[Note: The previous chapter was not well-written, so I deleted 1,000 words and rewrote it. If you don’t understand this chapter, please go back and reread the previous one~]
Wen Xuxue appeared unusually indifferent. “Not curious.”
Zhou Shijing replied, “Oh.”
And so, until she led him to her doorstep, he didn’t utter a single word of explanation.
Wen Xuxue inserted the key, turned it a few times, and opened the door.
Zhou Shijing instinctively stepped inside.
Suddenly, Wen Xuxue blocked his path and asked, “I forgot to ask you earlier—what did you come to see me for tonight?”
Zhou Shijing took a step forward, about to enter the house, and said, “Let Older Brother in first. I’ll tell you once we’re inside.”
Wen Xuxue placed a hand on his chest, stopping him from advancing, and said, “No. If you come in, it’ll be like I’m inviting a wolf into my home.”
Zhou Shijing lowered his gaze, remained silent for a moment, and then said, “To talk about your work.”
He knew exactly how to handle her. Wen Xuxue immediately stepped aside and respectfully said, “Boss, please come in.”
Zhou Shijing: “…”
Her change of expression was truly swift.
After changing his shoes, he walked straight to the living room sofa and sat down.
In the past, whenever he visited her home, Wen Xuxue had never offered him a glass of water. But now—
She obediently boiled a pot of hot water, took out her treasured tea leaves, and began brewing tea for him.
A few minutes later, Wen Xuxue pushed the freshly brewed tea toward him and said with a smile, “Boss, have a sip to soothe your throat.”
Zhou Shijing felt somewhat conflicted.
He took the cup, took a small sip, and asked, “In your heart, does the identity of ‘boss’ hold more importance than that of ‘older brother’?”
Wen Xuxue nodded obediently. “Of course. After all, the boss is the patron, while older brother is…”
Her voice suddenly trailed off. Zhou Shijing raised an eyebrow and pressed, “Older brother is what?”
Wen Xuxue’s eyes shifted as she looked at him and said, “Older brother is the master.”
Zhou Shijing was successfully pleased by her words, a faint hint of joy appearing in his eyes. “But in reality, both identities belong to the same person.”
Wen Xuxue smiled slightly. “Wrong. Older brother belongs to the past; the boss belongs to the present.”
She dismissed their past and went even further: “Moreover, older brother might become someone else’s older brother in the future.”
Zhou Shijing calmly fell silent.
She was still bothered by what happened tonight.
But…
Was she jealous, or was it something else?
Seeing him remain silent, Wen Xuxue frowned and asked, “Will older brother become someone else’s older brother in the future?”
Zhou Shijing said softly, “Older brother will only ever be Xiao Xue’s older brother.”
Wen Xuxue asked, “Then who was that woman you had dinner with tonight?”
Zhou Shijing’s expression softened, his voice low and steady. “Did Xiao Xue build up all this just to ask that?”
Instead of answering immediately, he countered, “Who do you think she is?”
Wen Xuxue lowered her gaze in thought.
She definitely couldn’t be a “little sister.”
After all, she looked about the same age as him, equally mature and steady, exuding feminine charm.
“Your business partner?” she asked.
Zhou Shijing said, “No.”
Wen Xuxue asked, “A blind date?”
Zhou Shijing denied it.
Wen Xuxue omitted two words: “Your partner?”
When he didn’t respond, she pressed further: “Your wife?”
Zhou Shijing said in a low voice, sounding both admonishing and indulgent, “Xiao Xue is getting more and more out of line. If older brother had a partner or a wife, would he still fool around with you like this?”
Wen Xuxue shot him a glance and said, “So you know what we’re doing is reckless? And what’s impossible? I already told you I have a boyfriend, yet you still won’t leave me alone.”
“Do you know what this is called?” she seized the rare chance to lecture him, unwilling to let it go, and continued, “It’s called being the third party interfering in someone else’s relationship.”
“You’re the boss of such a large corporation. If word got out that you’re doing something like this, you’d be utterly humiliated.”
She criticized him mercilessly.
Facing her accusations, Zhou Shijing remained unfazed and indifferent, saying, “Older Brother is getting old and doesn’t care about face or reputation.”
“Besides,” he suddenly leaned in closer to her. Wen Xuxue tried to escape but was pulled back.
Their lips were almost touching as he spoke, nearly brushing against hers: “Guess, would anyone dare laugh at Older Brother?”
His scorching breath washed over her face, and Wen Xuxue stiffened.
Zhou Shijing continued, arrogant and presumptuous: “Even if our affair were made public, do you think your father would dare say anything? Or your boyfriend, or your boyfriend’s family—would they dare criticize Older Brother?”
Wen Xuxue froze, looking up at him in disbelief, a faint trace of brokenness flickering in her eyes.
Zhou Shijing directly captured her lips, pressing her onto the sofa and kissing her fiercely.
It was just a kiss; aside from his hands being a bit restless, he did nothing else to her.
Only after Zhou Shijing released her lips did Wen Xuxue sit up pitifully, tugging down her crumpled shirt helplessly, and muttering, “You jerk.”
Zhou Shijing turned to look at her, his expression stern, and threatened calmly, “One curse, one time. Xiao Xue should think carefully.”
Wen Xuxue snorted coldly, no longer arguing with him about it, and changed the subject: “What work did you want to discuss with me?”
That statement had been an excuse. After a moment of silence, Zhou Shijing casually asked, “Which position do you want?”
Wen Xuxue suddenly remembered what Jiang Jing had said that afternoon and tugged at his sleeve, saying, “Do you still need an assistant by your side? The kind with decision-making and management authority.”
Zhou Shijing’s thin lips moved slightly: “Chief Assistant?”
Wen Xuxue: “Mhm.”
Zhou Shijing looked at her and said, “Being a Chief Assistant is exhausting.”
Wen Xuxue replied, “I’m not afraid of hard work. I want to become someone as capable as Older Brother in the future.”
Zhou Shijing didn’t agree immediately: “Send me your resume.”
Was this an on-the-spot interview?
And conducted by the big boss himself.
Wen Xuxue felt nervous and quickly pulled up her personal information from her phone, sending it to him.
Zhou Shijing skimmed through it rapidly, saying, “Your education and work experience aren’t sufficient for this position.”
Wen Xuxue pouted pitifully: “I can learn.”
Zhou Shijing, flipping to some page without looking up, remarked, “Your university grades are good. You weren’t busy with romance during those years, but focused on studying?”
Wen Xuxue tried to win his favor: “I worked super hard.”
Zhou Shijing finished flipping through and looked up, saying, “But your university isn’t up to par.”
Wen Xuxue pursed her lips: “Can’t Older Brother pull some strings for me?”
Zhou Shijing gazed at her, intrigued: “If Xiao Xue can make Older Brother happy, then Older Brother might consider pulling strings for you.”
“Otherwise, what makes you think you deserve it?”
His last sentence was utterly cold and heartless.
Wen Xuxue began to plead, “Can’t you consider our past affection?”
Zhou Shijing remained unmoved. “You said it yourself—it’s the past. What affection remains after it’s all over?”
Wen Xuxue gazed into his dark eyes.
Within them, there was a cold indifference, revealing no emotion.
Yet they clearly reflected her own face.
She pressed her lips together, helplessly and slowly rising from the sofa, and began to remove her dress.