Chapter 39 Do you think I'll fall in love with you? ...

Back at his workstation, Shen Mengqing's surging anger subsided somewhat.

She suddenly realized, belatedly, that just moments before, she had arrogantly confronted the newly appointed chairman in the chairman's office at Yusheng Pharmaceuticals.

Shen Mengqing saw the full glass of water beside him, quickly unscrewed the lid, and gulped down the water.

So, for the past six months, she had been flirting with the heir of Yusheng Company, doing everything with him except for romance, including kissing and sleeping together, and in a way, she abandoned him after starting something.

It felt like picking up a stray dog ​​on the street, raising it for over six months, and suddenly it transformed into a priceless show dog. No, that analogy isn't even accurate enough, since a dog can't be the chairman of her company.

She angrily picked up her pen and poked a hole in the white paper.

If she had known this would happen, she would never have been tempted by his looks and bewitched by him on that rainy day six months ago, and would never have asked Yu Xin for his contact information.

Shen Mengqing couldn't help but recall the events with regret, and her heart grew increasingly depressed.

They should never have met again, but given Yu Xin's status, even if she went to Chu City and stayed by Yang Chuan's side, the number of times they met would only increase. She would probably remember the things she and Yu Xin did in her midnight dreams.

Shen Mengqing was on the verge of collapse. She blamed herself for not being careful enough and not noticing so many coincidences. She also resented Yu Xin for not being honest with her.

Moreover, what does Yu Xin mean by trying to keep her here?

To be honest, the position of secretary of the board of directors of Yu Sheng is a rare opportunity. Even if she wanted to return to Chu Cheng, she would naturally be tempted by such an opportunity, not to mention the high salary offered by Yu Xin.

She continued to work in the pharmaceutical industry. The biggest reason she chose to go to Chucheng was actually her career bottleneck. She couldn't see a better future in Beicheng.

But now, Yu Xin has presented her with a tempting and highly desirable opportunity.

As Shen Mengqing was engrossed in her thoughts, a new message notification suddenly popped up on her computer screen, pulling her back to reality.

She clicked on it and saw that her resignation process was complete.

It seems that Yu Xin ultimately chose to let her go.

Shen Mengqing leaned back in her chair, took a few deep breaths, and her chaotic thoughts gradually dissipated. Too many things had happened today, each incident like a robbery that had drained all her strength.

When it was time to leave work, she and Jiang Yu arranged to meet in the parking lot. Tonight, they planned to go to the same bar as HERBERRY.

After sitting in the passenger seat, Shen Mengqing casually said while swiping his phone screen, "My resignation process has been approved."

"That's a good thing!" Jiang Yu smiled and stepped on the gas, the car revving its engine.

Emerging from the brightly lit underground parking lot, the sky had already darkened, revealing an endless expanse of darkness. Streetlights dotted the inky blackness, illuminating small patches of light.

Shen Mengqing said without changing his expression, "Isn't it General Manager Yu who came to the company to take up his new post today? My resignation process is still in progress, so he asked Li Fan to call me for a meeting."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yu said with a hint of disdain, "I didn't expect him to be so formalistic."

Shen Mengqing wanted to laugh, but she turned her head and stared at Jiang Yu quietly without saying a word.

Jiang Yu felt her gaze, glanced at her quickly, and said, puzzled, "What's wrong? It's kind of scary that you're looking at me like that."

"Are you hiding something from me?" Shen Mengqing asked vaguely.

Jiang Yu said, puzzled, "Why would I hide anything from you? Don't I always share things with you first whenever something happens? You..."

etc.

There was a red light ahead, and Jiang Yu slammed on the brakes.

Oh no!

When Shen Mengqing met Yu Xin, it meant that she knew that she and Yu Xin were old classmates who had known each other for a long time, and that she had been helping Yu Xin cover up her identity.

Jiang Yu chuckled awkwardly a few times, then quickly shifted the blame, saying, "It was all Yu Xin who threatened me. That time you got drunk after meeting a client at the bar, I was going to tell you the truth when I woke up the next day, but he sent me several messages telling me not to tell you."

"If he doesn't want you to talk, then don't. We've known each other for so many years!"

After saying this, Shen Mengqing felt a lack of confidence. Considering their friendship of over ten years, she added, "Old classmates aren't more important than best friends, are they?"

