Professor Xie, isn't this a case of forcing customers to buy products that don't match the

"You...you're not going to avoid me again, are you?"

Shang Song: "!!!"

Was he...was he that obvious?!

When did this blockhead develop such keen insight?! Or perhaps, in Xie Jing's eyes, his subconscious avoidance and silence were always completely exposed?!

"I...I didn't!" Shang Song retorted instinctively, his eyes darting around. "Why would I avoid you? Didn't we agree to give it a try? We were even going to spend the New Year together!"

Xie Jing didn't speak, but just looked at him quietly, his gaze calm, yet carrying an invisible pressure, as if asking—Is what you said true?

Shang Song felt uneasy under his gaze, her face flushed, and she felt both embarrassed and guilty.

He abruptly turned his face away, his voice rising slightly, sounding rather annoyed and embarrassed: "Hey! Professor Xie! How could you think of me like that! Do you think I'm the kind of person who doesn't keep his word?!"

The more he talked, the more convinced he became of his point. He turned his head, glared at Xie Jing, and tried to intimidate him with his imposing manner: "I promised you six months, and I meant six months! I promised to take you home for the New Year, and I will! Don't make wild guesses!"

Xie Jing continued to watch him quietly, observing his flushed face and wide eyes, his gaze deep and unreadable.

After a few seconds, he slightly twitched the corner of his lips; the upward curve was subtle, but real.

"Hmm," he responded softly, his voice softening. "Remember what you said."

He paused, then added, "Keep in touch, every day."

Shang Song: "...Oh."

He answered sullenly, but felt inexplicably sweet inside.

Is this piece of wood his way of preventing him from "hiding"?

"I understand, thank you, Master." Shang Song muttered, pushing open the car door and preparing to get out.

Her feet had barely touched the ground when she remembered something, turned around, and climbed back into the car. Before Xie Jing could fully react, she planted a firm kiss on his cheek with a "smack."

Warm, soft lips briefly touched Xie Jing's slightly cool skin, without the obstruction of a mask.

Xie Jing's body stiffened instantly, his breath caught in his throat, and his pupils widened slightly, clearly reflecting Shang Song's sly smile after his success.

After kissing Xie Jing, Shang Song's cheeks turned bright red. He didn't dare to look at Xie Jing's reaction. Relying on instinct, he quickly withdrew his body and slammed the car door shut, shutting out all of Xie Jing's reactions.

He ran wildly toward the company building without looking back.

His steps were unsteady, his back view frantic, like a little bear being chased by a swarm of bees after stealing honey.

Inside the car, Lin Zhou and the driver pretended to be dead.

In the back seat, Xie Jing remained motionless, still in the position where he had been ambushed.

After a long while, he slowly raised his hand and gently touched the cheek that had been kissed with his fingertips.

A scorching heat emanated from there, and the heat spread rapidly, turning her ears crimson at a visible speed, and then quietly burning all the way down her pale neck.

He sat there stiffly, his fingertips touching his cheek, watching the panicked figure outside the car window disappear behind the revolving door.

After a long while, he let out a soft sigh, lowered his hand, rested his fingertips on his knee, and unconsciously curled up for a moment, as if savoring the brief but vivid warmth.

"...Let's go." He finally spoke.

The convoy started silently and smoothly merged into the morning traffic.

Shang Song rushed into the revolving door, almost bumping into someone coming out. He apologized repeatedly and continued running towards the elevator until the cold stainless steel elevator door reflected his flushed face and messy hair. Only then did he suddenly stop, supporting himself on his knees and panting heavily, his heart still pounding wildly in his chest.

The elevator arrived, the doors opened, and the elevator was empty. Shang Song slipped inside, pressed the floor button, raised his hand to cover his face, and let out a silent wail.

Oh no, what will Xie Jing think?

Will that piece of wood freeze into a statue again?

Lin Zhou and the driver must have seen it too... Ahhh!

