"Baby, hurry and put on your shoes, we're going to be late!" Qiao Xi's voice was a little urgent.
"I don't want to! I don't want to go to school today!" Little Bean, however, wriggled like a slippery loach, protesting softly.
"Oh, my good baby, Mommy will buy you a strawberry cake this afternoon, okay? Strawberry flavored." She used all her tricks, her voice softening considerably.
Under the temptation, Little Bean reluctantly stretched out her little feet.
Qiao Xi, with quick eyes and hands, moved with fluid grace, swiftly picking her up.
As she went downstairs, Qiao Xi took out her phone and skillfully dialed Su Xiaoke's number.
"Xiaoke, help! I might be late, can you cover for me? Just for a moment, I'll be there soon!"
"Okay."
After finally rushing to the kindergarten entrance, Qiao Xi carried Little Bean out of the car, only to find that the zipper on her school bag wasn't fully closed.
As she reached to zip it up, she suddenly spotted a corner of stiff paper peeking out from the bag.
She casually pulled it out, and a photograph slid free.
In the photo was Shang Beichen's handsome face.
Qiao Xi's hand froze in mid-air, her breath catching.
How... how could this photo be here?
"Baby, where did you find this photo?" Qiao Xi's voice trembled in a way she didn't even notice.
Little Bean looked up and pointed at the person in the photo with her milky voice, "This uncle is so handsome! All the kids in class have dads, I want him to be my dad too!"
Qiao Xi's heart gave a sudden, sharp pang.
They had been divorced for four years. Perhaps he had long since become someone else's father, had his own family, and was living happily.
She stuffed the photo back into the school bag, suppressing the dull ache in her chest, and sent Little Bean into kindergarten.
As soon as she got into the car, her phone rang.
The call connected, and Su Xiaoke shouted, "Xixi, where are you? Don't be late, there's something big happening today."
"What big event?"
"The company was acquired. Old Wang cashed out and went to enjoy the world. The new boss is coming in a moment."
Qiao Xi froze for three seconds. "I'll be right back."
Exactly nine o'clock, at the entrance of Tianyu Group.
The secretaries from the President's Office and supervisors from various departments were already lined up, waiting.
The atmosphere was quiet, almost tense.
A black Rolls-Royce Phantom glided silently to the front of the building and stopped steadily.
At that moment, everyone's heartbeat seemed to pause with it.
An assistant jogged forward and respectfully opened the car door.
A long leg, encased in a top-tier suit pant, emerged first. The crease was perfectly straight, without a single wrinkle.
Then, a tall figure leaned out.
The man was wearing a perfectly tailored, all-black haute couture suit.
Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and an impossibly perfect body proportion – he looked like a model stepped right out of a comic.
He just stood there.
Without saying a word.
Yet, an innate aura of nobility radiated from him, pressing down on everyone, almost making them want to kneel on the spot.
As he strode into the lobby with his long legs, the bright lights illuminated his entire face.
The air around them seemed to solidify.
The new president was so handsome it made one's heart ache, and they dared not look up directly.
The group's vice president, Yan Fei, with a face full of smiles, was the first to step forward, bowing a little lower than usual.
"President Shang, welcome."
Shang Beichen said nothing.
A pair of sharp eyes swept indifferently over the people on both sides.
His gaze was indifferent and distant.
One person was missing?
His brow furrowed.
"We'll have a meeting in ten minutes. All directors and above must be present."
He stated calmly before walking towards the exclusive elevator.
The supervisors scattered instantly, fleeing as if their lives depended on it, rushing madly upstairs.
Just as the elevator doors were about to close.
"Wait a moment!" an anxious female voice rang out.
Qiao Xi rushed into the elevator like the wind, and even a little more weight would have gotten her caught.
"Ah!" She couldn't stop herself and lunged straight into Shang Beichen.
The chest beneath the man's suit fabric was solid and burning hot.
Shang Beichen instinctively reached out, steadying her by the waist.
His indifferent voice sounded above her head.
"It's been so long, have you learned to throw yourself into my arms?"
This voice...
