Qin Wei was instantly at a loss for words.
He didn't mean anything perverted?
How could that be possible!
Judging by his lewd expression, he clearly meant spending a night with him!
And now this bastard refused to admit it, turning it around to make it seem like her thoughts were impure, right?
Chapter 57
"Weiwei, say something. What did you think I meant?"
"Shut up! I'm busy with work. If you say another word, I'm blocking you!"
Throwing her phone aside, Qin Wei began fussing with the documents on her desk.
She had wanted to throw herself wholeheartedly into her work, but all she could think about was that scene in the hotel the other day.
Qin Wei's cheeks flushed, growing a little hot.
"What is wrong with me? I never used to think about these things. Why am I becoming like this..."
Qin Wei had never given much thought to romance or intimacy, but ever since she met Lin Chudong, she frequently found herself in a state of hormonal overload, her mind constantly conjuring up R-rated images.
It was all that bastard's fault!
He just had to play with homophones. He was clearly the one with a dirty mind, yet he feigned ignorance—how utterly infuriating!
...
That evening, back home.
Qin Wei actually went to the kitchen to cook.
She had promised to make him a bowl of noodles, so she had better follow through quickly before this bastard started making snide remarks again.
As soon as she got off work and started bustling around the kitchen, Lin Chudong looked somewhat surprised.
Could this female CEO actually make noodles?
"Weiwei, how about we just make some instant noodles? Keep it simple."
Qin Wei opened the fridge, her hands already holding two packets of instant noodles.
Hearing Lin Chudong say that, she immediately put the instant noodles back.
Who is he looking down on?
Does this CEO only know how to make something as basic as instant noodles?
"Hmph, you made hand-rolled noodles, so of course I'll compensate you with hand-rolled noodles!"
Acting out of spite, Qin Wei took out some flour and began kneading the dough.
Although she didn't know how to cook, there were plenty of tutorials online nowadays; she just had to follow along.
She had successfully made a few dishes before, so she had a little experience.
Following the steps online, she started kneading the dough, and then placed the rolled dough inside a plastic bag.
As a complete kitchen novice, making noodles from scratch was far too difficult for her.
So she decided to use a simple trick she found online.
She put the dough inside a plastic bag, poked numerous holes in it with chopsticks, and squeezed hard so that the noodles would push through the holes—and just like that, the noodles would be ready.
Seeing Qin Wei busy at work, Lin Chudong sat off to the side to watch.
Qin Wei in the kitchen was actually quite pretty.
If this woman didn't lose her temper so often, she would make an absolute traditional wife and mother.
It was just that her temper was too fierce; it was probably due to endocrine imbalance. He should prescribe her a herbal remedy to sort that out later.
Qin Wei finished her preparations, and the water in the pot was already boiling.
She held the plastic bag over the pot and squeezed hard.
With a squelch, the bag burst open right down the middle, and the entire lump of dough dropped straight into the pot.
Lin Chudong stood behind her, biting his lips to keep from laughing. The scene was too hilarious; he couldn't suppress the corners of his mouth.
Qin Wei's expression was even more dramatic. She had never felt so stupid in her life!
Why couldn't she even get something as simple as noodles right?
Qin Wei had flour smeared on her face and had been splashed with quite a bit of water, looking thoroughly disheveled.
Suddenly, Lin Chudong walked up to her, looped his arms around her neck, and untied her apron.
"Let me do it."
Lin Chudong expertly tied the apron around his own waist and started kneading the dough anew.
Qin Wei bit her lip, a look of stubborn defiance flashing across her face.
She was extremely competitive and had never lost in any field.
She refused to back down on this, either.
"I'll do it with you."
Lin Chudong paused for a moment. "Alright, then wash two tomatoes and chop some scallions."
"Okay."
Chapter 58
Qin Wei immediately set to work. She refused to believe she couldn't even handle something this simple!
She washed two tomatoes and cut the scallions into small pieces. Although it was her first time holding a kitchen knife and she wasn't very skilled, chopping scallions didn't require much technical expertise, so she managed just fine.
The two of them bustled about the kitchen with the sound of chopping. Although there was hardly any conversation throughout, the atmosphere suddenly grew warm and cozy.
Watching Lin Chudong wear an apron and carefully make hand-rolled noodles, Qin Wei felt a momentary trance.
This kind of life didn't seem so bad...
She had never experienced this kind of atmosphere before; it felt just like having a home.
In the past, when she was on her own, she always ate at the company or went to restaurants.
