The Cold President's Adorkable Girlfriend - Chapter 3

Damn it. Why has that tear-streaked face been haunting me for the past week? Xu Kaihan angrily slammed the folder shut and tossed it onto the floor.

“Secretary Huang, there’s no need to prepare a bento for me at lunch,” Xu Kaihan instructed through the desk intercom. He decided to take a walk during lunch, hoping that some fresh air would dispel the intrusive thoughts crowding his mind.

“Welcome! May I take your order?” He Yueya placed a glass of water in front of the guest and inquired politely.

The voice sounded familiar, like he’d heard it somewhere before, but he couldn’t quite place it. Lost in thought, Xu Kaihan didn’t look up, his head lowered as if mulling something over.

“Sir, may I take your order?” He Yueya, noticing his odd behavior, raised her volume slightly to get his attention.

“I’ll have the pork chop rice,” Xu Kaihan finally looked up and handed her the menu. It was her-the very same face that had occupied his thoughts for the past week. What was she doing here? Was she really working at this restaurant? Questions flooded his mind.

Seeing her here caught Xu Kaihan completely off guard. The memory of her tear-streaked face from that day resurfaced, stirring a deep and unfamiliar emotion that left him both intrigued and annoyed with himself. This adorkable girl, with her lack of striking beauty or an enviable figure, shouldn’t have lingered in his thoughts. And yet, there was something about her.

Her waist-length, jet-black hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall. Her large, shining eyes resembled stars in the night sky, accompanied by a small cherry-red mouth and a delicately defined nose. To Xu Kaihan, who was surrounded by stunning women daily, these features merely classified her as delicately cute.

But her starry eyes seemed to conceal untold stories and lingering sorrow. It was her gaze that had enchanted him that day, leaving an impression far deeper than her seemingly modest appearance.

She couldn’t have been taller than 159 cm-a petite frame for such an enigmatic figure. What kind of burden could possibly weigh so heavily on such a small girl’s heart? He felt an inexplicable desire to take this fragile adorkable girl into his arms and shield her from her worries.

“Sir, is something wrong?” He Yueya asked curiously, noticing Xu Kaihan staring intently at her.

“You work here?” Her lack of recognition sent a strange, uncomfortable pang through Xu Kaihan’s chest.

“Yes.” He Yueya, unknowingly, raised an eyebrow in bewilderment. As dazzlingly handsome as he was-far more so than any celebrity she’d ever seen-his expensive attire clearly marked him as someone from high society. Yet how could someone from such lofty circles seem even more clueless than herself? What kind of question was that? If she didn’t work here, what else would she be doing here? She inspected him with suspicion.

“Does this place offer takeaway?” he asked, meeting her gaze.

“Yes, we do. Here’s our Cha Chaan Teng’s takeaway card,” He Yueya said, handing the card to him.

“Oh, good to know. That means I won’t have to come out to eat next time,” he said, slipping the card into the pocket of his blazer.

“Do you work nearby?” He Yueya asked curiously.

“Yes, just across the street at Xu Group,” Xu Kaihan replied, casting a meaningful glance at her, thinking she might remember something.

“Xu Group? I’m quite familiar with your Secretary Huang. She often orders bento boxes from us. But last week, I caused her a bit of trouble,” He Yueya admitted softly, lowering her head.

Hearing the guilt in her voice as she spoke, Xu Kaihan keenly picked up on what she was referring to.

“Oh? What kind of trouble did you cause her?” he asked knowingly, playing along.

“Last week, during the meeting when your company welcomed its new President, I was delivering bentos for lunch, but I accidentally spilled one all over a manager,” she confessed truthfully.

“Do you remember which manager it was? Who knows, I might know them,” he said, an inexplicable desire welling up in him that she would remember him.

“I don’t remember. I was so flustered at the time, I didn’t even dare look up at him. Besides, I’m terrible at remembering faces. Sometimes, even if I’ve met someone several times, it’s still hard for me to recognize them,” she explained with a look of embarrassment.

So that’s how it was. At least it wasn’t something about him. The uncomfortable feeling plaguing Xu Kaihan finally dissipated. His appetite suddenly returned in full force, and his mood lifted instantly. Even so, he still couldn’t help but hope that, one day, she would see him as someone special.

“Oh no, I forgot to place your order!” He Yueya exclaimed suddenly, then dashed toward the kitchen in a hurry, only to accidentally bump into the corner of a table along the way.

Watching her wince in pain, Xu Kaihan felt a pang in his chest. He instinctively wanted to tear apart that table to vent his frustration.

Xu Kaihan couldn’t understand his own behavior and thoughts. Why did he feel so much joy whenever he saw her? Why did he get so irrationally angry when he saw her in pain or tears? Could this be what people call love? Had his heart finally discovered love? Analyzing his feelings, he had no choice but to admit the truth-he was in love with her. Not only that, he resolved that she wasn’t just someone he wanted in his life. No, she had to be his wife. The very thought of this decision brought a newfound lightness, as though his once-dark mood had sprouted wings and took off into the sky.

“Here’s your pork chop rice,” He Yueya said as she placed the dish in front of him, then handed him the menu for confirmation.

“Thank you,” Xu Kaihan replied, taking the menu but accidentally brushing against her hand, which was still resting on the edge of the tray.

He Yueya instantly pulled her hand back, as if she had been electrocuted.

“What’s wrong? Did you burn yourself?” he asked, reaching for her hand to inspect it.

