The President's Sweetheart Secretary - Chapter 30 - President, Your Lips!

Liang Tongheng handed the cola to Wang Linglong. “Sorry for startling you. Why don’t you sit down and rest for a bit?”

Wang Linglong stared at the door for three seconds before decisively rejecting his suggestion. “Brother Liang, you should get back to work. I’ll go chat with Haimian for a while. How about we have lunch together later?”

Liang Tongheng smiled and agreed, escorting her to the door. Before turning back, he cast a meaningful glance at Lin Haimian, though her attention was entirely focused on Wang Linglong.

It wasn’t until the door to the President’s Office closed that Lin Haimian straightened her face, fixing her gaze on Wang Linglong without saying a word.

Wang Linglong’s heart trembled. “Haimian, it’s so hot today. I only had one can of cola. I promise I won’t drink too much.”

Lin Haimian slumped into her chair, exhausted. “Drink it. Let me recover my energy before talking to you.”

The morning flew by, and soon it was lunchtime. True to his word, Liang Tongheng joined them for lunch. “Linglong, what would you like to eat?”

Wang Linglong turned to Lin Haimian. “What do you feel like eating?”

Lin Haimian grinned and answered without hesitation. “Spicy Hot Pot¹. It’s been ages since I’ve had it. I miss it.”

Wang Linglong’s eyes lit up. “You actually want Spicy Hot Pot? That’s unbelievable! You used to-”

Her words were cut short by the murderous glare from Lin Haimian, nearly causing her to bite her tongue. Whew, she almost spilled the beans.

Liang Tongheng raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Secretary Lin, you didn’t eat Spicy Hot Pot before?”

Lin Haimian dodged the question, her eyes sparkling as she countered, “President, you’ve had Spicy Hot Pot before, haven’t you? Do you know a good place nearby?”

Liang Tongheng was slightly surprised by her direct gaze, devoid of fear for the first time. “I had it in college. I’m not familiar with the spots around here. Do you have a recommendation?”

Lin Haimian beamed. “I’ll lead the way. It’s in a small alley, and I doubt you’d find it on your own. Let’s go.”

Wang Linglong excitedly clung to Lin Haimian’s arm. “Let’s go! Spicy Hot Pot, here we come!”

With a cheerful smile, Lin Haimian gestured invitingly. “President, shall we?”

Liang Tongheng nodded calmly. “Lead the way.”

Following Lin Haimian through winding streets, they finally arrived at a bustling old alley far from the office. True to her word, the place was indeed a hidden gem, filled with lively eateries offering Spicy Hot Pot, fast food, noodle dishes, and stir-fries. The lunchtime crowd made the atmosphere vibrant and noisy.

To Liang Tongheng’s surprise, as soon as they reached the entrance, the Lady Boss greeted Lin Haimian warmly. “Wow, you look so dressed up today! I almost didn’t recognize you. It’s been ages since you’ve come by.”

Liang Tongheng: “…”

After exchanging a few pleasantries with the Lady Boss, Lin Haimian led them to find seats, ordering three portions of Spicy Hot Pot as usual.

Luckily, there was one table left. After Wang Linglong sat down, Lin Haimian quickly took the seat beside her, leaving Liang Tongheng to sit across from them, directly facing Lin Haimian.

As the dishes arrived, Liang Tongheng tugged at his tie, feeling increasingly uncomfortable as he listened to their lively chatter. Sweat was already forming on his forehead.

When the Spicy Hot Pot was served, Lin Haimian and Wang Linglong’s eyes lit up, and they immediately dug in, their mouths watering. Meanwhile, Liang Tongheng stared at the bowl, its surface glistening with fiery red oil, his face turning pale.

He had always ordered Spicy Hot Pot without chili. Watching the two women eat with gusto, occasionally gasping to cool their burning mouths, he couldn’t help but regret coming here.

After a few bites to satisfy her craving, Lin Haimian noticed Liang Tongheng hadn’t touched his food. She paused and asked, “Don’t you like it?”

Liang Tongheng forced a smile. “It’s just… really hot.”

“Oh, the crowd does make it a bit warm. Don’t worry, eating chili will cool you down. Try it,” Lin Haimian said before diving back into her food, ignoring him.

Meanwhile, Wang Linglong was too captivated by the spicy flavors to say a word.

Suppressing the urge to push the bowl away, Liang Tongheng reluctantly picked up his chopsticks and took a bite. The spiciness hit him like a tidal wave, leaving him sweating profusely.

By the time they finished their meal and returned to the office, Lin Haimian had subtly maneuvered herself to keep Liang Tongheng and Wang Linglong from walking side by side.

Wang Linglong, always fond of sticking close to Lin Haimian, didn’t mind in the slightest. She had always viewed Liang Tongheng as an older brother, leaving no room for awkwardness. However, she was starting to notice something.

As for Liang Tongheng, he maintained a gentle smile throughout the journey, though he was too preoccupied with the lingering heat in his mouth and stomach to appreciate Lin Haimian’s little schemes.

Back at the office, Wang Linglong chose to stay by Lin Haimian’s side, leaving Liang Tongheng to retreat to his own space. Closing the door behind him, the first thing he did was grab a bottle of ice water from the mini fridge, downing it in one go to soothe his burning throat.

Afternoons often brought drowsiness, especially for someone like Wang Linglong, who wasn’t used to office life. After a few yawns, she finally gave in. “I can’t stay awake anymore. I’m heading home. I’ll come back tomorrow.”

