At a moment like this, any other person would have been embarrassed, guilty, and remorseful. After all, knowing that you had treated your own boss in such a humiliating manner would be enough for others to want to dig a hole to lie in. But Xiu wasn't any other person. Of course, she had a bit of struggle in her mind going on but still, she wasn't embarrassed at all. Remorseful? Far from it!
According to her, she treated Dylan exactly the way he deserved. 'Relax, Xiu! Maybe he doesn't even remember me. He meets so many people, he won't be petty enough to remember insignificant being like me.' Xiu was busy trying to calm her heart with thoughts.
It showed how much she was underestimating Dylan's, as Darren loves to call it, childish pettiness.
But now that he was looking at her like a wolf would look at his prey, a bad premonition knocked softly on her heart. Xiu slowly shrank her body and hid behind Li Qi'er who was still oblivious to the tension in the air. This move of hers made his brows to quirk up in surprise. 'Is this tigress trying to deceive him in sheep's skin? Dream on!' These were Dylan's internal monologue.
"Ah, Bai Xiu, what are you doing behind me?" This question... Dylan also wanted to ask since he was certain that she won't be able to run from him now. This fish was finally on his chopping board awaiting his knife to strike. HAHA!
And he was so gonna enjoy chopping her into tiny, tiny, tiny pieces! If Li Qi'er wouldn't have been here, Dylan's evil laughter would have definitely been a sight for Xiu.
Xiu coughed and pretended to brush some dust off Li Qi'er's shoulder saying, "Sister Li, there was something on your jacket."
"Oh. Well, thanks then." Li Qi'er obviously didn't feel that she was lying. However, Dylan thought otherwise as his sharp eyes were following Xiu's every move.
"Ms. Li!" He called out to Li Qi'er.
"Yes, Mr. Qiu?"
"You can leave. I'm sure you have other matters to deal with. I should get some BONDING time with my new Assistant." The way he stressed that 'Bonding' word, showed how much hatred he was suppressing in his heart. "I should get to know her. We have a long time to spend with each other. Understanding is essential."
Li Qi'er pursed her lips as she contemplated his words while looking at both Dylan and Xiu. But somehow, she missed that pleading look in Xiu's eyes that were begging her to stay. Therefore, her reply was, "Okay. Call me if you need anything." And with that, she left closing the door behind her.
The moment of silence stretched as Xiu kept her eyes on the locked door through which Li Qi'er left. She was wondering with an adorable scowling face, 'Where is the spirit of camaraderie? You just abandoned me at the first junction? And here I thought, you'll help me settle in. But you just left me in the wolf's den.'
"Hi, Kiddo!" Dylan's voice sounded right beside her ear making her yelp in surprise as she took a step back. Was he was a ghost? He didn't even make a sound!
When all's said and done, Xiu couldn't even deny the fact that he really remembered her. Not anymore! But we have a lot of cards up our sleeves as well. Xiu smirked inconspicuously.
Taking a deep breath, Xiu stood straight at a reasonable distance from him and composed herself. She was the confident Bai Xiu! She couldn't fall before this Uncle who turned out to be her boss! But I refuse to stand down.
With this pep talk to herself, Xiu confidently met his raven-colored eyes. Dylan couldn't help the surprised look that emerged on his face. It was like she suddenly turned into a different person right before his eyes. Even the look in her eyes changed. He was shocked by this realization, this was the fastest speed he saw someone changing expressions. Er... No, no. The whole persona had changed.
"Hello, Mr. Qiu! I'm Bai Xiu. It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you." Xiu's words seemed practiced with no sign of obsequience or supremacy. Her words and tone were both just right.
But Dylan wasn't convinced at all by her acting. "Are you feigning ignorance? Or do you think I'm dumb?" His words came out resentfully as he stared her down but Xiu was indeed his perfect match in attitude. She didn't cower back. Not even for a second!
"I don't understand what Mr. Qiu is implying. But I would never dare to call you dumb." Xiu replied with a straight face which made his brows to knit together. Usually, his new secretaries would always try to fawn all over him. Why was she so confident and full of herself?
Dylan leaned against his desk as his slender index finger rubbed against his bottom lip in a thoughtful manner. "So, you can think that I'm dumb but you won't dare to call me dumb?"
Xiu snorted inwardly while rolling her eyes at him as she thought, 'Calling you dumb? You're the dumbest one! How can I insult the mildly dumb ones by comparing you with them?' But she kept her inner bitterness to herself as she changed the words that spilled out of her mouth, "Sir, you are my boss. I definitely don't have any views about you since I'm not even familiar with you. This is the first time I've seen you in my life."
Dylan stood up straight as he took a step towards her. "Ms. Bai..."
"Hmm..."
Dylan looked into her eyes dangerously as he questioned, "Are you sure we have never met before?"
"Positive!" Xiu replied almost in a blink of an eye.
Dylan's lips stretched into a forced smile, he looked angry. "Then I'll make sure this meeting is worthwhile." There was a promise in those words which Xiu could feel clearly but she didn't let herself get affected by his strong presence. And his promise was loud and clear, 'I'll make you regret feigning this ignorance. Mark my words!'
"Looking forward to it, Sir," Xiu replied with a smile this time which really looked challenging as if saying, 'Let's see how shabby you really can be.'
She wasn't scared of losing her job at all. First, because she was confident in her capabilities. Even if she lost this job, she wouldn't be jobless. Second, she had heard how Dylan never let his personal feelings get involved in professional life. He won't let her personal feelings affect his work.
Dylan, on the other hand, wasn't expecting such a reply from her but he was pleased, to say the least. She wasn't trying to please him neither was she trying to act all scared around him, this change was refreshing for him. There was no doubt that playing with this one would be fun. And as they say, Patience is the key and all Dylan had was patience.
If not today, she'd accept she's that 'kiddo' one day. He was gonna wait for that while torturing her for that insult. This resentment had dug deeper in his bones because no one dared to treat him the way she did.
No one could be certain who won this first round of the show-down. Because both had their own tricks. If Xiu would never voice out that she's that kiddo, he had no evidence to say otherwise. As for Dylan, his upper-hand was the fact that he was her boss now.