When they returned to the office, Gu Nianbin took the bag that Du Xiaoxian had been carrying and put it on the table. He pulled her to the sofa to sit and pointed at the pile of snacks that Zhou Ting bought, "You must be hungry. Eat something first to stave off hunger. I still have something to do, so we'll go back home later."

"Young master," Du Xiaoxian took a look of the snacks and was about to stand up, "Shall I go back first? I have to sweep the courtyard."

Gu Nianbin stopped her, "It doesn't matter. Today is your first day of school. Forget about the ch.o.r.e. Leave it tomorrow."

Du Xiaoxian had no choice but to stay. Gu Nianbin opened a chocolate bar for her and asked about her day at school. Du Xiaoxian blushed and said slowly, " Young master, I...I can't understand in cla.s.s."

Gu Nianbin stroked her hair with a smile, "Don't worry. Take your time. You'll understand gradually."

"OK." Du Xiaoxian nodded, " I will study hard."

"How were your teachers and cla.s.smates?"

"Good." Du Xiaoxian whispered, "I will be brave and make friends, Young master."

Gu Nianbin was amused, "So it means that you haven't made any friends yet?"

A flurry of anxiety was stirred in her as expected, "I... I will."

"Alright, no hurry. It takes time to make friends." Gu Nianbin smiled, "You have to sharpen your eyes to choose friends. Make friends with those who are worthy of. Get it?"

"I see." She was chewing on the chocolate and blew out a strong fragrance of chocolate as she spoke.

Gu Nianbin stared at her for a while and asked, "Did anyone compliment you on your beauty today?"

She thought for a moment with her head tilting and then nodded. This was out of his expectation as he didn't ask purposely. He narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice, "Who?"

"The driver Xiaoding." Du Xiaoxian said, "But I don't think he's a bad man. He just talks too much."

"Did he talk much to you?"

Du Xiaoxian then told him how Xiaoding spoke to her endlessly on the way here. Finally, she added, "Xiaoding said he would help me clean the courtyard. He is a good guy."

Gu Nianbin was speechless. Everyone tended to wear a mask in such a complicated society. How could she believe in others easily just because of some petty favors? He stroked his forehead. The little girl was truly simple and silly...

Du Xiaoxian became nervous with a blush after finis.h.i.+ng the chocolate. She mumbled, "Sir, I want to go to the toilet."

Gu Nianbin showed her the direction, "There it is. Go ahead."

Du Xiaoxian knew where the toilet was, but this time she had to take a dump. Gu Nianbin was sitting just outside. What if he smelled or heard anything? Du Xiaoxian blushed even worse when thinking about the awkward possibilities.

She shook her head, "I...I cannot use this..." Gu Nianbin seemed to understand her and thus asked Zhou Ting to escort her to another restroom outside.

Shao Boqing entered the room right after Du Xiaoxian left. He studied the expression of Gu Nianbin and then slowly sat in the chair in front of him.

"What is it?" Gu Nianbin raised his head and asked. His face was calm as usual. Shao Boqing felt relieved and raised his eyebrows, preparing to get back at him. He was quite hurt being fiercely glared by Gu Nianbin for no reason. How an old friend you had known for dozens of years be no match for a little maid?

"You glared at me just now." He complained with grievance.

"You scared my guest." Gu Nianbin said leisurely.

"Guest? Isn't she just a maid?" Shao Boqing said crossly.

"She did a great favor to my family."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Shao Boqing, "Could your father be killed by Gu Niannan if she didn't stand up?"

With a dark face, Gu Nianbin looked at the business sheets at hand without responding.

Shao Boqing regretted his improper words and thus softened his tone to make up, "Forget it. I won't fuss about it. Well, I have things to do. See you."

He moved slowly, but Gu Nianbin didn't stop him before he counted to ten. He sighed heavily and walked out quickly. Standing outside the office, he laughed. Was he striving for favor with a little maid?

He was about to leave when Zhou Ting brought Du Xiaoxian back. Shao Boqing raised his eyebrows shortly and beamed a standard smile as he greeted her, "Miss Du, I'm sorry for scaring you just now." He stopped to keep a two-step s.p.a.ce between them and bowed politely to Du Xiaoxian.

He became quite courteous, a far cry from the frivolous behavior right now. Du Xiaoxian was bewildered. Did this President Shao turn over a new leaf during the time she went to toilet?

Shao Boqing found that she was not that afraid of him as before and thus stretched out his hand slowly, "Please allow me to introduce myself to you formally. My name is Shao Boqing, the general manager of Gu's Company and a friend of Gu Nianbin."

Since he was the young master's friend who was so polite to her, Du Xiaoxian stretched out her hand boldly. Shao Boqing, however, stepped back abruptly before she touched him by fingertips. She looked up and found that the young master was standing behind Shao Boqing. He grabbed him by his collar sternly and said coldly, "Didn't you say you were leaving? Why are you still here?"

Shao Boqing freed himself from Gu Nianbin's hand, tidied up his clothes and threw a glare at him, "I'm leaving now. Satisfied?" He angrily strode away as saying this.

Du Xiaoxian stayed still quietly with her head down. The young master's stern expression was terrifying. And... why was Mr. Shao angry?