As soon as she spoke, the door to the Assistant Office opened. Li Yi emerged, carrying a stack of documents and blinking his tired eyes. His gaze instinctively landed on the secretary’s desk.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. “Wow, what a cute little girl! Secretary Lin, is she your sister?”

Wang Linglong opened her sleepy eyes, saw someone unfamiliar, and couldn’t be bothered to respond. She yawned again, waved at Lin Haimian, and left.

Li Yi froze in place. This little girl was quite rude.

Lin Haimian apologized with a smile. “Sorry about that. She gets cranky when she’s tired. She calls me ‘sis,’ so I guess you could say she’s like my sister. But actually, she’s the president’s guest.”

Li Yi’s face stiffened. So she was the president’s guest. What a pity. “Haha, I was just curious. No big deal. I’ll head back now.”

“Take care, Assistant,” Lin Haimian replied, her sweet smile sending him off.

Liang Tongheng, meanwhile, was oblivious to the fact that his lips had turned so red they looked like they were bleeding. When Li Yi entered with the documents, his eyes widened. “President, here are the files for review and stamping. Wait-did you borrow Secretary Lin’s lipstick? Your lips are so red!”

Li Yi had clearly gone too long without being reprimanded, as he dared to tease Liang Tongheng.

Before Liang Tongheng could respond, Li Yi continued, “That little girl earlier-she’s your guest? She looks like a high schooler. Is she Tongyu’s classmate? She’s got quite the attitude, ignoring me and walking off.”

“You deserved it. She’s Chairman Wang’s daughter and came to see Secretary Lin,” Liang Tongheng replied curtly.

Li Yi immediately caught on. “She’s becoming more and more intriguing. Anyway, please review these documents and sign them before the end of the day. I’ll get back to work.”

“Got it,” Liang Tongheng said, already flipping through the first file.

As Li Yi left, he couldn’t resist asking one last question. “Are you sure you didn’t put on lipstick? Your lips are seriously red.”

Liang Tongheng shot him a sharp glare, his tone carrying a warning. “Are you too idle?”

Li Yi quickly shook his head and bolted out the door. He wasn’t idle at all-really.

After organizing the morning’s meeting notes, Lin Haimian knocked on the President’s Office door. “President, the report is ready for review.”

When Liang Tongheng looked up, she noticed his lips were shockingly red. Startled, she blurted out, “President, your lips!”

He raised an eyebrow, his tone clearly conveying his displeasure. “What about them?”

Lin Haimian immediately backed down, shaking her head. “Nothing. If there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work.”

She left quickly, her smile stiff and forced. Only after closing the door did she realize how scared she was. Oh no, why had she teased the president at lunch? She was doomed.

After two people commented on his lips, Liang Tongheng hesitated for a moment before pulling out his phone to use as a mirror. His face darkened when he saw his lips-they were redder than lipstick!

Damn Lin Haimian!

As expected, the rest of the day didn’t go smoothly for Lin Haimian. She was constantly tasked with errands and given three additional reports to complete by 10 a.m. the next day.

She nearly wanted to wail. Why had she poked the tiger? Now she was paying the price.

Rejecting Yi Huahuan’s invitation to go shopping, she worked overtime until after seven. Once the president left, she copied the files onto a USB drive to finish at home.

Thanks to Liang Tongheng, she nearly pulled an all-nighter, finally completing the reports around 5 a.m. Exhausted, she fell asleep at her desk and, unfortunately, caught a cold.

Dragging her slightly feverish body to work, she clocked in on time and handed over the day’s schedule along with the reports. “Here’s today’s schedule and the three reports. Please review them.”

Liang Tongheng was surprised. Completing three reports in one night was no easy feat. He had only meant to punish her lightly, hoping she’d learn her lesson.

Noticing the faint nasal tone in her voice, he paused for a moment before dismissing her. “Understood. You may go.”

Lin Haimian breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she had passed the initial test. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be any follow-up critiques.

This time, Liang Tongheng let her off the hook. Even when assigning tasks, he used the internal line instead of summoning her directly. Lin Haimian was pleasantly surprised. Had the president turned over a new leaf?

Due to her cold, she declined Wang Linglong’s offer to visit, not wanting to risk infecting her. As a result, she unexpectedly enjoyed a peaceful Tuesday.

Li Yi, however, wasn’t so lucky. His earlier teasing had earned him some petty revenge from Liang Tongheng, leaving him no better off than Lin Haimian. Yet, he managed to endure without catching a cold, continuing to bear the brunt of the president’s wrath.

When Li Yi brought another stack of documents for approval, he was met with more sarcasm. Seeking solace, he approached Lin Haimian. “Secretary Lin, if you’re not feeling well, let me know. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Grateful, Lin Haimian thanked him, feeling reassured that there was still genuine kindness in the office-aside from a certain someone’s cold demeanor.

Taking advantage of a quiet moment, she logged onto QQ to send Wang Linglong a serious message about how to interact with Liang Tongheng, only to be met with a burst of laughter.

Lin Haimian: “…”

Footnote:

1. Spicy Hot Pot(麻辣烫):Spicy Hot Pot, also known as “Mala Tang,” is a popular Chinese street food. It’s a soup-based dish where you select various ingredients like vegetables, meats, and noodles, which are then cooked in a spicy and numbing broth made with Sichuan peppercorns and chili. Each serving is customized to your taste, and it’s known for its rich, flavorful, and often spicy profile.