"Hehe! Yang Guang, where did you run off to yesterday? I'll give you a chance, you better come clean," Bai Haoran boldly opened the office door, wearing a mischievous grin, followed closely by the intrigued Lei Jie.
Sitting at her computer, Sunny raised her eyebrows as soon as she saw them and questioned them sharply, "I haven't even asked where you two were hiding last night, and you dare to come and ask me?" She scoffed. "What? You have the face to question me?" she mocked.
"Can't help it! The boss ordered us to all go wander off, so even if we wanted to save you, we couldn't," Bai Haoran shrugged, wearing a look that said it wasn't his fault. "But, Yang Guang, how come we didn't return for just one night and you're already here at the company with Long?" He expressed the confusion shared by him and Lei Jie.
It was indeed odd; hadn't Long Yang wanted to keep her in the dark about Fang Yongsheng and Jiang Kunhong? Why would he let her come to the company? Wasn't that quite risky?
"Yeah! And you brought a puppy we haven't seen before!" The observant Lei Jie immediately noticed the small basket next to her desk and squatted down to play with the puppy. "Have you named it?" he asked curiously.
Sunny hesitated, frowning slightly as she considered whether to reveal its name. She was afraid that if she told them, they would react like Long Yang and Meng Wei, laughing uncontrollably. But not telling them…
"What's wrong?" Lei Jie asked, puzzled by her hesitance.
Sunny made a face. "Nothing!"
"Well, that's good." As he said that, Lei Jie returned to playing with the puppy, and even Bai Haoran joined in, unwilling to be left out.
"It's called Roast Duck," Sunny blurted out, unable to hold back any longer as she watched them have so much fun with the puppy.
"What?" Lei Jie looked up at her. "Are you hungry? Are you craving roast duck for lunch today? That sounds good; I haven't had it in a while. Why don't we go to the Tianxiang Building downstairs for a roast duck feast?" He then turned to Bai Haoran. "What do you think, Ahao?" he raised his brows, seeking his opinion.
Bai Haoran immediately beamed, "Of course! The most famous dish at the Tianxiang Building downstairs is the Peking Duck. The duck they roast is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Once you taste it, you'll be left wanting more." He spoke enthusiastically, drooling at the thought.
Lei Jie nodded with a smile. "I remember every time we came to the Taipei branch, we always had a good meal of roast duck downstairs…"
"Stop—" Sunny could no longer listen. "What nonsense are you two spouting?" she glared at them, annoyed.
"Didn't you say you wanted to eat roast duck? That's what we're discussing," Lei Jie furrowed his brow, puzzled by her reaction.
Sunny wrinkled her nose. "When did I say I wanted to eat roast duck?"
"Yeah, just a moment ago!" Lei Jie furrowed his brows, looking at her suspiciously. "It's because you mentioned wanting to eat roasted duck first that we brought it up. If you don't believe me, there's Ah Hao to vouch for it; you can ask him." He spoke with a serious demeanor.
"That's right! Yang Guang, Lei Jie is correct. You were the one who first suggested eating roasted duck, and that's why we proposed going to Tianxiang Tower downstairs. What's wrong? You don't have amnesia, do you? Have you forgotten what you said?" Bai Haoran teased.
Sang Ni rolled her eyes dramatically, almost choking on her words in frustration. She laughed in a strange, high-pitched manner, then glared at the two of them with a faux smile. "Roasted duck! I meant my little dog is named Roasted Duck, not that I wanted to eat Peking duck!" She nearly shouted the last part.
Bai Haoran and Lei Jie were both wide-eyed in shock.
"You mean its name is Roasted Duck?" Lei Jie pointed at the basket, where a small dog was staring back at him with its round, confused eyes.
"That's right! My dog—it's the famous Roasted Duck that strikes fear across the land!" Sang Ni emphasized every word with gritted teeth.
Immediately, laughter filled the large office like an explosion.
"Oh my god! Roasted Duck... Hahaha... You named a dog that? Hahaha... What a hilarious joke! I'm about to split my sides from laughing!" Bai Haoran and Lei Jie couldn't control themselves, rolling on the floor in fits of laughter.
Sang Ni felt like she might choke on her blood from frustration. She glared at them, questioning why everyone who heard the name laughed like idiots, and even more so.
"Stop laughing! I told you to stop!" Sang Ni placed her hands on her hips, stamping her foot angrily. "If you dare to laugh again, I'll make sure your jaws never close again!" Her stunning face was radiating anger; she looked like she could strangle them.
