The instant she fell into the water, Cheng Yao finally got to see, to her satisfaction, Qian Heng’s calm expression shatter. His brow furrowed, as if he still hadn’t caught up with this sudden turn of events, his eyes flying open in disbelief as he plunged into the water alongside her.

Cheng Yao could swim, so once she hit the water, she let go of Qian Heng, intending to climb back onto the boat first and then pull him up.

But she hadn’t accounted for how cold the lake was in November. She’d barely managed a few strokes before her leg cramped up.

That’s it, that’s it — of course, genius really is doomed to die young…

That was Cheng Yao’s inner thought as she began sinking.

The water was too cold, and with her leg cramped, she couldn’t move, couldn’t swim back up — she could only watch helplessly as the light on the surface grew further and further away. Fortunately she’d managed to hold her breath, but as she sank deeper, her chest began to ache unbearably, and the last of her air was running out fast, and next—

Next would be inhaling water, and then drowning.

At this point, even someone as optimistic as Cheng Yao began to panic. The water carried a bone-deep chill, and the fear of drowning and death wrapped around her like a pair of icy hands — the lack of oxygen, the suffocation, the water pressure, all pushed her into a struggle.

She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t call for help, couldn’t escape.

Like walking along the cliff’s edge of death, Cheng Yao felt a fear rising from somewhere deep inside her.

She cried out in her mind — someone, please, save me.

Save me…

Just as Cheng Yao was about to lose consciousness, unable to hold that last breath any longer, a pair of hands, trailing faint ripples through the water, lifted her up. Then a pair of cool lips pressed against hers.

Just as she was on the verge of suffocating, someone breathed a breath of air into her.

The water was dark, and Cheng Yao’s eyes stung too much from the lake water to properly open, so she couldn’t make out who it was — she only, on instinct, held tight to whoever it was. Their arms were strong and powerful, and even surrounded by the freezing water, for no clear reason, Cheng Yao felt safe and secure. They carried her, swimming steadily upward, until they finally broke through the surface.

The moment she felt fresh air and sunlight again, Cheng Yao nearly wept with joy — but when she turned to thank her rescuer, she found herself face to face with Qian Heng’s handsome profile, impossibly close.

His expression was as unpleasant as ever, his hair dripping wet, the line of his nose still so perfectly sculpted it made you wonder, just as it had the first time she’d met him, whether it was surgically enhanced. Water droplets clung to his long lashes, and his thin, sensual lips were pressed slightly together…

Wait… lips…

So earlier, underwater…?

It had been rescue breathing, sure, but —

She and her boss had kissed, mouth to mouth?

Me and Qian Heng?? Kissed??

Cheng Yao felt as if she’d been struck by a hammer, so thoroughly stunned by this terrifying fact that her brain short-circuited entirely. Her body, still icy cold from the water moments ago, suddenly felt like it had caught fire, her whole face burning up instantly.

How was she supposed to face Qian Heng after this?

Cheng Yao had no idea how she was going to face her venomous boss anymore.

What should she do?

Forget it! Play dead!

Even though she was clearly fully conscious, Cheng Yao closed her eyes again. This scene was too much — she couldn’t bear to look.

Luckily, Qian Heng probably wasn’t even looking back at her. He simply kept one arm around Cheng Yao while using the other to pull himself toward the boat. Their commotion had already attracted the park’s safety staff, along with several other teams of lawyers rushing over to help, and soon enough, both Cheng Yao and Qian Heng were pulled back onto the boat.

There was a great deal of noise around them, all sorts of people chattering about this and that, but Cheng Yao remained lying stiffly still, dutifully playing dead.

She only dared to open her eyes the barest sliver, observing the situation around her through the crack.

One of the male lawyers sounded anxious. “Is Attorney Cheng okay? Should we call 120?”

“Is she even breathing? Should I try — I’ve had first aid training.”

Amid the chaos of the scene, only Qian Heng remained perfectly calm. “Is there a dry towel?”

“Oh, yes, yes — here.”

He took two towels from one of the park staff, using one to dry his own hair with one hand, and tossing the other toward Cheng Yao with the other.

The towel landed squarely over Cheng Yao’s face.

“Attorney Qian, how could you just throw it on Attorney Cheng’s face like that? She’s still unconscious…”

But faced with a wave of criticism and reproach, Qian Heng’s voice remained as composed as ever.

