Chapter 59: Trying to Keep Her

Zhuang Nian watched the scene on the monitor, his fingers nearly worn raw from nervousness. He fearfully glanced at the expressionless Rong Xiu beside him. Oh no, the more expressionless he is at a time like this, the angrier he must be.

He anxiously asked, “President, should we continue watching?”

Rong Xiu’s eyes were cold and distant. When he looked up, it was as if a cold wind swept by.

Zhuang Nian felt a chill down his spine. He swallowed hard and lowered his head, no longer speaking. He awkwardly watched the monitor showing Fan Xia and Wen Lan Sheng embracing tightly. Although they were husband and wife, and hugging was reasonable, but Chief Assistant Fan, have you forgotten you have a lover?

Chief Assistant Fan, please come back quickly. If you don’t return soon, this office won’t be able to contain all this jealousy.

However, seeing Wen Lan Sheng crying on the monitor, although he couldn’t hear the sound, Zhuang Nian couldn’t help but feel sympathy.

After all, he was the original spouse and hadn’t done anything wrong. His wife-master was taken by someone else. He was angry inside but couldn’t express it, because if he made a big fuss, it would affect Chief Assistant Fan’s work. He could only vent his resentment on the forum.

Speaking of the forum, after fermenting for a few days, this incident had been picked up by many marketing accounts and made into videos posted on other video sites. The views were very high, so more people shared it, and more people learned about it.

Yesterday, Wen Lan Sheng posted another thread, mainly about how arrogant the president was, specifically calling the original spouse to listen to them in bed.

Zhuang Nian: It’s unbearable to watch.

However, this move by Wen Lan Sheng successfully raised the netizens’ anger to a critical point. Finally, he narrowed the scope to “Fortune 500 companies.”

Netizens searched for traces matching Wen Lan Sheng’s description in various companies. One or two people had even guessed it was Rong Xiu and Fan Xia, but because the voice was too quiet and Rong Xiu’s position was too high, this guess didn’t spread. Otherwise, at this moment, the public relations department would have already started dealing with the overwhelming abuse.

However, Zhuang Nian was still worried. It was just a forum post, which could have been nipped in the bud and eliminated future troubles. But Rong Xiu let it grow wild, even to the point where it could bite back at him. Zhuang Nian couldn’t understand.

But out of professional ethics, Zhuang Nian felt it necessary to remind Rong Xiu.

“President, that post by Chief Assistant Fan’s husband—”

“Who?” Rong Xiu coldly raised his eyes to look at him, his thin gold-rimmed glasses reflecting a cold and harsh light.

Zhuang Nian felt as if his face was about to be cut by the knives formed from Rong Xiu’s overly intense jealousy. He paused, then corrected himself, “That post by Wen Lan Sheng is having an increasing impact online. If you let him continue like this, he might really expose you.”

“Once he exposes your identity, those crazy men online will point fingers at you. And when it’s exposed, what will those around you think? Your father, your younger sister, and the other shareholders of the company, how will they view you?” Zhuang Nian explained the seriousness of the situation.

But Rong Xiu’s reaction was as calm as ever, even less human-like than when he was jealous of Wen Lan Sheng’s identity earlier.

Rong Xiu’s eyes remained fixed on the monitor, like a venomous snake, until he saw Fan Xia send Wen Lan Sheng away. Only then did he withdraw his gaze: “I’ve already said not to worry about this matter.”

“But… alright.” Zhuang Nian felt somewhat helpless, but he had said what he needed to say. If Rong Xiu insisted on his own way, he had no right to say anything more.

He couldn’t help but recall the scene from the monitor where Fan Xia gently comforted the crying Wen Lan Sheng, indicating that there was still affection between the married couple.

Although Rong Xiu was his superior, Zhuang Nian couldn’t deceive himself. He had to admit that Rong Xiu was the one breaking up someone else’s marriage and family. If the accusations in the post were true, what Rong Xiu did was really too much.

If it weren’t for Rong Xiu being his superior, he might have joined the ranks condemning the vicious third party.

He quietly withdrew and began to organize documents. After the lunch break, the general manager of the southern district would come to report to Rong Xiu, so he needed to prepare in advance.

Soon after, Fan Xia returned.

At this time, the air in the office was almost solidified due to the eerily low pressure. He gestured towards the office, silently mouthing, “The president is angry.”

Fan Xia nodded gratefully.

Entering the office, it was very dark inside. Rong Xiu’s entire person seemed to be enveloped by the dark light, his excessively pale face appearing almost sickly against the dark background.

Fan Xia walked in and saw the computer screen displaying the elevator surveillance footage, frozen on the moment she kissed Wen Lan Sheng.

She chuckled softly, “Jealous?”

Rong Xiu’s thick eyelashes trembled uncontrollably, his tightly pressed thin lips exuding a stubborn coldness.

The jealousy in the air seemed to thicken.

Fan Xia leaned close to his ear, her warm breath brushing past: “I was just acting with him, you know that.”

