C16 He Went out

Lih Jingyan noticed Shu Ann's shocked expression and couldn't help but let a subtle smile slip as he said, "Didn't you hear me? Sit down and join me for dinner."

After speaking, Lih Jingyan opened the food box and continued, "I wasn't sure what you like, so I had Zhou Yang bring some signature dishes from the Linglong Pavilion. Give them a try."

Shu Ann was even more stunned, unable to utter a word. What was going on with Lih Jingyan? Had he lost his mind? However, as soon as he opened the food box, a tantalizing aroma wafted through the air. Shu Ann, who hadn't eaten much for lunch, felt her hunger intensify. The sight of the beautifully arranged and mouthwatering dishes made her forget any resolve she had to refuse the offer.

Seeing Shu Ann's eager and adorable expression, Lih Jingyan's smile grew wider. He probably didn't even realize that he had smiled more since meeting Shu Ann than he had in the past twenty years combined.

Watching Shu Ann enjoy her meal so much, Lih Jingyan suddenly thought about the recent incident with Fu Xiaoya. Seeing how happy Shu Ann was, he figured she might agree to anything at that moment. He gently said, "Shu Ann, if Fu Xiaoya ever comes looking for me, make sure to send her away with any excuse you can think of, okay?"

Shu Ann, thoroughly enjoying her meal, quickly nodded and continued savoring her food.

After finishing her meal, Shu Ann looked up to find Lih Jingyan watching her intently. Her heart skipped a beat. Had she eaten too much? Was the director still hungry?

Feeling a bit guilty, Shu Ann looked at Lih Jingyan and softly asked, "Director Lee, did you not get enough to eat?"

Lih Jingyan couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter, looking at Shu Ann with amusement as he replied.

"Shu Ann, what on earth have you been thinking about all day?"

After hearing Jingyan's words, Shu Ann quickly retorted, "What’s in my head isn’t something just anyone can understand."

She was about to roll her eyes at Jingyan but remembered all the delicious food he had treated her to. After all, when someone feeds you well, you can’t really hold a grudge. So, she decided to let it slide today.

Jingyan couldn't help but chuckle at Shu Ann’s expression, which seemed to say, "I’m the bigger person here, so I won’t argue with you." It seemed his sassy little assistant was not only feisty but also quite adorable. He thought to himself that he should keep some tasty snacks in his office; you never know when they might come in handy. Women are indeed mysterious creatures, he mused.

Looking at the mess of food containers, Shu Ann blushed, wondering just how much she had eaten. Oh my gosh, she thought, have I no self-control? But it was all Jingyan’s fault. He had gotten so angry with her earlier that she skipped lunch. She must have been starving, and it was all because of him. This thought made her feel a bit better as she quietly tidied up the table.

Just as she was about to leave, Jingyan casually said, "Did you understand what I told you during lunch?"

Shu Ann quickly replied, "Yes, Director Lee, I got it. Anything else, Director Lee?"

Jingyan glanced at her and said, "No, that's all. You can get back to work."

With that, Shu Ann grabbed the food containers and left the office without looking back.

When she returned to the secretarial office, she found a group of people gathered around her desk, clearly gossiping. She didn’t need to guess to know it wasn’t anything good.

Shu Ann calmly walked to her seat, overhearing Anna's sarcastic tone as she said, "Oh, look who's back—our Director Lee's personal secretary!"

"Yeah, Director Lee's personal secretary is back," echoed another voice.

Hearing the emphasis on "personal," Shu Ann looked at the group of women with a nonchalant smile and said, "Could you please let me through? I have work to do."

Anna, irritated by Shu Ann's use of "ladies," snapped back, "Who are you calling ladies? Shu Ann, just because you're a few years younger doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Look at yourself; Director Lee would never be interested in someone like you."

Unfazed, Shu Ann continued smiling and replied, "Well, thank you for the good wishes."

Recognizing the futility of the situation, the group dispersed, realizing that Anna had instigated the drama, and they were just there for the spectacle. Seeing Shu Ann wasn't someone to be trifled with, they lost interest.

As the others left, Anna, with a venomous look, muttered, "We'll see about that," and strutted away in her high heels, swaying her hips.