Jiang Yu was very remorseful at this moment, agreeing with Shen Mengqing's words: "Of course my best friend is more important! I wanted to tell you after that, but it seems like you two don't have much contact anymore, so I thought there was no need to say it, otherwise things would just get more complicated."

Shen Mengqing's vision went black.

It would be fine if we just had no contact at all.

She couldn't tell Jiang Yu in detail what had happened between her and Yu Xin in the past six months, so she could only swallow her anger and huddle in her seat to digest it herself.

Jiang Yu drove silently for more than ten minutes. Seeing that Shen Mengqing was no longer angry, she cautiously asked, "So he asked you to meet with him. What did you talk about?"

"Want to know?" Shen Mengqing leaned back, his eyes reflecting the dim lights outside the window.

Jiang Yu nodded and said, "I want to."

Shen Mengqing: "Then you're treating tonight."

Jiang Yu said boldly, "Of course, you have to invite my best friend."

Shen Mengqing turned his head back and looked at the long road ahead, saying, "He asked me to stay and be his secretary, and he even gave me a raise, saying it was more than twice what Santong paid to Assistant Dong."

Holy crap!

Jiang Yu couldn't help but swear. She thought to herself that Yu Xin was either out of his mind or had feelings for Shen Mengqing. Although her sister's abilities were more than enough for a secretary position, the salary offered was almost that of a department manager.

She coughed a few times and said impatiently, "Did you agree?"

Shen Mengqing said, "No, didn't I just say that the resignation process has already been completed?"

Jiang Yu looked at her with admiration: "You were able to resist this kind of temptation."

Shen Mengqing twitched the corner of her mouth. If her boss wasn't Yu Xin, she would have given in long ago and succumbed to the tyranny of money.

Upon arriving at Herberry, the two went inside and sat down. The fruit on the table had been changed according to the season.

Shen Mengqing casually pointed and selected black mulberries, blackberries, and black grapes.

The bartenders served up glasses of colorful fruit wine, but Shen Mengqing's glass was as black as ink, like a witch's poison, ready to kill with a single sip.

Jiang Yu clicked his tongue in amazement and said, "Ah Qing, you're going to turn evil."

Shen Mengqing took a small sip; the sweetness was minimal, with a predominantly sour and astringent taste, much like her current mood.

The two chatted casually. The store was not crowded on a weekday evening and was rather quiet. In addition, they had to go to work the next day, so they were not in a great mood for drinking. They ended the drinking session after a short while.

After taking a ride-hailing service home, Shen Mengqing glanced at the convenience store as she approached the entrance of her residential compound, intending to buy some food and drinks to help her sober up, as usual.

However, she then remembered that she had first met Yu Xin here, and she became somewhat angry with the convenience store, finding it unpleasant to look at. She got off the bus and went straight home.

The base liquor she chose tonight had a higher alcohol content than Jiang Yu's glass. Her face was constantly burning, and her head was slightly dizzy, but thankfully, it wasn't to the point of affecting her thinking.

After entering the elevator, Shen Mengqing leaned her head against the wall, using the coolness of the wall panel to clear her mind.

As soon as the door opened, Shen Mengqing walked out with her bag in her arms. The hallway lights were on all the way to the end, and she saw someone standing at her own door.

The familiar scene made her momentarily dazed, and her heart suddenly pounded wildly in her chest like a deer's.

Shen Mengqing took a few steps closer, and after she saw who it was, her heartbeat instantly returned to normal.

What are you doing here?

Shen Mengqing said impatiently to Lin Xiangyang.

Lin Xiangyang was still wearing the same suit he wore during the day. He probably just finished spending time with Wan Zhen and squeezed in a visit to her. He's a true master of time management.

Seeing that Shen Mengqing's cheeks were slightly flushed and her eyes were still misty, he asked her knowingly, "Have you been drinking?"

"Tch." Shen Mengqing thought he was crazy. "If you have something to say, get lost."

Lin Xiangyang took a deep breath and asked her seriously, "Are you really going back to Chu City?"

"Yes, the resignation process is all done. Do you want me to show it to you?" Shen Mengqing took out her phone, pretending to look for evidence.

"Need not."