She didn't like takeout, and returning home usually meant eating instant noodles.
She wasn't used to having a housekeeper either, so to her, the house was just a place to sleep, like a permanent hotel.
Yet at this moment, she could actually sense the warmth of a lived-in home.
Soon, Lin Chudong's noodles were ready. He was as adept at it as a chef in a restaurant.
Looking at the two bowls of steaming hot noodle soup on the table, Qin Wei felt a ripple stir in her heart, staring blankly at the bowl in front of her.
"Weiwei, what are you daydreaming about? Don't tell me you've fallen in love with me?"
Coming back to her senses, Qin Wei glared at him fiercely.
"What kind of daydreams are you having? Do you think a bowl of noodles is going to buy me off?"
Despite speaking with stubborn defiance, her chopsticks were already moving.
As much of a bastard as Lin Chudong was, his culinary skills were undeniable. The noodles lacked any high-end ingredients, yet tasted exceptionally delicious.
Besides, she had contributed to making these two bowls of noodles, so she wasn't eating for free; she dug in with gusto, feeling no burden on her conscience.
Lin Chudong smiled faintly. "Then what would it take to buy you off?"
Qin Wei paused, feeling that his question sounded somewhat ambiguous.
Was he asking what kind of thing could conquer her?
Qin Wei didn't answer; she hadn't even figured it out herself.
When it came to matters of romance, she was an absolute idiot. Even though she had already slept with Lin Chudong, that didn't change the fact that she was a novice in love.
It wasn't that Qin Wei had never thought about marriage, but the man in her fantasies was far too idealized.
The man who could conquer her had to be superior to her in every single aspect.
That might be a bit too high of a standard, but surely he had to excel in at least one area compared to her?
Lin Chudong... still fell far short of her mental benchmarks.
Although this bowl of noodles gave her a trace of warmth, reason ultimately triumphed over sentiment.
It was only because she had never experienced this feeling before that she felt a tiny ripple of emotion.
She understood that a momentary touch of emotion like this wasn't true love.
Before she knew it, Qin Wei had finished all the noodles in her bowl.
If she could have a bowl of hot noodles every day after getting off work, that actually sounded like a very happy life.
Having finished eating, Qin Wei wiped her mouth and resumed her cold, aloof demeanor.
"Your wages will go up by ten thousand a month. Make me different dishes every evening after work, consider it hiring a chef," Lin Chudong said.
"I can cook for you, but you have to agree to one condition."
A hint of coldness flashed in Qin Wei's eyes.
"Don't set your demands too high. You can ask around at the market—how much does it cost to hire a housekeeper?"
"I'm giving you an extra ten thousand and you're still not satisfied? What else do you want?"
This bastard always had dirty thoughts in his head; for all she knew, he was just trying to take advantage of her.
Lin Chudong said, "My condition is that when I cook, you help me prep."
"Forget about the extra money, what you're already giving me is plenty."
"Cooking all by myself is quite boring. Having you keep me company nearby feels pretty nice."
Qin Wei was momentarily stunned.
Looking into Lin Chudong's sincere eyes, her feelings grew somewhat complicated.
So he liked that kind of feeling, too?
The two of them locked gazes.
It was as if a spark had ignited between their eyes.
Chapter 59
Qin Wei quickly turned her head away.
She was terrified that if she kept looking for even a second longer, some other ambiguous thoughts would creep in.
"I'll see how I feel."
Dropping that perfunctory remark, Qin Wei hurried upstairs.
Although she maintained a facade of composure on her face, her hurried footsteps looked almost like she was fleeing.
Back in the study, sitting in her office chair, Qin Wei could feel her heart beating a little faster.
It felt as if a heart that had been locked away for years had suddenly fluttered back to life.
...
That night, Lin Chudong slept in his usual freezing guest room on the first floor.
Just as he was deep in sleep, a sudden wave of killing intent caused his eyes to snap open.
Lin Chudong's perception was extraordinarily sharp; this faint killing intent was coming from close by, as if they had been targeted.
This feeling was akin to a sixth sense. Many people said a sixth sense was completely unreliable, but after countless brushes with life and death, Lin Chudong knew for certain that his instincts were accurate.
Lin Chudong slowly sat up and stepped lightly out of the room.
Outside in the courtyard, two dark figures were slowly approaching.
Experts!
Though they hadn't traded blows yet, Lin Chudong could already tell that these two were top-tier assassins.
He drew a pale blue dagger from his waist.
