ALCSRB Chapter 78

When Jiang Mingyi returned to the office, Shen Xingyan immediately noticed the radiant smile on his face.

“What made you so happy?”

He’d stormed out earlier like an angry little pufferfish, cheeks puffed and temper flaring. But now he looked like a cat who just got away with stealing fish—mouth curved into a smug little grin.

“It’s nothing major,” Jiang Mingyi said cheerfully, completely unbothered. “Just finally solved something that’s been bothering me for a while.”

Shen Xingyan put down his pen, rested his chin on both hands, and looked at him curiously.
“Something that’s been bothering you for a while? Why didn’t you come to me for help?”

What intrigued him more was how Jiang Mingyi managed to walk out in a huff and come back looking so triumphant.

“It’s nothing, really—how could I trouble our great President Shen over such a small matter?” Jiang Mingyi walked briskly to the coffee table and began munching on snacks. “I asked Assistant Qin to handle it for me.”

Just thinking of the inspiration he’d gotten from Qin Hao put him in an excellent mood.

While eating, he sighed with admiration, “Assistant Qin is as reliable as ever—absolutely essential for home and travel alike. Bro, your assistant is seriously a gem.”

As he went on praising, the handsome face behind the computer screen was visibly darkening.

“Is that so?” the owner of that face spoke with a voice noticeably lower. “Why don’t I have him be your assistant instead?”

Jiang Mingyi was peeling a grape when he heard that, and looked up in surprise.

“You’d give him to me? Then what about you?”

There were quite a few secretaries in the CEO’s office, but as far as special assistants went, Qin Hao was the only one.

“Simple. You’ll be my assistant,” Shen Xingyan’s black eyes locked onto the young man’s startled face. The corners of his lips curled up. “You may be lacking in skill, but I can train you. That way, you’ll at least have one marketable skill in the future.”

Jiang Mingyi felt completely insulted.

Excuse you—what kind of statement was that?

What did he mean lacking in skill? He was just inexperienced, that’s all.

Especially considering he was still a university student. Naturally he didn’t have much real-world experience yet, so yes, compared to someone like the highly competent Qin Hao, he was lacking.

But it was fine for him to admit that himself—he didn’t like hearing Shen Xingyan look down on him like that.

Jiang Mingyi popped the whole grape into his mouth, chewed it up, wiped his hands clean, then lifted his chin and said with emphasis, “I don’t care.”

“Oh?” Shen Xingyan stood up and walked over, boxing him in on the couch. He looked down from above, deep black eyes flashing with a darkness that made Jiang Mingyi a little nervous.

When this guy put on a serious face, he was genuinely intimidating.

Jiang Mingyi swallowed hard, shrinking his neck back and immediately chickening out.

“N-no, that’s not what I meant,” he stammered, eyes darting everywhere.

“Not what?” Shen Xingyan hooked a finger under the boy’s chin, lifting the bowed head and forcing him to meet his gaze.

“I don’t want anyone else to train me,” Jiang Mingyi mumbled, “I’m just a noob—what’s the point of training me? I’m happy just eating, drinking, and being a couch potato.”

He said it shyly at first, but the more he spoke, the more relaxed he got.

His life philosophy was simple—eat, drink, play, and enjoy. A proud couch potato. Of course, he’d been raised strictly by Su Wanxin since he was young. While he could be a little spoiled, he never crossed any serious lines.

“I’ll just be a happy little potato. You can keep me—I’m low maintenance and easy to care for.”

He smiled sweetly, hooking a finger around the navy-blue tie dangling in front of him. With a gentle tug, their lips nearly touched.

Breathing in, they were already sharing the same air.

Long lashes fluttered as his clear eyes narrowed slightly—like a lazy kitten teasing its owner.

One gentle paw swipe, and Shen Xingyan’s gaze darkened another shade.

“You’re not allowed to say I’m useless,” Jiang Mingyi whispered, “As long as you have skills, I just need to lie down and enjoy the ride.”

He leaned back against the couch, putting a little distance between them—but not much. His head tilted slightly, exposing his prominent Adam’s apple, which bobbed as he spoke.

Shen Xingyan’s eyes were now brimming with a certain, unmistakable intent. His voice dropped low and rough, “Looks to me like your real talent is in flirting.”

“Well, I only flirt with you,” Jiang Mingyi replied, letting go of the tie and lightly tracing his fingers across Shen Xingyan’s sharply defined, alluring Adam’s apple. A sly glint sparkled in his eyes.

Shen Xingyan’s obsidian gaze remained fixed on him. “Flirting with me in the office—aren’t you afraid I’ll just punish you right here and now?”

One hand had already risen to gently caress those enticing, rosy lips.

“The door’s not even locked,” Jiang Mingyi raised a brow provocatively, his tongue flicking across the pad of Shen Xingyan’s finger, “If I’m not scared, why should you be?”

The people from the secretary office always knocked before entering and waited for permission to come in.

But if he accidentally made some noise that slipped out of control… who knows, by the next day the entire Shen Group might be buzzing with gossip like: “President Shen shamelessly loses control in the office with his adopted younger brother.”

Ah, just imagining it made him a little excited.

Shen Xingyan took one look and could already tell the boy’s mind was off running in a completely indecent direction. He tapped the center of his forehead helplessly. “I’ll let you off for today.”

“Oh, I knew you didn’t have it in you,” Jiang Mingyi deliberately provoked him, grinning smugly.

Shen Xingyan pressed a heavy kiss on his rosy lips and said in a deep voice, “You’re still young, so I’ll let you get away with it now—but I’ll make sure to collect interest in the future.”

Jiang Mingyi: “…”

That smug smile instantly froze on his face.

