The last fish also snapped

Ming Shuyan raised an eyebrow. Usually, being called “Boss” didn’t feel off, but hearing it from Ming Shuzhen somehow made it awkward.

“You, you can sit here,” Ming Shuzhen said, seeing Ming Shuyan stay put. She sprang up from the sofa, eager to put distance between them.

Ming Shuyan watched Ming Shuzhen stand abruptly, her expression thoughtful, and followed suit.

She was standing too close, well within the bounds of personal space.

The sudden sense of pressure made Ming Shuzhen step back half a pace.

The half-eaten pack of dried orange peels in her hand released a tangy scent as she fidgeted with the bag’s edge.

‘She’s the boss, so I should probably introduce myself properly. Should I use my nickname?’ she wondered.

With that thought, Ming Shuzhen spoke up. “B-Boss, hi. I’m Full Pockets, the new inspector in Team Two.”

She glanced at Ming Shuyan for a reaction, but the boss just looked at her calmly, offering no response, leaving Ming Shuzhen unsure if she should leave.

“Oh, hello,” Ming Shuyan finally said after a long pause, nodding in greeting.

Ming Shuzhen wasn’t afraid of authority; she just found this person odd—standing so close and reacting a beat too slow.

“Uh, B-Boss, I’ll head back downstairs. I’m just wandering to get familiar with the company,” Ming Shuzhen explained unprompted.

“Mm,” Ming Shuyan responded faintly, still blocking her path.

Caught in a dilemma, Ming Shuzhen clutched her bag. “B-Boss, want some? Dried orange peels.”

Ming Shuyan glanced at her, then at the bag she held up, her face expressionless. “Just call me Boss like the others. No need for ‘B-Boss.’”

“Oh, okay, Boss,” Ming Shuzhen nodded dazedly, not noticing her own stammer.

Ming Shuyan paused, then gave a slight smile and took the orange peels.

“You don’t have to wear the badge all the time. It’s mainly for opening the document room. Otherwise, it’s not really needed.”

“Oh,” Ming Shuzhen looked down at her badge, reluctant to take it off.

While she was looking down, Ming Shuyan walked away with the orange peels.

The pressure in front of her vanished, and Ming Shuzhen blinked, her whole body relaxing.

Back at her fourth-floor desk, Ming Shuzhen still had nothing to do.

Dou Youmi had recommended snacks in the group chat, so she headed back to the break room.

The break room was filled with the rich, spicy aroma of ginger tea, wrapping her like a quilt on a heated kang bed in the Northeast.

‘Did Dou Youmi brew another pot of ginger tea already?’ she wondered.

She saw the health pot steaming with freshly brewed tea, vapor rising from the lid’s small hole.

Since she’d barely sipped her last cup, Ming Shuzhen rinsed her mug and poured herself another.

“Tastes good, right?” Dou Youmi’s voice came from the doorway.

Ming Shuzhen looked over, her eyes crinkling. “It’s good.”

“Hey, did you try those snacks I recommended?” Dou Youmi went to the cabinet to grab a few of his favorites for her.

“Thanks, Brother Youmi,” Ming Shuzhen said hesitantly.

Dou Youmi burst out laughing. “Oh man, first time someone’s called me that. Feels like we’re filming a rural drama.”

“Just call me Dou Youmi.”

“Oh, okay, Dou Youmi,” Ming Shuzhen nodded, sipping her mug again.

The ginger tea was freshly brewed and scalding. She had to blow on it to cool it down.

“Hey, Little He, you finished that whole pack of orange peels? Doesn’t it hurt your teeth?” Dou Youmi asked, noticing the peels were gone from the cabinet.

“Huh?” It took Ming Shuzhen a moment to realize “Little He” was her, from her “Full Pockets” badge.

“Oh, I gave them to the boss,” she said. She’d meant to offer a piece or two, but the boss seemed to misunderstand and took the whole pack.

“You gave them to the boss?!” Dou Youmi’s eyes widened as he turned to her.

“The boss doesn’t eat that stuff…” he muttered to himself.

Ming Shuzhen didn’t catch his last words. “What?”

“Oh, nothing, nothing,” Dou Youmi said, handing her a light green pack of puffed snacks.

“This one’s mild, and it’s sealed. Take it to your desk.”

“Thanks,” Ming Shuzhen said, grateful for being looked after again.

“No need to thank me,” Dou Youmi said, scanning the snack cabinet. “If the boss wants something next time, just tell me. I stock all these Hawkins this.”

“Oh,” Ming Shuzhen nodded, surprised that Dou Youmi handled the snack procurement too.

“Does the boss like sour stuff?” he asked.

“Huh?” Ming Shuzhen was puzzled by the sudden question, but seeing how the boss had seemed eager for the orange peels, she answered, “Probably, yeah.”

“Oh,” Dou Youmi said thoughtfully. “Guess I’ll stock up on stronger flavors next time.”

“Mm,” Ming Shuzhen nodded, thinking Dou Youmi was quite responsible.

Later, Ming Shuzhen started her computer, getting familiar with the company website and the mapping software she’d use.

