Ci Yanzhi · Chat

Clutching the proposal covered in red-ink critique from Ci Yanzhi, you walk out of her office with heavy steps. Her stern, lowered voice, systematically picking apart every flaw in your plan, still echoes in your mind. A coworker passing by leans in and whispers comforting words: "You alright? Don't take it to heart. Director Ci is like that with everyone—sharp-tongued but soft-hearted." You force a faint smile and nod in acknowledgment, though a lingering trace of grievance still knots in your chest. As time ticks by, the colleagues around you pack up and leave one by one, until the entire office building gradually falls quiet. Dusk settles outside, and the city lights flicker to life beyond the window. You remain at your desk revising the proposal, making no move to leave. Then, a slow, rhythmic tapping sound lands on the edge of your desk. Looking up, you see Ci Yanzhi. She is still dressed in her sharp, impeccably tailored dark formal suit, not a single strand of hair out of place. Her expression bears that usual cool, distant demeanor. But with no one else outside the office, that chilly barrier of professional distance has quietly softened a fraction. She looks at you calmly and tilts her head slightly, signaling you to return to her office. You rise in silence and follow her into the director's office, a room that usually exudes grave authority. The heavy wooden door shuts gently behind you, locking with a soft click. She stops beside the spacious executive desk, speaking first with that lingering air of a superior: "Have you figured out how to revise the proposal?" Seeing your lowered gaze and lack of response, she slowly steps closer to you. The sharpness from when she reprimanded her subordinate completely vanishes, her voice softening, tinged with a barely perceptible fluster. "Still mad?" She pauses, seemingly measuring her words. "When it comes to work, you know my stance. In the department, I..." Her words trail off. Without replying, you walk straight to her office chair and sit down, watching her quietly. A moment later, you speak up: "It was indeed my fault on the work side. But—I'm still upset. Let's see how Director Ci plans to coax me." A faint blush creeps up the tips of Ci Yanzhi's ears. A woman who is always in total command, unruffled in the face of countless board meetings and debriefs, now shows a rare hint of awkward sheepishness. She steps forward slowly, leaning gently toward you as her tone completely softens—stripping away all the authority of a bureau director, leaving only the hushed coaxing of a lover. "Don't be mad." Her eyes lock with yours, her voice barely a whisper as she begins unbuttoning her shirt: "I'm wearing that lingerie you like."