Chapter 58: I was the one who actively pursued her.
After the fireworks on the riverbank ended, most of the crowd had left. Shen Mengqing and Yu Xin stood up, dusted off their clothes, and walked towards the open space by the river with their sparklers in hand.
Yu Xin took out a lighter and lit one for Shen Mengqing. He wasn't interested in such things and stood quietly to the side watching Shen Mengqing play.
The sparkler was only half-burnt when Shen Mengqing's phone suddenly rang. She hurriedly pulled out her phone, transferred the sparkler to Yu Xin's hand, and answered, "What's wrong?"
As she listened to Hao Qisi's voice on the phone, she watched Yu Xin imitate her, awkwardly waving a sparkler in circles, which was rather amusing.
Hao Qisi was hiding in the bathroom at the moment. He lowered his voice and said, "Sis, when are you coming back? My second aunt and my mom have been interrogating me about Yu Xin. I can't take it anymore."
"Take it as long as you can. If it really doesn't work, find an excuse to take your mother back."
Shen Mengqing said.
Hao Qisi was wailing on the other end of the line. Shen Mengqing offered a few words of comfort, then hung up before he could say anything more.
Before she could put her phone back, a child next to her was drawn to the sparkler in her hand, staring at it longingly. Shen Mengqing was charmed by the child's expression and distributed several of them.
The child still wouldn't leave, and her parents didn't seem to be nearby, so Shen Mengqing had no choice but to take Yu Xin's lighter and take her to a less crowded place to play.
Shen Mengqing's phone fell into Yu Xin's hands, and not long after, another call came in.
Yu Xin glanced at the incoming call notification, gave a soft snort, and realized she was quite busy on New Year's Eve, dealing with so many people.
He called out to Shen Mengqing, then waved his phone to indicate that someone was calling.
Shen Mengqing assumed it was Hao Qisi calling again, waved for Yu Xin to answer, and turned back to continue playing with the little girl's sparkler without a second thought.
Yu Xin paused, looked at the contact's note on the screen, and pressed the answer button.
Li Qinghe's voice came through the speaker: "Hey, are you home right now? I just finished dealing with things here and was thinking of coming to apologize to you again. If you have time, we can meet up."
"She probably doesn't have time."
Yu Xin looked at Shen Mengqing, who was playing happily with the child, and said in a cold voice.
Li Qinghe was visibly taken aback for a moment, then asked in a puzzled tone, "Yu Xin?"
Yu Xin replied, "Yes, it's me."
"Why did you answer the phone? Where is Shen Mengqing?" Li Qinghe's tone softened.
Yu Xin feigned innocence and said, "She asked me to answer the phone."
That tone was so irritating that Li Qinghe simply said, "I'll contact her later," and hung up.
Yu Xin carefully put his phone away and walked over to Shen Mengqing and the unfamiliar child in a great mood, lighting their sparklers one by one. As he was surrounded by their laughter and joy, he felt that the year had given him a precious gift at its final moment.
...
Yu Xin took Shen Mengqing home as agreed, but he only took her downstairs, saying that he hadn't been polite enough and hadn't prepared a gift, and that he would visit again next time.
Shen Mengqing walked into the house. Hao Qisi and her third aunt had already left. Hao Meng was sitting on the sofa watching TV. When she saw her return, he turned down the volume with the remote control.
"You're back," Hao Meng said. "Did you have fun?"
Shen Mengqing replied, "It's alright."
Hao Meng watched silently as Shen Mengqing went inside to change into her pajamas and then came out to sit down next to her. Finally, he couldn't help but ask her, "What exactly is your relationship with that young man?"
Shen Mengqing asked knowingly, "Who is it?"
Hao Meng patted her hand as she peeled the orange: "What do you think?"
"Isn't it just a boss and employee?" Shen Mengqing popped a segment of orange into her mouth; it was a little sour, and she squinted her eyes.
Hao Meng said, "But he said they were friends."
"That's true."
"Ah Qing, do you really think I can't tell your mother's true colors?" Hao Meng poked Shen Mengqing and said, "Your attitude towards him is completely different from your attitude towards Li Qinghe."
Shen Mengqing swallowed hard and put the remaining half of the orange back on the coffee table: "Really?"
Hao Meng sighed. Let this idiot figure it out himself.