“Quit pretending. Get up.”

The towel covering Cheng Yao’s eyes blocked her view — she could only hear Qian Heng walking toward her, and then his cold voice sounded right above her head.

“…”

Cheng Yao kept playing dead.

“Cheng Yao, if you keep lying there like this, are you hoping I’ll give you another round of mouth-to-mouth?”

To the astonishment of everyone present, the moment Qian Heng’s words landed, the very same Attorney Cheng who had looked moments from losing all vital signs suddenly threw off the towel covering her face and sprang up, nimble and spry.

…

“Who am I? Where am I? What was I doing?” Cheng Yao opened her eyes wide, putting on a blank expression. “Oh, right, I fell in the water. I — I just woke up this second. I was completely unconscious this whole time.” Cheng Yao paused, then added, rather unconvincingly, “I passed out the moment I hit the water.”

Qian Heng crouched down, staring straight into Cheng Yao’s eyes.

Cheng Yao instinctively looked away, only for Qian Heng to reach out and lift her chin with one finger, turning her face back toward him, forcing her to meet his gaze.

From their very first meeting, Cheng Yao had known Qian Heng had a captivating pair of eyes.

She just hadn’t expected that even now, soaking wet from the fall, there wasn’t a trace of dishevelment on the man’s face — he still radiated that commanding presence, handsome and cold, an air of distinction about him.

Cheng Yao’s face began to heat up uncontrollably, her eyes darting away, her heart racing, her fingertips trembling slightly.

Qian Heng gave a cold laugh. “Unconscious?”

“Don’t remember?”

He kept his finger under Cheng Yao’s chin, leaning in closer to her face. “Do you need me to remind you what happened again?”

Because of this movement, the bathrobe he wore — its collar already slightly open — parted even further, and from Cheng Yao’s angle, she could just make out the faint outline of muscle across his chest.

She didn’t want to admit it, but Cheng Yao knew Qian Heng really did have an excellent physique — good enough that she found herself agreeing with what Qin Qin had said, that goods of this quality really were worth top dollar…

Even falling into the lake hadn’t left Cheng Yao feeling as suffocated as she did right now, as Qian Heng leaned in closer and closer. Without meaning to, she closed her eyes.

Nothing happened.

When Cheng Yao opened her eyes again, she found Qian Heng had already stood up, looking down at her with a faint, teasing smile. “Cheng Yao, what exactly were you thinking?”

“…”

“Well? Awake now?”

Cheng Yao’s face flushed red instantly. She lowered her head and nodded shakily — she must have gotten water in her brain when she fell in!

Since they were both soaked through, the two of them were sent to a hotel room within the scenic area. It was a family suite, with two separate bedrooms and bathrooms sharing a common living room.

Once both had showered and changed out of their wet clothes into hotel bathrobes, Cheng Yao dried her hair and came out to the living room to find Qian Heng already seated on the couch, radiating cool aloofness.

He glanced lightly at Cheng Yao. “Your year-end bonus this year is getting an twenty percent cut.”

Cheng Yao was aghast. “Why?!”

“Insubordination.”

Cheng Yao: ???

“Falling into the water yourself and dragging your boss in with you — ten percent off for that.” Qian Heng pressed his lips together. “Taking advantage of the situation to sexually harass your superior — another ten percent off.”

“Me?? Sexual harassment??”

“Heh. What happened in the water — you don’t remember now?”

At this point Cheng Yao completely abandoned any pretense of restraint. “But in the water, you were the one who kissed me first!”

“If you hadn’t fallen in, would I have kissed you to save you?”

“You and I aren’t married or related by blood — there’s no legal obligation between us! Even if you’d just watched me drown, that wouldn’t have been illegal! You didn’t have to breathe air into me at all!” Cheng Yao said, growing more agitated. “No matter how you look at it, that was your own decision, not something I forced on you! There’s no reason to dock my bonus over it!”

Qian Heng gave a cold laugh. “There’s no legal obligation between us to rescue each other, sure. But you were attending this mixer as work, essentially overtime. If you’d drowned today, that would count as a workplace injury, and I’d have had to pay you injury compensation. Could I really afford not to save you? And in the end, that meant you effectively took advantage of me — sexually harassed me.”

“I…”

“One more word out of you, and it’s thirty percent off.”

Cheng Yao glared at this capitalist exploiter and shut her mouth.

