Teasing the Icy President

The waiter was startled by the sudden movement. “The price for a rare steak is three times that of a medium-well one. Wouldn’t you like to try it, miss?”

Mu Qingtian shook her head vigorously.

“Whatever, you boring little girl. How are you ever going to find a man like this?” Nie Shuangshuang arranged her cutlery, already decided on indulging in a big meal.

“If only I could just work without seeing things I shouldn’t!” Mu Qingtian propped her head on her hand, lamenting.

“That’s just how society is. Where there’s sunlight, there are shadows. Tell me, what did you see-” Nie Shuangshuang noticed a subtle change in Mu Qingtian’s expression. Her eyebrows relaxed, her mouth formed an ‘O’, and her chubby face’s double chin became evident under the strain of the action.

Ye Ziqian walked in with another beauty just as Mu Qingtian made her gesture. He had already seen her before she acted and was making his way over.

“Little girl!” Lu Zizhong was delighted to see her, but Ye Ziqian’s stern gaze halted his forward motion.

The waiter approached with the prepared steak, and Mu Qingtian hastily grabbed a napkin to cover her head. The waiter, puzzled by the customer, lifted the steel cover.

“Ah-ah-” Mu Qingtian screamed, retracting her right hand holding the napkin, then her left. The sizzling steak seemed to welcome Ye Ziqian. Mu Qingtian hated that steak; how could it be so cheerful!

“Help-” Mu Qingtian couldn’t hold back any longer, jumping up from the table and running to the side. The waiter continued serving with a smile, clearly amused but holding back laughter due to professionalism.

Ye Ziqian now stood beside her.

“Oh, you’ve changed again. This one’s taller and chubbier than the one this morning, am I right?” Mu Qingtian looked up with her round, chubby face, happily addressing Ye Ziqian.

Ye Ziqian glared at her, a powerful “get lost” brewing in his mouth, but restrained by Nie Shuangshuang’s presence, he held it in.

Ye Ziqian let go of the woman’s hand and walked towards the VIP room alone.

“See that? That guy’s loaded, filthy rich!” Mu Qingtian said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Ye Ziqian slowed his steps slightly. He wanted to turn back and glare at the woman who seemed to have no sense of boundaries, but he decided against it.

“Hey, aren’t you afraid your boss will fire you? That’s one cold, handsome man-so intriguing!” Nie Shuangshuang said, winking at Mu Qingtian.

“Save your flirtatious looks for the men,” Mu Qingtian shot back. She gripped her knife in her left hand and fork in her right, slashing aggressively at her steak.

Nie Shuangshuang put down her utensils and simply watched Mu Qingtian’s eating habits with amusement.

Ye Ziqian returned to their table once more.

“Have a seat! It’s rude to just glance and leave. We’re almost done eating anyway. Sit down, and we’ll wait for you. Thanks for treating us last time-” Nie Shuangshuang said politely.

“No problem. Uncle here has plenty of money!” Mu Qingtian mumbled through a mouthful of beef, her words slightly garbled because her mouth was too full.

Ye Ziqian watched her eat and felt like he’d never want to have steak again in his life.

The woman Ye Ziqian had brought in earlier walked past them as if she didn’t know them at all.

“Uncle, you dumped her already? You’re really quick!” Mu Qingtian said between bites, her knife and fork scraping loudly against the plate.

Ye Ziqian frowned. This woman was truly something else.

Four bodyguards in black suits and sunglasses entered from the door, whispering something to Lu Zizhong.

With a wave of his hand, Lu Zizhong sent them back outside, where they stood at the entrance, acting as guards for the restaurant.

Mu Qingtian finally noticed that the restaurant was empty except for the three of them. The four bodyguards at the door made it seem like a mafia boss was sitting inside.

“Uncle, what was your purpose for treating us to dinner before? I don’t mind, but don’t you dare set your sights on Nie Shuangshuang!” Mu Qingtian said, still chewing her food.

Her words instantly froze the atmosphere at the table. When a waiter approached with a tray, Mu Qingtian jumped up from her seat from a distance.

“Pack it up-” Ye Ziqian didn’t want to sit there any longer. He smiled faintly at Nie Shuangshuang, then stood up and left.

“President Ye, the company account shows a large transfer of funds. It must be Mr. An’s doing,” Lu Zizhong said calmly.

“That’s all he’s capable of. I thought he’d hold out longer. Let’s play with him-I’ve got nothing better to do anyway,” Ye Ziqian said, a cold glint in his eyes.

