Chapter 28: Catching a Turtle in a Jar

Mu Chuan was certainly not intimidated by Yu Youchu's words; on the contrary, he leaned in even closer.

"A proposal of such high quality, completed in a single night, and selected immediately by Sister Jing to boot." Mu Chuan set the coffee down on Yu Youchu's desk. "Tell me, why didn't I realize you were this capable before?"

Basking in the praise, Yu Youchu felt invigorated and took the coffee, sipping it with ease. "That’s right. What I’ve shown so far is merely the tip of the iceberg. You’ve still got a long way to go if you want to catch up to me!"

Yu Youchu lifted her chin triumphantly, her round eyes sparkling with spirit. Her face was slightly flushed with excitement, and her bangs partially veiled her smooth forehead, making her look all the more endearing. Mu Chuan couldn't help but reach out and pat her head.

Feeling the touch on her hair, Yu Youchu froze. Once the realization hit her, she instantly bristled. "What—what are you doing!"

Mu Chuan clearly hadn't expected his own action, but he recovered quickly. "Helping you wake up, so our star employee doesn't ruin her image." He pulled his hand back, looking a bit flustered.

Yu Youchu, still seated, missed his expression; otherwise, she would have surely teased him mercilessly. "Forget it, forget it. I’m a magnanimous person and won’t hold a grudge. I'm in a good mood today, so I’ll let you off the hook." She rubbed her face vigorously with both hands to force herself to stay alert. "It’s really not worth getting my head patted just for a cup of your coffee."

Seeing that Yu Youchu was acting as if nothing had happened, Mu Chuan felt a wave of relief. He realized he had been too impulsive, so he rubbed his nose and changed the subject. "By the way, have you considered which department you want to join after you're made permanent? Will you stay in Design, or transfer elsewhere?"

Yu Youchu shook her head. "I haven't thought about it. Besides, that’s not something we can decide for ourselves."

Mu Chuan nodded helplessly. "I’d quite like to stay in the Design Department. The work here is very interesting."

Yu Youchu chuckled. "You aren't afraid of running out of creative ideas?"

"I'll just switch when the time comes," Mu Chuan said, displaying a carefree attitude.

Yu Youchu mused that if she could choose, she would prefer to work under Team Leader Bai or Sister Cui. Dealing with a difficult superior would surely make life miserable.

She thought about the situation with Wan Ninghe, which was now common knowledge throughout the Design Department. She believed that before long, people in other departments would catch wind of it as well. In a way, it was like having a black mark on her record. Therefore, it would be better to work under someone she knew.

"We'll see. The odds of being assigned to someone I've worked with before are fairly high. I can work anywhere, as long as it's not with a lunatic."

Mu Chuan knew the "lunatic" she referred to was Wan Ninghe. "By the way, do you know when the company's surveillance maintenance is scheduled?"

Mu Chuan nodded. He had read the newcomer's manual provided by the company. "Aside from the large-scale equipment, everything else at Huasheng is checked once a quarter, every three months." He paused. "This time, the maintenance is scheduled for next Friday. I'm not sure about the exact procedure, but the partner company should be sending technicians over."

"Though, since they did a check early this time, I’m not sure if they’ll come again."

Yu Youchu nodded and set a reminder on her phone. "We can ask Sister Jing to have them come again."

Mu Chuan asked with confusion, "But why are you asking about this? If you want to check the surveillance footage, wouldn't it be easier to just go to Sister Jing?"

Yu Youchu scratched her head. "Isn't it better to have a backup plan in case Sister Jing can't find that day's footage?" She analyzed the situation for Mu Chuan calmly. "If the person who helped Wan Ninghe could come to our company early for maintenance, it suggests he is responsible for our company's collaborative projects... which means he will definitely come again."

Yu Youchu’s logic was sound, and Mu Chuan’s eyes lit up as he listened. He asked with interest, "And then? What do you plan to do? What if the other party flatly denies it?"

Yu Youchu gave a soft hum, her gaze sharpening like a hunter spotting prey—a sight that looked slightly incongruous on her otherwise harmless face. "Then I’ll just have to ask Sister Jing to let me borrow her authority to throw my weight around."

She explained patiently, "Everyone here is just working for a paycheck; no one wants to lose their job. So, the first step is to find him and force him to hand over the footage. If he refuses, I’ll threaten him." She looked at her fingernails as she spoke, frowning slightly as if they were too long. "If we file a complaint with his company, even if he doesn't lose his job, he’ll be in serious trouble. Do you think he’d dare deny it then?"

Mu Chuan shook his head while listening. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. How ruthless. I wouldn't even know if I were being played by you."

"Don't worry," Yu Youchu smiled at him, looking truly harmless once more. "Why would I play you?"

Mu Chuan feigned relief and clinked his coffee cup against hers. "It's a deal, then."

"But you're overlooking one thing. What if the surveillance power was cut that day? Wouldn't that mean there's no evidence left?"

Hearing this, Yu Youchu gave him a look of disdain. "Are you dense? Isn't the best accomplice right in front of us? Why look further afield?"

Mu Chuan was left between laughter and tears. "That's coercion and bribery."

"No," Yu Youchu smiled, setting her coffee aside. "That's called 'all is fair in war'... and 'catching the turtle in the jar.'"

"You're misusing idioms again. Can you please rein in your clumsy vocabulary?" Mu Chuan rolled his eyes.

"Learning the wrong things, aren't you? You didn't pick up any of my wit, just my eye-rolling." Yu Youchu shot a glare back at him. "By the way, don't bring me an Americano next time. Who can drink something this bitter?"

Mu Chuan curled his lip. "You’re picky, aren't you? Drink what you’re given; being a picky eater isn't good for a child."

"It's just that I prefer a latte over an Americano."

Mu Chuan gave a polite smile. "Then you'll have to wait for the lifetime in which I treat you next."

"Fine, I'll treat you once I'm made permanent, alright?" Yu Youchu rested her chin on her hand. The mental fatigue had lifted, but her physical exhaustion clung to her. "Only coffee, though?"

That single sentence made Yu Youchu clutch her small savings tight. "Only coffee! Nothing more. I’m a very poor person."

Mu Chuan laughed and shook his head as he walked away. "Then I want an Americano. Only kids drink lattes."

Yu Youchu gave him the middle finger behind his back. However, thanks to that cup of coffee, she managed to stay awake until the end of the workday, even if her efficiency was still hampered by the lack of sleep from the previous night.