The two sides faced off in the hallway. Wang Muguang and Wang Zhenzhu’s eyes were sharp, staring at Wang Huanxiu like hawks watching prey.
Wang Zhenzhu: eyes blazing.jpg
Wang Muguang: eyes blazing.jpg
The two of them copied and pasted each other, their eyes glowing like lightbulbs, monitoring Wang Huanxiu’s every move, absolutely refusing to let him take another step forward.
But his legs were on his own body. Wang Huanxiu remained unmoved and stepped forward as usual.
Wang Zhenzhu and Wang Muguang were both startled and backed away continuously. If they kept retreating, they’d be backed into Bai Shuijin’s room…what difference would that make from not blocking him at all?
Wang Muguang and Wang Zhenzhu looked at each other, silent information flashing between their eyes.
—“What do we do?”
—“I don’t have a way either.”
A trace of cowardice flashed across Wang Muguang’s face. It seems like he could only use “that move”.
He raised his arm, fingers aligned with his palm, and brought down a karate chop directly onto Wang Huanxiu’s sturdy shoulder and neck.
The latter stood there unharmed, not even blinking.
“Eh? It didn’t work.”
Wang Muguang was dumbfounded. Wasn’t this how they always did it in dramas? One chop to the neck and the person would be unconscious the next second.
Fake drama ruined my life!
Wang Zhenzhu couldn’t bear to watch and covered her forehead. Her useless second brother, as always.
Wang Muguang, who had just been imposing a moment ago, suddenly yawned exaggeratedly, and his acting skills exploded, “Big Brother, Little Sister, I suddenly feel a bit sleepy. It’s getting late, so I’ll head to my room first.”
This sudden sleepiness was indeed “very” sudden.
As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Muguang tried to flee. He didn’t want to stay here even a second longer, every extra second was a risk to his personal safety.
Wang Zhenzhu reacted quickly, grabbing the hem of his hoodie to stop him from escaping. She whispered, “If you leave, what about Bai Shuijin?! You want me to fight this battle alone?”
Wang Muguang squeezed a reply through gritted teeth, “If I don’t leave now, I’m going to be killed.”
Even if he was killed, Wang Zhenzhu would still be left fighting alone.
He was a shameful deserter on the battlefield, but he liked this shameful feeling.
‘Sorry, Little Sister.’
Like a loach, Wang Muguang slipped out of his hoodie, escaping Wang Zhenzhu’s grip. Wearing only his white T-shirt underneath, he took the stairs three steps at a time and disappeared.
Wang Zhenzhu looked down at the “shed skin” in her hand: “…”
‘Second Brother, your ability to shrink and stretch disgusts me.’
If possible, this skill could apply for a Guinness World Record. Wang Muguang would be invincible, with no opponents.
Having slipped away like a golden cicada shedding its shell, Wang Muguang left the awkward scene behind, now just a one-on-one standoff between Wang Zhenzhu and Wang Huanxiu.
Although usually willful and headstrong, Wang Zhenzhu was also clear-headed. When it came to the matter of Wang Huanxiu and Bai Shuijin, she didn’t see it as a joke or childish matter at all.
Her expression was very serious. Bai Shuijin held a very important place in her heart. “Big Brother, if you don’t like Bai Shuijin, then stop messing with him.”
She cared about Bai Shuijin as a friend. They were close in age, and had many things to talk about. He encouraged her when she felt down, and had helped her walk out of a dark period.
Her big brother was also a very rational person. Compared to her, Wang Huanxiu should be even more clear-headed, even more aware of what he was doing.
“I never intended to mess with him.” Wang Huanxiu’s tone was calm, not the slightest bit angry about Wang Muguang’s earlier hand chop.
“You two have been really close lately. I’ve been watching for days. This isn’t right. It was better the way it was before, when you were distant with Bai Shuijin.”
That cold, distant way of keeping boundaries and not giving Bai Shuijin any illusions. In a way, Bai Shuijin relied on Wang Huanxiu’s trust even more than she and Wang Muguang did.
This kind of dependence was dangerous. Once withdrawn, Bai Shuijin could be crushed by the emotional blow.
“I can’t go back to how things were.”
He used to be too cold toward Bai Shuijin, to the point where the other party couldn’t feel his affection at all. Even when they kissed, Bai Shuijin didn’t understand why he kissed him. This was the seed he had sown, and now he was reaping the fruit.
