning a faint pink, and said openly, "Happy Valentine's Day, Ash."
"... Thank you." Ash blinked and asked tentatively: "Do you... anything else?"
"there is none left!"
Tamashi met his gaze and smiled faintly: "Let's box together next time!"
"good."
Just like her daily attire of flat shoes, jeans and jacket, Tamashi’s personality is so simple and direct, without any procrastination. She left the office right after she said it, as if she really came there specifically to deliver chocolates.
Or for her and Ash, the mere act of giving chocolates was enough to encompass all the unspoken words.
Ash felt his head was a mess, and he was at a loss. He rubbed his temples and decided to go to the bathroom to wash his face and calm down. When he pushed the door and entered the men's bathroom, someone suddenly pushed him into the cubicle.
"Hush."
The tall woman with curly twin ponytails pressed Ash against the partition. She placed one foot between Ash's legs, and the two of them were almost tightly pressed together. Ash could even feel her breath on his cheek. Her plump thighs and slender waist were squeezed to the point of being deformed, plump and soft. Ash could outline the dazzling outline of her blazer just by touch.
"Vichy!? How did you—"
"Here."
Vichy stuffed a box of gifts into his hands. Ash took a look and saw that it was the same brand as Tamashi's. He was confused: "Do you have to go into the bathroom to attack me to give me chocolates? Can't you just go to my office?"
"Are you stupid? If other people see me, where will I put my face?" Wei Xi rolled his eyes at him: "Do you want to?"
"I feel like you're going to push my head into the toilet if I say no."
"Good to know." Wei Xi snorted twice, "Since you accepted it, then you have to choose-"
At this time, several people came into the bathroom. Wei Xi immediately kept silent, and the two of them hid in the cubicle without moving. I thought it would be over soon, but this period of time seemed to be their slacking time before work. Instead of leaving, they started smoking.
"Will you go online tonight to play the Valentine's Day event?"
"I have a Valentine's Day event offline, so I'm not as free as you are."
"How dare you humiliate me like this? I'm going to explode with you!"
"Have you ever thought about finding a girlfriend for offline activities? Aren't there a lot of beauties in your finance department?"
"No chance, everyone has a boyfriend."
"Not a single one left?"
"There's not one left!"
"Impossible, the best-looking girl in the Finance Department definitely doesn't have a boyfriend, why don't you try? (laughs)"
"... I feel suffocated even when I breathe the same air as my supervisor at work. Do you think I dare to pursue her? Her personality is really... If it weren't for the high salary, I would have wanted to change jobs. Every day is really a torture."
“There’s a reason some people aren’t wanted.”
"It's not that no one wants me. I think a vegetative patient can still barely endure the torture of his supervisor. If he can't endure it, then a medical miracle will have to happen."
The two chatted for a while, smoked a cigarette and finally left. After they left, Ash turned his attention back to Vichy. Vichy's face was gloomy. It was obvious that she had heard which subordinate had just said bad things about her. She would definitely go on a killing spree to avenge her.
"Don't worry about it," Ash hugged her gently and whispered, "No one wants either of us."
Vichy couldn't help but burst out laughing, glared at Ash unhappily, hummed a little smugly, and pinched Ash's waist: "I don't care!"
"Go out." Ash said, "I received your kindness."
"Then you..." Vichy raised her head and wanted to ask, but met Ash's bright eyes, with a faint smile on her lips, saying nothing.
She immediately understood something, pursed her lips and hugged Ash, then suddenly pinched Ash's cheek hard and snatched the gift back: "I won't give it to you!"
Ash was both angry and amused. After following her out of the bathroom, Vichy suddenly opened the gift, grabbed his chin and stuffed a piece of chocolate into it.
Sweet, greasy, and a bit winey, it's chocolate with a liquor filling.
"Is it tasty?"
"tasty."
"If you say you want it now I can consider it—"
"I want it." Ash extended his hand and smiled, "Miss Vichy, can you give me this Valentine's Day chocolate?"
Vichy seemed not to have expected his reaction. She was slightly startled, then bit her lower lip lightly and looked at him with an extremely complicated expression.
"Here." She stuffed the gift back into Ash's hand, and suddenly came over and pointed at the corner of his mouth: "Look, your mouth is full of food..."
She leaned over and kissed the corner of Ash's mouth, then turned around and left without looking back, running away as if she was escaping.
