I bought you beautiful clothes, and yet you show no reaction at all?

She had never seen him like this before.

Was Yichen’s relationship with that girl truly extraordinary?

Xiao Qi waited for a long time, but he didn’t say anything. “What are you trying to say?”

Yichen swiftly composed himself, stood up, and said, “I’m going to the restroom.”

Of course, he wasn’t heading for the restroom, but to the cashier. Coincidentally, Fang Yun was passing by.

“President Lin, why—”

“Aunt Fang,” he glanced at the cashier where several pairs of couple dolls were displayed, “these dolls, have Xiyang send them all to my office later.”

Fang Yun didn’t quite understand at first, but then her eyes drifted to the dolls on the dining table, and she immediately realized.

This girl was hopelessly naive—she’d even gifted couple dolls. If handing someone over was an art, she certainly had her own unique style.

“Alright! I’ll have Xiyang—”

“I’m not giving them away,” Xiao Qi ran over, “didn’t you just say you didn’t want them? Why do you want them now? All of them, too.”

“If I don’t take them, are you planning to give them all to Yiyang?” Yichen, at the end of his patience, pulled her into his arms and pressed her against the wall in an imposing gesture. “Let me tell you, if you dare to give these dolls to Yiyang, I’ll chop your hand off.”

“…”

Xiao Qi glared at him defiantly, her large eyes challenging him. “Why can you have them, but Yiyang can’t?”

“Because…” he pondered for a moment, “because he’s focused on painting right now. If you give him dolls, you’ll distract him.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qi found it reasonable. She pulled out the portrait doll from her pocket, “You reminded me—I was planning to give this to Yiyang. I’ll wait until after the exhibition, then—”

Yichen snatched the portrait doll, his eyes burning. “You bought two?”

Wasn’t his supposed to be unique?

“Yes, I thought the two of them looked like you and Yiyang, so I planned to give one to each of you. Hey! Give it back—”

“No giving.”

Xiao Qi felt he was acting crazy again. “I bought them, I can give them to whomever I want. Give it back.”

“No.”

Outrageous.

Uncle could endure, but aunt could not.

Xiao Qi spun around, and their positions swapped. Xiao Qi, at one meter sixty-five, pressed the nearly one meter ninety man against the wall—it looked rather absurd.

Fang Yun was dumbfounded.

My goodness, since when did Xiyang become so assertive?

She could actually turn around and press such a tall and upright president against the wall.

The one being pressed actually seemed to enjoy the contradiction.

His once fiery gaze now softened into a smile.

“Why do you meddle in everything? You arrange dates with beautiful women, right under my nose, breaking all the rules and acting utterly unreasonable. It’s infuriating, and—”

What else?

Xiao Qi twisted her hair, and in doing so, the already uneven strands turned into a messy nest—a chicken’s nest—making her appear even more adorable and mischievous.

“And the beauty you brought is so pretty. Are you deliberately making me uncomfortable?”

So she actually knew how uncomfortable she felt.

Yichen laughed, “She’s not as beautiful as you. Wait right here.”

Yichen pulled her hand and walked toward Anna.

Xiao Qi was bewildered.

She’d just been so fierce—why was he smiling?

“Auntie!”

Fang Yun also smiled, “What is it?”

“Do you think Lin Yichen is really insane? I scolded him, and he actually smiled?”

“…”

Sigh! Clearly, she still hadn’t figured things out.

“Anna,” Yichen approached, the smile gone from his face, “Are you finished eating? I’ll take you home.”

Anna had witnessed their wall-pressing moment. She picked up her bag, looked at Xiao Qi, “Seeing you like that just now, I almost thought you weren’t Lin Yichen.”

Yichen smiled silently.

He walked out without looking at Xiao Qi and drove away.

Huh? He just left?

Xiao Qi was utterly puzzled.

“Auntie, why did he just leave?”

Fang Yun thought she was finally anxious, “He left—now you’re worried, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am, he hasn’t paid the bill yet!”

“…”

Truly speechless.

The twenty-minute journey took only ten minutes.

Anna unfastened her seatbelt, “You drive very fast.”

“I have things to do, so I sped up.”

Anna smiled, opened the car door, then glanced at him, “That girl—you seem very familiar with her?”

Yichen chuckled, “Yes. She delivers my meals every day, naturally we’re familiar.”

Anna’s smile stiffened, “Thank you for bringing me home.”

“Thank you for your help.”

He meant the art exhibition.

This meal was his thanks.

He didn’t like her—he was courteous and distant.

But with that girl…

Was that girl the one he liked?

How could that be?

That girl was so mismatched with him…

Yichen drove back to the restaurant.

When Xiao Qi saw him walk in, she immediately reached out, “I thought you were going to dine and dash. Hurry up and pay.”

Yichen handed her his wallet, “Take as much as you want.”

“…”

Why was he suddenly so generous?

She still remembered the breakfast money.

“Lunch is three hundred and eight, I’ll give you a twenty percent discount, so that’s two hundred and forty. Plus the breakfast I bought for you the other day, I’ll round up and take three hundred.” She pulled out three red bills and shoved the wallet back at him.

Yichen took out another three hundred, “For the dolls.”

He really did want them.

But since he wanted to buy, she had no reason to refuse.

