The rumor virus at work spread faster than the flu.
By the next morning, half the building believed Xiaoyu and Li Junhao were secretly dating.
The other half believed they were secretly married.
Both were incorrect.
Unfortunately.
---
The Stares
Xiaoyu walked into the office carrying her morning coffee.
Instantly, everyone stared at her like she was a limited-edition product.
"Morning—"
She started.
Ten people answered at once:
"Morning, future boss's wife!"
"Good morning, Madam Li!"
"Morning, sister-in-law!"
She choked on her coffee so hard she almost died.
"No! Stop! It's not like that!"
But employees whispered anyway.
"Look, she's blushing."
"Director Li must have said something to her this morning."
He didn't.
They hadn't even met yet today.
But her face burned anyway.
---
The Meeting that Made Things Worse
During the afternoon, there was a company meeting.
Xiaoyu tried to sit in her usual corner seat.
But the HR manager whispered,
"Your seat is next to Director Li's."
"What? Why?!"
"Couples should sit together."
"We are NOT—!"
Too late. She was pushed toward him.
Li Junhao looked up when she sat down.
"Comfortable?"
"Not at all."
"Good."
His lips curved slightly.
The meeting started, but Xiaoyu couldn't focus.
Especially when Junhao leaned in a little and quietly asked,
"Did you think more about… what you were going to say yesterday?"
Her heart jumped.
"I—I'm still thinking."
"Take your time," he murmured. "I'm not in a hurry."
Employees behind them gasped dramatically.
The rumor fire grew hotter.
---
When Rumors Start Feeling Real
By the end of the day, Xiaoyu was exhausted from avoiding eye contact with every human in the building.
But when she went downstairs, she saw Li Junhao speaking with someone from the board.
The man frowned.
"If the rumors are true, you should be careful. Getting close to employees causes trouble."
Junhao's reply was calm but firm.
"I don't care about rumors. And I don't care what people think."
Xiaoyu froze.
Her chest warmed unexpectedly.
"When it comes to her," Junhao continued, "I know what I'm doing."
The board member sighed.
"Just be sure."
Junhao's eyes softened — something rare, something warm — and he said:
"I am."
Xiaoyu quickly hid behind a pillar, her heart beating way too loudly.
She didn't know what this feeling was.
But she knew one thing for sure:
The rumors didn't feel like rumors anymore.
They felt… possible.
---
A Protective Moment
As she stepped outside the building, a stranger brushed past her roughly, making her stumble.
Before she could fall, a firm hand caught her wrist.
"Careful," Li Junhao said, standing behind her.
His voice was low, steady.
"You should watch where you're going."
"I—I wasn't expecting him to push me."
His brows tightened, annoyed.
"Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine."
He let go slowly, his hand warm even after it left her skin.
"Next time," he said quietly, "call me if you leave late. I'll come down."
Xiaoyu blinked.
"You don't have to."
"I know," he said. "But I want to."
Her heart melted into pudding.