Wang Zhenzhu asked the essential question, “Didn’t you say you didn’t like him?”
“I have feelings for him now.”
Wang Zhenzhu went silent for a few seconds. “Then when he gets married in the future, you can be the one to send him off.”
“…”
‘Would that even be acceptable?’
Faced with his sister’s relentless opposition, Wang Huanxiu remained patient. Since he was the one who said he didn’t like Bai Shuijin before, Wang Zhenzhu’s current behavior was just protecting Bai Shuijin.
After Wang Huanxiu patiently explained his current feelings for Bai Shuijin, Wang Zhenzhu finally relented.
Only after confirming multiple times that his feelings were sincere did she walk downstairs, turning back every three steps.
By now, it had been forty minutes since Wang Huanxiu said he was coming to get his bathrobe.
Bai Shuijin had gone from nervous excitement, to feeling in control, and now lay sprawled on the bed staring at the ceiling.
Why hasn’t he come yet?
Bai Shuijin flipped over.
Still hasn’t come.
Even at turtle speed, it wouldn’t take more than five minutes from the study to here. It had already been forty minutes.
He suddenly sat up. Could something have happened? Like suddenly getting hit by a flying tofu piece of tofu halfway?
Bai Shuijin jumped off the bed. He decided to go check for the sake of his laogong-ge’s safety. Even though it was impossible for tofu to just materialize on the fourth floor.
Just as he opened the door and stepped outside, he bumped into Wang Huanxiu’s shoulder. Bai Shuijin subconsciously touched his bumped nose. “Laogong-ge, you’re here.”
He had already showered and changed into pajamas. For some reason, seeing Wang Huanxiu made him feel a bit shy, and he didn’t dare to meet his eyes.
The other party appeared perfectly fine at the bedroom door, clearly hadn’t been hit by surprise tofu.
“Your bathrobe’s in the bathroom. Go get it.”
He moved aside to make room for him to enter, noticing Wang Huanxiu was holding a pillow under his arm.
Bai Shuijin was alert. “Laogong-ge, are you planning to sleep here tonight?”
“No.”
Wang Huanxiu walked into the bathroom, leaving only that one word without further explanation.
‘Then why are you carrying a pillow around?’ Bai Shuijin pouted. He really wanted to know.
After all, just seeing a pillow made people think of sleeping.
Wang Huanxiu came out of the bathroom, now wearing the bathrobe. This was how he dressed every time he came to the master bedroom to sleep.
To the point that Bai Shuijin’s hand instinctively wanted to press against his abs upon seeing him like this.
Wang Huanxiu’s sleeping battle robe.
A good body was something one could never get tired of looking at. Even though Bai Shuijin had once feared his villainous persona, he still couldn’t resist lusting after Wang Huanxiu’s body.
Who could resist a 1.88m tall, rich, handsome, evil, crazy and slightly perverted CEO?
And in the cold winter, it was those beloved abs that helped him get through the freezing days.
If Wang Huanxiu left this room tonight…then he wasn’t a man soaring like an eagle!
Bai Shuijin felt tangled and conflicted. Logically, since laogong-ge liked him, he should keep his distance. But he couldn’t. He felt no rejection toward Wang Huanxiu. In fact, the man’s body had a fatal attraction for him.
Wang Huanxiu placed the pillow on the bed.
Bai Shuijin swallowed. Since his laogong-ge was taking the initiative to stay, he wouldn’t say anything more.
Wang Huanxiu: “I haven’t been sleeping well with this pillow lately. I think the old one’s better, so I came to swap it with the one from the study.”
Bai Shuijin: “…”
He didn’t expect even a domineering CEO to be picky about pillows. He never came to change it before…was it because he was embarrassed?
It had taken Wang Huanxiu forty minutes to get from the study to the bedroom. Going back would probably take another forty minutes.
Bai Shuijin pointed to the spot beside him. “Laogomg-ge, why don’t you just sleep here tonight?”
Wang Huanxiu was a little surprised.
His eyes fell on Bai Shuijin with subtle meaning. “Don’t you have an exam tomorrow?”
It was exactly because of the exam that he needed to touch abs and relax a little.
When it came to boundaries, Bai Shuijin didn’t have much of a concept…or maybe he just didn’t have that concept when it came to Wang Huanxiu.
