The tender, almost imperceptible affection that had sprung up between Lu Chen and Xu Tingxia—much like a gentle spring rain—seemed, after Zhao Yuhang's self-inflicted humiliation of a spectacle, to have been doused in a super-catalyst. It heated and fermented with startling speed, its progress plainly visible to any observer.
All afternoon, Xu Tingxia felt like a quail who has just tasted the forbidden fruit of first love: alternately exhilarated and bashful. Every now and then, she would steal glances from the corner of her eye—furtive yet tinged with an irresistible infatuation and awe—at the young man sitting serenely in the office's farthest reach.
She found herself unable to stop comparing Lu Chen in her mind against those "promising young talents" and "wealthy heirs" who daily flattered her with eager attentions. The verdict was unmistakable… Lu Chen was the clear victor! Those other men, in her eyes, were shallow creatures, vainly attempting to purchase her favor with wealth and status. Lu Chen, by contrast, was a treasure trove of mysteries and surprises: every casual interaction revealed something fresh and enticing enough to quicken her pulse!
His calm poise, his keen insight, his… commanding presence, and his… unexpected gentleness—even the faint glimmer of mischief and abandon that occasionally surfaced—were like magnets of irresistible allure, drawing her innocent, untainted heart ever closer, until it was absolutely, utterly… captivated!
Unbeknownst to her, Lu Chen's "Heart-Hunting Spectrum" had picked up every turbulent ripple of admiration and longing swirling through Xu Tingxia's heart—feelings as sweet as they were unabashedly passionate. He merely responded with a confident, knowing smile, one that bespoke both mastery and intent.
He knew that this "Grade-A Potential Quarry"—the pure, naive "little white rabbit" he'd so deftly ensnared—had already… completely surrendered. There was no need for him to press further; at just the right moment, a whisper here, a subtle encouragement there, and she would willingly—eagerly—step into the soft, irresistible trap he'd woven for her.
Of course, Lu Chen's ambitions extended far beyond mere flirtation with Xu Tingxia. He understood perfectly well that the reason he'd so effortlessly won the heart of the office's rose wasn't merely thanks to his dashing rescue or his sweeping declarations. More crucial were the facts that he had secured Jiang Wanxing's thirty-million-yuan contract and had displayed a chilling, formidable resolve when handling the Zhao Yuhang fiasco.
In this dog-eat-dog world of cutthroat commerce, every fleeting notion of "love" must be underpinned by absolute strength and an unassailable position of power. If Lu Chen truly sought to stake his claim in this cold, ruthless city—indeed, to one day ascend to its summit—seducing Xu Tingxia alone would be nowhere near enough.
He needed… more "prey," more prestigious "prey," and above all, a catalyst powerful enough to catapult his destiny beyond all expectation!
For instance… the legendary, sexy yet ruthlessly efficient—and shrouded in mystery—Female Director of Feichi Group: Shen Ruyi.
As news of Lu Chen's triumphant signing of the Jiang Wanxing deal swept through every corner of Feichi Group like wildfire, a detailed report landed almost simultaneously on Shen Ruyi's desk. Its author was none other than Group A's self-styled "local baron," Wang Hai.
In that sycophantic, truth-twisting report—practically a masterclass in shameless self-promotion—Wang Hai shamelessly claimed sole credit for Lu Chen's success. According to him, he alone had discerned Lu Chen's "hidden brilliance," had "eschewed convention to recruit raw talent," and had offered endless "invaluable guidance" behind the scenes to secure a contract destined to make company history.
And Lu Chen himself? He was, in Wang Hai's account, little more than a lucky, obedient foot soldier. Had it not been for Wang Hai's "astute leadership" and "selfless devotion," this "incompetent nobody" would have been devoured alive by Jiang Wanxing, left not even a bone to pick.
Staring at this absurd "credit-stealing report," Shen Ruyi's normally impassive, ice-like face—the one that froze countless hearts in the boardroom—curved into a rare, inscrutable smile of amusement and intrigue.
