Since the dream last night, Shang Fuyan’s desires had surged, reaching an almost uncontrollable intensity.
Now, seeing the blush on Secretary Fu’s ears as she covered her face, it was as if a new world had opened up before him. The possessiveness in his deep, dark eyes could no longer be concealed. He took the white jade pendant from its gift box and pressed it greedily to the tip of his nose, desperate to catch the lingering trace of her scent upon it.
But there was none.
It seemed that the only way to cure his affliction was to lure Secretary Fu in, consume her entirely, and make her his own.
The fabric of his clothes rustled as a suppressed groan escaped his throat.
"Hmm."
Secretary Fu had learned that the Chairman intended to cut the trip short; instead of the day after tomorrow, they would be returning home tomorrow.
"I have no objections. Whatever the Chairman decides is fine."
He hummed in acknowledgement of her input, then reached into his briefcase and pulled out a red envelope, handing it to her. "Hmm?"
"You went to great expense for that pendant. As your superior, I haven't given you a welcoming gift yet, so consider this making up for it today."
Secretary Fu instinctively started to decline out of politeness, but he caught her wrist, his large hand firmly pressing the red envelope into her palm. "Just take it. It’s not like I’m short on cash."
Warmth radiated from the envelope into her hand.
The veins on the Chairman’s hand stood out, his grip firm and irresistible, though he released her decisively a moment later, instantly shifting into work mode and glancing at his watch.
"Let’s go. We have final matters to attend to."
"All right."
They resumed their professional dynamic, walking one after the other.
No one knew the true state of their minds. Secretary Fu was still in a relationship, and he was a very visibly married man. Thinking about this in any illicit sense made the situation feel all the more provocative for both parties.
Once the work was finished, the two packed their luggage and boarded the private jet to fly home, another night to be spent together as before.
Once the plane leveled out, Shang Fuyan stood up. "Secretary Fu, you are about to handle a special matter."
"Hmm?" Secretary Fu looked at him, puzzled.
He opened his laptop and showed her the files. "My marriage to Ms. Xu is, in reality, a contract marriage. The agreement stipulates that I must pay her five million per month."
Secretary Fu’s eyes widened in surprise.
He assumed a stern, composed expression to ensure she saw him as emotionally stable.
"Recently, she was involved in an incident of excessive self-defense at a bar. I already had Assistant Li handle it privately, but she was dissatisfied with my actions and demanded I show up in person."
Secretary Fu nodded. She knew the Chairman was busy, and having to appear in person was indeed a hassle.
"Furthermore, we have various conflicts. I don’t believe I can meet all of Ms. Xu’s requirements, so I proposed ending the marriage and offering compensation, but she refuses to accept it and wants me to pay five billion as a settlement."
Five billion was an understatement, but it was at least in the ballpark of half his net worth.
He told Secretary Fu everything, point by point, to prevent any misunderstandings later on.
Secretary Fu, coming from a distinguished family herself, immediately empathized with the Chairman being blackmailed. However, since this was someone else’s private business, she couldn't just meddle and judge others, so she held her tongue.
"Therefore, I need you to compile the various documents Assistant Li will be sending over and present them to me."
"Understood."
Secretary Fu nodded. She now understood the Chairman’s predicament: working himself to the bone, paying his contractual wife five million a month, and now being blackmailed over a divorce. It seemed that even someone of the Chairman’s stature had to deal with such troublesome human affairs.
Secretary Fu began receiving the files from Assistant Li.
These included surveillance footage from the bar, the detailed marriage contract (legally binding in this world), and Xu Shengsheng’s bank records. Secretary Fu needed to extract the information the Chairman required.
In doing so, she would see that Xu Shengsheng had violated the contract by meeting with a scantily clad male model who was a bad influence, making her the first to breach the terms of the marriage. After all, despite the Chairman’s high status and power, he was a man of integrity and had never kept improper women around him.
Meanwhile, the man at the head of the table was "scheming." While letting her work, he flipped through work-related information on Chen Baichuan. The data showed that he was actually an employee at a subsidiary and was currently on a business trip.
The subsidiary had the intention of stationing him abroad and had already submitted the application to the higher-ups.
The letter of intent had even been signed by the man himself.
It seemed this Chen Baichuan had decided to go abroad, which explained why Secretary Fu had been so dispirited lately.
Since that was the case, why shouldn't he poach her?
...
At eight in the evening, Secretary Fu categorized and named the useful information she had found, then uploaded it all to the Chairman’s email.
"Thanks to you, get some good rest tonight."
Shang Fuyan reviewed and edited the files after receiving them, showing no intention of resting yet.
Secretary Fu was just about to stand up and return to the lounge when she saw him staring at the computer, reaching for his water glass to quench his thirst, only to find it empty and set it back down.
"Chairman, let me get you some water."
He looked up, startled, his cold, sharp eyes softening. "Thank you."
What she didn’t know was that the moment she turned to get the water, the man behind her shifted his gaze entirely from the computer to her back, the gentle, steady look in his eyes gradually darkening with a frantic, consuming desire.
But by the time she returned with the water, he had resumed staring at the computer, revealing no flaws.
"Thank you."
His rough, large palm brushed against her soft fingertips as he took the glass.
Secretary Fu’s fingertips trembled slightly, but seeing the Chairman drink without even looking away from the screen, she said, "Go get some rest. We should arrive tomorrow."
"All right."
After that, Shang Fuyan made no further overstepping moves. He knew when to stop; frequent contact would not only fail to improve their relationship but might even be mistaken for sexual harassment.
What he needed to do was nourish her like a silent spring rain.
The next day, it was drizzling. The plane landed steadily on the private lawn.
Only a few ground staff were present to manage the aircraft. The lawn was muddy and difficult to walk on due to the rain. Shang Fuyan held a black umbrella and dragged his suitcase, signaling for the car to pull up nearby.
The driver stepped out to help with the luggage.
"I’ve got it."
Fortunately, Secretary Fu was wearing sneakers, so it was relatively easy to walk, though dragging a suitcase across the lawn while holding an umbrella was a nuisance. Shang Fuyan handed his own luggage to the driver and helped her pull hers with one hand.
"I’ll have the driver take you home first."
"All right."
Secretary Fu tried her best to reach up and keep him covered with the umbrella, but due to the difference in their heights, they were standing quite close.
The rain grew heavier.
Because of his tall frame, his head bumped against the umbrella several times, and he let out a laugh. "Let me hold it. You get in the car first."
Secretary Fu gave an apologetic laugh. After swapping the umbrella handle, she tried to walk as close to him as possible to avoid being a burden, but the splashing rain blew in, wetting her long hair and the hem of her skirt.
She kept her head down, following the Chairman’s footsteps, unaware that the man was looking down at her from above, out of her line of sight.
Secretary Fu is truly well-behaved.
I want to taste her.
He restrained his desires, his fingers unconsciously tightening around the umbrella handle as he tilted it further toward her.
It wouldn't do for such a well-behaved girl to catch a cold.