Before she could figure it out, Gu Nianbin had already dragged her into the office. This time, even Zhou Ting was startled. She could tell that Mr. Shao was pretending to be angry when leaving. But her boss' anger seemed to be real. Was he really angry at Mr. Shao? Why? Secretary Zhou felt she was not smart enough to understand all these things.

Gu Nianbin closed the door and dragged Du Xiaoxian onto the sofa, "Didn't I tell you to sharpen your eyes when making friends? How could you shake hands with him when you have no idea of him? You might be sold by him unconsciously!"

Du Xiaoxian shrank away and quivered slightly. It seemed that the young master was cross with her.

Noticing her frightened look, Gu Nianbin realized he was too harsh to her and thus softened his voice, "Don't be afraid. I'm not scolding you. You must know that the society is complicated. You cannot be too cautious in order not to be deceived."

Du Xiaoxian raised her head with tears in her eyes, "I made you angry. I deserved the curse."

"I'm not angry." Gu Nianbin scratched his eyebrows, "Am I?"

He looked so frightening when he was not angry. How would he be when he actually was? Du Xiaoxian couldn't imagine it. Now that the young master wasn't angry, she was relieved. She rubbed her fingers and said softly, "Mr. Shao is not a bad guy. He is your friend."

"He could be a bad guy although a friend of mine." Then he realized it was not the truth. Shao Boqing was a playboy, but certainly not a bad guy. He thought twice and said, "He is not a bad guy, but he is not good either. From now on, stay away from him."

Du Xiaoxian nodded, but pondered inside, how could a person be neither good nor bad?

"Do you have any homework?" Gu Nianbin changed the topic.

"Yes." Du Xiaoxian opened her schoolbag and took out her homework. If Gu Nianbin didn't ask, she would be too shy to bring it up because she didn't know how to do the homework.

Gu Nianbin flipped through her science homework and then put it aside, "Forget it. This is too difficult for you and is of not much use. You need not learn it anymore. "

To whatever he said, the only response of Du Xiaoxian was nodding. She pointed at her arts homework, "What about these?"

"These aren't difficult. I can help you."

In this way, President Gu threw aside the marketing reports for tomorrow's meeting and helped Du Xiaoxian with her homework attentively. Du Xiaoxian had been to school for several years. She could read and was quite clever to comprehend new knowledge by a.n.a.log. Gu Nianbin patted her head with satisfaction, "You are a quick learner. Not bad."

She raised her face and asked, "Sir, I can understand what you said, but I cannot understand the teacher in cla.s.s. Why?"

He looked at her and pondered, "Why not teach her myself…"

Zhou Ting knocked on the door and came in, "President, I come to take the marketing reports."

Gu Nianbin looked at the thick stack of files on his desk and gave up on that thought. "I haven't finished yet. I'll send it to you later. I'm afraid you have to work overtime to process the statistics."

"Yes, President." Zhou Ting took a glimpse of the homework on the coffee table and felt her temples were throbbing. She didn't expect that the boss could leave his work undone to help a little girl with her homework.

After Du Xiaoxian finished her homework, Gu Nianbin started his laptop and instructed her to watch movie on PPS. He then went back to his desk to review the reports. After reviewing all the statistics, he rubbed the tiresome eyes and looked up at the thin figure sitting on the sofa. Du Xiaoxian held her chin and was obsessed with the video on his laptop.

She was indulged in the video. The screen light reflected in her eyes glimmered like twinkling stars. The corners of her mouth curled up and her delicate nose shrugged slightly. She sometimes frowned and sometimes smiled. Her ponytail hung loosely to one side. When she laughed, the tips of her hair shook gently. Anyhow, she was still a kid.

This was the first time Gu Nianbin had seen her face so smooth with relaxation. Pure and innocent. She was still skinny as before, but looked no longer that weak and pitiful but unusually vigorous and alive. Fascinated by the glamour in her eyes, he stood up and walked around to the back of the sofa quietly. To his surprise, she was actually watching "Boonie Bears."

"Interesting?" He leaned on the backrest of the sofa and asked rather abruptly.

"Yes. I had watched it at my aunt's home. It's very interesting." Her voice was very pleasing and melodious, different from the timid tone before. "Look..." She suddenly stopped, turned back and took a look at Gu Nianbin. The smile was still on her face but now distorted. She asked softly, "Have you finished your work, Young master?"

At this moment, Gu Nianbin felt regretful. Why did he come over to disturb her?

"I have to go out for a while. Go on watching."

Du Xiaoxian said yes and returned to her cartoon.

Gu Nianbin opened the door and stepped out. To his surprise, Zhou Ting was still at her desk. "Why are you still at work?"

Zhou Ting wanted to roll her eyes at him. How could a secretary go off work before the boss? However, what she said was, "I've just finished work on hand and was about to leave. President, are you still working?"

"Yes," Gu Nianbin nodded, "I'll leave later. I've emailed the marketing reports to you. You can process them at home."

Zhou Ting was going to say that she was fine working overtime here, but she read out an implicit meaning under the boss' words. He wanted her to leave. Therefore, she immediately answered yes and cleared her desk.

Gu Nianbin walked to the end of the corridor and stood in front of a window. The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the window crimson. Gu Nianbin did not walk into the light but leaned against the wall in darkness and lit a cigarette. He didn't smoke but watched it slowly burn out between his fingers...