All My Colleagues Are Animals 23

Chapter 23

As a model employee of Velvet Bamboo Studio, Ye Qingyu conscientiously completed the first task her beautiful boss had given her.

Now, looking at her newly changed phone wallpaper, she couldn’t help but feel that this particular red panda was exceptionally handsome and cute.

Just a lazy, sleeping back view was enough to inexplicably make her heart melt. She wished she could dive into the screen to pet the little panda’s fluffy head and rub its large, snow-white ears.

She had clearly never had such an impulse when seeing other red pandas online.

As expected, as fellow fans, her and Boss Pei’s aesthetic standards were highly aligned.

After staring at the wallpaper for a while, Ye Qingyu didn’t expect that she would soon receive a new assignment.

“Ye Qingyu, come with me to meet a business partner.”

Pei Rong came in from the work area entrance.

She usually liked to wear all sorts of beautiful dresses, but today she was in a stylish and simple white suit, which gave her a bit more of a professional elite’s aura.

But when her peach blossom eyes blinked lazily, a stunning charm radiated out, diminishing any sense of distance.

Ye Qingyu was stunned for a moment. After snapping back, she looked down at herself—a simple and comfortable sweatshirt paired with jeans, like a college student.

Going out like this, she really looked like a rich woman and the young college student she was keeping…

“…Boss Pei, do I need to change my clothes?” she asked hesitantly.

“No need, you look great just like this.” Pei Rong crooked a finger. “Let’s go.”

A few minutes later, Luo Bian drove the tricycle to the entrance of the small building and flicked her hair coolly. “Get on.”

Ye Qingyu’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

Boss Pei is dressed so beautifully and formally, and she’s taking a tricycle to meet a client?!

As if she knew what Ye Qingyu was thinking, Luo Bian slowly took a drag from her cigarette and sighed.

“It’s not that we can’t afford a luxury car, but that a tricycle is more cost-effective.”

Pei Rong took the young woman’s outstretched hand and, using it for support, got onto the tricycle. Hearing that, she said lightly:

“Actually, it’s because I drove into a river during my driver’s license test.”

Ye Qingyu’s eyes instantly widened.

Luo Bian, her sore spot having been poked, her damp, light-blue hair even turning a little red. She flicked her cigarette and snorted.

“I just like tricycles!”

During their idle chat, the tricycle weaved through streets and alleys, turning left and right, and arrived at their destination in less than five minutes.

Ye Qingyu looked up and found that this was actually the place where she had her interview—

At the end of the alley, a small, vermilion building stood, its side wall covered in wantonly spreading creeper vines, lush and green.

A sandalwood plaque hung high above the door, the four characters for “Velvet Bamboo Teahouse” written with majestic momentum.

This was also an establishment run by Boss Pei.

“Boss Pei, what kind of partnership are we discussing today?”

Ye Qingyu asked curiously as she walked toward the teahouse with Pei Rong.

Didn’t they build their empire through demolition? They actually have real business to discuss.

“You’ll know in a bit,” Pei Rong said calmly.

Pushing the door open, they entered. The interior of the teahouse was bright and spacious, with a strong natural atmosphere. The purple sandalwood tables and chairs were exquisite, the fresh, dewy plants were lush, and a clear stream trickled by.

It looked like the renovation costs were high, yet there were very few customers inside, and no waiter at the front desk.

Ye Qingyu followed Pei Rong to a private room in the back.

Lifting the curtain, she saw a woman sitting with her legs crossed, leisurely drinking tea. The clear fragrance of bamboo leaves wafted with her.

Seeing them enter, the woman looked up and said with a rather teasing tone, “Long time no see, Little Capable One. And you even brought a beautiful woman with you.”

Pei the Red Panda’s gaze paused. Her red lips parted slightly, unhappily revealing the tips of her canines.

“Tu Shanyue, why is it you? Also, you are forbidden from calling me Little Capable One(Little Neng).”

“If its paws aren’t sharp, isn’t a red panda (小熊猫, xiǎoxióngmāo) just a ”little able cat” (小能猫, xiǎonéngmāo)?”  [(T/N: Neng here means able, capable, skillfull) — (xióngmāo means literally bear-cat = red panda in Chinese) (néngmāo means able/capable cat)]

Tu Shanyue said with a chuckle.

Pei the Red Panda pulled Ye Qingyu to sit down. Hearing that, her peach blossom eyes narrowed, and she shot a warning look at Tu Shanyue.

Ye Qingyu’s ears twitched.

So Boss Pei’s acquaintance also thinks she’s like a red panda? The nickname ‘Little Capable One’ is actually quite cute.

But clearly, Boss Pei herself was a bit puffed up with anger and didn’t like to hear it.

Out discussing business, she consciously and carefully poured a cup of bamboo leaf tea for Pei Rong, serving her beautiful boss well.

Only then did Pei Rong’s expression relax a little. She took a sip from her cup. “You drink too.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

Tu Shanyue looked on with fresh interest, then extended a hand to the young human across from her. “Hello, I’m Tu Shanyue, the new boss of Tushan Publishing House. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Ye Qingyu glanced at Pei Rong first before extending her hand for a light shake with the client. “Hello, I’m an employee of Velvet Bamboo Studio, Ye Qingyu.”

Just as she was about to retract her hand, she felt the client’s fingertips suddenly squeeze cunningly, holding her hand tight so she couldn’t pull it back.

