Chan Guo sighed heavily as she paced back and forth, one hand planted firmly on her waist. She looked like someone locked in a heated internal argument—visibly frustrated, muttering under her breath.
Abruptly, she stopped mid-step and marched straight toward Ye Qiu, planting herself squarely in front of him.
"Ye Xiu," she began, her tone sharp, "do I look like a joke to you?"
He blinked, startled but silent.
"I don't get it," she went on, throwing her hands in the air. "Why are you here adding to my frustration? That's not normal, Ye Xiu. I'm the boss."
She jabbed a finger into her chest, then pointed dramatically at him. "Boss—" she said. Then, pointing again, "Worker." emphasizing the word 'Worker'
A thick silence settled between them. Ye Qiu simply stared at her, unreadable. Their eyes locked, and for a second too long she held his gaze—before breaking it with a groan and a turn of the head.
"At this point, I should be firing you…" she muttered, pacing again, then spun around with theatrical flair. "No, scratch that. I should throw you into a fiery dungeon in the abyss—where the darkness will swallow you whole and you shall know no joy, no peace, no pizza!"
Ye Qiu raised a brow at that last part, struggling to decide whether she was being dramatic, or… actually serious. He couldn't tell.
What the hell even goes on in real-world workplaces?
For a brief moment, he remembered Black Shadow—his notoriously tough former boss. He used to think the guy was mean. Harsh. Unforgiving.
But at least Black Shadow never threatened to toss him into hell's basement while ranting about game losses and emotional damage.
Man… maybe Black Shadow was the kindest boss ever, and I just didn't appreciate it at the time.
He sighed inwardly. Note to self: next time someone says "normal job," ask for a detailed definition.
Maybe this really was what a "normal" job felt like. If so, he owed Black Shadow an apology.
Chan Guo's tone softened just a little.
"I don't know what's stopping me from actually doing it, Ye Xiu. There's just... something about you." Her eyes narrowed slightly as if she were trying to peer into his very soul. "I can't quite put my finger on it. This is the third time you've pushed the button, and yet, I keep letting you off the hook. Why is that?"
Ye Qiu's eyes darkened for a moment. 'Emotional blackmail?' he thought. 'You know what—Thats it.'
He took a breath and spoke.
"Maybe because you thought I was Everstay."
"Huh?"
"Ye Qiu. Ye Xiu. Isn't that why you're keeping me around? It's not like I'm lucky, or like you actually care. But let me clear something up: I'm not him. Don't get your hopes up." His voice grew heavier, flatter. "In fact, I think you should just let it go. Everstay is a nobody now… and so am I to you. So sack me if you want."
He paused. Despite how calm he tried to sound, just saying the name—Everstay—stung. Like a bruise being pressed over and over. He told himself he was done with it, but somewhere deep down, he wasn't. He felt hollow. Lost. Maybe quitting was easier than dragging himself through all of this.
The silence grew heavy. Chan Guo, too, seemed lost in thought. Her expression had shifted—like she was processing something deeper than what was being said.
Then Ye Qiu took a slow breath. "I'd like to quit…"
"RIGHT!" she blurted out, cutting him off. "Thats right, thats why i let you off the hook easily, you know what?"
She straightened up with a sudden burst of energy, eyes blazing with ambition. "You can be… my secret Everstay."
"…What?"
Before Ye Qiu could fully process what she meant, she grabbed his hand and yanked him toward her gaming setup. She dropped into her seat and pulled him down beside her.
Bringing her mouth close to her mic, she muttered quickly, "Guys, stop yelling already. Just give me a sec—I'm recharging."
Without waiting for a reply, she muted her mic and turned to Ye Qiu, who was staring at her like she'd grown a second head. His eyes begged for an explanation. She didn't hesitate.
"Look, I know you're not Everstay," she said, frowning. "You can't be. Not with that attitude. But I need you for this mission."
She leaned in and whispered like she was recruiting him for a heist.
"Undercover."
Ye Qiu blinked. Slowly he realize what she meant, "You're… cheating?"
"Hm. Even you consider yourself a cheat code. I knew I made the right choice," she grinned.
He just stared, dazed. A few minutes ago, she was ready to throw him into a mythological abyss. Now she was acting like he was her last hope. What kind of bipolar storm had he walked into?
Then she said it—almost defensively, like she was trying to justify her madness.
"Don't blame me. I've been trying to get accepted into a ranked team forever. And if I fail this mission, they won't take me. Again. Do you know how annoying it is to keep getting ghosted by all your game colleagues like you are a contagious disease?"
"Not really my problem," he muttered, standing up.
"Ye Xiu!" she snapped. "Your boss is talking!"
He paused.
"This is the part where you say, 'Yes, ma'am,' and do exactly as I say," she added, pressing the game controller into his hand like it was some sacred artifact.
Ye Qiu stared at it, then back at her. His shoulders dropped in resignation.
"Fine," he said under his breath.
"…Yes, ma'am," she corrected.