Chapter 23: An Unexpected Encounter on a Blind Date

"Why are you whispering?" Luo Yichen asked, puzzled.

"My mom is watching your car! She keeps asking if you were the one who drove me home. You'd better leave before she spots you!"

Luo Yichen felt a flash of irritation and retorted, "Am I really that shameful? Are you that afraid of your mother seeing me?"

Shang Qi didn't have time to argue. "Are you going or not? If not, I’m not talking to you anymore!"

Luo Yichen had once forced a kiss on her, and Shang Qi had given him the cold shoulder for an entire month. He didn't want to risk that again, so he sighed, "Fine, I'm going. But don't you dare miss me!"

Shang Qi didn't soften. She hung up the phone, confident that Luo Yichen wouldn't actually ignore her. After stepping out of the bathroom, she said, "Mom, the driver just dropped me off, that’s all. Why do you care whether or not he left immediately?"

Yu Xiufen replied, "I’m just concerned about you! That Mr. Luo is bad news; you need to stay away from him."

"Mom, there’s nothing going on between us. Besides, you’ve only met him once. How can you draw such a conclusion?"

"I’ve walked more roads than you’ve eaten grains of salt. You must listen to me this time."

Shang Qi pouted and fell silent. She felt her mother’s view of Luo Yichen was biased.

Yu Xiufen continued, "You come home late every day and neglect your own life. Your father had someone post your profile on a matchmaking site."

"Mom!" Shang Qi exclaimed, shocked. "How could you do that without even asking me?"

"How could I ask you? Every time I call, you say you're busy, and when you get home, you just collapse into bed. You’re turning thirty soon. If this goes on, you’ll never get married."

"Then I won’t! I'll stay with you and Dad forever."

"Don't talk nonsense. It’s been up for half a month, and we’ve actually found a suitable candidate. He’s an executive assistant at a large company, and his education, background, and salary are all on par with yours. I’ve already arranged for you to meet him tomorrow night."

"Mom!" Shang Qi protested. "I hate these kinds of blind dates!"

"No! You must go this time," Yu Xiufen commanded firmly.

Just then, Shang Wende heard their conversation and chimed in, "Qiqi, your mother has a weak heart; don't upset her. We’re doing this for your own good."

Shang Qi was a filial daughter and didn't want to anger her mother. She thought to herself, *It's just a meeting; I'll just say I'm not interested afterward.* "Fine, I'll go tomorrow," she conceded.

Yu Xiufen smiled. "Dress up nicely tomorrow and leave a good impression."

Shang Qi didn't say anything more and retreated to her room. The next day, just before she left work, Yu Xiufen called again. "Qiqi, make sure you put in some effort! The other party has reserved Table 3 at this restaurant. Just be there on time."

"I know," Shang Qi replied.

At that moment, Luo Yichen called her into his office. Once she entered, he looked down and said, "I want to talk to you about the contract."

Luo Yichen’s desk was covered in several documents, looking rather cluttered. A Parker fountain pen moved across the pages with lightning speed, and within moments, he had finished signing all the directives. He stacked the papers neatly, and the desk was instantly clear. When Luo Yichen looked up, his eyes were bloodshot and his chin was covered in light stubble, yet he looked incredibly energized—like a lion that had fought long and hard but remained tireless, ready for the next battle.

"There are a few clauses I need to discuss with you before we can finalize them," Shang Qi said.

"Sit down and let's go over them."

Shang Qi briefly explained her line of thought and offered specific suggestions. Luo Yichen listened intently, occasionally interjecting with sharp, insightful questions. She had to admit his questions were profound; some she couldn't even answer, forcing her to say she would reconsider and reply later.

Finally, Luo Yichen said, "The main purpose of redrafting this labor contract is to allow for more flexibility in reducing the company's labor costs. From a legal standpoint, you need to revise it again with the goal of maximizing the company's interests."

Shang Qi had always detested profit-driven businessmen. Hearing that Luo Yichen wanted to exploit legal loopholes to facilitate layoffs, she looked displeased. "I don't want to sacrifice others for the sake of profit!"

Luo Yichen was always professional and expected absolute obedience from his subordinates. However, facing Shang Qi, he made an exception and explained patiently, "The domestic economy is expected to fluctuate significantly in the short term. As the head of the Luo Corporation, I must be responsible for everyone. If the company refuses to cut staff, we will be crushed by the sheer weight of our labor costs. When that happens, everyone will lose their jobs. Is that what you want?"

Shang Qi felt his logic held weight. "I understand. I will revise it as soon as possible."

"You’d better get it done tonight."

"I have something to take care of at home. My mother insisted I get back early," Shang Qi said, using her date as an excuse.

"What is it?"

Shang Qi didn't dare tell him the truth—that would cause an absolute disaster. She said, "My mom saw your car last night and hasn't stopped asking about it. I want to go home early today to put her mind at ease."

