“What? President’s secretary?”
Just after the lunch break ended, Chi Ruanli—whose face still bore the red marks from sleeping—was called into the office by Linda.
“Yes. This overwhelming stroke of fortune has finally landed on you.” Linda smiled brightly, leaving Chi Ruanli completely flattered and startled.
When had Sister Linda ever smiled at her?
To be more precise, when had Sister Linda ever smiled at anyone?
Whether she was facing a superior or a subordinate, she always wore an expressionless face, making it impossible to tell whether she was happy or angry.
That was also why every department insisted on bringing her along whenever they went out for business negotiations.
No matter how the other side quoted their price, Sister Linda would sit there steadily and expressionlessly.
Her philosophy was simple:
If the enemy didn’t move, she wouldn’t move.
If the enemy moved, she still wouldn’t move.
She had practically mastered the essence of negotiation, driving the other party to the brink of a mental breakdown until they could only keep lowering their prices.
Over time, Sister Linda had become somewhat famous within the industry.
People had even given her the nickname “Poker-Face Sister.”
For a while, Chi Ruanli had genuinely thought Linda suffered from facial paralysis.
No wonder Linda had looked at her so strangely the last time she recommended Liu Yishou, a famous facial paralysis specialist from her hometown county.
Thinking back on it now, Linda had been merciful enough not to make things difficult for her.
“Sister, I’m just an intern. It’s not appropriate.”
Chi Ruanli tried to decline.
Whenever Linda smiled, there was definitely something suspicious going on.
She didn’t dare accept this enormous blessing.
Nor could she afford to.
Become the secretary of a one-night stand’s boyfriend?
Had she gone crazy?
Just as Chi Ruanli was racking her brain for her next excuse, Linda spoke again.
“Fifty thousand.”
“Huh?”
Chi Ruanli’s deer-like eyes widened instantly.
“Fifty thousand a month. Plus an annual bonus.”
Linda smiled as she looked at Chi Ruanli, clearly having found her weakness.
That’s right.
Chi Ruanli was a complete little money lover.
The moment she heard fifty thousand, she had already swallowed hard.
When she heard there was also an annual bonus, her eyes immediately sparkled.
“I’ll do it!”
Who could possibly argue with money?
Dizzy from being smashed over the head with such an attractive salary, Chi Ruanli completely forgot that she had originally planned to run away.
The next morning.
Dressed in a light-blue Chanel-style cropped jacket, a matching fitted skirt, and crystal high heels, Chi Ruanli followed behind Jing Xun toward the president’s office.
Her shoulders drooped.
Her steps were heavy.
She looked like someone marching toward an execution ground.
All the joy she had felt when the salary dazzled her yesterday had completely disappeared.
Was it still possible to regret this?
Perhaps noticing her nervousness, Jing Xun adopted the appearance of a caring older brother and spoke complete nonsense with a straight face.
“Don’t worry. Our President Sheng is a law-abiding citizen and treats his subordinates very well. He won’t eat you, and he definitely won’t let anyone else eat… you.”
After hearing that, Chi Ruanli relaxed a little.
Then Jing Xun added,
“It’s just that he has a few days every month when his ‘uncle period’ comes around. His emotions become unstable, and he tends to scold people. Just endure it.”
As he spoke, he gave her a meaningful look.
The corners of the young woman’s mouth twitched.
Jing Xun raised a slender finger and knocked lightly on the door.
Whenever someone was inside, he always knocked properly.
“Come in.”
A deep, magnetic male voice came from within.
It was like a stone being dropped into a clear spring, sending ripples across Chi Ruanli’s heart.
Her heartbeat raced wildly.
Only after taking several deep breaths did she manage to suppress the fluttering in her chest.
“President Sheng, this is the new president’s secretary, Chi Ruanli.”
Jing Xun made the introduction first before turning to give her an encouraging look.
Grateful, Chi Ruanli smiled at him before speaking in her soft, sweet voice.
“President Sheng… hello.”