Having won the exchange, Qian Heng wanted very much to turn and walk off with a cold expression, but the bathrobe he was wearing — matching Cheng Yao’s own — stopped him in his tracks.

He pulled out his phone and, with no other choice, called his troublesome friend Wu Jun. “Hey — Wu Jun, go to my place and bring me a change of clothes. I’ll text you the address. No, not just an outer layer — everything. Underwear too. All of it.”

On the other end, Wu Jun got excited. “Oh my god! Has the ice finally melted, Qian Heng! I can’t believe attending one mixer actually got you brainwashed! First encounter and you’re already shacking up?! Clothes? A full set? Was the action so intense everything got ripped to shreds? That’s pretty wild!”

Qian Heng didn’t bother engaging with that, simply continuing, “Also, go to the nearest women’s clothing store and buy a full outfit for a woman too. Everything, complete set.”

Wu Jun exploded. “Don’t push your luck! I’m a man! You want me buying a full set of women’s clothes, women’s underwear?! What are the shop clerks going to think of me?! What about my image?!”

“Find a female clerk to help you pick, or ask one of your female friends to go buy it. Either way, just get it done, now.”

“What’s her figure like? What size should I get?”

“Figure?” Qian Heng glanced over at Cheng Yao, who was huddled in the corner clutching the front of her bathrobe, shivering but still glaring daggers at him. “About 90, 60, 85, I’d guess.”

Wu Jun let out a whistle. “Nice figure.” He sounded quite enthusiastic. “I’ll see you within fifteen minutes.”

“No, I only need to see the clothes. Just leave everything at the front desk, have them send it up, then you can leave.”

Wu Jun couldn’t help complaining. “Talk about ruthless and ungrateful, kicking the ladder away the second you’re up. Out with the old, in with the new — used to look at the stars and moon with me, called me your little sweetheart… Hello?! Hey?! Qian Heng!! I wasn’t even done with my line! Why’d you hang up on me!!!”

Cheng Yao watched Qian Heng end the call, still eyeing him warily, clutching the front of her robe tightly shut.

What was with the “90, 60, 85”? What exactly had Qian Heng been looking at?! She was wearing a robe that hid her figure completely — how had he guessed those numbers so accurately??

Cheng Yao suddenly felt a flicker of nerves — alone, just the two of them, both wearing nothing but bathrobes…

But Qian Heng quickly dispelled any wild imaginings. “Don’t worry. You don’t meet my standards.”

“…”

“You already got a free advantage over me once. It won’t happen a second time.”

“…”

Cheng Yao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Qian Heng actually thought he’d been taken advantage of?! When clearly, she was the one who’d — strictly speaking, that had been her first kiss!! And who knew about Qian Heng? Who knew if he’d kissed other people before?!

After the weekend passed, on the first day of the new work week, everyone noticed that their usually ice-cold, commanding boss Qian had taken on a rather peculiar air—

“Everyone who closed a case last month, scan and archive the full closing report and judgment and send copies to… achoo… “

“Tan Ying, tomorrow you… achoo… “

“Cheng Yao, help me schedule a call with the client… achoo… “

Thanks to that lake dip on Saturday, Qian Heng had caught a cold.

Though his expression remained as unfriendly as ever and his voice as cold and flat, the sneezing had left his eyes faintly moist and reddened, and his voice carried a slight hoarseness. Not in top form, he wrapped up Monday’s meeting hastily.

Watching Qian Heng’s retreating back, Tan Ying nudged Cheng Yao. “Don’t you think, now that our boss Qian’s sick, he’s got this delicate, pity-inducing vibe going on? Like one of those frail beauties who insists on pushing through despite being unwell — ugh, I have such a soft spot for that trope! It just makes you want to take care of him! My maternal instincts are overflowing!”

“Achoo!”

Cheng Yao couldn’t help but sneeze too.

Tan Ying jumped three feet back. “Cheng Yao, you caught a cold too? Then stay away from me, don’t get me sick!”

So much for that frail-beauty fantasy? Where’d all that overflowing maternal love go? Where’s the coworker love here?!

After that day’s chaos, Wu Jun had reliably delivered the clothes in time, and Cheng Yao had changed into a pink down jacket, sitting nervously in Qian Heng’s Bentley all the way home, watching his cold expression the entire ride.

