The office felt normal the next morning.
People moved around as usual. Phones rang, keyboards clicked, and quiet conversations filled the space. A few employees stood near the corridor discussing work, while others sat at their desks, already focused on their screens.
Nothing looked different.
Everything followed the same routine.
But Zhao Chen couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed.
He sat at his desk, staring at the screen in front of him.
The same file from yesterday was open again.
He had already checked it more than once.
The numbers were correct now.
Everything matched.
Everything looked clean.
And that—
only made things worse.
He leaned back slowly and rubbed his forehead.
How had he made that mistake?
It wasn't small.
Not something that could be ignored.
Not in front of investors.
Not in a meeting like that.
He tried to recall the previous night.
He remembered opening the file.
Scrolling through the data.
Making a few changes.
Nothing major.
Nothing careless.
At least—
that's what he thought.
And yet—
the error had been there.
Clear.
Visible.
Obvious enough for someone else to point it out immediately.
Zhao Chen frowned slightly.
Something about it didn't feel right.
But no matter how many times he went through the file, he couldn't find anything unusual anymore.
Everything was correct now.
As if the mistake had never existed.
A soft knock on the door broke his thoughts.
"Come in," he said.
Lin Xue walked in.
She looked the same as always.
Calm.
Composed.
Her expression showed nothing.
As if yesterday had never happened.
"Morning," she said.
"Morning," Zhao Chen replied.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The silence felt longer than it should have.
Zhao Chen turned his laptop slightly toward her.
"I checked the file again," he said. "It's fine now."
Lin Xue nodded. "That's good."
Her voice was steady.
No surprise.
No reaction.
Zhao Chen watched her for a second.
Then hesitated.
"You didn't notice anything yesterday?" he asked.
Lin Xue looked at the screen.
Then back at him.
"I checked what was in the system at that time," she said. "The mismatch was already there."
Zhao Chen frowned slightly.
"So it wasn't a system issue?"
"It didn't look like one."
That meant—
it was his mistake.
Zhao Chen didn't say anything for a few seconds.
He didn't like that conclusion.
But he couldn't deny it either.
There was no other explanation.
Lin Xue stood quietly.
She didn't add anything.
Didn't try to explain further.
Didn't push the conversation.
"I'll be more careful next time," Zhao Chen said finally.
For a brief moment—
his voice overlapped with a memory.
"Don't worry, I'll handle everything."
The same tone.
The same calm confidence.
Lin Xue remembered that voice clearly.
There had been a time when she believed it completely.
When those words were enough to make her feel safe.
Back then, she had trusted him without question.
She had relied on him.
Followed him.
Given him everything without thinking twice.
And in the end—
those same words had meant nothing.
Lin Xue blinked once.
The memory disappeared.
"It happens," she said.
Her tone was calm.
As if nothing had crossed her mind.
Zhao Chen picked up his phone.
"I'll call Liu Yuer," he said. "She wanted to come by."
Lin Xue nodded slightly.
A few minutes later, the door opened again.
Liu Yuer walked in.
Her steps were light, her posture relaxed. She looked the same as before—calm, gentle, and composed.
"I hope I'm not interrupting," she said.
"No," Zhao Chen replied. "We were just reviewing something."
Liu Yuer's eyes moved across the room slowly.
Zhao Chen at the desk.
Lin Xue standing beside him.
The open file on the screen.
She noticed everything.
Without saying a word.
"You handled things well yesterday," Liu Yuer said, looking at Lin Xue.
Her tone was soft.
But her eyes were sharp.
Lin Xue met her gaze.
"It was just a small issue."
"Small?" Liu Yuer repeated.
She took a few steps closer.
"The investors didn't seem to think so."
The room grew quiet.
Zhao Chen frowned slightly. "It's already resolved."
Liu Yuer didn't respond immediately.
Instead, she looked at the screen.
Then back at Lin Xue.
"You found the problem quickly," she said.
"Yes," Lin Xue replied.
Liu Yuer tilted her head slightly.
"You always do?"
For a brief second—
Lin Xue's fingers paused.
Just slightly.
Then continued.
"I try to fix things when I can," she said.
Her voice was steady.
Liu Yuer smiled faintly.
"That's useful."
That smile.
For a moment—
Lin Xue saw something else.
Rain.
Cold air.
The ground beneath her wet and slippery.
A quiet voice behind her.
"Keeping you alive would only cause trouble."
The memory was clear.
Too clear.
Liu Yuer's face.
That same calm expression.
That same quiet voice.
The image disappeared as quickly as it came.
Lin Xue lowered her gaze.
Her expression didn't change.
Zhao Chen didn't notice anything.
He leaned back slightly.
"I have another meeting later," he said. "We should focus on that."
Lin Xue nodded.
"I'll prepare the updated version."
She sat down and began working.
Her fingers moved across the keyboard.
Calm.
Precise.
Steady.
Zhao Chen watched her for a moment.
And for the first time—
he didn't feel fully in control.
Because now, when something went wrong—
he looked at her first.
Not himself.
Liu Yuer noticed that.
She didn't say anything.
But her gaze stayed on Lin Xue a little longer than before.
"You rely on her a lot," Liu Yuer said casually.
Zhao Chen paused.
"It's just work."
"Is it?" Liu Yuer asked softly.
Zhao Chen didn't answer.
Because he wasn't sure.
Lin Xue continued working.
As if she hadn't heard anything.
After a few minutes, she stopped.
"It's ready," she said.
Zhao Chen leaned forward immediately.
"Let me see."
He checked the file carefully.
Line by line.
Number by number.
Everything looked correct.
Clear.
Clean.
No mistakes.
"Good," he said.
Relief returned to his voice.
Liu Yuer stepped closer and looked at the screen.
Then at Lin Xue.
That feeling returned.
Stronger this time.
Something was not right.
But she couldn't explain it.
"I'll leave you to your work," Liu Yuer said.
Zhao Chen nodded. "I'll call you later."
She walked toward the door.
Then paused.
And looked back.
Her eyes stayed on Lin Xue for a moment longer.
Lin Xue didn't look up.
The door closed.
Silence filled the room again.
Zhao Chen leaned back.
"This is better," he said.
Lin Xue nodded.
"Yes."
Because she made sure it was.
Zhao Chen looked at the screen again.
Everything looked correct.
Everything looked stable.
But the feeling didn't go away.
Something was off.
And he couldn't explain why.
Lin Xue stood up.
"I'll send this to the team," she said.
Zhao Chen nodded.
She walked toward the door.
Her steps were steady.
Calm.
Unhurried.
Outside, the hallway was quiet.
Lin Xue walked forward without stopping.
Her expression remained unchanged.
But her thoughts were clear.
Doubt had started.
Not in others—
but in Zhao Chen himself.
And once that began—
it didn't stop easily.
Her reflection appeared faintly in the glass at the end of the corridor.
Calm.
Steady.
In control.
"This is just the beginning," she thought.