Chapter 1144 Heather of the Other Shore Flower Sea (168)

Heather felt a bit embarrassed when she thought about what had just happened.

Given how things unfolded earlier, if he were imagining her as his "daydream object" in the bathroom right now...

It actually seemed completely logical.

Thinking of this, Heather suddenly hugged her arms and gave a little shiver.

That thought was definitely creepy.

Yi Yang noticed her reaction and asked with concern, "Miss Hai, are you feeling cold? If you’re chilly, maybe head inside—it’s warmer."

"Oh, no... I just remembered something suddenly. It’s nothing. I’ll stay outside and keep you company," Heather said as she stepped out, closing the door behind her. She glanced at Yi Yang and said, "I think Nian Shen must be paying you a pretty decent salary."

"Why’s that?"

"Since when has any executive assistant been glued to their boss 24/7? Don’t you have a personal life? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you clock out after work."

Day or night, wherever Nian Shen was, Yi Yang was sure to be. He was practically by his side 24/7.

Yi Yang shrugged, smiling. "Can’t be helped... These days, the competition is brutal. I need to make money to support my family—got elders and kids depending on me. Plus, our dear Nian Shen is ridiculously generous, so I try to earn every penny I can!"

As he spoke, he made a little rubbing-hands gesture and chuckled, "Let me tell you, our big boss Nian pays double—sometimes even triple—for overtime. And when he’s in a good mood, there’s bonus money too!"

"Whoa! For real?" Heather’s face lit up with gossip-worthy curiosity. "The benefits are that good?"

Then again, with Nian Shen’s deep pockets, it made sense.

"Why else do you think I’m happy being glued to the boss all the time?" Yi Yang raised an eyebrow. "The perks he offers are out-of-this-world, one-of-a-kind. Honestly, I wish a day had forty-eight hours—more overtime, more money!"

"So, it sounds like... my salary won’t be low either?" Heather asked playfully with a smile.

She had never actually asked Nian Shen about her pay.

Money wasn’t particularly enticing to her.

If she didn’t want to stay, it wouldn’t matter how much he offered—she’d still leave.

On the flip side, if she agreed to stay, she wouldn’t care how much he paid her.

This conversation was purely just Heather and Yi Yang joking around.

She believed that Yi Yang’s loyalty wasn’t purely about money, either.

"Of course it won’t be low!" Yi Yang replied. "Check your salary card at the end of the month—it’ll definitely be substantial! Miss Hai won’t need to live out in those suburban neighborhoods anymore. You can upgrade straight to a fancy apartment!"

"Well, of course! But since there’s currently a free presidential suite to stay in, why not make the most of it?"

"Great minds think alike!"

...

When Nian Shen came out of the bathroom, he found the place completely empty—Heather was nowhere to be seen.

After walking a few steps, he heard her and Yi Yang laughing and chatting outside. No idea what they were saying, but their laughter was infectious.

She spent so many years being Xiao Man, but now, she was finally living as herself. Laughing when she felt like it, throwing tantrums if she wanted, living freely.

The old Heather would have bottled up all her unhappiness, keeping it buried inside.

This version of Heather—this uninhibited Heather—was the real deal.

...

Ever since the "incident" that night, Heather had never volunteered to help him change dressings again. Whenever the nurse came in, she’d make herself scarce, as if she were avoiding him altogether. She even spent ages coaching the nurse, claiming she was too shy to look at a man’s body—even her boyfriend’s.