Unfortunately, the next day, the two of them both came down with a nasty cold, quite by unhappy coincidence…

Cheng Yao hadn’t been at her desk long before she got an internal call from Qian Heng.

“Bring me a cup of ginger tea.”

Curt as ever, he hung up before she could even respond, this veteran patient of a boss.

Cheng Yao carried the ginger tea into his office, unable to resist protesting. “Didn’t you say female lawyers shouldn’t be doing this kind of serving work?”

“Because of you, I caught this cold. As the culprit, shouldn’t you make amends through your actions?”

Qian Heng shot Cheng Yao a cold look, though with the nasal congestion in his voice and the residual tears at the corners of his eyes from cold-induced yawning, it lacked much intimidating power.

Still, a good-looking person, even sick, always carried an extra shade of appeal beyond ordinary people.

Tan Ying had been right — this version of Qian Heng really did seem to carry a touch more warmth than usual, there was even something faintly alluring in the corners of his eyes.

Cheng Yao made herself calm down — the cold seemed to really be affecting her judgment.

Just as she was about to leave the office, Qian Heng called her back.

“Bai Xingmeng’s case — the court just sent the filing notice. Hearing’s in a month.” Qian Heng finished speaking and tossed a document to Cheng Yao. “Let the client know.”

But Cheng Yao hadn’t expected that, barely after she’d hung up from notifying Bai Xingmeng, she’d get another call from Qian Heng.

“Get the conference room ready. Xu Jun and his lawyer will be here in an hour — they want a pre-trial discussion.”

“Should we notify Bai Xingmeng again?”

Qian Heng pressed his lips together. “I already told her. She’s not coming — we’ll fill her in on the situation after the meeting. Bring the recording pen.”

An hour later—

Perhaps it was just something about facing lawyers that inspired instinctive apprehension, but Xu Jun’s demeanor could only be described as humble and courteous — though his expression betrayed a hint of urgency he couldn’t quite hide, he was a far cry from the domineering man Bai Xingmeng had described.

He dressed impeccably, and while not especially handsome, his manner and bearing gave off a distinctly scholarly, refined impression.

If Cheng Yao hadn’t already heard so much about him from Bai Xingmeng beforehand, she might well have been fooled by Xu Jun’s exterior too, just like everyone else.

Some successful people really were skilled at wearing masks.

But it wasn’t only Xu Jun who surprised Cheng Yao — walking in behind him was a face she recognized, refined and clean-cut, with a gentle, understated air—

“Attorney Qian, hello. I’m Xu Jun’s representing attorney for this case, Gu Beiqing.” The man’s words trailed off as he looked up and spotted Cheng Yao, his own face registering surprise as well.

Running into Gu Beiqing here was the last thing Cheng Yao had expected, and for a moment, unmistakable delight flashed across her face.

Fortunately, Gu Beiqing quickly composed himself, and with a gentle look reminded her to do the same. Cheng Yao quickly snapped back into her professional role, straightening up, about to return his smile — but the corner of her mouth had barely begun to lift when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Qian Heng’s icy expression…

He didn’t say a word, but his gaze said everything.

“Smile again and you’re dead.”

Qian Heng hadn’t spoken, but he might as well have flashed those words across his forehead like a subtitle.

Cheng Yao didn’t dare smile anymore, quickly pressing her lips shut.

“Attorney Qian, hello. My lawyer and I came here today hoping to…”

“Mr. Xu.” Gu Beiqing, standing beside Xu Jun, interjected to stop him, but Xu Jun waved him off, gesturing that he’d speak for himself.

“I want to reconcile.” Xu Jun’s tone was, remarkably, gentle. “My lawyer and I came here today hoping to discuss an out-of-court settlement.” His tone and posture were both notably humble. “I’m willing to compensate her — I won’t shortchange her a single cent of what she’s entitled to in the division. That’s why I really wanted the chance to talk with Bai Xingmeng face-to-face.”

At this, Xu Jun’s expression turned somewhat despondent. “No matter how many times I call her, she won’t pick up. For this meeting too, she only sent her lawyers to attend. Honestly, I feel quite wistful about how our marriage ended up like this…”

Cheng Yao had always assumed an entrepreneur like Xu Jun would be a man of few words, but he was quite the opposite — talkative, even, easily chatty even in front of his ex-wife’s lawyers. But somehow, Cheng Yao couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being a bit too animated, giving off a subtle sense of wrongness.

