【Ah! He’s standing up for you, Boss!】999 instantly turned starry eyed. 【The male lead really is domineering.】
【Weren’t you saying something completely different just now?】 Shen Nuan teased.
999 flashed a fawning grin. 【Misunderstanding, misunderstanding. It was all a misunderstanding. How could the male lead possibly fail to distinguish right from wrong?】
The setting wasn’t appropriate, otherwise Shen Nuan really wanted to tell him to stop acting like a fangirl.
Yang Liu never expected Fu Shijing to take Shen Nuan’s side. Her expression immediately darkened.
“President Fu, she’s pretending to be innocent.”
Just as Shen Nuan was about to defend herself, the man’s cool gaze swept toward Yang Liu.
“Do you think I wouldn’t have seen whether she splashed coffee on you or not?”
Yang Liu’s face turned livid.
This was nothing like what she had anticipated. Continuing would only embarrass herself further, so she could only find an excuse to leave.
“President Fu, I just remembered I have something to do. I won’t stay for coffee.”
She shot Shen Nuan a vicious glare before grabbing her bag and hurrying away.
Yang Liu had obviously left in anger, which surprised Shen Nuan.
Whether he had done it out of kindness or not, she still felt she should thank him.
“Fu Shijing, thank you.”
The grip on her wrist tightened slightly, and his tone became even harsher.
“Who told you to come to work? Your foot isn’t healed yet. What are you working for? Do you want to ruin it completely?”
Pain shot through her wrist, and she immediately made a pitiful face.
“But I was supposed to come to work. I already agreed to it before.”
She had thought he was helping her out of goodwill after all the effort she had put into pursuing him.
Who knew he would still be this fierce?
Realizing he had hurt her, Fu Shijing quickly loosened his grip.
“Take leave and go home.”
【Boss, the male lead is worried about you.】999 covered his mouth like an excited gossip spectator before popping up again.
Worried about her? Was that even possible?
Maybe he simply found her unpleasant to look at.
After thinking for a few seconds, Shen Nuan asked, 【Little Nine, if I start flattering him now, do you think it’ll work?】
999 immediately raised both hands in approval.
【Absolutely. Give it a try. There’s no harm in flattering him.】
If she was going to try, she might as well start now.
Shen Nuan slowly shook her head.
“But if I go home, I won’t even get the chance to see you.”
Lowering her eyes, she said deliberately, “I can endure it.”
She had come to work despite her injured foot because she wanted to see him?
A strange feeling began spreading through Fu Shijing’s chest.
It was an emotion he neither needed nor should care about.
Standing nearby, Xiao Ang silently enjoyed the drama.
Miss Shen was truly devoted to their boss. She didn’t ask for anything in return. She worked in a small coffee shop just for the chance to see the man she liked.
【Little Nine, why is he staring at me without saying anything? Was what I said really that fake? Wasn’t it touching?】
Under Fu Shijing’s unreadable gaze, Shen Nuan felt increasingly uneasy.
She wanted to hide.
【Boss, even I was moved. How could it be fake?】999 sniffled dramatically.
【It’s useless if you’re moved. He has to be moved.】
Shen Nuan became nervous.
【He wouldn’t destroy my job, would he? I haven’t even received my first paycheck yet.】
【Probably not?】999 answered uncertainly.
Who knew?
Growing anxious, Shen Nuan grabbed the man’s sleeve and hurriedly explained.
“Fu Shijing, I promise I won’t bother you. I’m only working here part time. Even if I never see you, I’m still willing to do it.”
Fortunately, they were inside a private room. If this had happened out in the café where everyone could hear, she probably would never have been able to say those words.
Fu Shijing glanced at her hand.
“Did I say you couldn’t work?”
Shen Nuan immediately withdrew her hand.
“Sorry, I misunderstood.”
Fu Shijing’s patience was limited.
“Go home.”
“It’s fine. I… ah…”
Shen Nuan stared in shock as the man suddenly lifted her into his arms.
Her words came out stammering.
“What are you doing?”
At that moment, a pleasant notification sounded in her ear.
【Ding! System reward received: 200,000 yuan.】
“Recover.”
Just two cool, simple words, yet they carried unexpected warmth.
Since he was already carrying her, there was no way Shen Nuan would foolishly refuse.
This was a perfect opportunity to spend more time with him.
She obediently nestled in his arms, genuinely admiring how comfortable they felt.
Of course, if she could take advantage and enjoy a little physical contact, that would be even better.
Unfortunately, she didn’t have the courage.
If he discovered it and threw her out in the middle of the café, losing face would be the least of her concerns.
What she feared most was him thinking even worse of her.
Carrying Shen Nuan, Fu Shijing calmly walked toward the front counter of Encounter Coffee House.
Numerous curious gazes followed them, but he ignored every single one.
After nearly a year of shamelessly pursuing Fu Shijing, Shen Nuan had learned how to remain completely unfazed under such attention.
“Who’s the manager?”
Although he was asking Shen Nuan, the manager stepped forward before she could answer.
