14. His Heart Suddenly Trembled
As the National Day holiday approached, even the air seemed filled with a relaxed, joyful feeling.
Several major cooperation projects at the company had been finalized, and the technical issues with the new product were finally resolved.
In the two days before the holiday, without exception, colleagues’ conversations revolved around their vacation plans.
Ling Xi had long since booked her itinerary. During the National Day break, she was going abroad to watch a concert.
Just thinking about it was enough to make her happy all day long. Even work no longer felt dull.
For this trip, Ling Xi dyed her hair, got her nails done, and bought several dresses, none of them the same.
In the office, Xu Jing walked past Ling Xi and noticed the change at a glance. She could not help reaching out to touch the back of Ling Xi’s head. “Xixi, this color suits you so well. Which salon dyed it?”
Ling Xi picked up her phone. “I knew you’d ask. I’ll send you Tony’s contact information.”
Ling Xi already had cool, fair skin. The milk-tea brown hair color made her look as if she naturally came with a soft-glow filter.
Even the usually steady Jiang Huai could not help taking a second look. He smiled and praised her. “Xiao Ling, the new hair color looks nice.”
Ling Xi and Xu Jing both froze for a moment. Xu Jing was the most surprised. “Brother Jiang, not bad. You actually noticed that Ling Xi dyed her hair.”
Jiang Huai looked a little embarrassed by her comment and explained seriously. “I’ve been trained by my wife. I went to the salon with her a couple of days ago and learned a few new terms.”
After returning to his workstation and turning on his computer, he forwarded an invitation to Ling Xi. “Xiao Ling, on Saturday night, you’ll accompany President Zhou to attend a client’s anniversary banquet.”
“Me?” Ling Xi pointed at herself. “The boss isn’t bringing Assistant Han?”
“Assistant Han is going too. The banquet requires a female companion. Assistant Han will drive you there.”
When Zhou Mingye sent the banquet invitation to Jiang Huai and asked him to arrange personnel, Jiang Huai immediately thought of Ling Xi.
Xu Jing and several female colleagues in the administration department all got nervous whenever they saw the boss. From Jiang Huai’s observation, Ling Xi did not seem afraid of Zhou Mingye. She had a good mentality and was quick-witted. Most importantly, her appearance matched well with the boss.
Entrusted with this task, Ling Xi opened her wardrobe that evening after returning home to choose a dress.
She had accompanied her parents to several business events in the past, so there were some dresses at home. Two of them were even brand new, with the tags still on.
This banquet was just work. After looking through her options, Ling Xi chose a simple, elegant white sleeveless A-line dress. A circle of rhinestones adorned the neckline, and the hollow detail at the chest kept it from looking too dull.
*
On Saturday afternoon, after finishing her makeup, Ling Xi saw a message from Han Zhao. He had already arrived downstairs at her place.
Ling Xi picked up her clutch and went downstairs. When she opened the car door, she discovered Zhou Mingye sitting in the back seat.
“Hello, President Zhou.”
Ling Xi bent down to get in. Zhou Mingye turned his head, his gaze pausing on her for a brief moment.
He had not gone to the office for the past two days. At a glance, Ling Xi looked like a different person.
Her hair was dyed, and her style of dress had changed. After getting into the car, she sat with her legs angled to the side. Her temperament was light and elegant, completely different from her usual self.
Ling Xi fastened her seat belt and raised her hand to tuck a few strands of hair behind her ear, revealing her gracefully lined neck and small pearl earrings.
As she adjusted her posture, her earrings swayed gently.
Zhou Mingye’s thoughts suddenly grew unsettled. He felt that the car might be too small, a bit cramped.
Without revealing anything, he shifted his gaze away, yet his Adam’s apple rolled unconsciously.
Ling Xi greeted Han Zhao. Han Zhao stared straight ahead, and Ling Xi cooperated by acting unfamiliar with him.
*
Half an hour later, the car stopped at the hotel entrance. Ling Xi and Zhou Mingye got out.
Standing beside him, Ling Xi could clearly see Zhou Mingye’s outfit for the day.
His hair had been carefully styled. Over a satin shirt, he wore a black structured trench coat with an accessory around his neck. Standing there, Ling Xi momentarily felt as if she were about to attend some luxury brand runway show with Zhou Mingye.
She was stunned for a few seconds.
Just as her eyes were about to move away, they suddenly met Zhou Mingye’s gaze. He asked, “What are you looking at?”
Ling Xi told the truth. “You look quite handsome today.”
Setting aside all other factors, Ling Xi was not stingy with praise for Zhou Mingye. Her tone was sincere, pure admiration, without the slightest hint of flattery.
Zhou Mingye clearly had not expected Ling Xi to be so straightforward. He turned his head slightly, his breathing pausing for a moment. She was being this blatant now? Praising someone without even a bit of buildup.
Zhou Mingye suppressed the corner of his mouth and adjusted his cuff. “Say less of this useless stuff. Let’s go in.”
Ling Xi: ? Is something wrong with you?
*
There were already quite a few people in the hall. Men and women held wine glasses, chatting in low voices.
As soon as Zhou Mingye appeared, he attracted much attention.
He did not linger, instead leading Ling Xi straight toward the host of the evening.
The man looked to be around fifty, full of energy.
Upon seeing Zhou Mingye, he warmly grasped his hand. “Mingye, you finally made it.”
“President Hu, long time no see.”
After exchanging a few pleasantries and chatting about recently followed projects, other guests arrived. Zhou Mingye let President Hu attend to them and took Ling Xi to the buffet bar.
He had just picked up a glass of red wine when someone came over to strike up a conversation.
Ling Xi stood beside Zhou Mingye and smiled politely at the other party.
