Chapter 18: It

The three words "Li Xinran."

Like a sudden clap of thunder on flat ground, it made Shen Huai's body go rigid.

Holy crap.

Had he, Shen Huai, committed some heavenly crime?

Why were all these ex-girlfriends acting like the Calabash Brothers, popping up in front of him one by one?

It was only his first day on the job!

The plot progression was just too absurd!

Noticing that Shen Huai's expression was off.

Lin Yeman narrowed her eyes with seasoned experience and said softly, "Tsk, you really do know her?"

"You already said she's the school beauty, so naturally I know of her." Shen Huai's gaze flickered evasively.

Lin Yeman's gaze was truly too bewitching.

It was just that close.

Shen Huai was about to spill the beans that Li Xinran was his ex-girlfriend.

But just as the words reached his lips, he suddenly remembered the non-disclosure agreement Li Xinran had mentioned.

They had been in love once, after all.

He didn't want her to fall into a difficult situation after they broke up just because he had a slip of the tongue.

The words stuck in his throat were swallowed back down.

It was better to pretend he didn't know her.

Hearing Shen Huai's answer, Lin Yeman gave a half-believing "Oh?"

She couldn't glean any extra information from Shen Huai's expression either.

Lin Yeman withdrew her scrutinizing gaze and continued, "Since you know her, that's even better."

After saying this, her supple waist suddenly rose, and her hand snaked downward like a slithering serpent.

Shen Huai only felt his mouth go dry.

Suddenly.

Shen Huai suddenly felt his pants pocket move.

He saw Lin Yeman's red lips curl slightly, her beautiful eyes smiling as she held Shen Huai's phone high, then flipped the screen to quickly aim it at Shen Huai's face—

"Click—"

It was the sound of the phone unlocking.

"Lin Yeman!..." Pinned beneath her, Shen Huai was somewhat indignant.

The next moment.

Lin Yeman carelessly tossed the phone back onto Shen Huai's chest.

"You heartless thing, you actually dared to delete me."

"I've added myself back for you. Later, I'll push Li Xinran's executive agent's WeChat to you. I'll tell her the specific details, and you can just coordinate with her."

Shen Huai picked up his phone and discovered that there was indeed a new "Friend Request Accepted" notification on WeChat.

"Alright, the business is finished, now we should talk about personal matters."

Lin Yeman pressed one hand against Shen Huai's chest, looking down at him from above.

It had to be said.

Lin Yeman was truly stunningly seductive.

She wasn't mixed-race, yet she looked just like one.

With heavy makeup, she was full of charm; with light makeup, she was a mix of pure and seductive.

Especially in this current position.

If some oblivious employee were to suddenly burst in.

Shen Huai didn't know if Lin Yeman's reputation would be ruined.

But he, Shen Huai, would be absolutely, thoroughly finished.

"What personal matters do you want to talk about?" Viewed from this angle by Lin Yeman, Shen Huai felt somewhat uncomfortable. "We broke up a long time ago."

"That's right."

Lin Yeman smiled wickedly: "So, it's also time to get back together."

"... Lin Yeman, can you be serious?"

Shen Huai couldn't take it anymore: "So what if we get back together? Will you make our relationship public?"

"As for that, naturally I won't." Lin Yeman was quite frank.

"Then that's that."

Shen Huai said irritably: "I want a relationship that is open and aboveboard. Our values don't align; you just want to play around, but I am serious about every relationship."

After speaking, Shen Huai suddenly felt a bit guilty, so he coughed awkwardly a few times to compensate: "Anyway, we broke up a long time ago, you shouldn't always do these things that lack boundaries..."

"Oh."

A flash of darkness quickly crossed Lin Yeman's dark brown eyes.

Her fair fingers gently brushed across Shen Huai's cheek, and with a push from her waist—

She stood up and moved away from Shen Huai's body.

"Haven't seen you in years, but your mouth has become quite glib."

"However, what I love most is conquest."

"If it were easily captured, it wouldn't be any fun at all."

Lin Yeman walked back to her desk with a flirtatious air, sat in her chair, and looked at Shen Huai with affection in her eyes: "From now on, we are colleagues. There will be plenty of opportunities; I'm not in a hurry."