“The entire equity of the electronic technology company has been acquired by Mr. An, and all debts have been cleared. His move is akin to drawing a line in the sand-it’s a risky gamble. If President Ye doesn’t see through his scheme, he might even think Mr. An is doing a great job managing the company and could award him this year’s annual bonus,” Lu Zizhong said, speaking more to himself than anyone else.

“Award him? And while we’re at it, why don’t I just leak the password to my largest personal account and speed up my own demise?” Ye Ziqian’s lips curled into a smirk.

“Understood, President. I’ll follow your instructions,” Lu Zizhong replied, then exited the room. Shortly after, the beauty from earlier that morning walked in.

“You’re not going home? Aren’t you afraid your husband will interrogate you?” Ye Ziqian teased with a sly grin.

“Not only am I not afraid, but I’m willingly offering myself. This dish-are you going to partake tonight?” The beauty had already taken off her coat, her voluptuous figure now fully on display before Ye Ziqian.

“‘Fingers like peeled scallions, lips like crimson cinnabar.’ Has your husband ever praised you with those words?” Ye Ziqian remarked as he admired her.

“You’re so bad. When we entered the Western restaurant earlier, I thought you were going to-”

Ye Ziqian abruptly stood up. “Put your clothes on and go home. I have business to attend to tonight.” His voice was as cold as if it had come from the depths of hell. He walked over to his sofa, picked up a newspaper, and began reading. The beauty, sensing the mood, left without another word.

Mu Qingtian-what an utterly infuriating person! Just hearing her name now made Ye Ziqian’s skin crawl.

“President Ye, why did you send her away? Should I call Miss Yu?” Lu Ziqian asked.

“No need. What’s the status of the account? Any movement?” Ye Ziqian inquired.

“Yes, the account balance has been zeroed out. It’s a bold move, almost like a desperate last stand. How does the president plan to respond?”

“Respond? I’ll sit back and reap the benefits!” A hint of cunning flashed across Ye Ziqian’s face, followed by a chilling smile that sent shivers down the spine.

“Is the flow of funds from the account untraceable?” Ye Ziqian asked.

“Yes, it’s been handled very cleverly-completely silent,” Lu Ziqian replied, standing there as if awaiting further instructions.

“Call Mu Qingtian,” Ye Ziqian said.

“Oh, ah? The little girl?” Lu Ziqian asked, clearly surprised.

“Do you like her? You keep calling her ‘little girl’-”

“It’s not that I like her, but I find her endearing. She’s quite simple and honest,” Lu Ziqian answered, though he made no move to leave.

Ye Ziqian glanced at him. “Is there something else, Uncle Zhong?”

“What if she doesn’t come? It’s already ten o’clock.”

“If she doesn’t come, then forget it. Just try calling her.” Ye Ziqian was thoroughly annoyed by this girl who seemed to cause him more headaches than anyone else. He had gone to great lengths to get close to the mayor’s daughter, only to have his intentions exposed in public. What kind of clueless person was she?!

She was his employee, and she should have fawned over him like all the other sycophantic employees. Perhaps it was because he hadn’t disclosed her base salary? Ye Ziqian had encountered her several times in noisy places like bars and casinos, and he knew this little girl must be desperate for money.

Ye Ziqian lay on the sofa and unknowingly fell asleep.

In his dream, he wandered into a sea of flowers, and at the end of it was a forest. He kept walking, even though he knew he was exhausted. His body moved on its own, and Ye Ziqian hated this feeling. Entering the forest, he saw a mother bear with an incomplete belly holding her cub, a sapling with a twisted neck like a terminally ill patient, and beneath the exposed roots, a man was crouched over a woman’s body.

Ye Ziqian understood this scene all too well. He had no interest in it, but his consciousness urged him forward to see everything clearly. He realized the bare-chested man under the tree was An Shaochen. And the woman beneath him? She was plump, not at all Ye Ziqian’s type, but his consciousness still wanted him to know who she was. Who was she? Chubby, fleshy-

“President Ye, you’re sleeping here? Come inside to rest,” Lu Zizhong said.

“Who? Who is that?” Ye Ziqian woke from his dream.

“Were you dreaming?”

“Uncle Zhong, can you not stand over my head while I’m sleeping? And the housekeeper-when is she finally going to be hired? Huh?” Ye Ziqian was clearly getting impatient.

“The little girl won’t come. She said, she said…”

“What did she say, Uncle Zhong? Why are you hesitating?” Ye Ziqian spoke while rubbing his forehead, the vague dream still unsettling him.

