"Sigh..."
An Ruoxue reached up to touch her lips, which were red and swollen from Rong Che’s torment, and let out a frustrated sigh. She truly had no desire to ever step foot into Rong Che’s office again. If not for that timely phone call, she didn't even dare to imagine the consequences.
"Secretary An."
The moment the sharp, piercing voice hit her ears, An Ruoxue felt a headache coming on. She didn't need to look to know who it was. She raised her eyes, sweeping a cold, indifferent gaze over Lin Feier. She did not like Lin Feier and had no interest in speaking with her. Just as she turned to leave, Lin Feier called out to her again.
"Secretary An, spare a moment of your time. There is something I wish to discuss with you in private."
Lin Feier wore a haughty expression, her bewitching eyes filled with undisguised jealousy and contempt as she looked at An Ruoxue.
"I’m sorry, but I don't think we are that close. We have nothing to discuss."
An Ruoxue didn't want to spare a single glance for a woman who was scheming to seduce her husband.
"Then let’s talk about Young Master Rong. I assume you wouldn't want these private matters overheard by others, would you?"
Lin Feier’s lips curled into a venomous smile, her sweet, affected voice dropping to a near-whisper. "For instance, last night..."
"Enough!"
Lin Feier’s malicious tone struck a nerve. "Follow me."
An Ruoxue had no desire to talk to her, but what happened yesterday absolutely could not reach the ears of their colleagues—especially the fact that she and Young Master Rong were secretly married.
They arrived at the top floor of the Rong Group building. The top floor was Rong Che’s private lounge; employees were strictly forbidden from entering, and it was only because An Ruoxue was his secretary that she had the privilege of access.
"Say what you have to say, and make it quick." An Ruoxue didn't want to spend a single extra minute with her.
Lin Feier wasn't in a hurry. She sat comfortably on the sofa, reached out, and poured herself a glass of wine from the bottle sitting on the glass table. "Secretary An, would you like a drink?"
Did this woman think she was in her own home?
"No." An Ruoxue sat on the sofa opposite her, her fair, beautiful face cold as ice from the moment she saw Lin Feier.
"Mm, '82 Lafite. Young Master Rong certainly knows how to enjoy life," Lin Feier said, taking a sip with an air of satisfaction.
"Miss Lin, if you're only here to drink, I don't have time to waste on you." An Ruoxue was losing her patience.
Lin Feier acted with feigned elegance, leaning back against the sofa while fixing her gaze on An Ruoxue. "Secretary An, last night, Young Master Rong was simply acting out of drunken impulse. Surely you aren't naive enough to believe he slept with you because he likes you?"
Her lips, painted a deep, bold red, moved with every scathing word. "The fact that he refuses to make your relationship public is proof enough that he despises you."
Lin Feier sneered, "Secretary An, it's better to be sensible. If I were you, I’d sign the divorce papers quickly. At least you’d walk away with a decent alimony settlement."
An Ruoxue knew Lin Feier had come specifically to humiliate her and drive her away from Rong Che, and she had to admit, Lin Feier was succeeding—every word was a stab to the heart. But even so, no matter how much it hurt, she refused to show weakness.
"Are you finished?" An Ruoxue’s icy gaze remained calm, showing no ripples of emotion, as if what Lin Feier had said had nothing to do with her.
"Secretary An, I advise you to sign those papers soon, lest you end up in an even uglier situation."
"Miss Lin, you are sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. What happens between Young Master Rong and me is a matter for us as a married couple. What business is it of yours, an outsider?" An Ruoxue emphasized the word "outsider" with deliberate bite.
"Secretary An, don't be ungrateful. I’m trying to show you a way out. Don't be so stubborn," Lin Feier retorted, her eyes widening with indignant malice.
"The one who is ungrateful and shameless is you, the mistress. A woman like you has no place coveting my position as Mrs. Rong." After years of working as Rong Che’s secretary, if she hadn't learned anything else, she had certainly mastered the art of commanding a room.
"You, you..."
Lin Feier had intended to use this opportunity to humiliate An Ruoxue, but instead, she found herself on the receiving end. She was so furious she looked ready to burst. "You, An Ruoxue, you..."
"Miss Lin, it seems there is nothing left for us to discuss."
Dropping the cold words, An Ruoxue didn't give her another look. She stood up with an air of dominance and walked out.
"You—"
Lin Feier was left speechless, her eyes wide as she glared at An Ruoxue’s retreating back, too choked with rage to say a word.
...
"How interesting..."
Rong Che leaned back in his black leather chair, his obsidian-bright eyes fixed on his computer screen. The footage on the monitor was from the top-floor lounge.
An Ruoxue had no idea that every word of her conversation with Lin Feier had reached Rong Che’s ears. Seeing the sharp, formidable side of her as she put Lin Feier in her place, Rong Che was struck with a sense of surprise. He hadn't realized the woman he’d married was so intriguing.
He used to find her presence merely irritating, but now, she had piqued all of his curiosity. He wanted to see how many more layers this woman had that he knew nothing about.
"Hmph."
Rong Che switched the screen to a close-up of An Ruoxue, his eyes narrowing as a meaningful, slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips. It was the thrill of a hunter discovering worthy prey.
"An Ruoxue, you have successfully caught my attention."
...
The neon-lit streets were bustling, yet there was no sense of liveliness. The oppressive, stifling air of the past few days felt like an invisible hand gripping everyone by the throat. Restless and sweltering...
But inside the Night Color Bar, it was a world of flickering lights and frantic energy. Men in the dance floor had glazed, hazy eyes; women with heavy smoky makeup were swaying their bodies wildly to the heart-pounding, explosive music, fueled by alcohol.
"Drink... let's drink, Zhouzhou! Today, today, we absolutely cannot leave until we're drunk!" An Ruoxue raised her glass, her trembling fingers shaking the amber liquid inside.
"Xiaoxue, what is wrong with you today? You suddenly wanted to go out drinking—did something happen, or did someone bully you?" Fang Zhou, sitting beside her, frowned deeply. An Ruoxue had dragged her to the bar without a word and had been downing drinks like her life depended on it; it had truly frightened her.
"Bully me? Haha, no... no one is bullying me."