Chapter 76

 

Clearly frivolous, yet pretending to be refined.

Full of self-admiration, yet acting utterly righteous.

This was the specific and subtle impression that Mr. He Yuan gave Ming Xi.

From beginning to end, Ming Xi couldn’t understand where He Yuan’s confidence came from. Was it because other women had frequently shown interest in him, making him delusional? Or was it because society was too tolerant of men like him with some money and status, allowing him to enjoy the convenience and naturally assume that he could easily win her over?

Since coming to work in Haigang, Ming Xi had experienced moments of hardship and discouragement, as well as times of ambition and passion. Most of the time, all she wanted was to work steadily and carve out a future for herself. Yet never before had she felt as humiliated and disgusted as she did now.

But no matter how disgusted she felt, she had to endure it and force herself to be rational. She needed to think clearly about how to advance or retreat, how to maneuver her way out of the trap He Yuan had laid for her.

At present, the villa was empty. It stood in the outskirts, isolated. Even the owners who had been in charge of catering were nowhere to be seen. If she confronted He Yuan head-on, what would happen? One was a powerful local boss; the other was merely an out-of-town female sales rep. Whom would people believe? Whom would they support?

This was the truly despicable part of He Yuan’s scheme. If she rejected him without any witnesses present, what she might lose would not only be her bonus, but also her reputation and credibility—things that could affect her future career.

Then what if she agreed to him? Would that make everything perfect?

No. The only one who would benefit was He Yuan. Never her.

Suppressing the anger boiling inside her, Ming Xi slowly walked down the stairs.

When she reached the kitchen, Ming Xi watched He Yuan return to the stove to pan-sear the steaks and gave him a cold sneer. When He Yuan looked up at her, he only raised an eyebrow in mild confusion. Ming Xi deliberately asked, feigning innocence, “Where did the villa owners go? They’re gone already? You’re even cooking dinner yourself, Mr. He?”

He Yuan smiled leisurely, his gaze blunt yet pretending to be guileless.

Ming Xi returned the exact same look.

He Yuan’s smile widened, explaining his actions in a joking tone: “Ming Xi, you’re so smart. I’ve gone to such lengths; you should understand, right? Asking such questions on purpose… are you trying to reject my feelings for you?”

Ming Xi felt a chill run down her spine.

Clearly, He Yuan wasn’t pretending anymore.

This so-called team-building trip was just the opening move. All the male middle managers had been cooperating with him. Even the sudden disappearance of the villa owners… none of this was accidental. It was a carefully orchestrated trap.

Ming Xi turned away. As she passed the dining table, she picked up a small cherry tomato and rolled it slowly between her fingers. Then she turned back and said innocently, “Mr. He, I really don’t understand what you mean.”

He Yuan ignored her words and continued talking about the steak instead. “Ming Xi, which cut of beef do you like? Sirloin, ribeye, or filet mignon? Since you came from Yicheng, you probably don’t eat steak very often. Let me introduce them to you. Sirloin has tendons and is chewier. Filet mignon is tender and soft—the most delicate in texture. Ribeye has the most marbling, very juicy, but it can get greasy after a few bites. I recommend filet mignon for you. It’s most suitable for women—softest and most tender…”

Ming Xi pursed her lips, accidentally crushing a cherry tomato in her hand. She calmly pulled a tissue from the table, wrapped the burst cherry tomato, threw it into the trash can, and then carefully wiped her fingertips with the tissue.

During those few seconds of panic, she had already formed a plan. Her heart suddenly felt much lighter.

Ming Xi stepped away from the table and leaned casually against the counter. A faint smile tugged at her lips as she watched He Yuan showing off. Half teasing, half mocking, she asked, “Mr. He, do you use the same lines when recommending steak to different women?”

Since playing dumb didn’t work, she might as well be straightforward.

