Volume One, Chapter 8: The Secret Beneath the Bed

“What?”

Chen Wen was stunned. So you’re here to learn some skills?

But Chen Wen had no skills to teach; he was relying solely on a recruitment voucher rewarded by the system.

He thought for a long time but couldn’t come up with a single word to say. He couldn’t very well claim it was because of his charm.

Just looking at Quanzhou University, the wealthy and handsome suitors chasing Su Wen lined up long; compared to them, Chen Wen felt utterly inferior in charm. Could Su Nan possibly believe such a thing?

After pondering back and forth, Chen Wen found no good way to respond and could only pretend to be a master and remain silent.

Sitting expressionlessly on the bed, he accidentally sat on Su Wen’s pajamas. Wearing a stiff face, Chen Wen shifted his position a bit.

Seeing Chen Wen remain silent, Su Nan grew anxious.

He was about to go home and face the “tigress” there. If he couldn’t learn something useful now, next year’s same day might be his doom.

There was no helping it. He hadn’t been able to resist calling over two beauties, only to find out it was a trap set by his fiancée, nearly leaving him with psychological scars and unable to rise again.

Su Nan was desperate.

“Master, save me!”

“I made a mistake while studying abroad and got caught by the tigress. What should I do, little brother?”

Chen Wen still said nothing, playing it cool, but inside he was a complete mess.

How would I know what to do? You’re a rich young master, yet you’re afraid of your wife?

At that moment, Su Wen accidentally bumped into the door, which swung open. Su Nan stood up and locked it behind him.

“Adults are talking; children shouldn’t eavesdrop!”

Actually, Su Wen had wanted to return to her room to retrieve a secret she had hidden under the bed. If it were discovered…

Thinking of this, Su Wen’s pretty face flushed deeply as she hurried to the bathroom to splash cold water on her heated cheeks.

Absolutely must not...

Chen Wen, still sitting on the bed, felt something poking his backside again and shifted a little more to the side.

His mouth twitched. This girl really put everything on the bed. Huh? Isn’t this the pen I tossed on the table yesterday? As I thought, she definitely stole something from the shop.

Chen Wen made a mental note: Su Wen, stealing a pen from the shop, deduct from next month’s salary!

“Master, do you have a good strategy?”

Su Nan looked at Chen Wen with wide eyes full of eagerness.

Scratching his behind, Chen Wen remained silent.

After what felt like an eternity, Chen Wen finally couldn’t hold back. Clearing his throat twice, he said,

“I’ve already told you the answer.”

“Now you have to figure it out yourself.”

Hopefully, he could bluff his way through. Otherwise, Chen Wen would have no choice but to rely on his own charm.

Su Nan paced back and forth in the room, frowning and muttering to himself,

“The answer… what exactly is the answer…”

Just then, a customer arrived at the shop and loudly called out at the door, “Is anyone here?”

Relieved, Chen Wen quickly stood up to greet them.

Su Wen blushed and kept stealing nervous glances at the boss’s spot.

After arranging a technician for the customer, Chen Wen happily recorded another entry in his little notebook and patted Su Wen’s head as a reward.

Suddenly, Su Nan burst out of the room, excited, startling Chen Wen into withdrawing his hand.

“I’ve got it, master!”

“Great! I’m saved!”

As he spoke, Su Nan dashed out of the foot massage parlor. What exactly he had understood was a mystery.

Chen Wen let out a big sigh of relief; finally, he had sent Su Wen’s brother away. Just as he was about to return to the shop, Su Wen carefully tugged at his sleeve.

Her cheeks flushed, eyes cast downward, clearly feeling guilty.

“Boss… just now, in Xiao Su’s room…”

Hearing this, Chen Wen immediately recalled the pen on her bed. She’d only been on the job a few days and had already learned to steal from the shop—she had to be taught a lesson!

“Su Wen!”

“I know already. Will you confess yourself, or do I have to show you what I found?”

Su Wen’s face turned even redder, all the way to her ears, her body growing warm—perhaps from the rush of blood, the scent of gardenias grew even stronger.

“I… I…”

Chen Wen noticed her nervousness. Her delicate white hands kept fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.

He sighed. Maybe he had been a bit too harsh. It was just a pen after all. Since it was her first offense, and he had wrongly accused her before, he would let it go this time.

“Boss… Xiao Su wants to…”

Before she could finish, Chen Wen cut her off with a wave.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t see this time, but there must be no next time!”

Returning to the counter, Chen Wen started tallying the past two days’ income, a smile stretching across his face.

But upon hearing Chen Wen’s words, Su Wen suddenly felt drained, losing all energy.

Tears glistened at the corners of her eyes, her eyelids reddening. Her hands clenched the skirt tightly, as if she might burst into tears any moment.

Yet Chen Wen, focused on counting the money and staring at the bank card balance, was oblivious to Su Wen’s distress, grinning foolishly.

Su Wen quietly wiped her tears, not wanting the boss to see, and went back to her room.

Carefully gathering the cute pajamas scattered on the floor, she revealed a letter hidden beneath the bed.

Kneeling on the floor, tears traced down her tender cheeks, falling onto the envelope.

She seemed to clutch the letter to her chest with all her might.

“Boss saw it... why did he say... pretend he didn’t see.”

“Chen Wen, why?”

...

Finding his breakfast missing, Chen Wen scratched his head and turned to ask Su Wen.

“Xiao Su, where did my soy milk go?”

Su Wen pouted, silent and seemingly unhappy.

Chen Wen scratched his head, clearly puzzled. They say a woman’s mood changes like the weather—if it rains, it rains suddenly—but this mood change came far too quickly.

He had just forgiven her for stealing the pen; logically, she should be happy.

Yet no matter how much Chen Wen racked his brain, he couldn’t guess that a misunderstanding had arisen—an intricate misunderstanding hard to explain.

For a while, the shop’s once-strong gardenia fragrance faded, no longer as alluring as before.

Her special effect seemed linked to her mood; only when she was happy did it work best.

Chen Wen frowned. If this continued, the shop’s business would be affected. As the boss, he needed to care about the emotional well-being of his employees.

“Xiao Su, why are you unhappy?”

“Are you feeling unwell? You’re allowed to take a day off.”

Su Wen turned her head away, her eyes reddening again, glistening as if about to cry.

Chen Wen panicked. What was wrong with her? Why was she crying?

What should I do?

Urgent, awaiting online help, seeking guidance!

[Special Task Activated: Su Wen’s Secret]

[Find out the source of Su Wen’s inner turmoil and raise her happiness level to 100]

[Current Su Wen Happiness Level: 9]

[Warning: If happiness drops below zero, the recruitment voucher effect will be automatically canceled, and re-recruitment will be impossible]