The morning air was crisp as Xia Yi stepped out of her car, dressed in an elegant cream-colored blouse paired with fitted slacks.
She hadn't expected He Shihan to already be at the office entrance, waiting with his usual cool demeanor.
"You're early," she commented, adjusting the strap of her handbag.
"I could say the same about you," he replied with a smirk.
Xia Yi narrowed her eyes. "Or maybe you just enjoy lurking."
"I enjoy good company," he shot back effortlessly.
"And today, I'll need it."
They walked into the building side by side. Xia Yi's pulse quickened—being near him was starting to affect her more than she cared to admit.
His presence was overwhelming in the worst and best ways.
___
Inside the boardroom, the atmosphere buzzed with tension.
They were finalizing their joint proposal, and it was crunch time.
"Here's the draft," Xia Yi said, sliding the document toward He Shihan.
"I highlighted the key changes."
He scanned the pages with sharp precision. "Looks solid."
"You sound surprised."
"I'm not," he said, meeting her gaze.
"Just impressed."
Xia Yi rolled her eyes.
"I'll take that as a compliment, for now."
The conversation between them remained professional, yet there was an undeniable undercurrent—an electric charge in the air neither could ignore.
___
Later that evening, Xia Yi found herself working late at the office.
A sudden knock on her door startled her.
He Shihan stepped in without waiting for permission.
"Still here?"
"Clearly," she said, glancing at the clock. "What are you doing here?"
"Thought you could use dinner."
He held up a bag from a nearby restaurant.
Her lips twitched, but she refused to let him see how much she appreciated the gesture.
"Bribing me with food now?"
"Just trying to stay on your good side."
They sat across from each other in her office, eating in comfortable silence. As the night deepened, the walls between them seemed to thin.
"You know," He Shihan said after a moment, "you're not as cold as you pretend to be."
Xia Yi arched an eyebrow.
"You're mistaken. I am exactly as cold as I seem."
He smiled, slow and deliberate.
"No. You're just scared someone might get close."
Her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly masked her reaction.
"And you think that someone is you?"
He leaned forward, his voice low.
"I think you're curious."
Xia Yi met his gaze, unwavering.
"Curiosity isn't enough."
"Maybe not," he murmured.
"But it's a start."
___
As He Shihan left her office, Xia Yi stared after him, conflicted.
The lines between their business partnership and personal feelings were starting to blur—and she wasn't sure whether to stop it or let it happen.