Shen Mengqing knew, of course, that her feelings for Yu Xin and Li Qinghe were completely different, but she didn't want Hao Meng to pay too much attention to Yu Xin, otherwise, Hao Meng would have to interfere and urge the progress again.
As midnight approached, the hosts and celebrities on TV began the countdown, and when they reached 0, everyone cheered "Happy New Year!"
Outside, people were setting off fireworks, making a loud, crackling noise. Hao Meng was asleep on the sofa, and Shen Mengqing gently covered her with a blanket. She picked up her phone; there were several new messages, all offering blessings.
Shen Mengqing replied to Jiang Yu first, then replied to everyone else one by one, leaving Yu Xin's message for last.
She sent a message to Yu Xin:
"Let's have fun together!"
Yu Xin angrily told her:
"You're only replying now? Did so many people send you messages?"
Shen Mengqing chuckled softly:
"Yeah, she's very popular."
Yu Xin stopped there and changed the subject, saying:
"I'm going back tomorrow. See you after the New Year, Secretary Shen."
How disgusting! The holiday isn't even over yet. Shen Mengqing casually replied "Understood, President Yu," then tossed her phone aside, preferring to ignore it.
-
On the first day after the holiday, Shen Mengqing ran into Yu Xin as she stepped into the office building elevator. Yu Xin had changed out of her casual clothes and put on a coat and suit, looking tall, straight, and with an outstanding presence.
Just as she met Yu Xin's gaze, He Wang and Fang Li rushed in a few seconds before the elevator doors closed.
He Wang stood next to Yu Xin, casually glanced back at Shen Mengqing, put his arm around Yu Xin's shoulder and said, "Why do you look so radiant after the holiday? Is there something good happening?"
"The biggest joy is that you led the sales department to double its sales in Q1," Yu Xin said calmly.
He Wang pursed his lips: "When someone changes the subject and says something unpleasant, it means they've been right. Tell me, is it related to a woman?"
Upon hearing this juicy gossip, Fang Li moved silently closer to Shen Mengqing, grabbing her arm and giving her several meaningful glances, signaling her to listen carefully as well.
“Boring,” Yu Xin said coldly, looking down at her phone.
He Wang nudged his shoulder: "Tell me, who is it?"
Yu Xin put down his phone, paused for a few seconds, and said:
"Secretary Shen."
He said this in a flat tone, not like he was calling out to someone, but more like he was answering He Wang's question.
Fang Li was stunned and turned her head in shock to look at Shen Mengqing.
Shen Mengqing waved his hand, about to explain, when Yu Xin continued, "How are your preparations for next week's annual meeting going?"
"..." Shen Mengqing's denial stuck in his throat. He replied, "The attendance list and event schedule have all been compiled. I'll show them to you later."
Yu Xin nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets: "Okay."
He Wang rolled his eyes, wondering how long these two could keep it a secret.
Once they reached the top floor, Yu Xin stepped out first. Fang Li pulled Shen Mengqing back, and only after the man's figure disappeared did she speak, "Secretary Shen, I just thought President Yu was saying that you and I... had something going on."
Shen Mengqing twitched the corner of her mouth: "No, no, you're overthinking it."
As Fang Li walked out, she muttered, "But when I got into the elevator today, I really felt that the atmosphere was a bit different. Could it really be like what Mr. He said, that Mr. Yu is in a relationship?"
"I'm not quite sure either."
Fang Li whispered to her, "Secretary Shen, you'll be working right next to President Yu. If you hear any gossip, remember to share it with me. Don't worry, I'm very tight-lipped. I work alone at the front desk every day, so I only see you and Assistant Chen. There's not much else to talk to."
Shen Mengqing chuckled twice and said "okay," at which point Fang Li let go of her hand and allowed her to go to the office.
Yusheng's annual meeting has always been a grand affair, with all company employees in attendance and several leading companies in the pharmaceutical industry invited. Shen Mengqing sent out many invitations this month and has finally finalized the list.
The annual meeting was held in the banquet hall of a five-star hotel in Beicheng. Shen Mengqing spent the entire week traveling between the office building and the hotel, and every detail required her confirmation.
On the day of the annual meeting, almost all her colleagues had already gone to the banquet hall, but she was still in the office building getting things. She would rush to the hotel after taking care of this.
