Chapter 1: You’re Getting Married

“Big news! Do you know about our company’s new chief assistant, Fan Xia? I heard she’s a top student from the Imperial Capital University, and she’s a woman.” In the administrative department of Shanhai Group, the huge office area was divided into neat and orderly squares, but even so, it couldn’t reduce the employees’ enthusiasm for gossip.

Soon, countless people responded in the chat group: “A woman? I don’t believe it! Didn’t the CEO never hire female chief assistants to avoid suspicion? If it weren’t for the previous male assistant getting old and wanting to go home to have a baby, why would the CEO look for a new assistant?”

“It’s true, why would I lie to you? This morning, I went to report to the senior management with my supervisor and saw the new chief assistant with my own eyes. Wow~~” The person who broke the news covered his heart, his face turning red just thinking about the new chief assistant’s appearance. “I’ve never seen such a good-looking woman, who can even be described as beautiful. The deer in my heart is about to die from crashing!”

“Look at you, how unambitious. Is she that good-looking? Can she be as good-looking as the current popular actress?” someone said in the group.

“Don’t doubt me, I secretly took a photo.” The person who broke the news sent the secretly taken photo he treasured in his phone to the group.

In the photo, Fan Xia was about 25 or 26 years old, wearing a simple and loose white shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up to the elbows. Her soft long hair was scattered, her fair skin and eyes were gentle and affectionate. Just a casual side profile stood out among a group of executives and shareholders in suits, with a remote and otherworldly temperament.

In the female-dominant society, male beauty was the main focus of consumption. Handsome men were everywhere, but beautiful women were the real top-level scarce resource.

“……” After the photo was sent out, the chat group fell silent for a few seconds, and then new messages and various emoticons poured out like a tidal wave.

“Ahh! Help! Does such a good-looking person really exist?”

“I’m going crazy! I’m going crazy!”

‘Ah, help– my heart has been stabbed!’

‘Ahh– Chief Assistant, please face me directly!’

“Get lost! Don’t covet my wife!”

“To be honest, my wife is already in my bed!”

“Xiao, you’re so shameless!”

Unlike his colleagues who were frantically admiring in the office, in a corner that could be considered remote, Wen Lan Sheng propped his chin with his hand. With a clean and handsome appearance, soft short black hair curling slightly like seaweed, eyes like being soaked in moonlight when he smiled, he tapped the desk with clean fingertips, watching with interest as the men in the chat group lusted after Fan Xia.

A group of flies who only dared to go crazy with desire over a secretly taken photo in a private chat group, completely unaware that the fiancé of the person in question was sitting right beside them. Watching their clownish behavior, Wen Lan Sheng felt no jealousy in his heart, but instead a sense of inexplicable pride.

The Fan Xia they couldn’t get even if they begged had been dating him since high school, and they were going to hold an engagement ceremony next month.

Wen Lan Sheng could almost imagine the expression of these men, embarrassed beyond redemption, when he delivered the engagement invitation to them…… Wen Lan Sheng laughed silently, the soft gaze in his eyes flashing with contempt as if looking at ants, and continued to do things with his head down.

*

“You’re already familiar with the environment of the senior management. Next, I’ll take you to see the CEO’s office and your office area.” Zhuang Nian, the CEO’s personal male secretary, said to Fan Xia with a smile.

Fan Xia nodded slightly, her smile gentle and polite: “Thank you for your trouble.”

“No, no trouble. Come with me.” Zhuang Nian secretly clenched the folder in his hand, surprised that he, a veteran of the workplace, would also stutter when facing a woman.

But…… Zhuang Nian couldn’t help but take another secret glance at Fan Xia. The unstained white shirt on her body had a light and watery temperament, but it was particularly alluring and vivid. Every move unknowingly exuded a strong attraction, making people linger and unable to resist peeping again and again.

Who would have thought that such a perfect person had lost her parents when she was thirteen years old and grew up in an orphanage? She must have suffered a lot of unknown hardships in these more than ten years.

Zhuang Nian, who had done a background check, felt a slight pity in his heart.

