A light kiss, like a dragonfly skimming the water—gone in an instant.
Yao Zhen flushed a deep, feverish red. The lingering warmth on his lips was a sharp reminder of what had just happened. Before he could even react, Liang Jiming had already pulled away.
This wasn’t like the emergency mouth-to-mouth from the other night. This brief press of lips was a real kiss.
Liang Jiming’s eyes were dark as he watched Yao Zhen, who looked ready to explode. “I can’t kiss you?”
The curse words at the tip of Yao Zhen’s tongue got stuck. If he said “no,” he’d look like he was overreacting, and it would be easy to blow his cover. But—
Pah, pah, pah! Who wants to kiss you?!
The young master forced a fake smile. “I already told you I haven’t forgiven you. Who gave you permission to take advantage of me?”
Liang Jiming nodded, admitting his mistake. “I won’t do it again next time.”
Although he had accepted their current relationship, he actually felt a bit of psychological resistance to such intimacy. He had only wanted to test the waters. Since he’d tried it, he’d leave it at that and take things slow.
Next time? In your dreams.
Yao Zhen ignored him and turned to go inside. Back in his room, he went straight to the bathroom to scrub his mouth. He didn’t stop until his lips were pale and peeling. The young master looked at his miserable reflection in the mirror and viciously added a mark against Liang Jiming’s name in his mental ledger.
Even though he had shot himself in the foot, the fault definitely wasn’t his—it was that bastard Liang Jiming’s. He’d settle this score later. Just you wait.
…….
Monday morning, the hotel department heads met for their weekly meeting.
Liang Jiming, holding the title of Deputy Manager of Administration, was required to attend. Yao Zhen walked in, sat down, and immediately pulled out his phone to start playing games. This was his usual routine—work was just a formality for him, acting as a mascot and a signing machine.
The hotel manager came over to Liang Jiming’s seat and reminded him to sit next to Yao Zhen.
“Young Manager Yao’s intention is for you to also serve as his secretary.”
Liang Jiming understood. This “secretary” role meant the young master intended to be a hands-off boss and dump all the actual work onto him. He stood up and took the empty seat beside Yao Zhen.
Yao Zhen spared him a sidelong glance from his phone screen. “Why are you sitting so far away?”
Liang Jiming replied calmly, “I’m not. I was just afraid the Young Master would be unhappy seeing me, or misunderstand that I’m trying to take advantage of him again.”
“#@#*&%…”
Yao Zhen wanted to scream. He suspected this man was making dirty jokes with a straight face.
Liang Jiming composedly opened the meeting materials distributed by the manager and pushed a copy in front of Yao Zhen. “The meeting is starting. Young Master, don’t just play games.”
Yao Zhen didn’t listen. He shifted into a more comfortable position in his chair, kicked his feet up, put on his Bluetooth earbuds, and continued playing.
Once all the department heads arrived, the manager cleared his throat and began. The Monday morning meetings were nothing more than a summary of the previous week’s operations and financial performance, followed by the plan for the new week. Usually, they finished in about an hour. If it went any longer, the young master would be the first to lose patience, so they kept things brief and focused on efficiency.
“These are the new quarterly performance targets just sent down from headquarters. Our ranking dropped last quarter, so everyone needs to step up…”
The manager looked worried. If they lost in the internal competition, headquarters wouldn’t prioritize them and would cut their budget, making it even harder to hit targets—a vicious cycle. One day, the hotel might just be closed or sold, and most of them would be out of a job.
But Yao Zhen didn’t care. The hotel business was just one small piece of his family’s company. If this one vanished, there were others. Even if they were all cut, it wouldn’t affect him. Besides, not meddling or making a mess was already his way of helping these people.
The young master was immersed in his game world when a hand suddenly reached over and swiped his phone.
Liang Jiming calmly clicked the screen black, flipped the phone over on the table, and placed it on his other side. As Yao Zhen looked up to glare at him, Liang Joking reached out and plucked the earbuds right out of his ears, confiscating them as well.
“…” Yao Zhen was speechless.
Liang Jiming pointed at the manager who was currently speaking, signaling for him to listen seriously.
Yao Zhen’s foot shot out directly under the table, delivering a sharp kick. Liang Jiming remained unmoved, merely averting his gaze.
The tension lasted until the very end of the meeting. Yao Zhen was still throwing a silent tantrum, his claws reaching out to pinch Liang Jiming’s thigh.
…Too hard. Can’t even get a grip.
The attendees left one by one until only the two of them remained in the meeting room. Yao Zhen reached for his phone, and this time Liang Jiming didn’t stop him. He handed it back but added, “No playing with your phone during meetings next time. It’s unprofessional.”
Yao Zhen snapped back, “You’re my ‘wife,’ not my old man. Get your roles straight.”
Liang Jiming asked, “If you could achieve some results here and impress your father, would he let you go back?”
Yao Zhen immediately turned defensive. “I told you, you’re not allowed to chase me back—”
“No,” Liang Jiming explained. “You can’t stay here forever. If your father truly feels you’ve become capable and mature, he might show mercy. Even if he doesn’t accept ‘us,’ he might at least turn a blind eye.”
“About that…”
Yao Zhen thought for a moment. His father’s goal was indeed for him to grow up. If he actually reformed as his father hoped, it would certainly be useful. The problem was, since when was achieving “results” easy?
“Why are you so set on me going back?” the young master asked curiously. “Isn’t it fine just staying here with me?”
