He stole his best friend's photos and fell for a tycoon's heir through online dating.

After he finished speaking, he lowered his head again and probed his tongue into the girl's slightly parted lips.

This time, he released his grip on her, pulled both hands back to hold her tightly, and pressed her against himself.

It was no longer the raging, tempestuous plunder of before, but a slow, deliberate caress, inch by inch, deepening the penetration little by little, until she let out soft, unconscious moans, before reluctantly withdrawing.

The girl's hands were on his chest, through his thin sweater.

The force that pushed him was as soft as cotton, and when it landed on his senses, it had a kind of alluring, coy, and inviting quality.

Zhou Siyan was in a great mood.

He slowly released her, his fingertips gently caressing her face.

"I'll wait for you in the car downstairs." His voice returned to its deep tone, carrying a languid quality of contentment.

"Go tell that Song Yu," his voice suddenly turned cold, "to get lost."

He lowered his eyes to look at her, his gaze slowly sliding over her slightly swollen lips, which were red from being kissed, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

"I'll only give you five minutes."

-

When Xia Ruo returned to her seat, her legs were still weak.

She stood at the corner for several seconds, taking deep breaths repeatedly, before she could barely steady her heartbeat.

The cedar flavor still lingered on my lips, and they felt slightly warm.

She pulled out a chair and sat down, trying to make her movements appear natural.

Song Yu raised his head, his gaze lingered on her face for a moment, and his brows furrowed slightly.

"You don't look well," he said, putting down his napkin. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"N-nothing." Xia Ruo forced a smile, her hand unconsciously picking up her water glass and taking a large gulp. The icy liquid slid down her throat, unable to quell the burning sensation in her chest.

"I just suddenly have a bit of a headache, probably because I'm too tired today."

Song Yu glanced at her for two seconds but didn't ask any further questions. He reached out and pressed the service bell, saying to the approaching waiter, "Please settle our bill."

"Mr. Song, thank you for your hospitality today. And thank you for listening to my ramblings."

Her voice was very soft, but she pronounced each word very clearly.

There's something I want to make clear to you—I really don't want to take up your time.

As she said this, her mind was filled with the kiss in the hallway earlier.

Song Yu listened quietly. A hint of disappointment flashed across his face.

"I understand." He took a business card from his inside suit pocket and gently pushed it towards Xia Ruo.

"This is my business card. If you need any help in the future, please feel free to contact me. Don't be shy or feel awkward."

He then stood up and picked up his coat, which was draped over the back of the chair.

"I'm leaving now. You...take care of yourself."

Xia Ruo nodded and smiled, "Thank you, President Song."

Song Yu turned and left, but after taking a couple of steps, he turned back, glanced at her as if he wanted to say something. In the end, he just smiled, waved, and walked out of the restaurant.

Xia Ruo sat alone in her seat, staring at the glass of water in front of her that had gone cold, her mind blank.

But she couldn't sit any longer—he said she could only have five minutes.

-

The elevator doors opened, and a blast of cold air from the underground parking garage hit us.

Xia Ruo stood in the elevator, hesitant to step out.

She saw the black Cullinan parked not far from the elevator entrance, its body gleaming with a dark luster under the cold lights, like a lurking beast.

Zhou Siyan leaned against the driver's side door, his long legs crossed, one hand in his pocket and the other hanging at his side.

He lowered his head slightly, making his expression unreadable.

Xia Ruo's heart suddenly raced, her earlier confusion turning into a more dangerous panic.

She glanced down at her phone. Four minutes and fifty seconds. She had actually run down the hill in under five minutes.

Zhou Siyan raised his head, his gaze passing through the empty parking lot and precisely locking onto her.

"What are you standing there for?" he asked, his voice soft but possessing a magnetic quality that could make your legs go weak. "Waiting for me to come and hug you?"

Xia Ruo bit her lip, ran up to him, slightly out of breath, and looked at him with teary eyes.

Looking at her slightly disheveled hair and cheeks flushed from jogging, Zhou Siyan's anxiety about whether she would refuse to come down completely vanished.

He lowered his eyes, the curve of his lips deepening, and turned to open the passenger door for her.

"Get in the car, baby." The way he said "baby" was completely different from the cold "zero" on the phone screen, making her ears burn.

Xia Ruo stood still. Her hand gripped the bag strap, her knuckles turning white. She stared at the car door for two seconds before finally speaking.

"Mr. Zhou, I don't think this is right."

"What's wrong?" Zhou Siyan leaned against the car door, turned his head to look at her, and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"You..." Xia Ruo took a deep breath, "You should be with Wanwan. What we're doing has already crossed the line."

The air fell silent for a moment.

Zhou Siyan looked at her, his lips twitching slightly, a helpless expression of being speechless with anger.

"Xia Ruo, when did I ever like Lin Wanzhi? Can't you use your brain for once?"

"But..." Xia Ruo panicked, her peach blossom eyes widening, "What about Wanwan?"

"What happens to her is none of our business," Zhou Siyan straightened up, took a half-step closer, and looked down at her.

"I have absolutely no interest in your best friend and me."

From beginning to end, what I liked was—

That little liar who called me "brother" on the phone, took my money but didn't dare spend it, and then gave away the necklace I gave him.

His tone gradually shifted from cold and stern to a gentle, almost clenched-teeth tone.

"Impossible," Xia Ruo shook her head, her mind filled with the plot of the original novel, "You two are the official couple—"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Zhou Siyan's brows furrowed even more.

Xia Ruo then realized that she had almost let slip the words "transmigration into a book" and quickly slammed on the brakes.

She lowered her eyes, her voice muffled: "Anyway... this isn't right."

Looking at her stubborn yet guilty expression, Zhou Siyan took a deep breath and suppressed the fire that was about to ignite in his chest.

"Baby, now is not the time to discuss right or wrong. We haven't settled our score yet!"

Xia Ruo raised her head and looked at him blankly.

"I overheard you saying during dinner that you were planning to resign?" His tone suddenly turned somber.

Xia Ruo's heart skipped a beat. How could he have heard everything?

"I'm afraid Mr. Zhou will kill me to silence me..." she muttered softly.

Zhou Siyan stared at her for three seconds.

"Am I that kind of person?" His voice carried a hint of hurt and disbelief.

Xia Ruo lowered her eyes and didn't speak, but in her heart she was frantically refuting—this is how you treated Xia Ruo in the original story.

"Get in the car first." He turned slightly to the side, tilting his chin towards the passenger seat.

Xia Ruo stood still.

"You really don't want to work for this company anymore?"

Xia Ruo nodded.

"Alright then," Zhou Siyan said without hesitation, "Come back to headquarters with me tomorrow."

"no."

Zhou Siyan's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Baby, you don't have the final say on this."