“That’s me. Is there something I can help you with? Xiao Nuan, what’s wrong?”
The man’s overwhelming presence, combined with the sight of one of her employees in his arms, left the manager with no choice but to deal with the situation.
“Manager, I’m fi…”
Before Shen Nuan could finish, Fu Shijing interrupted.
“Shen Nuan injured her foot. She’s taking leave.”
The manager looked at Shen Nuan again.
“Is that true, Xiao Nuan?”
Under someone’s threatening gaze, Shen Nuan could only admit it.
And just like that, she was carried out of the café.
Inside, she wailed in despair.
There went her 160 yuan for the day.
Seeing her dejected expression, Fu Shijing’s jaw tightened.
“You don’t seem very happy about this.”
“I…”
Pouting slightly, she muttered, “It’s twenty five yuan an hour.”
Compared to other part time jobs, the café actually paid quite well.
【Ding! System reward received: 300,000 yuan.】
【Boss, aren’t you satisfied even after receiving a reward?】999 couldn’t understand human psychology.
It all seemed so complicated.
【Satisfied! Very satisfied.】
Compared to 300,000 yuan, losing 160 yuan suddenly didn’t seem painful at all.
“You’re that short of money?”
Fu Shijing knew she needed money, but he hadn’t expected her to spend time doing work that only paid twenty five yuan an hour.
To him, it was a complete waste of time.
Worried that he might think she was pretending to be pitiful, Shen Nuan nodded and then shook her head.
That contradictory reaction only made Fu Shijing feel sorrier for her.
An inappropriate sense of sympathy surfaced within him.
“Grrrr…”
At that moment, her stomach growled at exactly the wrong time.
Shen Nuan wished she could disappear into the ground.
Embarrassed, she asked, “Have you eaten yet? I’ll treat you to a meal.”
Fu Shijing looked at her expressionlessly.
“You’ll treat me?”
Trying to sound generous, Shen Nuan replied, “Yes! What would you like to eat? Anything is fine.”
What she was really thinking was that he would never agree, so there was no harm in acting confident.
Fu Shijing turned toward Xiao Ang.
“Assistant Xiao, return to the company.”
He was sending his assistant away?
Surely he wasn’t actually agreeing?
Shen Nuan’s heart immediately began pounding.
“Yes, President Fu.”
Xiao Ang had wanted to leave long ago. Now that permission had been granted, he practically fled.
He wasn’t blind. It was obvious that Miss Shen was completely different from Miss Yang.
“Fu Shijing, thank you. We’re already outside. You can put me down now.”
He glanced at her.
“Didn’t you say we were having a meal? That I could choose anything?”
She smiled awkwardly, failing to notice that he had omitted the word “treat.”
“Yes.”
Fu Shijing carried her into the car.
Immediately, Shen Nuan regretted her earlier words.
【Little Nine, he actually agreed. But I only have one hundred yuan in my VX account. What if he orders something expensive?】
999 spread his hands helplessly.
【Nothing I can do.】
“Old place,” Fu Shijing instructed the driver.
“Understood, sir.”
What old place?
Even after pursuing him for so long, Shen Nuan had no idea where that was.
More importantly, was it expensive?
She decided she needed to ask.
“Fu Shijing, what are we eating? Where are we going?”
“You’ll know when we get there.”
Shen Nuan let out a small “oh.”
That response only convinced her it would be expensive.
Anxiously, she began calculating whether she could borrow money from various loan apps.
About ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of a luxury restaurant.
Before even stepping out, Shen Nuan’s heart ached.
This place costs tens of thousands of yuan per person.
Her wallet was practically empty.
Even if she borrowed money, her existing debts meant she wouldn’t qualify for much.
There was no way she could afford this meal.
Seeing that she hadn’t moved, Fu Shijing reminded her, “Get out.”
“Fu Shijing, I…”
Shen Nuan bit her lip, her face turning bright red.
“What is it?”
Now was not the time to save face.
Embarrassing herself now was far better than being unable to pay later.
Taking a deep breath, she confessed honestly, “I don’t have enough money. Can I treat you next time instead?”
“When did I ever say you were paying?” Fu Shijing had never intended to let her pay.
“But earlier, wasn’t it…?”
She paused. Had she misunderstood?
Relieved, she let out a long breath.
“So I’m not paying?”
Fu Shijing deliberately replied, “If you insist on paying, that’s fine.”
She immediately changed her mind.
“Then I’ll treat you next time. I can buy street food.”
Shen Nuan knew when to bend.
Not having money meant not having money.
Her mother worked hard every day to earn a living.
She couldn’t spend recklessly.
【Ding! System reward received: 100,000 yuan.】
Secretly delighted, Shen Nuan realized that letting him treat her to a meal also earned rewards.
999 commented objectively.
【Boss, when you look at it this way, the male lead is actually pretty nice. He hasn’t tried to make things difficult for you.】
【That’s why he’s the male lead. There have to be qualities readers will like.】
“Still not getting out?”
“I am, I’m getting out.”
Shen Nuan quickly opened the door.