As luck would have it, just as she was hailing a taxi downstairs, Yu Xin's black car slowly drove out of the underground parking lot. Perhaps he was driving slower this time, because he saw her standing by the roadside and stopped the car in front of her.
Shen Mengqing opened the car door and got in. She was wearing a silk evening gown today, the hem of which was a bit long, and it took her a while to tuck the hem into her ankles.
Once the door closed, Yu Xin glanced at her and said, "The dress suits you well."
"Thank you, Mr. Yu," Shen Mengqing said with a slight smile.
"You're already in character?" Yu Xin said, and before Shen Mengqing could answer, he added, "However, something's missing from your outfit."
Shen Mengqing looked at him, puzzled: "?"
Yu Xin: "Open the front storage compartment."
Following his instructions, Shen Mengqing opened the hidden compartment, revealing a familiar, dark blue jewelry box. She then realized that she had completely forgotten to wear her jewelry.
She struggled with the decision for a moment, but still didn't reach for it. She simply clicked the lid of the storage compartment shut.
Yu Xin didn't insist. He drove silently the whole way until he parked the car in the hotel parking lot. Only then did he unbuckle his seatbelt, bend down, and take out the jewelry box himself.
He opened the jewelry box, and Shen Mengqing saw that inside were not only the necklace he had once given her, but also a matching bracelet and earrings.
Even the dim lighting in the underground parking lot illuminated the handful of diamonds, making them sparkle brilliantly.
Shen Mengqing didn't dare to think about the total price of the contents of the box. She shrank back and said, "This..."
"Put it on." Yu Xin handed it over and said, "Wear it tonight, then you can do whatever you want with it, or you can give it back to me."
Shen Mengqing looked at him and asked sincerely, "What should we do if it falls off?"
"..."
Yu Xin was speechless: "Is that what you're worried about? Don't worry, I won't make you lose money."
The diamond was still sparkling, and Shen Mengqing couldn't help but look down at it, unable to resist its allure. As if under a spell, she involuntarily reached out her hand.
"At most, I'll make you work for me for a few more decades to make up for the money."
Upon hearing this, Shen Mengqing immediately withdrew her hand. Halfway back, Yu Xin grabbed her wrist: "Just kidding, I'll help you put it on."
He took off the bracelet; Shen Mengqing's wrist was indeed very slender. He even had the brand's sales staff shorten it a bit. Then, he lifted her slightly wavy long hair and helped her put on the necklace, leaving the earrings for her to do herself.
Shen Mengqing looked in the mirror, carefully examining how she looked after putting on the jewelry. She had to admit, the expensive jewelry made her skin appear even whiter and smoother, enhancing her captivating charm.
The two got out of the car. Shen Mengqing straightened her skirt and slowly walked to Yu Xin's side.
"Let's go, Secretary Shen."
He reached out his hand, looked at Shen Mengqing, and waited for her to put her arm around his.
Their overly intimate behavior was noticed by someone behind them. Once inside the elevator, Zhang Tu raised his hand to hold the closing doors and walked in with a cold smile. His father was a shareholder, so he would naturally be invited to such events. Unexpectedly, he stumbled upon Yu Xin and Shen Mengqing's affair.
He spoke in an unfriendly tone: "President Yu, so you attacked me back then because of Shen Mengqing? In that respect, you're far inferior to your father. I remember that old President Yu never got close to women."
After finishing with Yu Xin, he seemed not to be satisfied yet, and said to Shen Mengqing, "I never realized you had such a scheming mind. You went to great lengths to leave the sales department just to get into Yu Xin's bed. What right do you have to look down on me? At least I have my father's connections openly and honestly."
Before Shen Mengqing could react, he saw a dark shadow flash before his eyes. Yu Xin instantly grabbed Zhang Tu by the collar. Zhang Tu was more than half a head shorter than him, and it looked as if he had been forcibly pulled up by Yu Xin.
Zhang Tu's neck was caught in his collar, making it difficult for him to breathe, and his face turned bright red.
"Watch your mouth." Yu Xin's eyes were cold, filled with a sharp intimidation. "Do you really think your father can sit comfortably in the shareholder position because I don't have any leverage over him? If you continue to speak so recklessly, ruining the company's reputation or causing trouble for Yu Sheng, I don't mind making your father hand over the shares."