“This is our office area.” Zhuang Nian led Fan Xia into a spacious office. At the end of the office was a tightly closed heavy wooden door with relief carvings.

“The CEO’s office is inside.” Zhuang Nian said, pointing to the tightly closed relief door. The thin morning light penetrated through the glass of the high-rise building, making it look even thicker.

Fan Xia walked closer to the door and looked closely at the relief carvings on it. Instead of the common Western patterns, it depicted mountains and peaks from traditional Chinese paintings. The natural coldness of the heavy wood made people feel the heavy majesty brought by the power center of the group as soon as they stood in front of it, as if the mountains and rivers were about to crush her in the next moment, making it hard to breathe.

“The CEO attended a banquet last night and should come later today. You can familiarize yourself first.” After a simple introduction, Zhuang Nian handed Fan Xia some group manuals to familiarize herself with, while he prepared to start his daily work routine.

As a personal secretary, Zhuang Nian was mainly responsible for some trivial daily work, and more for CEO Rong Xiu’s personal activities. Although it sounded like just being an assistant, only those who had been by the CEO’s side knew how difficult it was to be a secretary to a workaholic CEO.

Shanhai Group was the largest private hospital group in the country. In Country H, public hospitals provided free medical care, but the quality of doctors was poor and beds were limited. To see a doctor, people had to queue for half a month, so the middle class and wealthy basically chose private hospitals to enjoy the top medical services.

Rong Xiu was the younger son of the former chairman of Shanhai Group, with an elder sister above him. Originally, the company should not have been inherited by him, a man, but his erratic sister was caught for bribery, which gave Rong Xiu the opportunity to take over.

In the three years since taking over the company, Rong Xiu’s meticulousness was almost fanatical, and his obsession was almost harsh, but it was precisely because of this that he, a man, could stand firm in a society dominated by women.

According to the usual practice, CEO Rong Xiu attended a banquet and drank last night, so he should come to the company after nine o’clock today. Now it was only half past eight, and he had plenty of time to prepare. Confident, he pushed open the door, and Zhuang Nian’s proper smile froze on his face: “CE- CEO?”

Fan Xia turned around and saw the tightly closed heavy door being pushed open. Among the countless documents piled up on the desk, Rong Xiu slowly raised his head, revealing a peerlessly handsome face. Wearing a well-tailored gun collar double-breasted suit, his slender and evenly-boned fingers rested lightly on the keyboard, a silver watch on his pale and indifferent wrist, reflecting cold and desolate shards of light in the morning rays.

The moment Rong Xiu raised his head, Fan Xia’s gaze met his indifferent one. Then Rong Xiu’s gaze shifted away from her, and he nonchalantly adjusted the rimless glasses on his high nose bridge, his dark eyes revealing a forbidding and lonely asceticism.

“Surprised?” He said to Zhuang Nian in a low voice, his voice slightly hoarse but deep.

“No, no, I’ll go make you a cup of coffee.” Zhuang Nian hurriedly ran out, but muttered in his heart, why did this big Buddha come so early today? There are no important meetings today, right?

With Zhuang Nian gone, the entire office seemed desolate, with only Rong Xiu and Fan Xia. Fan Xia was thinking about how to speak, but Rong Xiu took the lead.

“Just joined the company, are you used to it?” He closed his laptop, his evenly-boned fingers resting lightly and lazily on the smooth obsidian-like desk, but his eyes were downcast, playing with the watch on his wrist, not looking at her, seeming a little indifferent.

Fan Xia nodded slightly: “I’m used to it. Secretary Zhuang is very nice. He helped me get familiar with the company’s environment and helped me a lot.”

The fingertips fiddling with the watch paused slightly, and Rong Xiu’s downcast eyes lifted a little. Even with the concealment of the rimless glasses, it was difficult to hide his superior and indifferent narrow eyes and clear gaze.

Looking closely, there was a tiny wine-red tear mole under the corner of his left eye. The slender and slightly raised end of his eyes was a bit deep. When getting close, one could smell the indifferent scent of cedar on him. It was hard to imagine what kind of charm would be revealed if he took off his ascetic and restrained glasses.

