The Hidden Marriage with the CEO

The oppressive atmosphere slowly lifted, the dark clouds parting to reveal the warm sun. Long Ye Jue finally picked up his chopsticks.

An Yi let out a quiet sigh of relief, silently thinking that the madam's charm was still the most powerful force.

Hmm, why did it feel like he had just discovered a life-saving golden ticket?

He decided he'd have to use this to his advantage more often.

"Did you just say she hasn't eaten either, and yet she asked you to order food for me?" Long Ye Jue asked, eating while questioning An Yi.

An Yi nodded vigorously. "Yes! And by the time she asked, everyone had mostly finished eating. I figured she wouldn't have time to eat after going back."

Long Ye Jue's brows furrowed tightly. He looked up at An Yi. "Then why did you order one portion?"

"..."

Had he just dug his own grave?

When An Yi appeared at the Finance Department, holding the lunch box from Yushi Yuan, all the rumors among the colleagues were confirmed.

Tang Mianmian was definitely Assistant An's girlfriend!

It looked like they would have to start flattering him from now on.

"Miss Tang, here's your lunch," An Yi said, handing her the box.

Tang Mianmian was completely stunned. "Why are you delivering food to me? And it's already work hours."

"There's nothing I can do. You know how it is. Find somewhere private to eat, no one will say anything," An Yi said, acting all righteous.

Tang Mianmian felt like crying.

This was exactly the kind of situation she feared—feeling like the center of attention, the person everyone was gossiping about.

She had always tried to avoid being in this situation.

With a long face, she took the food box and pulled An Yi into a nearby corridor, asking weakly, "I only asked you to order food for him. Why do I have a portion too?"

"Oh, because the boss heard you didn't eat much either, so he specially told me to order for you as well, and he picked out the dishes you like." An Yi replied matter-of-factly.

But inside, he was frustrated. Why was he getting blamed for delivering food to two people? Was it easy for him?

"Fine, I get it. Thanks for the trouble," Tang Mianmian said reluctantly.

She had no choice but to accept this special treatment. However, she still reminded him, "Next time, you don't need to go through all this trouble. If he asks, just say I've already eaten."

An Yi remained silent…

He wasn't going to admit that he had done this on purpose to please the boss.

Digging his own pit—this was the most annoying thing ever.

Later in the afternoon, when it was time to clock out, Fu Ranran appeared at the Finance Department. The two of them had planned to go shopping together.

But as soon as they stepped out of the company, they saw An Yi standing in front of a Maybach, smiling at them.

Fu Ranran suddenly had a bad premonition.

An Yi smiled gently at her. "Madam, please get in."

Fu Ranran hesitated for a moment, glancing at the person inside the car, then patted Tang Mianmian's back. "We'll go shopping another day."

"What? Didn't we make plans?" Tang Mianmian grabbed her hand, unwilling to let her go.

It was rush hour, and if she got into that Maybach now, the gossip would be loud enough to shatter the windows.

She suddenly realized that working at Jue's company was like falling into a trap.

"Spending time with your husband is more important!" Fu Ranran threw her hand off and waved at An Yi. "Assistant An, see you tomorrow."

An Yi admired Fu Ranran's cleverness and waved back. "See you tomorrow."

And just like that, An Yi was pushed into the Maybach.

Inside the car, Long Ye Jue was resting with his eyes closed.

She was pushed into the car without even a glance from him, as if she were insignificant.

Tang Mianmian pouted. "I was supposed to go shopping with my best friend today."

"..."

"We agreed that we wouldn't go home together after work."

The man didn't answer, and she was left to talk to herself.

"If any of my colleagues had seen that scene just now, I wouldn't be able to stay at the company anymore," she continued, complaining.

Finally, Long Ye Jue opened his eyes. His finely crafted features were so mesmerizing that it took her breath away.

Tang Mianmian's heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she felt like she was drowning in his gaze.

She scolded herself inwardly, blaming her weakness. The moment he used his "handsome man tactic," she lost all composure.

"Wasn't this what we agreed on?" Long Ye Jue asked, his gaze piercing.

That look made her feel like she was falling deeper into a trap.

"You just told me not to make it public, but I haven't made it public," he added, his words making Tang Mianmian feel like she was hitting a brick wall.

Had she been played?

"But…"

"Enough with the buts. Come with me to a party," Long Ye Jue interrupted her long-winded complaint and turned to An Yi. "Take us to Coco's place."

"Yes, sir," An Yi replied, starting the car and leaving the building.

A few colleagues standing not far away saw the Maybach and noticed Tang Mianmian getting in.

"That's the boss's car, right? Why is Tang Mianmian getting into it?"

"Maybe she's just getting in with Assistant An. After all, she's probably his girlfriend," someone offered as an explanation.

"Alright, Assistant An and the boss seem to have a good relationship, so that makes sense."

But then, they started wondering—why wasn't the rumored girlfriend of the boss also getting into the car?

This was the mystery that no one could figure out.

Inside the car, Tang Mianmian nervously fiddled with her fingers, her eyes darting around.

The name "Coco" sounded like a woman's, and she couldn't help but wonder about Long Ye Jue's connection to her.