Zhang Tu remained silent, whether he was stifled by his words or his throat was choked and he couldn't make a sound, but the look in his eyes as he glared at Yu Xin gradually lost its confidence.
Yu Xin still wouldn't let go of him: "Also, it was I who actively pursued Secretary Shen. Don't use your filthy brain to make malicious assumptions. If I hear you say anything disgusting again, I will take action directly."
Seeing that Zhang Tu had lowered his head and showed no intention of arguing, Yu Xin loosened his collar.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, Zhang Tu immediately stepped out and rushed into the banquet hall, disappearing into the crowd.
Shen Mengqing glanced at his retreating figure worriedly a few times and asked, "Why did you tell him you were pursuing me? Won't he tell other people?"
"Don't worry, he definitely won't," Yu Xin said solemnly.
Zhang Tu is both foolish and arrogant. After being threatened by Yu Xin, he will naturally behave himself for a few days and won't dare to repeat what Yu Xin said to his father. Moreover, if he were to tell others that Yu Xin is pursuing Shen Mengqing, Zhang Tu would only think that it would be a credit to Shen Mengqing, and he wouldn't do that.
Assistant Chen was probably sent by Yu Xin to greet some guests from out of town, and he was nowhere to be seen. Shen Mengqing, as Yu Xin's secretary, was sitting beside him with a glass of white wine.
Yu Xin also took a glass of wine, turned his head and said, "If you don't want to drink, just change it to water, no one will notice."
"No need." Shen Mengqing took a sip. "It's quite delicious."
Yu Xin chuckled and called her a drunkard, then raised her glass to clink with hers and took a small sip herself.
As the two entered the venue, they were immediately surrounded by a large crowd. Shen Mengqing had memorized the faces and names of each guest in advance, fearing that Yu Xin might not be able to recall their names when he saw their faces. However, to his surprise, Yu Xin remembered them all and chatted happily with everyone, handling the situation with ease.
She wasn't idle either. Unlike other bosses, Yu Xin didn't treat her, his secretary, as just an accessory. He would always let her participate for a few minutes or introduce her to people he had never met before.
Further inside, Shen Mengqing saw Yang Chuan. She greeted him warmly, and Yang Chuan walked over with a smile. In front of Yu Xin, he said to her, "Little Shen, tell me the truth, did you choose to become Yu Sheng's secretary because Yu Xin is younger and more handsome than me?"
The older generation still habitually call Yu Xin "Little President Yu," and when Yang Chuan said this, many people around him laughed.
Seeing Assistant Dong beside Yang Chuan, Shen Mengqing calmly said, "President Yang, your new assistant is truly young and beautiful. I can't compare. Come, let me toast you."
"I'd also like to toast Mr. Yang, to thank him for helping me retain Secretary Shen," Yu Xin said, raising his glass.
After saying the polite words, Yang Chuan walked closer to the two of them and started chatting. He mentioned that he had shown Shen Mengqing Yu Xin's photo during the interview and praised him for being very handsome. He said he had originally wanted to ask her for a photo together sometime.
These words were heavily exaggerated. Yu Xin smiled and tilted her head to look at Shen Mengqing. Shen Mengqing quickly shook her head and said to Yang Chuan, "President Yang, how could you clearly see the faces in the photo you gave me back then? At most, you could only see the atmosphere."
"Who said that! Even if you couldn't see his face clearly, you still complimented Mr. Yu on how handsome he is," Yang Chuan said.
Afraid that someone's tail would wag again, Shen Mengqing feigned amnesia and said, "Did I...?"
Yang Chuan waved his hand: "If you don't remember, that's fine. I have to keep my promise."
He called a photographer and had someone take a photo of Yu Xin and Shen Mengqing together.
Yang Chuan looked at the two people in front of him with satisfaction. They looked very well-matched. He noticed that Yu Xin's hand touched Shen Mengqing's hand. Shen Mengqing gave him a light slap as a warning and Yu Xin put his hand behind his back to avoid it.
He chuckled to himself; he'd actually stumbled upon two lucky winners by sheer luck.
-----------------------
A note from the author:
Xinzi: Work for me for several more decades / (sprinkling flowers)
Aqing: What I fear most is a capitalist's sudden confession...
Yang Chuan sat at the head table!
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