C17 Will Not Accept Him

"President Huo? Are you okay?" Not hearing a reply, the rescuers asked again.

Huo Liancheng's eyes were dark and deep. There was a certain glint in them, she realized as she was staring at him, it was as if he had been hiding many secrets within its depths. Before she could say anything else, he finally let go of her and stepped backward. Soon enough, the heat behind his gaze had disappeared, and it was soon replaced with total indifference.

Just in time, the elevator doors had opened, a group of people crowded around the entrance. Various maintenance workers and security guards stood by each side while a few of Ming's employees watched from behind, eyes wide in horror.

The moment they saw Liancheng standing inside, they couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. However, dread soon followed as they thought of what punishment might await them.

Cheng Muze was the only one unaffected by his intimidating aura. Instead, he stared back at him with a playful glint in his eyes. He had been so worried about the elevator door being forced open that he couldn't help but peek inside. He didn't expect to see such a provocative scene. It seemed that Fourth Bro finally made his move.

He grinned at the thought, wondering how he was going to break the news to the group chat.

After what had happened last night, Cheng Muze was forced to accompany him back into the company once more, where he sat like a fool for two hours with the soybean milk in his hand. He had been waiting for Sister Jian to appear, where he would proceed to bump into her and create a chance for the two of them to talk.

Although the elevator losing control was not part of his plan, it definitely gave them an opportunity to connect. Otherwise, Sister Jian wouldn't have been as willing to throw herself into his arms.

The moment Huo Liancheng stepped out of the elevator, everyone rushed to his aid. Murmurs broke out of the crowd as they shot him question after question if he needed an ambulance. However, he ignored all of them, wearing a cold expression on his face. The mere sight of him made everyone wary.

Jian Yun stepped right out after him. Compared to the bustle surrounding her boss, her survival from the accident was met with silence and curiosity. As the crowd soon dispersed, there were only a few maintenance workers and Cheng Muze standing by the elevator.

"Sister Jian! Are you okay? Were you scared?" He walked up to her, voice laced with concern.

The maintenance workers couldn't help but be surprised by the sudden address. Cheng Muze had always been seen right next to the CEO. Why would he be so concerned over an ordinary employee? They shared looks before returning to their work.

Although her face was pale, a flush of red remained in her cheeks. The events back at the elevator transpired in her mind, and she forced a smile into her lips. "I–I'm fine."

She was nowhere near fine. Her legs were wobbly and her heart remained unsettled. How could she calm down? Not only had the elevator crashed, but Liancheng, their CEO, and one of the richest men in the city, had forcefully kissed her. The mere thought of his lips brushing up against hers made her blush even more.

"Why don't you head home and get some rest for the day?" Cheng Muze frowned. He had also assumed that Liancheng's sudden kiss must've caught her off-guard.

Thinking for a moment, she shook her head. "There's no need. I'm sure I'll be fine."

Although she would've wanted to head back home and pretend as if nothing had happened, she didn't want this to affect her performance in the workplace. With Manager Xia shooting glares at her every second in the office, she wasn't going to let that woman find another reason to have her fired.

"All right, but if you feel light-headed, just tell me directly so I can give you a leave of absence." He clasped her shoulder. Just as he did, he felt a sharp gaze shooting through his back, and he immediately retracted his arm. Cheng Muze placed his hands into his pockets and smiled. "This elevator is still under maintenance, so why don't you use our elevator instead?"

Knowing fully well that he was talking about the exclusive elevator, she subconsciously glanced up at Liancheng, who was still surrounded by the crowd of security guards and executives. What she didn't expect was for him to look at her direction as well. As their gazes collided, she recoiled and lowered her head.

Just then, a few executives from the higher management had received the news of the incident and rushed over. All of them had looks of concern for their CEO, but the man couldn't care less for them. Instead, he stared at Jian Yun's cowering figure, and his eyes narrowed even further.

"It's fine. Besides, the HR Department is just a few floors up. I can take the stairs." She still had some lingering fear in her heart that she couldn't find it in herself to take another elevator. After she refused his offer, Jian Yun turned and walked towards the staircase.

"I'll go with you!" Compared to Liancheng's icy demeanor, Sister Jian was obviously the better option to walk with. Without even glancing in Liancheng's direction, he quickly followed after her.

The heels she had worn that day were quite high, and it wasn't appropriate for climbing the stairs. By the time she had climbed the second flight of stairs, Jian Yun was already out of breath. Even then, she continued, almost spraining her ankle a couple of times along the way.

"Sister Jian, what do you think about Mr. Huo?" Cheng Muze used the opportunity to ask her.

She had just taken off her coat from the heat when his words made her freeze.

"I mean, if Mr. Huo were to ask you out on a date, would you say yes?" Deciding to drop all the formalities, he decided to be more direct with his line of questioning.

At her hesitant look, he quickly promised, "Don't worry, I won't say a thing to him."

"No," she later stated.

Cheng Muze couldn't hide his surprise. He blinked. "Why? Doesn't he have everything? Rich, good physique, great personality...Being the sole heir of the Gu Family, he was probably the best that one could get."

A good personality? Jian Yun resisted the urge to snort. She may not have known the man well enough, but she knew for a fact that the said personality was ultimately non-existent. If he was truly so good-natured, would he have such a stoic face every time they meet?

And with that sharp tongue of his! It was as if he was asking for a fight everywhere he went.

"Be honest, Sister Jian. If Mr. Huo likes you, would you like him back?" Cheng Muze asked again. It seemed that this situation was far more complicated than he had expected. Originally, he had assumed that if Liancheng would actively court her, it would be easy for her to fall for him. He didn't know that Sister Jian truly wasn't interested in him.

This was bad.

"It's still a no."

"Do you have a boyfriend then?" That was the only reason he could think of on why she'd refuse a man like Liancheng, but then again, it still didn't make any sense. If she had a boyfriend, why would she go on all of those blind dates?

"It's not that!" Stopping what she was doing, she glanced out of the window and suppressed a sigh. "He's...he's a dangerous man to like. Besides, such a man would have tons of admirers flocking around him."

So what if he was good looking and had a good family? She had already suffered once, and she wasn't going to allow herself to suffer gain!

"I..." He had fallen silent, not knowing how to respond to her.

She was right. There were thousands of women who would follow Liancheng like a lapdog. Even if they knew they didn't have a chance with him, they still pursued him relentlessly. If he did have any woman in his arm, that woman would have to face tons of criticisms, which may be too much for her to handle.

"Brother Ze, we're here." Seeing that he was still lost in his thoughts, she immediately pulled him up and waved him over.

"You don't need me to send you in?" Cheng Muze smiled, satisfied that Jian Yun had finally addressed him the way he had wanted her to. When she shook her head, he nodded. "All right. Remember, if you're not feeling well, all you have to do is give me a call. And don't worry, I won't tell anyone about this."