Pei the Red Panda was seemingly sipping her tea with an air of nonchalance, but her peripheral vision was closely monitoring their handshake.

One second, two seconds…

Her peach blossom eyes narrowed.

This handshake is going on forever.

A thought struck Pei Rong. In the next second, she transformed into a red panda and unhappily whipped her large tail against Ye Qingyu’s back.

Ye Qingyu could see that this client was outwardly teasing her, but was actually trying to provoke Boss Pei. She naturally couldn’t let herself become Boss Pei’s weakness.

Her fingertips tensed. She smoothly pulled her hand back, then suddenly shuddered—

Her back felt like it had been whipped by something fluffy. It didn’t hurt, but it was a little itchy.

“Hahahahaha…” Tu Shanyue, who had seen everything, laughed until she was out of breath.

“The deal is off.”

Pei Rong put down her teacup, her peach blossom eyes lifting coolly. Her reddish-brown curls bristled, and a cute cowlick popped up, wobbling.

Tu Shanyue quickly said, “My bad, Little Capable One. Don’t be angry.”

Ye Qingyu’s heart lurched.

Why is the deal suddenly off?

My boss didn’t misunderstand me, did she?

Out of her sense of duty as a model employee, she temporarily ignored the feeling on her back, re-brewed the bamboo leaf tea, and then refilled Pei Rong’s cup again.

She said with a gentle expression, “Boss Pei, have some tea.”

Seeing her beautiful boss seemingly so angry that even the tips of her ears were turning red, she picked up a cattail fan from the side and gently fanned her to cool her down.

Pei the Red Panda felt a little comfortable being served.

She licked the tip of her teeth and stared dangerously at Tu Shanyue across from her. After a few seconds of silent thought, she lowered her head and took a sip of tea.

As she moved, the cute cowlick on her head trembled and swayed in front of the human’s eyes. In order to maintain her boss’s prestige in front of a client, Ye Qingyu raised a hand and carefully smoothed the cowlick down.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, the human you’re raising is so well-behaved and considerate.”

Tu Shanyue scratched her chin with a fingertip, her bright red nails particularly conspicuous.

She tested the limits of the red panda, who was on the verge of bristling again, and winked at Ye Qingyu, saying half-jokingly, “Why don’t you come with me? How much is Little Capable One paying you? I’ll double it.”

Ye Qingyu’s pupils constricted.

To poach someone so blatantly, right in front of them!

In the moment she was stunned, Pei the Red Panda, who had just been coaxed, got into another mood.

Why didn’t Ye Qingyu immediately and fiercely refuse?

Don’t tell me she’s actually considering it?

And so, just as Ye Qingyu had formulated a tactful refusal and was about to speak, Pei Rong lifted her eyelids and said nonchalantly to Tu Shanyue, “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

She was kicking the fox out.

“I was joking, just kidding! You know my wretched personality, don’t mind me.”

Tu Shanyue knew she had really angered the little panda this time and quickly became serious. “I just took over the publishing house from my mom. I was really looking forward to our first collaboration.”

“But, have you really thought it through?”

Tu Shanyue said seriously, “The magazine industry has been going downhill year by year. Physical magazines are even harder. More than half of them on the market are losing money, and many have closed down over the years.”

Pei Rong pondered for a moment, then temporarily set aside her mood to discuss business. “It was never about making money in the first place.”

“In the past two years, apart from one Golden Retriever, we haven’t carried out any other rescues.” She lowered her eyes, her tone somewhat solemn. “I can’t just rely on luck anymore. I have to do more.”

“Who would have thought that you, Little Capable One, who just chews on apples all day, would actually have such a heart,” Tu Shanyue said with a smile.

A cowlick once again slowly popped up on Pei the Red Panda’s head.

Tu Shanyue quickly reined in her nature and said sincerely, “After all, you all helped me before. The publishing house will definitely give its full support this time. Consider it a small token of my appreciation. The contract is all drafted. Take a look.”

Pei Rong took the contract and read the terms carefully. Seeing that it was full of sincerity, she felt a little more at ease.

Having known each other for many years, she didn’t hesitate for long. After a brief discussion, she quickly signed the contract.

Immediately after, the grudge-holding little panda picked up her previous mood and showed her guest the door. “Goodbye.”

“You Little Capable One, burning the bridge after crossing it,” Tu Shanyue muttered, but she got up readily.

She raised an eyebrow at Ye Qingyu, then turned and left coolly, leaving just the two of them in the private room.

Pei Rong slowly savored her tea, opened her phone, and her fingertips quickly tapped and swiped, not saying a word.

Ye Qingyu glanced at her silent, beautiful boss, her heart tightening slightly. Why does my boss seem like a bristling little animal right now?

【How to tell the human you’re raising that she’s not allowed to go with other foxes?】

【How to ensure a permanent one-on-one relationship between a master and a puppy?】

【How to emphasize that I am the puppy’s only master?】

Pei the Red Panda did a flurry of fierce searches, trying so hard that a thin layer of sweat was about to break out on the tip of her pale nose.

Suddenly, she inadvertently saw a strange answer, and her eyes lit up.

Ye Qingyu was sitting up straight, racking her brain to figure out what she had done wrong. Just as she was about to speak, a hand reached out and grabbed her collar.

Pei the Red Panda blinked her sullen peach blossom eyes, recalled the new term she had just haphazardly learned from the human internet, and said with an air of arrogance:

“You know, right? We’re into BDSM.”