CHAPTER 12

I was blushing when he returned to his seat. Even though I'm more of a tomboy, I still feel the charm of handsome boys, especially someone like Su Xi. His gentlemanly behavior was unexpected, given his usual cold demeanor.

Despite my embarrassment, I wasn't fond of Su Xi. To keep my composure, I bravely said. "I know how to use a knife and fork. I just imitated you to help you out."

Su Xi seemed confused at first. Then, he suddenly understood something and started laughing. "Have you ever looked in a mirror? The reflection is always the opposite." He said.

Hearing this, I realized my mistake was because Su Xi had been sitting across from me. I was mortified. I wanted to clarify that I'm not a fool and knew that my left and right are reversed to someone sitting opposite, but the grandeur of the high-end restaurant had thrown me off my game.

My face flushed an even deeper shade of red. At first, it was because of our confusing interaction; now, it was just pure embarrassment.

To distract myself, I focused on a plate of steak that had just been brought to the table. I immediately grabbed my knife and fork, not to eat, but to dismantle the steak in an attempt to relieve my frustration. "I'm a grown woman," I muttered while hacking at the steak. "Why would I always look handsome in front of a mirror?"

Su Xi smiled, finding it funny, but didn't argue with me.

During dinner, we casually talked about random things. It was surprising how a forced situation turned into a somewhat cozy moment. At one point, I couldn't resist my curiosity and asked. "How did you know I hadn't eaten lunch yet? School lunch break was over. Why did you mention 'it's just the right time' when I was leaving the dorm?"

Su Xi replied as if it was the most obvious thing. "I mentioned it in the car. After dropping you at the dorm, I waited for you to come out so we could have lunch together. But you didn't show up. The dorm doesn't allow food, and the school gate doesn't allow takeout."

Hearing this, I quipped. "Can't I ask my roommate to help me get a takeout? You guessed that because I don't have any friends. Fortunately, you guessed right; otherwise, you would have waited in vain today."

"Well, I really don't have many friends."

Su Xi didn't seem to take it to heart when he said this, but to me, this statement seemed a bit lonely, and I couldn't help but feel sympathetic.

"Why don't you have many friends? With all your charm and power, you should have lots of friends." I said.

Su Xi paused for a moment before answering."It's not easy. People are either afraid of me or have hidden agendas. True friendships are hard to come by in my world."

"I get it. It's tough to know who to believe. Even though I'm just a regular student, I've had my doubts about trusting others."

Su Xi agreed, looking a bit kinder. "Yeah, it can feel like we're on our own, even when surrounded by people."

"I have a question for you. Can I take some of these veggies home?" I nervously asked Su Xi to change topics.

I don't usually blush, but being with Su Xi seemed to make me feel that way.

Su Xi didn't immediately say yes or no. Instead, he calmly asked for a menu and gave it to me.

"If you want to take some food home, just order a few more dishes. My friend can take the leftovers. It's about keeping up appearances, I can't afford to look bad." Su Xi explained casually. "If you don't see any French dishes you like, I can ask for something else to be made."

After a pause, he added kindly. "Think of it as my treat for today. We've had a nice chat, after all. Consider it a reward."

Feeling frustrated, I thought to myself, "This person must be here to test how patient I can be."

Despite wanting to express my irritation, I held back my response. Instead, I chose to stay calm.

In a slightly sweet voice, I said. "Okay, thanks for offering. I'll check out the menu."

When I talk to you, I naturally treat you as a buddy who is on the same level as me, not as some kind of superior boss. Since we are on equal terms, why talk about "rewards"?

Although I felt very unhappy, I did not tell Su Xi what I was thinking.

When I checked the menu, I saw that there were no prices listed. Su Xi casually mentioned. "No one dining here needs to worry about the cost."

Despite her assurance, the luxurious vibe of the menu without prices made me feel the extravagance. Even though I wasn't paying, I felt uneasy about such lavish spending for me.

"I don't feel comfortable with such extravagance." I said, putting the menu down. "Can we please have the leftovers packed up?"

Su Xi agreed without any issue. He signaled a waiter to pack up the leftover food to be sent to the university dorm.

"Did you forget something?" Su Xi replied disdainfully. "You won't be going directly back to the dormitory. Instead, you'll be riding in my car to continue working."

Watching the waiter efficiently handle the leftovers, I couldn't resist asking. "Do we really need someone to take the leftovers? Can't I just bring them back myself?"

"Did you forget something?" Su Xi replied disdainfully. "You won't be going directly back to the dormitory. Instead, you'll be riding in my car to continue working."

I had forgotten about it and felt a bit embarrassed, so I apologized playfully by sticking out my little pink tongue.

"Can you drop me and my stuff at the dorm first and then take me to the company?" I asked.

Su Xi replied, "I'm not your driver, and you should follow my lead, not the other way around. Plus, my car has fancy leather seats, so no food is allowed. And do you know what time it is? If you delayed more, I could have been late for work. I could have been penalized, you know?"

I nodded in understanding and replied. "I get it now. If you hadn't reminded me, I might have completely forgotten."

As soon as I finished speaking, Su Xi playfully punched me on the head.

"Next time, be more mindful." He said in a softer tone, like an older brother giving advice to a younger sibling.

