Chapter Thirty-Four: You're in Serious Trouble

As soon as the call ended, she found herself facing Shen Qingli’s curious gaze.

“If you have something to ask, just say it.” Xie Jinchuan pocketed his phone, pressed her back onto the sofa, and adeptly resumed massaging the slender waist of the delicate woman before him.

“I think I saw Secretary Zhao back when I used to look for you at the company. I remember her as a sharp, taciturn woman,” Shen Qingli said, squinting her eyes in contentment. “Just how much of a mess is the Lu Corporation that someone so reserved has started to ramble on endlessly?”

“No idea. Lu Ziyi’s in charge of Lu Corporation now. My current mission is simply to ensure my wife’s waist is no longer sore.” Xie Jinchuan spoke with such earnestness, as if this was the only thing in the world that truly demanded his focus.

But as soon as Shen Qingli heard this, she picked up a nearby cushion and tossed it at him. “You dare talk? My sore waist is all your fault!”

Xie Jinchuan dodged the cushion and, feeling a little guilty, rubbed his nose.

Since her body had gradually recovered, Xie Jinchuan had abandoned his abstinence. The thin veil between them had finally been pierced, and their relationship progressed rapidly. As a result, Shen Qingli had experienced firsthand just how terrifying a man who had lived in restraint for years could become when he finally indulged himself.

No interest in women? No desire at all? What utter nonsense!

As for the matter of falling for her own target, Shen Qingli had already resigned herself to fate. She’d realized the system couldn’t provide her with any solution—if it wasn’t mute, it would simply disappear, like right now—

“Parsley, what if I don’t want to leave after finishing the mission? Not for any other reason, but your target is simply too much to my taste.”

Green Parsley seemed to realize that Shen Qingli was only teasing it out of boredom and replied bluntly, “Host, please ask something else. Questions like this make me crash.”

Its sincerity was clear, its attitude unmistakable—a perfect display of giving up together with its host.

After massaging her for quite a while, Xie Jinchuan decided he’d done enough and started to move away, but the moment he did, the little woman opened her eyes and sat up. “Are you heading to the office?”

Her eyes sparkled with hope, and the look of anticipation for his departure made Xie Jinchuan feel as if he were some dreadful villain.

He couldn’t help but laugh. “Do you really want me to go that badly?”

“Of course! The Lu Corporation is your hard work, and you’re just going to let Lu Ziyi ruin it? Who wouldn’t be furious?” Shen Qingli pinched her chin thoughtfully. “Your company’s been turned into a chaotic mess and you’re just letting it happen? Doesn’t it pain you at all?”

“Not really. The Lu Corporation belongs to the Lu family, and my surname is Xie,” he said, ruffling her fluffy hair.

“Well, you should just change it to the Xie Corporation then! You’ve worked for them all these years—don’t you have at least that much ambition?” The more she thought about it, the more plausible it sounded. “Look at that Lu family—so many people, not a single competent one among them. If you took over, it’d be a breeze. They relied on you to get this far, and now that the company’s grown, they’re just waiting to push you down. How can you tolerate that?”

“My dear, talk like that would have gotten your whole clan executed in the old days.” Xie Jinchuan teased.

Shen Qingli rolled her eyes. “Master Xie, the old dynasty is long gone.”

He sighed with elegance. “I think you make a fair point, madam. I’ll give it serious thought.”

After a simple lunch and a brief rest, Xie Jinchuan took Shen Qingli with him to the Lu Corporation that afternoon.

According to Secretary Zhao, the Shen family was now hurrying over with the contract in hand. As long as they could stop the collaboration with the Shen family, the other smaller deals would fall through as well.

When they arrived, Secretary Zhao was anxiously waiting outside the conference room. At the sight of Xie Jinchuan and Shen Qingli, she looked as if she’d found her saviors and quickly said, “Director Xie, you’re finally here! The Shen family just delivered the contract, and young Mr. Lu is reviewing it inside. He sent me out to get the company seal; the contract isn’t signed yet.”

There was still a chance to turn things around!

“Thank you,” Xie Jinchuan said simply, then pushed open the door and walked in.

Inside, Lu Ziyi was idly flipping through the contract. Without looking up, he thought it was Secretary Zhao and urged, “Hurry up—what’s taking you so long to bring the company seal?”

Xie Jinchuan knocked on the table, interrupting him.

Lu Ziyi was clearly annoyed by the interruption. He looked up. “What—Uncle?”

Xie Jinchuan fixed his gaze on him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Faced with Xie Jinchuan’s stern eyes, Lu Ziyi broke out in a cold sweat. “Uncle, you can see for yourself. The company’s been in chaos while you were ill; I’ve been stepping in to help handle things.”

“Handling things? Then why is it I’ve heard you’ve shut down all ongoing projects?” Xie Jinchuan advanced slowly, exuding a regal sense of authority.

Lu Ziyi had grown arrogant while lording it over the company these past days, never expecting Xie Jinchuan to return so suddenly and catch him off guard.

Lu Ziyi’s eyes flickered as he glanced at Secretary Zhao, who stood behind him. In an instant, he understood everything.

He sneered. “Uncle, you can’t just take Secretary Zhao’s word for it. While you were sick, someone had to take charge of the projects. I didn’t know enough to just take over, so the only thing I could do was put everything on hold.”

“And when things got out of hand, it was Secretary Zhao who called me. Why is she running to you now, Uncle? Secretary Zhao, care to explain?”

Lu Ziyi was obviously displeased by Xie Jinchuan’s presence, but he knew he’d lose if he confronted him directly, so he chose an easier target to intimidate.

“Lu Ziyi, do you really need an explanation for something so obvious?” Shen Qingli stepped forward, raising an eyebrow. “In just a few days, you’ve thrown the whole company into chaos. Secretary Zhao gave you too much credit.”

“You!” Lu Ziyi was so enraged by her words that he nearly exploded. He pointed at Shen Qingli and demanded, “Who are you to boss me around? Who do you think you are?”

“I am the president’s wife of the Lu Corporation—and your aunt,” Shen Qingli replied with open disdain. “Now tell me, which of these titles isn’t enough to put you in your place?”

Lu Ziyi was seething, but he had nothing to say in return.

“My wife is right—Secretary Zhao overestimated you,” Xie Jinchuan said, looking at Lu Ziyi.

Ding! Congratulations, Host, you’ve earned 10 Face-Slapping Points.

No sooner had Xie Jinchuan spoken than the system’s voice chimed in, awarding Face-Slapping Points—the very reason Shen Qingli had come to the company with Xie Jinchuan today.

After her previous battle with An Yan, she’d prepaid five hundred Face-Slapping Points for the Demon-Slaying Staff. Even counting the one hundred and fifty she’d had left, plus another one hundred and fifty from saving Xie Jinchuan, and all the time she’d spent with him lately, she still hadn’t managed to pay off her debt.

Green Parsley seemed to sense what Shen Qingli was thinking and cheered her on, “Don’t lose heart, Host! With these ten points deducted, you only have fifty left to pay off—you’re almost there!”

Shen Qingli sighed. Fine, victory was within reach. She wouldn’t stoop to argue with this little system.