Cheng Yao found his greasy demeanor off-putting, but fortunately, once they got into work mode, he set aside his antics and reverted to being a sharp businessman, engaging in a back-and-forth discussion with Qian Heng about the company’s equity structure.
Unknowingly, an hour passed. Cheng Yao had been focused on reviewing the company’s financial records, but soon, waves of hunger began to creep up on her…
Because of the delayed flight and their rush to make the meeting on time, their original plans for a proper lunch in City B had been completely scrapped. The only thing she and Qian Heng had eaten was a simple in-flight meal—something that barely staved off hunger for a moment. Now, after an hour of high-intensity mental work, Cheng Yao was so hungry she felt like her stomach was practically glued to her back.
If she was struggling this much, Qian Heng—an adult man who needed even more calories—was probably suffering even worse.
However, when she glanced at him, she saw that he was still fully focused, head down as he meticulously reviewed documents. Occasionally, he would look up to ask the company executives sharp, well-structured questions.
He looked as if hunger didn’t affect him at all—so professional, so precise, it was almost terrifying.
Cheng Yao had no idea if Qian Heng’s stomach had some kind of special resistance to hunger, but she was so famished she felt like she was about to pass out. Still, since everyone else was focused on work, she couldn’t just stand up and announce that she needed to go find food—that would be completely unprofessional and way too awkward!
Besides, Tang Bing’s company was located in the remote outskirts of City B, surrounded by industrial zones. On the way there in the taxi, Cheng Yao hadn’t spotted a single snack shop or convenience store nearby.
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…Twb???
Cheng Yao stared blankly at the screen before hurriedly opening Qian Heng’s briefcase. Sure enough, in a small compartment, she found two large bars of dark chocolate.
So Qian Heng hadn’t sent her out because Bao Rui needed documents.
He’d just wanted to give her a legitimate excuse to leave the room so she could eat the chocolate in his bag and stave off her hunger?
Even though he was completely immersed in work, Qian Heng had still noticed that she was starving. He hadn’t eaten anything himself, yet he had thought to prepare something for his subordinate in advance.
Cheng Yao knew that Qian Heng wasn’t a fan of sweets, so she was almost certain—without a doubt—that these two chocolate bars hadn’t been meant for him.
The realization made her suddenly flustered, unsure of what to do.
She unwrapped one of the chocolate bars and took a bite. The dark chocolate had a pure, slightly bitter taste.
Yet, to Cheng Yao, it didn’t taste bitter at all.
In fact, it was probably the sweetest chocolate she had ever eaten in her entire life.
***
Cheng Yao hastily stuffed down the chocolate, then pretended as if she had just finished a phone call before returning to the meeting room.
Qian Heng, however, didn’t even lift his eyelids at her return. He remained as cold and indifferent as ever, completely devoid of warmth. If it weren’t for the text message as proof, Cheng Yao might have thought she had imagined the whole thing.
Yet, after sitting down again, she couldn’t help but steal glances at Qian Heng from the corner of her eye.
“I suggest gradually transitioning all individual shareholder equity to be held under a controlling company. From a tax optimization perspective, having the holding company manage the equity provides greater flexibility in terms of dividends, transfers, and reinvesting undistributed profits into capital.”
…
As she listened, Cheng Yao followed Qian Heng’s train of thought, analyzing along with him. The man sitting beside her was handsome and aloof, his well-shaped lips articulating professional jargon without a single pause. His speech was as fast as his thought process, his gaze focused, his expression cool—so professional it was almost chilling. Yet, his aura was so powerful that it could completely overshadow anyone in the room.
And for some reason, the longer Cheng Yao watched his side profile, the more she felt an inexplicable sense of nervous excitement in her chest.
She had never thought that someone so cold and distant could be this captivating.
After finishing a chocolate bar, her low blood sugar symptoms were gone, and her stomach felt much better. But Qian Heng, who logically should have been even hungrier than she was, remained entirely unfazed. Without a single distraction, he continued structuring the equity plan for Tang Bing with absolute precision and efficiency.
Cheng Yao had deliberately left one chocolate bar for Qian Heng, hoping he would find an excuse to step out and eat it.
But he didn’t.
He just sat there, straight-backed, his demeanor detached, his expression impassive, never wasting a single word.
His professionalism was almost overwhelming.
Had she never gone on this business trip with Qian Heng, she would never have realized that someone could take the role of a lawyer to such an extreme level of excellence.
And at that moment, she suddenly found herself believing what Qian Heng had once told her—that all of his previous assistants had ended up falling for him.
It actually made sense.
Handsome, wealthy, determined, dedicated, responsible, powerful.
A man like that—if he ever smiled at you, if his eyes ever truly focused on you—he might really be impossible to resist.
And almost as if in response to her thoughts, Qian Heng suddenly turned his head and called her name.
He looked at Cheng Yao and smiled.
“Cheng Yao, you’ve reviewed the company’s personnel and financial situation. Do you have any additional insights to add?”
Completely immersed in his work, Qian Heng was in top form. His smile carried the thrill and satisfaction of being fully engaged in his profession—effortless, natural, and irresistibly compelling. It was like the sun breaking through after a heavy snowfall, an unexpected warmth in the cold.
At that moment, Cheng Yao was sure of it.
Qian Heng’s smile wasn’t just potentially dangerous. It was definitely dangerous.
For a split second, her mind went blank. She had to rely on sheer willpower and instinct to respond properly, methodically pointing out the issues she had noticed while reviewing the documents.
It wasn’t until Qian Heng gave her a small approving nod that she finally let out a breath of relief.
This time, at least, she hadn’t disappointed him.
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