Su Xi's words made me feel embarrassed, and I blushed before agreeing to have the waiter bring the food. I asked for it to be given to someone named Chen Li, then I followed Su Xi to Su's Corporate branch.

When we arrived at the company, I saw the surprise on everyone's faces. I overheard them talking and learned that Su Xi, the boss, usually goes between the company and the school during the week. He's always on time for meetings and has never brought a young boy like he did today.

Some employees were glad for their boss, thinking he had found a friend his own age, while others, who had been scolded by Su Xi for being late, looked upset. Despite their emotions, no one dared to challenge or complain about Su Xi because of his intimidating presence.

When we went into his office, I saw fewer papers on the desk than yesterday. Before I could ask, Su Xi said. "The staff aren't working well, so I, as the boss, have to lessen the workload myself."

Su Xi sounded mean, but I wasn't embarrassed. I replied. "Hmm, I finished the work by staying late yesterday. Did you really have to send me home?"

I was sure I could work efficiently, and I thought Su Xi wouldn't have made much of a difference even if he had helped. I had already been very efficient the day before.

Today, I was still entering data into the computer, just like yesterday. I was busy with my work when Su Xi unexpectedly interrupted me.

"I heard the woman who bullied you mention a man named Hua Zhe. Who is he?" He asked, clearly curious.

It seemed he caught everything Li Qi said. I wondered how much he actually heard. But there was nothing in the conversation that Su Xi shouldn't know, even if it was embarrassing to admit I was bullied by Li Qi.

In response to Su Xi's question, I playfully opened my mouth wide and exclaimed. "What? You don't know who Hua Zhe is?"

You might not be familiar with the Jade Emperor or Tathagata Buddha, but as fellow students from our university, you should at least know about Hua Zhe.

This was the first time I realized I knew something Su Xi didn't. I had to seize this chance to regain some respect. It's rare to find someone in our university who's more informed about gossip than I am.

Su Xi looked displeased, saying. "I was just asking casually. I take pride in being well-known on campus and in the city, and you still don't know about me? And while you answer, keep working. Don't delay your tasks."

I responded with a simple "Oh" and lowered my head.

As I resumed working, Su Xi spoke up again, seeming to want to persuade me. "You still haven't replied to my question."

"Okay, what do you want to know about him? I know Hua Zhe really well since we grew up together. I can share as long as it's not too personal."

"I just want to know if Hua Zhe has a girlfriend now, and if so, is his girlfriend your sister?" Su Xi asked, sounding relaxed but curious.

His question surprised me. I paused with my hands froze above the keyboard and asked with a shaky voice. "You're not gay, right? Why do you want to know this?"

Su Xi's forehead tensed as he glared at me intensely and asked. "Do you know the consequences of disrupting a job fair? The fines and possible jail time? I heard they're still looking for your sister. What if I blamed you for it..."

Su Xi was truly upset; otherwise, he wouldn't have threatened me like that. But his approach was effective. I quickly responded. "No, Hua Zhe is not dating anyone. Despite many girls chasing him, and most of us in college having a crush on him, he turned them down. He mentioned he doesn't like girls who fall for him without knowing him."

Su Xi was clearly affected by this but quickly composed himself and said, smiling. "I'm just curious about who he is. Don't think about it, focus on your work."

Of course, I didn't think too much about it. Once I get involved in something, such as playing games or working, I concentrate on it and have no time to think about anything else.

After a while, I was almost done with my work, and it was almost time to get off. I suddenly remembered something I had promised.

"Hey, there's a girl who wants to meet you. Interested?"

Su Xi looked a bit bored and asked. "Is she your sister?"

"My sister? No." I shook my head firmly, then added. "It's my roommate, Chen Li. She's even prettier than my sister, and her background is similar to yours. But if it's too much trouble, never mind..."

"Leave."

"Why?"

I was surprised by Su Xi's sudden command to go.

Seeing my confusion, Su Xi repeated. "Go away. You don't need to return tomorrow."

"What about the money I owe you?"

"You don't have to repay it. Just leave."

It was so confusing. I simply introduced a girl to him, hoping we could get along. Introducing a girl to friends shouldn't be a big deal. I didn't expect such a big reaction.

But this is his territory. I only took this job to clear my debt. When I found out I didn't have to repay the money, there was no reason to stay. Since he didn't see me as a friend, there was no point in talking.

"Then I'm out, and we're done seeing each other, right."

I grabbed my coat, slammed the door, and didn't look back.

Back at the dorm, Chen Li was applying skincare products in the room. When she noticed me, she asked with curiosity. "Aren't you supposed to be at work? Why are you back so soon?"

"Isn't it too early? Isn't it just after work?"

Chen Li gave me a look and said. "Which company nowadays doesn't expect overtime from employees? Take my family, for example...oh, you probably skipped work today, didn't you?"

Chen Li is quite talkative when giving advice. I've known this for a while. To avoid any issues, I promptly told her everything that happened today.

As I explained, Chen Li's expression became more puzzled, and she said. "This doesn't seem right, does it? I think Su Xi treats you well. He even bought the Carlos restaurant to take you out for dinner and brought a lot of nice things. "Chen Li pointed to the food delivered to the dorm. "I heard he has never been this nice to anyone."

"He has mood swings, so it's no surprise. Plus, these meals are just leftovers from our lunch earlier. To him, it's just a gesture, not kindness towards me."