His subconscious thoughts at this moment were all based on things that had already happened with Wang Huanxiu, which were within his comfort zone.
“I thought you’d rest better alone since you have the exam tomorrow.”
Bai Shuijin shook his head. “The bed’s so big. One more person, I won’t even notice.”
He climbed into bed smoothly and patted the space beside him. “Laogong-ge, come on.”
Meanwhile, in the private gym, the lights were blazing. After weight training, Wang Heng rolled up his sleeves and posed in front of the mirror, showing off his pumped-up biceps.
The lighting here was very deceptive. Wang Heng didn’t come to the gym often, but under the top-down lights from the ceiling, it gave the illusion of tight, well-developed muscles.
Wasn’t this exactly what Bai Shuijin liked to see?
Wang Heng took several photos in front of the mirror, intending to send them all to Bai Shuijin in one go.
Infatuation with a good figure was the weakest kind of feeling. Once a better body appeared, Bai Shuijin would love that too. Then Wang Huanxiu would be completely abandoned.
He carefully selected the best angles, then reviewed the album and sent his favorite photos to Bai Shuijin.
In the bedroom, Bai Shuijin was lying there, one hand resting on Wang Huanxiu’s abs and the other holding his phone halfway through scrolling Moments. But he had already fallen asleep, completely unaware of the world.
Since returning to dance training, he’d been pushing himself hard to catch up for this year’s exams. His daily exercise and coursework were intense, and he’d been quietly building up a lot of pressure inside.
He just never said anything about it.
Wang Huanxiu closed his book and placed it on the bedside table. Seeing the person beside him sleeping so deeply, he reached out to turn off the bedside lamp. Darkness was more conducive to restful sleep.
As the bedside lamp turned off, the master bedroom didn’t fall into complete darkness as one might expect. Bai Shuijin’s left hand was glowing brightly.
His phone screen was still on.
Wang Huanxiu leaned over him, wanting to help turn off the phone. But halfway through the motion, he got distracted by the sight of Bai Shuijin’s sleeping face.
He didn’t know what Bai Shuijin was dreaming about, but his eyelashes quivered gently, and his sleeping expression was so peaceful and cute.
Wang Huanxiu couldn’t help staring, unable to tear his eyes away. Before their marriage, he hadn’t paid much attention to Bai Shuijin’s looks. After marriage, he had heard many people around him say Bai Shuijin was very good-looking. That his good looks were an objective fact.
He hadn’t been particularly affected before. But now he couldn’t get enough. He observed Bai Shuijin’s features closely…there wasn’t a single part that wasn’t pleasing.
Just then, several message notifications and vibrations came from the phone in Bai Shuijin’s hand.
Wang Huanxiu quickly took the phone from his hand. Bai Shuijin had an exam the next day, and being woken up would affect his rest.
He had no habit of invading other people’s privacy, but when he saw the sender’s name, Wang Huanxiu hesitated.
Wang Heng had full confidence in his body, and he was determined to win this time.
[How is my figure?]
He typed and sent the message.
But the other side didn’t reply for a long while.
Ten minutes later, Wang Heng sent another message.
[Asleep?]
This time the reply came quickly.
[Asleep.]
So he was asleep. No wonder he didn’t see the pictures.
No, if he was asleep, how was he replying?
[You’re asleep but still sending messages?]
Other side: [I meant he is asleep.]
Wang Heng: “…”
Who else could be sleeping next to Bai Shuijin in the middle of the night? Wang Huanxiu’s arrogant face from the afternoon popped up in his mind again.
Wang Heng was so angry his teeth itched.
After replying, Wang Huanxiu turned off the phone and placed it on the bedside table. As for the photos Wang Heng sent…he didn’t care in the slightest.
If his figure were truly that perfect, he wouldn’t only be showing his arm in the photos. Bai Shuijin also wouldn’t like a boiled chicken like Wang Heng. His tricks were of no threat whatsoever.
Because of the exam, Bai Shuijin got up very early the next day. It had been a long time since he’d felt such pressure before an exam.
This exam not only assessed his current skills, but it would also determine whether his current dance teacher would write a recommendation letter for his university application.
The dance teacher was very famous internationally and it was not easy to invite him to teach. He didn’t have many students, maybe around ten, and among them, only three had ever received a recommendation letter from him.
