14: Watch Me Make You Regret It!

Shen Yifei felt a touch of helplessness, scratching his head. "Director Liu Xiaoxiao, please calm down. My work was finished ages ago, and playing a game won't affect the company anyway."

"Don't give me that nonsense! Whether your work is done or not, this is company policy! If I catch you playing games during work hours again, you can kiss your manager position goodbye!" Liu Xiaoxiao snapped, fuming.

"Alright," Shen Yifei conceded, having no choice.

"Let me see your completed work!" Liu Xiaoxiao grumbled, clearly displeased.

Shen Yifei handed over all the processed files. Liu Xiaoxiao scrutinized them, having originally intended to thoroughly rebuke him. Yet, she couldn't find a single flaw or oversight in the documents. Though he was a rascal, he clearly had some competence, leaving Liu Xiaoxiao no room to challenge him.

"So, Director Liu, how was it?" A faint smirk played on Shen Yifei's lips.

"Hmph, nothing special. After the lunch break, come to my office," Liu Xiaoxiao stated with a frigid expression.

"Uh, alright," Shen Yifei replied, an uneasy feeling stirring within him.

"If I don't straighten you out, you'll really think I'm as easily bullied as The Little Match Girl (a reference to Hans Christian Andersen's tragic character)?" After he left her office, a sly, chilling smile crept onto Liu Xiaoxiao's beautiful face. She had found Shen Yifei utterly irritating, and adding to that, the rogue had previously dared to call her a 'she-tyrant' (a term for an aggressive, overbearing woman). If she didn't teach this shameless man a lesson, she simply wouldn't be able to stomach it.

As closing time approached, Shen Yifei arrived as instructed outside the Director's office on the top floor.

Approaching the Vice President's office, he noticed the door was slightly ajar, revealing a narrow gap.

A flicker of intuition stirred within Shen Yifei. He leaned closer and peeked inside the office.

Damn, this girl almost had me!

What did Shen Yifei see?

He saw Liu Xiaoxiao discreetly produce a small pill from her sleeve, drop it into a glass of water on her desk, and swiftly swirl the liquid a few times.

Shen Yifei, feigning innocence, pushed the door open and entered.

Liu Xiaoxiao jumped, startled, and quickly positioned herself in front of the glass, terrified that Shen Yifei had seen.

Seeing Shen Yifei's composed expression, Liu Xiaoxiao forced herself to appear calm. "Manager Shen," she said, "you've worked so hard."

Shen Yifei replied, "Not at all."

This woman, who usually wore an icy expression around him, was suddenly so cordial. Her acting was truly awful.

"With such a heavy workload, how could you not be tired? Here, let me pour you a glass of water. Take a moment to rest." Liu Xiaoxiao picked up the glass from her desk and offered it to Shen Yifei.

Just as he suspected, it was meant for him! Shen Yifei secretly congratulated himself; damn, he'd almost fallen into her trap. He had no idea what kind of drug she'd used, but this woman was truly wicked, wasn't she?

He took the glass, pondering how best to expose Liu Xiaoxiao's scheme, when—

A sudden knock sounded at the door. "Director Liu," a female voice called out, "pardon the interruption, but I have a file for you."

A female employee stood there, holding a document.

Liu Xiaoxiao immediately walked over. A triumphant smirk played on Shen Yifei's lips. 'You've had your fun with me, now it's my turn, haven't you, dear lady?' he thought.

Swiftly, he poured the contents of the glass he held into the glass on Liu Xiaoxiao's desk.

As Liu Xiaoxiao turned back, file in hand, Shen Yifei smoothly feigned finishing his drink, slowly setting the now empty glass down on the desk.

"Director Liu, does this water have a peculiar taste?" Shen Yifei asked, feigning innocent curiosity.

Liu Xiaoxiao secretly rejoiced, believing Shen Yifei had indeed consumed the glass of water laced with the laxative.

"Manager Shen," she began, "I actually feel there are still some misunderstandings between us. How about this: I'll treat you to lunch, and we can clear things up." Liu Xiaoxiao offered a captivating smile, a smile that was undeniably radiant.

Shen Yifei wasn't so naive; he knew something was amiss if she was suddenly being so generous. The cup of water, laced with whatever mysterious concoction, had just been consumed by *her*. A wave of mischievous amusement welled up in Shen Yifei's heart. He wanted to see if this woman, Liu Xiaoxiao, would truly hoist herself with her own petard (an idiom meaning to be harmed by one's own plot).