Why did he act so impulsively just now?!

Was it Xie Jing's question, "You won't hide from me again," that hit him so hard, or was it his promise to pick him up on Friday that made him act impulsively?

Just as he was struggling internally and the elevator doors were about to close, a delicate but slightly pale hand reached in and blocked the door.

The door reopened, and a young man wearing a light gray sweater, with a clean and refreshing demeanor, walked in.

The man wasn't particularly tall, but his proportions were excellent. He had a handsome face and fair skin, but there seemed to be a faint weariness between his brows, as if he hadn't had a good rest.

He walked in, glanced at the floor buttons, didn't press them, and quietly stood to the side.

Shang Song lowered his hand from his face, straightened up a bit, and felt a little embarrassed to act too strangely in front of strangers.

He secretly glanced at the person through the elevator mirror and found that the other person seemed to be... looking at him too?

It wasn't a direct stare; she just glanced at him briefly before politely looking away.

But there seemed to be something very complicated in that gaze.

Could it be that... this person just watched his heroic act as a spectacle?

Shang Song felt a little embarrassed and touched his nose.

As the elevator ascended, Shang Song could sense that the strange man seemed to glance at him again.

Shang Song had some doubts.

Who is this person? Is he new? I don't think I've seen him before. But with a company this big, it's normal not to know him.

The elevator finally arrived, and Shang Song quickly stepped out. He didn't notice that the man in the light gray sweater also came out after him and followed him at a distance.

Shang Song practically sprinted towards the project office. Just as he reached the door, before his hand even touched the handle, he heard Zhao Xiaowei's excited, distorted voice from inside:

"My God! That convoy of cars that just drove away downstairs! Song-ge came down from upstairs, right?! I'm not seeing things, am I?!"

Shang Song's heart skipped a beat, realizing something was wrong.

Zhao Xiaowei, the project team's megaphone and the company's gossip leader, once you get caught by him, you'll never have a peaceful life.

He forced himself to open the door, and sure enough, several colleagues, led by Zhao Xiaowei, were crowded by the window. Ken, unusually, was also holding a coffee. "Look at the car's silhouette, the sheet metal workmanship, and the glass's refractive index... it's not any mass-produced car on the market. All three are exactly the same, without any markings, and parked in a standard defensive formation. This kind of setup isn't for ordinary rich people."

Zhao Xiaowei was practically jumping for joy, rushing over to grab Shang Song's arm: "Brother Song! I was just drinking coffee by the window, and wow, I saw that scene downstairs at a glance! Tell me the truth, are you some rich young master here to experience life? This spectacle! It's like a movie set!"

Other colleagues also cast various glances and joined in the "interrogation" with their own chatter.

"Exactly! Shang Song is a master of disguise!"

"You'd never guess it normally! She's so low-key!"

Surrounded by people, Shang Song's ears were so red they looked like they were about to bleed, and he wished he could just evaporate on the spot.

He waved his hands frantically, shaking his head like a rattle-drum: "No, no! Really not! My family is very ordinary! That... car... belongs to my boyfriend! Yes! It belongs to my boyfriend!"

"Boy friend?!"

The office was in complete chaos.

"Wow—!!!" Zhao Xiaowei's scream almost lifted the roof off the building. "You really have a boyfriend?! When did this happen? Does President Chen know? No, the important thing is, what kind of boyfriend could have such a grand entrance?! Tell me, tell me!"

"I knew it! Mr. Chen pursued you so publicly back then, but I always felt your reaction was a bit lacking. Turns out, the real target is right here!"

"I'd never heard of this before, Shang Song. You're really tight-lipped!"

"No wonder Mr. Chen didn't get the chance; the difference...it's not even in the same league!"

Colleagues chattered amongst themselves, their gossip blazing, and Shang Song blushed even more.

Seeing that the office was about to completely explode, he blurted out in a moment of inspiration:

"My boyfriend... he works in the wedding planning industry!"