Chapter 8

The coaxing voices around them rose and fell, lively and raucous.

Their gazes met. They were standing so close they could even feel each other’s breath. Mu Wanyan watched the other person draw nearer and nearer; in the next second, Su Xingwei actually kissed her.

Mu Wanyan’s mind went completely blank. She stood there dumbly, frozen in place.

The kiss was inexperienced, yet carried an unyielding stubbornness that refused to be denied. Mu Wanyan snapped out of her initial shock and began to respond cautiously. Awkward but earnest, it was impossible not to be affected by it. The touch of their lips and teeth gradually turned gentle and lingering; an indescribable feeling began to drift between them.

The noise around them pulled Mu Wanyan back to reality. She tilted her head slightly, ending the sudden kiss, and put a little distance between herself and Su Xingwei.

They looked at each other. Both of them were flushed red. Mu Wanyan only felt her cheeks burning; her breathing slightly uneven, she forced down the panic in her heart and lifted the corners of her lips, as if the intimacy just now had been nothing more than a performance. Su Xingwei was no better than she was, but she quickly regained her composure.

Chairwoman Zhao saw this scene and completely dispelled her doubts; the smile on her face also became much more sincere. The following negotiations between the two sides went very smoothly. With Xingsheng Group’s influence in the industry as well, the cooperation plan progressed extremely well, and they soon finalized the time for the formal signing.

By the time the dinner gathering broke up, it was nearly eleven. Su Xingwei drove Mu Wanyan home; neither of them said anything along the way, and the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

The car stopped at the entrance of an old residential complex. The road surface was pitted and uneven, bicycles were parked haphazardly along the side, one of the streetlights by the gate was broken, and the light was rather dim. The outer walls of the buildings were mottled, marked with quite a few stains.

Su Xingwei parked the car steadily, her hand on the steering wheel, and didn’t turn off the engine right away.

"You did very well tonight."

She spoke first.

Mu Wanyan smiled faintly. "You said it yourself. This is what an assistant should do."

Su Xingwei didn’t answer. She stared straight ahead, showing nothing on her face, but in her mind she kept replaying that kiss over and over, uncontrollably. For some reason, irritation rose in her heart.

She disliked this feeling of being out of control. Whether at work or in life, she had always believed she was able to control her emotions. Yet this assistant, who had only been on the job for a few days, could so easily throw her off balance.

She absolutely could not let this go on; it would be better to keep the person right under her eyes.

"Thank you, Young Miss, for bringing me back."

Mu Wanyan broke the silence and reached for the car door, only to find it still locked.

She paused, then turned back to look at Su Xingwei, only to see that the other woman’s fingers were resting on the lock switch, with no intention of pressing it.

Su Xingwei met her gaze and said evenly, "This contract continues."

Mu Wanyan took a moment to process that; for a second, she almost thought she had misheard.

"What did you say?"

"I said you’re still my lover."

Su Xingwei’s gaze landed on her face, her tone certain. "This time, it’s a long-term contract. The term is up to me, and I won’t shortchange you."

The car fell into a brief silence. Mu Wanyan looked at her in disbelief, unable to say what she felt.

"I refuse."

She answered without hesitation.

Su Xingwei frowned, clearly not expecting her to refuse so decisively.

"Please open the car door."

Mu Wanyan’s gaze was calm, her voice utterly firm.

Su Xingwei swept over those clear eyes and saw no sign of compromise. After two seconds of silence, she pressed the button for the door lock.

Mu Wanyan quickly pushed the door open and got out, her steps much faster than usual. It wasn’t until she entered the building that she finally stopped to catch her breath.

The next morning, Mu Wanyan still arrived at the company on time.

She stood at the office door and greeted Su Xingwei as if nothing had happened the day before.

"Good morning, Young Miss."

Su Xingwei gave a response and continued focusing on her work, with no extra conversation.

Mu Wanyan returned to her desk to organize the day’s schedule. Just then, the elevator chime sounded.

A woman in a dark blue dress stepped out of the elevator, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.

"You must be the new assistant?"

She walked straight toward Mu Wanyan, speaking in a familiar tone, as if catching up with an old friend.

Mu Wanyan immediately stood up. "Hello. Are you looking for Chairwoman Su?"

The woman’s gaze lingered on her eyes for a moment. She curved her lips and leaned in, lowering her voice. "You do look a little like her."

Mu Wanyan took half a step back without showing it on her face, keeping a polite smile in place.

The person in front of her was Su Xingwei’s cousin, Su Yueluo, and also the most restless member of the board of directors.

"Being my younger sister’s assistant must be hard, right?"

Su Yueluo said with a smile, her tone carrying a hint of seduction. "Why not consider coming to work for me instead? The pay is better than here, and the work is much easier. I’m easy to get along with; I won’t make things difficult for the people around me."

"Being able to work for Chairwoman Su is my honor. I don’t think it’s hard at all."

Mu Wanyan replied calmly and without deference.

Su Yueluo smiled and didn’t push further. Behind her stood a young woman, neatly dressed, with a low ponytail, quietly waiting off to the side.

When Mu Wanyan clearly saw that face, her heart suddenly tightened. The woman’s features and outline actually bore some resemblance to who she had once been.

At that moment, the chairman’s office door opened from inside. Su Xingwei came out, looked at the three people in front of her, and frowned; her gaze was clearly displeased.

"What are you doing here?"

she asked coldly.

Yet Su Yueluo only smiled more warmly. "Of course I’m here to check on my dear younger sister. Don’t say your cousin doesn’t care about you; look."

She pushed the girl behind her forward. "Let me introduce her to you. Luo Xi. She’s quite capable. How about letting her be your assistant? The chairman’s affairs are so complicated; one assistant probably can’t handle everything."

Su Xingwei examined Luo Xi’s face, then let her gaze return to Mu Wanyan. Suddenly, the corners of her mouth lifted into a beautiful curve, and her eyes sparkled as if she had discovered something interesting.

"Since Cousin has gone to so much trouble, how could I refuse your kind offer?"

"As long as you like her."

Su Yueluo gave Mu Wanyan a meaningful look, then turned and left.

Su Xingwei told Mu Wanyan and Luo Xi to come into the office with her. She sat back down at her computer and continued working, as if she had completely forgotten Mu Wanyan existed, and only told Luo Xi to make tea.

Luo Xi reacted quickly and moved efficiently. In no time at all, she came back carrying the tea.

"Chairwoman Su, if there’s anything else you need me to do, I can take care of it."

Standing before the desk, Luo Xi’s voice was clear and bright as she actively showed off her abilities.

Su Xingwei rolled her shoulders. "I’m a little tired. Come over and massage me."

"Yes."

Luo Xi immediately went around behind Su Xingwei and used practiced movements to knead her shoulders.

Mu Wanyan stood at the side, as if she were an outsider.

She knew Su Xingwei all too well; this woman was deliberately getting back at her for refusing her the night before. She knew full well the other woman was intentionally trying to provoke her, but she still couldn’t help the bitterness that rose in her heart.

"If Chairwoman Su has no other arrangements, I’ll go out and get back to work first."

Mu Wanyan said calmly, without the slightest hint of anything unusual.

But Su Xingwei suddenly called her back. "Wait."

Mu Wanyan stopped and had no choice but to turn back.

"What else do you need me to do?"

Su Xingwei rested her chin on one hand, the corners of her lips slightly raised, amusement flickering in her eyes.

"Did I say you could leave?"

Her tone wasn’t harsh, yet it carried an unmistakable force. "Sit on the sofa across from me and pay attention. Watch how someone else does the job of a personal assistant."