"Of course! How could I possibly refuse a lunch invitation from such a stunning beauty?" Shen Yifei replied with a grin.

A flicker of obvious disdain crossed Liu Xiaoxiao's beautiful eyes. 'You? Deserve it?' she scoffed internally. 'And you actually think you can get close to me? Never!'

"Cough, cough, Manager Shen, you're too kind." Liu Xiaoxiao moved a bit closer to Shen Yifei.

Shen Yifei's gaze involuntarily dipped, catching a tempting glimpse of snowy white skin peeking from beneath her professional attire.

Liu Xiaoxiao's beautiful face flushed crimson. Mortified and angered, she instinctively took a step back, clutching her collar. 'This guy really is a lecher,' she fumed internally. 'Just wait and see how I deal with you later!'

With an hour left until the laxative took effect, Liu Xiaoxiao already had a plan forming in her mind.

President's Office.

Su Muqing's eyes widened in disbelief as she heard the news from Liu Xiaoxiao's lips. "What? You're inviting Shen Yifei to lunch?" she exclaimed, utterly bewildered.

"Yes," Liu Xiaoxiao simply blinked her large eyes at Su Muqing.

It was obvious this beautiful young woman was planning a new torment for Shen Yifei. Su Muqing couldn't help but cast a pitying glance in Shen Yifei's direction, as if to say, "May you find your own salvation (a polite way of saying 'you're on your own' or 'good luck')."

"Director Liu," Shen Yifei said with a cough, "it's getting late. Shall we go now?"

"Alright," Liu Xiaoxiao chuckled inwardly.

Leaving the company building, Liu Xiaoxiao headed to the parking lot and drove out a black BMW X6 four-seater convertible.

An invitation from a beauty, especially a top-tier elite beauty (a term for a woman who is fair-skinned, rich, and beautiful), would usually make any other man ecstatic. Yet, Shen Yifei felt a distinct unease.

He wondered what trick this beautiful woman had up her sleeve.

"Manager Shen, get in," Liu Xiaoxiao urged, casting a sidelong glance at him.

"Alright," Shen Yifei replied, opening the passenger door and settling into the seat.

Liu Xiaoxiao shot him a look of disdain. 'I, a goddess renowned for beauty that could topple kingdoms, have never invited another man into my car,' she thought. 'This scoundrel is truly getting off easy today.'

Just then, company employees were streaming out, having finished work. Seeing a man get into Liu Xiaoxiao's car, a group of female employees cast astonished glances. Shen Yifei had just started, so few recognized him. Liu Xiaoxiao, on the other hand, was one of Lingya International's two most celebrated beauties. Her looks and aura were no less stunning than Su Muqing's, making her a well-known figure within the company.

"Hey, isn't that Director Liu's car?"

"Wow, a man actually got into Director Liu's car!"

"Oh my god, could he be Director Liu's kept man (a man financially supported by a woman)?"

As the female employees buzzed with speculation, Liu Xiaoxiao felt a surge of shame. She shot a furious glance at the grinning Shen Yifei beside her, wishing she could kick the rascal out of the car.

Quickly closing the door, Liu Xiaoxiao accelerated the BMW, speeding away from Lingya International.

Liu Xiaoxiao drove, not uttering a single word to Shen Yifei the entire way. After all, he had already taken the bait.

After driving for a while, Shen Yifei began to feel a sense of unease. This route seemed... off.

Liu Xiaoxiao drove straight towards the outskirts of the city, reaching a deserted, uninhabited area.

"Director Liu, where exactly are we headed? We don't need to drive this far just for lunch, do we?" Shen Yifei asked tentatively.

Liu Xiaoxiao secretly revelled in her triumph. 'Lunch? With me around, you think you'll still be able to eat, you rogue?' she chuckled inwardly.

"There's a really good *Nongjiale* (a rural guesthouse or countryside resort, often offering farm-to-table dining and recreational activities) nearby in the western suburbs. I thought I'd treat you to it today," Liu Xiaoxiao said with a light cough.

"Hmm, driving all this way just for a *Nongjiale* means the food there must be exceptional," Shen Yifei conceded.

The BMW continued for another fifteen minutes before arriving at a secluded farmstead.

After a series of winding turns, the BMW finally pulled into a remote, desolate patch of wilderness, far from any habitation.

Liu Xiaoxiao pulled out her phone, checked the time, and a wicked, triumphant smile spread across her lips.

An hour had already passed; the laxative should be taking effect any moment now, shouldn't it?