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Yu Qing noticed Fu Ji Chen setting down his chopsticks, having barely touched his bowl of rice. “Is the food not to your liking today?”
Fu Ji Chen pressed his fingers against his temples, still recovering from her earlier comment. “I’ll rest for a bit before eating.”
Yu Qing counted out six grains of rice from her bowl and placed them into his. “You’ve worked hard today—talking nonstop on my behalf.”
Fu Ji Chen glanced at the tiny clump of rice she had given him, then picked up his chopsticks and resumed eating. “Yu Qing, can you stop provoking me all day?”
“Aren’t you the person I rely on the most? If I don’t provoke you, who else should I provoke? Other men?”
This left Fu Ji Chen speechless.
Yu Qing absentmindedly ate her meal, occasionally glancing at him.
Though Fu Ji Chen’s eyes were lowered, he could sense her gaze. “If you have something to say, just say it.”
“Are you really going to buy me clothes?”
“Yes, consider it buying myself eye drops. If you keep wearing your work uniform every day, I’m afraid my eyes will go on strike.”
“…”
Yu Qing probed further. “Can I buy anything I want? Is there a price limit? For example, no single item over a thousand yuan?” She explained, “Aside from my family, I’ve never spent anyone else’s money—I don’t know what’s considered appropriate.”
Fu Ji Chen simply replied, “Buy as much as you want, spend as much as you want—it’s up to you.”
Yu Qing’s lips curved slightly upward. “Then I’ll humbly accept. Thank you, President Fu.”
From a young age, her father had affectionately nicknamed her the “Yu Family Paper Shredder.”
Her half-sister, Yu Zixuan, was known as both the “Cash Register” and the “Deposit Machine,” as she never wasted money.
Fish Demon’s nickname was the “ATM”—once the cash was withdrawn, it was promptly shredded.
Since coming to Beijing and having her card frozen, she had almost forgotten the joy of being a paper shredder.
She wasn’t worried about her ability to shred cash but feared that one day while shopping, Fu Ji Chen might get so pained by the spending spree that he’d unplug the shredder.
That would be such a buzzkill.
After leaving the cafeteria, Yu Qing followed Fu Ji Chen back to his office.
Out of habit, she grabbed a bottle of lemon tea from his fridge and stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the view while digesting her food.
Fu Ji Chen set an alarm, turned off the office lights, and closed the automatic curtains.
Yu Qing found herself caught between the curtains.
“Why are you closing the curtains in the middle of the day?” She turned to look at Fu Ji Chen.
Fu Ji Chen was reclining on the sofa, resting with his eyes closed.
Yu Qing walked over as the curtains behind her closed tightly. “Why aren’t you sleeping in the rest area?”
Fu Ji Chen: “The bed is reserved for you.”
The large bed was spacious enough for two, but once they lay down, it probably wouldn’t be for sleeping—the time would likely be spent on other uncontrollable activities.
With over half an hour of rest time left, Yu Qing didn’t go to the inner rest area. Instead, she lay on the sofa, resting her head on Fu Ji Chen’s lap. “Don’t move—I’ll take a nap.”
She turned over, lying on her side, and nestled into the most comfortable position on his lap.
The office fell silent, and her breathing gradually steadied.
Fu Ji Chen looked at her. “How can you fall asleep so easily?”
“Why wouldn’t I be able to sleep?”
True—he might as well be talking to a fish.
Their memory only lasts seven seconds.
Perhaps even shorter.
Whether it was happiness or sadness, whether their relationship had been publicly revealed or not, in her mind, it was all fleeting—like birds passing without a trace.
After a while…
Fu Ji Chen suddenly remembered something and opened his eyes.
He pulled his suit jacket from the back of the sofa and draped it over Yu Qing.
Yu Qing was utterly exhausted, too tired to even open her eyes.
She muttered softly, “Thank you, dear.”
Fu Ji Chen looked down at her, unsure if she was mumbling nonsense.
She had only slept for less than twenty minutes when she was awakened by a barrage of messages from Zhang Xiaochi.
[Little Qincheng, is what they’re saying true?]
[How do you manage to face such a handsome man every day and still restrain yourself from showing off at work?]
[I heard our President Fu was incredibly handsome today!]
[I used to pity you daily, thinking you were poorer than me. Who knew you’d already become filthy rich through marriage! I’m on my way back to the company—I need some good vibes.]
Seeing the phrase “filthy rich through marriage,” Yu Qing’s lips curved upward.
“Not sleeping anymore?”
“No.”
Yu Qing replied indifferently while checking her messages.
Fu Ji Chen patted her head. “If you’re not sleeping, get up—I have work to do.”
Yu Qing didn’t move, continuing to reply to Zhang Xiaochi’s messages.
Fu Ji Chen lifted her neck and slid a cushion under her head, massaging his numb leg. “I have no dinner plans tonight—you can hitch a free ride home.”
