Very elastic, supple but not soft—that was Lu Zhe's impression when he massaged Xia Xiaobing's shoulders.
Beneath that delicate skin, the exquisite collarbone and the smooth curves of the muscles made it feel remarkably vivid to the touch, as if one were sculpting a lifelike work of art.
The problem is, this artwork also has sound.
Lu Zhe used a little too much force, and Xia Xiaobing let out a short "Ah!" and scolded, "Don't use so much force, be gentler."
"Yes, Mr. Xia, is this pressure appropriate?"
"It's alright... um... hmm..."
Hearing that soft, slightly nasal moan, Lu Zhe felt a chill run down his spine and quickly asked, "Is it still too heavy?"
Xia Xiaobing said softly, "It's okay, it's fine like this... um..."
Now, as Lu Zhe massaged the older woman's shoulders, he realized that he could no longer ignore that possibility.
That is the possibility that President Xia likes me.
The question is, why?
For him, the question was essentially the same as for Xue Xiaodie and Tang Qi: Why were they willing to approach him, and even actively create opportunities to spend time together?
Thinking about this, he couldn't help but drift off into a daze.
Suddenly, Xia Xiaobing's voice rang out again: "Are you having some kind of inconvenience?"
Lu Zhe was taken aback: "Inconvenient?"
Xia Xiaobing gathered her long hair, which was draped over her back, and placed it in front of her, along the right side of her neck.
Then she said, "Wouldn't this be more convenient?"
Without the obstruction of long hair, it was indeed more convenient to massage the shoulders. But for Lu Zhe, another problem arose: the mature woman's neck was now exposed.
From the back of her head to her nape, this area has a very smooth and delicate shape, resembling a Venus statue. Because it is covered by her long, straight black hair, no one can usually see the back of her neck.
At this moment, however, the beautiful scenery became a sight that Lu Zhe could enjoy alone.
He took a deep breath and asked, "Is there anything else I need to do this afternoon while we work overtime?"
Xia Xiaobing replied naturally, "Now? Just give me a shoulder massage. I'm a little tired from shopping and driving all day, and my shoulders are a bit sore. As for the other things, you've already done them."
He only spent ten minutes completing an electronic questionnaire. There was no need to make a special trip to the company for such a small matter.
Tomorrow's Monday anyway, can't I just do it during work hours? Even if I absolutely have to finish it this afternoon, I can send it to him via WeChat, it'll be done quickly...
Lu Zhe glanced at the computer screen and saw that President Xia was looking at a research paper. The article was entirely in English, and while he recognized some of the words, the densely packed text made it very difficult to read. He could only barely make out that the article was related to artificial intelligence.
The problem is, is it really necessary to make a special trip to the company just to read academic papers?
Lu Zhe then realized that Xia's goal might simply be to create a space for the two of them to be together.
Thinking of this, he felt a sudden urge to act recklessly.
If I were to kiss him here, President Xia probably wouldn't mind, right?
But he didn't let the impulse cloud his judgment.
There are two lovely girls in the apartment, and I haven't sorted out my relationship with them yet. If I rashly make a move here, how am I going to explain it when I get back?
And so, Lu Zhe silently massaged her for half an hour, without crossing any lines.
Half an hour later, Xia Xiaobing finished reading the long, all-English paper and suddenly sighed.
She said softly, "Call them, we can prepare dinner."
————
Tonight's dinner was at a Cantonese restaurant that served relatively light dishes. Although it was light, it wasn't bland at all, and everyone was quite satisfied with the meal.
Xia Xiaobing would occasionally observe the interactions between the two girls and Lu Zhe with a scrutinizing gaze. After observing them for the duration of a meal, she came to a definite conclusion—at least for now, neither of them had developed a relationship with Lu Zhe that went beyond friendship.
There was no serving of food, no special treatment, no unusual concern; it was as if everything was just normal interaction between friends.
Xia Xiaobing secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as Lu Zhe's reluctance to make a move on me isn't because he already has a girlfriend, then that's fine.
While relieved, Xia Xiaobing couldn't help but feel a little helpless. This afternoon, she even went so far as to offer him a massage; he wasn't an idiot, how could he not sense something amiss? How could he not guess her intentions?
But he still didn't take any further action. What does this mean? It could be due to fear stemming from the difference in their social status, or it could be due to hesitation in choosing between the three girls...
At this moment, the two girls started joking with each other again.
Xue Xiaodie suddenly said, "Miss, how about I add an order of fried pig brain with egg? I just saw that they have this dish."
Tang Qi sneered, "Why? Don't tell me you are what you eat."
Xue Xiaodie smiled but remained silent.
Tang Qi: "Hmph, you can keep it for yourself!"
Xia Xiaobing noticed that the two girls seemed to have a pretty good relationship now—that was good, because close best friends are less likely to make a move on the same guy, since they would definitely sabotage each other.
She then looked at Lu Zhe and found that he was looking down at his phone, and it seemed that he was looking at learning materials related to algorithms.
Xia Xiaobing said, "Lu Zhe, you're working so hard!"
He looked up and smiled: "It's to prepare for the work ahead. Better safe than sorry."
Xia Xiaobing smiled, but there was a hint of helplessness in her smile. The handsome young man in front of her was like a smooth yet hard walnut, making her feel at a loss as to where to begin.
The request she made this afternoon to touch her shoulder was already the most outrageous request she could make. Going any further, such as directly confessing her feelings, would really be going too far.
Xia Xiaobing also has her own pride and a minimum level of reserve.
Moreover, she felt that the two girls in front of her were the same. Everyone was displaying their charm, trying to attract Lu Zhe. This seemed to be an unspoken understanding among the three of them.
Therefore, Xia Xiaobing was very confident that if this situation continued, Lu Zhe would eventually be completely attracted to her. A young girl's charm is merely her innocence and cuteness, perhaps with a touch of maturity or a good family background, and that's all.
But what about her? More mature than a young girl, more youthful and beautiful than a so-called young woman, impeccable in both figure and appearance, at the peak of her charm. There was also a resonance of souls, a compatibility in every sense… Given all this, even if he hesitated along the way, how could he not fall for her?
Xia Xiaobing glanced at Lu Zhe, then at the two little girls bickering, and smiled silently.
————
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