Unexpected Second Chance at Love



Yue Ling entered her office with the box in her hands. She walks over to her desk and places it down before opening the seal.

She was about to cut the tape when the sender's name caught her attention.

Her expression softens, and she gently traces over the shipping label.

'Lu Tian'

Seeing his name made her miss him and want to go home to be with him. However, knowing there was still work to do, she suppressed the urge inside.

She opened the box to see a neatly packaged picture frame.

She took it out and glued her eyes to it.

Neatly framed in gold was a picture from their photo shoot. The photo was of them sitting on the boat, smiling at one another. Just glancing was enough to let anyone who saw the picture see their love for each other.

However, only those at the scene would know why they smiled.

It was due to Xu Long falling into the lake, thinking he was going to drown but could stand after Qi Li jumped in to save him.

Being reminded of the day, she gently traces over the photo with her fingers but on the face of the name she loves.

A faint yet gradient smile curls on her mouth.

"How can you be such a sweetheart?"

She mutters like she is asking him the question but sighs with yearning.

"I wonder what you are doing right now?"

She stares at Lu Tian's face in the photo for a long minute before walking around her desk. She places the picture next to her monitor, where she can see it with a slight glance while working.

*Ring ring

Just when she set it down, the phone in her pocket rang. She takes it out only to see the name of the man she missed.

Without waiting for the call to ring again, she picks it up.

"Hi, Tian."

["Did you get the package?"]

Lu Tian's deep voice vaguely sounds from the other line, which is enough to put a smile on Yue Ling's face.

She pulled her chair back to sit down like she was going to work. However, instead of working, she leans back and stares at their photo.

"I did. It turned out lovely."

["I'm glad you like it. I'll have a bigger one made for you soon."]

Hearing this, Yue Ling looks at her office, but Lu Tian's deep voice sounds from the other line before she can contemplate where she can put the larger frame.

["I miss you."]

Blood rose to her cheeks, and her shoulders slightly raised as she turned bashful at his words.

Her shoulders subconsciously sway, and she touches her lips with her free hand.

"I miss you too."

Feeling more shyness rise from inside, she quickly ends the call.

"I'll see you at home."

She stares at the phone and presses her lips together to keep her from smiling. However, just when she thought she could calm down, the phone rang again with Lu Tian's name on the screen.

She clears her throat and answers the call, then place the phone next to her ear.

Before she could utter a word, Lu Tian's voice spoke from the other line.

["I love you. I'll be waiting for you at home."]

Although his words were short, she felt Cupid had shot arrows into her heart. She couldn't help clutch her chest and close her eyes to steady herself.

She thought he called back to tell her something else but wanted to pour more of his shamelessness through the phone.

However, knowing he is waiting for her response, she swallows a gulp and straightens her spine.

"I love you too. I'll let you know when I'm finished with work."

She hears an 'Mm' from the other line and takes it as a sign to end the call.

A sigh escapes her lips, and she places the phone on the desk before sitting down.

She doesn't turn on her computer but opens one of the drawers to her right. She takes her sketchbook and a pencil, then flips to a blank page.

Her lips pursed in thought as she didn't know what to sketch. However, it was only a split second as a design came to her mind.

She starts with the head, then to the body, and before she knew it, she had already completed her first rough draft.

A simple yet elegant dress.

The sketch was messy, but she knew what she was looking at and smiled at the dress.

However, just when she was about to flip the page, her ears light perk.

Her eyes slowly flutter, and she stares toward the door to her office.

The sound of heavy and frantic footsteps could be heard headed her way.

She calmly sets the pencil and sketchbook down and leans back in the chair. Her arms crossed over her chest, and she waited for the person.

"Boss! Boss! Boss!"

The door flung open with force but not so much to cause damage as Liu Shan darts into the room.

His head searches high and low with an expression full of panic and worry.

"Boss? Are you here? Boss?"

Yue Ling parted her lips to answer him, but in the next moment, her eyes grew heavy, and she was flabbergasted.

Liu Shan had not seen her because her monitor screen blocked her from his view. She watched as he dropped to his knees and choked a sob.

"I'm alone. I'm all alone. Everyone… everyone disappeared…."

Just when she thought he was going to end his depressing act, he made his next move.

He suddenly jolted up. His right-hand raised to hit his left chest, and he raised his chin sternly.

"Don't worry, boss. I, Liu Shan, will move heaven and earth to find everyone."

His entire demeanor shifted from a sad puppy to one full of determination.

Yue Ling was tongue-tied by his actions and helplessly raised her right hand to massage her forehead. She debates on whether to remain quiet or break his exaggeration.

However, deciding on the latter, she scooted the chair back and stood up.

"No one disappeared, and you are not alone."

Her angelic voice enters Liu Shan's ears, and he abruptly turns to look in her direction. Seeing her stand behind the desk, relief filled his entire being as if he had been brought back to life again.

He stood up from the floor and hopped over in her direction. A broad and bright smile plastered on his face.

"Boss! You're here."

Yue Ling stares at him for a long second, then sits back down. She didn't continue with what she was doing but kept her eyes on him.

"If I'm not here, where else should I be?"

Liu Shan blushed in embarrassment. He couldn't believe that he had shown such a scene to her.

He had just returned from his meeting with Manager Luo during his lunch. However, when he entered the company, no one was in sight. Even the design team was nowhere to be seen, along with Secretary Jiang.

He didn't know what was happening but was scared that something might have happened while he was away.

With this mindset, he rushed to his boss's office. If anything were to happen to her, he would never forgive himself for neglecting his job.

He stops in front of her desk and looks left and right, then behind him.

Yue Ling arches an eyebrow and crosses one leg over the other. Her arms rest on the chair, and she slightly tilts her head.

"What are you doing now?"

Liu Shan doesn't look at her but continues to look in all directions as if he is searching for something.

"I'm looking for the hole that should have appeared so I can hide in it."

"…"

From his words and his behavior, she knew what had gone through his mind. She shakes her head with a sigh and pulls her chair closer to her desk.

"Nothing happened. There isn't much work left, so I dismissed everyone."

She opens the sketchbook before her and picks up the pencil but pauses. She looks up at her assistant and points to the door with the pencil.

"If you're done with your work, you can also go home early."

Liu Shan could only blink his eyes at her. He thought she would at least ask him how it went with Manager Luo, but taking notice of the opened sketched book, he knew why she didn't ask him.

He gestures a polite bow and takes a step back.

"I still have some work to finish, so I'll leave when you do."

Yue Ling nonchalantly shrugs her shoulder and gets to work on her following sketch.

"It's up to you."

Watching her work on her design, Liu Shan doesn't stay to chat and turns around.

He had no work to finish, but he will find something to do.

He never liked to leave her alone in all his time working under Yue Ling. If he did, it was only because someone else was with her.

It was his way of telling her that she is never alone whenever she is in danger.

After all, his boss has her own enemies lurking somewhere in the dark. If anyone were to harm her, he must be there for her.

Not as her assistant or a friend but as a member of Fate.