The moment her foot touched the ground, pain shot through it.
Instantly, she remembered her mission.
Opportunities to be alone with him were rare.
If she could play the pity card, she absolutely would.
Putting on a pained expression, she said, “Fu Shijing, my foot hurts. Could you carry me?”
【If the male lead carries you because you asked, the reward will double.】
That was exactly what Shen Nuan wanted.
Previously, she hadn’t expected him to carry her, nor had she deliberately flattered him, so the rewards had been much smaller.
Meeting the sparkling anticipation in her eyes, Fu Shijing frowned.
This woman had no sense of self preservation.
She knew her foot hurt, yet she still went to work.
When Shen Nuan saw that he remained silent and seemed on the verge of getting angry, she immediately retreated.
“I know it’s an unreasonable request. I’ll walk by myself.”
Before she could take a single step, he lifted her into his arms.
“Troublesome.”
【Ding! System reward received: 200,000 yuan.】
【Wonderful, it doubled again.】 Shen Nuan grinned happily.
Being called troublesome didn’t matter.
As long as she got paid.
999 spun around her excitedly.
【Keep it up, Boss. Maybe you won’t need a whole month to finish the mission.】
【Hopefully! Let’s do our best.】
The man carrying her could clearly feel her delight.
Was being carried really enough to make her this happy?
The restaurant manager respectfully opened the private room door.
After setting her down in a seat, Fu Shijing asked, “What would you like to eat?”
“Anything is fine. I have no preferences.”
Sitting stiffly in her chair, Shen Nuan reminded herself not to reveal too much emotion.
Otherwise, he might see through her.
After glancing at her, Fu Shijing ordered several light dishes.
Once the server left, Shen Nuan immediately activated full sycophant mode and enthusiastically poured him a drink.
“Alcohol isn’t good for your health. Have a soft drink instead.”
A soft drink?
Fu Shijing rarely drank anything besides what he was accustomed to, but seeing how eager she looked, he didn’t stop her.
【Ding! System reward received: 50,000 yuan.】
After pouring the drink, Shen Nuan looked at his shoulders and boldly suggested, “Fu Shijing, you must work very hard. Let me give you a massage.”
She was just about to extend her hands when his indifferent gaze stopped her cold.
“Then… I’ll sit back down.”
She genuinely feared he might tell her to get lost.
【What a shame. That attempt didn’t work.】
【It’s okay, Boss. We’ll have plenty of opportunities.】999 encouraged.
Taking a sip of her drink, Shen Nuan secretly peeked at him again.
【Little Nine, if I feed him later, do you think he’ll eat it?】
999 shook his head.
【No idea. Why not try?】
【I have to. Opportunities like this don’t come often.】
She sat quietly after that, no longer as energetic as before.
Fu Shijing couldn’t help wondering if he had frightened her.
One exquisite dish after another was served.
Since he hadn’t picked up his chopsticks yet, Shen Nuan didn’t dare start either.
Starving, she could only swallow her saliva.
Seeing this, Fu Shijing finally said, “Eat.”
“Okay.”
Though she was hungry, Shen Nuan hadn’t forgotten her mission.
“You should eat more. You’ve worked hard.”
Picking up a piece of crispy pork, she held it toward his lips.
“This one’s delicious. Try it.”
In reality, she hadn’t tasted it herself and had no idea whether it was good.
Still, since he had ordered it, it couldn’t be bad.
Fu Shijing looked at the piece of pork hovering before him, then at the hopeful expression in her eyes.
His eyebrow twitched slightly.
Did she realize how intimate this gesture was?
Shen Nuan’s smile was beginning to stiffen.
【Little Nine, he doesn’t want it.】
【Maybe be a little more proactive? Try acting cute?】999 suggested anxiously.
In order to pursue Fu Shijing, Shen Nuan had watched countless romance dramas, short dramas, and even romance novels she would never normally touch.
After all that preparation, acting cute was easy.
Imitating the spoiled female villains from television, she said sweetly, “Fu Shijing, try this dish.”
“Fu Shijing, my arm is getting tired.”
“Fu Shijing, I…”
She talked so much that he finally lost patience.
“Put it in my bowl.”
“Okay…”
Afraid he wouldn’t eat it, Shen Nuan kept sneaking glances at him.
None of those little looks escaped Fu Shijing’s notice.
Finally, he picked up the piece of crispy pork and put it into his mouth.
The taste was ordinary.
But her sneaky little expressions left a much deeper impression.
【He ate it! He actually ate it, Boss!】999 spun in circles with excitement.
【Ding! System reward received: 100,000 yuan.】
Now that her flattery had succeeded, Shen Nuan became even more enthusiastic, constantly adding food to his bowl.
Looking at the rapidly growing mountain of food, Fu Shijing frowned.
“Aren’t you going to eat?”
“I am.”
Gazing at him with apparent devotion, Shen Nuan said, “Being able to share a meal with you makes me feel so happy.”
The hand holding his chopsticks paused.
A faint smile curved his lips, one so subtle that even he failed to notice it.