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With a soft ding, the elevator doors closed, plunging the space into an awkward silence so thick it was almost suffocating.
Xu Qingli had already tried to shrink herself into the farthest corner possible, yet she still couldn’t escape the overwhelming pressure radiating from Wen Qiaozhou beside her. Even without meeting his gaze, she could feel his eyes boring into her, like flickering flames licking at her skin, scorching her until her head threatened to smoke.
How could she be she so unlucky? Shouldn’t the CEO of a company have his own private elevator? What was he doing squeezing in here with lowly employees like them?
And why did he keep staring at her so intently?
It wasn’t like she had a flower sprouting out from the top of her head.
Was it because she wasn’t wearing any makeup and dressed too plainly?
Had her careless words somehow backfired?! Her mouth couldn’t be so cursed as to jinx it, right?!
Though her mind buzzed with questions, Xu Qingli didn’t dare lift her head to scrutinize Wen Qiaozhou. Instead, she silently started to count sheep in her head, desperate for a distraction. Every second had stretched into what felt like an eternity.
Wen Qiaozhou desperately wanted to lock eyes with Xu Qingli again.
The first time he had seen the the barrage of comments floating above someone’s head, after the initial shock, he had felt a flicker of smug satisfaction. After all, with such an ability, who could possibly rival him? Everything would remain effortlessly within his grasp.
But very quickly, Wen Qiaozhou soon realized that this skill was more of a burden than a boon to him.
First, he was already adept at reading people. What his ability revealed to him usually aligned with his own deductions. Without the process of having to decipher the inner calculations of the other person, having their thoughts laid bare before him stripped away the intrigue of it, leaving him only a dull predictability.
Second, he already knew full well he wasn’t a good person. Many who appeared deferential to his face were actually inwardly cursing him in their hearts. He didn’t mind being cursed at, but seeing those insults practically plastered before his eyes was hardly a pleasant experience. Worse still, some of the vitriol was too downright vile to even look at.
Wen Qiaozhou had grown increasingly reluctant to meet people’s gazes. That wasn’t until today, when he unexpectedly encountered something entirely different.
That soft and refreshing art style was like a powerful cleanser, washing over his vision. Though it had only lasted a second, it left him with a rare sense of clarity and exhilaration.
Still, he had always been a cautious man by nature. As much as he longed to take another look at that barrage of comments above Xu Qingli’s head again, he refrained from speaking up in this setting.
For one, Xu Qingli was the only exception he had encountered in years. He still wasn’t sure if this was mere coincidence, so further observation was necessary.
Moreover, the executives packed into the elevator were already spinning wild theories in their heads, and he had no intention of adding fuel to the fire.
The Wen Group was a prestigious conglomerate, the undisputed industry leader in Xing City. The current chairwoman, Zhu Zhenshan, was Wen Qiaozhou’s grandmother.
Zhu Zhenshan had three sons and four daughters, and although not all of them were her biological children, it was said they all got along well. Yet when it came to selecting an heir, she bypassed all seven of her own children and chose Wen Qiaozhou from among her grandchildren.
Before becoming the heir, Wen Qiaozhou hadn’t been a particularly prominent figure within the family. With older siblings above him and younger ones below, and not even being Zhu Zhenshan’s favorite, his selection had initially baffled many.
Only those who had worked with him understood why. Wen Qiaozhou was intelligent, resourceful, ruthless, and prioritized profit above all else. He was, in essence, the perfect money-making machine.
He had always rejected romance, considering it a nuisance. In public, he avoided excessive contact with women to prevent gossip.
But today, he actually took the initiative to stand next to Xu Qingli?!
What was so special about this girl?
She was of above average height, and although dressed in sportswear, her well-proportioned figure was evident, with a slim waist and long legs. Her cheeks carried a hint of baby fat, and her large eyes were indeed lively. The way she shrank into the corner, avoiding everyone, was pitiable yet endearing, but she was far too plain to be considered stunning at first glance.
Was Wen Qiaozhou genuinely interested, or was he displeased?
None of the executives could figure it out. No one had ever been able to decipher Wen Qiaozhou’s thoughts.
Shui Miao, in particular, was even more unsettled.
Compared to those executives, although she might not know Wen Qiaozhou well enough, she was certain she understood Xu Qingli inside out.
Although Xu Qingli had acted so strangely today that it seemed as if she were a completely different person, Shui Miao was too familiar with her to doubt her identity. As for the idea of switching souls—that was definitely nothing but nonsense.