Lin Xiangyang's face darkened, his eyes seemingly filled with a fierce determination: "Since you're willing to go back to Chu City, why didn't you accept my marriage proposal and come back with me in the first place?"

Shen Mengqing laughed out loud: "Lin Xiangyang, what kind of old-fashioned thinking are you doing? Even if I wanted to go back to Chucheng back then, it didn't necessarily mean I would have accepted your proposal. These are two completely different things. I think you should thank me. If I hadn't refused you, would you have been able to get involved with Hongtu Capital?"

Lin Xiangyang's tone was restrained: "Do you think I wanted this?"

"Who forced you?" Shen Mengqing rolled his eyes, his last bit of patience worn away. "You keep redefining my understanding. Although Wan Zhen has all the bad habits of a spoiled young lady, at least she's genuine. Your behavior of deceiving her feelings is a million times more disgusting."

Shen Mengqing's words ripped away his pretense of decency, and Lin Xiangyang's anger flared up. His expression instantly changed, and just like the day his marriage proposal failed when he threw things in a fit of rage, he angrily clenched his fist and slammed it heavily against her door.

Startled by the loud noise, Shen Mengqing's face paled considerably due to the alcohol, and she gripped her phone tightly, intending to call the police if anything seemed amiss.

By the light, she saw that Lin Xiangyang's eyes were bloodshot and his chest was heaving.

He stared intently at Shen Mengqing, slowly lowered his arm, and approached her step by step.

Just as Shen Mengqing was about to be cornered with nowhere to retreat, the sound of elevator doors opening came from not far away. Shen Mengqing seized the opportunity next to Lin Xiangyang, used all her strength to push him away, and rushed towards the elevator.

As she ran to the corner, everything went dark, and she bumped solidly into someone's arms.

Before she could even look up, what she noticed before the newcomer's face was the scent of green wood mixed with raindrops.

The missing piece.

At that moment, as her fearful and panicked heart was filled with this calming aura, she began to understand the meaning of the name.

Her slender waist was firmly half-embraced. Shen Mengqing, with his suit fabric on his back, grabbed Yu Xin's thin but strong arm. She looked up at him, panting, and met his light brown eyes. The surroundings seemed to quiet down. She had escaped into the space he had created.

Seeing that something was wrong with her expression, Yu Xin asked her in a deep voice, "What's wrong?"

The next second, he saw the furious Lin Xiangyang and immediately understood what had just happened.

He maintained his half-embracing posture towards Shen Mengqing, even tightening his grip slightly, exuding an aura of superiority. His tone was icy and warning as he asked Lin Xiangyang, "What do you want to do?"

Lin Xiangyang caught Yu Xinwei's barely perceptible loss of control, and instead laughed, glaring at Shen Mengqing and saying, "You really did hook up with him, and you still have the nerve to stand on your moral high ground and condemn me."

"Watch your mouth. I don't mind disciplining Wanzhen's weak and incompetent boyfriend."

Yu Xin's face was gloomy and he exuded a strong sense of oppression. Lin Xiangyang didn't dare to confront him directly, so he changed the subject and said, "Do you know that Shen Mengqing has a gigolo boyfriend who lives off her? I heard that this freeloader even rented a Rolls-Royce to pick her up from a class reunion just to save face. You actually dated this kind of fickle woman?"

Upon hearing Lin Xiangyang's words, Yu Xin noticed the person in her arms stiffen.

He quickly recalled the experience and said with a sneer, "So what?"

Lin Xiangyang: "?"

“I have my own judgment about what kind of woman Shen Mengqing is, but I know that a man who speaks filthyly and looks down on women will be even filthier in his actions and character than in his mouth.” Yu Xin glanced at him sideways. “If you’re not leaving, I can call Wan Zhen and have her come pick up her runaway boyfriend herself.”

Wan Zhen had clearly become Lin Xiangyang's Achilles' heel. He glared at the two of them through gritted teeth, said "You two are no threat" and then got into the elevator and left.

The surroundings fell completely silent as Shen Mengqing broke free from Yu Xin's grasp.

She composed herself, looked up at him coldly, and asked, "What brings you here, Mr. Yu?"

Yu Xin could tell she was still angry, and said, "I need to talk to you about something."

"Then you tell me."

