Chapter 163 Want It?

Chapter 163: Do You Want It?

The day after Lu Lin became Shen Qingci's assistant, he began patrolling his domain like a lion.

He stood in the middle of the office area, arms crossed, scanning the employees buried in their work. He spoke calmly: "From now on, all work must go through me. If you skip me, that's insubordination, and your year-end bonus will be docked directly."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was as clear as if he were whispering right into each person's ear.

The office fell silent for three seconds.

Everyone nodded in unison, as if they had practiced in sync.

Some even straightened up unconsciously, their breath getting shallower.

Satisfied, Lu Lin looked away and turned to leave. After he was gone, the office sprang back to life.

Amid the clatter of keyboards, the faint glow of phone screens lit up under the desks.

"Qingye Internal Resource Group (Anonymous Version)"

"Holy shit, can anyone explain how Lu Lin suddenly started working at Qingye?"

"Now he's the boss's assistant—so what does that make me? The assistant's assistant?"

"The guy above just exposed himself."

"Doesn't the CEO of the Lu Group have to work? I always thought Lu Lin was pretty busy, I hear his name all the time on financial news."

"Maybe he's just lovesick..."

"But our boss definitely has what it takes to make someone lovesick."

"But didn't I hear Lu Lin got married as soon as he turned 18?"

"I've heard that too."

"And they said he had a first love he was crazy about."

"First love? I thought he was into his legal guardian?"

"Speaking of which, don't you guys think our boss looks exactly like Lu Lin's old guardian?"

"Probably just a coincidence, they happen to look alike."

"So Lu Lin is kind of a jerk. I heard the Lu family lined up a bunch of fiancées for him."

"Wealthy families do arranged marriages all the time. Just because they arranged them doesn't mean anything, right? We go on blind dates ourselves."

"So who do you think tops—Lu Lin or Shen?"

"I think Lu Lin should be on top... but given how much of a simp he is, I think he'd be down to bottom for love."

Messages flew through the chat, everyone saying whatever came to mind, no holds barred thanks to the anonymity.

Until a message popped up—not anonymous—with the contact name clearly reading: "Shen Qingci's Special Assistant: Lu Lin."

As if to announce it to the whole world.

The group, which had been flying by seconds earlier, went completely silent. Everyone stared at that nickname, their minds blank.

Why? Why did Lu Lin join the group?

Before they could even process it, other groups started popping up with notifications.

Lu Lin joined the chat.

Lu Lin joined the chat.

Lu Lin joined the chat.

Qingye employees: '...'

The employee whose phone Lu Lin had borrowed to join the groups was now cowering at his desk with his face buried in his arms, wishing he could quit right then.

His colleagues had already killed his phone eight hundred times with their glares.

Lu Lin finished adding himself to all the groups, handed the phone back to the trembling employee and even thanked him:

"Be sure to add me to any new groups from now on."

His tone was sincere, his smile bright, as if they were old buddies.

Then he held his phone and strode toward the CEO's office.

---

The office door swung open.

Shen Qingci was lounging on the sofa, holding a book, his eyes cast down as he flipped through pages.

Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, falling on him and bathing him in a soft glow.

He wore a dark gray silk shirt with the collar slightly open, revealing a hint of pale neck.

His slightly long, jet-black hair spilled loosely over his shoulders, a few strands brushing his face, like a moon suspended in the sky—close at hand yet impossibly distant.

Lu Lin was momentarily mesmerized. It took him a moment to snap out of it, close the door, and sit down on the sofa.

"Brother~ no, CEO Shen."

He handed his phone to Shen Qingci, a tattletale tone in his voice, his eyes sparkling like he was waiting for a reward:

"CEO Shen, your employees have been misbehaving. They have secret groups behind your back."

Shen Qingci glanced at the screen. A motley assortment of group names scrolled by. His gaze rested on them for barely half a second before he withdrew it.

His voice was cool and aloof, as if nothing in the world could rattle him:

"This is a necessity and only natural."

He turned a page, long slender fingers pressing on the paper, unhurried in motion:

"Leave the groups."

