Gold Medal Sweetheart

"Ring, ring, ring!" The phone to the General Affairs Office suddenly rang. Tang Xin's heart was already racing, and she could almost hear her own heartbeat. She had been fidgeting since returning to the office. She wanted to calculate the school's upcoming office supplies, but she just picked up a pen and put it down again. She wanted to clean the office, but she just picked up a broom and stood there in a daze for a long time.

The ringing of the phone finally woke her up from her trance. To her, it was like the devils sent by the King of Hell, beating drums and gongs to claim her life.

Yes, what is coming will eventually come.

The general manager walked over from behind Tang Xin, holding some newly printed forms. He glanced at Tang Xin, who was stunned, and asked, "Why didn't you answer the phone when it rang for so long?" As he spoke, he picked up the phone, "Hello? Hello!"

A second later, the general manager's tone became noticeably more humble, "Yes, yes, yes, OK." In less than half a minute, the general manager hung up the phone.

She looked at Tang Xin with a hint of resentment and shook her head. "I always tell you to be more careful and conscientious in your work," she said, using the tone of an elder scolding a child. "Look, a new official has three major responsibilities when he takes office, and now I'm going to punish you for being the first to step out."

Tang Xin looked at the general manager with panicky eyes, not knowing what to say. It felt like a disaster was really about to happen.

The general manager sighed, "The new boss wants to see you!"

I knew that even if the monk escaped, the temple couldn't! Tang Xin came closer and asked cautiously, "Was this call from him? What did he say?"

"It's the new boss! He came up and said he wanted to look for the teacher who was late for the meeting just now." The general affairs director looked at Tang Xin sympathetically and said helplessly.

"When?" Tang Xin asked without giving up.

"Now." The general manager's answer left no room for maneuver.

A feeling of powerlessness suddenly overwhelmed her. A sudden, clashing sound echoed through Tang Tang's mind, and with it, the sliver of hope that remained, like the final feather in a balancing act, instantly collapsed. But unlike the reason the General Affairs Director had assumed she would be reprimanded by her new boss, she knew the real reason she had been summoned less than an hour after the new boss took the helm: to apprehend the culprit who had abducted a decent woman. The thought of her husband even coming to her house made her burst into tears. The feeling of desperation made her bow her head like a bullied servant.

Seeing this, the director also reminded him, "Listen to what the boss says and show your determination at work."

Tang Xin nodded weakly in agreement. Well, if it were really that simple, why would I worry about it?

On her way from the second floor to the third, she passed the principal's office. She now felt that even seeing the principal was a blessing. Every day at work, she had to run up and down the stairs several times a day. For her, it was easy and effortless. But now, every step felt incredibly heavy, like going through fire and water.

Countless escape plans flashed through my mind unconsciously...

In version one, Teacher Tang Xin was on her way to her boss's office when she had an accident, twisted her ankle, and then tumbled down the stairs, fainting. This could even be considered a work-related injury.

Version 2: Teacher Tang Xin suddenly had a stomachache. Due to the emergency, he was rushed to the hospital without time to ask for leave. If only he could find an acquaintance who worked at the hospital, they could write him a note or something and give him a long vacation.

Version three...

Version Four...

In a short while, she thought of all the excuses she could think of, from the elderly neighbor who lived alone suddenly falling ill and needed care to the fire in her house.

But after much thought, I still felt that since that guy surnamed Jin had already found this place, escaping was only temporary and I would have to face it eventually. If I could rise a little higher, perhaps this was life.

I lingered on reaching the third floor. The tightly closed office door before me, if flanked by two menacing, sinister-looking door gods, would be like the gates of hell. Even after a long day of self-reflection, I still felt a little nervous before his door. After all, I had done something wrong. I repeatedly adjusted my breathing, closed my eyes, raised my arms, and clapped them three times.

"Come in." A quiet voice, as gentle as water, came through the door, making one imagine the owner inside must be a gentle and amiable person. However, Tang Xin shook her head. What a shame, such a beautiful voice was wasted.

He paused for a few seconds, breathing in and out, but his little heart was still beating like a restless rabbit, and he couldn't calm down no matter what he did.

"Calm down—calm down." Exhale.

Heart rate 98.

"Calm down, Tang Xin, you need to calm down, relex." As he spoke, he stroked her chest, trying to calm himself down.

Heart rate 105.

"It's no big deal, don't be nervous, don't be nervous." He closed his eyes and swallowed deeply.

Heart rate 120.

"That's all right, you little brat, try dancing for me again?" He instantly changed into a rough and rude mode, raised his fist, and hit the little chest twice. "What's so special about that kid surnamed Jin? He's just a big shot with no manners, no character..."

Tang Xin was frantically trying to instill positive mental cues in herself when a bright golden glow suddenly appeared beneath her feet, radiating warmth. But as the door opened and a pair of elegant men's casual leather shoes appeared, little Tang Tang was petrified. She repeatedly asked herself, "What have I done wrong? Why do I always run into him at times like this?"

Standing tall at the door, Jin Taize frowned slightly, his beautiful eyes gazing down at Tang Xin, the little man waving his fists in front of his door, muttering something to himself, performing a rock-breaking performance. His well-tailored white shirt outlined his youthful, muscular figure. Innate elegance and masculine strength, these two seemingly contradictory qualities, blended perfectly in him, creating a seamless whole.

She didn't know if it was because the sunlight was too strong, but for a moment she felt her face was slightly warm from the sun.

Tang Xin's clenched fist froze in the air, frozen between her and Jin Taize. A beam of sunlight, as if filtered through a window, slanted down from Jin Taize's head onto Tang Xin's small head, a perfect Tyndall effect, as clear as an angel's eye. At that moment, time stood still, the sunlight seeming to have traveled from another time and space, etched upon the silhouette of the two of them at this very moment.

There is a feeling called being in another world.

A line of poetry by Du Fu that I read in high school suddenly popped up from somewhere:

"Zong is a handsome and elegant young man. He raises his cup and looks up at the sky with his eyes wide open, as bright as a jade tree in the wind."

At this time, April 4, 12:10 am, my heart rate was 03...