“She said the time she sold to you is her working hours. Outside of that, she’s a free person, just like you. If there’s no issue with her work, you have no right to ask her to do anything else.” Lu Zizhong actually chuckled after saying this.

Ye Ziqian glared at him fiercely, and he immediately stifled his laughter, quietly retreating.

Ye Ziqian sat up from the sofa, lost in thought for a while. Nothing around him seemed to be going his way.

“Nan Yan, Qing Shan,” Ye Ziqian called out toward the door.

“President Ye, what’s the matter?” the two replied in unison.

“Prepare the car. We’re heading to the casino-”

The car was ready in no time. Lu Ziqian seemed puzzled as to why President Ye hadn’t asked him to arrange the car today but had instead called on the other two. He walked over to Ye Ziqian and stood silently by his side.

“Hurry up and find a suitable housekeeper-” This wasn’t a request; it was an order. Ye Ziqian’s face was as cold as frost.

Mu Qingtian and Nie Shuangshuang were lying on the same bed.

“Mu Qingtian, got any men in mind? Share one with me!” Nie Shuangshuang said idly.

“None. Is your brain full of weeds? What’s in there besides men? Why don’t you open it up and take a look? Get the weeds out.”

“Wildfires can’t burn them all, and spring winds will bring them back to life! As long as there’s life, there’s no end to longing.”

“Is that all you’ve got? Living for men? In this world, apart from your parents, whoever you live for will hurt you, and whatever you live for will bring you trouble.”

“Are you okay? Did some spirit possess you?” Nie Shuangshuang reached out to feel Mu Qingtian’s forehead.

“I’m fine. Rich people’s brains are all messed up. Didn’t you ask me what I saw at the restaurant earlier? I saw something I shouldn’t have.”

“Fine, you saw what you saw. I’m not interested, and I don’t want to hear about it. I’m thinking about where I’ll drag you to hang out this weekend-”

“Somewhere an uncle wouldn’t go!” Mu Qingtian blurted out, her face instantly turning red.

“Hey, heartless one, have you fallen for some handsome guy?”

Mu Qingtian grabbed Nie Shuangshuang and started playfully hitting her. “Stop talking nonsense! See if you dare say it again, see if you dare-”

“Mercy, mercy-”

“Oh, oh-”

The DJ’s music in the ballroom now served as a catalyst for Ye Ziqian’s rising desire. He held a beautiful woman in his arms, pressing her against the wall as his body moved rhythmically.

His tall, handsome figure, usually so composed and dignified, now resembled a twisting, coiling branch. In the face of passion, everyone becomes a child-just a child.

The woman was clearly reaching her peak, her nails digging deeply into Ye Ziqian’s shirt.

Ye Ziqian whispered in her ear, “I’m bad, aren’t I? Really bad?”

“Bad, so bad… How can you be this bad? Take me… there… take me… there…” The DJ’s track seemed to hit its climax, the bass vibrating the walls of the VIP room. The environment was noisy, but the noise was only in the sounds that reached their ears.

Ye Ziqian lay on the floor, satisfied, his eyes closed. He recalled the dream-the bear with its belly torn open, the voluptuous woman whose face he couldn’t quite make out.

Mu Qingtian? Was it her? Impossible. That woman was so infuriating he wanted to slap her every time he saw her. The girl who had once wreaked havoc in his house, wearing his clothes and sleeping in his bed. When she left, she even had the audacity to say she’d slept in his bed, so he replaced it. Then, in the office, she saw something she shouldn’t have. Instead of leaving immediately and never coming back, she walked out only to return and apologize-and then insult him. Her nerve was truly something else.

If it weren’t for the fact that she was the best friend of the mayor’s daughter-a connection he’d been searching for-he would have cut her off long ago, crushed her to pieces. Or maybe he should have just left her in the casino to fend for herself. A sly smirk crossed Ye Ziqian’s face.

“Get out-” Ye Ziqian commanded the woman lying beside him. She glanced at him like an animal, said nothing, and began to tidy her clothes.

“The money’s in the pocket of my jacket. Take as much as you want. No need to tell me, no discounts,” Ye Ziqian said, his eyes still closed.

The woman didn’t rush to disappear from his sight. Instead, she calmly sat on the sofa and began selecting songs on the karaoke machine. After reaching the maximum number of selections, she finally left the luxurious room.

On the table, the purple and green grapes shimmered under the dim gray tones and dazzling lights of the room. Ye Ziqian felt thirsty. He walked over, picked up a bunch, and started eating from the bottom up. In the reflection on the wall, he caught sight of his unrefined eating habits. Immediately, he put the grapes back into the fruit bowl on the table.