Qian Heng, who kept even his own clients on a strict timer, had no interest whatsoever in listening to the opposing party wax sentimental. He cut Xu Jun off directly. “Mr. Xu can provide the settlement proposal to me, and I’ll relay it to my client.”

“Attorney Gu.”

At Xu Jun’s nod, Gu Beiqing produced a document. “This is the settlement proposal we’ve drafted.”

Gu Beiqing’s work was, as always, thorough and meticulous — the proposal had been prepared in multiple copies. Cheng Yao flipped through her copy, growing more surprised the further she read.

This settlement proposal was remarkably generous. The amount Xu Jun was offering to Bai Xingmeng in this proposal wasn’t just fair — it was actually slightly more than what she’d be entitled to under a standard division.

“You’ve probably already investigated what Miss Bai could reasonably expect to be awarded in a normal court proceeding. We’re willing to settle for more than that amount right now — that alone should demonstrate Mr. Xu’s sincerity.”

Gu Beiqing smiled and looked toward Qian Heng. Qian Heng returned the smile, gesturing for him to continue.

Encouraged by the positive response, Gu Beiqing’s tone grew even more measured. “And if this goes through litigation — with a first and second instance judgment — it could easily take a year or more before Miss Bai actually receives this property settlement. Far less economical than settling directly now.”

Qian Heng kept smiling.

Gu Beiqing continued. “Besides, she’s a public figure in the entertainment industry. The media hasn’t caught wind of this case yet, but if it goes to trial and drags on, it’s bound to be exposed to gossip eventually — that wouldn’t be good for her public image either. Mr. Xu, out of consideration for the feelings he once had for Miss Bai, doesn’t want this to end up dragged into open court, which is why he’s put forward this proposal.”

His words were airtight — persuading from one angle, hinting from another, striking from a third — confident and forceful. Remarkably, today, in front of Gu Beiqing, Qian Heng hadn’t said a word. Had he been overwhelmed by the other man’s presence, caught momentarily without a counter?

Cheng Yao felt almost dazed — was this razor-sharp Gu Beiqing really the same senior who used to smile and bring her snacks back in college?

“Perfect. Truly perfect.” Qian Heng finally spoke, glancing over the settlement agreement with apparent interest. He gave a soft laugh, then set the document down. “Unfortunately, I won’t be accepting it.”

…

Clearly displeased by Qian Heng’s leisurely attitude, Gu Beiqing spoke with some sharpness. “Attorney Qian, has your client actually agreed to this refusal? You haven’t even consulted with her — you’re rejecting our settlement offer purely for your own self-interest…”

“Oh? What self-interest would that be? This division of property ultimately goes to Miss Bai regardless — what does that have to do with me?”

Gu Beiqing gave a cold laugh. “You and Miss Bai presumably signed a contingency fee agreement, Attorney Qian. Once there’s a settlement and the case is withdrawn, you can’t collect your percentage-based fee off the divided property anymore, can you?”

Qian Heng wasn’t ruffled in the slightest, merely smiling lightly. “First, when I, Qian Heng, sign a contingency fee agreement, my fee is paid according to the agreed percentage regardless of whether the case ends in settlement, litigation, or even early termination of representation. Second, the high court has already established precedent that even when a client settles, the lawyer can still collect a contingency fee exceeding 24% on top — didn’t you know that?”

Gu Beiqing’s expression darkened. Clearly, he had misjudged Qian Heng’s combat capability, underestimating just how venomous the man truly was.

Having clearly embarrassed the opposing counsel, Qian Heng seemed to be thoroughly enjoying this one-sided torment — his mood visibly brightened, the corners of his mouth even curling into a smile.

Extremely handsome. But also extremely wicked.

“I’m rejecting this settlement agreement because I know it’s not the best offer you can give — you can offer more.” His tone was resolute. “Mr. Xu, your company is at a critical stage in its IPO process. While filing this lawsuit, we also applied to freeze the equity involved in your company’s listing — you understand exactly what that means for your IPO. Once you’re publicly listed, your wealth will multiply many times over. Compared to that, the settlement amount you’re offering your ex-wife is a drop in the bucket.”

“But.” Qian Heng smiled, deliberately pausing. “If we don’t accept this settlement, and your IPO fails, how many billions in expected wealth would evaporate? So think carefully about who actually benefits more from signing this settlement, and come back to talk to me once you’ve figured that out.”