But it was no use! Bai Haoran and Lei Jie completely ignored her warning, continuing to laugh louder and more maniacally. Thankfully, the soundproofing in the office was decent; otherwise, they would have attracted a crowd long ago.
"What on earth is going on here? Why are you making so much noise this early in the morning? You want people to think our 'Longmen Society' is about to collapse, but this isn't the way!" Long Yang walked in with one of the members of the Sanxing Group, "Comet" Lan Feng, mockingly reprimanding them.
"Yeah! I thought our 'Longmen Society' had turned into a branch of the Longfa Hall, and I almost considered cutting ties with you guys!" Lan Feng grinned, playfully teasing.
When Sang Ni saw Long Yang, her eyes lit up like they were electrified.
"Long Yang, you came at the right time!" She quickly ran to his side and hugged his waist, acting cute. "Look at them! They came here to bully me this early in the morning. I don't care; you have to get revenge for me!"
Long Yang possessively wrapped his arms around her, kissing her lips tenderly with a smile. "So, how do you want me to get revenge?"
Sang Ni put on a fierce expression, but it looked so unconvincing that Long Yang nearly burst out laughing.
"It would be best to remove their vice president positions in the 'Longmen Society' and issue a decree to all companies worldwide to never hire Bai Haoran and Lei Jie, leaving them with no means to earn a living! Hehe!" Sang Ni laughed sinisterly. "Then I don't believe they won't end up homeless, wandering the streets as beggars." She said this with mock ferocity, then playfully stuck out her tongue at the two, who were finally calming down, and made a comically terrifying face, as if to say, "You're done for!"
"Tsk tsk! Miss Yang Guang, that's a bit too ruthless, don't you think?" Lan Feng, watching with interest, couldn't help but admire the beautiful girl before him.
Her style of doing things was too similar to that of the Sanxing Group, perfectly matching their unique taste. Hehe! Perhaps one day, he could recruit her into the Sanxing Group and turn her into the fearsome "Four Star Group."
But of course, that would have to go through Long Yang. Lan Feng sighed, realizing that with Long Yang's possessive nature, it would likely be an impossible feat unless the sky fell.
"Hmph! Who told them to offend me? Not having 'Roasted Duck' bite them is already a huge favor!" Sang Ni was still furious and had no mind to notice that Lan Feng, one of her admired Sanxing Group members, was watching her with keen interest.
Just as Bai Haoran and Lei Jie managed to control their laughter, they heard the words "Roasted Duck" and immediately burst into laughter again, even more exaggerated than before.
So that was why they were laughing earlier! Long Yang suddenly realized, glancing enviously at them. If he weren't afraid Sang Ni would turn her back on him, he would have wanted to join in, laughing off all the humor he missed yesterday!
Lan Feng, feeling confused, realized he was the only one who still didn't understand what was happening. This peculiar sensation was truly uncomfortable for him, and he decided to clarify.
"Ahem! Ahem!" Lan Feng cleared his throat intentionally, smiling as he asked, "Can you all explain what's so funny? And can you also tell me what this 'Roasted Duck' business is about?" He paused, making a funny face, and continued, "Honestly, I've never heard of a roasted duck that bites before!" This was all too strange!
As soon as he said that, everyone was stunned for a moment, and within three seconds, laughter even more exaggerated than before erupted, like an atomic bomb exploding. This time, even Long Yang, who had been trying to hold back, and Sang Ni, who had been tightly pursing her lips, couldn't help but laugh uncontrollably, tears streaming down their faces, almost gasping for breath.
Lan Feng furrowed his brows slightly, still looking at the uncontrollable laughter around him, wondering if he had said something wrong. He reflected on his words.
After a while, when Long Yang could no longer watch him continue to make a fool of himself, he forcefully sucked in air, wiped the tears from his eyes caused by laughing, and explained, "That duck is not the same; we're talking about Sang Ni's dog named Roasted Duck!"
"A dog?" Lan Feng was still confused about the connection to the roasted duck.
Bai Haoran and Lei Jie, seeing his expression, couldn't help but laugh even harder. It was rare to see "Comet" Lan Feng looking so clueless, and it was incredibly amusing! They were laughing so hard, it was worth every moment!
Sang Ni took in his puzzled expression, and to avoid wasting Long Yang's breath, she walked over to the basket and pulled out the little dog that was lying inside, enjoying the coolness.