If he could get that letter, it would be a great advantage for getting accepted.
Standing in front of the mirror, he carefully styled his hair with wax. He even ate a lot less than usual at breakfast today, just one egg and a glass of milk.
Wang Muguang was stunned. “Did my brother go to your room last night and give you a stomach-reduction surgery?”
Bai Shuijin shook his head. “I just don’t have much of an appetite.”
“Pa”…a few pieces of bacon rolled onto Bai Shuijin’s plate.
Wang Muguang stuffed his mouth with ham, “Eat up, or you’ll starve.”
“…”
Even though he didn’t have an appetite, Bai Shuijin still finished all the bacon on his plate.
After breakfast, Bai Shuijin left the house with his backpack. Even as he walked through the garden, he didn’t have his usual energy. He kept his head down, staring at his phone. Even though he had a good grasp of the moves and techniques and could remember the choreography perfectly, he still felt nervous.
He got in the car. Ever since he started practicing at the city-center venue, the butler had arranged a dedicated car to take him back and forth.
Even though he felt taking the bus was cheaper.
He buckled his seatbelt and turned his head…only to find someone else sitting beside him.
“Laogong-ge, you’re not going to the office?”
It was already nine in the morning. Normally, at this time, Wang Huanxiu would already be at work. This was very unlike him.
“I woke up late today.”
Wang Huanxiu looked down at the report in his hands.
When Bai Shuijin got up this morning, Wang Huanxiu was indeed still lying in bed.
Maybe he was also partly to blame for him waking late. After all, he didn’t know how long he had been touching Wang Huanxiu’s abs last night before falling asleep, and even then his hand was still resting on Wang Huanxiu’s waist, like a suction cup from an octopus.
When he woke up this morning, his hand still hadn’t moved from Wang Huanxiu’s body.
Time always flew when you were thinking. Like an arrow released from a bow.
When they arrived at the venue, Bai Shuijin unbuckled his seatbelt, grabbed his backpack, and slung it over his shoulder.
“Good luck on your exam.”
Bai Shuijin turned back.
Wang Huanxiu gave him a flawless smile. He rarely smiled like this. “I’ll give you a reward tonight.”
‘A reward? That was nice. A reward!’
This counted as his first piece of good news today.
Bai Shuijin entered the elevator with his backpack.
No, he hadn’t even taken the exam yet, and he didn’t know if the result would be good or bad. How could his laogong-ge already be talking about rewards?
.
The day before, Wang Heng trained at the gym until one or two in the morning. Today, he yawned his way through looking up materials and organizing reports.
Even though he couldn’t get into the main company, because of his outstanding skills, Wang Heng had been able to get involved with branch company projects earlier than other juniors.
This was also his first time handling negotiations, and he had no experience. There were even competitors trying to take advantage of him, and their abilities were about the same.
Facing project discussions for the first time, Wang Heng was at a loss. What kind of nonsense were the profile documents sent to him?
Weren’t they supposed to write about company valuation and future prospects?
But when he opened the file: “This gentleman is called President Chen. He enjoys drinking civet coffee.”
‘What the hell is this?!’
Wang Yan wanted to flip the table. This wasn’t anything like what he had learned before. He had rich theoretical knowledge, but his practical experience was the exact opposite.
With the provocation from Wang Huanxiu earlier, he wanted to prove in every way that he was more capable and not a bit inferior.
He buried himself in work at the office, and when he looked up again, he realized there was someone else in the room.
It was Wang Pingtian, the son of Third Uncle Wang Wang.
They were of the same generation, and technically speaking, Wang Heng was a few days older than him. In terms of family hierarchy, Wang Pingtian was firmly part of the core circle.
But Wang Heng didn’t think much of him.
All ambition, and no effort.
Whenever he thought of this cousin, all he could recall was how lazy he was.
Wang Pingtian: “Brother Heng, you looked so focused on work I didn’t want to interrupt.”
Wang Heng’s tone was neutral, but even when he was being neutral, he still gave off the feeling that he looked down on everyone. “What do you want?”
Wang Pingtian deliberately acted mysterious, sitting down on the sofa. “I heard you’ve been challenging Wang Huanxiu lately.”
He rested his hands under his chin and tilted his head at Wang Heng. “So, are you interested in a little cooperation?”
