Chapter 44: “Cheng Yao, don’t push your luck.”

Actually, Cheng Yao’s reasoning was quite simple.

She didn’t want to leave because, knowing Qian Heng’s willful personality, the moment she walked out, the stomach-soothing porridge would just be left sitting there while he busied himself with work emails on his laptop again.

She simply wanted to stay and make sure Qian Heng finished the porridge before leaving with peace of mind.

She just hadn’t expected Qian Heng’s thought process to be so… bizarre.

Fortunately, after a long explanation, she finally managed to convince him.

However, when he changed his clothes and faced the porridge, he still refused.

“I’m not eating it.”

“Boss, I specially prepared this for you. Can you please eat it?”

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“R’x dsv bwdtau yduxsal.”

“Mbyv’p clnywpl usw’hl clld pvyahkdt qsa ps zsdt vbyv usw esd’v lhld qllz bwdtau yduxsal! Jwv kq usw jllr pjkrrkdt xlyzp zkjl vbkp lhlau vkxl, uswa pvsxynb okzz cl awkdle!”

…

Bdqsavwdyvlzu, ds xyvvla bso xwnb Ubldt Zys vakle vs rlapwyel bkx, Ckyd Tldt alxykdle pvwccsad. Tl pkxrzu alqwple vs lyv.

Ubldt Zys bye ds nbsknl. Qakvvkdt bla vllvb, pbl rzyule bla vawxr nyae:

“Tso ycswv vbkp—kq usw lyv kv, R’zz tkhl wr qkhl eyup sq xu ryke yddwyz zlyhl vbkp ulya!”

Ckyd Tldt blpkvyvle.

“R’zz yzps osaj vos lmvay eyup sq wdryke shlavkxl!”

Qian Heng wavered.

“I’ll extend your cleaning service by a month!”

With this final blow, Qian Heng finally caved.

He picked up the thermos and reluctantly began to eat.

Unfortunately, Qian Heng had probably gone too long without eating—his stomach was still unsettled. He ate very slowly, taking tiny bites, and it took him a long time to finally finish most of the bowl.

Cheng Yao grew anxious. “There wasn’t much to begin with. There’s just a little left—why not finish it?”

“No.”

Why not, my dear ancestor?! Cheng Yao thought. This won’t do! I paid such a high price just to get you to drink this porridge—you have to finish it! Even if I have to force-feed you!

“It’s not as good as the one you made.”

“…”

For some reason, in an instant, all of Cheng Yao’s righteous determination completely deflated.

“Okay… okay then… since you put it that way, fine, just leave it.”

Since the boss had at least had some of the porridge, there was no reason for Cheng Yao to stay any longer. She packed up the thermos and was about to take her leave, but this time, it was Qian Heng who called her back.

“Cheng Yao.”

“Huh?” She stopped and turned around, waiting for his instructions.

Qian Heng looked a little awkward. He pressed his lips together before saying, “Nothing. You can go.”

Cheng Yao blinked in confusion, then nodded and turned to leave.

“Cheng Yao.”

Qian Heng called her back again.

“Is there something I need to prepare for the meeting with Tang Bing tonight?” Cheng Yao racked her brain, trying to jog the memory of her forgetful boss. “I’ve prepared three copies of all the documents, and I sent the material list to your email. If there’s anything else you need, maybe you can—”

“Thank you.”

Before she could finish, Qian Heng abruptly cut her off with just two concise words.

Two simple words, yet his voice was so deliberately quiet, as if he didn’t want anyone to hear them.

Cheng Yao was genuinely stunned. She shook her head in disbelief. “Boss, did I just imagine that?”

Qian Heng shot her a sharp glare. “Cheng Yao, don’t push your luck.”

???

“Fine, I’ll say it again—thank you.” Qian Heng averted his gaze, staring at the ceiling with an air of icy arrogance. “Did you hear it clearly this time?”

Cheng Yao really wanted to ask—how exactly did I push my luck? But at this moment, Qian Heng looked like an overinflated balloon—one wrong move, and he might just burst!

“Yes, yes, I heard it loud and clear.”

