It wasn't particularly busy at Isha Beauty Salon since it was a weekday. After finishing the scheduled treatments for her clients, Zhao Yaqian put all the skincare products and equipment back in place and replaced the sheets on the beauty bed. She then sat down on a stool and took out her phone.

It was almost 6 p.m., but she still hadn't received any message from Tang Song, causing her to feel anxious. She had been waiting for his message since she woke up, but the entire day had passed with nothing. They had kissed, and he had even given her a watch, so why was he still so distant? Zhao Yaqian sighed deeply. Oh, programmer friend, can't you show a little more care for Zhao Beauty? She even gave you her first kiss—how pitiful!

A colleague patted her on the shoulder and said, "Yaqian, the meal we ordered has arrived. Could you go downstairs and pick it up?"

"Sure, I'll go right away." Zhao Yaqian quickly put away her phone and hurried out. Dinner time for the employees was from 6 to 7 p.m., and beauty therapists who didn't have tasks could eat during this time. Soon, Zhao Yaqian returned with a large bag of boxed meals and placed them in the staff break room. They were all from the same restaurant, with one meat dish and two vegetable dishes for 14 yuan—a decent portion and tasty enough to be a favorite among her colleagues, with about ten ordering together each time. Being new and still in her probationary period, Zhao Yaqian often had to run these small errands.

After laying out the meals, Sister Li asked, "Yaqian, how have you been feeling these past few days?"

"Pretty good, especially on weekdays—it's much more relaxed."

"That's good." Sister Li smiled. "Stick with it. Once you're permanent, you can apply for rotating shifts. Day shifts are much easier than night shifts."

She was also relatively new and worked the night shift every day. Having someone familiar like Zhao Yaqian around helped them stick together.

"Mm-hmm, let's keep working hard!" Zhao Yaqian replied, pumping her fist for encouragement.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed as a few other female colleagues finished their tasks and entered, starting to search for their boxed meals.

"Wow, today's braised pork looks great! Three layers of pork belly—looks delicious."

"The kung pao chicken is good too, lots of chicken."

"Today's braised pork with preserved vegetables is so fatty—bad luck. Hey, Yaqian, what did you order today?"

"I got kung pao chicken, organic cauliflower, and mushrooms with bok choy," Zhao Yaqian replied quickly.

Wang Yan's eyes flickered as she placed her meal back on the table. "I remember you can eat fatty meat, so let's swap. You take mine."

Before Zhao Yaqian could react, Wang Yan had already taken her meal. Zhao Yaqian was stunned by her audacity.

Sister Li tugged at her arm and gave her a meaningful look. Zhao Yaqian bit her lip and swallowed her words. She had heard from Sister Li that Wang Yan was a relative of the store manager, so it was best not to provoke her. The other female colleagues glanced at them but said nothing.

Feeling wronged, Zhao Yaqian pouted and grabbed Wang Yan's boxed meal. In the six months since she entered the workforce, her journey had been far from smooth, making her keenly aware of how tough life could be. Although it was frustrating, she had no other choice.

Just then, her phone vibrated wildly on the table. It was an unfamiliar number. She answered the call.

"Hello, is this Ms. Zhao Yaqian?" a young female voice asked.

"Yes, it's me. What can I do for you?"

"Mr. Tang has ordered a meal delivery for you from our restaurant. May I ask which floor you're on so I can bring it up?"

Hearing "Mr. Tang," Zhao Yaqian's heart skipped a beat—she knew it must be Brother Song. Did he order takeout for me? Why didn't he say anything beforehand—was it supposed to be a surprise?

Suddenly, all her earlier frustration and sadness vanished. Excited, she replied, "No need, I'll come down to get it!"

"It's no problem. We deliver here often, so we're familiar with the place. Plus, there's a lot of food, so it might be hard to carry it all alone."

Zhao Yaqian blinked, puzzled by the comment. Isn't it just one meal? How could it be hard to carry?

Not being the type to argue, she quickly said, "Alright, thank you. I'm in the staff break room on the second floor, at the west end."

Sister Li glanced at her and asked, "What's going on, Yaqian?"

Zhao Yaqian stuck out her tongue playfully, "A friend ordered takeout for me without telling me first."

"Is it your boyfriend?" Sister Li's eyes lit up with curiosity. "When did you start dating? How come you never mentioned it?"

Another female colleague nearby asked curiously, "Yaqian, is it your boyfriend? I heard from Weiwei that your boyfriend drives a BMW and is super handsome—is that true?"

Blushing, Zhao Yaqian stammered, "Uh, no… I mean…"

The word "boyfriend" made her heart race. But she wasn't sure what to say since they hadn't clearly defined their relationship yet. Were they a couple? Flirting? Just good friends?

Wang Yan, who was eating nearby, glanced at her and teased, "If you had a rich and handsome boyfriend, would you still be working here with us?"