From that point on, Jiang Mingyi behaved himself a lot more.

He sat quietly, starting to think about how to get Pei Mingyue to come out and have a talk.

If he asked under his own name, he’d probably be outright ignored.

Not that he was underestimating himself—Pei Mingyue was just too aloof by nature, always cold and distant with everyone.

He glanced at the man across from him who was diligently working. Maybe he could ask Shen Xingyan to invite him?

But then Shen Xingyan would definitely ask for a reason, and Jiang Mingyi didn’t want to explain.

What a pain.

By the time office hours were over, Jiang Mingyi still hadn’t come up with a perfect plan that wouldn’t draw any attention.

The desk in front of him was tapped lightly, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked up—and met Shen Xingyan’s steady gaze.

“…What?” he froze for a moment. “What’s wrong?”

Shen Xingyan flicked his forehead. “Work hours are over. What—planning to spend the night in the office?”

Only then did Jiang Mingyi realize he’d been thinking so intently that he hadn’t even noticed the time.

“Oh. Then let’s go home.”

He stood up and was just about to walk out when his wrist was pulled back.

“No need to rush home,” Shen Xingyan said as he naturally took hold of his hand. “I’m taking you out for dinner tonight.”

The two of them got into the elevator and descended to the parking garage together.

As soon as they got in the car, Shen Xingyan leaned over and buckled Jiang Mingyi’s seatbelt for him.

Click. Jiang Mingyi held his breath for a second.

“Ge.”

Just as Shen Xingyan was about to sit back, Jiang Mingyi called out to him, then leaned in and gave him a quick kiss.

“Falling for my charm, are you?”

Jiang Mingyi fiddled with the seatbelt across his chest and mumbled shyly, “No, I just… suddenly felt like kissing you.”

“No need for ‘suddenly.’ If you want to kiss me, just do it.”

Shen Xingyan cupped his face and pulled him in for another deep, heated kiss.

From not far off, a car honked. Embarrassed, Jiang Mingyi pushed him away, lips red and glossy, cheeks tinged pink.

He muttered softly, “Aren’t you afraid someone might see?”

Shen Xingyan gently wiped the moisture from the corner of his lips and said with a tender tone, “Silly. Did you forget this car has a privacy tint?”

Jiang Mingyi: “…” Okay… he really had forgotten.

Still, he accused, “You’ve got bad intentions.”

“How is that bad intentions?”

Shen Xingyan had no idea where this boy’s mind had leapt off to now.

“You got privacy tint ’cause you’re up to no good. Obviously don’t want people to catch you doing shady things.”

“…”

Shen Xingyan was speechless for a moment, then decided not to argue over such nonsense.

Shen Xingyan took him to a Western restaurant not far from the company.

At this hour, the place wasn’t crowded. A server led them to their seats and handed over menus.

While looking around, Jiang Mingyi noticed that each table had privacy partitions, blocking people’s views from one another. With the greenery decor scattered around, it didn’t feel plain at all—in fact, it gave the place a romantic vibe.

“Bro, how come I’ve never been to this place before?”

Shen Xingyan handed him the menu. “I wanted to bring you here before, but someone kept saying Western food tastes bad.”

Thinking back, Jiang Mingyi realized he had shown no interest in Western food. “Then why’d you suddenly bring me here today?” he asked, half pouting—it’s not like he was warned in advance.

Springing it on him like that. Bad man.

“Well, I don’t know who it was at lunch that said he wanted to try something different. Kept going on about craving steak.”

Jiang Mingyi was instantly caught off guard. “…Fine. That was me.”

The server chimed in at the perfect moment, recommending a few well-reviewed steak combos.

After ordering, Jiang Mingyi took a sip of the lemon water Shen Xingyan poured for him and casually asked, “Do you come here often?”

“Not that often. Sometimes Pei Mingyue and I grab lunch here together.”

Jiang Mingyi knew they were close friends—often having lunch on workdays and discussing partnerships.

If he didn’t know that this guy liked him, he might’ve really suspected there was something going on between them.

His stare was so direct that Shen Xingyan saw right through him.

He cleared his throat. “Stop letting your imagination run wild.”

“Hmph. What makes you so sure I am imagining things?” Jiang Mingyi muttered. “You two are awfully close.”

Noticing the faint sourness in his tone, Shen Xingyan’s eyes softened with a smile. “Fine, I just won’t have lunch with him anymore.”

“Then I’d be the bad guy.” Jiang Mingyi still wasn’t satisfied.

“So what do you want me to do?” Shen Xingyan asked, helpless but indulgent.

Jiang Mingyi pressed his lips together, his eyes darting mischievously. “Can’t I do whatever I want?”

Shen Xingyan responded with a simple “Mm.”

Jiang Mingyi immediately set down his water glass, clearly excited, and raised an eyebrow. “Help me ask him out for a meal. I want to have dinner with him just once. That way we’ll call it even, and I won’t hold anything against you.”

He inwardly applauded his own brilliant plan—he was truly a genius.

But Shen Xingyan frowned upon hearing that.

“You’re not allowed to say no,” Jiang Mingyi quickly added when he noticed the change in his expression. “If you can have a meal with him, why can’t I?”

“You’re really sure about this? Not afraid he’ll be so dead silent it’ll kill your appetite?”

This little guy barely had anything to say whenever he ran into Pei Mingyue—now he suddenly wanted to have dinner with him? Shen Xingyan couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.

“What’s there to be afraid of?” Jiang Mingyi crossed his arms. “Worst case, he eats his, I eat mine.”

What he really wanted was just a legitimate excuse to see Pei Mingyue alone—who cared whether they actually ate?

Frankly, he hoped it would be Pei Mingyue who couldn’t eat.