Lin Chudong leaned against a tree in the courtyard, blending completely into the night.
Just as the two figures drew near, a figure suddenly charged out.
With a *whoosh*, it sounded like an arrow cutting through the air.
*Bang, bang, bang.*
The three of them clashed.
Lin Chudong frowned.
Amidst the darkness, he thought he caught the silhouette of a woman, and that lithe figure looked somewhat familiar.
It looked like Chen Jiayu!
What on earth was this woman playing at?
Could she have been secretly protecting Qin Wei all this time?
As soon as the thought formed, he found it ridiculous.
Just a few days ago, this woman Chen Jiayu had wanted to assassinate Qin Wei, and now her role had flipped to protecting Qin Wei?
He stood nearby to observe for a moment.
Based on his 'understanding' of Chen Jiayu's figure, this curvaceous dark silhouette should indeed be her.
Chen Jiayu's martial arts skills were not bad, though she likely excelled more in firearms; when they first met, this woman had acted as a sniper.
Now, to avoid causing a commotion, she was holding a crossbow.
Although its power seemed decent, fighting two opponents at once was still quite difficult.
The two assassins immediately locked onto Chen Jiayu's location.
One of the dark figures took an arrow to the shoulder, but it didn't hinder his movements.
In the blink of an eye, Chen Jiayu was surrounded.
Lin Chudong shook his head helplessly; this woman was biting off more than she could chew.
He walked over quietly, his figure in the dark resembling that of an ordinary passerby.
At that moment, Chen Jiayu was hiding in the middle of a rockery.
There was plenty of landscaping in this villa area, and her position was still relatively safe.
If the two men rushed in rashly, they would take at least one of her arrows.
Although a crossbow was far less powerful than a sniper rifle, taking an arrow at close range would still be life-threatening.
Right then, Chen Jiayu found herself at an impasse.
Originally, seeing these two dangerous individuals approach Qin Wei's house, she had intended to step in and deal with them.
She hadn't expected them to be so formidable; even after launching a sneak attack with an arrow, she still hadn't managed to take one of their lives.
With the two of them trapping her in a pincer movement, hiding inside the rockery left her with no way out.
Was she really going to die here today?
She hadn't even been in a relationship yet, and there were so many delicious foods she hadn't tasted.
She hadn't even kissed a man.
No wait, she had.
She was forcibly kissed by that bastard!
Facing death, Chen Jiayu actually found herself recalling Lin Chudong's face in her mind.
Just as she reminisced about how many regrets she had in life...
Suddenly!
Chapter 60
A *whoosh* sounded.
A chill wind struck from behind.
Without even thinking, Chen Jiayu whipped around and loosed an arrow!
*Clang!*
In the dark night, a flurry of sparks erupted, and Chen Jiayu knew she had fallen for a feint.
They were also wary of the crossbow in her hand, using something to parry the shot.
Feeling behind her waist, Chen Jiayu drew her handgun, preparing to make a last desperate stand.
At that exact moment, a streak of dark light flashed.
She instinctively tried to dodge, but the opponent was simply too close—a throwing dart had been hurled at her.
A pain struck Chen Jiayu's chest, and she dropped straight to a crouch.
Simultaneously, her handgun let out a *bang*, sparking in the dark.
A wail rang out.
Chen Jiayu and one of the assassins collapsed to the ground almost at the same time.
If it were only one opponent, Chen Jiayu might have managed mutual destruction and survived.
But now there were two of them, and she was dead to rights.
Gathering her last shred of strength, Chen Jiayu raised her handgun and aimed it at her own head.
In her line of work, she had long since prepared for death.
Ending it herself would at least give her a swift end.
If she fell into the hands of these vicious men, the outcome was hard to predict.
Chen Jiayu possessed striking looks; falling into the hands of such ruthless criminals meant she would undoubtedly be tortured to death.
Just as Chen Jiayu was about to pull the trigger—
Suddenly, a flash of blue light cut through the air.
Chen Jiayu hesitated.
Another person had arrived?
There were only two assassins to begin with, and Chen Jiayu had locked onto them firmly; it was only due to her own insufficient strength that she failed to take them both down.
A masked man appeared before her, holding a pale blue dagger, and engaged the remaining assassin in close combat.
In the dead of night, the afterimages traced by that pale blue dagger looked like dazzling auroras—unbearably beautiful.
Chen Jiayu suddenly felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, her limbs growing numb as if paralyzed.
In her vision, the night sky grew darker and darker.