Perhaps she was too nervous.
Or perhaps the lingering effect of her earlier fluttering emotions was too strong.
After rolling the words “President Sheng” around on her tongue, she finally managed to say “hello.”
The way it sounded caused Sheng Yanqing’s brows to knit together.
Meanwhile, Jing Xun raised an eyebrow meaningfully and glanced at her.
However, Sheng Yanqing wasn’t frowning because her greeting sounded intimate.
Rather, he felt that her voice sounded strangely familiar.
It was remarkably similar to the little woman from that night.
He lifted his head.
Their eyes met.
His gaze was filled with scrutiny.
The look startled Chi Ruanli, and she quickly looked away first.
Lowering her head, she thought anxiously:
He couldn’t have recognized her, could he?
Just as she was worrying about being identified, she heard Sheng Yanqing respond with an extremely indifferent:
“Mm.”
Then he lowered his head and continued reading his documents.
“Phew…”
The girl patted her chest lightly.
She knew it.
There was no way he could recognize her.
She had won the bet.
Humming a cheerful tune, she happily returned to her workstation.
“Sweet Pear, let me cling to your leg!”
Before Chi Ruanli’s butt even touched her chair, Yang Yang rushed over.
“You’ve ascended now. You’ve become the woman behind President Sheng.”
Chi Ruanli shot her a charming glance.
“Watch your words! What woman behind him? Stop talking nonsense.”
Her entire face turned bright red.
“A secretary always stands behind the president, right? So what’s wrong with calling you the woman behind him?”
Yang Yang replied seriously.
Well…
That actually made sense.
“Hahaha…”
Chi Ruanli laughed awkwardly before the two girls started fooling around together.
“So? My judgment wasn’t wrong, was it? The person I picked suits your tastes, doesn’t she?”
Jing Xun wore a teasing expression.
Sheng Yanqing merely glanced at him without saying a word.
A slender waist.
Curvy hips.
A chest that couldn’t be ignored.
Combined with that baby-faced appearance.
Chi Ruanli was practically the perfect heroine straight out of a comic book.
She truly matched his preferences.
But what did that matter?
There was already someone in his heart.
The moment he thought about that little woman, Sheng Yanqing unconsciously raised his hand and touched the bite mark on his neck.
Was she a puppy or something?
She had bitten him so hard.
It had genuinely hurt.
That day had been his first day back in the country.
That evening, he had gathered with a group of friends at Yanse to celebrate his return.
He had drunk quite a bit, though he hadn’t been drunk.
Afterward, he had gone alone to the exclusive penthouse suite on the top floor, intending to sleep and recover from jet lag.
Yet the moment he stepped out of the elevator, he had been met with a little woman wearing a white mask who was clearly playing some kind of role-playing game.
She threw herself directly into his arms.
He had been disgusted at first.
He assumed she was a welcome-home gift arranged by his friends.
Just as he was about to push her away, the little woman leaned close and breathed softly into his ear.
“Big brother.”
The sweet, tender words instantly shattered his defenses.
He lowered his head and kissed her.
Her soft sweetness was like an irresistible enchantment, making it impossible for him to stop…
When he woke up the next morning, he was alone in the bed.
Had it not been for the trace of red he discovered afterward, he would have thought the entire thing had been nothing more than an erotic dream.
“Heh. The old man’s in heat.”
Jing Xun had been staring at Sheng Yanqing for half a minute.
His expression had gone from emotionless to smiling, and finally to revealing dimples.
His face practically screamed infatuation.
“Ahem.”
Sheng Yanqing cleared his throat and finally pulled himself out of those thoughts.
The moment he spoke, he immediately began questioning Jing Xun.
“What about the person I told you to find? How many days has it been? There’s not even a shadow of her. Are the people working under you completely useless?”
Instantly, he seized the moral high ground.
“Alright, alright. I’m scared of you already.”
Jing Xun clasped his hands in surrender.
He didn’t dare stay any longer and quickly found an excuse to slip away.