Volume One, Chapter 14: Baby, Did You Miss Me?

Yu Mo gazed at Lin Xing, who wore a serious expression, tinged with a rakish air. She pretended not to understand, sitting quietly across from him, and pulled out the application documents from her bag.

“President Lin, here are the application papers. Please take a look.”

Lin Xing didn’t appear annoyed. He rubbed his palm, poured hot water over a teacup for her, and filled it with tea. With a crooked smile, he said, “The Fu Group really means business this time, sending such a beautiful woman.”

Yu Mo smiled lightly. “You’re too kind, President Lin.”

Lifting his tea, Lin Xing took a sip, his face still wreathed in a smile. “Miss Yu, do you have time this evening? How about dinner and a movie together?”

Yu Mo understood perfectly well what he meant. She picked up her small teacup and took a delicate sip. “President Lin, I have a boyfriend. He’s terribly jealous. If he found out, I can’t imagine the scene he’d make.”

“Oh? Then bring your boyfriend along. Let’s all have dinner—just making friends, what do you say?”

Lin Xing clearly didn’t believe her and was determined to expose her lie. Yu Mo knew that for someone as young as Lin Xing to hold such a powerful position, his family’s influence must be formidable. Even if these negotiations failed, she couldn’t afford to offend him—lest she invite endless trouble.

“Of course,” she replied with a smile. After all, her pretty boy seemed to have plenty of free time, always waiting for her call. Letting him play the part of her boyfriend was hardly a problem.

Just as she was thinking this, her phone buzzed twice. Yu Mo didn’t bother to check who it was, but Lin Xing, unassuming as ever, reminded her, “Go ahead, check your phone. What if it’s your boyfriend?”

Yu Mo unlocked her phone.

Pretty Boy: [Baby, where are you and what are you doing? Do you miss me?]

Her lips curved as she typed swiftly: [Be good. I’m meeting a client now. I’ll come see you tonight.]

Lin Xing noticed her radiant smile, and his eyes darkened slightly. Did she really have a boyfriend?

In the private room named “Bamboo Shadows in the Clouds,” Mu Shaozhou sat at the head of the table. Opposite him, someone chattered on, holding a cup of tea. Mu Shaozhou toyed with his matte-black phone, eyes fixed on the message. His handsome lips curled into a faint smile. With pale fingers, he tapped a reply: [Alright, I’ll wait at home for you tonight. Kiss.] He added a sticker of a little monkey hugging its mother and giving a kiss, then set his phone down, his spirits lifted as he listened to the conversation, his mind full of Yu Mo’s enchanting face.

Back with Yu Mo, she put her phone away after replying to her pretty boy and looked up at Lin Xing, noticing an unhappy flicker on his face. Yet his lips were still curled high, fiddling with a cigarette that he didn’t light.

“Miss Yu, you seem to have a very good relationship with your boyfriend.”

Before Yu Mo could respond, he pulled out a lighter.

Click!

The blue flame danced, illuminating Lin Xing’s wickedly handsome features. He clamped the cigarette between long fingers and took a deep drag. Yu Mo’s hand, resting on her lap, tightened—she loathed people who smoked regardless of the setting. But she needed something from him and couldn’t lose her temper.

Lin Xing exhaled a cloud of smoke, instantly shrouding the air.

“Cough, cough!” Yu Mo covered her mouth and nose, coughing. “Excuse me, I need the restroom.”

She stood to leave, but Lin Xing grabbed her wrist.

“Miss Yu, you don’t look well. Want me to take you?”

His eyes glinted with teasing amusement. Yu Mo didn’t reply. The grip on her wrist tightened, making her wince. She tried to shake him off, but Lin Xing, though slender, was surprisingly strong. No matter how she struggled, she couldn’t break free.

She lifted her gaze, meeting the triumphant look on his face, her anger now plain for all to see.

“Lin Xing!” she spat.

He raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?” Satisfied, he relished the sight of this feisty little cat—the obedient act from before had clearly been a ruse.

Smack!

A crisp slap rang out, leaving a vivid red handprint blooming on Lin Xing’s face. He lifted his sharp eyes to look at the woman who’d struck him. Yu Mo’s hand trembled from the blow. She tried once more to break free, but failed.

Just then, the door to the private room was knocked.

Both looked toward the entrance.

“Come in,” Lin Xing called.

The door opened. Lin Hua walked in, her eyes immediately catching the red imprint on Lin Xing’s cheek. Then she looked at the other occupant—there was no question who had delivered the slap. She frowned but, for the sake of Lin Xing’s pride, said nothing.

She turned to Yu Mo. “Yu Mo.”

Damn it! Yu Mo had found Lin Xing first, even though she herself had entered just moments earlier. Judging by the state of things, Yu Mo must have botched the negotiations, which presented her with a golden opportunity.

Meanwhile, Lin Xing’s cigarette burned to his fingertips, yet he seemed not to notice the pain. He gave Yu Mo a meaningful look.

“Miss Yu, is this your friend?”

Yu Mo shot Lin Hua a cold glance. “I don’t know her.”

She wanted nothing to do with someone like Lin Hua.

“Then please leave.”

Lin Xing didn’t spare Lin Hua another glance. His tone to Yu Mo was now much softer, the arrogance from before gone. “Miss Yu, I was out of line just now. Shall we sit down and talk properly?”

“Lin Xing, if you don’t let go, I’ll call the police!”

He loosened his grip, and Yu Mo shook him off, leaving the private room without looking back.

Lin Xing stared after her for a moment before slowly returning to his seat, lighting another cigarette in silence.

Lin Hua stepped forward and introduced herself. “President Lin, I’m Lin Hua from Fu Pharmaceuticals, here to discuss the research and development application.”

“Oh?” Lin Xing glanced at her, understanding everything in an instant. He accepted the document she handed over and flipped through it carelessly.

Smack!

He tossed the papers onto the table with a dismissive flick.

A sneer curled his lips, banishing any trace of amusement from his eyes. He spoke coldly. “You want to discuss an R&D application with this content? Go back and study for three to five years before you come again. Don’t embarrass the Fu Group.”

He rose to leave.

Lin Hua took a step forward, frowning deeply. “President Lin, since we share the same surname, can you give me another chance? I’ll revise it right away.”

A mocking smile twisted Lin Xing’s rakish face. “The same surname? You think you can compare with the Lin family? How naive.”

With that, he strode out of the private room. He’d frightened his little darling today; next time, he’d have to be gentler.

Outside, Yu Mo headed to the restroom to compose herself. When she emerged, she rubbed her aching wrist and, passing by the “Bamboo Shadows in the Clouds” room, glanced over instinctively.

Lin Xing caught up to her and seized her wrist with a playful tone. “Yu Mo, be my girlfriend and I’ll approve any application you want.”

Yu Mo frowned, her voice rising. “Lin Xing, if you don’t let go, you’d better watch your own face.”

Lin Xing didn’t loosen his grip, grinning wickedly. “I don’t mind. A slap means affection, a scold means love.”

Yu Mo was furious—this was the most shameless man she’d ever met.

Suddenly, the private room door swung open and a sharp male voice rang out: “Let her go!”