“Then why are you making such a big deal out of it?”

Cheng Yao muttered under her breath, “I’m just surprised. I didn’t think the words ‘thank you’ even existed in your vocabulary…”

“I just added them. What? You got a problem with that?”

“Nope!”

Would I even dare to have a problem with it?

The update to his vocabulary might have been slow, but at least it was progress!

No matter what, the fact that she had forcibly made Qian Heng drink the porridge—at least in his heart—was something he appreciated. This realization made Cheng Yao quite happy.

“Boss, since that’s the case, does that mean the agreement we made earlier—canceling my paid leave, working extra unpaid shifts, and extending your cleaning service—no longer counts?”

But Qian Heng simply raised an eyebrow and asked, “Why wouldn’t it count?” He smiled. “This was a verbal agreement. When it was formed, were you coerced? Did I deceive you? Are you legally incapable of making decisions or under any restrictions on your civil capacity? Since none of these conditions apply—meaning the contract is neither void nor revocable—and it was entirely your voluntary decision, why wouldn’t it count?”

“…”

Cheng Yao thought, I’m dead. The boss has angered me to death once again!

---

No matter what, once Qian Heng finished the porridge, Cheng Yao could finally relax. She went back to her room, tidied up briefly, and then received a call from Tang Bing.

For convenience, they decided to meet at the Intercontinental’s Western restaurant.

At 6:30 PM, Qian Heng and Cheng Yao met Tang Bing again.

Perhaps it was the hot porridge, or maybe the bath and brief rest, but Qian Heng looked noticeably better. His entire presence seemed even more magnetic—dressed in a luxurious suit that fit his tall, broad-shouldered frame perfectly, he exuded a sharp, distinguished aura. The moment he stepped into the restaurant, subtle but undeniable gazes were drawn to him.

Tang Bing, on his own, was considered decent-looking among wealthy businessmen. But the moment he stood next to Qian Heng, the contrast was as stark as a farm rooster standing beside a phoenix—it was almost tragic.

However, Tang Bing didn’t seem to mind at all. Throughout the meal, he was in high spirits, offering endless flattery before raising his glass for a toast. Unfortunately for him, Qian Heng didn’t entertain it in the slightest, shaking his head and refusing outright.

“We still need to discuss the family trust matter later. For the sake of maintaining my working state, I won’t be drinking.”

“It’s just red wine! A little won’t hurt—it’s good for the skin!” Tang Bing laughed and then glanced at Cheng Yao. “Well, if Lawyer Qian won’t drink, let’s have Lawyer Cheng drink with me instead. Come on, come on, let’s have a toast!”

Back at her previous law firm, Cheng Yao had attended plenty of these business dinners. At moments like this, it was always the assistant lawyer who stepped up. She had absolutely hated drinking at these events, but this time, she didn’t even hesitate. She picked up her glass, ready to down it in one go.

Qian Heng’s stomach was still recovering, so he couldn’t drink. But sometimes, a lawyer couldn’t afford to offend a client too much—especially when that client was involved in a multi-billion-yuan case. In this situation, drinking on Qian Heng’s behalf was probably the best move for the bigger picture.

Unfortunately, just as Cheng Yao lifted her glass, a hand suddenly reached out beside her—strong and overbearing—snatching the glass away.

“I’m not drinking, and she’s not drinking either.”

Tang Bing was clearly accustomed to the greasy, insincere business tactics of the corporate world. He immediately chuckled and teased as he grabbed another wine glass and handed it to Cheng Yao.

“Lawyer Qian, you’re quite the strict boss, aren’t you? Look, Lawyer Cheng here voluntarily wants to drink with me. You can’t just interfere with her freedom, can you? A little red wine is good for women, after all.” Tang Bing glanced at Cheng Yao. “How about we be a little more democratic and ask Lawyer Cheng herself? Does she want to drink?”

Although he still had a smile plastered on his face, his body language had subtly shifted—he was clearly displeased. A businessman of his status was used to being flattered at dinner parties, and it was rare for him to be turned down when offering a drink. Qian Heng’s outright rejection obviously did not sit well with him. With that last remark, he had effectively thrown the dilemma into Cheng Yao’s lap.

