Chapter 23

After answering three questions, Xie Jinxing waved his hand as if shooing away a stray cat or dog, sat down, and immediately started working.
Gu An’an trudged back to her desk, looking lost and unsure what to do.
Sister Lily had equipped her with everything, a desktop computer with a massive screen, a direct internal line to the top boss himself, and all the necessary tools.
Even though Gu An’an didn’t really understand why she needed a fixed-line phone when she could literally shout through the glass wall and be heard, she figured that if the company gave her one, it must serve a purpose.
Clutching her constantly pinging phone, she sneaked a glance through the spotless glass at the man buried in his work.
The cleaning lady on the 30th floor was almost too diligent; the glass walls gleamed without a single smudge. Gu An’an was sure that if she dared to touch her phone, Xie Jinxing would catch her red-handed the moment he lifted his head.
She sat up straight at her desk, hands neatly folded in front of her.
Right now, she felt like one of those stone lions squatting at the gates of a rich household, only missing a red ribbon tied around her neck.
While she was thinking about buying a privacy screen protector after work, the elevator chimed.
People began arriving one after another.
Then Gu An’an suddenly remembered, Xie Jinxing had said there’d be a meeting in half an hour. Now the senior executives of the Xie Corporation, who had gone downstairs for a short break, were all arriving right on time.
And every single one of them glanced at her as they passed. It made her feel like one of those waving lucky cat figurines placed at a store’s entrance, except she was the brand-new one sitting outside the boss’s office, making her even more eye-catching.
She didn’t dare look at her phone, afraid someone would gossip about her “special treatment.”
Even though…well, technically, she was a special case.
Within five minutes, the meeting room was full.
The executives of Xie Corporation were nothing if not punctual, no one dared to act self-important when it came to meetings. Someone was already setting up the equipment when Gu An’an turned to look at the “creation of Nuwa herself,” as she mentally called Xie Jinxing.
He closed his laptop, stood up, and without even glancing at her, walked toward the main conference room.
Of course, the meeting room wasn’t the kind of place where an assassin with a shotgun could pull a “first gun of Japan” move like the one that killed Shinzo Abe. But given the “babysitter” duties that came with her assistant title, Gu An’an couldn’t help wondering, should she follow him and carry his things?
Left behind at her desk, she looked like a child abandoned at an orphanage gate, confused and a little panicked.
…Boss?
Boss!!
Look back, please! You left someone behind at your door!
But the boss didn’t hear her silent cries. After a while, the door to the meeting room opened again.
This time, Xie Jinxing came out holding a mug.
Strange. The boss was getting his own water?
Then it hit her, her first assignment!
She darted forward like a baby bird waiting for its mother to feed it, stopping right in front of him. “Boss, are you going to get water?”
Xie Jinxing paused mid-step.
He was rarely the type to let an assistant serve him tea or water. Everyone who had worked with him knew his quirks, he hated people touching his personal items, even out of goodwill.
Still, he lowered his eyes to the eager new assistant in front of him.
Her bright eyes practically sparkled as if they could talk.
Perhaps amused by her enthusiasm, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He nodded.
“Give me the cup, I’ll do it.”
Encouraged by the “go ahead,” Gu An’an became even more energetic. “What would you like to drink? Coffee or tea?”
“A glass of water. Thank you.”
“Got it!”
The Xie Corporation’s break room was stocked like a luxury café, hand grinders, milk frothers, juicers, purifiers, and trays of fresh fruit and handmade French pastries.
Rich people really did live differently; even their afternoon tea screamed expensive.
As she fumbled with the machines, she thought, No wonder the female lead in the novel ignored all those flashy rich kids and fell for the older boss instead. A single sweet fruit versus a tree that bears them every year, who wouldn’t pick the tree?
Not to mention, Xie Jinxing was ridiculously handsome and fit.
After five minutes of struggling, Gu An’an had to admit defeat.
So she settled for filling his mug halfway with hot water and topping it off with cold, making sure it was the perfect temperature before taking it to the conference room.
He accepted it without looking up, took a sip and froze.
Gu An’an leaned forward nervously. “Too hot?”
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple moving slightly. “No. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome~”
The executives pretended to focus on their notes, but their side glances were practically lasers.
Most of them had worked under the Xie family for years, they knew this man was famously ascetic, to the point of making even middle-aged men marvel. And yet…today, there was something.
Gu An’an didn’t leave after delivering the water.
As the tech team finished setting up, Xie Jinxing glanced at her and asked, “Want to listen?”
“Can I?”
“Stand over there. Phone on silent.”
That was as good as permission.