Ash was stunned for several seconds, sighed softly, turned around and saw Diya rushing over and pulling him away.
"What happened?"
"No time to explain, just follow me!"
Ash was pulled into Diya's office, and watched Diya start the video conference with confusion on his face. Then his expression immediately changed from confusion to shock.
"Let me introduce you, these are my three sisters, White, Black and Red." Diya pointed at the three people on the screen and said, "I also have a younger sister, but she has nothing to do with us today, so I won't introduce her."
"Hello." Ash greeted them first, then couldn't help asking, "Are you quadruplets?"
The four sisters of Diya on the screen all look exactly the same, except for their hair color and temperament. Bai is dignified and generous, Hei is calm and polite, and Hong is wild and focused. They are four completely different styles from Diya's lively and cheerful style, but these differences are based on the premise that Ash knows that they are four people - before Diya said it, Ash felt that there was almost no difference between them!
"Yeah, that's pretty impressive, isn't it!" Diya made a seal with her hands and said proudly, "If we stand together, you will definitely think I can clone myself!"
"It's amazing." Ash nodded: "But why are you in such a hurry to bring me here?"
"I have something to tell you," Diya paused, "Actually, my current job is jointly managed by the four sisters."
"ah?"
"It's like this. Bai is studying for a doctorate, Hei is playing in a band, and Hong is an extreme sports influencer. However, their jobs can hardly cover their living expenses. I happen to be lazy, so the four of us sisters are responsible for Aurora's work together, which means each of us takes turns to work for a week. Although the salary has to be shared by four people, we can rest for 25 days every month, so we have more time to focus on our hobbies."
Ash was stunned. It took him more than ten seconds to digest such complicated information. He took a deep breath and asked, "Why are you telling me now?"
Diya looked at the sisters on the screen, opened the drawer and took out a big bag of gifts: "This is the Valentine's Day chocolates that the four of us sisters made together."
Ash took it blankly and responded in a very uncertain tone: "…Thank you?"
"Yash, don't you understand?" Diya emphasized: "This is the chocolate for our four sisters!"
"Yeah, I know, and then what?"
"You still don't understand!" Diya said anxiously, "All four of us sisters have come to work here, which means that the Lisdiya you know is the common image of the four of us sisters!"
"That means if you pursue me, you can have four girlfriends!"
Ash was shocked: "There is such a good thing!?"
"Of course it's temporary." Diya said, "Just like the four sisters take turns to go to work, the four of us sisters can also take turns to be your girlfriend. Until you are sure that I am the only one you truly like, they will be willing to give up."
As Diya spoke, she pressed the mute button on her computer, as if she didn't see the angry expressions of the sisters in the video conference who wanted to rush out of the screen and beat her up. She looked at Yaxiu a little nervously, "I'm sorry for deceiving you for so long, will you hate me?"
"Of course I don't hate it, I'm just a little surprised." Ash scratched his head: "Spending one salary to hire four people, I don't know whether the company is losing or making money..."
"Then..." Diya's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she mustered up the courage to look up at Ash: "What do you think of us four sisters?"
The reason why Diya insisted on exposing the secret of her four sisters was certainly not because she wanted to compete with her sisters for men, but because she wanted to use the advantage in numbers to break through Ash's defense.
This is an extremely rare opportunity to have four girlfriends openly, and they are four sisters with different styles but the same appearance. Diya doesn't believe that Ash won't be moved!
"Very good." Ash smiled and said, "You can complete any task I assign to you beautifully. One of my greatest achievements in the past three years is to recruit you, or you four sisters, into our company. But you should have told me earlier. I didn't open the company. Although it's impossible to give you four salaries, two salaries should be no problem."
"Really? That's great!" Upon hearing the salary increase, Diya excitedly hugged Ash and jumped around. Just when Ash thought he had successfully gotten away with it, he found a pair of hands tightly hugging his waist.
"But that's not what I'm asking." Diya buried her head in Ash's back, her soft voice hiding the stubbornness of a young girl: "If you're too euphemistic, I might not understand."
"Even if it's not the answer you expected?"
"Even if it's not the answer I expected!"
Ash scratched his head and turned to look at Diya.
In fact, Diya is one year older than Sonia, Felix and Freya, but Ash always feels that she is still a child who has not grown up, spoiled, willful, innocent and romantic, with a clear stupidity in her eyes.