She looked at him with interest and showed a cute, innocent smile. "Come on! Roasted Duck, say hi to..." She turned to Long Yang for confirmation.
Long Yang grinned with a sly smile, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Comet Lan Feng," he had never felt this gleeful before; now one of her admired figures should have fewer admirers!
Holding the little dog, Sang Ni paused. "He's one of the members of the Sanxing Group I wanted to meet?" She raised her voice, emphasizing her excitement.
Long Yang, Bai Haoran, and Lei Jie all nodded knowingly, their faces full of anticipation.
Only Lan Feng didn't notice her surprise, his eyes still fixed on the little dog, which was sticking out its tongue and greeting him, as he lifted it from Sang Ni's arms. "You mean, its name is Roasted Duck?" His tone held a hint of admiration.
"Isn't it an awful name?" Sang Ni instinctively responded, starting to recover from her earlier shock.
Lan Feng shook his head vigorously, beaming, "It's simply brilliant!"
Hearing this, Sang Ni was overjoyed, her smile wide as she knew that the Sanxing Group members shared her way of thinking. "I've made up my mind," she blurted out without thinking.
"Made up your mind about what?" Long Yang warned, pulling her back into his embrace, turning her face toward him. "You better not forget what happened last night; you're already mine." He held her tightly, his breath brushing against her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
Recalling the sweet moments from last night, Sang Ni's face flushed red, leaving her momentarily speechless.
"Hey, what are you whispering about? Why don't you share it with everyone?" Bai Haoran interrupted, not wanting to be left out. "Could it be something happened last night while we were away?" he teased suggestively.
At this, Sang Ni's face turned even redder.
She raised her fist and pounded on Long Yang's chest several times, pouting, "It's all your fault! You're the one who got me laughed at!"
"What's the big deal?" Long Yang replied nonchalantly. To be honest, he actually hoped that everyone in the world would know that San Ni was his.
"Long, great choice!" Blue Wind said this sincerely. If the "Longmen Society" had such a quirky president, it would definitely be livelier and more interesting. He couldn't help but look forward to it!
"What about the other two?" San Ni raised her head from Long Yang's embrace and explained, afraid he wouldn't understand, "I mean Meteor and Nether Star. How come only Comet and you came in? Where are they?"
"I sent them on an errand. You might not see them for a while," Long Yang said with a calm expression, not wanting her to know too much.
"Oh!" San Ni replied, feeling disappointed. It was strange; she felt like they were hiding something from her and didn't want her to know.
However, the more they tried to keep her in the dark, the more curious she became. She had to figure out what was making them all so mysterious!
Taking advantage of Long Yang's absence, Bai Haoran approached San Ni with a helpless expression.
"Sunshine!" he called softly as he stood in front of her.
"Hmm?" San Ni replied, her fingers still flying over the keyboard, her eyes scanning the computer screen.
Lately, she had been completely captivated by this new invention of the twentieth century: the operating computer. Although it was already outdated by over two hundred years, the one she was using now was the latest model, with only five units produced worldwide, three of which belonged to the "Longmen Society."
"I have a favor to ask you." Although it was hard to bring up, he had to do it for his own future freedom.
"Oh!" San Ni answered absently.
"I heard that Lei Jie came here the other day and asked you to help him shake off that clingy, big-busted secretary, right?" he asked, sitting down on the office chair across from her.
San Ni nodded without looking up, her large, bright eyes still fixed on the computer.
"Then… can you help me get rid of the one who's been clinging to me?" Bai Haoran looked at her with a distressed expression.
He really couldn't take Chen Ai Lun anymore; no matter if he tried sweet or tough methods, he couldn't shake her off. So, he had no choice but to swallow his pride, risking the loss of his "Silver Fox" reputation and the possibility of being laughed at by San Ni. But seeing her in such an absent-minded state, he wondered if she was really paying attention to him.
"Sunshine, did you even hear what I said?" Bai Haoran asked, his face sour.
He couldn't bear to repeat such an embarrassing thing! Plus, if the three strange guys from the Star Group found out, he'd rather shoot himself than face their teasing!
"Wow, I finally did it! That's awesome!" With a smiling face, San Ni pressed the last few commands and shut down the computer, finally relaxing her shoulders after a long morning of tension.
She lazily stretched and got lost in her thoughts, completely oblivious to the fact that someone was waiting for her attention.