Only those trails of blue light lingered on her retina.
That blue light was so beautiful.
One strike, two strikes, three strikes.
The assassin who had nearly taken her life didn't even last three strikes in this man's hands.
The third strike slit the assassin's throat.
The masked man moved swiftly to Chen Jiayu's side.
He glanced at the blood flowing from her wound, dipped a finger into it, and brought it to his nose to sniff.
Lin Chudong's brow furrowed tightly.
A poisoned dart?
People who used darts were rare enough these days, and those who used poisoned darts were even rarer.
Chen Jiayu's gaze had already grown hazy; her hand holding the gun lifted slowly, the pitch-black barrel aiming right at Lin Chudong.
Lin Chudong snatched the gun away in one swift motion.
When was she going to learn to distinguish friend from foe?
Lin Chudong wore a mask for thorough disguise, so she surely wouldn't recognize him.
This blade of his was called the Blue Enchantress.
Anyone who had ever seen this blade was basically silenced permanently by Lin Chudong.
He couldn't kill Chen Jiayu, so he wore a mask; even if this woman guessed the origin of the dagger, she wouldn't have any concrete leads.
Besides, given Chen Jiayu's age, she shouldn't have even heard of the Blue Enchantress.
He ripped open the clothing around her wound.
The pale, smooth skin stood out starkly in the dark night.
The wound was quite deep; the poisoned blood needed to be sucked out.
Suppressing the evil thoughts in his mind, Lin Chudong leaned down and sucked directly on the wound.
Chen Jiayu's weak hands pushed feebly against his shoulders.
"Bastard, I'll kill you..."
Chapter 61
In truth, Lin Chudong really wanted to capture Chen Jiayu and interrogate her once more.
To see what kind of agreement this woman had actually reached with the State Security Bureau.
However, Lin Chudong understood the rules of the State Security Bureau.
Although given his status, no one would pursue him even if he crossed certain lines.
Crossing them too flagrantly, however, always caused leaders to lose face.
Besides, there was no need for it anymore.
From the looks of it, Chen Jiayu held no hostility toward Qin Wei.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have risked her life to come out and save her.
After spitting out several mouthfuls of black blood, Lin Chudong's lips felt somewhat numb.
The toxicity of that dart was indeed potent; had his physical conditioning not been freakishly strong, he likely would have been affected too.
After sucking out the poisoned blood, he glanced at Chen Jiayu's exposed expanse of skin.
Did this woman really have such a great figure?
If she didn't work as an assassin, she would easily make a great model.
However, now was not the time to admire a beauty.
He hurriedly dressed Chen Jiayu back up, pulled a pill from his waist, and shoved it into her mouth.
This was his homemade emergency medicine, primarily composed of antibiotics along with other precious medicinal herbs.
It was a super-antibiotic formulated for him by a dozen top international medical experts, a one-of-a-kind creation in the world.
Today was simply Chen Jiayu's lucky day; anyone else wouldn't have warranted him taking it out.
As the white pill dissolved in her mouth, Chen Jiayu tasted a trace of bitterness, yet she subconsciously swallowed it down anyway.
This man appeared to be saving her; if he wanted to kill her, there would be no need to go through so much trouble.
Seeing Chen Jiayu's body gradually recovering, Lin Chudong finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Of the two assassins, one had his throat slit by him, while the other had taken Chen Jiayu's crossbow bolt and was hanging on by a single breath.
Lin Chudong hoisted the living assassin over his shoulder and strode away rapidly.
"Don't... don't go."
Chen Jiayu forced herself to sit up, watching Lin Chudong's receding back. She wanted to chase after him, but her legs refused to obey, leaving her unable to stand no matter what.
Gazing at that figure fading into the distance, Chen Jiayu felt an indescribable emotion swell in her heart.
Who on earth had saved her?
...
Returning to her rented apartment,
Chen Jiayu discovered that her body felt much better. Undressing, she found that the wound had actually already begun to scab over.
She widened her eyes in disbelief.
When had her physical constitution become this good? It was recovering far too quickly!
The opponent had used a poisoned dart; even with an ordinary dart, a wound like that would have taken about a week to heal.
Yet this time, the dart was laced with poison, and in less than half an hour, it had already started healing.
Could it be that the pill she swallowed earlier was responsible?
What kind of medicine was it to have such miraculous effects?
Chen Jiayu had taken her fair share of medicine; working in this line of work, topical wound remedies were an absolute necessity to keep on hand.