“No,” she said, yanking her hand away with some force.

Strange. He had also grabbed her hand that other time, but she didn’t feel this same fluttering anxiety back then. What was different now?

“Not at all. Then why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?” Xu Kaihan lowered his voice, trying to suppress his temper to avoid scaring her as he asked.

He Yueya kept her head down without answering his question.

Seeing her face flush a deep crimson, Xu Kaihan quickly realized it was because he had accidentally brushed her hand earlier, making her feel shy. Unexpectedly, this adorkable Girl turned out to be quite bashful. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“Next time, walk a bit slower. Don’t always be in such a rush,” Xu Kaihan said to her, his statement seemingly coming out of nowhere.

“Huh?” He Yueya glanced at him, confused.

Xu Kaihan didn’t bother explaining himself. Considering her absentminded personality, he figured it would take him forever to make her understand. Besides, she would be staying by his side soon enough; by then, he could take proper care of her. This thought brought a subtle yet blissful smile to his face.

Left without an explanation, He Yueya returned to the counter, still puzzled.

“Do you know that customer?” Wang Li Er asked her quietly.

“Not before today. I just met him earlier,” He Yueya said, winking playfully.

But deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the man already knew her somehow. She struggled to figure it out, but her naturally simplistic mind had a habit of abandoning thoughts it couldn’t resolve.

“He’s really handsome, and he doesn’t seem like an ordinary person,” Wang Li Er teased, nudging He Yueya with her elbow.

“Whether he’s handsome or not, ordinary or extraordinary, what does any of that have to do with me?” He Yueya glared at her in mock annoyance.

Her expression made it clear she wasn’t impressed-she didn’t care in the slightest.

“I think he’s interested in you. And honestly, you’d do well to find someone way out of your league to protect you, considering how endearingly clumsy, overly kind, and overly eager you can be. You should seize the opportunity,” Wang Li Er said, leaning in closer to her.

“Li Er, stop talking nonsense,” He Yueya said sternly, frowning at her friend’s face, which suddenly seemed much too close.

Turning her face toward the restaurant’s window, the sorrow in her eyes deepened again. She was well aware that wealthy people regarded someone like her as a taboo. There was no way someone like her would ever cross paths with the wealthy in any meaningful capacity-not in this lifetime.

“President, here is the merger contract sent over by Solar Rise Enterprises yesterday,” Secretary Huang said crisply, standing before Xu Kaihan’s desk.

“Alright, leave it here. I’ll review it this afternoon and get back to you,” Xu Kaihan replied, taking the file from Secretary Huang and placing it casually on his desk.

“By the way, have the bentos for later delivered from Li Er Cha Chaan Teng across the street. I’ve got their card here,” Xu Kaihan said, taking the card He Yueya had given him last time from his pocket and handing it to her.

“President, we already order our bentos from that restaurant,” Secretary Huang replied as she took the card, giving him a slightly puzzled look.

That’s right. Could being an adorkable Girl be contagious? Their first meeting had been sealed in his memory precisely because, in her clumsiness while handing out bentos, she’d accidentally spilled one on him. That incident was the reason she had first caught his attention. Tapping his fingers rhythmically on the desk with his left hand, Xu Kaihan’s mind wandered.

“Then have the same young lady who delivered the bentos during the last meeting bring them again,” he added, idly spinning the pen in his right hand.

“Understood,” Secretary Huang said and turned to leave.

Even though she was curious, she dared not voice her questions. Despite being the President’s secretary for the past two years, she was well aware that the real authority lay with General Manager Xu Kaihan. She knew his personality inside-out-he never tolerated anyone questioning his decisions. If he gave an order, your only job was to follow it.

“Oh, and make sure that young lady personally delivers the bentos to my office,” he added as Secretary Huang reached the door.

Even he couldn’t completely comprehend his behavior. Never before had he allowed personal feelings to interfere with his work. Yet now, because of this adorkable Girl, his thoughts were in complete disarray. No matter what he was doing, her delicate face and those pure, untainted eyes would flash into his mind uninvited. He had even found himself distracted in meetings, something that had never happened before.

He had decided-he couldn’t wait any longer. He needed to bring her into his life as soon as possible.

“Understood,” Secretary Huang replied. But inwardly, her thoughts swirled. Why would the President request that Yueya personally deliver the bento? Did she somehow fail in her role? Or could it be… Could it really be that the President wanted Yueya to compensate him for his suit? Secretary Huang couldn’t make sense of it, but she resolved to keep her speculations to herself.

“Secretary Huang, don’t overthink it. I’ve noticed how busy you always are, and I didn’t want to trouble you during your lunch break,” Xu Kaihan said, noticing the confusion on her face and deciding to clarify for her.

Though typically cold, domineering, and authoritarian, Xu Kaihan wasn’t an unreasonable tyrant. He valued capable and outstanding employees and never hesitated to reward them appropriately. Secretary Huang was one of those admired employees. Given his good mood today, he decided to offer her the brief explanation.

“I understand. Thank you, President,” Secretary Huang said respectfully as she closed the door behind her, exiting the office.

But even as she left, she couldn’t shake her surprise at how unusual the President was acting today. It was unlike him to explain his reasoning behind a decision.

Xu Kaihan waved dismissively as she left, his thoughts already drifting again. It had been three days since he last saw her, and the yearning in his heart had only grown stronger with each passing day. At twenty-eight, he had never felt this way before. The intensity of this longing only confirmed what he already knew-he had fallen in love with her.