He Yuan laughed, coughed twice, and looked at her. “Ming Xi, allow me to explain. Although there are some rumors about me, they’re all baseless. I did have a marriage, but I’ve been divorced for almost ten years, and I’ve kept myself clean all these years. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Old Dong and the others; they know everything. I’m usually alone and bored. Either I play musical instruments at home or study food. I’m just this kind of simple person. Don’t imagine me as some playboy bachelor.”

“…” How astonishing!

If before, Ming Xi had only seen He Yuan as a slick and worldly middle-aged boss, now she realized that not all smoothness came from social wisdom—some came from desire disguised as decency.

His explanation nearly made her feel physically ill.

In this absurd situation, Ming Xi suddenly thought of someone—Ming Decheng.

It should be said that seeing men’s ugliness early in life was not necessarily a bad thing. If she had not already experienced male shamelessness and filth through Ming Decheng, at her current age, even if she felt uncomfortable with He Yuan’s words, she might still struggle to judge his true nature.

“Romantic charm” was simply a shield for male shamelessness.

Ming Xi moved her lips but could not squeeze out a single word. She forced a strained smile.

He Yuan stared at her with burning eyes. “So… Lamia, do you understand now?”

“Understand what?” Ming Xi raised an eyebrow, her voice rising.

“It’s alright, let’s eat first, I’ll tell you slowly later.” He Yuan scooped the steak from the frying pan onto a plate, sprinkled it with rosemary, and handed it to her. “Take this to the table.”

Ming Xi didn’t take the steak, shrugged, and stared at him with wide, dark eyes. “Mr. He, you’re putting a lot of pressure on me right now. If you don’t make things clear, even the softest filet mignon—I won’t be able to swallow it.”

He Yuan smiled, looking at her intently, trying to make her feel shy.

Then he finally spoke:

“Lamia, when you came back from Seoul, I told you that I would give you everything you wanted, whether it’s the position you wanted or the sales commission I promised you before, I would fulfill them all… even, the entire Haiou Company would be yours in the future. You understand what I mean, right? What I want to give you is… much more than what you want…”

The more he spoke, the more immersed he became, his eyes locked onto her, trying to capture every flicker of emotion on her face.

Heh! Ming Xi didn’t move, only her eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if she had turned back into an innocent and naive girl. Her lips parted a little, surprise naturally rising in her eyes, a faint blush blooming across her cheeks—appearing exactly like someone overwhelmed by the sweet words of a wealthy, powerful man.

This “Ming Xi,” this reaction, was entirely within He Yuan’s expectations.

“Later we’ll talk while eating. I also prepared a gift for you—it’s on the table. Open it and take a look… Do you like it?” He Yuan placed his hand lightly on her back, patting it gently, the gesture soft and intimate.

Ming Xi instinctively sidestepped his touch and walked straight to the dining table.

Earlier, when she picked up the tomato, she had indeed noticed a gift box there. Curious to see how generous He Yuan really was, she opened it. Inside lay a pair of plump, lustrous pearl earrings.

“Don’t underestimate these pearls; they’re Tahitian pearls, produced in the Tahiti archipelago of French Polynesia, cultivated by black-lip oysters. They’re extremely rare…” He Yuan chimed in at the right moment, shamelessly boasting about how expensive the gift was.

No matter how outstanding her performance was or how capable she proved herself to be, in Boss He’s eyes, she was still just a small-town girl who had never seen the world—an adult-education college graduate.

Last year, Liang Jiancheng had given her an emerald necklace worth a fortune, yet he had not shown off even once.

Everything He Yuan did today struck Ming Xi as ridiculous. She had originally thought he was merely an ordinary, worldly boss who still played by the rules. She never expected his greed and self-confidence to run this deep. Even if she managed to reject him successfully today, as her abilities improved and her business volume continued to grow, could she truly build a reputation through the Haiou platform?

Before she could make a name for herself, her reputation might already be ruined.