The meeting between the two sides’ lawyers ultimately ended without resolution.

As they were leaving, once Xu Jun had gone ahead, Gu Beiqing turned back to Cheng Yao with a smile. “Let’s catch up sometime when you’re free.”

That finally eased the tense atmosphere somewhat.

Though Qian Heng’s strategy had been flawless, Cheng Yao still had some doubts. Once the visitors had left, she couldn’t help but ask, “Boss, is it really okay to reject this outright without checking with Bai Xingmeng first?”

“Of course there’s an issue with it.” Qian Heng shot Cheng Yao a cold look. “No matter how skilled a lawyer is, no matter how high their fees, they can never make decisions on behalf of their client. And even if the client makes the wrong decision, as her lawyer, all you can do is respect her choice.”

“So…”

“Before meeting with Xu Jun, I already discussed this with Bai Xingmeng. She won’t accept a settlement — no matter what terms Xu Jun offers.”

“Then why did you still tell Xu Jun to go back and think about whether he could offer a better proposal?”

“To give him hope for a settlement.”

“Huh?” Cheng Yao looked puzzled. If they had no intention of accepting a settlement at all, why give him that hope? “So is this to confuse them, to distract them? So they won’t properly prepare for the litigation?”

Qian Heng gave Cheng Yao a look like she was simple-minded. “You think I need to confuse people to win?”

“…”

“There’s no deeper reason. This is what Bai Xingmeng wants. As a lawyer, you just do your job — you don’t need to go digging into your client’s inner world.” Qian Heng glanced at Cheng Yao. “As for you — don’t let personal fondness for opposing counsel affect your professionalism on this case.”

Cheng Yao: ???

Qian Heng gave a haughty snort. “Don’t try to deny it. You think I’m blind? Making eyes at the opposing lawyer right in front of me.”

Cheng Yao: ???

“If the other side happens to be an ex-boyfriend or current boyfriend of yours, and you need to recuse yourself, apply to me as soon as possible.”

Cheng Yao felt utterly baffled — what was any of this? She hadn’t said a single word, and Qian Heng was already inventing an entire drama in his head?

“Gu Beiqing is my senior from college — he was in his research third year when I was a freshman, and my final year of grad prep, he was in a study group with me, helping prepare for the bar exam… it’s thanks to his guidance that I passed the bar. After he graduated he went abroad, got his JD at Berkeley, and we lost touch. I had no idea he’d come back to work here — today’s the first time I’ve seen him again…”

“Mm.”

Fearing she might get pulled off the case team, Cheng Yao kept explaining. “It’s really not any kind of boyfriend or ex-boyfriend relationship, nothing to recuse over. I won’t let knowing someone affect my work!”

For some reason, Cheng Yao felt oddly like she was explaining to a suspicious wife that she hadn’t cheated…

Qian Heng glanced at Cheng Yao. “No meeting up until the case is closed.”

Determined to stay on the case, Cheng Yao lowered herself to say, “Anything else, boss?”

Qian Heng looked at her, then asked, completely out of nowhere, “What was your bar exam score?”

“Huh?” Cheng Yao scratched her head and laughed sheepishly. “Three hundred sixty on the dot — sixty points and you pass, one point more is a waste, one point less and you suffer. Guess I got lucky…”

“I coached you for the bar exam, and this is the score you got?”

Qian Heng scoffed, his expression full of disdain. “Your level really is far too low.”

“…”

Having said his piece, Qian Heng strode out of the conference room, triumphant, leaving Cheng Yao staring after him, dumbfounded.

She had no idea what had gotten into her boss today, showing such open hostility toward Gu Beiqing. Cheng Yao really wanted to tell him there was no need to feel threatened at all — Gu Beiqing had nothing on him. Qian Heng’s throne as the Five-Poison Cult Leader wasn’t something an ordinary person could ever shake!

Once the meeting ended, Cheng Yao, as a matter of routine, needed to give Bai Xingmeng a brief update on how it had gone. She wrote up a summary of the situation in an email and attached the full audio recording of the meeting as well.

Right after sending the email, and just as she was about to organize the case’s evidence so far, she got a call from Qin Qin.

“Yao-yao!”

