"Shang Beichen, please go out. You are not welcome here."
Shang Beichen looked at her beautiful face and directly reached out, but she slapped his hand away.
"Qiao Xi, you heartless woman, you must make me hangover soup today." As he spoke, he sat directly on the sofa, his sharp eyes scanning the room, and landed on the little girl.
"Otherwise, I'll eat your sister, chop some chili, add some scallions, and steam her."
"..."
Qiao Xi rolled her eyes. It seemed he was truly drunk.
"Wait."
She walked into the kitchen and boiled ginger, goji berries, and honey. Soon, the tea was brought out.
Little Bean had somehow climbed onto him.
He wrapped his long arms around her, patiently teaching her to read, his eyes incredibly gentle.
Little Bean flipped through the picture book, her eyebrows curved into a smile.
Such a scene deeply shook her heart.
She had dreamed of it many times.
If he hadn't cheated, perhaps he could have been a good father.
"President Shang, here is the hangover soup. Drink it and leave quickly."
She indifferently placed the soup on the dining table and then grabbed Little Bean, hugging her back.
She directly carried her into the children's room and closed the door.
Today, Little Bean wasn't wearing the fake wig Xia Cheng had prepared. If he had messed with her hair again, it would have been terrible.
"Ding dong." The doorbell rang again.
Qiao Xi ran to open the door and saw an unfamiliar face, a tall and handsome man.
"Hello, these are President Shang's change of clothes."
He handed the clothes to Qiao Xi and turned to leave.
Qiao Xi was confused. "What do you mean?"
Shang Beichen slowly put down his cup and said,
"I'm staying here tonight. Prepare a bath for me."
I'll prepare your grandpa!
Qiao Xi's face showed clear opposition, and she said unceremoniously,
"Shang Beichen, I don't have any rooms here. Who allowed you to stay here?"
"Are you so poor you can't even afford a hotel? Drink your hangover soup and get lost."
She pushed him, trying to shove him out the door.
Her strength was like a cat's scratch. To Shang Beichen, such physical contact gave him room to maneuver.
Shang Beichen countered by grabbing her slender wrists.
He applied a little force.
Qiao Xi was pulled towards him, her back hitting the cold door panel heavily.
"Shang Beichen, let go of me!"
She struggled, but he easily pinned her hands behind her back with one hand.
The man's body leaned in, completely engulfing her in his shadow.
His hot breath sprayed on her ear, carrying a strong scent of alcohol and his unique, sharp aura, domineeringly invading all her senses.
"Qiao Xi."
He pressed against her ear, his voice deep and dangerous.
"Don't forget, you are my 24-hour personal secretary."
"I'm drunk now and need someone to take care of me."
He paused, his tone carrying undisguised threat.
"If anything happens to me tonight, it will be your dereliction of duty."
"Understand?"
He said the last word slowly and softly, making Qiao Xi's scalp tingle.
"Don't provoke me."
"I forbid it!" Qiao Xi was so angry she spoke without thinking, her neck turning red.
Shang Beichen chuckled softly.
The laughter echoed in the small entryway, carrying an arrogance of complete control.
"Your objection is invalid."
As soon as he finished speaking, he released his grip and snatched the bag containing his clothes from her hand.
He strode past her, heading straight for another room as if he knew the way.
Qiao Xi was furious.
She wished she could rush up and kick him.
His sharp eyes swept over her small bedroom with disdain, and finally, he opened the bathroom door.
The mini bathroom and small bathtub made his handsome brows furrow instantly.
His thin lips parted, uttering a sentence that made her blood boil.
"Is this a place for humans to live?"
He's still complaining?
Who forced their way in?
Qiao Xi's face turned green with anger.
She abruptly turned around, rushed into Little Bean's room, and slammed the door shut with a "bang," locking it.
She burrowed into the covers, tightly hugging the warm little body in her arms, closing her eyes and forcing herself to sleep.
Go ahead and drown yourself.
After an unknown amount of time.
Shang Beichen emerged from his bath, only a bath towel wrapped around his waist.
Water droplets slid down his neat short hair, rolling over his clearly defined collarbone, and disappearing into his firm abdominal muscles.
He walked to the door of the children's room and twisted the doorknob.
It was locked.
He raised an eyebrow and scanned the area above the door frame, precisely locating the spare key hidden there.
"Click."
The lock clicked open.
He tiptoed inside and, using the faint light filtering in from the window, saw one large and one small figure curled up on the bed.
He walked to the bedside and carefully lifted the sleeping Qiao Xi.
She was very light.
He carried her back to the Master Bedroom and gently placed her on the bed.
Gazing at her peaceful sleeping face, he inexplicably lowered his head, his warm lips pressing against her cheek.
She seemed to feel an itch and stirred, murmuring in her dream.
"Little Bean, don't."
Shang Beichen froze.