Her eyes lit up instantly. She grabbed a notebook and pen.
The meeting was about Xie Corporation’s upcoming sports foundation project, a collaboration originally started by Grandpa Xie and the Liang family. With the old man’s health declining, the project naturally fell to Xie Jinxing.
She listened intently, jotting down notes that looked more like scribbles than words. She felt like she’d just attended a lecture in a foreign language.
The executives’ brains worked at lightning speed, exchanging information faster than she could process.
By the end of the meeting, she sat at her desk feeling defeated.
No way…I’m supposed to be smart!
Before she could finish her self-reflection, Xie Jinxing shut his laptop with a decisive click.
She hadn’t even noticed him leave the room until he was standing right in front of her desk, tapping the glass divider with two fingers.
Knock knock.
“Let’s go.”
She blinked. “…?”
“Lunch break.”
“You don’t do takeout?” she asked in surprise.
“?”
Wasn’t every CEO supposed to time meals down to the second? The fact that he actually went out to eat shocked her.
Their eyes met. His narrowed slightly.
She immediately looked down. In her mind, though, she was muttering: Aren’t workaholic CEOs supposed to skip meals, ruin their stomachs, and sleep three hours a night?
But of course, she didn’t dare say that out loud.
“Okay,” she said brightly. “Should I carry your bag, boss?”
He shot her a cool glance and didn’t answer.
Pretending not to notice her “wow, that was a quick save, hope he didn’t catch me thinking nonsense” face, he stepped into the elevator first.
She hurried after him.
Assistant Li joined them, taking the passenger seat in the car. Gu An’an had no choice but to sit in the back, next to the boss.
She hesitated at the door, not wanting to sit too close. But lunchtime was short; if she delayed, she’d lose the chance to eat. So she slid in quietly, keeping a full arm’s length between them.
He didn’t care. He simply leaned back and closed his eyes.
The car started moving, and the partition rose smoothly, sealing them in a private space. The faint, cool scent of leather filled the air, cold, clean, and distinctly him.
Even silent, his presence was overwhelming.
Gu An’an immediately straightened her posture.
As the car emerged from the underground garage, sunlight streamed through the window. The rain had stopped, and the bright summer sun illuminated his face. His pale skin glowed, his dark lashes casting uneven shadows across his cheek.
He looked human in that moment, tired, with faint circles under his eyes. Clearly, even the mighty CEO wasn’t immune to exhaustion.
Only then did Gu An’an dare check her phone.
Her chat app was blowing up, she’d been added to the company group chat, where everyone was gossiping about “the girl who rode in the boss’s car.”
That’s me, she thought dryly. The double agent bought by money.
She sighed and locked her phone.
…
The car stopped at the mouth of a narrow alley.
No one spoke or moved. The driver and assistant waited for the boss’s cue, but Xie Jinxing was still asleep.
Gu An’an glanced at Assistant Li several times, but he avoided eye contact like a pro.
Classic corporate behavior, she thought.
Finally, she took a deep breath and, gathering all her courage, tugged gently at Xie Jinxing’s sleeve.
He opened his eyes instantly.
The sharpness in his gaze startled her, it was pure instinct, the kind that came from long habit, like a reflex to being attacked. His dark pupils locked onto hers, and she froze.
After three seconds, his eyes refocused, and his expression softened.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and shifted slightly, surprisingly calm for someone who’d just been woken up.
“Uncle, are we here?” she asked, pointing out the window. “This doesn’t look like a restaurant.”
“Yeah.”
He ran a hand through his hair, the simple motion elegant and effortlessly youthful.
Li had already gotten out and opened the door for him.
Gu An’an didn’t wait, she jumped out on her own.
And sure enough, it was a restaurant.
Just one hidden behind old walls and traditional architecture, with winding cobblestone paths, misty pools, and the soft sound of running water. Inside, it was like stepping into a Japanese garden.
They entered a private room where an elderly Japanese man with graying hair was already waiting.
The man stood immediately to greet Xie Jinxing with both hands out, while a woman kneeling behind him, clearly the translator, bowed politely.
So this was a business lunch, not…whatever she’d half-imagined.
Gu An’an exhaled in relief. Thank God. For a second, I thought I’d turned into the female lead of a CEO romance.
Xie Jinxing, as it turned out, spoke fluent Japanese. He didn’t even need the translator. Assistant Li, kneeling beside him, could manage basic business talk, but nowhere near his level.
As for Gu An’an and the poor translator in the corner, they were both completely useless.
Everyone knew Xie Jinxing was famously reserved, but seeing him now, so poised and courteous, was another level. His composure and charm weren’t just cold arrogance, they were perfectly calculated professionalism.