Rong Xiu barely raised his eyes, the usually calm and rational gaze now filled with unpredictable, flickering light, hiding a vague uneasiness: “But, but I saw you touching his belly in the surveillance… Is he carrying your child? Is that why you were comforting him so much in the elevator… You’ve never comforted me like that.”

Fan Xia hugged Rong Xiu, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: “He’s not pregnant. I haven’t touched him since the wedding, I’ve only been with you. As for comforting…”

Fan Xia pressed against Rong Xiu’s ear, her low, gentle voice saying, “Haven’t I comforted you before? Think carefully, Rong Xiu.”

Rong Xiu’s face reddened: “Only when we’re in bed…”

Sometimes Rong Xiu envied Wen Lan Sheng. Although he knew it was an act, Fan Xia’s disguise was so flawless that anyone who saw it would believe without a doubt that she loved Wen Lan Sheng deeply and exclusively.

And this side of Fan Xia, he only experienced in bed, as if he were just a bedtime companion to keep her company when she was tired, to relieve her boredom. Once they left the bed, he felt Fan Xia’s distance from him grow, especially in the company, where she was always mindful of their positions, maintaining distance at all times.

That’s why he was so insecure and anxious, even irrationally jealous of Wen Lan Sheng, wanting to stick to Fan Xia every minute and second. Once Fan Xia disappeared from his sight, he couldn’t help but imagine wild scenarios – had she rekindled her old feelings with Wen Lan Sheng? Had she grown tired of his body and gone to find that young, lively athlete?

At that moment, Rong Xiu felt no different from an ordinary man. His pride in his rationality and self-control all crumbled before Fan Xia.

He unconsciously touched his belly, a bold fantasy forming in his mind. If he could bear her child before Wen Lan Sheng, would he be able to win her heart first?

“Then tonight, come to my place. Don’t go to Wen Lan Sheng’s,” Rong Xiu said in a muffled tone.

“But I promised him I’d go back to see him tonight,” Fan Xia said.

Rong Xiu’s expression became complicated. He knew Fan Xia valued her revenge above all else, and he was her knife, not a stumbling block. He shouldn’t interfere with Fan Xia’s plans, but the thought of Fan Xia going back tonight and what she might do with Wen Lan Sheng made his heart ache with jealousy.

His arm wrapped around Fan Xia’s neck: “Then you need to make it up to me now.”

“Here? Secretary Zhuang is still outside.” Fan Xia marveled at this Rong Xiu’s boldness.

Rong Xiu was naturally a bit shy and embarrassed, but more than that, he was happy, even a little smug: “Keep your voice down, he won’t hear. Office play, Wen Lan Sheng hasn’t tried this with you, right?”

Fan Xia hesitated for a moment: “We have.”

After graduating from high school, she had worked part-time for a while, and Wen Lan Sheng would do anything to please her.

The smile that had just appeared on Rong Xiu’s lips instantly vanished.

Knock knock knock—

Zhuang Nian knocked on the door: “President, General Manager Chen from the Southern District is here.”

“Understood.” Fan Xia stood up, preparing to move away. After all, their relationship was underground and couldn’t be known by too many people.

But her unintentionally distant action further stimulated Rong Xiu’s sensitive and fragile nerves, his jealousy growing frantically as if given a growth stimulant.

“Has Wen Lan Sheng done this for you?” He grabbed Fan Xia’s collar, pulling her to sit in the office chair, while he knelt under the chair. The long, dark wooden desk concealed everything unspeakable beneath it.

Under Fan Xia’s astonished gaze, her skirt was lifted, almost at the same time as Zhuang Nian opened the office door.

The Southern District General Manager walked in carrying a large sales file. Fan Xia immediately sat up straight, her face wearing a calm smile: “Manager Chen.”

Manager Chen looked around the office, not seeing Rong Xiu, and politely asked Fan Xia, “Chief Assistant Fan, where’s the president? I’m here to report last quarter’s sales performance.”

A tingling sensation, like weak electric currents, flowed against her blood into her brain. Fan Xia tightly gripped the pen at the edge of the desk, her breathing unconsciously becoming heated: “I’m afraid you’ve come at an inconvenient time. The president ate something bad at lunch, so your report might need to be delayed. Please come back at three o’clock.”

Manager Chen didn’t notice anything amiss and didn’t dare question the words of Fan Xia, who was close to Rong Xiu: “Alright then, I’ll come back later.”

Fan Xia nodded with a smile: “I’m really sorry for the wasted trip.”

“Not at all,” Manager Chen smiled as he left, closing the door behind him.

Fan Xia’s straight back instantly softened. She looked down at the scene under the desk, her fingertips tenderly brushing away the loose strands of hair on Rong Xiu’s forehead. He looked up, his pale thin lips and the tip of his nose glistening with moisture, his cheeks flushed unnaturally.

Fan Xia grabbed his perfectly knotted tie, pulling him out and pressing him against the cold office desk. Documents scattered messily on the floor.

That night, Wen Lan Sheng waited alone from dusk till dawn, but Fan Xia never appeared.