She had just designed a world-class corporate anti-theft system for the "Longmen Society." This system could not only prevent outsiders from stealing company secrets via the internet but also infect the computers of anyone attempting to steal from them with a virus, causing them to crash irreparably.
"Sunshine!" Obviously, while Bai Haoran waited for her to focus on him, the green climbing plant on the desk had already suffered, becoming a bald cactus.
Hearing his voice startled San Ni. Her eyes darted around, finally noticing Bai Haoran's presence.
"Ah! Bai Haoran, when did you get here? Why didn't you call me?" She looked at him with wide eyes, a surprised expression on her face.
Damn it! Bai Haoran groaned, patting his forehead. Clearly, she hadn't heard a word he said; it was a complete waste of his precious breath.
"I've been here for a long time, but it seems I can't compete with this computer's charm," he joked about himself.
"Hmm! Well, if you realize that, it means there's still hope for you," San Ni agreed, secretly laughing to herself.
It wasn't entirely her fault; anyone who knew her understood that once she focused on something, she would forget about everyone else and get lost in her thoughts.
Bai Haoran was close to spitting blood in frustration.
Seeing his usually calm expression nearly cracking, San Ni couldn't help but chuckle, "So, what do you need me for?" She turned her chair to face him, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes sparkling at him.
Bai Haoran put down the pen he had been unconsciously twirling and frowned, seemingly contemplating how to phrase his request.
San Ni rolled her eyes and sighed, "Are you going to say it or not? If not, I'll just go back to playing on my computer."
He immediately stopped her, "No, I'll say it! Remember how you helped Lei Jie get rid of that clingy big-busted secretary the other day?"
"I remember!" San Ni nodded enthusiastically; it was quite the memorable and fun incident!
"Could you also help me get rid of that clingy Chen Ai Lun?"
"No problem." San Ni cut him off before he could finish.
This shocked Bai Haoran. He widened his eyes in disbelief. It was too unbelievable that Sunshine didn't mock him and just agreed so readily.
Seeing his reaction, San Ni made a silly face. "What's wrong? You look surprised." Despite her serious facade, she was secretly laughing at his expression.
"Just like that?" Bai Haoran still questioned.
San Ni found it both amusing and exasperating. "What else could it be? Did you really think I, a little fox, could outsmart you, an old fox?"
"That's not entirely impossible," Bai Haoran replied honestly. There was no such thing as a free lunch! It was too strange for Sunshine to be so kind; he wanted to see what her ulterior motive was.
"I just felt a bit of indigestion seeing you two suffer under those two big mammals for so long, so I thought I'd help you out of the misery. Is that not good?" She gave a grand speech that even made her want to laugh.
"Is that so?" Bai Haoran was back to his scheming self, smirking.
"Do you doubt it?" San Ni shot him an annoyed glare, trying to keep her serious demeanor but failing in just two seconds.
"Fine, you guessed right!" She mumbled at him, "Hey, Bai Haoran, you're quite clever this time!" It was rare for her to compliment someone.
"That's because I know you too well," he said, having suspected her good intentions from the start. Now that her true nature was revealed, he asked, "So, what's the condition, Sunshine?"
"Well, since you've already figured it out, there's nothing to hide," San Ni generously admitted.
Bai Haoran thought to himself, "Say it! What's the condition?" Since he was asking for help, he'd accept whatever terms she had.
Sanni nodded in satisfaction, "It's very simple, and you don't need to do it right away."
"Can you be more specific?" Bai Haoran began to feel uneasy, goosebumps rising on his skin.
"All you need to remember is that you owe me a favor," she said lightly, though her expression suggested she had larger motives.
"That's it?" He raised an eyebrow, somewhat incredulous.
"Yep, whether you want to or not is up to you," Sanni replied casually, clearly enjoying herself.
There was no room for negotiation. Bai Haoran looked at her helplessly. However, the most pressing matter was to deal with Chen Ailun's relentless pursuit of him, and he would have to put off everything else for later.
"Alright!" He had no other choice but to agree.
Sanni made a face at him. "Then it's a deal!"
"Hi, Secretary Chen, are you busy?" Sanni strolled casually to her desk.
Chen Ailun immediately set aside her work, standing up with a smile. "Yes, it's that time of year again for the annual accounting, so I'm busier than usual."
Of course! Ever since last week when the leader of "Longmen Society," Long Yang, took her into the company, everyone in the building had realized that she was likely to become the future president's wife. So, she had to be extra attentive!