Watching him, Gu An’an almost forgot this was the same man who scared her half to death that morning.
The conversation went smoothly until near the end, when his phone buzzed on the table.
He glanced at it, and his expression cooled.
After a brief apology, he gestured for Li to wrap things up and stepped outside to take the call.
Having finished her meal, Gu An’an murmured something about the restroom and left as well.
The place was huge, so huge it felt like a maze. Stone paths, plants, and wooden walkways crisscrossed everywhere. She was completely lost until a staff member kindly pointed her toward the restroom.
She thanked them profusely and hurried off.
What she didn’t expect, what she couldn’t have imagined was running into Su Ruan here, of all places.
Not that she looked down on Su Ruan, but come on, this place screamed expensive.
And with Su Ruan’s spending habits…there was no way she could afford to eat here.
It was almost unbelievable, Su Ruan, dressed in a luxurious Japanese dahlia-patterned kimono, was walking gracefully down a shaded path. Her lips curved in a soft smile, a large flower pinned in her hair, looking every inch a noble lady of pure Japanese blood. With delicate, mincing steps, she followed beside a middle-aged man, smiling demurely up at him.
Gu An’an leaned against the bathroom door, watching the direction Su Ruan was headed. It seemed to be the courtyard where Xie Jinxing was.
She turned back and saw him half-hidden behind a rockery. The distance wasn’t close, but his tall frame stood out, he was hard to miss. Seriously, what was this, the old matchmaking god tying them together with a steel chain? Otherwise how could such ridiculous coincidences keep happening? He picked such a secluded spot for a business meeting and still ran into Su Ruan, was the plot just determined to push them together?
Admiring once again how fate favored the leads, Gu An’an decided she’d better just go to the restroom.
…
Less than ten minutes later, when she came out, something absurd had happened again.
Everything was so ludicrous it felt like a farce.
She honestly couldn’t figure out how Su Ruan had gone from “elegant Japanese heiress” ten minutes ago to “pitiful geisha abused by a sleazy client.”
The gorgeous kimono she’d worn was disheveled, her hair a wild mess.
Now she looked like a wounded cub without its mother’s protection, trembling in Xie Jinxing’s arms, her slender shoulders shaking like dew on a lotus leaf, as if one touch might shatter her.
Gu An’an was stunned.
Absolutely stunned.
Would it kill the script to give a little context before jumping into a new scene like this? Standing in the shadow of the veranda, she wasn’t even sure if this was her cue to appear or not.
If she interrupted the boss’s “romantic moment,” would he throw her to the sharks in advance?
Tapping on her phone, she messaged Li the assistant, who, according to the plot, should still be in the private room.
As it turned out, Li really wasn’t there. Whether by coincidence or narrative manipulation, he’d left with a client to fetch an official seal, with the boss’s permission.
Li texted back: “Boss finished up five minutes ago. He’s waiting for you. Are you back yet?”
Yeah. She was back. At the worst possible time.
Gu An’an stared at the message, feeling strangely honored and terrified. Since when did her workaholic boss wait for anyone? What was she supposed to do now, rush out and say, “Boss, I’m done using the restroom, we can leave now”?
From where she was, she couldn’t quite hear what they were saying.
When she moved closer, their voices finally came through clearly, and she understood the cause of the whole ridiculous scene.
Apparently, Su Ruan had recently found herself a new side job, one introduced by Shen Shan’s contacts.
It paid extremely well, enough that one “assignment” could cover her mother’s hospital bill for an entire month. If she was good at it, anyway. The name wasn’t great, and the nature of the job was…hard to talk about.
It wasn’t technically illegal, nothing as serious as an actual sex trade, but it did involve young girls accompanying wealthy older men to business events. The men would provide clothes, jewelry, gifts, and then pay an absurdly high daily rate. Once the event was over, the girl could leave.
It was a localized version of the Japanese “papa-katsu”, a trend started by bored rich men, now quietly imported and adapted here. The circle was tiny; only those introduced by insiders could get in.
Su Ruan was sobbing miserably, her nose red like she’d dabbed on blush, her fragile crying voice trembling with every word.
Leaning against Xie Jinxing’s chest, she insisted she hadn’t known what kind of job it really was. Her mother’s medical bills were due, and she was desperate. Her senior had promised it was safe, she couldn’t understand how she’d gotten so unlucky on her first try, nearly being assaulted by that rich old man.
Apparently, she’d clawed at the man’s face and escaped while he was covering his eyes.
