Boss, I’m straight.

When the front desk mentioned a young woman took the keycard, Ming Shuyan felt a flicker of anticipation.

Sure enough, when she knocked, the door opened, and a familiar face in pajamas peeked out. Ming Shuyan’s eyes curved with a smile.

“Didn’t you say you’d get another room?” she asked, gazing directly at Ming Shuzhen.

“Uh…” Ming Shuzhen blinked, scrambling for an excuse.

Ming Shuyan didn’t really expect an answer. Closing the door, she wheeled her suitcase in, surveying the room.

“Not bad, better than expected.”

The double room was clean, with two small beds separated by a nightstand. The blackout curtains at the bay window were drawn, casting warm, cozy light.

“…Yeah, it’s alright,” Ming Shuzhen said, watching Ming Shuyan place her suitcase next to hers.

“Boss, you showering?” Ming Shuzhen flopped back onto her bed, blinking, hesitant.

“Yup,” Ming Shuyan replied matter-of-factly, as if it were a silly question.

“Oh…” Ming Shuzhen fiddled with her fingers. “Then, I’ll step out for a bit.”

“Hm?” Ming Shuyan looked puzzled.

Glancing at the bathroom door, she understood.

The bathroom was right by the beds, with a frosted glass door—showering would reveal a silhouette.

Ming Shuyan paused unpacking, avoiding Ming Shuzhen’s eyes. “It’s fine.”

“Oh…” Ming Shuzhen burrowed into her blanket, silent.

*Boss is the boss—bold, unfazed by details.*

“I won’t peek, Boss, just on my phone,” Ming Shuzhen said earnestly, blinking.

Ming Shuyan said nothing, grabbing her change of clothes and heading to the bathroom.

True to her word, Ming Shuzhen buried herself in her phone, scrolling aimlessly, head down.

The sound of water splashing echoed from the bathroom. Ming Shuzhen popped in her Bluetooth earbuds.

Ming Shuyan didn’t take long—lotion, essence, hair dried, she stepped out.

“I’m done. You showering?” Fresh from the bath, she carried a misty warmth.

Her eyes, touched by water, were slightly red, her usual edge softened.

“Uh,” Ming Shuzhen looked up.

This was her second time seeing Ming Shuyan without makeup, now in person, not on a screen. It felt more tangible.

Flawless, fair skin, bouncy with collagen.

“I said, you showering?” Ming Shuyan tilted her head, nudging Ming Shuzhen to focus.

“Oh,” Ming Shuzhen’s gaze lingered, meeting Ming Shuyan’s eyes. “I, uh, already did.”

“Alright,” Ming Shuyan said, turning off the bathroom light and climbing into bed.

“…” Ming Shuzhen pursed her lips, staring at her phone, afraid to move.

“You,” Ming Shuyan started, noticing her tension, trying to ease her.

Just one word, and Ming Shuzhen jolted, head snapping up. “W-What, Boss?”

“Uh,” Ming Shuyan’s shoulders sagged. “Just relax, no need to be nervous.”

Or scared.

“Okay, okay, Boss,” Ming Shuzhen said, still on edge.

Ming Shuyan couldn’t say more, picking up her iPad to work.

Ming Shuzhen lay rigid, texting Zhong Shuo: “Shuo, I’m sharing a room with my boss…”

“You’re a good kid, not isolating her. Here’s a gold star,” Zhong Shuo replied instantly, with a “little red flower” emoji.

“…” Ming Shuzhen sent a poop emoji. “Kinda awkward, no topics.”

“You’re there to work, not chat. No topics, don’t talk. Phone not fun? You’re chatting with me.”

“Cough,” Ming Shuzhen struggled to express her odd feeling.

Rolling over, back to Ming Shuyan, she texted Zhong Shuo: “I feel like half my body’s burning, like there’s a furnace nearby. Nice in winter, right? But look closer, it’s an ice block, puffing cold air. Get that?”

“Nope.”

“…”

Zhong Shuo chuckled at the text. “Writing abstract poetry?”

“I’m collapsing.”

“This boss you’re with, same as the one with a similar name you mentioned, the hot one?” Zhong Shuo connected the dots.

“Yup.”

“You’re doomed. Your boss likes women—you’re in danger. I’m convinced she’s into—”

“Denied,” Ming Shuzhen pouted, dismissing Zhong Shuo’s speculation.

“Look, is your company that broke it needs two double rooms? Leaders know subordinates don’t want to room with them. Your boss is sly—knew your colleagues would push you, knew you’re soft. Now you’re in the big bad wolf’s trap. When you’re asleep, she’ll stare with glowing green eyes.”

