Scarlett stepped into the reception room and immediately felt a shift in the atmosphere. The receptionist, who had been jittery and anxious, suddenly made sense. Across the room, Amelia was looking at her with a mix of shock and unease.
A man was seated before Amelia, obscured mostly by the sofa. All Scarlett could see was a sliver of his neck and the back of his head. But that was enough. She recognized him.
She circled around the sofa to the man dressed in a crisp white shirt and black trousers. "Mr. Zhou," she greeted, giving him a respectful nod.
Lucius, a man known for his good looks and cold demeanor, didn't respond. His face was as unreadable as ever.
Amelia shot a glance at Lucius before turning her attention to Scarlett. "Next time you finalize a contract with a client, report it immediately..." She added hastily, sensing Lucius's silence, "So the client doesn't have to wait."
Scarlett raised an eyebrow, "I was under the impression that only official contracts needed immediate reporting. Does this apply to trial contracts as well?"
Amelia, already irked by Scarlett's unexpected rapport with Lucius, was left speechless by her retort. She forced a smile, "Mr. Zhou is not just any client. Even for trial contracts, we should provide the best service." She turned to Lucius, her expression softening, "Mr. Zhou, since you declined tea, would you prefer coffee or juice?"
Lucius, engrossed in his phone, replied flatly, "None."
Undeterred, Amelia continued, "Then I'll arrange for some fruits and snacks."
As she signaled for Scarlett to get it, Lucius interjected, "I came here for a tutor, not a maid."
The room fell silent, the awkwardness hanging thick in the air. Amelia, caught between amusement and embarrassment, was at a loss for words. She finally managed to blurt out, "Mr. Zhou, you have a great sense of humor."
Lucius just stared at her without blinking, which made her freeze. As Scarlett was about to believe Lucius was just sizing her up, he asked Amelia, in front of everyone, "Can't you tell the difference between being serious and joking?"
Despite the tension, Scarlett found herself biting her lip to suppress a laugh.
As the awkwardness persisted, someone knocked on the door, delivering the prepared contracts. With the contracts signed, Amelia respectfully escorted them to the elevator. Only when the elevator doors closed did she let her strained smile fade.
Inside the elevator, Scarlett clutched her bag of documents, ensuring her expression was natural. But Lucius surprised her by saying, "If you want to laugh, then laugh."
Confused, she peered at Lucius through the elevator's mirror-like walls. Their eyes met, and Scarlett wondered how he knew she'd been holding back laughter.
As if reading her thoughts, Lucius said, "I helped you again."
Scarlett blinked, nodding her thanks, "Thank you, Mr. Zhou."
What else could she say? She couldn't possibly tell him that he was eerily perceptive, as if he could peer into her mind.
Lucius replied, neither warmly nor coldly, "Remember to show gratitude through actions, not just words."
Silently, Scarlett wondered at the sudden advice from Lucius, but soon understood. She assured him, "Don't worry, you are my first client in the city. I will give my all, both professionally and personally."
Once they reached the parking garage, Lucius unlocked a sleek, dark grey Lamborghini Urus. Scarlett, not wanting to assume anything, asked, "May I sit in the back?"
"Passenger seat," Lucius replied.
Obediently, Scarlett opened the passenger door and fastened her seatbelt. Knowing that Lucius wasn't much for conversation and they didn't really have anything to chat about, she opened her briefcase as soon as the car started moving, taking out the pre-prepared materials to review.
Outside, the sun was blazing. In July, the temperature in the city often reached 38 or 39 degrees Celsius. Inside the car, the air conditioning was set to a comfortable 22 degrees, and the car smoothly navigated the streets, making it as comfortable as sitting in an office.
Scarlett was absorbed in her documents, her mind filled with thoughts of how to make the first step in her long journey. Unexpectedly, the car, which had been moving at a steady speed, suddenly braked. Caught off guard, she jerked forward. The documents in her hand didn't drop, but her briefcase on her lap slid to the floor.
Looking up in surprise, she saw a bright red Ferrari 599 inches ahead, its four exhaust pipes billowing white smoke, engine roaring, exuding an inexplicable sense of provocation.
The traffic light flicked from red to green in a three-second countdown, leaving no time for reaction. The Ferrari took off first, accelerating rapidly. Lucius, expressionless, stepped on the gas, maintaining the same speed as before, as if unfazed. Just as Scarlett thought the previous event was just an anomaly, the red sports car slowed down again, deliberately blocking Lucius's path. When Lucius signaled to change lanes, so did the Ferrari.
Scarlett stole a glance at Lucius' face, noticing his attractive lips pressed together, his expression still unreadable. She thought to herself that while the outside world portrayed him as overbearing and domineering, he didn't show any signs of road rage, which was commendable.
The red sports car blocked the black Urus for two blocks until they encountered another red light. This time, only the two cars crossed the zebra crossing. As Scarlett saw the other driver pushing his limits, she was about to suggest they should call the police, but before she could say anything, Lucius suddenly sped up. The speedometer jumped from 60 to well over 100 in an instant. Since the cars were already close, he was clearly aiming for the other car's rear.
In a flash, with a loud bang, the front of the Urus hit the rear of the sports car. Not only did he hit it, but he also pushed it forward for a good few dozen meters before abruptly slowing down. Scarlett was so scared that she forgot to breathe, gripping the paper in her hand tightly. In her panic, she even thought she was holding the seatbelt.