Chapter 29: Even the Scent is Repulsive

The amount on the check was too little? And she was still shopping with a supplementary card?

Pursing his lips, Kong Chengyi redirected his gaze to the projector, maintaining his initial posture as he continued to listen to the report.

For the next half hour, Kong Chengyi's phone kept vibrating, the screen dimming and then lighting up again. Everyone in the meeting room couldn't help but sneak glances at his expression, sitting upright. The dimly lit room was so quiet that one could almost hear everyone's breathing. The manager presenting the operational report was sweating profusely, struggling to steady his trembling voice, fearing that the CEO might overturn his analysis at any moment, demanding a more in-depth report and endless overtime.

After three consecutive vibrations, Kong Chengyi turned his head to look at the lit screen, suddenly pushed his chair back, stood up, and tapped the table, signaling the operations manager to stop. "Redo the report, we'll continue tomorrow morning!"

"CEO..." The operations manager's voice trembled, on the verge of tears, but he was too afraid to speak further, fearing even harsher punishment.

With one hand casually in his pocket and the other holding his phone, Kong Chengyi turned and left the meeting room, leaving everyone in stunned silence.

Ke Jie, who had been taking notes beside him, quickly picked up his notebook and chased after Kong Chengyi, trying to suppress his slightly panting breath, and respectfully reminded him, "CEO, you have a lunch appointment with President Wu of Kote at twelve!"

"You'll join us then!" Frowning, Kong Chengyi's face was dark, exuding a chilling aura that made Ke Jie stop in his tracks, the work he intended to report now stuck in his throat.

With a loud "bang," the sturdy door of the CEO's office shook, startling even Ke Jie, who was standing far away.

Casually throwing his phone onto the desk, Kong Chengyi irritably loosened his tie, slightly opening the collar, and quickly lit a cigarette. Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, he gazed at the blue sky, his thoughts involuntarily drifting back to the previous night, which had been the source of his morning irritability.

Her smooth skin had made him indulge repeatedly, and her unique fragrance had ensnared him, making it impossible to extricate himself. Even though he was surprised by her inexperience, he couldn't help but torment her until dawn.

Her proud indulgence was like a fiery rose, while her pleas for mercy were like a fresh lily, blooming in every moment, whether passionate or restrained, driving him to lose control like a reckless teenager, unable to stop himself from releasing within her, reluctant to pull away.

In the faint light, he watched her peaceful face, exhausted to the point of deep sleep, and a sense of pity and reluctance emerged. The satisfaction and tranquility of holding her in his arms made him intoxicated, wishing time could stand still in that moment.

However, as his phone kept vibrating, the screen lighting up and dimming repeatedly, he saw her clearly as a greedy gold-digger, someone who only needed monetary comfort. Her thin layer of virginity had indeed fetched a high price, just as she had initially demanded. He had overestimated himself, overestimated the weight of the hefty check, and underestimated her insatiable greed, ruthlessly shattering his brief sense of fulfillment and hope.

Taking a deep drag of his cigarette, he exhaled slowly, the smoke rising and disappearing into the air. The repeated act of smoking failed to suppress the anger in his heart. Kong Chengyi turned, grabbed his phone, and hurled it against the wall. With a crisp "crack," the screen shattered into fine fragments, and the golden phone case flew off, revealing the internal components.

Staring at the shattered phone for a moment, Kong Chengyi suddenly kicked the chair hard, the heavy chair toppling over with a loud "clang." He then swept the office phone off the desk, sending it crashing to the ground.

Leaning against the floor-to-ceiling window, Kong Chengyi's forehead veins throbbed as he glared at the fallen phone. He pulled out another cigarette from the pack and lit it swiftly.

As soon as lunchtime arrived, Ke Jie stood straight in front of the CEO's office door and gently knocked, "CEO!"

Ten minutes later, Kong Chengyi opened the office door, now dressed in a new suit, his handsome features restored to their usual calmness. He walked straight towards the elevator, his deep voice cold as he instructed Ke Jie, "You don't need to join the lunch. Go buy a new phone."

"Ding Jia, you grew up here, so you should be familiar with the people and things around. Make sure to chat more with Mr. Kong later. If the conversation goes well, our contract will be halfway to success!" In a private room at the Chenghai Hotel, Wu Youwei, the CEO of Kote Lighting, repeatedly emphasized to his newly hired assistant.

If they could secure a partnership with Chenghai Hotel, the future development of his company would be worry-free. Securing a deal with Chenghai Group would mean recognition from the renowned Kong Chengyi, naturally serving as a shining endorsement of the company's capabilities and attracting more business.

With a gentle smile, the assistant named Ding Jia considerately stood up, slightly bending to refill Wu Youwei's tea, and softly said, "Mr. Wu, rest assured. As your assistant, I will do my utmost to serve the company and eagerly hope for a successful collaboration."