Watching Anna's graceful exit, Shu Ann thought it would be best if a woman like her ended up with Lih Jingyan, sparing others from their trouble.

Settling into her chair, Shu Ann noticed the overpowering scent of perfume lingering around her desk, wondering how much those women had sprayed.

After organizing her desk, Shu Ann habitually opened her laptop and checked the chat group for any updates. Her main task was to help Jingtai restore their data network system—a simple task for a top-tier hacker like her.

However, Shu Ann couldn't shake the memory of the night she faced off against the person who attacked Jingtai's data system. The details of that data program were still vivid in her mind. The attacker was undoubtedly a hacker, and their ability to write attack code was on par with her own.

Shu Ann was lost in thought about the events of that day when the phone suddenly rang, startling her. She picked it up and said, "Hello, this is Jingtai Company. Who am I speaking with?"

Before she could finish, a peal of laughter came from the other end. Fu Xiaoya chuckled, "Shu Ann, why do I always feel like I'm calling customer service when I hear you say that?"

Recognizing the familiar, charming laugh, Shu Ann immediately knew who it was. There was no one else who spoke to her like this except Miss Fu, the eldest daughter of the Fu family.

Shu Ann's mind flashed back to what Lih Jingyan had told her earlier: "No matter what, find a way to send Miss Fu away." But how could she? She wasn't good at lying, and now she had to deceive someone.

She felt a pang of guilt towards Miss Fu. She couldn't understand why Lih Jingyan was so eager to avoid her. Miss Fu was not only beautiful but also kind-hearted, without a hint of the typical spoiled demeanor. Her temperament was far better than Lih Jingyan's. It was a shame she had fallen for such a jerk.

Shu Ann continued, "Miss Fu, I'm really sorry, but Director Lee just stepped out for a meeting."

Fu Xiaoya, hearing this, thought to herself, how could that be? Zhou Yang had just mentioned that Lih Jingyan was having lunch with his secretary. Lih Jingyan never dined with other women, especially not at the office. He was always so professional. Something was definitely off, but she couldn't resist such an intriguing situation.

Feigning innocence and surprise, Fu Xiaoya replied, "Oh, really? Assistant Zhou just told me Lih Jingyan was in his office."

After listening to what Miss Fu had to say, Shu Ann felt a sudden jolt of anxiety. See, she knew she couldn't lie. What was she supposed to do now?

After an internal struggle, Shu Ann touched her conscience and thought, "How could I sell my integrity for a few bucks? No way, I've been a good, honest kid since I was little."

With this in mind, Shu Ann picked up the phone, took a deep breath, and said, "Miss Fu, let me be honest with you. Director Lee instructed me that if you came looking for him, no matter the reason, I should say he's not here. Miss Fu, I'm really not good at lying, so please don't call me anymore. I just can't come up with reasons to deceive you."

On the other end, Fu Xiaoya started laughing again after hearing Shu Ann's words. It seemed Shu Ann was just as charming and amusing as Zhou Yang had described.

With a chuckle, Fu Xiaoya said, "Alright, I get it. But Shu Ann, you really are the most adorable person I've ever met. Until next time."

"Okay, goodbye, Miss Fu."

After hanging up, Shu Ann was left puzzled. Today, both Special Assistant Zhou and Miss Fu had called her adorable. She took out a small mirror from the drawer, looked at herself, and saw nothing different. Was she really that cute?

After ending the call, Fu Xiaoya picked up her phone and dialed Lih Jingyan's private number. Seeing the familiar number on the screen, Lih Jingyan didn't hesitate to hang up.

Undeterred, Fu Xiaoya went downstairs, grabbed her dear mother's phone, and called Lih Jingyan again. Let's see if he dared not to answer this time. But if he didn't, she had plenty of other ways to make him pick up. After all, she had all the time in the world.

This time, seeing it was Fu Xiaoya's mother's number, Lih Jingyan figured it was one of Xiaoya's tricks. He decided to answer, thinking it was better than wondering who she'd get to call him next.

As soon as the call connected, Xiaoya quickly said, "Jingyan, I'll be waiting for you at our usual spot later. And let me tell you, if you dare not show up, just wait and see how I tell Grandpa Lee on you. Hmph!" Jingyan hadn't even had a chance to respond before Xiaoya hung up.

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