“What should I do, Mr. Xie?” she whimpered, curling into a ball. “I think I might’ve scratched his eye! What if he comes after me for revenge?”
Xie Jinxing stood stiffly, feeling the fabric at his chest soaking through.
His lips were pressed flat, his expression unreadable.
And yet, in that moment, one thought crossed his mind, dirty. This shirt was dirty.
Even so, he didn’t push her away. “It’s fine. In a situation like that, it’s not just you who broke the rules. The man who did this has much more to worry about, his reputation, the circle’s backlash.”
His calm reassurance only made her cry harder. The tears streamed endlessly, like a faucet turned on full.
Impatience flickered in his eyes. How long was Gu An’an taking in that bathroom?
Finally, Su Ruan’s sobs subsided.
She looked down, pale cheeks still wet, voice hoarse from crying. Then she started apologizing again. “I’m sorry, Mr. Xie. I got your clothes dirty.”
As if just realizing she’d thrown herself at him, she fumbled for tissues and began wiping at his chest. “Do you have a spare shirt? If not, you can give me this one, I’ll take it back and wash it for you.”
He stepped back, dodging her touch.
That tiny retreat was all the resistance he could muster. The atmosphere was heavy, suffocating, and somehow, he couldn’t pull his gaze away from her. Looking around, he seemed ready to escort her back to his private room.
Gu An’an, who’d been hiding this whole time, panicked. If they left, she’d lose her chance to rejoin the boss, and maybe get left behind. So she burst out like a bandit blocking the road.
“Boss.”
The word rang sharp and clear. Xie Jinxing froze mid-step.
Not even a second’s delay, he just stopped cold.
Gu An’an blinked, startled by how oddly stiff his stance was. Before she could speak, the “male lead about to run off with the heroine” suddenly dropped the heroine’s hand.
“...?”
Su Ruan also froze, staring at him in shock.
Still facing away from Gu An’an, Xie Jinxing stood rigid, his suit jacket draped over Su Ruan’s shoulders. That gentle expression from before vanished completely, as if it had never existed.
And at that moment, Su Ruan’s face twisted in something like fear, she shrank back a step, eyes wide.
Gu An’an: “???”
Why were they both looking at her like they’d seen a ghost?!
“Boss?” she ventured. “Did you…step in a hole or something?”
He turned slightly. “You were in the bathroom for twenty minutes?”
“…”
“Did you fall in?”
“…”
“Are you done now?”
“…”
Excuse me, she’d been trying not to interrupt your romantic moment, have some mercy! With the heroine it was “Don’t worry, it’s fine, I’ll handle it,” but with her it’s “What took you so long?”
Muttering in her head, she meekly said she’d gotten lost.
Su Ruan kept her head down, silent. Her bangs hid her expression completely.
Without another word, Xie Jinxing walked past, the faint scent of expensive cologne trailing behind him. As he brushed by Su Ruan, his gaze flicked down to the soaked patch on his shirt, his brows creasing. “Let’s go. Lunch break’s over.”
He didn’t look at Su Ruan again, just left. His jacket remained draped on her shoulders, forgotten.
Gu An’an stared after him in shock. What happened to the polite, refined CEO? That face change was faster than a drop tower ride.
Even Su Ruan looked rattled by his sudden coldness.
“Mr. Xie…” she called softly.
He paused but didn’t look back. Instead, he turned toward Gu An’an. “Are you coming or not?”
“!”
She glanced between them, bewildered. Su Ruan’s eyes darted away like she’d been burned.
“Coming,” Gu An’an said, hurrying after him.
Once their silhouettes vanished down the veranda, Su Ruan slowly lifted her head.
Her face was still blotchy from crying, but her eyes were dark and venomous now. She carefully removed the jacket, folded it neatly, and headed to the women’s restroom behind the bushes.
The place was nearly empty. She locked the door, stood before the mirror, and began fixing her hair. Straightening the kimono, retying her bun, re-inserting the hairpin.
“Why was Gu An’an there?” she muttered, her voice sharp with irritation.
The mere thought made her skin crawl. Closing her eyes, she cursed under her breath, then lashed out and kicked the stall door hard. “Why is she always there when Xie Jinxing is?!”
No one answered, but she went on like she was arguing with someone.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly, eyes reddening with rage.
If there was one person Su Ruan hated more than anyone, past life, present life, five lives in total, it was Gu An’an.
She’d spent enormous effort and lifespan on five rebirths, yet every time, Gu An’an ruined her.
That woman was her natural nemesis. Whenever Gu An’an appeared, all the system’s filters and luck bonuses stopped working.