As her soft words fell, the door to the private room was pushed open, and Kong Chengyi, dressed in a well-fitted suit, appeared at the entrance with his hands in his pockets, his face cold.

Still holding the teapot, Ding Jia froze, staring at his clear and handsome face, her red lips slightly parting and then biting down.

Kong Chengyi's sharp gaze swept over Wu Youwei in the room, nodding coldly, and then his cold eyes suddenly landed on the standing Ding Jia, his long legs rooted to the spot.

Delighted to see Kong Chengyi arrive on time, Wu Youwei immediately stood up, but noticed that Kong Chengyi was staring at Ding Jia, who was also unabashedly looking at him, as if some kind of emotion was flowing in the air.

Instantly beaming, Wu Youwei laughed heartily, "Mr. Kong! Please come in, please!"

"Ding Jia, pour tea for Mr. Kong!"

"Yes, Mr. Wu!" Regaining her composure at the call, Ding Jia released her lightly bitten lip, curving her lips into a charming smile towards Kong Chengyi, then lowered her head gracefully to brew tea, her soft hair swaying gently with her movements, making her appear even more enchanting and lively.

Frowning slightly, Kong Chengyi also withdrew his gaze at the same time, but chose to sit opposite Ding Jia.

"Mr. Kong, please have some tea!" Bending slightly to offer the tea, Ding Jia's slender cheeks instantly flushed with a hint of shyness.

Kong Chengyi's hawk-like eyes fell on the slender fingers in front of him. His long fingers, as he took the tea, lightly brushed against her fair fingertips, causing ripples in his calm heart. He picked up the tea, smelled it, but then put it down.

"Mr. Kong, do you not like this tea?" Wu Youwei carefully observed Kong Chengyi's actions, seeing that he only smelled the tea before putting it down, and couldn't help but feel uneasy. "My assistant, Miss Ding, is a local. I heard that Mr. Kong usually drinks Biluochun tea, and this tea was carefully prepared by Miss Ding!" It was clearly high-quality tea, yet he didn't drink it?

Raising his eyes to look at Ding Jia, Kong Chengyi touched the edge of the cup with one hand, his voice cold, "I haven't drunk Biluochun for many years, and even the smell of it disgusts me."

Hearing this, Ding Jia suddenly looked up, meeting his cold gaze, and clearly saw his unfamiliarity in his pupils. She hurriedly stood up, "I'm sorry, it was my oversight. I'll replace it with another tea for Mr. Kong right away!"

Fumbling with the teapot, Ding Jia leaned over to pick up Kong Chengyi's cup but accidentally knocked it over in her haste. The steaming tea quickly spread across the table and began to drip.

Seeing that it was about to drip onto Kong Chengyi, Ding Jia grabbed a tissue and directly pressed it against his abdomen, continuously apologizing, "I'm sorry, Mr. Kong, I'm sorry..."

A faint jasmine fragrance wafted into his nostrils, reminiscent of a distant familiarity. Kong Chengyi's cold gaze darkened slightly, and he swiftly grabbed her slender wrist, "Get away!"

Her wrist was marked with a red line from the sudden pain, and her beautiful phoenix eyes instantly misted over, her nose turning red. Ding Jia took a step back, still slightly lowering her head, her cascading hair hiding her sorrowful expression.

"Mr. Kong, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Xiao Ding was just too nervous!" Wu Youwei, holding a tissue, also stood up nervously, pulling Ding Jia's arm to distance her from Kong Chengyi, fearing he might leave in anger.

With a cold expression, Kong Chengyi looked at Ding Jia's pitiful and delicate appearance, slightly curling his lips into a disdainful smile.

"Let's skip the tea, Mr. Wu. How about some wine?"

"Of course, of course! I'll have someone bring wine right away!" He had clearly found out that Kong Chengyi never drank during work hours, and lunch hadn't even started yet?

His shrewd eyes darting between Ding Jia and Kong Chengyi, Wu Youwei suddenly felt a great deal of confidence in securing the contract.

"Ding Jia, sit next to Mr. Kong. Be careful when pouring wine for him, and don't get so mesmerized by Mr. Kong's charm that you mess up again!" Pretending to be angry but joking, Wu Youwei directly sent Ding Jia to sit beside Kong Chengyi.

Her tender red lips bore the marks of her biting. Quickly adjusting her emotions, Ding Jia slowly raised her eyes with a sweet smile, "Mr. Wu loves to joke. How could someone as insignificant as me dare to aspire to Mr. Kong!" As she spoke, Ding Jia moved to sit next to Kong Chengyi, naturally arranging his utensils, her bright phoenix eyes secretly gazing at him.

Kong Chengyi silently watched her every move and expression, her pretentious demeanor resembling that of a seasoned career woman, naturally equipped to charm male superiors.