Luo Yichen found this awkward, but considering Mrs. Shang’s health, he said, "That’s fine. Go home and spend some time with her. Once I’m done with the year-end rush, I’ll pay a visit to your home myself."

Seeing that he had relented, Shang Qi left immediately and hurried to the restaurant. Because of the delay, she arrived late. She walked quickly toward Table 3, where a man was sitting with his back to her. As she approached, she said, "Hello! I’m so sorry, I’m late."

The man turned around, and both of them froze.

"Assistant Mu?" Shang Qi exclaimed. She double-checked the number on the table; it was definitely Table 3.

Mu Lichen feigned surprise. "Director Shang, why are you here?"

There couldn't possibly be such a coincidence in the world. Mu Lichen wanted to pursue Shang Qi, but with Luo Yichen always around at the company, he struggled to find an opportunity. When he heard the Luo family was arranging his marriage, he stumbled upon Shang Qi's profile at the agency. Thus, he had scripted this blind date himself.

"Are you here for a blind date?" Shang Qi asked.

"Yes! My family won't stop pestering me. But I never imagined the person I’d be meeting would be you."

Shang Qi was equally surprised. "I was forced into this by my family."

"It's hard to get a table here. Since we're both here, let's just have dinner together."

Seeing a familiar face, Shang Qi felt less guarded. She sat down, and they each ordered a steak. Once the meal was served, they chatted while eating. "Assistant Mu," Shang Qi said, "Mr. Luo spoke to me about the labor contract today. There are quite a few things that need changing. Could you take a look after I finish?"

"Sure. Send it to me via email when you're done," Mu Lichen said, then added, "We're off the clock now. Can we drop the titles? Just call me Lichen."

Shang Qi realized that it was indeed strange to be so formal while having dinner together. "Alright! You can just call me Shang Qi."

"Let's talk about something else," Mu Lichen suggested. "No more work talk."

Shang Qi hadn't forgotten the purpose of the evening. Even though it was Mu Lichen, she felt it was best to be clear. "I want to focus on my career for now. I’m not looking for a boyfriend yet. So, regarding us..."

Mu Lichen interrupted her. "I feel the same way. But we have to give our families an answer, don't we? I don't want to waste any more time on blind dates. How about we just tell our families that we are satisfied with each other?"

"What?" Shang Qi hesitated. She was terrified of what Luo Yichen would do if he found out.

"I’m not saying we should actually date. I just want to get our families off our backs. You don't want to keep going on these blind dates, do you?"

Shang Qi calculated the pros and cons: having Mu Lichen as a shield was quite convenient. If her mother kept forcing her into blind dates, Luo Yichen would eventually find out anyway. It might be better to put on a show with Mu Lichen and solve the issue once and for all. "Alright," she said. "That would save a lot of trouble!"

Mu Lichen smiled, raised his glass, and said, "To our chance encounter today! Cheers!"

Treating the dinner as a meal between friends, Shang Qi raised her glass casually. "Cheers!"

Suddenly, there was a "click." Someone in the distance had taken their photo. A waiter approached with a camera and said, "Excuse me! Our restaurant is hosting a 'Tender Moments' photo exhibition. We are taking free photos for couples dining with us. Would you two mind if we featured your photo in our exhibit?"

Shang Qi immediately clarified, "We are just colleagues, not a couple."

The waiter looked at Mu Lichen and smiled without saying a word. This photo opportunity had been arranged by him in advance, specifically to leave behind "evidence." Mu Lichen laughed. "Shang Qi, you're too quick to distance yourself! That makes me look bad."

Shang Qi’s cheeks flushed slightly. "Why do you always have to joke around?"

The waiter said, "Even if you aren't a couple yet, there’s always room for development!"

Afraid that Shang Qi might get embarrassed and leave, Mu Lichen said, "Alright, enough jokes. Don't put the photo in the exhibit; just give it to me."

The waiter handed him the photo and left. Worried about further misunderstandings, Shang Qi said, "Are you full? Let's go."

Mu Lichen nodded and went to the front desk to pay the bill. The restaurant was quite expensive, and Shang Qi didn't want Mu Lichen to bear the cost alone. She followed him and asked, "How much is it? Let me pay my share. Or we can split it."

The cashier was stunned; it was her first time seeing a couple go Dutch. Mu Lichen waved his hand. "This is my treat. How about you get the next one?"

Shang Qi caught the look on the cashier's face and replied, "Fine."

They left the restaurant together. Seeing that the weather outside was pleasant and not too cold, Mu Lichen said, "Shall we take a walk before heading back?"

Shang Qi didn't want to be alone with him any longer. "No, I need to go home."

"We need to get to know each other a bit, don't we? Otherwise, when our families ask, what are we going to tell them?"