Chapter 47: Sit Down

“Have you heard? Meng Xiaoyue resigned.”

A few days later, in the afternoon, Yao Qi suddenly said.

Jiang Nai: “Why?”

Yao Qi whispered, “It’s the gossip from HR. She was the one behind the whole thing. That email she sent? She bribed a kid at an internet cafe to send it to someone at our company.”

Jiang Nai frowned. “So she saw me with Li Qing… I mean, with him, at the mall?”

“Probably.”

Jiang Nai: “Why?”

“Are you saying she’s trying to broadcast the affair to the world and hint that you’re cheating?” 

“Mm.”

Yao Qi said, “Jiang Nai, you don’t know? Meng Xiaoyue likes Xu Xiao.”

Jiang Nai paused for a moment, then vaguely recalled hearing something about it before. She remembered Wang Wenbo teasing Xu Xiao about having a “heartfelt breakfast” that day, which seemed to be something Meng Xiaoyue had made.

Jiang Nai was puzzled. “What’s the connection?”

“The connection is huge. People from other departments don’t know the full story and just think she wants to spread gossip, but I know. Meng Xiaoyue probably became jealous because Xu Xiao likes you.”

Jiang Nai was stunned. “But I’ve already said I’m married, and Xu Xiao has never… “

Yao Qi nodded. “Yes, but Meng Xiaoyue doesn’t believe that he’s lost interest. She probably wanted to make this bigger, thinking that the higher-ups would remove you for the sake of reputation. Even if they didn’t, your image in Xu Xiao’s eyes would be tainted. But in the end… who knew the truth wasn’t at all what she imagined? She’s just become obsessed.”

“…” 

“Well, she brought this on herself.” Yao Qi continued, “Letting her resign is already letting her off easy. You could’ve sued her for defamation.”

During the lunch break, Jiang Nai didn’t go to the cafeteria. She wasn’t very hungry, so she went to the rooftop to buy a coffee and had a salad. As she was heading downstairs, she ran into Xu Xiao.

“Jiang Nai,” he called out to her.

She stopped and looked over.

“About Meng Xiaoyue… I’m sorry.”

Jiang Nai paused for a few seconds and then replied, “You don’t need to apologize.”

“It’s because of me that—”

“You don’t need to blame yourself. Sending that email was her choice. She’s already resigned, so I’m not interested in guessing her motives,” Jiang Nai said. “Xu Xiao, this job is important to me, and I’m sure it’s important to you too, right?”

Xu Xiao nodded slowly.

“Good. Then let’s focus on our work and not bring this up again,” Jiang Nai said. “Also, please make sure to stand firm that this has nothing to do with you. I don’t want any more unnecessary rumors.”

Xu Xiao was taken aback for a moment. “Okay, I understand…”

Jiang Nai nodded and left. He watched her retreating figure and finally lowered his gaze. He had once thought it was unlikely, but deep down, there had still been a sliver of hope, thinking that she was within reach.

But now… that hope was completely gone.

—

The whole matter with Meng Xiaoyue was likely something Li Qingji had investigated and handled. Jiang Nai could guess this, and she knew Li Qingji would handle it properly, so she didn’t dwell on the issue anymore. Now, she had several projects on her plate, and Liu Nian had assigned her to lead one of them. She had no time to think about anything else.

“Anyone interested in going somewhere for good food today?” It was the last working day before the holiday. As it neared the end of the day, Yao Qi stretched and asked.

Another colleague interjected, “What are we eating?”

“A new Western restaurant opened near Wanxiang. My friend says it’s super delicious, with black truffle risotto and Australian ribeye, especially good.”

“Sounds good, sounds good.”

Yao Qi said, “Jiang Nai, let’s go together. Tomorrow’s Labor Day! We should celebrate.”

Jiang Nai, who had been busy all day, was also craving some good food: “Okay, but wait a moment, I just need to finish something here.”

“Sure.”

After work, everyone packed up and got ready to go out for dinner. There were five people in total, chatting and laughing as they walked toward the elevator, only to run into Li Qingji and Zhao Siyuan. The boss had just arrived at the elevator too.

Yao Qi and the others instinctively moved to the side, creating space around Li Qingji.

However, just as they stepped aside, the boss looked over and asked, “Where are you going?”

These days, Jiang Nai and Li Qingji hadn’t interacted much at the company, and it almost made them forget that the boss’s wife was standing right next to them. Everyone quickly regained their composure and looked toward Jiang Nai.

Jiang Nai replied, “…Going to eat.”

Li Qingji asked, “You’re not going back for dinner?”

Jiang Nai answered, “No, I’m going out for Western food with the others.”

Li Qingji inquired, “Which place?”

Jiang Nai didn’t know the name of the restaurant, so she looked at Yao Qi, and Li Qingji followed her gaze to Yao Qi. Yao Qi, suddenly feeling like she had stolen the boss’s wife away for dinner while the boss would be left alone at home, stuttered and quickly said the name of the restaurant.

“U-uh, do you want to join us?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt the tension in the air, with everyone except Jiang Nai seemingly stiffening.