“You could’ve just said you wanted to leave together.”
“…So annoying. Did your parents ever spank you when you were little?”
“No one ever hit me.”
Perhaps because she hadn’t fully woken up, her mind was foggy, and Yu Qing started rambling. “My parents’ relationship broke down before I was born, and they divorced before I could even walk. I grew up with my grandmother.”
“In fact, my father is quite wealthy, and so is my mother—richer than you might imagine. But I’ve never been close to them.”
“Before, only my grandmother would nag me. When I went abroad to study at fourteen, she called me every day, sometimes for half an hour. A couple of years ago, she got sick and passed away.”
“I became like a kite whose string had snapped—completely free, with no one left to nag me.”
Suddenly, the room fell completely silent.
Fu Ji Chen gently tugged at the lanyard of her employee badge.
“Why are you pulling my badge?”
“Flying a kite.”
“…”
Yu Qing couldn’t describe the emotions swirling inside her at this moment, in this situation.
She sat up, wondering why she had told him all this. Was her brain malfunctioning?
Pan Zheng’s call came in. Fu Ji Chen released her lanyard and answered.
“President Fu, regarding the punishments for Xiao Yilin from Dixin and Director Zhou from the legal department after today’s lunch incident—what’s your opinion?” He sought the boss’s input.
Fu Ji Chen glanced at Yu Qing, who was playing on her phone, seemingly indifferent to everything. “Follow the company’s standard disciplinary measures. Workplace interpersonal relationships and conflicts—Yu Qing will handle them herself.”
Pan Zheng understood and didn’t press further.
The call ended.
Qiao Yang was in Pan Zheng’s office. The call he had just made to Fu Ji Chen was at her request, though naturally, she had a plausible excuse.
“What did President Fu say? If he plans to find a reason to fire Xiao Yilin and Zhou Yunli later, I won’t invite Zhou Yunli to any important meetings on my end.”
Pan Zheng: “You know the boss—he doesn’t mix personal vendettas with work. Besides, he doesn’t care about workplace drama, and neither does Lawyer Yu.”
Qiao Yang smiled. “That’s good—I’ll proceed as usual.”
Since Yu Qing could tolerate Xiao Yilin and Zhou Yunli staying at the Fu Corporation, her position in the finance department wouldn’t change either.
What worried her was that Yu Qing might whisper complaints into Fu Ji Chen’s ear at night, seeing her as a thorn in her side and finding any excuse to oust her from the finance department.
After bidding farewell to Pan Zheng, Qiao Yang returned to her office.
The door closed.
She sank into her swivel chair.
The news of Fu Ji Chen publicly declaring his fiancée felt like drinking a bottle of red wine—the aftereffects lingered. Even now, she still hadn’t recovered.
The computer screen in front of her alternated between clarity and blur.
Her phone vibrated nonstop. In every group chat, the topic revolved around Yu Qing.
She set her phone to Do Not Disturb mode.
Holding her phone, she tapped it rhythmically against her palm.
A faint unease lingered in her heart.
Sooner or later, Yu Qing would see her as a thorn in her flesh, perhaps finding any excuse to make her leave the Fu Corporation. After all, her situation was different from Xiao Yilin’s.
Xiao Yilin’s conflict with Yu Qing was purely work-related.
But her… the company already rumored that she and Fu Ji Chen were a couple.
Workplace conflicts and romantic rivalries were two entirely different concepts.
The afternoon dragged on endlessly for everyone.
Before leaving work, Xiao Yilin went to Zhao Shuqun’s office.
With a soft “thud,” the door closed behind her.
Zhao Shuqun was reviewing the monthly sales report. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed it was Xiao Yilin but didn’t bother looking up.
Xiao Yilin approached and leaned against his desk. “I’m sorry for causing you trouble today.”
“It’s fine,” Zhao Shuqun replied without reproach. The contract issue had also cost her dearly.
“Zhou Yunli used me as a pawn to vent her anger. What do you think about that?”
“I don’t think much of it.”
“Heh.”
Zhao Shuqun continued reading the report. “Who isn’t two-faced in this world? Do you really expect to make genuine friends in the workplace? There’s no need to cut ties with Zhou Yunli. Next time you need her help, she’ll definitely handle things smoothly for you.”
Xiao Yilin fell silent.
She hadn’t come just to criticize Zhou Yunli. “Can you ask Zhou Yunli to transfer Yu Qing to another position soon? Things have already soured between them—signing contracts in the future will be unbearable.”
Zhao Shuqun was equally troubled. “After work, I’ll arrange a meeting with Zhou Yunli.” He planned to transfer Yu Qing within one or two months, ideally to a position unrelated to their Dixin sales department.
________________________________________
Publicly declaring their relationship came with its perks—for instance, Yu Qing could now openly hitch a ride with Fu Ji Chen.
