Part 5
Sister Ha left, the room of 2 people was…stirred.
After the small meeting that day, it was the days when Ms. Ha hurriedly prepared to leave for her new position. No one said anything, but from her filled eyes, you could see her longing for this place. During the week before Chi’s 1-month probationary period ended, she stayed late almost every day, Chi was always the one to leave first. The instructions for Chi at this time were not aimed at work but only revolved around Mr. Danh.
– Remember, sometimes you have to go to the boss’s room to see if his perfume is still there. If you have to buy it, only buy a woody, deep and deep scent, the scent should only be faint, don’t buy the kind that is prominent or has a strong scent, he won’t like it. If he slept here the day before, the first thing you do the next morning is take all his clothes to the laundry. The laundry is only a few dozen steps from the building, please be patient.
Chi just knew how to say yes, yes and nod repeatedly. If something was too difficult to remember, she had to take out a pen and paper to write it down.
Just like that, on Friday afternoon of the last week, she gave Chi a piece of blue silk with a beautiful floral print, she said.
– Chi, please make a beautiful dress. Sooner or later I will have to attend parties. Be beautiful and go by his side instead of me.
In Ha’s words, one could clearly see the affection and regret in her words, which really made people think that her relationship with Mr. Danh went beyond normal work intimacy.
– Perhaps in addition to the attachment at work, she also respects and is grateful to him as a teacher.
Chi thought it was that simple because during the whole month of working here, the two of them had never once shown any inappropriate behavior or actions. Especially Mr. Danh, she had never seen him glance affectionately or touch his body with the intention of harassing. She only felt his dignity, closeness and many other valuable qualities.
Mr. Danh was not in the office at the time, Ms. Ha placed a beautiful brocade-covered pen box on his desk and said goodbye to Chi before walking out the door. Chi also gave her a very sincere note.
– I wish you good luck in your continued success in your new position.
– Thank you, I wish you progress and more radiant every day.
The room was silent before Mr. Danh returned. He looked around before returning to his desk and picked up his pen. Chi guessed what he meant, so she said.
– Ms. Ha is back, uncle. Before leaving, she said goodbye to you and gave you a gift.
He just nodded slightly.
– Yes, I let her leave early today to celebrate with her husband. Family is always the most important thing, a woman who loves her husband and children is the perfect woman.
Chi did not fully understand the meaning of the sentence but also knew that Ms. Ha loved her husband and children very much, and Mr. Danh always respected such people.
In those days when there were only two people in that room, nothing was too unusual, only something began to grow, not suddenly, nor so strongly that it made people waver. Rather, like a small drizzle, but its persistence and persistence made us soaked in without realizing it.
Mr. Danh is still the same, in his work, he is serious and precise, but never shouts. The way he gives advice to Chi is as gentle as if he were instructing a good grandchild to study.
– You should present this in a list format, it will be clearer… But here it is a bit wordy, you should try to cut out a part to emphasize more so people will understand the urgency of the problem.
With that dedication and ability to learn quickly, it was not difficult for Chi to later receive compliments and encouragement.
– Yes, that’s good. Today you handled it accurately and very quickly.
Those compliments, that voice, gradually crept into Chi’s heart like a stream of warmth. If it was Chi before, in a space with only two people like that, she would have been scared or even suspicious of many things, but now it was different. Not sure when, she started looking forward to the afternoon, the time after 5 o’clock, when everyone had gradually left the office building, leaving only her and Mr. Danh in the quiet room.
At that time, he often took off his glasses, leaned back in his chair, or stood by the window, holding a cup of hot tea. He often asked random questions.
– How is your mother? Did you see your old teacher when you went back to your hometown? What did you have for lunch today? Don’t starve too much, it’s not good.
Not everyone is tactful enough to ask such questions. And not every girl is strong enough not to be moved by an older man who is so moderate, understanding, and warm.
One day, he stood behind Chi while she was typing. He bent down, pointed at the screen, and whispered in her ear.
– You should move this paragraph forward, it will be more natural.
