The Cold President’s Adorkable Girlfriend

“I heard that the President is coming to the company today to announce the new President’s appointment,” Zhang Mei from the Accounting Department said to Qiao Hui, a young woman from the Administrative Department who was distributing office supplies.

“Yes, I also heard that the new President is not only young and good-looking but also a double doctoral graduate from Harvard University in the U.S. However, he’s reportedly very cold-probably just as cold as our General Manager,” Qiao Hui replied with a dreamy look on her face.

“Isn’t he the perfect Prince Charming every woman dreams of?” Zhang Mei murmured to herself.

“What are you two gossiping about during work hours? Get back to your tasks immediately,” snapped Huang Zhenzhen, the Director of the Accounting Department.

Zhang Mei nonchalantly turned back to her work, while Qiao Hui quickly headed to other departments to deliver their supplies.

In truth, no one at the company knew that Xu Kaihan was the President’s son, and even fewer were aware that the new President being announced today was actually Xu Kaihan-the General Manager they had just been discussing.

It wasn’t surprising. Two years ago, when Xu Kaihan joined the company, he had insisted that his father keep his identity a secret to prevent any bias. He had started as a low-level salesperson to prove himself from the ground up.

Ring ring ring…

“Hello, this is Li Er Cha Chaan Teng. How can I assist you?” Wang Li Er asked in a professional tone as she picked up the phone at the counter.

“Yes, understood. Please rest assured. Okay, got it. We’ll make sure to deliver on time,” Wang Li Er responded firmly to the caller.

“Yueya,” she called out to He Yueya, who was busy wiping tables in the dining area.

“What’s up, Li Er?” He Yueya asked, jogging over to the counter where Wang Li Er was jotting notes.

“Leave the tables for the cleaning staff. Take this order to the kitchen,” Wang Li Er said, handing the handwritten menu to He Yueya.

“Wow, fifty bento orders, and they’re all the same? Li Er, are you sure this isn’t a mistake?” He Yueya looked at the menu skeptically.

“I’m named Wang Li Er, not He Yueya, so I’m 100% sure there’s no mistake,” she teased.

“Of course, my Li Er is the smartest and most capable boss lady ever!” He Yueya playfully stuck out her tongue at her and dashed toward the kitchen.

“You sure know how to flatter people. But I like what you just said,” Wang Li Er called out loudly to her retreating figure.

“What? All these bento orders are going to the twenty-eighth floor of Xu Group across the street?” He Yueya exclaimed, thinking she’d misheard.

“That’s right. No mistake,” Wang Li Er confirmed once again.

“But isn’t it true that only the President, the General Manager, and Secretary Huang work on the 28th floor of Xu Group?” He Yueya asked, her face full of curiosity as she looked at Wang Li Er.

“There’s no mistake. Secretary Huang herself called to place the order,” Wang Li Er replied, deftly putting chopsticks into the insulated catering cart used for takeaway deliveries.

“Alright then,” He Yueya said, pushing the cart toward the door.

“Are you He Yueya?” asked a staff member at the Xu Group Front Desk as she watched Yueya enter, pushing the catering cart.

“Yes, that’s me,” He Yueya responded with a polite nod, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.

“Secretary Huang gave instructions. You can take the bento boxes straight up to the 28th floor conference room.” The front desk staff smiled and pressed the elevator button for her.

“Thank you!” He Yueya replied cheerfully, offering her gratitude as she pushed the cart into the elevator.

Oh no, I forgot to ask which conference room it is. Why do I always have to be so adorkable? she thought, smacking her forehead internally. Well, since there’s no one around to ask, I’ll just have to find it myself. Clever me! She gave herself a mental pat on the back for her brilliant problem-solving skills.

“Let’s start searching from this side,” she murmured to herself as she pushed the cart along, checking room after room.

“Finally found it!” she muttered triumphantly when she spotted a door labeled “Conference Room.”

Knock, knock, knock.

“Come in,” came Secretary Huang’s voice from inside.

“Secretary Huang, where should I put the bento boxes?” He Yueya asked in a soft voice, poking her head through a small opening in the door.

“Yueya, you’ve come at just the right time. We’re currently on a break in the middle of a meeting. Please bring the bento boxes in and help us distribute them. Thank you,” Secretary Huang replied, opening the door wider for her to enter.

“Of course,” He Yueya said, pushing the catering cart through the door. She began handing out the bentos to the people seated around the long conference table.