She accepted the cash.

Yichen took her hand, “Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

He stopped, eyes burning as he looked at her face, “Didn’t I say she’s not as beautiful as you?”

“Honey?”

Yichen pinched her pale cheek, “Clothes make the man, gold makes the Buddha.”

What did that mean?

Only when she put on a stunning dress did she finally understand what he meant.

Xiao Qi gazed at herself in the full-length mirror.

The reflection showed a girl in a crimson-blue knee-length dress, with a beautiful V-neck revealing her delicate collarbones.

The fabric was thin, clinging to her skin and sliding along her curves, accentuating her slender waist alluringly.

With a slight movement, the hem rippled, revealing long, fair, shapely legs that dazzled the eye. She wore white, high-heeled sandals that made her ankles look especially lovely.

She was radiant and breathtaking, lighting up the shop with her presence.

The shop was silent.

The man beside her was mesmerized.

He knew she was beautiful.

But dressed like this—it was the first time.

Most of her clothes were ordinary T-shirts and shorts.

The dress was gorgeous, but the V-neck…

“Go change into another one.”

“Why?” Xiao Qi thought it looked great. “Isn’t it pretty?”

It was pretty—just too provocative.

“Not really.” He handed her another outfit. “Try this one.”

“Okay!”

Xiao Qi stepped out, finding this one nice as well.

A white, ruched, waist-cinching blouse with mid-length sleeves, paired with a lake-blue, elegant, floral skirt.

The workmanship and cut were ordinary, but on Xiao Qi they looked exquisite. The blue and white, fresh as the sky, softened her innate vibrancy.

Yichen nodded in approval. This was much more demure.

His phone rang. He answered, “President Lin, Madam is in your office.”

Yichen frowned.

In the car, as Xiao Qi changed into the second outfit, she sensed the man was suddenly cold and somber.

Was he truly insane?

He was cheerful one moment, grim the next.

The car soon arrived at the restaurant. Xiao Qi opened the door.

Her hand was caught. “You get beautiful clothes, shouldn’t you show some gratitude?”

“…”

Gratitude?

“What kind of gratitude?”

“Something meaningful…” he said, then leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

Xiao Qi’s eyes flew open, staring at his face so close, her nostrils filled with his intense masculine scent. Her body tensed.

She forgot to resist, letting his warm, passionate lips press firmly against hers, his tongue gently coaxing her teeth open, licking her lips and tongue…

When the warmth touched her, she suddenly reacted.

She bit down hard.

Yichen muffled a groan, quickly adapting. Xiao Qi tried to unlock the car door.

But his right hand reached across, turning her head, swooping down like an eagle, capturing her lips again.

He held her tightly, lowered his head, cupped her face, ignoring her struggles, his lips entwined with hers.

My goodness, he wasn’t finished yet.

So this was why he suddenly bought her beautiful clothes.

Shameless businessman. Rogue.

Xiao Qi tried using her superpowers, but they failed.

Ah, why were her powers not working now?

“Ahhhh—” Xiao Qi screamed with all her strength.

“Help! The president is going to eat me!”

Lin Yichen: “…”

Yichen released her, lips parting, letting her go.

Xiao Qi immediately got out, glaring at him, “Shameless rogue! You’ll get your comeuppance one day—turn into a woman and get thoroughly ravaged by men.”

“…”

Xiyang at this moment stirred complicated feelings in him.

He was usually calm and rational.

But when it came to her, his composure vanished instantly…

Despite the turmoil, Yichen’s mood was good as he arrived at the company—until he entered the president’s office and saw her, his face darkening.

“I wonder what brings Aunt Xu here?”

“I didn’t want to come,” Xu Lu was rather overbearing. “Tell me, where have you hidden Yiyang this time?”

“I’ve granted him his freedom. He has his own place and things to do.” Yichen sat in his chair, picked up a document, and started reviewing.

He clearly had no intention of engaging with her.

Xu Lu continued, unfazed, “You’re really stubborn, never listening to your elders. Back then—”

“Aunt Xu,” Yichen’s whole demeanor radiated dismissal, “I don’t know where Yiyang is, so you’re only wasting your time here.”

“Wasting time is better than you killing your mother yourself.”

Yichen’s brows suddenly furrowed.

Xu Lu sneered, “Don’t forget, if you hadn’t been so playful, running off suddenly, how could your mother have been hit by a car? In the end, you’re a bringer of misfortune. You don’t deserve this company.”

The scene of his mother being struck flashed through his mind.

“Get out,” her words pierced his ears like poisoned blades, stabbing deep into his heart.

The pain spread throughout his body, making even his limbs ache.

“Get out,”

His voice was icy, his face terrifyingly dark.

Xu Lu was somewhat intimidated, unwillingly leaving.

Yichen breathed deeply.

His hand, veins bulging, gradually relaxed.

He walked to the window, pushed it open, letting in fresh air.

He tolerated Xu Lu time and again, for Yiyang’s sake.

But she grew ever more brazen.

His mother’s death was deeply etched in his mind, though he dared not recall it.

It was a pain buried in the depths of his soul.

The only irreparable pain in his life.

###

Xiao Qi called Yiyang, asking where he was, saying she had a gift for him.