Hearing that nickname, Cheng Yao felt an involuntary shiver — that kind of opener never meant anything good…

Sure enough, Qin Qin’s voice was sweet and gentle. “I need a favor…”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Come on, don’t be like that. I have to go on a business trip for two weeks — can you look after my son Megatron for me?”

Megatron was a roughly one-year-old husky — energetic, mischievous, destructive to a shocking degree, and utterly disobedient. Qin Qin had even hired a dog trainer, to little effect.

“Absolutely n—”

Before Cheng Yao could get out the last syllable of “not,” Qin Qin had already sealed the deal on the dog-sitting arrangement. “My flight’s this afternoon. I’ll drop Megatron off at your place. Thanks so much, my sister — love you!”

With that, Qin Qin decisively hung up.

“…”

Cheng Yao felt like crying without tears. She psyched herself up, deciding she’d find a chance to test out her roommate’s feelings about keeping a dog.

But it turned out the opportunity she’d been struggling to find presented itself sooner than expected.

After delivering a document to Qian Heng, Cheng Yao happened to glance around and noticed a framed watercolor painting on his desk — of an adorable dog.

“This dog is so cute!”

Qian Heng blinked, taking a moment to register what Cheng Yao was praising. He glanced at the watercolor. “Mm, it’s decent, I suppose.”

Ooh, there’s an opening!

Encouraged, Cheng Yao pressed on. “Actually, I’ve always loved dogs. They’re lively, affectionate, so adorable, and dogs are humanity’s most loyal friends — the bond between dogs and humans goes back thousands of years…”

“Cheng Yao.”

“Yes?”

“No dogs allowed.”

“…”

“Don’t assume just because there’s a watercolor on my desk that I like dogs.” Qian Heng finally looked up. “I don’t.” He pressed his lips together slightly. “Dogs are a very troublesome animal. First, they bark constantly, disturbing everyone. Second, they’re filthy — you have to trail around after them cleaning up their mess. Third, they’re dangerous — if one bites someone, you’re liable for damages, and while rabies vaccines might be fake these days, dogs are certainly real. So, in conclusion, I absolutely will not accept a dog in the apartment. You’d best give up on that idea.”

“…”

Cheng Yao could only glare at Qian Heng, not daring to voice her fury.

Qian Heng gave her a flat look, delivering his final verdict. “It’s me or the dog.”

“…”

When Cheng Yao tried calling Qin Qin back, her phone was off — completely unreachable. But at least the dog hadn’t been dropped off yet, or so she thought.

But when she got home from work and reached her front door, she nearly fainted on the spot.

Reality was always cruel, and life never quite went the way you hoped — because there was Megatron, already delivered straight to Cheng Yao’s doorstep…

Cheng Yao stared at Megatron, tied up outside the door by his leash, utterly speechless. Qin Qin had even thoughtfully left a bag of dog food beside him, along with a pile of dog toys and a dog bed, as if arranging his final affairs before departure.

Fortunately, Qian Heng wasn’t eating at home tonight and would be back late, so seeing no one around, Cheng Yao quickly smuggled Megatron inside and hid him in her room.

She stroked the husky’s head, lecturing him earnestly. “Megatron, you’d better behave, or you’ll get thrown out.”

The husky licked her hand, looking remarkably well-behaved, and Cheng Yao finally felt a swell of maternal relief.

At ten that night, Qian Heng came home.

Cheng Yao held the dog close, praying that Megatron would understand the stakes.

But fate had other plans. Megatron, though he hadn’t barked, suddenly broke free from Cheng Yao and started tearing around the room in excitement, knocking over the nightstand in the process.

A loud crash echoed as the nightstand toppled.

“Cheng Yao?”

Cheng Yao clamped a hand over Megatron’s mouth, forcing her voice to stay level. “I’m fine! Just knocked over a chair by accident! Thanks for your concern, boss!”

But no sooner had she said that than Megatron broke free again and actually did knock over a chair…

Cheng Yao preemptively shouted through the door, “Boss, I’m fine! I’m totally fine!”

“BANG—”

The dog leapt onto Cheng Yao’s desk…

“Boss, I’m OK!”

“CRASH—”

The dog knocked her papers off the desk—

“Boss, I’m doing yoga!”

“THUD—”

The dog crashed into the wardrobe…

“Boss, this yoga pose is a bit difficult! But I can manage! It’s fine!”