“Secretary Huang, why are there so many people here today?” Taking advantage of her return to the cart for another round of bentos, He Yueya whispered to Secretary Huang, who was helping distribute as well.

“Oh, it’s because today is our new President’s first day. The former President and the new President are hosting a high-level managers’ meeting together,” Secretary Huang explained patiently.

“I see. No wonder,” He Yueya murmured with a nod, the realization dawning on her.

“Ah! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!” He Yueya exclaimed in a panic, her voice trembling.

“What happened?” Secretary Huang turned around in alarm, gasping audibly when she witnessed the scene: Yueya had accidentally spilled a bento box-and of all places, it had tipped over and landed directly onto the new President, Xu Kaihan.

This is bad. This is really, really bad.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t do it on purpose! Let me help you clean it up!” He Yueya pleaded earnestly, her small, delicate hands darting forward to frantically wipe at the mess on Xu Kaihan’s lap.

“STOP!” Xu Kaihan barked. His face darkened like a thundercloud, his piercing gaze fixed on the adorkable girl standing in front of him.

“I really didn’t do it on purpose. If you’d like, I can take it to be dry-cleaned for you, or I’ll buy you a new one as compensation,” He Yueya stammered, her eyes welling with tears, clearly frightened by the cold tone of the man in front of her.

“Didn’t you hear me tell you to stop?” Xu Kaihan snapped as he grabbed the restless hand that was fidgeting on his thigh. Damn it. How could he feel any kind of reaction toward such a small-framed girl? Was it because it had just been too long since he’d been with a woman? No-that wasn’t it. Hadn’t he just-

“Please believe me, I really didn’t mean to,” He Yueya’s voice trembled as she spoke, on the verge of breaking into sobs.

“You really want to compensate me?” Damn it, why was she crying? He hadn’t even scolded her.

Xu Kaihan scrutinized the girl in front of him. She was wearing a pair of plain, outdated flat sandals, cropped, faded jeans, and a pink T-shirt with a cartoon Kitty embroidered on the front, her long hair tied into a ponytail that hung down her back. The outfit accentuated her petite frame, making her seem even smaller and more delicate. Her fair face was flushed crimson, and her cherry-shaped lips moved as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. Especially those large, pure, almond-shaped eyes under her curving eyebrows-though filled with fear-they were so utterly sincere and innocent it was almost disarming.

“Hmm,” He Yueya nodded, still sniffling.

“Do you have any idea how much this suit costs?” He hadn’t intended to make her pay; he just wanted her to stop crying.

“I don’t know, but no matter how much, I’ll find a way to pay you back,” He Yueya said resolutely, nodding her head in commitment.

“This suit is worth 260,000 yuan¹. Since I’ve already worn it once, let’s call it half price. If you compensate me with 130,000, that’ll be fine,” Xu Kaihan said matter-of-factly.

“That much? I-I-I-” He Yueya stammered, now fully panicked as tears spilled over and streamed freely down her cheeks.

She’d only promised to compensate because she had absolutely no idea that such an expensive piece of clothing could even exist. 260,000 yuan… for a single suit? If she had known, even if her life depended on it, she never would have made such a promise.

“Stop crying,” Xu Kaihan demanded, feeling an unexpected pang in his chest at her tears. What the hell was wrong with him? He was angry at himself for reacting this way.

He Yueya’s head drooped in fear, and she murmured softly, “I’m not crying.”

“You’re not crying? Do you think I’m blind or something?” The inexplicable frustration in Xu Kaihan’s chest only grew heavier, irritating him even further.

“I’m not,” He Yueya insisted, her weak voice trembling even more as she heard his cold and domineering tone. Though her head remained lowered, her shaking shoulders betrayed her-far from stopping, her sobbing was growing louder.

“Are you from another planet? Do you not understand human language? I told you not to cry-can’t you understand that?” Xu Kaihan growled, gripping her thin, frail shoulders and giving her a small but sharp shake.

“I-I… I…” He Yueya stammered, her petite figure shrinking as she looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. But as soon as her gaze met Xu Kaihan’s angry, piercing eyes, she quickly averted her own.

When Xu Kaihan saw her tear-streaked face, it felt as if someone had punched him in the chest. He turned his head away abruptly, not wanting her pathetic, pitiful expression to distract or disturb him any further. “Wipe your tears. Stop crying,” he said, his voice noticeably softer than before as he pulled a pristine white handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her.

