Ye Xinning could tell that the words were a joke. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she said somewhat shyly.
"Director Cheng is exaggerating."
Cheng Yu Huai looked at the woman sitting opposite him. Under the restaurant's unique ambient lighting, she was wearing a light green dress, with her long hair draped behind her and her arms exposed. Her joints were well-proportioned and fair, and her face, which was lightly made up, had a slight blush.
If it were anyone else, Cheng Yuhuai would have found it pretentious, but when the person opposite him was Ye Xinning, he felt that everything he was seeing at this moment was a woman's most genuine reaction.
"Does having dinner with me make you feel nervous?"
Ye Xinning raised the corners of her lips, her tone unhurried, the slight awkwardness she felt sitting with Cheng Yuhuai earlier had disappeared.
"Director Cheng, you're too kind. I'm not nervous at all. I just didn't expect that it would end up being just the two of us having dinner alone. If I had known that Teacher Qin had something to do, I wouldn't have bothered you, Director Cheng. I would have just ordered something simple to eat back at the law firm."
Cheng Yuhuai smiled perfectly, his long arms crossed in front of him. "I am your boss, after all. How can I let my employees come out with me on an empty stomach?"
"It's my duty, Director Cheng, you're being too serious."
In their brief time together, Ye Xinning had been polite like this more than once. As adults, how could Cheng Yuhuai not know that this was a deliberate attempt to distance themselves from Ye Xinning?
"Attorney Ye has been with the firm for almost three years, and I have never heard him talk about his own affairs."
“There’s not much to say. From the very beginning when I applied for the job, it was clearly stated on my resume that I am a single mother and I have a daughter.”
Cheng Yuhuai knew that Ye Xinning had a daughter. When Ye Xinning came to the law firm three years ago, she clearly stated that she was a single mother.
Everyone was surprised, after all, Ye Xinning didn't seem like someone who was married, had children, and was divorced. At the time, he was also curious about what kind of man Ye Xinning was willing to marry, have a child, and raise alone.
Three years have passed. In these three years, Ye Xinning has never mentioned the child's father. In terms of work ability alone, Ye Xinning is one of the best in the law firm. Coupled with her extraordinary and aloof appearance, he gradually overlooked the fact that she was a single mother and her unknown past.
"And what about the child's father?" Cheng Yuhuai asked seemingly casually.
Upon hearing this, Ye Xinning paused in his actions.
Then he raised his head and looked at Cheng Yuhuai; their eyes met in mid-air.
After a long while, Ye Xinning finally spoke, her voice calm and undisturbed throughout.
"Director Cheng seems quite interested in my personal affairs?"
Cheng Yuhuai was not flustered when his intentions were seen through. He calmly said, "I think I have made it very obvious. Let me be more formal. Lawyer Ye is very mysterious. Apart from her name and her identity as a single mother, I know nothing about her. We have worked together for three years and I want to get to know Lawyer Ye better. I wonder if Lawyer Ye will give me this opportunity."
Ye Xinning wasn't stupid. The way Cheng Yuhuai looked at her for that one minute, his eyes were filled with a smile, as warm as a ray of light in the cold night.
Ye Xinning was familiar with that look; she guessed that she had looked at Shen Lin in the same way before.
Ye Xinning probably knew.
Qin Yuchu received a phone call and left suddenly, probably not because there was anything really wrong.
So, does Cheng Yuhuai have other feelings for her besides being her superior and subordinate?
When this hypothesis appeared in Ye Xinning's mind, her first reaction was to deny it.
How could that be? She's a single mother, and that's all there is to her. Any normal person probably wouldn't have any feelings for her.
"I'm sorry, Director Cheng, I don't like to mix personal matters with work matters."
After saying this, Ye Xinning lowered her head and began packing her things.
"It's getting late, I should head out now. I have to meet with a client this afternoon, so I'll go back to the firm to prepare some documents."
After saying that, Ye Xinning stood up.
Seeing her in such a hurry to leave, Cheng Yuhuai's gaze was complicated. "What are you afraid of?"
"Director Cheng, you've misunderstood. I'm not afraid of anything," Ye Xinning said, pursing her lips.
Cheng Yuhuai continued to look at her intently. "So, did I put pressure on you?"
Ye Xinning lowered her head and didn't speak. To be honest, she really didn't know what to say at a time like this.
Cheng Yuhuai seems to genuinely like her.
Cheng Yuhuai sensed her resistance in her silence.
She seemed to have shut herself off in that small circle, refusing to let anyone get close.
"Let me put it this way: you've been at the law firm for three years, and both your abilities and personality are very attractive to me. I like you, Ye Xinning. Of course, you might tell me that you have a child, so let me tell you formally, I am well aware that you have a child, and my family and I don't mind that you have a child. If you're willing to give me a chance, I'd like to pursue you."
Ye Xinning hadn't expected Cheng Yuhuai to confess his feelings so directly.
Her first reaction was one of bewilderment, but after she came to her senses, she lowered her head and thanked Cheng Yuhuai.
“Director Cheng, all I want to do right now is work and take care of my daughter. I haven’t thought about anything else. And please don’t make jokes like that again, Director Cheng.”
After saying that, Ye Xinning nodded slightly, then turned and left.
Cheng Yuhuai watched her retreating figure, wanting to chase after her, but then thought that he should give Ye Xinning some time.
Pressuring her too much at this point will only provoke Ye Xinning's resentment.
Thinking this, Cheng Yuhuai called his assistant over to have dinner with him.
After finishing their meal, Cheng Yuhuai prepared to return to his law firm. As he walked to the restaurant entrance, he bumped into several men.
The most eye-catching of them all was the man in the middle. He was wearing a tailored suit, which was perfectly tailored and accentuated his proportions. At this moment, he had one hand in his pocket and his cold face was devoid of any smile. Even so, his outstanding temperament was still impossible to ignore.
Cheng Yuhuai watched the person disappear from sight and asked his assistant.
Do you know each other?
The assistant shook his head.
"I don't recognize him, but he doesn't seem like a simple person."
Cheng Yuhuai smiled. Indeed, he had only met one person like this before: Fu Chengxun, a leading figure in Jiangcheng's business world.
But that person wasn't Fu Chengxun.
Seeing that Cheng Yuhuai seemed interested, the assistant tentatively asked, "Should we look into it?"
Cheng Yuhuai shook his head and walked out of the restaurant. "No need. It doesn't matter who it is, as long as they have no connection with our law firm."
"Okay, Director Cheng."
The assistant followed, and Cheng Yuhuai instructed, "As for Attorney Ye, just like before, don't pay too much attention to her and put unnecessary pressure on her."
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