Mature people like Freya, Annan, Tamashi and Vishi would not ask such questions. Only Diya would never give up and pray for a miracle like a crying child.
"Feel sorry."
Diya's body trembled slightly, but she still stared at Ash. Her eyes were filled with mist, which quickly blurred her vision and became tearful. Ash wiped away the tears from her eyes and whispered in her ear, "I like you, too."
ah
Diya was stunned, rubbed her eyes quickly and pulled his sleeve: "What did you just say?"
"I like you too."
"Say it again."
"Well, maybe I don't like you." Ash pondered, "Maybe I like you four sisters."
"No!" Diya said angrily, "Go back to the previous sentence!"
"late."
"Then why are you apologizing?"
"Because..." Ash kissed her cheek lightly and rubbed her head: "This is all I can respond to you."
Diya was stunned, and watched stupidly as Ash left with the gift. Finally, she sat down on the chair and put her head on the table.
She still had a lot to say, and she could have chased after Ash and asked him questions like a child just now... But she didn't.
Ash's kiss was like a gentle curse. A terrible feeling between tiredness and pain spread throughout Diya's body. She just wanted to hide in the dark world, or go home and curl up under the quilt.
Perhaps it was because she realized that if she continued to question, even this little bit of tenderness might not be preserved. There were not so many things that were perfect in this world, and she was no longer a child.
"As expected, you also failed."
Diya looked up and saw Weisser come in and sit opposite her, looking at her with her chin propped up and smiling. She took out a tissue and wiped her nose, then asked unhappily, "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to discuss some details with you at the project meeting tomorrow." Weisser smiled and said, "I didn't expect to accidentally overhear someone confessing."
"Who confessed? I didn't confess. I just gave her chocolates."
"I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about Ash." Weisser smiled and said, "He confessed to you, are you happy?"
Diya couldn't help herself anymore. She sobbed and lay on the table, holding her head and crying: "Why? Why does he like me but won't accept me? There are so many people on the street who don't like each other and can be together, why can't we two who like each other be together!"
"Because he likes more than just you." Weisser said calmly, "So the only person he will marry is me."
Diya stopped crying and stared at her blankly. Many questions immediately popped up in her mind: Does Ash like more than just me? Who else does he like? How can he like me and someone else? Why is Weisser so confident...
"Just as compensation for eavesdropping on you just now, you can also come over and eavesdrop on how I take down Ash." Weisser smiled charmingly and left Diya's office in high-heeled boots.
Diya sniffed, wiped her face and hurried over. When she arrived outside Ash's office, she found that everyone was there - Sonia, Vishi, Annan, Felix, Tamashi, Freya, and Shifrin. When they saw Diya coming, they took the initiative to give up a good position to eavesdrop.
"Why are you all here?"
"It was Weisser who told us that she was coming to take down Ash now."
"Not only kill people, but also destroy their hearts."
"She waited until we had both confessed our feelings before she finished the game as the winner."
"Damn it, is she so sure that Ash won't accept us!?"
"I don't believe Ash will accept her!"
"Ah?" Sonia asked in surprise, "You all confessed your feelings to Ash?"
Everyone blinked, but before they could answer, a voice in the office caught everyone's attention.
“… There are only five minor issues to pay attention to. Just follow this plan and hold the event. You don’t need to ask me about the details. Just make the decision.”
"Okay." Weisser put away the documents and took out a beautifully wrapped gift: "Happy Valentine's Day."
"Thank you." Ash scratched his head. "I feel like I can't finish all the chocolates I received today in the next month."
"It means a lot of people like you." Weisser supported her cheeks and asked with a smile, "So have you chosen your marriage partner? Or are there too many choices and you can't decide right away? You think this one is good and that one is good, and you're reluctant to give up the forest for a tree."
"Don't make me sound like a playboy." Ash said with a bitter face, "I have to work overtime tonight. I don't even have time to play games, let alone fall in love..."
"So what do you think of me?" Weisser asked leisurely, crossing her legs.
"Ah?" Ash glanced at her, then turned his gaze back to the screen and said in a relaxed tone: "Don't joke with me, I'm still working..."
"I know you like them." Weisser blinked: "I don't mind you cheating."
Ash was stunned, as if doubting his hearing: "Huh?"
"I like you, but I like myself more." Weisser said slowly, "I am the kind of person who values private space very much. I don't like intimacy, but I yearn for love."