How was she supposed to respond? Could she even say she didn’t want to drink?

Just as Cheng Yao was about to grit her teeth and go against her own will by saying she was willing, Qian Heng’s voice rang out once again.

“Even if she wants to, she can’t.” His face darkened, and his tone was as cold as ice. “My assistant lawyer is not allowed to drink.”

Tang Bing’s expression stiffened. “Lawyer Qian, don’t you think that’s a little too strict?”

“This is my principle when working. I don’t make exceptions for anyone.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Cheng Yao stole a glance at Qian Heng. That face—strikingly handsome yet utterly indifferent—carried an air of arrogance and dominance.

In this world, it seemed like everyone had to look at Qian Heng’s face for approval. But for someone to make him yield? That person had probably never been born.

Naturally, Tang Bing was both embarrassed and disappointed. He hastily agreed to reconvene after an hour’s rest in the Intercontinental’s meeting room to discuss the case, and with that, the dinner ended much earlier than expected.

***

Cheng Yao had originally planned to rest in her room for a while and make a call home. However, barely half an hour had passed when she received a call from Tang Bing.

“Lawyer Cheng, could you come to the meeting room for a moment? I have several documents that are a bit messy and need some organizing. I’d also appreciate your help preparing the meeting space,” Tang Bing’s voice sounded apologetic. “Sorry about this—I returned to the country on short notice and didn’t have time to prepare properly. Some of the materials were just printed at the hotel, so my assistant didn’t have time to sort them out.”

Cheng Yao nodded in understanding, grabbed her phone, and headed to the meeting room.

As expected, Tang Bing was already waiting when she arrived.

“Mr. Tang, just hand me the documents, and I’ll get them sorted right away,” Cheng Yao said.

Tang Bing waved a hand dismissively. “We’ll get to the documents in a moment. Could you first help me plug in my laptop’s power cord?” He was fiddling with his laptop while looking slightly troubled. “Some of the materials need to be projected later, but my back isn’t great, and it’s hard for me to bend down.”

Cheng Yao didn’t think too much of it. She picked up the power plug and crouched down, reaching under the conference table to find the socket. Unfortunately, the laptop’s power cord was indeed a bit short, and the socket was further inside, forcing her to crawl in a little deeper.

“Lawyer Cheng, working under Lawyer Qian must be exhausting, huh?”

Cheng Yao’s fitted skirt wasn’t ideal for large movements. She shifted slightly to adjust her angle under the table while responding perfunctorily, “Working with Lawyer Qian has been a great learning experience.”

“You don’t have to hide it from me. I know it must be tough. Young lawyers like you don’t get much of a cut from big cases like mine, right? Your monthly salary is probably just a few thousand, isn’t it?”

Tang Bing’s voice drew closer. It seemed he had moved to stand behind her. This made Cheng Yao uncomfortable, especially since she was still bent over beneath the conference table in an awkward position.

Finally, she managed to plug in the power cord.

But just as she was about to back out from under the table, Tang Bing suddenly crouched down behind her—and then, a hand lightly patted her on the butt.

Cheng Yao froze, her heart lurching in alarm. Instinctively, she tried to scramble out from under the table, but Tang Bing, a grown middle-aged man, used his body to block her exit.

“Lawyer Cheng, has anyone ever told you that you have a particularly beautiful figure?” His voice oozed sleaze as his hand once again landed on her. “The moment I saw you, it was love at first sight. You remind me of my first love—you’re beautiful, obedient, and sharp. Truly irresistible. You know, I haven’t felt this way in a long time. My wife and I haven’t been close for years; we’ve been living apart for ages. If you’re willing to be with me, I’ll divorce her right away….”

It took Cheng Yao mere seconds to realize she was being sexually harassed in the workplace.

She had always known that Tang Bing was a sleazy man with questionable personal conduct, but she never imagined he would be brazen enough to harass her outright in a work meeting room. Did he truly believe that money could solve everything? That every woman would bow to wealth?

Keep dreaming, you bastard!