But there were downsides too.
As the car door shut, she let out a sigh of relief.
From the elevator to getting into the car, she had been silently watched all the way.
The driver started the engine.
Fu Ji Chen put away his laptop. “Guess how long you’ll last in your current position?”
Yu Qing turned to him. “A month?”
“You overestimate yourself. In the entire Fu Corporation, aside from me, very few people want to see you.”
“…”
Fu Ji Chen unscrewed a bottle of lemon water.
Yu Qing reached out, assuming it was for her, but he began drinking it himself.
After taking a sip, he handed the bottle to her. “You still want to join Shuo Yu Law Firm, right? You won’t have as much freedom in the Fu Corporation’s legal department.”
Yu Qing nearly choked on the water and quickly shook her head. “I don’t plan to go there for now.”
Her father was close friends with the director of Shuo Yu Law Firm.
If Fu Ji Chen helped her secure a position through connections, her identity would be exposed.
Fu Ji Chen couldn’t understand why she would turn down such an opportunity. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” Yu Qing took another sip of water, stalling for time while racking her brain for an excuse. “Even though being your fiancée complicates my workplace relationships, I want to challenge myself.”
After a brief pause, she finally came up with a strong justification.
“I still want to earn my place at Shuo Yu through my own abilities. If I rely on your connections to get in, unless we stay together forever, the day we part ways, I’ll become gossip fodder for others.”
This reasoning left him speechless.
When they got home, Fu Ji Chen placed his suitcase back in the closet and took off his coat.
Yu Qing sat on the suitcase, sliding back and forth, mimicking his tone. “These past few days, how many glasses of water did you drink? How many meals did you eat? Were you full? Did you sleep well? Did you miss me?”
Fu Ji Chen didn’t respond. He turned off the light with one hand and pulled her up with the other.
Yu Qing wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek against his.
They moved from the closet to the bed, passion reigniting.
Though it wasn’t exactly “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” it was still fiery.
After four days apart, their reunion felt intense.
Yu Qing tried to steady her breathing, only to lose control again under his kisses.
Afterward, it was still early—only 8:30 PM.
Fu Ji Chen headed to the study.
Yu Qing curled up on the couch, reading a book.
Her mind wandered occasionally.
Images of the cafeteria scene from noon kept popping into her head. Despite his apparent scolding, the moment Fu Ji Chen publicly acknowledged their relationship, he had never looked more handsome.
She tapped her head with the book and resumed reading.
Unbeknownst to her, two hours passed.
When Fu Ji Chen finished his work and returned, he glanced at the bag beside Yu Qing—it looked much better now. “Pick another bag. Once you’ve decided, I’ll pay for it. Consider it compensation.”
Yu Qing slowly raised her head to look at him.
This compensation was likely for the grievance she endured at work.
But she didn’t need more bags.
“Can you give me cash instead?”
Fu Ji Chen met her gaze for a moment. “Forget I said anything.”
Fine, if he wasn’t going to offer.
Tonight, her brain was too active and excited for reading. Yu Qing set the book aside, climbed into bed, and logged into her futures trading account.
Her heart sank.
Fu Ji Chen casually picked up her book and leaned against the headboard to read.
“By the way, do you remember our agreement?” She gave him some time to prepare mentally.
“I don’t remember.”
“Your memory is terrible. When I earn two million, I’ll hire you for a week.”
“Mm.”
“While you were away on your business trip, I made several profitable trades. Those were small amounts, but the most expensive bag I sold fetched a good price—the buyer even paid extra. Now, I’m only seventy thousand short of two million. With ten more trades, I should reach the goal.”
Fu Ji Chen suddenly looked up. “Did you deliver bags to clients these past nights?”
Yu Qing hummed noncommittally, brushing it off.
The money Fish Demon had given her was already enough to cover hiring him—she didn’t need to keep “reselling” bags.
Fu Ji Chen eyed her thoughtfully. “Transfer 1.92 million to me, and consider the difference as me buying you a bag.”
The surprise came unexpectedly.
Yu Qing leapt into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.
“It’s settled then! I’ll transfer the money to you tomorrow. I’ll hire you from Christmas to New Year’s, so take leave during that week. You’ll be my assistant, studying the futures market and helping me earn back the two million with interest.”
“…”
He shouldn’t have shown her sympathy.
Earlier, she mentioned delivering bags at night and needing ten more orders.
Suddenly, he felt a pang of pity.
He forgot—this was her usual tactic to elicit sympathy.
Fu Ji Chen pushed her away. “Loosen up—I can’t breathe. Why are you being so clingy?”
Yu Qing tightened her grip around his neck, reasoning, “I’m paying two million to hire you. Of course, I need to hold on tight. If I lose you, won’t I be at a huge loss?”
Fu Ji Chen was momentarily speechless.
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