He didn’t touch her, but the distance between them was less than a hand’s breadth. His breath brushed past her ear, the scent of tea wafted in the wind. Chi felt her neck burning, her hands unconsciously stopped on the keyboard. She didn’t turn around, just said “yes” softly, then typed each word as he instructed. Then, as soon as he returned to his desk, her full chest heaving up and down, she quickly ran to the bathroom to calm herself down. It wasn’t because she felt scared or uncomfortable being so close to a man, but a strange feeling that made her heart churn. And the strangest thing was that she had wanted him to stay with her longer.
After that day, Chi began to pay more attention to each of his nods, each time he placed his hand on her shoulder, each light touch when they both bent down to look at a blueprint. Nothing excessive, but all of them were like drops of water accumulating in her heart.
There were nights when Chi would sit and stare blankly at the ceiling. She couldn’t explain the feelings in her heart. It was clearly not a sudden crush like when she saw a handsome senior singing. But it wasn’t just pure affection either. She saw Mr. Danh in her mind every time she turned off the lights. She remembered the way he looked at her when she finished reporting a plan. She remembered his gentle yet stern voice. She remembered the slow but steady sound of his footsteps on the wooden floor.
She felt small and fragile in front of him. But it was that very smallness that made her want to stand closer, to learn, to be recognized, and… to have him look at her a little longer.
Mr. Danh never did anything beyond the limit. He did not suggest, did not joke, did not give her any signals other than kindness, seriousness and trust. But that was what made Chi even more nervous. Because that overly safe closeness allowed her to let herself go comfortably, letting her emotions form without hesitation or resistance.
There were times when he would take her home when it was raining heavily, or when her car broke down. Chi would sit in the back seat of his car, and he would often open the windows to prevent her from getting seasick. At those times, the scent of his shirt and the early autumn wind mixed together, making her dreamy and her heart skip a beat. When she got home, she still felt her heart pounding uncomfortably.
It was late afternoon like any other day, she was writing an invitation for the company’s anniversary party. He came to her without her knowing. When she had just finished the form, he reminded her.
– Chi, this invitation letter you wrote is very good, formal enough and shows great respect to all guests. But I want you to write another special letter for friends who have been with the company since the first day.
He then directly held the mouse to pan, his large, calloused hand completely covering Chi’s small, delicate hand. Chi felt her heart pounding but had to try to calm down to receive each of his instructions.
– You should replace the paragraph: “On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of our establishment, PBK GROUP would like to respectfully organize an intimate party to mark an important milestone on the development journey, and at the same time express our gratitude to our Partners, whom we always wish to accompany and cooperate sustainably in the future.” with the paragraph: “Join us in celebrating PBK’s 25th birthday. It’s not a long journey, but it’s enough for us to look back and be deeply grateful to those who have trusted and stood by us, from the early days when we were still struggling until now when we have reaped the first sweet fruits.” Then at the end of the invitation letter, add the following paragraph: “If you receive this letter, it means you are an indispensable part of PBK Group’s story. Come so we can say thank you, in the most sincere way.” And remember to use the same font as your handwriting.
Yes, I know.
Mr. Danh was very pleased to see that she had corrected him as he wished. But he did not know that the little girl’s heart was in turmoil. The hand he had just held was still trembling, and she could still feel his warmth caressing her skin. She had never experienced this feeling before so she could not define it, but she knew that what the man had left behind was a special seedling that was growing day by day.
And so in that solemn room, in the proper, civilized and tolerant manner, the boss was teaching his secretary more than just work. She knew how to be a kind woman, how to live deeply, how to live truly, and how to feel the first vibrations in life.
From that day on, every day she went to work was a thing of anticipation. She looked forward to the gray coat hanging on the hanger, the familiar scent of sandalwood, or the “clacking” sound of her fingers on the table. She took the opportunity to study to look at him longer, to move closer when talking, and often to smile after each of his encouraging words.
She did not know that intimacy built on a foundation of absolute trust and safety would become fertile ground for love to flourish without any flirting. Her innocence left Chi uncertain: was Mr. Danh a teacher, a father, or simply… a man who made her “emotionally overwhelmed”.