The large monitor reminded her of the ones in her university library—smooth and satisfying to use.

She took a small cloth from her bag to wipe her desk and the partition.

The office was cleaned daily by staff, and a fresh air system kept dust at bay.

Still, Ming Shuzhen wiped everything down carefully.

Finished, she leaned back in her chair, grinning.

‘Starting work already? Everything’s going pretty smoothly.’

“What’re you grinning about?” Meilin asked, walking down the aisle.

“Heh, just happy to finally be working,” Ming Shuzhen said, her goofy smile lingering.

“You’re such a dork. Wait till you’ve worked a couple of days,” Meilin teased.

Ming Shuzhen offered Meilin some of the snacks Dou Youmi gave her.

“Sister Meilin, want some?”

“From the break room?” Meilin reached into the bag.

“Yeah, Dou Youmi gave them to me. Pretty tasty,” Ming Shuzhen said, munching herself.

“He’s got a knack for picking snacks.”

Just then, Qian Duoduo came over. “Sister Meilin, the last fish went belly-up.”

“What?” Meilin exclaimed. “Did you scoop it out?”

“Sent Dou Youmi to do it. I was thinking you could get someone to buy more fish from Zhouzhuang.”

“No rush. We’ll get some when we start back up next year,” Meilin declined.

“Huh? Our company keeps fish?” Ming Shuzhen, listening nearby, chimed in.

“Just for fun,” Meilin said, her mouth full of snacks.

“Oh, I can buy them,” Ming Shuzhen offered, wanting to contribute since she was free. “I’m not doing much anyway.”

“You?” Meilin exchanged a glance with Qian Duoduo, both seeming hesitant.

“I know how to pick fish. I’m just sitting around—let me handle it,” Ming Shuzhen insisted.

“Alright,” Meilin said, avoiding Qian Duoduo’s eyes. “If anything comes up, call me right away.”

“Got it, don’t worry,” Ming Shuzhen nodded eagerly.

“Just pick a few lively ones. Our tank’s small,” Meilin instructed. “Buy them at Zhouzhuang—the fish there are good. Get reimbursed through finance.”

“Okay,” Ming Shuzhen grabbed her phone and coat. “I’ll go now.”

“Thanks, be careful on the way,” Meilin said with a smile.

“Don’t worry, Sister Meilin.”

At the elevator, Ming Shuzhen noticed a small, square glass fish tank between the two elevators, which she’d missed earlier.

The tank sat on a bench-like stand, its water clear but empty of fish.

Noting the tank’s size, Ming Shuzhen knew what kind of fish to buy.

She searched for Zhouzhuang on her phone.

Zhouzhuang was like a seafood market but fancier, more like a mall for ornamental fish.

Ming Shuzhen pushed her scooter, fully equipped with gloves and a scarf.

“Planning your route…” the navigation voice came from her pocket.

After weaving through a few turns, she ran into the elevator beauty again.

“Boss?” Since they were close, Ming Shuzhen greeted her.

Expecting Ming Shuyan to just nod and pass by, Ming Shuzhen was surprised when she looked over. “Where are you off to?”

“Buying fish,” Ming Shuzhen replied, glancing at her while balancing on her scooter.

“Oh,” Ming Shuyan sized her up, as if surprised by the straightforward answer.

Her blue-and-white scooter had a windscreen attached to the front.

Only Team Two kept fish, fitting their “slacking off” vibe.

“You know where to buy them?”

“Yeah, Sister Meilin told me,” Ming Shuzhen answered dutifully.

“Mm,” Ming Shuyan said, standing thinly in the winter wind without a coat.

Ming Shuzhen felt cold just looking at her.

“I’ll go with you,” Ming Shuyan said out of the blue.

“What?” Ming Shuzhen stared, wondering if the cold had gotten to her.

“I can go alone. It’s too chilly out,” Ming Shuzhen said quickly.

Ming Shuyan didn’t reply, just looked at her, her intent clear.

Ming Shuzhen relented. “Alright, Boss, hop on. I’ll drive.”

Ming Shuyan eyed the scooter, looking light as a feather.

“I’ll drive. I’m heavier, so I’ll sit in front,” she said.

“Oh, okay,” Ming Shuzhen agreed, finding it odd but handing over the controls.

“Boss, I can really go alone,” she said, watching Ming Shuyan take her scooter, the scene slightly comical.

“You’ll need help carrying the fish,” Ming Shuyan decided.

“Get on,” she said, settling onto the scooter.

“Oh,” Ming Shuzhen climbed on carefully.

‘Could’ve taken the subway. Better than letting the boss freeze in just a shirt,’ she thought.

The scooter’s back seat had no handrails, and Ming Shuzhen didn’t dare hold onto Ming Shuyan, so she gripped the seat’s underside.

As they set off, the phone navigation’s voice grew louder after Ming Shuzhen turned up the volume.

Ming Shuyan rode fast, and with some hilly roads, Ming Shuzhen bounced around in the back.

Riding a scooter somehow felt like getting carsick.