"Miss Luo Feizi, is that you?" Fang Yingying asked with a polite smile.
"And you are?" Luo Feizi responded with a hint of curiosity, her gaze falling upon the strikingly beautiful woman before her. Her attention lingered, albeit enviously, on the other's figure, particularly her notably fuller bust.
"Hello, I'm Fang Yingying, the secretary to the boss," she answered graciously.
"The boss?" Luo Feizi cast a curious glance at a certain someone standing nearby, her disbelief evident as she asked, "Mr. Xiang is your boss?"
"Indeed," Fang Yingying nodded affirmatively, then turned toward Xiang Ri with a subtle yet pointed expression. "Boss, aren't you spending time with your girlfriend today?" she remarked, her tone laden with insinuation as her gaze flickered toward the celebrity.
Though puzzled by the secretary's line of questioning, Xiang Ri answered straightforwardly, "Chuchu is at home right now. I'll be heading back to accompany her later." Considering the celebrity before him was Chuchu's high school classmate, Xiang Ri felt there was no need for secrecy.
"Huh?" Fang Yingying was momentarily stunned. This development strayed far from her expectations. She had assumed the playboy would either avoid the question or outright deny it, yet he not only admitted it but even mentioned the name. What's more, the celebrity showed no signs of jealousy—in fact, she appeared oddly pleased. How could this be?
Unable to reconcile the situation, Fang Yingying grew anxious. She had clearly pointed out the existence of his girlfriend, yet the starlet remained unbothered. Frustrated, she prepared to provoke her further, but before she could act, a cold, steely voice cut through the air behind her.
"Mr. Xiang, I heard your girlfriend is at home?"
Xiang Ri froze, his body stiffening as he turned toward the voice. There, walking in with an impassive expression, was Chief Tie. Instantly, his throat went dry. "Xiao Wan, w-why are you here?" he stammered.
"Am I not allowed to be here?" Tie Wan replied with a faint, sardonic smile, her gaze sweeping over the sunglasses-clad celebrity and the voluptuous secretary.
If sheer fury could incinerate, Tie Wan would have reduced Xiang Ri to ashes on the spot. Moments ago, she had been genuinely concerned for his safety, only to arrive and find her worries completely unfounded.
This scoundrel wasn't in any danger at all—quite the opposite. He was busy charming not one but two women. Most unforgivable of all, the "girlfriend" he mentioned wasn't even her but some so-called "original partner." Unbearable!
Cold sweat formed on Xiang Ri's brow as his mind raced. He had no time to ponder why the police officer had shown up so suddenly; his immediate priority was navigating the crisis before him.
From her earlier question, it was clear she had overheard his remark. Any attempt to explain now would be futile. Pleasantries were out of the question too—especially with a celebrity present. If she caught wind of anything and, out of her "high school friendship," decided to inform Chuchu, it would be catastrophic. If Chuchu found out he was involved with other women, would she truly follow through on her threat to kill him first and then herself?
Desperation clouded Xiang Ri's thoughts as he frantically sought a compromise—a solution that could appease Tie Wan while ensuring Chuchu remained blissfully unaware.
To the onlookers, however, the injured man appeared to have lapsed into a daze due to the sudden arrival of the formidable police officer.
Sensing the peculiar tension, Luo Feizi, despite her curiosity, wisely chose to withdraw. Offering a polite excuse about pressing matters, she hastily departed the scene.
Fang Yingying, too, caught on to the shifting atmosphere. Her discerning eye quickly noted how the playboy seemed genuinely intimidated by the imposing officer. Speculations about Tie Wan's identity surged in her mind. Even if she wasn't officially one of his girlfriends, she must, at the very least, hold the role of a powerful lover—a formidable one at that.
Though Fang Yingying's original intention was to provoke the celebrity, her plan had ultimately failed. Yet the unexpected arrival of someone even more domineering had, in a way, exceeded her expectations. In the end, her scheme had succeeded—perhaps far better than she had anticipated.