“Alright, dinner will be ready soon. Ming Xi, wait here for a moment. I’ll go open the wine,” He Yuan said, setting the last dish on the table.

Ming Xi gave a soft “oh,” then turned to him and said, “Mr. He, please wait for me too. I need to go upstairs for a moment.”

“What for?” He Yuan asked.

“To touch up my makeup.” Ming Xi lied without batting an eye, forcing a smile. “It’s my first time eating Western food, I should be a little more formal.”

He Yuan was extremely satisfied and nodded understandingly. “Take your time, I’ll wait for you.”

“…Okay.”

Ming Xi returned upstairs, went back into her room, and closed the door. She could no longer pretend to be calm. Her heart began pounding wildly, as if it were about to burst from her chest. She took a deep breath and turned to glance out the window.

The sun was already sinking westward. The entire mountain landscape was enveloped in a quiet, hazy stillness.

There was only one car in the villa’s backyard—He Yuan’s.

She didn’t own a car and couldn’t drive. She had arrived with the product manager from Haiou, but now they were all gone, and even the owner of the villa was nowhere to be seen. When she arrived, she heard them say that the villa was owned by one of Mr. He’s relative. She assumed that He Yuan was supporting his relative’s business, but she hadn’t expected them to be a den of wolves.

Her handbag lay on the bed. Ming Xi walked over, opened it, took out her phone, and slipped it into her pocket. Then she lifted her wrist, pushed back her sleeve, and looked at her watch. It was already five o’clock.

No more hesitation, Ming Xi deftly removed the watch—the same brand as Liang Jiancheng’s—weighed it in her hand for a moment, and then kicked the watch, worth over fifty thousand yuan, under the bed.

Then she turned around, stepped into her leather boots, pushed open the door, and rushed out.

Her footsteps thundered down the stairs. Her face was filled with unmistakable urgency. Before she even reached the bottom, her voice rang out anxiously: “Mr. He… my watch is missing!”

What?

He Yuan was stunned. He hadn’t expected this to happen after Ming Xi went upstairs! He had just taken off his apron and, seeing the beautiful woman rushing down the stairs, her face flushed, he almost furrowed his brow.

“How is that possible?” he said.

How could it not be?

Ming Xi lifted her sleeve and showed him her bare wrist. “Look! It was on my wrist when I arrived. I took it off to wash my hands and left it on the sink. When I went back, it was gone!”

“Impossible, Ming Xi, there are no outsiders in this villa.” He Yuan said stiffly.

“How are there no outsiders? What about the owner and his wife? Aren’t they outsiders? They’re gone too! They must have taken my watch and run off!”

Ming Xi said through gritted teeth, her whole body trembling with both feigned anger and genuine fear. She deliberately raised her voice, then gripped her phone and dialed 110 without hesitation, saying as she dialed, “My watch is worth over fifty thousand yuan. I absolutely won’t let this go. I’m calling the police!”

He Yuan quickly stepped forward, trying to stop her: “Ming Xi, calm down first, okay? Think carefully, maybe you left it somewhere else.”

“Impossible! Mr. He, I have a good memory, I just left it on the sink and someone took it!” Ming Xi took two steps back, deftly avoiding He Yuan, and then—

The call “accidentally” connect to the nearest 110 emergency call center.

A very polite and concerned female operator’s voice came through the receiver: “Hello, this is the 110 emergency service. Please tell me what happened and how we can help you…”

He Yuan: …

Ming Xi: !!!

Good. Now it was no longer just the two of them.

This was the first time Ming Xi had ever called the police in her life. When the female officer’s gentle and official voice came through the phone, Ming Xi’s eyes really reddened, even though she was making a false report, the dangerous situation she faced was the same.

Night fell quickly, leaving only her and He Yuan in the villa. Her only thought was to call the police to extricate herself from this predicament.

She decided to resign, but she also needed to protect her reputation and career. If she called a friend now, she could also be rescued, but later she and He Yuan would have a falling out, and public opinion might not be on her side.