"..."

Shen Huai sighed inwardly.

It had been years.

Lin Yeman really was becoming more and more... direct. "Ahem... since Team Leader Lin has finished giving instructions, if there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

Shen Huai turned on his heel, wanting nothing more than to slip away.

"Wait a moment."

Just as he turned, Lin Yeman's voice behind him suddenly rose a few notches.

"Take these things with you on your way; consider it a gift from me to your Planning Group."

Shen Huai turned around and saw Lin Yeman tilt her chin toward a corner.

Following Lin Yeman's gaze, he looked over.

Shen Huai discovered two cardboard boxes placed in the corner, stacked half as high as a person.

He walked over and tried to lift the boxes; let me tell you, they were quite heavy.

The moment the boxes left the ground, a rustling sound immediately came from inside, as if countless small particles were colliding in a dense space.

"... Team Leader Lin, what are these things?"

"Goji berries," Lin Yeman said calmly.

"..."

Shen Huai's hands nearly slipped from the boxes: "Team Leader Lin, this gesture is a bit too... heavy. There are only six people in our Group 2 in total—"

"Isn't that just right?"

Lin Yeman smiled slightly, "After you finish dividing them up, keep the rest for yourself."

"Eat them like a meal when you have nothing to do; they're good for your health."

When Shen Huai held the two large boxes, holding his breath as he returned from the 11th floor to the 6th-floor Planning Group.

Everyone's expression was one of shock.

Especially Tong Yue; seeing the heavy items Shen Huai was holding in his arms, she was completely bewildered.

"Wasn't it a work handover? What is this?"

Shen Huai took a deep breath, placed the boxes heavily on the floor, and tried to keep his tone steady: "This is... a gift from Team Leader Lin to the Planning Group."

"Hmph, a weasel paying respects to a chicken."

"I'm afraid she knows she's in the wrong and came up with this low-class way to make amends; it's truly childish."

Tong Yue looked at the two boxes of goji berries on the floor with utter disdain.

Immediately after.

Her gaze sharpened and refocused on Shen Huai: "What about the other things?"

The other things?

Shen Huai was stunned for a moment, then instantly realized.

She was referring to the recording on his phone.

In an instant.

Shen Huai felt a chill run down his spine.

The conversation he had just had with Lin Yeman was absolutely not fit for public ears.

Especially after they started chatting about personal matters.

The boldness of Lin Yeman's speech far exceeded Shen Huai's expectations.

If he were to hand this over to Tong Yue.

He feared he would be fired tomorrow just for stepping into the company with his left foot first.

"What's wrong? Did you not record it?"

Tong Yue sensed something was off and snatched the phone from Shen Huai without further ado.

"Hey, wait a second!"

Shen Huai was so angry his head ached.

Why were these people all so fond of grabbing his phone at the slightest provocation?

Did they think he was air?

Tong Yue made a sharp turn, causing Shen Huai's reaching hand to grab at empty air.

Looking at the lock screen password, she pondered for a moment, her fingers nimbly pressing quickly—

"Click."

The screen unlocked.

Shen Huai was dumbfounded.

For convenience, whether it was his computer, tablet, or phone, all his screen lock passwords were his birthday, 021228.

He hadn't expected that this very habit would allow Tong Yue to take advantage of him.

A flash of triumphant amusement crossed Tong Yue's eyes as she quickly entered the recording app.

Inside, a notification for the latest completed recording lay there prominently.

"Tong Yue, give the phone back to me."

Shen Huai took a deep breath, his expression darkening.

His gaze became unprecedentedly serious, even carrying a trace of anger.

Looking into Shen Huai's eyes, Tong Yue felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of guilt rise within her.

But with everyone watching, if she were to just withdraw her momentum like this, wouldn't that be admitting defeat? A flash of panic flickered in the depths of Tong Yue's eyes.

Braving Shen Huai's angry gaze, Tong Yue not only ignored his warning but instead held her phone high and pressed the playback button for the recording in front of everyone.

In an instant.

A series of soft, boneless, and seductive sounds echoed through the office without reservation.

(End of this chapter)