Looks like if I don’t show you so fire, you won’t know how tough I am. You really think I’m that easy to bully, don’t you?
Hua Xiaomo imdiately grabbed the foot wreaking havoc on her face, no longer caring about his image as President. With her fingers, she furiously scratched the sole of his foot...
The sensation hit a particularly sensitive spot, causing Qi Longbing to abruptly stop speaking and, inexplicably, burst into laughter.
This was no small laugh. The departnt managers seated below imdiately exchanged various glances. Of course, they had to keenly observe his expression! This was a pri opportunity!
The President suddenly laughed? What does that an? Maybe it’s a good thing!
Following suit, many others also began to chuckle.
The office, deathly serious just monts before, was suddenly filled with strange bursts of laughter. Instantly, the tense atmosphere fractured.
"What the hell are you laughing at! You still have the gall to laugh!" A sharp voice suddenly cut through the air like a heavy mallet, striking everyone’s smiles, freezing them on their faces, fixed in that very second.
Qi Longbing’s exceptionally handso face twisted into a series of bizarre expressions. But when the mischievous woman under the table tickled the sole of his foot again, he found it increasingly difficult to suppress his laughter.
Finally, he covered his lips with one hand and quickly said, "That’s all for today. I want a self-criticism report from everyone summarizing your work errors. Any repeat offenses will result in imdiate dismissal! eting adjourned!"
Everyone drew a sharp breath. Alright, though no pay cuts or benefit reductions were ntioned, these harsh words made everyone break out in a cold sweat.
Soon, after everyone had left the conference room, Qi Longbing finally put on his shoes. He stepped back, then sat down in his executive chair, rolling it back a considerable distance to let out the poor little woman who had been stuck under there for an hour.
When Hua Xiaomo crawled out from under the desk on all fours, Qi Longbing’s heart ached at the sight. She looked like a pitiful stray dog, her hair utterly disheveled, her makeup completely smudged. Her pink blouse was rumpled and askew.
"Xiao Mo..." Qi Longbing suddenly leaned down, intending to comfort her with a smile.
"Don’t co near !" Hua Xiaomo slapped his hand away, scrambled to her feet, and shot towards the restroom like an arrow.
SLAM!
The door slamd shut and was quickly locked from within.
The sound of rushing water echoed from the restroom.
Hua Xiaomo stared at her reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing herself. She wanted to laugh, but no laughter ca.
"Heh... heh..." Hua Xiaomo pressed a hand to her mouth, forcing a hollow laugh. She repeatedly spat into the sink, then splashed water on her face again and again. It was as if she wanted to wash away the feeling of his foot on her face; she washed and washed for a very long ti.
Her hands gripped the edge of the sink, water droplets clinging to her eyelashes, her expression unreadable.
She kept wondering, why had her life undergone such earth-shattering changes in such a short ti? Why? Why couldn’t she live her life on her own terms? Why did she have to be controlled by others at every turn? Why couldn’t she have a peaceful, happy life that was truly her own? She wasn’t a terrible person, so why was fate playing such a cruel joke on her, making her days so miserable?
Hua Xiaomo lifted her head to look in the mirror. A sorrowful, tearless smile touched her lips. Whether it was from indignation or sothing else, she didn’t know, but water—or were they tears?—blurred her vision...
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK! The sound echoed from the other side of the door.
"Hua Xiaomo, open the door!" Qi Longbing’s voice ca from outside.
Hua Xiaomo didn’t answer. She gazed at her reflection, and after a long mont, she swallowed a sob. Again, she lowered her head to the faucet, vigorously splashing water onto her face. She washed until her hair, the front of her blouse, and her sleeves were soaked. Only then did it feel as if she could finally breathe.
She suppressed the pain threatening to overflow from her eyes, burying it all deep within her heart.
"Hua Xiaomo, if you don’t open this door, I’ll break it down!" Qi Longbing frowned. Staring at the firmly closed door, he suddenly regretted not having a key made.
Suddenly, the door opened from the inside. The woman who erged was different; her usual smile was back in place.
"President Qi, I’m sorry I took so long. You can use the restroom now," Hua Xiaomo said with a smile, rolling up her damp sleeves. Just as she was about to brush past him—
A large hand suddenly shot out and grabbed her arm. "Were you crying?"
The question hung in the air, creating a strange and palpable tension.
"Haha..." Hua Xiaomo burst out laughing. She glanced sideways at the man before her. He really is the high and mighty President. The all-powerful President, the ultimate boss, capable of completely dominating others’ lives. A man she absolutely could not afford to provoke! She admitted defeat. Wasn’t that enough? What more did she have to do for him to let her go? She desperately wanted to ask, to know, what was the reason for such a deep-seated "grudge"? Why did he have to crush her, to trample her underfoot until she groveled at his feet, her face in the dirt? Fine. He’d succeeded. He truly had trampled all over her dignity... Qi Longbing, go on and be pleased with yourself!
Abruptly, he released her hand, unable to read her expression. Is she blaming ? Hating ?
Without another word, Hua Xiaomo turned away and returned to her workstation. Looking at the docunts on her desk, her mood, for so unknown reason, began to lift slightly.
When the lunch break arrived, Qi Longbing still hadn’t spoken. Hua Xiaomo imdiately stood up, said nothing, grabbed her bag, and hurried out of the office.
CLICK. The door closed. The sound seed to strike his heart, causing Qi Longbing’s brow to furrow deeply.
He thought back on everything that had happened in the past hour... Was it punishnt? Satisfaction? Or so other indescribable emotion? In any case, he had done it, and done it thoroughly! And who would dare say a word against him? Hua Xiaomo... you think you can resist? There’s nothing I, Qi Longbing, want that I can’t have! Resistance is futile! A dark glint shone in Qi Longbing’s eyes, casting a shadow over his handso face.
He quickly took out his phone and dialed a number. "Yu Bao, Hua Xiaomo just left the office. Follow her."
"Yes, President Qi." Yu Bao acknowledged and hung up, imdiately getting to work.
That Hua Xiaomo is really asking for it, he mused. Offending the boss never leads to a good outco. The woman is truly foolish. Why on earth would she provoke him? And the things she says are often unbearable. The boss hasn’t even treated her that badly, yet she still acts this way. So people just can’t be helped.
...
As Qi Longbing expected, Hua Xiaomo did not go to the employee cafeteria. Instead, she left the Qi Imperial Court building directly. As for her destination, soone would naturally report her every move back to him.
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