He lay beside her, holding her tightly, truly wanting to...
But he couldn't rush things, lest he scare her away.
The intimate moments of the past flooded his mind.
This night, Shang Beichen was truly torturing himself.
Soft jade in his arms, but he could only look, not touch.
His body was as tense as a stone, his nose filled with her pleasant fragrance.
Before long, he got up in frustration and took another cold shower.
Finally, before dawn, he dressed and fled.
The next day, the alarm clock woke Qiao Xi. She opened her eyes.
Huh? Why was she lying on the bed in the Master Bedroom?
Shang Beichen!
She alertly sat up and checked her body. Fortunately, nothing hurt.
She then went to wake Little Bean, planning to send her to kindergarten and then go to the Company.
As she stepped onto the balcony, a man's black triangle underwear fluttered in the wind.
It was flaunting itself.
Her eyes sharpened, and she walked to the bathroom. In the laundry basket lay his custom-made shirt, trousers, and coat.
This dog man was truly not polite at all.
He left, leaving behind dirty clothes.
Asking her to do volunteer work?
She picked up the clothes, intending to throw them in the trash, but then thought better of it. She couldn't afford to pay for hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of custom clothing.
In the end, she packed the clothes and took them to the dry cleaners on her way.
She arrived at the Company just in time. Su Xiaoke ran over and winked,
"Director Jiang is back from an overseas assignment. It's been half a year, and we have something to look forward to again."
"However, the title of 'Number One Handsome Man' is gone. Everyone unanimously chose President Shang, and Director Jiang is now second."
Jiang Si, formerly Tianyu's Number One Handsome Man, Director of Investment Department Two, with an annual salary of three million, Tianyu's unattainable flower, the object of secret admiration and fantasies of all female colleagues.
His looks were simply devastatingly handsome, and his abilities were even more astonishing. Rumor had it that there was no client he couldn't win over, only deals he didn't want to sign.
"For lunch, let's go to the first floor to see the scenery."
Su Xiaoke had a lovesick expression.
The so-called scenery referred to Jiang Si.
The company's internal cafeteria was spread across three floors. Directors and above could go to the first floor, middle management on the second, and ordinary employees on the bottom.
Chief Secretaries could go to the first floor, but they preferred to go to the second and bottom floors to stay grounded.
"Agreed. Even if we can't eat, we can look at the plum blossoms and quench our thirst," Qin Yue added playfully.
"Director Jiang carried you before. How about it, still have feelings?" Su Xiaoke brought it up again.
"Don't talk nonsense." Qiao Xi immediately became flustered.
It had been raining heavily that day, and her car was being serviced. She took a taxi to the Company.
As soon as she got out of the car, her heel got stuck after only a few steps.
She couldn't walk. She held an umbrella in one hand, bent over to pull at her shoe, and her entire upper body was soaked.
"Take off your shoes," a clear, cold voice sounded.
Qiao Xi looked up abruptly.
Jiang Si!
His face was so handsome it was as if heaven had bestowed him a gift; up close, he was even more pleasing to the eye.
His figure was tall and straight, and his black suit made his shoulders broad, giving him a domineering CEO aura.
Qiao Xi obediently squatted down and took off the shoe that was stuck.
Before she could react.
Jiang Si suddenly closed his umbrella.
The next second, he extended his arm and lifted her entire body horizontally.
"Ah!"
Qiao Xi held the umbrella in one hand and instinctively wrapped her other arm around his neck, her nose catching a faint scent of fir.
She was completely stunned.
He carried her and strode into the Company building.
"Oh my god!"
"What's going on?"
Dozens of gazes in the hall shot towards them, filled with anger and scrutiny.
Qiao Xi almost wished she could be killed on the spot; she wished she could find a fissure in the ground to crawl into.
Jiang Si placed her on the lobby floor.
"Wait for me."
Qiao Xi hadn't recovered yet.
He turned around again and rushed back into the rain.
Half a minute later, he walked up to her, holding her high-heeled shoe.
He knelt on one knee.
Judging by his posture, he was going to help her put it on.
"Thank you, Director Jiang, I can do it myself."
Qiao Xi flinched back in fear, grabbed the shoe, and rushed into the elevator.
Later, it was widely rumored within the Company that the two were a couple, and all the women regarded Qiao Xi as a thorn in their side. It was only when the Big Boss sent Jiang Si on an overseas assignment that things gradually calmed down.
At the turn of the stairs, Shang Beichen's eyes were deep.
He was held?
Fine.
Very good, this woman truly flirts with everyone.
One sent flowers, one carried her, and there was another one in Luocheng.
"Secretary Su, coffee."
Shang Beichen's clear voice rang out.
"Pre-president Shang, good morning."
The three female secretaries who had been whispering.
Instantly jumped up in fright.
Their faces turned pale.
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