Lu Xunchang’s smile that did not meet his eyes made Shen Qi feel rather awkward, and her mind automatically drifted away to what happened that night outside the hall between him and that reputable lady.
“Thank you, President Lu, but I’ll have to decline.” Shen Qi turned him down politely.
Lu Xunchang narrowed his slender and sharp eyes. “You know who I am?”
“Uh… the Lu Group is rather famous in North City. Is there really anyone who doesn’t know you?”
Suddenly, Lu Xunchang moved to lean against the window of the car to stare at her. “Oh, is that so? Are you crying?”
The abrupt question startled Shen Qi, and she shook her head immediately after. “I’m not.”
Lu Xunchang curled his lips into a grin. “Women are fragile creatures who get hurt easily. You must be the person who was hiding behind the tree, correct?”
Shen Qi’s facial expression shifted, and she didn’t say anything in response.
Her eyes were tinted red and were filled with stubbornness. It was clear that she wasn’t a person who could lie and deceive people.
Hmm, is she remaining silent because she can’t lie? How interesting.
“I saw how Ye Moxuan cast you aside and left. Well, won’t you consider getting into my car?” After he said that, Lu Xunchang reached out and placed his hand on her shoulders.
Shen Qi reflexively flinched away, avoiding Lu Xunchang’s touch. All that he grasped was air, and his hand continued to hang there as a smile gradually formed on his face. “Why are you being so difficult? If he doesn’t want to send you home, why not let me?”
With that, he moved a couple of steps forward, making Shen Qi back away from him.
“Countless women have thrown themselves at my feet. Based on your way of dressing and how Ye Moxuan treated you, you’re not someone close to him, yes? It wouldn’t exactly be a loss on your end if you chose to come with me instead.”
Shen Qi didn’t care about whatever he said. She continued to back away from him, not allowing him to touch her.
Shen Qi knew very well just what sort of person Lu Xunchang was, and she knew that if she were to show even a little bit of hesitation, she would definitely be marked by him.
“Don’t be like that, I know you are different from other women.”
Once he said that, Lu Xunchang forcefully planted his hands on her shoulders. Shen Qi did not manage to move away in time, and the fear was evident on her face. “President Lu, please, show some respect!”
“Why should I? Since Ye Moxuan decided to leave you alone, why not follow me instead?”
There were so many women who wanted to climb into Lu Xunchang’s bed to the point that he couldn’t even count them all. However, he wanted to put someone with Shen Qi’s attitude to the test. He really wanted to see if the person by Ye Moxuan’s side would also succumb to his charm.
After all, he was secretly competing with Ye Moxuan.
“Let go of me!”
Pushing against Lu Xunchang’s chest, Shen Qi’s face paled from fright. “President Lu, I thought you always chased after reputable ladies! I’m just Young Master Ye’s assistant! Please don’t be like this!”
Shen Qi knew that this man was someone that Ye Moxuan wanted to form a partnership with, so she did not dare do anything to him in retaliation.
“Oh? You know me well! It seems like you’ve investigated my background before. Are you interested in me?” That deep voice of Lu Xunchang’s slowly came closer and closer to Shen Qi.
Shen Qi opened her eyes wide and pushed him away forcefully, but her strength could not be compared to his, thus she only succeeded in making him annoyed. As such, he told her sternly, “The thing that I hate most is when people resist my advances. Don’t you want to think it through once more? I might be a little gentler toward you.”
“President Lu, I will repeat myself once again: please show some respect! If you do not let go of me this instant, I will not be courteous anymore!”
Shen Qi had been enduring it all this while, but it did not mean she was an easy target to bully!
Lu Xunchang smiled at her. “You dare offend me? Do keep in mind that the Ye Group still has to discuss a partnership with my company in the next couple of days.”
When she heard that, Shen Qi’s face grew even more pale. “This partnership is beneficial to your company, yet you want to drag your personal life into it?”
“No.” Lu Xunchang increased the force of his grip. “This is about your future. Should I decide to refuse the partnership and stir up trouble for you? Who do you think your company will blame?”