“He is a personal secretary.” Rong Xiu said indifferently, his tone slightly cold like the thin snow of early winter.

“…… Hmm?” Fan Xia didn’t understand what he meant for a moment.

“Zhuang Nian is mainly responsible for my personal trivial matters. He can’t help you much with work. If you have any difficulties……” Rong Xiu adjusted his exquisite rimless glasses again. His slender and even fingers lightly supported the frame, his lowered brows and eyes covering his indifferent and ascetic eyes. “You can come to me… After all, you are my junior.”

Fan Xia was slightly surprised, and then her watery eyes overflowed with a faint smile. “I thought senior had already forgotten about a small person like me. After all, we haven’t seen each other for so many years.”

“Always remembered.” Rong Xiu said very lightly, more gentle and light than the light penetrating the glass window. If it weren’t for his cold expression and his usual emotionless eyes, one would have thought they heard a lingering and affectionate love confession.

“Not recognizing you at the interview was for fear that outsiders would think you got the job through connections.” The aristocratic family education made him keep his waist and back straight throughout, as upright as a mountain, and as meticulous and decisive as his famous work style in the industry.

“Senior is still considerate.” Fan Xia said, her voice filled with laughter.

“CEO, your coffee.” Zhuang Nian came in with the coffee.

Rong Xiu glanced at the coffee on the table indifferently and said casually, “Leave it there and go back to work.”

“Yes, then we’ll go out first.” Zhuang Nian retreated with relief, taking Fan Xia with him and not forgetting to close the door thoughtfully.

The heavy door closed, and the office became a closed space again. With the dark decorative style, it seemed dark even during the day, like a quiet and thick night.

In this silent and dim night, a satisfied sigh suddenly came out.

Rong Xiu’s waist, which was as straight as a mountain, softened and sank into the black leather office chair. His slender and beautiful fingers rested on the Windsor knot at his collar, tugging at the tie with a bit of violence. The meticulous collar was pulled out into a few messy folds, revealing the tightly bound Adam’s apple.

“Fan Xia……” Rong Xiu leaned back on the chair, his thin lips silently reciting her name. The rimless glasses were casually tossed aside, his sleeves covering his narrow and indifferent eyes, revealing his delicate and perfect jawline. His Adam’s apple was no longer suppressed and restrained, sliding up and down at will. Under his ascetic and indifferent appearance, his palms were already wet with a layer of sweat. “Finally waited for you.”

*

“Chief Assistant Fan, the company has an employee cafeteria with good food. You can go there often at noon.” Zhuang Nian said beside Fan Xia while playing with his phone as lunch time approached.

“Xia Xia, how’s your first day at work? Let’s have lunch together. I’ll wait for you in the employee cafeteria.” A text message came, and Wen Lan Sheng even attached a cute emoticon.

Fan Xia stopped her work at hand and replied calmly, “Not bad, see you in the cafeteria.”

At the same time, she responded to Zhuang Nian’s kindness, “Secretary Zhuang, aren’t you going?”

“I’m on a diet and made my own low-fat meal at home.”

“What about the CEO?” Fan Xia asked.

Zhuang Nian waved his phone. “Aren’t I ordering for him now? He has a picky taste as an aristocratic son. He basically doesn’t go to the employee cafeteria to eat. Every day, I have to order dishes from the restaurants he likes.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the door of the CEO’s office opened, and Rong Xiu walked out while adjusting his suit cuffs.

“CEO.” As soon as he saw Rong Xiu, Zhuang Nian’s body stiffened. “What do you want to eat today? I’ll order for you.”

“No need, I’ll go to the employee cafeteria.” Rong Xiu’s brows and eyes were distant.

“This- Aren’t you…?” Zhuang Nian said in a somewhat dazed manner.

Rong Xiu finished adjusting his suit cuffs, his narrow eyes sweeping over him.

Zhuang Nian immediately shut up.

“What are you having for lunch?” Rong Xiu looked at Fan Xia, his tone that was a bit cold towards Zhuang Nian suddenly became gentle.

Fan Xia answered truthfully, “Going to the employee cafeteria.”