But this was far from over; Fang Yingying decided to fan the flames even further, igniting them into a blazing inferno.
With a sly gleam in her eye, a plan took shape. Turning to the dazed playboy, she said, "Boss, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now." As she spoke, she threw him a flirtatious wink, letting her tongue graze her alluring lips before swaying her slender waist and striding away.
Xiang Ri was completely stupefied, his eyes glued to the enticing figure disappearing into the distance. Wasn't this woman always cold toward him? Why was she suddenly trying to seduce him? And yet, her gesture was undeniably alluring—it even made his heart skip a beat. Damn it, he thought, she's really getting to me.
"Her figure is really something," came a slightly sour voice from beside him. Dazed, Xiang Ri nodded instinctively. "Yes, it is…" He abruptly stopped himself, realizing that the person beside him was none other than Tie Wan, a notorious firebrand. Hastily, he tried to backpedal, "Xiao Wan, don't misunderstand, I—"
"I'm not misunderstanding," Tie Wan interrupted icily. "Or are you trying to tell me that everything I just saw was a figment of my imagination?"
"It's not what it looks like!"
"Enough, Xiang Kui. I don't care how many women you've had in the past. I have just one question for you now, and I want a definitive answer," Tie Wan demanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"Go ahead..."
"The fifteen days I gave you are almost up. When that day comes, will you leave everything behind and come with me?"
"I..." Xiang Ri was at a loss for words. Initially, he had brushed off the issue, hoping to deal with it another day. But now that the moment of truth was upon him, he found himself utterly torn. Ideally, he wished to enjoy the best of all worlds, but under the current circumstances, that was nothing more than a fool's dream.
Seeing his hesitation, Tie Wan closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, her expression remained unchanged, though an unspoken sorrow radiated from her. In a soft but resolute tone, she said, "I see."
Xiang Ri felt a pang in his heart. "Xiao Wan, listen to me—"
"Don't waste your breath," Tie Wan cut him off sharply. "I'm not interested in your explanations. I only want to say this: from today onward, Xiang Kui, I hope you will refrain from disrupting my peace. Can you do that?" By the end of her sentence, her voice trembled with the threat of tears.
"Xiao Wan, I..."
"That's enough, Mr. Xiang. I have other matters to attend to. Goodbye." Holding back her reddened eyes, Tie Wan turned and strode quickly out of the hall. She couldn't risk staying any longer, afraid she might break down and cry.
Xiang Ri couldn't even remember how he made it home. His thoughts were consumed by the haunting sorrow in her eyes—a silent torment that pierced his heart like a thorn, unrelenting in its sting.
"Xiang Kui, why are you home so late? What were you up to this time..." Chuchu began to scold him, but her words were cut off as he suddenly pulled her into an embrace. She let out a startled yelp and tried to push him away.
Instead, Xiang Ri held her even tighter. Sitting down on the sofa with her in his arms, he gazed at her intently and said, "Chuchu, let me have a moment of peace, alright?"
"What's wrong?" Seeing the vacant look in his eyes, Chuchu's heart tightened with concern.
"It's nothing," Xiang Ri replied despondently. Then, with unprecedented gentleness, he stared into her eyes and asked, "Chuchu, if one day something unpleasant were to happen between us, would you leave me?"
"What kind of question is that?" Chuchu responded, half-annoyed. But seeing the seriousness in his expression, she quickly composed herself. "No matter what happens, I'd never leave you. I'm sticking with you for life!"
"Thank you," Xiang Ri murmured, holding her even closer.
"You're squeezing me too tight!" Chuchu complained loudly. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she looked at him suspiciously. "You've been acting strange ever since you got back. What happened while you were out?"
"Let's not talk about it," Xiang Ri deflected, his gaze falling on several large boxes near the sofa. "Why are there a couple of boxes in the living room?"
"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you," Chuchu said, a mix of excitement and inexplicable emotion in her tone. "Guess what? We've got a new tenant today!"