“It’s for your own good,” Liang Jiming said, not bothering to hide the truth. “You have a future, and I only have a better future if I follow you. Even if I reach the top here, I’m just a hotel manager. Wouldn’t it be better to go back and enter your family’s main corporation?”
“…” He was speechless.
Even with a broken brain, this man only had the word “profit” in his eyes. Truly, a leopard cannot change its spots.
“Manager Huang is doing a great job. You’ve only been on the job for a few days and you’re already thinking about taking his place.”
Yao Zhen thought to himself that this man was terrifying—his mind was nothing but shrewd calculations. He absolutely couldn’t let Shen Jinghe fall into his hands.
Liang Jiming said indifferently, “I was just speaking casually.”
Yao Zhen leaned onto the table, lifting his eyelids to coolly watch the composed man before him. “So, all you’re after are the benefits I can give you?”
Liang Jiming asked noncommittally, “And if I am? Would the Young Master still like me?”
Yao Zhen fell silent for a while before cursing, “…You bastard, you’re really breaking my heart.”
Watching him like this, Liang Jiming suddenly let out a strange laugh. “So the Young Master still likes me?”
Hardly.
Yao Zhen said, “You’re asking what you already know.”
Liang Jiming took his grumbling as acting spoiled. “Mm.”
Yao Zhen scoffed. “It’s not as easy as you say. My family situation is complicated. My parents have a huge age gap. My father’s first wife gave him three sons, and even the youngest brother is seven or eight years older than me. The profitable parts of the business have already been split among them. There’s nothing left for me. I’m fine just taking some shares and idling my life away. It’s better for everyone.”
Oh right, his third brother actually had a pretty good relationship with this Great Lawyer Liang. What was it called? Birds of a feather.
Liang Jiming didn’t seem to think much of it. “Is that all the ambition you have?”
“Yeah, yeah, I have zero ambition. Go find yourself a benefactor who can help you soar to the top then.” Yao Zhen stood up, done with him, and turned to leave.
Liang Jiming reached out and grabbed his arm.
Yao Zhen turned back, fierce: “What?”
Liang Jiming looked at him and asked seriously, “Are you angry?”
Yao Zhen poked him. “I hate it most when you look down on me.”
Liang Jiming said, “I don’t. I truly mean well for you. For now, I have no intention of switching benefactors.”
Yao Zhen raised his voice: “For now?”
Liang Jiming corrected himself: “If the Young Master is willing to be obedient, I can go without switching forever.”
Look at this. Give him an inch and he takes a mile. Now you’re the one trying to handle me?
“Calm down,” Liang Jiming let go of his hand. “If you truly like me, shouldn’t you consider my position a little? Am I supposed to follow you like this forever—without a title, a status, or a future?”
“…” You green tea lotus, how are you the one playing the victim now?
Yet, Yao Zhen was blocked by this argument and had nothing to say. To maintain his persona of “deeply in love but let down,” he reluctantly stated, “…I’ll try my best.”
Liang Jiming nodded. “Pay more attention to work from now on. Don’t just play games all the time.”
He knew when to stop and didn’t push Yao Zhen further. “Let’s go. it’s 11:30. Time for lunch.”
As he stood up, Liang Jiming noticed that the back collar of Yao Zhen’s shirt was tucked in. He paused, naturally leaning in and raising his hand. “Don’t move.”
Yao Zhen was a bit dazed, not knowing what was happening.
Liang Jiming’s fingers brushed against the back of his neck, gently flipping the tucked collar out and smoothing it. His warm fingertips accidentally grazed the skin of Yao Zhen’s neck, a touch that lasted only a second.
Yao Zhen nearly jumped out of his skin.
Liang Jiming stepped back, his gaze calm. “There, fixed.”
Yao Zhen complained, “What are you doing?”
Liang Jiming reminded him, “The Young Master is used to being casual, but you should still mind your image in front of others.”
Yao Zhen pointed at his own face. “This face is the image. Do I really need to worry about those details?”
Liang Jiming’s gaze locked onto his face—the expressive eyes and brows, the lively mole on his cheek. His first impression of this young master was that this face was almost provocatively beautiful. It still was.
“Shameless.”
“Who are you calling shameless?” Yao Zhen protested. “Just tell me if I’m right or not.”
Liang Jiming nodded, humoring him. “You’re right.”
Yao Zhen let out a sharp “tsk.” “Also, have you actually admitted that you’re my wife yet?”
Liang Jiming went silent for a moment.
Noticing the strange glint in his eyes, Yao Zhen tilted his chin up defiantly. “What? You got a problem with that?”
Liang Jiming asked, “Did we actually sleep together?” He sounded like he was beginning to doubt the structural integrity of that claim.
Yao Zhen: “…” Get lost.
Liang Jiming seemed to sense something was off. “No?”
“Of course we did,” Yao Zhen emphasized, not missing a beat. “We did, more than once. We’re not kids—who wants to play Plato with you?”
Liang Jiming asked bluntly, “Who was top?”
Yao Zhen replied instantly, “I already said you’re the wife and I’m the husband…”
Liang Jiming’s eyes were filled with pure disbelief. “I don’t remember.”
Yao Zhen: “So?”
“Whatever happened before doesn’t count.”
Liang Jiming dropped that line and didn’t intend to say another word. “Let’s go.” He turned and walked away first.
Yao Zhen chased after him, poking him in the back. “What do you mean ‘doesn’t count’? Why do you always talk in half-sentences? You’re such a pest.”
Liang Jiming reached back and snagged him, pinning the young master’s restless hands and easily leading him out. He accepted the relationship. But on one condition: he had to be the husband(top).