As the disadvantaged gender in society, people would either say she was ungrateful, or question her motives—claiming that she knowingly walked into a trap set by a group of men, and that she was a shameless saleswoman trying to cling to her boss for promotion.

Originally, Ming Xi was only putting on an act, but then she inexplicably thought about the difficulties women face in the workplace, and tears streamed down her face. As resentment, sadness, and anger intertwined in her heart, she truly felt miserable.

Sad as she was, the performance had to go on. The story had to be told clearly.

With a pitiful tone yet clear logic, Ming Xi explained the situation to the police: she emphasized that she had attended a company team-building event, that everyone suddenly disappeared in the afternoon—including the villa owners—and that afterward her expensive watch went missing. She said she was extremely afraid and hoped the police would come immediately to help her.

Thank goodness.

The female officer was very sympathetic. She comforted Ming Xi and promised to dispatch officers right away. Ming Xi finally breathed out in relief.

Then—

She turned around while holding her phone and saw He Yuan staring at her coldly, angrily, with narrowed eyes.

…They were both smart people.

If she could come up with this method, He Yuan could naturally guess why she did it.

He Yuan had set a trap with no good exit. Whether she accepted or rejected his advances, she would be the one to suffer—because the power had been in his hands.

But now the situation was different; she had called the police.

Using the excuse of a stolen watch, the police would personally come and escort her away from the villa. They would safely take her to the station to give a statement. There would be official police records documenting the incident—evidence that would help her escape rumors and traps.

She had nothing to fear now…

On the contrary, it was He Yuan who should be feeling troubled and worried.

When the police arrived, not only would she have to give a statement, but all the male employees of Haiou and the villa owner who participated in the team building event today would also have to give statements.

Not a single one of them would be spared.

Ming Xi clenched her teeth slightly, her gaze locking onto He Yuan’s without backing down. She stood straight and steady. Even as a girl from out of town with no one to rely on, she still had the law and the police on her side.

She had done nothing wrong. What was there to fear?

So was this a mutual destruction scenario? No. It was the fish finally finding a way out of the net.

She had not only managed to protect herself but also seized the initiative.

He Yuan’s face darkened. Anger flickered in his eyes, and not a trace of grace remained. If Ming Xi hadn’t already called the police, he might have laid hands on her. This girl was as cunning as a fox—she didn’t just disrespect him as her boss; she didn’t put anyone in her eyes at all.

He Yuan licked his back teeth forcefully, squeezing out a threatening word from his throat: “You’ve made such a scene… are you not planning to stay at Haiou?”

Ming Xi kept at least three meters between them. Things had never been within her control to begin with. She had no desire to provoke him or offend her boss. Everything she did today was pure self-defense. Who would want to deliberately anger a useless, worthless man?

“Mr. He, let me ask you something. If I didn’t agree to you today, I wouldn’t be able to stay at Haiou anyway, right?” Ming Xi cleverly countered He Yuan’s question.

He Yuan sneered, “Lamia, you’re too clever for your own good.”

Ming Xi shook her head, “It’s not that I’m clever, it’s that Mr. He underestimates women.”

She only truly understood today, after seeing the middle-level managers at Haiou during today’s team-building event: He Yuan appeared generous and considerate toward employees, but deep down he feared workers becoming too competent or too proud. That was why the people promoted at Haiou were those who had followed him for years and were skilled at flattery. Sister CC had strong business ability too, yet remained just an ordinary sales rep. She should have realized this earlier.…

Choosing Haiou was truly an unfortunate decision, but she didn’t mind turning that misfortune into her chance to flip the board.

Ming Xi’s brief remark truly struck a chord with He Yuan, instantly enraging him.