"Is that so?" Sanni feigned disappointment. "I was hoping to chat with you and share a secret I accidentally discovered yesterday, but if you're busy, then never mind." With that, she pretended to leave.
Seeing this, Chen Ailun quickly stopped her. "Uh… Miss Sanni, wait! I can finish this in less than half an hour. I'll talk with you first; I can always catch up later." She was eager.
A secret? A secret! Chen Ailun thought excitedly. Her greatest interest was hearing gossip and secrets that others wouldn't share.
"Is it really okay?" Sanni pretended to hesitate, though she was secretly delighted.
"Yeah, worst case, I won't take a lunch break to finish it. It's really fine," Chen Ailun insisted, nodding earnestly, her bright red earrings swaying comically as she moved.
After thinking for a moment, Sanni finally said, "Alright!"
Chen Ailun looked relieved. "Miss Sanni, what secret did you discover yesterday?" She was bursting with curiosity.
Sanni took a seat next to her and, feigning mystery, glanced around to make sure no one was listening before leaning in closer to whisper, "You know I'm living with President Long on the top floor, right?"
Chen Ailun nodded; she had already heard that.
"Then you should also know that Vice President Bai Haoran and Lei Jie are living with us too?"
Chen Ailun nodded again, but her expression became more anxious, eager to know what was going on.
"Since you know that, it'll be easier to explain," Sanni said with a bright smile. "Do you know what I heard last night when I got up to use the bathroom?"
"What?" Chen Ailun's eyes, painted with dark purple eyeshadow, widened in anticipation.
"I actually heard Bai Haoran…"
"What about Vice President Bai?" Chen Ailun interrupted, her face tense with excitement. Bai Haoran was the man she had her eyes on for a wealthy future husband; she couldn't miss any details about him.
"Can you not interrupt me? How am I supposed to continue?" Sanni said with annoyance, though she was pleased with Chen Ailun's reaction.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Chen Ailun quickly apologized, nodding. "I won't interrupt. Please, go on."
Sanni nodded and continued, "I heard him tell the president that he has a contagious disease and might not have much time left, so he asked the president to find someone to take over for him."
Chen Ailun was stunned, but then her expression shifted to panic. "Uh… Miss Sanni, did you hear what disease he said he has?"
Sanni shook her head, feigning regret. "Unfortunately, I was too drowsy to catch the details, but—" she drew out the last word.
"But what?" Chen Ailun's heart raced, feeling as if it might burst out of her chest.
"I think I heard him say a word starting with 'A'."
"What word?" Chen Ailun clutched Sanni's arm as if it were a lifeline.
"It sounded like… like it started with an 'A.' The rest…" Sanni shrugged and smiled, "I just couldn't catch it."
Chen Ailun froze in shock. A?! Oh my god! She automatically thought of AIDS, the plague of the twentieth century. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized she never expected Bai Haoran, who was handsome and charming, to be suffering from such an incurable disease.
No wonder this stunning beauty had struggled for over two weeks without success in winning him over; he must have lost interest in women entirely due to his terminal illness.
Thank goodness, she thought, that she hadn't had any physical contact with him yet; otherwise, she would be at risk of catching that horrifying disease too!
Lost in her thoughts, Chen Ailun unconsciously patted her own ample bosom, grateful that she might escape this fate. Her expression of relief nearly made Sanni burst into laughter.
"Secretary Chen! Secretary Chen!" Sanni called, suppressing her giggles at the dazed Chen Ailun.
Startled, Chen Ailun snapped back to reality. "Miss Sanni, I'm so sorry. What were you saying?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to remind you that you must not tell anyone about what I shared today, or else…" Sanni implied, her gaze suggesting there was more to say without uttering it.
Chen Ailun understood and nodded vigorously, her red earrings swinging again in a comical fashion.
"Don't worry, Miss Sanni. I promise I won't tell a single soul about this!" she vowed earnestly.
She didn't want to risk losing her job or becoming the number one target of the powerful "Longmen Society." How could she possibly share such sensitive information?
Satisfied that everything had gone according to her plan, Sanni felt a swell of pride. She was amazed by her own acting skills. Watching Chen Ailun slip back into her own thoughts, she raised an eyebrow, smiled, and stood up.
"Secretary Chen, you can get back to work. I'm heading back to the president's office." With that, she whistled lightly, leaving the room with a sense of accomplishment. She knew that whenever she personally handled a matter, nothing was impossible.