The other colleagues laughed along with her, clearly skeptical.

Zhao Yaqian pressed her lips together, unsure of how to respond. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novèlfire.net

"Knock, knock, knock—" Someone knocked on the door of the staff break room. Two women in dark blue uniforms appeared at the door, each carrying a large, beautiful box. They stood upright with smiles on their faces.

"May I ask who is Ms. Zhao Yaqian?" one of them asked.

Realizing they were looking for her, Zhao Yaqian quickly stood up, "That's me."

The two women walked over briskly and placed the boxes on the table.

"Please wait a moment while we set out the food."

"Uh, okay!" Zhao Yaqian nodded, watching them curiously. What kind of takeout did Tang Song order in such large packages?

Her colleagues paused their meals and began to chat amongst themselves.

"Isn't this takeout from Private Banquet House?"

"It is—the logo's right there."

"One of my diamond card members orders dinner from this place often—each meal costs hundreds of yuan."

…

Being a high-end beauty salon, most of their clients were wealthy. Sometimes, they'd order food if their treatments took a long time. Private Banquet House was the most upscale restaurant in the area and a favorite among them.

The outer packaging was removed, revealing a thick layer of insulated foil. Soon, several exquisite meal boxes were set out on the table before Zhao Yaqian. She counted—eight in total. They weren't large, but they were beautifully presented.

"Ms. Zhao, here's today's menu. Please take a look," one of the women said.

Zhao Yaqian blinked and carefully read through the list: Braised Beef with Three-Color Radish, Flower Mushroom and Braised Abalone, Crab Meat Pie, Assorted Mushroom and Chicken Soup, Braised Beef, Cherries…

Before she could fully process it, the other box was opened, revealing a huge, thick durian mille crepe cake, at least 10 inches in size.

"Ms. Zhao, Mr. Tang said this cake is for your colleagues to share," the woman added.

Zhao Yaqian nodded blankly, staring wide-eyed at the spread before her.

"We'll be leaving now. Enjoy your meal."

"Okay, thank you."

As the two women left, the break room erupted into excited chatter. Her colleagues gathered around, chattering non-stop.

"Yaqian, did your boyfriend order this for you?"

"He's so rich! A takeout package from Private Banquet House!"

"Yaqian, I heard that cake is for us—cut it up already!"

"I want some! I want some!"

"Private Banquet House combines Golden Pillow and Musang King durians for their mille crepe cakes. A 10-inch one like this could easily cost nearly 2,000 yuan!"

"Yaqian, your boyfriend is amazing!"

…

Surrounded by compliments, Zhao Yaqian felt light-headed, her face flushed with happiness. She picked up the serrated knife and started cutting the cake, handing out slices to her colleagues. The cross-section revealed layers of golden durian flesh—thick and generous.

"Thank you, Yaqian!"

"Thank you, dear!"

"I have to post this on my Moments! This cake is incredible!"

"My first time trying such an expensive durian mille crepe!"

…

As she passed out the cake, her colleagues, who had previously been indifferent towards her, suddenly became her best friends, their gazes now filled with warmth. The only one who didn't come over was Wang Yan, who had mocked her earlier. It would have been too awkward to approach, so she took her boxed meal and left the break room. Seeing this, Zhao Yaqian vaguely understood that Brother Song was helping her build good relationships with her colleagues and making her work environment more pleasant.

She opened the meal boxes before her, revealing the beautifully arranged dishes, fruits, and hot soup. The delicious aroma wafted up, and her stomach growled in response. She swallowed her saliva, snapped a photo with her phone, and sent it to Tang Song with the message: "The takeout has arrived, and I've shared the cake with my colleagues. Everyone's really happy. Thank you, Brother Song! I'm so happy too—I've never eaten such high-class food before."

Zhao Yaqian wasn't one to overthink things. Since Tang Song had gone to the trouble of surprising her, she would happily accept it and treat him well.

She picked up her chopsticks and took a bite of the braised beef. It melted in her mouth, the rich and savory flavor lingering long after. She then tried the abalone—smooth, tender, and uniquely delicious. It was incredible!

The cherries were large, with firm and juicy flesh—so sweet!

This 19-year-old beauty therapist savored such luxurious and delicious food on an ordinary evening for the first time, leaving her deeply impressed. The steak buffet at Wanda that she had longed to try didn't seem special anymore.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz—"

Tang Song: "As long as you're happy. But I'd rather see a picture of you than the food."

Zhao Yaqian's eyes crinkled with a smile as she selected a photo from earlier in the day and sent it to him.

Tang Song: "You're still so beautiful, and your outfit is great, too. But I'm more interested in knowing about your inner style—like stockings or tights, for example."

Zhao Yaqian bit her glossy lips and replied, "No being naughty!"

But she was already thinking, Should I take a picture when I change after work? After all, my programmer friend outdid himself today! If it's just the base layer, it should be fine, right?