Qiao Xi looked up, following the sound, and met a pair of bottomless eyes.
That stern, handsome face had clearly defined lines and a high nose bridge.
It was the familiar face etched into her bones.
Her pupils suddenly contracted, so shocked that her breathing almost stopped.
What the heck?
Shang Beichen!
Her ex-husband!
Why was he here?
"How long are you going to hug me?"
His impatient voice sounded again, with a hint of mockery.
Qiao Xi snapped back to reality instantly and let go as if she had been electrocuted.
She quickly stood up straight, awkwardly fiddled with her hair, and tugged at the business suit she was wearing.
In the elevator, the air had solidified.
She had dreamed of Shang Beichen again last night.
Under the ginkgo tree, a soft mat, and a sky full of stars.
He was on top of her; it was their divorce day, their last passionate farewell.
"Shang Beichen, are you ever going to stop?"
Qiao Xi shouted, she was truly exhausted, feeling like she was falling apart.
The man leaned down, his hot breath fanning her ear.
"You can still shout that loudly, which means you're not completely exhausted yet."
Shang Beichen's tone was indifferent, without a trace of pity.
Even divorcing had to be competitive.
She was the one who initiated the divorce.
This last benefit after the divorce was something he fought for.
A fair trade.
Therefore, neither owed the other anything.
After an unknown amount of time, Qiao Xi felt something was wrong, her mind instantly cleared, and she forcefully patted his hard shoulder.
"It's broken, get up quickly."
Shang Beichen stopped his actions, his deep eyes looking at her coldly in the night, devoid of any emotion.
"When it ends is up to me."
Qiao Xi trembled with anger. "I'm pregnant, what do we do?"
"I'll give you an extra hundred yuan from the divorce settlement. Buy some morning-after pills."
Qiao Xi's eyes reddened, and she cursed him with all her might.
"You bastard!"
Shang Beichen leaned down even lower, his nose tip almost touching hers.
"You're the bastard's woman!"
That sounded so awkward.
..
After a whole day and night of torment, he finally left, disappearing from her world.
The ginkgo tree where they fell in love in college ultimately became the place of their separation.
Qiao Xi stared at the gray-white sky, motionless, choked with sobs...
"Ding." The top floor had arrived.
Su Xiaoke and Qin Yue were already waiting at the elevator entrance.
"Hello, President Shang." Two standard ninety-degree bows, perfectly uniform.
Qiao Xi's heart jolted violently.
The new boss was Shang Beichen?
The man who left with nothing during the divorce, leaving all his money to her?
After only four years apart, he had managed to acquire the multi-billion dollar Tianyu Group?
Was the world going crazy, or was she?
Qiao Xi had no time to think further and quickly ran to Su Xiaoke's side, standing at attention.
Shang Beichen strode over with his long legs, casting a cold glance.
The three secretaries in the President's Office were all exceptionally good-looking.
Especially the one surnamed Qiao!
He spoke calmly, "I am Shang Beichen, and from now on, I will be taking over as the CEO of Tianyu Group."
"I drink coffee without sugar, dislike perfume scents, and dislike subordinates being late. I hope everyone remembers."
"Yes, President Shang." The three secretaries replied in unison.
Shang Beichen looked at Qiao Xi, his gaze unfriendly.
"You are Qiao Xi?"
Qiao Xi: ...
He didn't know her name was Qiao Xi? Was he in the late stages of a stroke?
"Yes, President Shang?"
Shang Beichen glanced at the expensive wristwatch on his hand. "You're one minute late. Your full attendance bonus and performance pay for this month will be deducted."
Qiao Xi: !!!
Killing the chicken to scare the monkeys?
Was she the chicken?
Using her to establish authority?
"Yes." In the end, she could only pinch her neck and force herself to swallow this bitter pill. She still had to support her mother and Little Bean; she couldn't lose her job!
Shang Beichen nodded, then asked, "According to the records, you are divorced?"
..
This dog man was doing it on purpose!
Qiao Xi answered seriously, "Yes."
"What was the reason for the divorce?" Shang Beichen continued to ask, adding, "I don't have a habit of prying into my subordinates' private lives, but those who stay by my side must be clean."