After much deliberation, Shui Miao concluded there were two possibilities.
Either Xu Qingli had somehow offended Wen Qiaozhou and was avoiding him out of guilt. But when they parted just last night, Xu Qingli had still been full of anticipation. In such a short time, could she have even had the chance to approach Wen Qiaozhou, let alone offend him?
Given her expertise in “hooking fish”, Xu Qingli did indeed have some tricks up her sleeve. Shui Miao thought it was possible, but unlikely. As a contracted artist of the company, Xu Qingli couldn’t possibly be unaware of Wen Qiaozhou, much less dare to provoke him.
Thus, the second possibility seemed more plausible—Xu Qingli had somehow learned that Wen Qiaozhou preferred low-key girls and was tailoring her behavior to his preferences.
Was she really planning to “hook” the fish that was the CEO himself?
She must have a death wish.
With a soft ding, the elevator doors slid open again.
Wen Qiaozhou and the others were headed to the top floor, so Shui Miao and Xu Qingli stepped out first.
For Xu Qingli, the brief minute inside the elevator had felt like an eternity of torment. She was nearly exhausted, and once free, she couldn’t help but take a few deep breaths.
Yet Shui Miao pulled her to a stop at the elevator doors, forcing her to watch as Wen Qiaozhou and the others in the elevator departed.
Xu Qingli kept her eyes downcast, refusing to look up.
Only after the elevator doors had fully closed did Wen Qiaozhou finally withdraw his gaze, his expression cooling slightly.
Not being able to see the comments above her head anymore was somewhat disappointing.
The other executives, however, were left uneasy. What exactly did this mean?
*
pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:
Xu Qingli followed Shui Miao into the conference room, where a large crowd had already gathered inside.
The front rows were packed, with only one or two seats occasionally left vacant.
Shui Miao frowned and immediately moved forward, only to be stopped by Xu Qingli tugging at her sleeve.
“Sis,” Xu Qingli whispered, nearly pleading as the sight of so many people immediately made her scalp tingle. “How about we just sit in the back?”
Shui Miao’s first instinct was to refuse. In such a crowded setting, how could anyone notice you if you didn’t actively put yourself forward?
But then she recalled Wen Qiaozhou’s reaction in the elevator and glanced at Xu Qingli again. Swallowing her initial response, she nodded. “Fine, as you wish.”
“Thank you, Sis.” Xu Qingli exhaled in relief and quickly slipped into the very last row to sit down.
Today, everyone was scrambling to squeeze into the front, leaving the last row completely empty. The second-to-last row, however, had two groups seated.
On the left sat the original novel’s female lead, Shu Ruan, and her manager. Though still a relatively unknown figure at this point, Shu Ruan possessed striking features and was a radiant beauty with an enviable figure. Tonight, she wore a fitted red dress that drew considerable attention toward her despite being in the back rows.
The person on the right was named Wen Xiangxiang, a wealthy second-generation heiress from a collateral branch of the Wen family, she had reportedly entered the entertainment industry purely out of interest. Dressed in haute couture and adorned with dazzling luxury jewelry, she was just as eye-catching as Shu Ruan.
With these two blocking her from view in front, it was almost impossible for anyone to notice her.
Xu Qingli was quite satisfied with this seat.
Since they had arrived relatively late, the meeting began shortly after they sat down.
Like almost every corporate meeting, this one was just as tedious, especially during the leadership speeches, which were downright sleep-inducing.
Just as Xu Qingli’s eyelids were drooping, she suddenly heard a booming “Hello, President Wen!” jolting her awake.
A stir swept through the conference room as the previously listless attendees instantly straightened up in their seats.
Xu Qingli took advantage of the commotion to glance up.
In the novel, Wen Qiaozhou was a major villain as well as the most handsome character in the entire novel, openly admitted by the author themselves.
It was said that as a child, Wen Qiaozhou had been so strikingly beautiful that he had even been considered a “demon”, with even his parents resenting him. This was a major reason that led to his later twisted personality and eventual role as a villain.
So of course, Xu Qingli was naturally terrified of Wen Qiaozhou, which was why she had only dared to steal a fleeting glance when they’d crossed paths in the elevator.
Her overall impression at the time had been that he was undeniably handsome—tall, long-legged, and exuding an overwhelming presence with his cold, steely demeanor, instantly reducing the surrounding executives to mere background extras. His face had been stunning at first glance, flawless in every way, but she hadn’t actually gotten a clear look at his features.