“You!” Shen Qi bit her bottom lip. “You’re despicable!”
“Then think about it. Do you want to go for dinner with despicable old me?”
“Never!”
“Since you’re unwilling, then I’ll have to resort to—”
Wham!
Before Lu Xunchang could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a fierce kick to his calf. Surprised, he fell on one knee in front of Shen Qi.
Shen Qi stared at him with wide eyes, covering her mouth in disbelief.
“You’re giving such a deep bow to her; is it because you want to form a partnership with my assistant?”
That cold and familiar voice rang out, and Shen Qi looked toward the source of that voice in surprise.
Ye Moxuan, who had taken his leave earlier, had returned at some point during her conversation with Lu Xunchang. He was currently sitting on a wheelchair, staring at the half-kneeling Lu Xunchang with a calm and cold gaze. Xiao Su was standing behind him, wearing the same expression on his face and was glaring at Lu Xunchang angrily.
Why are they back?
Hadn’t they… left?
Ye Moxuan’s lips curled into a bloodthirsty smile, thereupon he sneered at Lu Xunchang. “What a shame though, for even if you were to get on your knees and beg my assistant, I certainly have no intention to collaborate with your horrible, low-class company.”
Thud! Thud! Thud! Those words pounded against Shen Qi’s heart heavily like the ringing of a bell.
Even though Ye Moxuan seemed like a heartless person, his actions proved otherwise, as whatever he did was all to protect her.
At least, that was what it looked like to people who watched from the sidelines.
He was defending her!
Shen Qi didn’t know why, but her tears that had dried up earlier began to fall once more, and her nose became itchy.
Throughout her entire life, nobody had ever stood up for her repeatedly, time and time again, like Ye Moxuan had.
The moment Lu Xunchang fell to his knees and heard Ye Moxuan’s mockery, he was livid. When he tried to pick himself up, he found that he wasn’t able to; his calf had been struck with so much force that it hurt too much for him to get up.
Lu Xunchang did not know exactly who was the one who had kicked him. Since Ye Moxuan was sitting in a wheelchair, he chalked it up to Xiao Su and regarded him as the one who had kicked him.
It took a while for Lu Xunchang to get back on his feet, and when he finally did, he grimaced and wiped away the cold sweat that had formed on his forehead. “How impulsive and stubborn you are, Young Master Ye! This partnership is very important, so I’m not sure if Old Master Ye will allow you to do as you wish.”
A sudden coldness flashed in Ye Moxuan’s eyes. “We’ll see about that.”
“Pfft, hitting me for the sake of your assistant? I’ll be waiting for you to come and beg me, Ye Moxuan.”
Lu Xunchang fixed an angry stare on him before he limped away to his car and left.
Three people were left after his departure.
Shen Qi stood in place, her mind struggling to process what had just happened. She hadn’t expected that they would actually return after leaving.
Xiao Su then pushed Ye Moxuan away, while Shen Qi continued to stand there without moving. A while later, Xiao Su suddenly stopped and Ye Moxuan called out to Shen Qi in a voice that sounded as though it originated from the depths of hell.
At that, Shen Qi immediately regained her senses and hurried to follow after them.
Once they got into the car, Shen Qi felt as though she had done something wrong, so she could only lower her head.
The temperature in the car felt as cold as Antarctica, and none of the people in the vehicle dared to say anything at all; that included both the driver and Xiao Su, who tried their best to ignore the situation.
“Are you an idiot who doesn’t know how to run away?”
Shen Qi bit her bottom lip. Cold sweat began to pour from her forehead as she mumbled, “I…”
“Or… could it be that you wanted to have a one night stand with him?”
What? Those awful words made Shen Qi so angry that she raised her head in indignation, and she met Ye Moxuan’s gaze with her beautiful eyes without warning. Seeing her pursed lips and pale face, it reminded him of what had just happened before.
Her petite figure had been cornered by Lu Xunchang, and he had leaned in extremely close.
“Ye Moxuan, don’t you—mmph!”
Just as Shen Qi started talking, the back of her head was held and her vision went black.