“Together?” He asked with a faint gaze.

Having lunch with the top boss was beneficial for future work.

Fan Xia nodded. “Sure.”

The two entered the elevator together, leaving a dumbfounded Zhuang Nian behind.

“Today is really weird. Why is the CEO acting so abnormal?” Zhuang Nian muttered in a low voice.

Taking advantage of the break, Fan Xia sent a message to Wen Lan Sheng: ‘I can’t have lunch with you at noon, sorry, I’ll make it up to you when I get home.’

Wen Lan Sheng replied instantly: ‘Okay, I know you have a lot of things to deal with on your first day at work. I’ll make something delicious for you when you get home.’ Along with a pitiful emoticon.

“Chatting with your boyfriend?” Rong Xiu’s tone was as cold as usual, without any discernible emotion.

Fan Xia put down her phone and looked at Rong Xiu. He leaned lightly against one side of the elevator, his legs long and powerful. The light from the top of the elevator shone on his lowered brows and eyes, casting a shallow shadow in his eyes, exuding a sense of aloofness.

Time seemed to go back to seven years ago, the way he looked when they first met.

“Still Wen Lan Sheng?” Rong Xiu asked again.

Fan Xia was slightly surprised. “Senior, you know him?” She didn’t remember mentioning Wen Lan Sheng to him.

Rong Xiu’s voice was low and indifferent. “Many people know him.”

Back in school, as many people secretly admired Fan Xia, just as many people knew Wen Lan Sheng and had been humiliated by him.

Ding dong! The elevator arrived at the fifteenth floor employee cafeteria.

The previous chairman of the group, Rong Jin, in order to close the distance between senior executives and ordinary employees, did not set up a special window or private room for the executives, claiming to be ‘people-friendly’. But there were almost no executives who actually went to the employee cafeteria to eat. Even if they did, it was just for show.

Fan Xia casually picked up a few dishes and found that Rong Xiu’s taste was surprisingly similar to hers. They both liked spicy dishes like shredded pork with green peppers and mapo tofu.

The two sat down amid the surprised eyes of the surrounding employees, with Rong Xiu sitting across from Fan Xia.

In the bustling employee cafeteria, Rong Xiu, who was wearing a high-end suit, sitting upright with his waist and back always straight, exuding an aloof aristocratic aura, seemed out of place here. It was as if there was a natural light shining on him, even his gestures of picking up food were extremely elegant, attracting attention.

Until–

“Cough–” Rong Xiu picked up a bite of stir-fried pork with green peppers, which wasn’t even that spicy, but it made him choke on the spiciness, covering his mouth and coughing lightly. His skin, pale as porcelain, turned scarlet.

“Be careful, drink some water to relieve the spiciness.” Fan Xia unscrewed a bottle of mineral water and handed it to him.

Rong Xiu immediately took it, his soft fingertips touching hers. He raised his head and drank the water in big gulps, finally suppressing the spiciness. But his eyes, which were cold from being choked by the chili, overflowed with a bit of glistening moisture, as if the flawless porcelain had a crack, and the smoke and fire of the world had crept in through the crack, making him seem no longer keeping people a thousand miles away.

It was rare to see the once unattainable school idol showing a side of losing composure, and it was quite cute.

Fan Xia moved the spicy dishes away from him and lowered her eyes with a smile. “CEO, don’t eat these. Have something mild instead.”

“Hmm.” Rong Xiu tightly gripped the chopsticks, his thick lashes covering his eyes, concealing the frustration in them. Obviously, he had practiced a lot yesterday and could even accept the spiciness of flaming shrimp. How come today he was back to his old self, unable to touch any spiciness at all?

But Fan Xia saw all this and thought he was embarrassed by his earlier loss of composure. She took the initiative to change the subject. “Lan Sheng is like you. He likes to eat spicy food but always chokes on it, getting so uncomfortable that he sheds tears.”

Lan Sheng…… Hearing this name, Rong Xiu’s slender fingers involuntarily clenched.

She called him so intimately. Why was their relationship still so good after so many years? Why hadn’t she changed her heart?