What was she thinking?

Suddenly, she snapped herself out of it, pinching herself in the process, only to forget that there was someone else in the car. The pain made her gasp.

The action made someone, who was looking at their phone nearby, furrow their brows.

Unconsciously, he reached out with his right hand and grasped Tang Mianmian's hand, gently rubbing the spot where she had just pinched herself.

It was a strange sensation.

A tingling, numbing feeling, as if something was subtly teasing his heart at the same time.

Tang Mianmian's heartbeat became completely irregular. Her face turned red as she tried to pull her hand back.

But his grip tightened, not allowing her to withdraw.

Feeling the warmth of his palm, she forgot about the pain and soon arrived at the place he had mentioned.

Tang Mianmian looked up at the large sign—an exquisitely beautiful styling studio.

It looked like a styling workshop, and she remembered hearing a few celebrities recommend it last time. They said the styling here was outstanding, though the prices were quite steep. Plus, all visitors needed an appointment.

You couldn't just walk in without booking at least a month in advance.

But An Yi led her in as if he were a regular customer, and the staff at the door greeted him with polite familiarity.

"Where's Coco?" An Yi asked.

The receptionist, a young female manager, blushed slightly and replied, "The boss will be here shortly, please wait a moment."

An Yi gestured for Tang Mianmian to sit and was about to go ask if they should wait at a nearby café. However, he was stunned when he saw Long Ye Jue follow them in and, with great ease, sit beside Tang Mianmian.

An Yi's lips twitched uncomfortably. He wasn't used to seeing his boss like this.

It seemed like this would be the new norm going forward.

To think, Long Ye Jue never waited for anyone in these situations!

Not even for clients—he was always impatient to get straight to business.

But now, here he was, calmly waiting for his wife. The scene was so surreal that An Yi could hardly bear to look.

It seemed like he needed to adjust his emotions and get used to this kind of—shock.

Coco entered with a team of people. Some carried makeup kits, others pushed racks of clothes, and a few brought tools—altogether, there were more than ten people.

Tang Mianmian was taken aback by the spectacle.

With so many people, it felt like they were here for some sort of confrontation. Nervously, she grabbed Long Ye Jue's arm. "Why are there so many people?"

Long Ye Jue lowered his gaze to her small action, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "They're here to style you, don't be afraid."

"..." So many people just to style her?

Oh! The life of the wealthy, she really couldn't comprehend it.

Coco, a stunningly beautiful woman, had once been a world-renowned international model, famous a few years ago. Now, she had retired from modeling and opened this styling studio, which was doing exceedingly well.

When she saw Long Ye Jue, her eyes lit up, and the previously cold expression melted into a warm smile. "Jue Shao, I thought you were joking, but I see you really came!"

"Mm, I just need a styling session," Long Ye Jue replied coolly, his sharp brows forming a handsome angle.

Only then did Coco notice the woman sitting beside him.

She must be the person he mentioned over the phone who needed the styling, but—why did she seem so young?

Is she even of age?

A trace of mockery appeared in Coco's eyes. "So Jue Shao likes this type? No wonder I couldn't catch your attention."

Coco's self-deprecating words were partially understood by the dazed Tang Mianmian.

So this was another one of Long Ye Jue's close acquaintances.

Her heart felt a little uncomfortable, but she still managed to smile on the surface.

Coco led her to the styling room, where she began discussing with the other designers.

Soon, Tang Mianmian, like a lamb ready for slaughter, was subjected to the hands of several people who manipulated her face and body.

She lamented the entire time. This expensive styling session was nothing but a form of torture.

It felt like her skin was being peeled off!

After what felt like an eternity, they finally finished, and Coco crossed her arms, smiling in satisfaction. "Looks like I haven't lost my touch."

Tang Mianmian, still dizzy, was pushed in front of a mirror, and it was only then that she could fully see her transformed self.

"What…"

Was that beautiful woman in the mirror really her?

She stared in disbelief and reached out to touch her own face.

The woman in the mirror mirrored her actions, her expression identical to hers.

"How do you like it? Are you satisfied?" Coco walked behind her and asked with a smile.

Tang Mianmian snapped out of her daze and nodded vigorously. "I'm so surprised! How can your hands be so skilled?"

"It's because you have great natural features," Coco replied humbly. "Your hair and skin are the best I've ever seen, so I didn't need to use too many products—just a little touch-up, and the results are stunning. Looks like Jue Shao really found a hidden gem."

When she mentioned Long Ye Jue, Tang Mianmian's cheeks flushed, a warm, happy feeling spreading in her chest.

Coco took her by the hand and began leading her out. "Let's go, we'll show Jue Shao. It's the first time I've seen him wait for someone, so we should surprise him properly."

"No, I…"

Tang Mianmian felt shy.

Although she did want Long Ye Jue to see her beautiful appearance, that bashful feeling in her heart prevented her from raising her head. She could only be dragged along by Coco as they left the styling room.

Long Ye Jue was on the phone, seemingly dealing with business, his usual cold expression on his face.

"The merger with KO is non-negotiable. Once you've estimated the figures, just send them to me. I have a price in mind."