For someone with a penchant for ogling attractive people, such divine looks were a rare treat, and Xu Qingli couldn’t resist the urge to sneak another peek.
After all, with so many people around, Wen Qiaozhou probably wouldn’t notice her.
But whether he had anticipated her sitting in the corner or simply had a thing for corners himself, the moment Xu Qingli looked his way, she found his sharp gaze already sweeping toward the back row, still just as piercing as ever.
Xu Qingli shuddered and immediately averted her eyes, not daring to look up again.
Why was this man so terrifying?
Thankfully, their eyes hadn’t met. He probably hadn’t noticed her, right?
She hunched her shoulders slightly, sinking lower in her seat to hide completely behind Shu Ruan.
Since she didn’t look up again, she missed the fact that Wen Qiaozhou’s gaze lingered on her for a full two seconds before moving away—after which he never looked at anyone else again.
Shui Miao, however, caught everything. “I knew it,” she thought with a mix of resignation and dread. How had Xu Qingli gotten her hands on this information? Just how much had she been doing behind her back?
Wen Qiaozhou’s arrival instantly electrified the atmosphere of the meeting. Both the speakers and the audience seemed pumped up as if they had been injected with chicken blood, cheering at even the most mundane remarks.
The executive who was speaking on stage was very perceptive of the mood and quickly wrapped up his speech before yielding the stage to Wen Qiaozhou.
Wen Qiaozhou wasted no time with unnecessary words, getting straight to the point, “Apologies for taking up everyone’s time, the company has a promotional video…”
His voice was deep and slightly raspy, not at all like the hoarse kind that came from smoking, but one with a natural magnetism. It didn’t quite match his ethereally handsome appearance, which surprised Xu Qingli. She instinctively wanted to look up again but managed to restrain herself at the last second.
Just as she was itching with curiosity, Wen Qiaozhou suddenly said, “The young lady in the gray tracksuit in the back row, you answer.”
Xu Qingli didn’t even realize he was calling on her, still lost in thought.
Shui Miao gave her a gentle nudge.
Xu Qingli was like a slacking student caught daydreaming in class by the teacher. She shot up from her seat with a start, only to make an even bigger commotion in her flustered state, instantly flushing crimson with embarrassment.
The worst part was she had no idea what she was supposed to say now that she was standing. Shui Miao offered no help either, leaving her no choice but to hang her head low.
“Come on, look at me and answer the question,” Wen Qiaozhou said in an even tone, giving nothing away.
But to Xu Qingli, his words felt nothing short of a threat. She instinctively lifted her gaze as instructed and was abruptly met with a pair of mesmerizing peach blossom eyes.
Wen Qiaozhou finally saw the chibi version of her appear above her head again.
This time, the little girl was clearly terrified. Her long hair stood on end, whipping wildly in the wind, her wide eyes brimming with confusion. A flurry of thought bubbles floated around her head, each screaming: [Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to do? What’s the answer? Have you never seen someone zone out in class before? That young lady in front of me is so pretty, is he blind? Why not call on her? I’m keeping such a low profile, so why are you picking on me?]
Although she might appear dazed on the outside, it was clear that her inner world was lively.
Wen Qiaozhou almost laughed out loud but quickly covered it up with a light cough.
Xu Qingli took that cough as a warning. Gritting her teeth, she muttered in defeat, “I don’t know.”
The conference room fell dead silent in an instant.
Did she not know who was on the stage? How could she dare to act so brazenly? What kind of act was she up to?
Everyone turned to look at her, but seeing Shui Miao still remaining relatively calm, they shifted their gazes to Wen Qiaozhou.
Many couldn’t help but wonder—would Wen Qiaozhou lose his temper?
Wen Qiaozhou narrowed his eyes, though he didn’t seem angry. He simply said, “Very good. After the meeting, come to Director Gao’s office with your manager.”
Then he watched as Xu Qingli maintained a calm exterior, her expression barely changing. But above her head, the wind died down, and the chibi girl stopped trembling. Instead, she reached into her her head and pulled out a mint-green cube labeled with the words, CPU.
The next second—bang! The CPU exploded, leaving the little girl charred from head to toe, slowly toppling over, leaving behind just one final thought bubble: [Already dead. Don’t @ me.]
AHHHHH my daughter is so effing cute !!!!
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