"To put it simply, I want to satisfy my emotional needs once a week, and then I just want to be alone for the next six days. When I get home from get off work, I just want to read quietly." She spread her hands: "I am such a troublesome woman."
"Are you looking for a marriage partner or a lover..." Ash complained.
"Originally, I wanted to wait until you got married before becoming your lover, but now it seems that marrying you is also an option." Weisser said with a smile.
Freya outside frowned, feeling that the shortcut she found seemed to have been taken by someone.
"According to my personality, there is no other possibility except being someone's lover. No one can accept that his wife doesn't want to be intimate with him six days a week." Weisser said, "Especially you are the kind of person who is very clingy. It's great to be in love with you, but I think you can't stay alone. By then, I will either hate you or you will hate me."
"Unless... I'm not the only one you like."
She winked at Ash. "As long as you hand in your homework on time every week, I can accept you having other lovers. As long as you can find them, I don't mind how many lovers you have. How about that?"
"Wait," Ash held his forehead, "Your ideas are too avant-garde. It seems a bit too early for people in the 21st century..."
"If you marry anyone else, the other person won't be willing to accept you having a lover outside. Even if they agree at first, they will get upset later. Only someone like me who is physically unable to establish a normal intimate relationship would need you to not just like me."
"So, I should be your perfect marriage partner." Weisser tilted her head and looked at him: "After all, you like more than one person."
No wonder Weisser is so confident!
The people outside the office suddenly realized what was going on, and cursed Weisser for being shameless and introverted. Even the most shameless Diya only allowed Ash to date the four sisters first and then "choose one from the four". Who could have expected Weisser to allow Ash to openly ...
Now, just like everyone is bidding for a project together, the most they can do is to reduce the profit to the lowest level or give some kickbacks. No one would be like Weisser who would bid even if it meant losing all her family fortune.
There should be a law to prohibit this kind of behavior, it's so unfair!
"It's actually still like this..." An Nan bit his nails and said helplessly: "We lost this time."
"Actually, I can do that too." Freya lowered her voice and pulled Shivlin's hand, saying with a frustrated look on her face, "I can also accept Ash's cheating. If I had known this earlier, I would have told Ash and I could have become his legal wife."
Shiffrin was speechless. Although she asked Freya to intervene in Ash's love life as a third party, in the final analysis, she was helping Freya to capture Ash's heart and achieve the ending of monopolizing Ash in a roundabout way. The mistress became the main wife, but she didn't really want Freya to be a third party for life.
If the other competitors all wanted to establish a normal love relationship with Ash, Freya's "third party route" could certainly destroy Ash's marriage and keep him as her dog... But who would have thought that someone would be willing to accept Ash's cheating!
"This pair of bastards..." Vichy gritted his teeth.
"All men are like this." Felix said with a tone of seeing through the world: "None of them are good."
"Ash..." Tamashi whispered softly.
"Will not."
Sonia suddenly said, "He won't accept Weisser for this reason."
Everyone looked at Sonia in surprise. At this moment, the office door suddenly opened and Weisser appeared in front of them with an expression neither sad nor happy.
Everyone immediately pretended nothing had happened and turned away, but Weisser then called out, "Sonia."
"Um?"
"Ash calls you in."
"No need." Ash came out and saw them all there, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow: "What are you doing gathering in front of my office door?"
“Just passing by.”
"I was just passing by."
“I was just passing by.”
"What a coincidence that you two actually passed by my office in the corner of the floor together." Ash pouted and turned to look at Sonia: "Sonia, do you have work this afternoon?"
"Yes." Sonia replied immediately, "I will meet with the people from Project Three this afternoon—"
"Put it on hold. Come with me now." Ash raised his head and strode past them. He walked to the elevator door and called out, "Come on, why are you still standing there?"
"Oh!" Sonia responded, and suddenly turned around and ran back to her office: "Wait, I'll go back and get my bag!"
Everyone watched them both leave, and then their attention turned to Weisser again.
"Did Ash promise you?" Vichy asked.
"Are you only interested in such vulgar things?" Weisser glanced at her expressionlessly, "I really envy you."
After saying that, Weisser turned and left, and the others quickly held Weisser down to prevent her from getting mad. At this time, Weisser stopped and added:
"When they both come back, there will be important news to announce."