Rong Xiu secretly clenched his fists, feeling the restricting tie around his neck had turned into a wet hemp rope, choking him breathless.

*

“Look! Look! Isn’t that the CEO? Why would he come to the employee cafeteria to eat? I’ve been working at the group for three years and have never seen the CEO come here once! Is the sun rising from the west today?!”

“Do you see the woman sitting across from him? Is she the new chief assistant, Fan Xia?”

“Oh my god, it’s really my wife. Wow~~ My wife looks even more beautiful in person than in the photos!”

The group from the administrative department hid in the corner and whispered excitedly. Wen Lan Sheng sat quietly to the side, watching the people beside him as if watching clowns.

“But to be fair, the CEO and my wife do look quite compatible. One is a high and lofty flower, the other is gentle and calm. Damn it! I’m starting to ship them.”

Wen Lan Sheng silently frowned, his gloomy gaze looking at Rong Xiu not far away. His naturally superior appearance and top family background made him look extremely well-matched with Fan Xia, making Wen Lan Sheng himself seem like an outsider.

“What are you thinking? With Chief Assistant Fan’s education and qualifications, how could she not have a boyfriend? The more outstanding a woman is, the earlier she starts dating men, even in college or high school. She could change boyfriends every day. How could she still be single?!”

The gloom in Wen Lan Sheng’s eyes faded, a faint smile on his lips. His Fan Xia had only had him as the man by her side from high school until now. She would actively reject any flirtatious men. She only loved him! Only him! After that accident, she only had eyes for him! Rong Xiu was also just one of his defeated opponents!

“That’s true, but how can those little boys compare to the CEO? Not to mention anything else, just in terms of family background, marrying the CEO is equivalent to marrying the entire Shanhai Group. That’s billions in assets, a meteoric rise! What woman could resist such a huge temptation?”

“Hey, Lan Sheng, Wen Lan Sheng, what are you doing? Come back!” By the time the administrative department group reacted, they had already seen the inconspicuous Wen Lan Sheng in the company leave his seat and stride towards the CEO, completely ignoring the anxious calls behind him.

Fan Xia was eating with her head down when she suddenly felt a shadow cover her head, and then someone affectionately hugged her neck from behind. “Xia Xia, it turns out you’re also eating here.”

Wen Lan Sheng gently kissed her cheek from behind, a faint and gentle iris fragrance lingering by her ear.

Fan Xia smiled. Although a bit surprised, she still gently patted his hand and said in a low voice, “This is the employee cafeteria. Many people are watching, and the CEO is also here. Let go for now.”

“CEO?” Wen Lan Sheng raised his handsome face. When he saw Rong Xiu across the table, exuding an unapproachable aura, his eyes widened. He let go, his ears red, and sat beside Fan Xia, saying a bit shyly, “Sorry, CEO. I didn’t recognize you just now.”

Rong Xiu’s eyes swept over indifferently. Seeing Wen Lan Sheng deliberately sitting close to Fan Xia, his whole body seemed to be immersed in winter seawater. His narrow eyes, concealed by the rimless glasses, examined him coldly, and he said with a faint smile, “It’s fine.”

Wen Lan Sheng said with a smile, “That’s good. I thought you were angry.” When Wen Lan Sheng smiled, his eyes were like curved moons, as friendly and comfortable as the boy next door, a completely different style from the naturally cold and ascetic Rong Xiu. But the seemingly boy-next-door Wen Lan Sheng was actually a soft knife, silently putting a hat of ‘easily angered’ on Rong Xiu’s head.

Rong Xiu’s eyes were cold. His slender and elegant fingers tapped lightly on the table. “I’m not that irritable.”

“That’s good then. I was overthinking.” Wen Lan Sheng pursed his lips and lightly tugged on Fan Xia’s sleeve. Fan Xia turned to look at him. Wen Lan Sheng spoke in her ear, his voice soft but loud enough for all three people present to hear. “Xia Xia, have you given the invitation to the CEO?”

Those soft words were like a thunderclap in Rong Xiu’s ears. His slender fingers instantly stiffened, and a strong sense of unease surged in his heart.

“You… you’re getting married?!”