Li Qingji glanced at them, then turned back toward the elevator: “No, you all enjoy yourselves.”

Yao Qi had only asked out of fear that Li Qingji would blame her for taking Jiang Nai away, so when she heard he wasn’t joining, she let out a huge sigh of relief: “Alright, thanks, boss.”

After they got to the parking lot, Li Qingji headed toward his parking spot, while Jiang Nai and her colleagues’ cars were parked in the opposite direction. Once Li Qingji was out of sight, they started speaking.

“Yao Qi, are you crazy? You just invited the boss to dinner?”

Yao Qi responded, “I was just asking casually…”

“What if he actually comes?”

“That can’t be!”

“His wife’s right here.”

Everyone turned to look at Jiang Nai, still a bit bewildered. How could someone as easygoing and approachable as Jiang Nai be the cold-faced boss’s wife?

Jiang Nai asked, “Why are you all staring at me?”

Wang Wenbo then asked, “Uh, if you don’t mind me asking, what’s the boss like at home? Is he gentle and kind?”

Jiang Nai laughed, “I never said he’s gentle and kind. Don’t make things up.”

“Don’t hide it, he even cooked dinner and waited for you to come back before!”

“That’s a misunderstanding on your part.”

“So you’re denying it now?”

…

The group laughed and joked as they headed to the restaurant.

They spent two hours having dinner, and just as they were finishing, Jiang Nai received a call from Li Qingji, telling her that he was coming to pick her up.

“You’ve been drinking, haven’t you?”

“I only had a little bit of red wine, just to go with the steak,” Jiang Nai said quietly as she turned slightly, “I’ll call a ride later…”

“No need to call one, I’ll come pick you up.”

Li Qingji had already been home, and he had driven over himself. Knowing he was on his way, Jiang Nai had no choice but to cancel the ride service. Once she reached the first floor, she headed outside to meet him. Yao Qi and another colleague, who hadn’t driven, were planning to take a taxi, so they followed her to the parking area.

Soon, Jiang Nai spotted Li Qingji. He had probably arrived early, as his black sports car was parked by the roadside. He had already gotten out of the car and was waiting.

Since he had come directly from home, he was dressed casually in a white crew-neck sweatshirt and black sweatpants. His tall, slim figure, combined with his striking face, caused passersby to steal glances as he stood there.

“Shit, we’ve got competition! Jiang Nai, get in the car!” Yao Qi suddenly tugged at her sleeve.

In this area, there were many beautiful women and influencers, and one of them—dressed in a fitted pink mini skirt with long legs and flowing hair—had just walked over to Li Qingji.

Jiang Nai slowed her pace, unsure of how to handle the situation. “Let’s wait a bit…”

“Wait for what?” Yao Qi was stunned, almost dragging her forward, “Boss!”

Jiang Nai sighed inwardly.

Li Qingji turned around when he heard the sound, and the woman followed his gaze. Yao Qi and another colleague had already walked up to them, practically surrounding Jiang Nai. Yao Qi swallowed and said, “Boss, we’re here!”

“Boss?” The woman chuckled softly. “These are your employees? What do you do?”

Li Qingji didn’t answer her, instead asking, “Have you drunk too much?”

Seeing him look at her, Jiang Nai realized he was talking to her and turned her head away, “No, not too much.”

“Then why is your face so red?”

Jiang Nai’s red face was due to embarrassment and the awkwardness of being dragged over by Yao Qi.

“…It’s too hot.”

“I think you’ve had too much to drink and don’t want to admit it.” Li Qingji reached out and pulled her towards him, “Let’s go home.”

Yao Qi, smiling nervously, said, “Jiang Nai, boss, our car’s here, we’re heading out now.”

“Mm.” Li Qingji responded.

He turned and opened the car door, and the woman, seeing him about to leave, paused for a moment. “Hey, you—”

“Married,” Li Qingji said calmly.

The woman froze. “…”

Li Qingji shut the door after Jiang Nai got in, then walked around to the driver’s seat. Soon, they drove off.

Yao Qi and the other colleague exchanged a look, their faces lighting up with realization. “Married~”

As the car blended into traffic, the figure in the rearview mirror disappeared from view. Jiang Nai’s gaze shifted away, and she let out a soft laugh.

Li Qingji noticed: “What are you laughing at?”

Jiang Nai quickly composed herself: “Nothing…”

She was just… inexplicably feeling a bit of joy, because of his rejection of others. When they got home, Jiang Nai casually tossed her bag onto the floor and collapsed onto the sofa. As Li Qingji walked in after changing his shoes, he picked up her bag and placed it aside, then he heard a laugh come from Jiang Nai.

He looked at her: “What are you laughing at now?”

Jiang Nai sat up, her words a little slurred from the alcohol: “You’re really… so considerate.”

Li Qingji froze, “What?”

She had simply noticed that he had casually picked up her bag, and it reminded her of what Wang Wenbo and the others had said earlier.

She chuckled and explained: “Earlier, there was a bit of a misunderstanding. My colleagues didn’t know about our relationship and thought that my husband would cook and wait for me to come home to eat. They said I married such a good man, so considerate. Later, when they found out it was you, they even asked if you really were that considerate, like cooking meals for me.”

