The neighbor across from me doesn't like to close his curtains. Every evening, I can see him working out in his living room. Black compression shirt, gray sweatpants. V-shaped torso, lean muscles, long legs, and a face with perfect bone structure. I'd been secretly watching for a solid two weeks, and just as I was about to work up the courage to ask for his contact info... Suddenly, comments appeared: 【Keep staring and I'll gouge your eyes out!】 【This crazy supporting female character—the male lead is clearly trying to seduce the female lead next door, but she's watching so intently. It's infuriating!】 【The supporting character is so shameless. Peeping is illegal. Can't someone call the cops on her?】 【Don't worry, don't worry. The male lead is pulling out all the stops tonight, but the supporting character gets so absorbed in watching that she accidentally falls out the window and dies...】 I sucked in a sharp breath. That very night, I installed safety bars and replaced my curtains with thick blackout ones. I didn't dare look even once after that. A few days later, my neighbor knocked on my door with a tone that was both aggrieved and self-righteous: "Why did you stop watching me? Is it because you think I'm out of shape?" Me: ? 0
Those words hit me like a bolt of lightning. What did he mean by that? The comments were just as confused: 【That sounds almost... flirty?】 【The male lead is polite, so he can't directly call out the supporting character's rude behavior. He can only remind her indirectly not to peep anymore!】 【Damn, those pecs, those abs, that... he's clearly got serious stamina! No wonder the supporting character was watching. I wouldn't be able to resist either!】 【As expected of a cultured and graceful male lead—he's a perfect match for our gentle and kind female lead!】 So that was it. He seemed like a pretty decent guy, actually. I couldn't help but feel some gratitude toward the man in front of me. If I put myself in his shoes—if some creep had been secretly watching me for two weeks straight, I'd definitely call the cops. But he just came over to gently remind me. He'd already given me plenty of dignity. As I was mulling this over, Ethan suddenly introduced himself: "Hi, I'm Ethan. I'm from the capital. I own dozens of properties and have liquid assets in the hundreds of millions. I'm twenty-five this year, but I've been working out consistently. I'm in great health, and my parents have a harmonious relationship..." Me: ? 【The male lead is showing off his wealth to make the supporting character back off.】 【Male lead: This is a simple warning. Next time won't be so easy.】 Me: ! I immediately bowed ninety degrees to him and apologized sincerely: "I'm so sorry, Mr. Ethan. I know my behavior caused you distress. It was wrong of me. I promise I'll never watch you again!" Ethan: ? The aggrieved expression on his face suddenly froze, and his tone turned a bit flustered: "No, that's not what I meant..." I understood completely. He still didn't want to call me out directly because he was afraid of hurting my self-esteem. What a good person! I felt even more guilty and apologized repeatedly. 【Wait, why isn't the supporting character following the script?】 【Admitting mistakes and changing behavior makes her a good girl. I hereby declare I won't curse at the supporting character anymore.】 【Who knows if the supporting character is just pretending to lower the male lead's guard so she can peep more effectively later?】 Heaven and earth could bear witness—I truly knew I was wrong and would absolutely never watch again. Falling from the tenth floor—how much would that hurt? I shivered, my face turning pale. But Ethan lowered his head, his ears turning completely red: "I just wanted to ask... do you girls like my body type?" Hearing this, I discreetly scanned him from head to toe and quietly swallowed. Damn, the black compression shirt was even pilling. His pecs were so full they were about to burst through the fabric. If I accidentally bumped into them, I wondered how good it would feel... The comments promptly interrupted my fantasy: 【The male lead hit a wall pursuing the female lead and doubts his own charm, so he's trying to figure out what the female lead likes.】 【He's too embarrassed to ask the female lead directly, so he's asking the supporting character instead.】 I got it again. So he was trying to find out what the female lead liked. I was almost shipping them myself. To make up for my mistake, I decided to help them out: "Don't worry, you have a great body. No one wouldn't like it." The female lead and male lead were made for each other—how could the female lead not like him? The corners of Ethan's mouth instantly lifted high. I quickly added: "You can rest completely assured—I'll never watch you again. If I do, I'll... I'll never get rich my whole life!" After making this vow, I didn't wait to see Ethan's expression. I went straight inside and closed the door. 0
That night, I added another layer of blackout curtains to make absolutely sure no light could get through. This should let me escape the tragic fate of accidentally falling from the building. I'd first noticed Ethan over twenty days ago. I'd been tortured to tears by a work proposal and went downstairs, wanting neither to take the stairs nor the elevator. I casually glanced out the window. Instantly, my headache was gone, my depression lifted, and I didn't want to die anymore. In the unit across from mine, there was a gorgeous man working out, and he wasn't even closing his curtains! From my angle, I could see everything. Black compression shirt, gray sweatpants. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs, perfect facial structure... he fulfilled all my fantasies about the ultimate hottie. I clung to the window and watched for a full hour. The next evening, with an excited heart, I secretly looked across again. He still hadn't closed his curtains! I didn't know if it was my imagination, but the lighting seemed even brighter. This time his upper body was bare, and the gray sweatpants had been switched for athletic shorts. I was immensely grateful for my good eyesight—I could even clearly see the veins bulging on his abs. I scolded myself for my shameful peeping behavior while convincing myself that as a grown woman, I needed to look at these things to have the energy to make a living. After secretly watching for two weeks straight, I was sleeping with a pillow clamped between my legs. I couldn't help fantasizing—if I could get him, I'd first give him a few light slaps on his chest, then have a good time on top of him. But the comments that suddenly appeared gave me a harsh wake-up call. The comments said he had someone he liked—the girl living next door to me—and that he worked out without closing his curtains just to attract her attention. I'd run into that girl a few times. She was gentle and beautiful. The thought that a fellow woman was secretly enjoying such a treat without telling me broke my heart. But heartbreak aside... I sincerely wished this young couple could be together forever, until they were old and gray! I stopped thinking about them and went back to enjoying videos of hot guys. The consequence of indulging in eye candy was that I nearly overslept for work the next day. When I got to the office, contrary to my expectations, there was no dead, dull office atmosphere. Everyone was as excited as if they'd taken drugs. After some quick investigating, I learned that the company had suddenly been acquired by a big shot, and we were getting a new boss. I sat at my desk feeling a bit worried. The old boss might have had a bald spot and tended to spray spit when he talked, but he was generous! He gave out bonuses on holidays, gave out bonuses when he was in a good mood, even gave out bonuses for occasional overtime... bonuses, bonuses, bonuses until you got sick of them. Where else could I find a boss who randomly handed out bonuses like that? I sent him a message with a heavy heart: 【Boss, if someone's threatening you, just blink.】 The boss replied instantly: 【Not telling, not telling.】 【You have no idea what I got out of this!】 I was about to try to extract more information when a chorus of gasps suddenly erupted throughout the office. My lunch buddy kicked my chair hard. Me: ... Following her gaze, I looked up and my eyebrows shot up in shock. Ethan? The new boss was actually Ethan? Ethan looked over at the same time. Our eyes met, and the corners of his mouth lifted in a high arc, his eyes shining impossibly bright. 【Oh no, that expression—the supporting character doesn't think the male lead came here for her, does she?】 【Actually, the female lead has a partnership with this company, which is why the male lead acquired it.】 【Nothing else to say—everyone type these four words right now: OLDER MAN SUPREMACY!】 The office erupted. "Ahhhhh he's so handsome and stylish!" "I heard he's a young master from the capital. Wonder if he's here to gain experience or for someone special." "Boss, look at me! I don't want to work hard anymore!" "..." Listening to all this gossip, I could only feel amazed. The title of most devoted CEO had to go to Ethan. To pursue his woman, this capital circle young master was willing to live in a small one-bedroom apartment, show off his body every day without closing the curtains, and even directly acquire a company. How wonderful. Another day of shipping a couple. The office gradually quieted down, and I recovered from my excitement over this couple and started working seriously. I don't know how much time passed before my lunch buddy kicked my chair hard again. I looked up—it was Ethan again. He'd taken off his suit jacket, rolled his white shirt sleeves up to his forearms, and unbuttoned the top two buttons. His fingers were so long, and his nose bridge was so high... Stop it! I immediately shook those unhealthy thoughts from my mind and put on a fake smile: "Boss, can I help you with something?" 0
Ethan's lips pressed into a straight line: "I need a secretary. Haven't found the right one yet, so I'll have to trouble you to fill in temporarily." I froze: "But..." Before I could finish, Ethan had already picked up my entire desk and computer together. Me: ... Helplessly, I could only follow. His legs were long and he walked fast. I had to jog to keep up with his pace. From the exertion, the muscles in his arms tensed, forming perfect muscle lines that were quite enticing. The comments started drooling: 【I feel like the male lead is the type who could toss a wok for cooking for days on end.】 【Serious stamina! Serious stamina!】 Stunned by these shocking comments, I fell silent. A few seconds later, watching Ethan place my desk directly in front of his own desk, I fell silent again. So close that if I stretched my legs, I could touch his calves. Extremely lacking in boundaries. Wait, was this okay? The comments were equally confused: 【Am I detecting a hint of ambiguity?】 【Maybe he thinks the supporting character knows the female lead and wants to butter her up so she'll put in a good word, like how guys pursuing girls try to befriend their besties.】 【If I remember correctly, the female lead and supporting character aren't even close, right?】 【But the male lead thinks they know each other! He's just too in love!】 So Ethan thought I was the female lead's best friend. But the female lead and I were at most nodding acquaintances. We weren't close at all. I was about to explain when a comment suddenly floated by: 【This works out well. Let the supporting character see firsthand how much the male lead values the female lead and completely give up her delusions!】 