“So… Mr. He, let’s part on good terms!” Ming Xi withdrew all hostility and spoke rationally and calmly. “For Haiou’s reputation, when I give my statement later, I can be a little ‘forgetful.’ That way, you won’t have to explain too much to the police about why all your subordinates and your relative who owns this villa disappeared at the same time this afternoon.”

After making her proposal, Ming Xi smiled faintly and handed the choice back to He Yuan.

Needless to say, He Yuan had no other choice. Because the initiative was on her hands, now she was giving He Yuan a chance—his only chance.

He Yuan licked his teeth again and spread his hands slightly. He had miscalculated badly. He hadn’t expected Ming Xi to be bolder, tougher, and more fearless than he had estimated.

Right—she also intended to ask openly for money.

Resigning was inevitable, but Haiou still had to pay her salary, bonuses, and compensation. Not a cent could be missing.

“What compensation?” He Yuan objected.

Ming Xi paused, then smiled. “Oh, I just said ‘compensation’ because it sounds nicer. I can’t exactly call it a ‘reputation damage fee,’ can I?”

…

Before night had fully fallen, Ming Xi was already sitting in a police car, leaving the villa behind. In the distance, the lingering glow of the sunset blazed brilliantly across the sky, spreading golden light over the suburban road. That radiant stretch of light felt as if it were extending a hopeful new path for her life.

It was Ming Xi’s first time riding in a police car. She felt relatively safe—though still a little nervous.

Inside the car, she politely glanced at the officer beside her who had been forced to work overtime because of this emergency call.

“Thank you for your hard work, Officer,” Ming Xi said softly.

The policeman: …

Suddenly, Ming Xi wondered whether she would need a friend to come sign paperwork or confirm her statement later.

She wasn’t familiar with the procedure. Last night, Liang Jiancheng had sent her a message: I’m back in the country.

Holding her phone, Ming Xi stared at the message repeatedly. After hesitating for a moment, she finally dialed Liang Jiancheng’s number.

The call connected immediately, and Liang Jiancheng’s usual cheerful and calm voice came through the phone: “Hello, Miss Ming…”

“Miss Ming isn’t doing so well right now…” Ming Xi lowered her head, feeling the scrutinizing gaze of the police officer. With the police car accelerating and turning, she gripped the armrest of the back seat, feeling extremely uneasy. Leaning closer to her phone, she spoke to Liang Jiancheng in a slightly ashamed and pitiful voice, “Liang Jiancheng, are you free right now? Can you come pick me up from the police station? I seem to have… gotten myself into a little trouble.

“If you don’t have time, that’s okay… I can ask another friend.” Before Liang Jiancheng could react, Ming Xi quickly added.

—

Liang Jiancheng had indeed returned to China, arriving yesterday. However, he wasn’t in Xinghai or at home, but in his mother Gu Shuangyang’s office.

It was almost six o’clock, and Gu Shuangyang hadn’t left work yet.

Because of her extremely heavy workload, everyone who met with Director Gu had to book appointments in advance and within limited quotas. Even Liang Jiancheng, her biological son, needed to go through her secretary if he wanted to discuss business. His only “privilege” as a son was that being five minutes late didn’t get him immediately kicked out.

After receiving Ming Xi’s call and hanging up, Liang Jiancheng quickly went back to Director Gu’s office and apologized as he requested a reschedule: “Director Gu, I have an urgent matter. Could we move the factory cooperation discussion with Shuangyang Electronic to tomorrow evening? I’ll come to your place for dinner and we can talk in detail then.”

Gu Shuangyang, holding a pen, didn’t say anything, but simply threw the pen at him and uttered a single word: “Get out.”

He had wasted half an hour of her time.

Immediately afterward, Gu Shuangyang picked up the telephone on her desk and dialed the internal phone: “Call Manager Tian in.”

Liang Jiancheng turned around and left the office without another word. He went downstairs from the Shuangyang Building, walked quickly to the parking area, got into his car, and drove straight toward the Ximing Town police station Ming Xi had mentioned on the phone.

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