No Hugging

Qiao Yanli's eyes were always on his wife. She was sporting a Rose Bud Braid hairstyle, exposing the fair nape of her neck and the cutesy pair of ears. When the two were walking and basking in the rays of the sun, her skin flared red, not in a dangerous way, but like a weak, frail little flower, that was to be protected at all costs. 

His eyes now traced to her reddened cheeks, and a smile appeared on his face. 

It was like his wife loved blushing and pouting. Her subtle movements and actions only emphasized her bashfulness, portraying her as a timid little lady. 

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, the girl tried to distance herself from him. Unfortunately, she failed to gauge her next step. They were walking down a short flight of stairs, and she missed one step. Her body, succumbing to gravity, fell forward. 

Just when she thought she was about to kiss the cement floor, a firm and strong pair of arms reached out to her. With one powerful tug, she was wrapped around the man. She took in a deep breath, and the faint smell of tobacco assaulted her senses. 

He was strong. His arms were held around her waist holding her tight, rendering her motionless and unable to move. Her face was buried in the man's chest. Her hands instinctively held onto his broad shoulders. Her heart started beating faster and faster. 

"Qiao Yanli!" Xia Yanxi groaned as she smacked the man's shoulder. 

'GAH!'

This man had no shame! How could he do something so embarrassing in front of the office?! 

Qiao Yanli lowered his gaze to meet Xia Yanxi's embarrassed little face. His steamy breath burnt her mind, rendering it blank for a moment. 

Her throat went dry and with a lowered voice, she said "Yanli! Behave yourself. There are so many people watching us here! You can at least let me go first." 

Even though the two were legally married, it still felt like she had fallen into a trap. Would he comply with the condition she gave? Would he stay out of her way? 

His eyes narrowed, observing how her mouth moved and curved. He released her, only to latch himself back onto her. He extended one hand and held her chin, tightly but not inflicting pain. With a warning tone, he said, "Mrs Qiao, you are thinking about another man when I am here standing in front of you." 

Xia Yanxi's eyes widened. How was he able to read her mind? Did he master psychology to that extent? 

She freed herself easily since he was not forcefully clutching her. After taking two steps away from him, she put on a brave face and said, "Yanli, I've said it yesterday. We are married but only on paper. There is no romance, no feelings! We are in this together, to make use of this marriage for our own benefits! When the day comes, when you do not need my help anymore, feel free to divorce me. I will be more than happy to oblige. I have some matters to tend to right now. Excuse me." 

As soon as she was done rambling, she left him, not giving him a chance to retort. She ran away quickly, as if there was something horrendous chasing after her. 

Seeing as how the beautiful wife of his was fleeing and was soon out of sight, he narrowed his eyes, and the cold, emotionless Qiao Yanli returned. 

A man, cloaked in a black western suit, came out of the shadows. He came before Qiao Yanli and greeted him with utmost respect. 

"Mr. Qiao. The plane bound for America is leaving in an hour." 

Qiao Yanli merely hummed to acknowledge the statement. He handed over a briefcase to his executive assistant Song Lin. 

"What about the House of Qiao?" he asked. 

"Lady Zhou wanted Second Young Master to enter the group but he was not willing to. Lately, he has been involved in the entertainment industry, partaking in the filming of a local production. I'm not sure about this but I've heard that Lady Zhou was so angry that she was admitted to the hospital for a few days." 

Qiao Yanli scoffed, smiling coldly. 

"That is foreseeable. We all know that Old Qian hates the entertainment industry." 

Song Lin looked up with hesitation in his eyes. Looking directly into the cold eyes of Qiao Yanli, he said, "Mr. Qiao, the missus is from an art school and it is of high chance that she would be part of the entertainment industry as well. Should you do something about it?" 

Qiao Yanli's eyes remained unchanged. 

"Why should I? Whatever Mrs Qiao wants, I shall give it to her."