“You’re the abstract writer, sis.”

She hadn’t realized, even with Zhong Shuo, she didn’t want to…

“But us lesbians have principles—no crushing on straight girls. Try acting straight; maybe she’ll lose interest,” Zhong Shuo suggested.

“Oh, I’ll search how to act straight,” Ming Shuzhen said eagerly.

“Uh,” Zhong Shuo paused, catching on. “Babe, you’re not bent too, right?”

“What’s that mean?” Ming Shuzhen typed slowly.

“Ugh,” Zhong Shuo groaned. “Lesson time. Straight girls like guys. Bent, aka lesbians, like girls. Got it?”

“Got it,” Ming Shuzhen replied, determined. “I’m straight, I like guys.”

“Cool, name one guy you’ve liked. Just one, I’m not tough,” Zhong Shuo said, knowing Ming Shuzhen’s never had a crush.

“Uh,” Ming Shuzhen blinked. “Chairman Mao, my dad.”

“Wow, two names!”

“(Death stare) Try me, Little Pillow!”

“Hehe,” Ming Shuzhen sent a cheeky emoji.

“Real straight girls don’t debate if they like guys or girls or search how to act straight,” Zhong Shuo nailed it.

“Right,” Ming Shuzhen blinked, agreeing. “If I’m straight, I’d be confident, not shy, and wouldn’t feel a furnace turning into an ice block.”

“…” Zhong Shuo pressed, “First, straight girls don’t *assume* they’re straight.”

“Hold up, Pillow, you’re hyping me up. For real, you like girls???” Zhong Shuo felt she’d discovered new territory, gripping her phone.

“I’m straight,” Ming Shuzhen insisted, expressionless.

“Debatable.”

Their chat ended. Ming Shuzhen stared at her phone’s “how to act straight” search, hands burning.

She exited the page, dropped the phone, and burrowed into her blanket, staring at the ceiling.

“Pillow-Pillow,” Ming Shuyan called, setting her iPad on the nightstand.

Hearing her, Ming Shuzhen’s alarm bells rang. She turned slowly, face ashen. “Boss, I’m straight.”

“Hm?” Ming Shuyan frowned, then grasped her meaning, her face unreadable.

“I was asking if we should turn off the light,” she said calmly, her expression neutral.

“…Oh,” Ming Shuzhen felt mortified, her cheeks flaming.

“So embarrassing, all Zhong Shuo’s fault with her straight-lesbian nonsense,” she grumbled inwardly, reaching for the wall switch.

*Click.* The room darkened, only the AC’s blue light glowing.

Both quieted, lying still.

But Ming Shuzhen’s eyes darted in the dark.

Adjusting to the dimness, her mind raced.

She sneaked a glance at Ming Shuyan’s side—just a shadow, no phone glow.

*The big bad wolf with glowing green eyes, staring.* Zhong Shuo’s words echoed.

But maybe the wolf was someone else.

“You know, scientists say even when asleep, you can feel a prolonged gaze. Especially,” Ming Shuyan’s voice cut through the quiet, sleepy and sticky, “when you’re not asleep.”

“…Mm,” Ming Shuzhen mumbled, swiftly turning away.

“Heh,” Ming Shuyan’s lips curved. “Pillow-Pillow, goodnight.”

*Bzzt—* Ming Shuzhen short-circuited, cheeks electrified, burning red.

“Boss, just call me Full Pockets,” she pleaded, staring at the wall.

“Hm…” Ming Shuyan chuckled, not upset. “I’ll think about it.”

“…” Ming Shuzhen yanked the blanket over her neck, puffing up.

“Alright, I’ll only call you that privately, okay?” Ming Shuyan grinned at the shadow on the other bed, amused.

“Then why insist on Pillow-Pillow?” Ming Shuzhen flipped over, facing her.

“No real reason. It’s nice?” Ming Shuyan wasn’t sure herself.

“Isn’t it too intimate?” Ming Shuzhen murmured.

“What’s wrong with intimate?” Ming Shuyan teased knowingly. “You said you’re straight—care about this?”

*Huh? Straight girls don’t mind nicknames? Then as a straight girl, I can’t care.*

“I… I am,” Ming Shuzhen pouted. “Call it privately, not around colleagues.”

“Oh,” Ming Shuyan’s voice held a smile, reading her mind. “Guess you really are straight.”

Her tone rose, a high-level tease.

But Ming Shuzhen, the innocent baby, took it as sincerity.

Nodding proudly, “Yup, I’m straight.”