Shen Ruyi, the youngest—and most feared—female executive in Feichi Group, possessed a beauty capable of ensnaring any man: luxuriant chestnut curls cascading over her shoulders, a flawless oval face carved by the gods, and a pair of slanted, piercing phoenix eyes that conveyed both unfathomable insight and chilling detachment. Her bespoke professional attire hugged a figure so ripe and voluptuous it took one's breath away, like a perfectly ripened peach radiating a lethal, almost primal allure.
Yet her reputation for swift, decisive action—and the impenetrable enigma of her background—left an even deeper impression. No one knew the true origins of this "Ice Queen," who governed a vast swath of the company's sales network. All anyone could say was that any man bold—or foolish—enough to cross her inevitably met a dire fate.
At this moment, Shen Ruyi lounged languidly in her leather throne of authority, a crystal cup of top-grade Blue Mountain coffee—red as a ruby—resting in her hand. Through the towering glass window, she surveyed the sprawling metropolis at her feet… and the unassuming workstation tucked away in Sales Department A's back corner.
A faint, tantalizing smile played at her lips; an inscrutable spark flickered in her eyes.
She dismissed Wang Hai's report as a pack of lies. If Wang Hai—cowardly, lecherous, and utterly shameless—had not been driven to desperation, he would never have entrusted the "hot potato" Jiang Wanxing to a "nobody" like Lu Chen.
As for Lu Chen… the name wasn't new to Shen Ruyi. A few days earlier, she had quietly taken note of this young man—seemingly meek and inept—when, on the brink of public disgrace for missing his sales targets, he had somehow maintained ice-cold composure and, by some unfathomable method, caused the notoriously ruthless landlady Liu Guifang to not only grant him a reprieve but even lend him money in his hour of need.
For Shen Ruyi—whose heart had long since been numbed by the merciless machinations of business—to feel even a flicker of curiosity for a mere "small man" was practically unheard of. Yet Lu Chen had bewitched her.
And now, with the Jiang Wanxing miracle contracted under his name—by a man feared even by Shen Ruyi herself—he had shattered every assumption she held. Jiang Wanxing, the so-called "Business She-Devil" who bent even her own formidable will, had been tamed so casually, by a relative unknown, into signing a thirty-million-yuan deal?
This was stranger than any Hollywood blockbuster!
Shen Ruyi's sharp eyes burned with a growing mix of fascination and possessiveness. She sensed that Lu Chen harbored some unfathomable secret power—an ability that could turn decay to brilliance and defy fate itself—power she and her mysterious backers desperately craved.
And just how had he "tamed" Jiang Wanxing? Shen Ruyi's lips curved into a sly, almost excited smile.
Rumors of Lu Chen and Jiang Wanxing's "unspoken story" had already circulated the company, each more titillating than the last. Shen Ruyi had even obtained, through discreet channels, a leaked "passionate recording" from Jiang Wanxing's office—its audio grainy, its dialogue laced with breathless moans.
Yet in that blurred, erotic exchange, Shen Ruyi discerned something transcendent: a complex dance of domination and surrender, conquest and counter-conquest, a collision and melding of souls at their deepest level. And in this titanic duel, the "incompetent nobody" Lu Chen had seized total control!
This revelation made Shen Ruyi's once-frozen heart race like never before. She even found herself secretly longing for the day she might engage this young man in a similar, soul-stirring contest of wits and wills.
But first, she would observe and test him further.
Setting down her coffee, Shen Ruyi pressed the call button on her desk. Her voice—calm, yet laced with unassailable authority—drifted over the line:
"Tell Lu Chen from Sales A Group to come to my office at once."
On the other end, her private secretary hesitated, stunned that the formidable Director Shen would summon an obscure sales clerk. Yet professionalism prevailed, and she responded, "Yes, Director Shen. I'll notify him immediately."
Shen Ruyi replaced the receiver, a smile of playfulness and calculation curving her lips. A more intriguing—and perilous—game was about to begin.
And what extraordinary surprise would this young man, who both vexed and fascinated her, bring next?
She would watch and wait.