Li Qingji walked over to her, lowering his gaze to meet her bright smile, and his mood surprisingly lifted: “If I don’t cook for you, does that mean I’m not a good person?”

“I didn’t say that.”

Li Qingji reached out to touch her face, then gently brushed through her hair, almost like he couldn’t stop, letting his fingers weave through her strands and gently touching the back of her neck.

Jiang Nai shrunk slightly, feeling a little ticklish but didn’t pull away.

“Why…” 

Li Qingji pinched her earlobe and teased it lightly, then suddenly asked: “If I can’t cook, but I’m good in other areas, do you think that can make up for it?”

Jiang Nai looked up at him, her gaze meeting his dark eyes—intense, seductive, possessive.

Her heart rate quickened, and she couldn’t help but think that his current expression had nothing to do with the word “considerate.”

Li Qingji leaned in closer, his nose nearly touching hers: “Why are you silent?”

“Y-You… what other areas are you good at?”

“You’re sounding pretty ungrateful.”

Li Qingji, who had been gently stroking her hair, suddenly gripped her chin. She was forced to tilt her head back to look at him, and as their breaths tangled, his other hand pulled her closer and wrapped her in his arms. Then, he tilted his head slightly and bit down on her neck.

“Ah!”

The sharp pain quickly faded as his bite turned into sucking, and Jiang Nai’s cry of pain turned into a different sound, which she quickly suppressed by biting her lips.

The hickey moved to the back of her ear, sending a rush of tingling through her, making her shiver. She gently pushed him away: “I want to shower first…”

Their breathing became heavier as he effortlessly picked her up, “Do you have to shower now?”

Jiang Nai’s face turned hot, “Yes…”

Li Qingji looked at her, his gaze dark and his Adam’s apple bobbing: “Alright.”

He carried her into the bathroom. As she saw him still not putting her down in the bathroom, she struggled to get down.

“If you don’t put me down, how can I shower?”

“I can let you down, but since you’ve had some alcohol, I’ll wait for you here.”

Li Qingji set her down, and the moment her feet touched the ground, he pulled her into the shower.

“Go ahead.” He blocked her in the small space, his eyes fixed on her with an intense, deep tone, “Take your clothes off.”

Jiang Nai stumbled back a step, her throat tightening, “…You go out first.”

“I told you, you’ve had alcohol, I have to watch over you,” Li Qingji said with a faint smile. “Don’t want you thinking I can’t take care of you properly.”

“I didn’t think that.”

“You just asked me what I’m good at. Now I have to show you.”

He was being deliberate. Jiang Nai knew this, and because she knew, her heart raced even faster. It was as if this small space echoed with the sound of her heartbeat, and she was even afraid that Li Qingji could hear it pounding in her chest.

Li Qingji looked down at her. “Take it off. I won’t guide you. Just wash like you normally do.”

“You go out…” she protested, but to him, it felt more like an invitation.

He gazed at her for a moment, then couldn’t resist pulling her into his embrace. “If you don’t wash, we’ll just continue.”

“But… hmm…”

He lowered his head and sealed her lips with his, but this time, he didn’t bite her. Instead, he kissed her gently, his lips and tongue exploring, tangling with hers. Jiang Nai couldn’t resist, her back pressed against the cold tiles of the shower, her body completely pinned by his.

The contrast of ice and fire was overwhelming. He kissed her so deeply that her lips and tongue started to feel numb, but she couldn’t help but get lost in it, her inner desires beginning to stir.

“I’ll wash, I want to wash…” she murmured.

“I’ll help you.”

…

Buttons were undone, but her clothes hadn’t been fully removed before the showerhead began to pour down. Amidst the sound of the rain-like water, Jiang Nai could hear Li Qingji’s breath, heavy and ragged, and her own voice, sweet and helpless.

She couldn’t control herself, and it felt like the water in front of her blurred everything, clouding her vision. In the end, she never really finished the shower, and the time spent in the bathroom was far longer than she usually stayed there.

Later, when they returned to the bedroom, she was completely limp in his arms.

“Are you satisfied, Miss Jiang?” he teased, running his fingers through her hair and gently caressing her fair neck.

Jiang Nai pressed down on his other hand, her voice trembling slightly. “That’s enough…”

Li Qingji wouldn’t let it go. “Enough? Does that mean you’re satisfied, or not?”

Jiang Nai’s eyes reddened, her voice hoarse from her rising emotions, “Satisfied…”

“You look like you’re about to cry. Doesn’t seem like you’re satisfied.” Li Qingji flipped them over, pulling her onto himself. His expression darkened, and he ordered, “Sit properly.”

Jiang Nai swallowed, trying to calm her heartbeat, but it started racing again. She felt a little scared of him. “Li Qingji…” 

He stared at her intently. “Mm?” 

Unable to resist, she weakly pleaded, “I don’t have the strength…” 

She lowered her eyes, her long hair falling, looking pitiful. 

Li Qingji’s heart stirred slightly. He sat up and held her in his arms. “So, just sit still.” 

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