Was he starting to take personal revenge?
"Sexual incompatibility." Qiao Xi answered generously.
Everyone present was stunned.
Shang Beichen's eyes flickered.
Incompatible? Even five times a day wasn't enough? Then no man in the world would meet her standards.
He continued to ask, "Do you have any children?"
"No."
"Very good." Shang Beichen nodded with satisfaction.
Qiao Xi glanced at him.
Good, your mom!
The historical problem he left her back then had almost cost her her life.
"Alright, I need to have a meeting." Shang Beichen looked at Su Xiaoke. "Secretary Su, you'll come with me."
"Yes, President Shang."
Su Xiaoke happily went to get her notebook.
As a result, the meeting lasted three hours, and Su Xiaoke's keyboard was almost on fire.
This President Shang was definitely a decisive workaholic devil, directly firing three senior executives.
Clearly, the new official was showing his authority, and even Old Yan was taken down.
When Su Xiaoke returned, she felt like she had lost two pounds.
All her energy and spirit had been drained.
"As expected, domineering CEOs are all workaholics, it's too scary," Su Xiaoke complained.
"However, President Shang seems like a celibate type. His abilities in that area... should be very strong."
Qiao Xi was taken aback.
Indeed... but it had nothing to do with her.
"Hey Xixi, wasn't your last relationship sexually incompatible? Go after President Shang, he'll definitely be fierce."
Su Xiaoke lowered her voice.
"Stop it, I can't afford to aim that high."
Qiao Xi stopped her without hesitation.
At the turn of the stairs, Shang Beichen stood there, his eyes deep.
Can't afford to aim that high?
Hmph, he had already used her.
He hadn't seen her act so reserved before; she had confessed her love to him in front of the entire school.
【 You Shang Beichen, can only be my Qiao Xi's man 】
Later, he truly became her man, her husband.
But after only two years, she insisted on divorcing, saying she didn't love him anymore, saying he was too poor.
It wasn't until a divorce agreement was slapped in front of him that Shang Beichen realized how heartless this woman was.
"Hehe, could it be that your blind date tonight is particularly handsome?" Su Xiaoke nudged her body lightly.
"Mm, he's okay." Qiao Xi replied perfunctorily.
A blind date?
It seemed she had no lingering feelings for him at all. While he was away, she must have found quite a few men.
"Secretary Qiao, bring me a cup of coffee."
Shang Beichen's icy voice echoed from the stairs.
It startled the two women greatly.
The top floor was a duplex design, with the President's office on the upper level and the secretary department on the lower level. Why had President Shang come down?
"Okay." Qiao Xi quickly headed towards the pantry.
She knocked and entered, carefully placing the coffee on the table.
"President Shang, your coffee."
Shang Beichen picked it up and took a sip. "Your coffee-making skills have improved, but your brain has regressed."
"Slap!" A stack of reports was thrown onto the table.
"There's an error in this report. Recheck it and give it to me."
Qiao Xi was startled. She had carefully checked the report before; how could there be a problem?
"President Shang, which item is problematic?"
Shang Beichen's expression grew colder. "Do you expect me to correct your mistake for you?"
Qiao Xi said again, "Can I... give it to you tomorrow?"
This report wasn't urgent.
"Heh, Qiao Xi, if you can't finish the work, don't even think about stepping out of the company."
She was so eager to go on a blind date? Wishful thinking!
"Shang Beichen, you're deliberately targeting me." Qiao Xi retorted defiantly.
"Targeting you? How old am I, don't you know?" He said lightly.
Qiao Xi: ...
This dog man was definitely messing with her on purpose!
"Tomorrow, go to the Suli Auction House and pick up a necklace for me," Shang Beichen said again. "Don't lose it, or you won't be able to afford it even if you sell yourself for a lifetime."
Qiao Xi was stunned and said, "President Shang, such a valuable item, you should pick it up yourself."
If she didn't touch anything, it would be the safest!
"If I do everything, what do I need you, my secretary, for? To be a nuisance?"
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