Me: ... Fine then. I stopped worrying about it and immediately started cramming on the job duties of a CEO's personal secretary. On the other hand, Ethan seemed like he had ants in his pants. One moment rolling his shirt sleeves up to his arms, the next buttoning and unbuttoning his collar, revealing his delicate collarbones. Like a mischievous child trying every way to get an adult's attention. Was he fishing for evidence against me? I worked even harder, not daring to give him even half a glance. A few minutes later, an impatient "tch" came from above my head. Sure enough, he was fishing for evidence. He was unhappy he couldn't catch me in the act. He suddenly stood up and went into the lounge. A clattering sound came from inside. Me: ... Sighing quietly, Ethan emerged from the lounge and placed several small cakes on my desk: "I accidentally bought too many today. Could you help me finish them?" After a while, he placed peeled pomelo segments on my desk. Then a bit later, a warm cup of bubble tea... This must be how guys treat their girlfriend's best friend—alternating between annoyance and trying to win them over. My heart completely settled back into my stomach. After ending this inexplicably strange day, I waited for the bus outside. My lower abdomen suddenly felt a pulling sensation. I hurriedly ran back to the company restroom to take care of it. When I came out, a red sports car was arrogantly parked right in front of the company building. It was Ethan. "It's about to rain. I'm heading your way—let me give you a ride." I was about to decline when lightning flashed across the sky and the ground shook. I jumped in fright and stopped refusing. Ethan drove a sports car, so I had to open the door and sit in the passenger seat. We drove in silence. The moment I stepped through my front door, rain came pouring down. I secretly felt grateful I'd taken Ethan's car home, otherwise with the rain, thunder, and my period, I would have been miserable. I pulled open the curtains to check the windows and inadvertently glanced across. Ethan was working out again. I silently marveled at how he never forgot his original intention. He suddenly looked up. Through the pouring rain, his gaze found me precisely. 0
I quickly pulled the curtains shut. After tapping an electronic prayer bell for a minute to absolve my sins, I collapsed on the bed to relax. Strange—my period usually left me in agony, but this time there was only a slight aching sensation. Could it be because I'd secretly watched Ethan for two weeks? So I felt completely justified scrolling through videos of hot guys for two hours before falling into a deep, satisfied sleep. Today was my second day as temporary secretary. I didn't dare be late and got up ten minutes early. When I opened my door, I came face to face with the female lead, who was also heading out. She smiled at me kindly, and I returned a big smile. After going downstairs, I saw that familiar, flashy sports car again. 【Who understands—to get one more glimpse of his precious female lead, the male lead has been waiting downstairs for an hour.】 【The male lead is wearing a casual outfit in the same color scheme as the female lead today. They're so in sync!】 【Serious stamina! Serious stamina!】 I wanted to pretend I hadn't seen it. The car window slowly rolled down, revealing that handsome, perfect face. Ethan called out: "Sophia~ Get in~" I hesitated for a moment, but he'd already gotten out and opened the car door for me. Getting in the car, I noticed he'd changed his watch. Yesterday it was a Rolex, today a Patek Philippe. My back teeth were about to crack. Why couldn't the world have one more rich person—me! Just as I was about to buckle my seatbelt, Ethan suddenly leaned over and fastened it for me. A pleasant, faint citrus scent swirled around my nose. I instinctively held my breath. The comments filled with question marks: 【Why is the male lead being so intimate and ambiguous with the supporting character?】 【This action makes me feel like he's not waiting for the female lead, but the supporting character.】 【The male lead is being so improper with women. Deduct points! Must deduct points!】 I also felt this behavior wasn't quite appropriate. What if the female lead saw and misunderstood? Wouldn't I become a homewrecker struck down by heaven? No way, absolutely not! Everything Ethan was doing now was to get closer to the female lead. I couldn't be a stumbling block on his path to winning his wife! I clutched the seatbelt and thought hard for a while, then suddenly turned to Ethan very seriously and said: "Mr. Ethan, I have a boyfriend." His fingers, which had been tapping the steering wheel, suddenly stopped. Ethan stiffly turned his head, his dark eyes full of disbelief, something seeming to shatter in their depths. "A boyfriend? You have a boyfriend?" I nodded obediently. A creaking sound echoed in the car. It went on for quite a while before Ethan's eyes began to redden slightly: "I don't believe it!" I was a bit puzzled. What was with this "my wife doesn't want me anymore" expression? "Why don't you believe it?" "I've never seen any men around you." Me: ... I patiently lied: "He's usually busy with work..." "No matter how busy, that's no excuse to neglect you!" He raised his voice, looking like he was about to cry. 【Who understands—the male lead thought everyone was single, and finding out the supporting character is in a relationship instantly broke his defenses.】 【It's like thinking we're all struggling students, then you get first place in the whole school on finals. Total betrayal.】 I thought for a moment, opened my phone's photo album, found a picture with my brother, and shoved it in Ethan's face. In the photo, I was hugging the guy's neck from behind, smiling brilliantly. "Look, my boyfriend's handsome, right? Everyone says we look like a married couple." Ethan stared at the photo for a long time, his lips trembling violently several times before he finally closed his eyes, his tone very light. "I'm sorry. My recent behavior has caused you trouble." "But this is just a boss's concern for an ordinary subordinate. Please don't take it to heart." With that, he silently started the car. I looked out the window, vaguely feeling something was off. When we entered the company, Ethan walked very quickly, as if dogs were chasing him.
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