“No need, thank you,” He Yueya replied in a small, timid voice, as if worried he might yell at her again.

“You adorkable girl, why do you always seem to defy me? Whatever I ask you to do, you just have to go against it,” Xu Kaihan said with a hint of exasperation as he stared at her, clearly baffled.

“I’m not,” He Yueya corrected, shaking her head slightly.

“You’re not? If you’re really not, then just do as I say. Why did you refuse to take the handkerchief and say ‘no need’?” In all his life, no one had ever dared to refuse or contradict him. Yet this adorkable girl was the first-and for some reason, it only intrigued him even more.

“I just… I was afraid I might dirty your handkerchief,” He Yueya muttered, her head bowed.

How could someone be so overbearing? He even had to control whether she could use his handkerchief to wipe her tears? This thought ran through her mind, but she didn’t dare say it out loud.

“Come here,” Xu Kaihan ordered abruptly, his voice leaving no room for negotiation.

He Yueya looked at him, bewildered. “I-if there’s something you want to say, just… just say it from there. I… I can hear you,” she stuttered, hesitant to go near him. He seemed terrifying-dangerous, even.

“Do you think I’m going to eat you? When I tell you to come closer, you come closer. How can you have so much nonsense to say?” Xu Kaihan’s voice grew sharp with impatience.

With her head bowed low and her hands nervously twisting together in front of her, He Yueya took hesitant baby steps toward him, stealing cautious glances at him every few steps.

When Xu Kaihan noticed her expression-like she thought she was approaching a monster-he reached out and unexpectedly pulled her closer. “Don’t move,” he said gruffly.

His left hand rested on her shoulder to steady her as his right hand, holding the white handkerchief, gently wiped the tears from her damp, rosy cheeks. The sight of her tear-streaked face tugged at something deep inside him, something he couldn’t quite explain.

Stunned, He Yueya stared at him. What was with this person? Just a moment ago, he had been growling at her like she was a nuisance, and now he was tenderly wiping her tears? “I… I can do it myself,” she said, reaching out meekly to take the handkerchief from him.

“Don’t move,” Xu Kaihan commanded in a firm voice.

This adorkable girl truly had no idea how fortunate she was. Xu Kaihan had never done something so embarrassing or so out of character in his entire life, and yet there she was, wearing the most ungrateful expression imaginable.

Unable to do anything else, He Yueya let him continue wiping her face, resigned to his unexpected gentleness.

“Alright, no more tears from now on. Such beautiful eyes were not meant for crying,” Xu Kaihan said softly to her, his voice gentle and composed.

“Alright, everyone, let’s eat. We still have a meeting to continue after lunch,” Xu Zhenghao interjected, reminding the managers who were all staring, utterly dumbfounded, at his son’s unexpected behavior.

It wasn’t just the managers who were shocked-he himself couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed. Never in his life had he seen his son display such tenderness toward anyone. Yet here he was, losing his composure in front of a room full of managers over a young girl he had just met. Xu Zhenghao’s lips curled into a subtle, almost imperceptible smile. Perhaps his wife’s dream of having a grandchild wasn’t as far off as he had once thought.

A sudden shift in his father’s tone snapped Xu Kaihan out of his daze. Damn it, what was he thinking? What on earth had he just done? And why were all the managers looking at him as if they’d just been struck dumb by some spell? Their wide-eyed, slack-jawed stares fueled his embarrassment, and he hastily withdrew his hands, running them over his neatly cropped hair in an attempt to pull himself back together.

“Secretary Huang, why are you still standing there in a daze?” Xu Kaihan barked, directing his frustration toward Secretary Huang, who was still frozen in shock.

“Wh-What? What is it?” Secretary Huang stammered, still at a loss, her eyes darting nervously between Xu Kaihan and the others.

“What is it? Take her out,” he commanded impatiently, pointing at He Yueya, who was still standing before him, looking like a timid, chastised wife.

“Yueya, you should head back for now,” Secretary Huang said as she finally snapped out of her stupor. She quickly ushered He Yueya toward the conference room door and, with a reassuring yet hurried hand on her back, pushed her out.

Once He Yueya had been escorted out of the conference room, Secretary Huang shut the door behind her, taking a moment to compose herself. She straightened her outfit, reasserting her usual poised and capable demeanor before turning on her heel and walking confidently back into the room.

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