Su Ruan had even suspected Gu An’an possessed a system too, maybe their energies conflicted, canceling each other out. But every scan had come back negative.
If it wasn’t a system, then it could only mean Gu An’an restrained her.
Thinking of how she’d been forced to drop her act again today, Su Ruan clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms.
“No. I have to get rid of her. This time for good.”
She was panicking, this was her last chance. Miss it, and she’d have no more lives left to restart.
Her frustration built until it twisted her face. Staring into the mirror, she saw her bloodshot eyes glowing redder by the second.
Five lifetimes had shattered her mind; memories overlapped like piles of rotting trash, clogging her head until her nerves screamed.
“Can’t you erase some of it?” she hissed. “I don’t care if I lose a few.”
It wasn’t jealousy. Gu An’an’s mere existence made her recall everything she’d tried to suppress. Every encounter with her was like a reeking garbage bin bursting open under the sun.
“My head can’t take it,” she muttered through clenched teeth. “As long as she lives, I suffer. If she dies I’ll finally be free.”
“I have to get closer to Jiang Sen. Fast.”
Clutching her temples, she sat trembling on the toilet lid, waiting for the storm of overlapping memories to subside.
Only after a long, shuddering while did she calm down, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Her limbs still trembled; this was the usual aftermath of seeing Gu An’an.
When she finally opened the door, a young woman was standing at the mirror applying makeup.
Their eyes met in the reflection, the woman startled at Su Ruan’s pale, fragile look.
“Hey, are you okay?” she asked, rushing over to steady her. “You look like you’re about to faint.”
Su Ruan’s eyes were still rimmed red, but she quietly shook her head.
The woman dug through her purse and offered a chocolate. “Here, you might have low blood sugar.”
Su Ruan didn’t take it. Her gaze flicked instead to the makeup bag on the sink, lipstick, powder, eyeshadow, all neatly arranged.
Thinking of the clients waiting in the private room, she took a deep breath to suppress the nausea crawling up her throat. Her stomach acid burned, her nose stung, her eyes watered.
Finally, she forced her voice steady. “Can I…borrow your makeup? I have work, and my face is a mess. I’ll get scolded.”
The woman nodded quickly, moved by pity.
Su Ruan slowly redid her makeup, checking carefully in the mirror to ensure not a trace was out of place. Then she thanked the woman softly and left without looking back.
The woman frowned, watching her go. Something about that girl felt unhinged.
Meanwhile, Xie Jinxing was already in the car.
His expression was calm, but his face was pale, jaw tight, disgust simmering beneath the surface.
“Back to the company,” he said flatly.
Zhang the driver glanced at the grim boss, then at the dazed assistant, and started the car.
Xie Jinxing sat with his legs crossed, tugging irritably at his collar, as if trying to shake off something filthy clinging to him.
Honestly, he probably was. The stain on his shirt looked suspiciously like tears or worse.
Given his obsession with cleanliness, it must’ve been torture.
Sensing his foul mood, Gu An’an kept perfectly still, trying to become invisible.
Back at Xie Corporation, he tossed out a curt order: “Get me a clean set of clothes.” Then disappeared into the private suite without a glance back.
She didn’t dare approach him the rest of the afternoon. The entire floor’s atmosphere was tense; even though he wasn’t scolding anyone, his silence was oppressive.
He looked, Gu An’an thought, like a man who’d just been diagnosed with a terminal disease.
She kept sneaking glances, her mind replaying the whole lunchtime fiasco.
It was just…weird.
Xie Jinxing, by nature, was a man of exceptional self-control. Even calling him a domineering CEO, you couldn’t say he lacked manners.
Yet his behavior toward Su Ruan today had been off.
Well, maybe not wrong, but strange. She was the female lead, after all.
Even without reading the end of the story, Gu An’an could guess it’d be a happy one. So why did he act all gentle when alone with Su Ruan, but cold and detached when others were around?
Could it be, he actually didn’t like Su Ruan? Or maybe…he was being forced to like her by the plot itself?
That thought lit up her mind like lightning.
Wait, what if Xie Jinxing didn’t like this kind of woman at all, but the story’s logic compelled him to fall for her? When other people interrupted, it broke the narrative control, and he snapped out of it?
It made sense! Thinking back to the incident in the grove last time, his reaction had been the same!
So when her uncle insisted she accompany Xie Jinxing out of school that day, was he actually trying to protect him from another “romantic ambush”?
And then she remembered what the boss had said that morning.
He’d hired her for a million a year to be his personal assistant.
But maybe…he’d really meant bodyguard.
So this entire time, Xie Jinxing had hired her to protect his chastity?!