Chapter Four: A Night Together

He hadn’t heard Shang Qi’s reply for a long while, so he turned his head and realized she had fallen asleep. Her beautiful sleeping face was so serene and gentle that he couldn’t bear to disturb her. Luo Yichen closed the sunroof and recalled Shang Qi’s shy demeanor just now, a faint smile appearing on his lips. A wave of warmth surged through his body, yet all he could do was sigh in longing...

When Shang Qi woke up, the sky was already bright. She looked at the man sleeping beside her in surprise and shook him awake after a long moment, asking, “How did we end up sleeping in the car?”

Luo Yichen drowsily opened his eyes and said, “You fell asleep... so I fell asleep too...”

“Why didn’t you wake me up then?”

By now, Luo Yichen was fully awake. He pulled Shang Qi into his arms and said, “If every morning I could wake up and see you sleeping next to me, how wonderful that would be!”

Shang Qi’s face flushed deeply, and nervously, she pushed him away, saying, “Nothing happened between us last night. Don’t say nonsense—just take me home quickly!”

“Oh, really?”

A mischievous smile gleamed in Luo Yichen’s eyes. Seeing Shang Qi so flustered pleased him greatly. Knowing her thin skin, he realized teasing her further might have serious consequences. So, he started the car and soon stopped steadily in front of Shang Qi’s home.

After saying goodbye, Shang Qi got out of the car. She heard someone calling out, “Qiqi, why didn’t you come back all night? Your phone was off too.”

It was her father, Shang Wende. His eyes were rimmed with dark circles as he stood at the building entrance, looking around anxiously, evidently having been awake all night. Just then, Shang Qi’s mother, Yu Xiufen, came over and said, “You didn’t come home all night—I was nearly worried to death.”

Seeing her parents so worried filled Shang Qi with guilt. She dared not tell the truth, so she quickly said, “There was an emergency at work last night, so I worked overtime. My phone died, and I forgot to call you!”

“Sigh! Another overtime? When will this ever end?” Yu Xiufen said helplessly, full of concern for her daughter.

Shang Wende noticed the Rolls-Royce parked outside and was puzzled: who could afford such a car? At that moment, Luo Yichen got out and walked toward them. Seeing his father’s curious gaze, Shang Qi understood and introduced him proactively: “Dad, this is our company’s president, Luo Yichen. He kindly gave me a ride home.”

Luo Yichen approached respectfully and greeted, “Uncle, good morning! I’m sorry for causing you and Auntie to worry because of company matters.”

Shang Wende admired Luo Yichen’s handsome appearance and courteous manner. Moreover, since he was his daughter’s boss, he politely said, “President Luo, you’re too kind. Thank you for bringing Qiqi home. Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?”

Luo Yichen’s heart leapt at the invitation, but before he could answer, Shang Qi gave him a warning look. He had no choice but to decline gently: “Thank you! I still have things to attend to, so I must be going.”

Back at home, Yu Xiufen grabbed Shang Qi’s arm and asked, “Qiqi, were you with President Luo the whole night?”

Not wanting her mother to think too much, Shang Qi said, “I worked overtime, and he came to check on the employees and just happened to give me a ride home.”

“I think he purposely sent you home!”

Faced with Yu Xiufen’s suspicion, Shang Qi grew a little impatient and asked, “Mom, what are you trying to say?”

“I think this President Luo is very calculating, hiding his emotions well. You’d better keep your distance from him.”

Shang Qi explained, “Besides work, we have no other relations. Don’t overthink it!”

As mother and daughter talked, Shang Wende joined in, “Qiqi, your mother is right. Luo Yichen is a complicated man—you should keep your distance.”

She asked puzzledly, “Dad, why do you also think there’s something going on between me and President Luo?”

Assuming the authoritative tone of a father, Shang Wende said, “It’s a father’s intuition. Luo Yichen’s expression when he looks at you is unusual, but he’s not right for you.”

Shang Qi smiled shyly and explained again, “Dad, Mom! You’re really overthinking. He and I are not that kind of relationship. He’s not as bad as you think!”

Yu Xiufen said, “Hearing you say that, I can relax. Go to bed now.”

Watching Shang Qi’s retreating back, Shang Wende was filled with worry...

Returning to her room, Shang Qi’s heart pounded wildly. She rarely lied to her parents and feared she might slip up. Still, she was grateful she hadn’t revealed that she had spent the night with Luo Yichen; otherwise, who knew what further questioning might have ensued!

Lying in bed, her mind kept returning to that roguishly handsome face. Tossing and turning, she finally sat up. She shook her head repeatedly, warning herself: You’re just a novice—you’re not worthy of President Luo. He’s only interested in novelty now. The woman who can truly be by his side must be someone like Yin Guizhen, a wealthy heiress.

Luo Yichen had endured the entire night beside Shang Qi without really sleeping well. Returning home, he first went straight to the bathroom to cool down. When he came out, his grandfather was sitting on the sofa in his room.

Old Master Luo asked, “Where did you go last night? Still troubled over Guizhen?”

“No. It’s over between us.”

“That’s good you’ve come to your senses. The Luo family isn’t worried about finding a granddaughter-in-law. I’ll help you find a suitable match.”

Luo Yichen smiled, “Grandpa, you don’t need to worry about me.”

“Son, your father and I can’t do much now. The future of the Luo family rests on you. Choosing a granddaughter-in-law is very important—it’s not something to take lightly.”

Since Luo Yichen hadn’t confirmed his relationship with Shang Qi, he couldn’t tell his grandfather about her. He just smiled silently, letting his grandfather speculate. Old Master Luo felt his grandson seemed happy and thought: It was right to make them divorce. The Yin family’s power is waning. Guizhen doesn’t have Yichen’s favor but is being eyed by others. Letting her stay would only be a hidden risk...

Recently, many senior executives at Luo Corporation had resigned. The pressure on Shang Qi grew heavier. She had already mobilized all possible resources to recruit new staff as quickly as possible, but the results were minimal. To find the right candidates more swiftly, she arranged to meet a headhunter company’s director at two in the afternoon.

After finishing her work, Shang Qi hurried to the private room of a five-star café where they had agreed to meet. The man appeared to be about forty years old. He wore gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose and a dark blue cashmere sweater, clearly a refined gentleman.

After sitting down, Shang Qi said, “Mr. Zong Yong, hello! I’m Shang Qi from Luo Corporation.”

“Hello!”

The eyes behind the glasses narrowed into slits as Zong Yong sized up Shang Qi. He had heard that the administrative vice president of Luo Corporation was a stunning beauty. Seeing her in person was truly better than hearing about her.

Shang Qi said, “This is our company’s recruitment requirements.”