Wang Heng frowned. What was with the weird head tilt? It looked like he was having a stroke.
“What kind of cooperation?”
Work together to nail the project deal and show Wang Huanxiu their true strength so he’d stop looking down on them?
Wang Pingtian: “You know how the whole family’s been busy trying to take power back from Wang Huanxiu. We could throw fuel on the fire and speed up his downfall.”
He walked over to Wang Heng and whispered his idea.
Wang Huanxiu’s public image was the company’s image. Many company heads had had scandals involving marriage, finances, or taxes that caused stock prices to fall.
They could take advantage of this to create trouble for Wang Huanxiu, drag him through the mud, destroy his reputation, and hurt the company.
“You’re saying we drug Wang Huanxiu and get him caught in a sex scandal?”
Wang Pingtian nodded. He could have done it alone, but he didn’t want it on his record, so he wanted to drag Wang Heng in with him.
Disgust crept across Wang Heng’s face. He had thought they were talking about career victories, not some despicable underhanded tactics.
His understanding of business war was once again refreshed.
He didn’t hesitate to refuse such shameless behavior and even mocked him, “If you used that brain of yours on real work, maybe you wouldn’t be my age and still unable to get into a branch office.”
“You!”
Wang Pingtian hadn’t expected to be rejected, much less insulted. Weren’t they on the same side? What was with the fake moral high ground?
“You’ll regret this.”
Regret your ass, you spinning top.
Wang Heng went back to reviewing his talking points for tonight’s negotiation.
He opened his notes: “This person is called President Li. He likes little biscuits that taste like dog food.”
“…”
Arriving at the hotel that had been booked in advance at noon, Wang Heng thought the project deal could be settled in a conference room. But turns out there was a whole banquet involved.
Many in the industry drank themselves to the point of passing out just to close a deal.
But because of Wang Heng’s status, no one dared pressure him to drink.
As he entered the hotel, he ran into Wang Huanxiu near the elevators.
‘Is he here for the project too?’
He quickly walked over. “Hey! Are you here to negotiate too?”
Wang Huanxiu’s dark eyes reflected Wang Heng’s image.
Wang Heng was full of confidence. “Do you want to compete and place a bet?”
Wang Huanxiu looked at the cousin six years younger than him. “Bet on what?”
“Whoever closes their project first today wins. If I win, you have to divorce Bai Shuijin unconditionally.”
Wang Huanxiu didn’t respond.
His silence only inflated Wang Heng’s arrogance.
“What, are you scared?”
“Why would I use him as a bargaining chip?”
Wang Heng was stunned. He didn’t expect Wang Huanxiu to refuse because he didn’t want to bet on Bai Shuijin.
“You’re afraid.”
He tried to bait him with a reverse psychology trick, but the other party didn’t deny it. Wang Huanxiu’s frankness made Wang Heng feel a little at a loss. He thought Wang Huanxiu was the type to care a lot about saving face.
Wang Heng’s obsession with Bai Shuijin came partly from admiration, but more so from the belief that winning him meant defeating Wang Huanxiu in another way.
This kind of thinking was childish and ridiculous.
“I’ll bet you something else. How about that land in the east of the city?”
Wang Heng’s eyes widened. “Really?”
That land was set for commercial development, a real treasure chest. And Wang Huanxiu was willing to bet it?
The bet was made, and Wang Heng’s fighting spirit ignited.
They arrived on the 16th floor. Wang Huanxiu stepped out of the elevator, and Chen Ji followed behind him.
Wang Huanxiu didn’t care about Wang Heng’s provocations, but that didn’t mean he would let them slide again and again.
At room 173, Wang Heng rehearsed the upcoming meeting before the collaborators arrived.
Everything was going smoothly. When the collaborators arrived, Wang Heng set aside his usual “drama” and focused seriously on the meeting.
Although he appeared graceful and eloquent, he had already rolled his eyes at these people in his heart.
Normally, he never spoke politely to anyone, but today he was going all out to beat Wang Huanxiu and win the land.
“President Chen, I really put thought into the menu for this banquet, I picked all your favorites.”
President Chen smiled.
Several covered silver dishes were brought out, and the servers lifted the lids in unison.
The smile on Wang Heng’s face froze, and the strong fragrance of cucumber filled his nose.
“…”
Where is his state banquet? Why was everything just smashed cucumber?
