The next morning, Xia Yi walked into the sleek office where she and He Shihan were scheduled to meet their project team.
The memory of last night's dinner lingered—his words, the way he looked at her, and that unsettling warmth that made her skin tingle. But she shook it off.
'Focus. Business first.'
He Shihan was already there, standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows with a coffee in hand, looking as if he owned not just the room but the entire building.
"Running late?"
He glanced at his watch with a playful smirk.
Xia Yi rolled her eyes.
"You're just early."
"You'll have to keep up, Yiyi. I don't slow down for anyone."
She ignored his provocation, setting her laptop on the table and booting it up.
"Let's get to work. We need to finalize the terms for the deal by Friday."
He leaned against the edge of the table, far too close for comfort.
"You're cute when you're bossy."
Her eyes snapped up to meet his, sharp and warning.
"And you're annoying when you talk."
He laughed, an infuriating sound that made her want to both strangle him and… smile. Nope, not happening.
They spent the next hour going over presentations and reports.
The tension between them was undeniable, a mix of frustration, attraction, and something more dangerous—curiosity.
When Xia Yi reached for a file, her hand brushed against his. The touch was brief, but the jolt it sent through her was undeniable.
She pulled her hand back quickly, as if burned.
"You felt that too, didn't you?"
He Shihan's voice was low, teasing.
"Felt what?" she shot back, feigning ignorance.
He smirked, leaning just a bit closer.
"The spark. It's there, Yiyi. You can't ignore it forever."
Her heart raced, but she refused to give him the upper hand.
"I'm here for business, not sparks."
"Business and sparks can coexist," he murmured, his gaze never leaving hers.
"You just have to know how to handle both."
The door swung open, breaking the tension. Their team arrived, oblivious to the charged moment they had interrupted.
Xia Yi shot He Shihan a glare before turning her attention to the team.
"Let's get started," she said, her voice cool and professional.
He Shihan, however, wore a smug grin.
"As you wish, boss."
Throughout the meeting, Xia Yi could feel his eyes on her, the weight of his presence lingering like a shadow.
And for the first time in a long while, she felt… alive. But she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a very, very dangerous one.