The man surnamed Xu said he had met Zhou Mingye at a summit before. He raised his glass. “President Zhou, let’s keep in touch in the future. I’ll toast you.”
The person looked somewhat familiar, but Zhou Mingye could not recall his name for the moment.
His brows drew together slightly. To Ling Xi, it seemed that he did not particularly want to drink with the other party.
Suddenly, Ling Xi felt a flash of inspiration. As the female companion, if she did not step in now, then when would she? It was time to perform.
She took the red wine glass from Zhou Mingye’s hand and smiled at the other party. “Sorry, our President Zhou’s stomach isn’t feeling very well today. I’ll drink this on his behalf. Thank you for your consideration.”
After speaking, she tilted her head back and drank it down.
Zhou Mingye had not anticipated this at all. He looked at Ling Xi in surprise, his eyes clearly saying: My stomach isn’t well? How come I didn’t know?
President Xu was momentarily stunned by Ling Xi’s “drinking on his behalf.” He also drained his glass and extended his hand toward her. “May I ask how I should address you?”
Ling Xi raised her hand and lightly touched his. “My name is Ling Xi. I’m an administrative secretary at Ruisii Technology.”
Seeing how she had just shielded Zhou Mingye, the boss surnamed Xu smiled ambiguously. “Miss Ling’s temperament doesn’t seem like that of a secretary. I thought you were President Zhou’s girlfriend.”
“You’re joking.”
After the man left, Zhou Mingye leaned slightly closer and asked in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Since when has my stomach been bad?”
He had indeed not eaten dinner before leaving home that afternoon, but drinking on an empty stomach was not new to him. In many situations, it was hard to refuse.
Ling Xi looked completely justified. “Today, I’m basically acting as your assistant. Isn’t an assistant supposed to help the boss block this kind of thing?”
Thinking of Han Zhao eating snacks in the lounge at this very moment, Ling Xi sighed inwardly at her own hard fate.
Zhou Mingye looked at her confident, matter-of-fact expression and let out a soft snort. “Mm. You performed pretty well.”
Ling Xi thought she had misheard. When Zhou Mingye said that, he was actually smiling. She turned her head and saw a bright expression on his face that she had never seen before.
When someone came over to toast again, Zhou Mingye had just lifted his glass to drink when his hand was subtly pressed down by Ling Xi.
Zhou Mingye nudged her with his elbow. “What are you doing?”
Ling Xi leaned toward his ear. “If you didn’t drink the first toast, then drinking later ones would make people lose face.”
After saying that, she used the same reason to drink on Zhou Mingye’s behalf again.
Zhou Mingye was impressed.
Had she switched strategies?
Seeing more people coming over to chat, Zhou Mingye simply led Ling Xi away from the center of the crowd to the dessert table at the side.
Ling Xi’s earlier actions of shielding Zhou Mingye really did help him avoid some trouble.
Several women who wanted to come over and strike up a conversation saw the two of them leaning in to speak quietly and decided not to come over to embarrass themselves.
When Chen Yan arrived, her gaze swept across the hall and immediately landed on Zhou Mingye.
She was just about to go over to him when her friend pulled her aside and gossiped with her about the scene she had just witnessed.
Chen Yan leaned against a table and, through the crowd, saw Zhou Mingye picking up a piece of cake for Ling Xi. Her fingers nearly crushed the glass in her hand.
Halfway through the banquet, Ling Xi belatedly felt a bit dizzy. She did not usually drink red wine and had not realized how strong the aftereffects could be.
She held on until the end. As soon as Ling Xi stepped outside, her body swayed a few times.
Seeing that she was unsteady on her feet, Han Zhao hesitated over whether to help support her.
Before he could reach out, Zhou Mingye had already taken hold of Ling Xi’s arm.
He kept a safe distance from her, simply using his palm to steadily support her weight.
Along the way, Ling Xi felt light-headed and unsteady. She forced herself to maintain her composure, only relaxing once she sat down in the car.
Han Zhao glanced at Ling Xi through the rearview mirror and asked, “President Zhou, who should we send first?”
Zhou Mingye looked at Ling Xi. She was slumped softly into the seat, her eyes nearly closed.
If he went home first and let Han Zhao, a married man, send a drunk female colleague alone, that would not be appropriate.
After all, Ling Xi had gotten drunk helping him block drinks. It was more reassuring for him to send her personally.
“Drive to your place first.”
Han Zhao followed the instructions without asking further questions and slowly started the car.
When they reached Han Zhao’s building, Ling Xi was already asleep in the back seat.
Perhaps her arms were cold. She hugged herself with her hands, looking pitiful. Zhou Mingye got out of the back seat, then returned and took off his jacket to drape it over Ling Xi.
After sitting in the driver’s seat, Zhou Mingye could not help sighing that a considerate boss like him was hard to find these days.
Zhou Mingye drove Ling Xi home, entered the address into the navigation, and drove steadily to the entrance of her residential complex.
After turning off the engine, Zhou Mingye turned around and saw that Ling Xi was still fast asleep.
The faint glow of the streetlight fell on her face. The hair she had tied up had loosened and fallen against her cheeks, rising and falling gently with her breathing.
As she slept, Ling Xi’s head unknowingly tilted against the car window.
Her brows furrowed, her upper body twisted into an awkward position.
After watching her for a moment, Zhou Mingye got out of the car. “Such trouble.”
He walked around to the back seat, lifted Ling Xi by the shoulders, and stuffed a cushion into the gap between her neck and the glass.
Disturbed in her sleep, Ling Xi let out an unconscious hum, then toppled to the side. Her cheek landed squarely against Zhou Mingye’s hand, which he had not yet withdrawn.
A warm sensation spread across his palm, like being brushed by a soft feather.
Zhou Mingye’s heart suddenly trembled, and his heartbeat abruptly sped up.