Shen Mengqing took a few steps back and leaned against the wall, then said to him.

Yu Xin looked around and asked, "Aren't we going inside to talk?"

Shen Mengqing's attitude was firm: "Let's talk right here."

Yu Xin: "Are you sure? Then why don't you explain to me about your gigolo boyfriend and the gold digger?"

"You haven't explained to me why you kept it from me!"

Shen Mengqing raised her voice a little, and as soon as she finished speaking, the neighbor across the street opened the door and came out.

The neighbor spotted the aloof, handsome guy she'd seen before and exclaimed to Shen Mengqing, "Oh, your brother's here to see you again?"

Shen Mengqing: "..."

She stamped her foot and gave Yu Xin a look. Yu Xin immediately understood and followed her into the room.

Shen Mengqing came in, poured two glasses of water, put them on the coffee table, and sat down on the sofa, changing the subject: "What do you want to talk about?"

Yu Xin handed the folder in her hand to Shen Mengqing: "Take a look."

“…I’ve already completed my procedures,” Shen Mengqing reminded him.

Why are you still thinking of seducing her?

Yu Xin took a sip of water and said, "I know, but the company shouldn't have a rule that says you can't hire people who have left the company, right?"

His words were somewhat amusing; a company chairman, asking her about company policies.

Shen Mengqing resisted the urge to lift the agreement and said, "Putting everything else aside, do you really think I can be your secretary?"

"Why not?" Yu Xin crossed his arms, looking like a relaxed and lazy young master. After becoming the chairman, he looked much more dignified.

He said, "I've already had HR retrieve your work records from the past few years. Based on my assessment, you are absolutely capable of handling this job. Unless, of course, you lack self-confidence."

The implication is that his judgment could not possibly be wrong.

Shen Mengqing slowly let out a sigh of relief. The suppressed alcohol had somehow seeped back into her bloodstream and flowed back to her head.

“That’s not what I meant,” she said softly.

Yu Xin asked in confusion, "What is that?"

She looked at Yu Xin and said, "Then I'll be frank."

“We’ve been through so much and had so many relationships. If I become your secretary, we’ll have to be together every day. Yu Xin, are you really not going to mind?”

Hearing this, Yu Xin smiled inexplicably and said, "So, this is what you're worried about."

He leaned forward, his dark eyes almost swallowing Shen Mengqing whole: "Shen Mengqing, I'm confident I can get along with you normally, and I won't be affected in the slightest at work. What, don't you have that confidence?"

"Or is it that the reason you can't do it is because you've fallen for me?"

Yu Xin's voice was low and husky, and every word he uttered sounded like a bewitching spell to Shen Mengqing.

Shen Mengqing denied it very quickly: "I didn't."

Yu Xin pressed on, saying, "Then what do you have to be afraid of? Do you think I'll fall in love with you?"

Shen Mengqing couldn't explain it to him clearly; some things could only be truly understood through personal experience.

With a determined heart, she reached out and placed her hand on the back of Yu Xin's neck. His newly cut hair was still a bit prickly. Shen Mengqing applied a little force and pressed her lips against his.

Their lips touched for only a moment before she returned to her original position.

This was a kiss devoid of lust, filled only with exploration.

She calmly said, "Yu Xin, can you really remain completely unwavering?"

Yu Xin chuckled softly, then grabbed Shen Mengqing's wrist and pulled her closer.

The figure in her eyes gradually magnified as the distance increased, and this time, Shen Mengqing turned her head away.

Yu Xinsong released her, displaying the complete demeanor of a victor.

He said, "You see, it's you who can't do it, so you don't dare."

"fart!"

Suddenly, a strange wind blew, causing Shen Mengqing to feel a fire burning from head to toe. The fire intensified as the alcohol was poured on her, turning her brain into mush.

She grabbed the pen Yu Xin had prepared and quickly signed her name on the last page.

"Come on then, we'll see!"

-----------------------

Author's note: This is starting to feel a bit like a couple on the opposite side.

Ah Qing, it seems you've fallen into someone's trap!

Both of them were incredibly confident, as if they had signed an agreement that whoever fell for the other first would lose. [Sunglasses]

Holding popcorn, I'm waiting for Mr. Yu to slap me in the face and win back his wife [shy]