“BONK—”

The dog kicked over the small air purifier…

“Boss…”

“Cheng Yao, what exactly are you doing in there? Practicing some kind of martial arts?” Qian Heng, unable to take it anymore, pushed open her bedroom door. “You’d better…”

The instant Qian Heng opened the door, a sturdy husky came bounding straight toward him, tongue lolling, and leapt right up onto him, licking his hand affectionately.

Cheng Yao watched as Megatron, tongue out, propped his front paws on Qian Heng’s legs, leaving little muddy paw prints all over his high-end tailored suit trousers, and felt her doom had arrived.

Qian Heng didn’t move a muscle. He held perfectly still, his voice tight with restrained fury. “Cheng Yao. What is this?”

“A dog!”

Qian Heng stared her down, enunciating each word. “I. Know. It’s. A. Dog.”

“Oh, right, right!” Cheng Yao helpfully added, “A husky! Scientific name — Siberian Husky, an ancient and primitive breed, relatively gentle temperament, one of the three so-called non-aggressive large dog breeds alongside golden retrievers and Labradors…”

“Shut up.” Qian Heng’s expression was terrifying now. “I’m asking you why this dog is here.”

Cheng Yao glanced at him and said nothing.

Qian Heng, dropping his usual restraint, was nearly boiling over. “Cheng Yao, I’m asking you a question!”

“Well… you told me to shut up, and now you’re telling me to answer, I don’t know whether I’m supposed to shut up or answer…”

Qian Heng looked ready to combust. He pressed a hand to his temple, his breathing tight and labored. “Get this long-haired four-legged creature off of me, right now!”

Cheng Yao obediently rushed forward and scooped Megatron up.

It was only then that she noticed — Qian Heng, who had been rigid and tense as if bracing for battle, visibly relaxed the moment she pulled the dog away. Looking up, Cheng Yao noticed his face was still a bit pale.

A thought took shape in her mind—

He was afraid of dogs!!

The fearless, unstoppable, venomous, holier-than-thou boss Qian Heng — afraid of dogs!

Ha ha ha ha, armed with this realization, Cheng Yao could only cackle internally, hands on hips.

She held back her expression and asked, feigning innocence, “Boss, are you scared of dogs?”

“No.” Qian Heng denied it almost reflexively.

“I see.” Cheng Yao said, while “accidentally” loosening her grip on Megatron. The husky immediately stuck out his tongue and made a beeline for Qian Heng again…

“Cheng! Yao!” Qian Heng’s face still maintained its composure, but his voice had already cracked. “Control your dog! Tell it to behave!”

Cheng Yao reeled the husky back in, and Qian Heng finally let out a look of “I can breathe again,” regaining his usual untouchable-boss demeanor.

“Get rid of this dog today. Immediately. I said no dogs.”

“Boss, please, have a heart. It’s my best friend’s dog — she’s on a business trip, just boarding him with me for a little while, it’s not permanent. I promise, I won’t normally let him out — I’ll keep him in my room.” As she spoke, Cheng Yao picked up one of the husky’s paws and waved it at Qian Heng. “Come on, Megatron, say hi to Qian-par!”

Qian Heng recoiled two steps, adamant, unyielding. “If you keep this dog, this year’s bonus is completely gone.”

So Cheng Yao “accidentally” let the lively husky get a little closer to Qian Heng once more…

Sure enough, that forcibly composed expression reappeared on Qian Heng’s face — though his body language told a very different story.

If it weren’t for the sake of appearances, he probably would have already leapt up and fled…

“Boss…”

Qian Heng was practically shouting now. “Get the dog away from me!”

Cheng Yao struck a pose of earnest, heartfelt sincerity. “So, about that bonus? Let me tell you a bit about my financial situation — living alone, paying rent, all the expenses add up. If I lose the bonus, I really need to open up to you about my struggles…”

“Fine, I won’t cut your bonus! Just get the dog away right now!!!”

“Thank you, boss!”

Having achieved her goal, Cheng Yao wasted no time scooping the dog right back up against her chest.

Qian Heng, watching the husky sitting obediently beside Cheng Yao, seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief. He shot her a warning look. “If you’re going to keep it, fine — but it stays out of common areas. Tell your friend to hurry back and take the dog with her, or I’ll be sending her a cease-and-desist letter!”

Having leveraged the dog to get exactly what she wanted, Cheng Yao wisely quit while she was ahead, nodding rapidly. “Yes, yes, whatever you say, boss.”