Lu Lin pouted, not wanting to.

"I want to stay in them to see if anyone talks shit about you, Brother."

"Stupid."

Shen Qingci uttered a single word nonchalantly.

His beautiful eyelashes drooped, casting a small shadow beneath his eyes. His eyes rested on the page, his expression focused, as if that word had been an offhand sigh.

He spoke again, his voice still calm but edged with helplessness:

"Lu Lin, don't do meaningless things."

"President Shen, please call me Assistant Lu."

As he said this, Lu Lin left the chat groups he had just joined one by one.

He did it quickly, without an ounce of reluctance, as if he hadn't been the one insisting on staying in the groups just moments ago.

Shen Qingci ignored him, still focused on his book.

After exiting all the groups, Lu Lin put his phone aside and turned his head to stare at Shen Qingci.

Shen Qingci was extremely focused when reading, barely affected by the outside world. His eyelashes occasionally fluttered gently, his lips slightly pursed, like a delicate fine-brush painting—every stroke perfect, every detail so refined it seemed untouched by the world's dust.

After watching for a while, Lu Lin reached out and gently pressed down the book in Shen Qingci's hand.

Shen Qingci looked up. His eyes were calm as a still lake, without impatience at the interruption or confusion at the question, just quietly gazing at him, like the moon reflected in a deep pool—so serene that it was impossibly alluring.

Lu Lin's eyes were completely undisguised with desire.

Seeing the emotion in Lu Lin's eyes, Shen Qingci lowered his gaze, pulled the book out from under Lu Lin's hand, and set it aside on the sofa. Then he looked up and asked calmly:

"You want it?"

Three words, clear and cold, flat and devoid of desire, yet they made Lu Lin's heart skip a beat.

Lu Lin's Adam's apple bobbed up and down. His voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of restraint, forced out from his chest:

"Mm."

When Shen Qingci didn't refuse, he leaned forward and slowly drew closer.

Shen Qingci leaned back against the sofa, neither avoiding nor welcoming.

He quietly watched Lu Lin inch closer toward him, his gaze falling on Lu Lin's slightly trembling eyelashes, then lowering to follow the line of Lu Lin's lips.

Then he lifted his eyes slightly to meet Lu Lin's, which were burning with desire.

There was only one centimeter left between them, their breaths intertwined, the air charged with intimacy. Just as Lu Lin's lips gently touched his, the phone on the sofa suddenly rang.

A moment of silence passed.

Shen Qingci raised his hand and placed it on Lu Lin's chest. Through the fabric, he could feel the rapid, powerful heartbeat.

"Answer the phone."

Lu Lin pressed his lips together, quickly gave Shen Qingci's lips two light pecks, then irritably picked up the phone and pressed the answer button. He snapped out a single word in an especially irritable tone:

"What?"

A few seconds later, he hung up.

His handsome face was clouded with sullen frustration from unfulfilled desire.

His brows were furrowed, his lips pressed into a line, and he radiated a 'keep away' aura.

On the sofa, Shen Qingci had already picked up his book again. His eyes were distant, his expression weary. He turned the pages with his long, slender fingers and spoke calmly:

"What?"

"Lu Changgeng woke up. He wants me to go over."

"I'll go with you."

"No need."

Shen Qingci's hand, which was turning the page, paused. He looked up at Lu Lin, as if surprised that Lu Lin had refused him.

After saying that, Lu Lin wanted to slap his own mouth. He met Shen Qingci's questioning gaze, quickly walked over to him, and knelt on one knee beside Shen Qingci.

He looked up at Shen Qingci.

Sunlight streamed in from behind him, gilding his hair with a golden sheen. He lowered his voice to explain:

"Babe... Lu Changgeng means you no good. Don't interact with him again, okay?"

Seeing the undisguised worry and tension in Lu Lin's eyes, Shen Qingci's expression softened a little.

Then he slightly lifted his chin, as a signal of agreement.

A slow smile curved across Lu Lin's lips. He straightened up, bent down, and placed a kiss on Shen Qingci's lips.

Then he said, reluctantly,

"Wait for me to get back."