Chapter 29.1

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A kiss???

Qiao Ziman kept mechanically repeating these two words in her mind, completely overwhelmed and unable to snap out of her shock for a long time. She couldn’t understand. Why wasn’t this guy following the script? Could it be that Chi Yin couldn’t see her clear attempts at rejecting him? Ha, what a pure little white flower!!! The little figure in Qiao Ziman’s heart was screaming furiously.

Just then, Chi Yin’s face suddenly loomed closer in front of her. She snapped back to reality. “You… I’m telling you, don’t come any closer!”

Chi Yin leaned in again. “Didn’t you agree not to get mad? Be gentle.”

“Gentle, my…” Before she could finish her sentence, warm lips pressed against hers, cutting her off. Soft and tender.

The scent of her breath lingered between them, intoxicating and irresistible.

Qiao Ziman’s breath hitched, her mind going completely blank. It was just a brief, fleeting kiss. A touch, then retreat. Chi Yin gazed at her with a look that said she wasn’t quite satisfied. Gently, she wiped away the smudged lipstick at the corner of Qiao Ziman’s mouth with her fingertip, and calmly asked, “Anything else?”

Qiao Ziman’s eyes widened in disbelief as she pointed at Chi Yin, “You!!!”

Her little “white flower” had become too bold—where had she learned this?! And this… this was her first kiss! Qiao Ziman was on the verge of tears, feeling utterly defeated. The outcome was clear.

She bolted.

Fuming, she grabbed the documents and stomped out of the room. Behind her, she could faintly hear a light chuckle. In her ears, it sounded like a provocation.

Qiao Ziman couldn’t hold back anymore, her clenched fists trembling slightly. Slamming the door with force, she finally let her true nature show.

A passing colleague greeted her, “Sister Qiao, looking so pretty today! Off to meet a date?”

Qiao Ziman shot her a cold glare, her eyes sharp as knives, wrapped in a stormy aura.

“S-sorry! Just kidding, won’t happen again.”

Another clueless one chimed in, “Sister Qiao, could you take these documents to President Chi for me later?”

Qiao Ziman slapped the table. “Don’t you have legs of your own?”

The office suddenly fell into complete silence, followed by enthusiastic cheers from her colleagues.

“Our Sister Qiao is finally acting normal!”

“Sister Qiao, you have no idea how creepy you looked when you first joined the company, smiling like that—I almost called 911.”

“We definitely prefer you when you’re blowing up!”

Qiao Ziman: “…”

Well, thanks a lot, everyone.

“All right, all right, show’s over. Your Sister Qiao is back,” she waved them off, dispersing the crowd of amused onlookers. She turned to Xiao Jing and asked for a makeup wipe, beginning to wipe her lips that had been faintly burning ever since the kiss. After scrubbing away the lipstick, Qiao Ziman tossed the wipe into the trash with force, then slapped the desk and stood up.

The more she tried to suppress her anger, the more it grew. Trying to retreat just felt like she was losing her dignity. Why was she always the one left flustered? That was her first kiss! She had to teach Chi Yin a lesson.

Stepping out with all the momentum of someone standing six feet tall in her high heels, Qiao Ziman marched straight to Chi Yin’s office. As she approached the door, her confidence wavered slightly. Staring at the closed door, she started to feel nervous.

Just then, the door opened from the inside, and a colleague stepped out.

“Looking for President Chi, Xiao Qiao?”

Qiao Ziman was so startled she shuddered, almost bolting again.

“Xiao Qiao?” A colleague waved a hand in front of her.

“Huh?” Qiao Ziman snapped out of it, suddenly locking eyes with Chi Yin, who was staring at her. She immediately straightened her back, lifting her chin, “Yes!” She couldn’t lose her momentum.

“Alright, I’m done here. You can go in.” The colleague left, and Qiao Ziman nodded, striding confidently into the office and locking the door behind her.

Chi Yin: “???”

“Something wrong?”

Qiao Ziman walked right up to her, looked down, and said, “Yes!”

Chi Yin: “???”

“I’m not letting you kiss me for free!”

“Give me back my first kiss!”

With that, she grabbed Chi Yin’s chin, lifting it slightly with her fingers, and Qiao Ziman leaned down, kissing those glossy red lips. As soon as she sensed the stiffness in Chi Yin, Qiao Ziman felt a burst of satisfaction.

But in the next second, a pair of hands wrapped tightly around her waist, gently pulling her forward. Off balance, Qiao Ziman fell straight into Chi Yin’s lap. She gasped in surprise, but before she could react, Chi Yin’s nimble tongue slipped between her teeth, diving into her mouth, exploring with intensity.

Their lips and tongues danced, the kiss deepening, as Chi Yin greedily stole all the air from her chest.

Qiao Ziman could only passively endure, her breath fading as her mind became a complete haze. The only thing she could clearly feel was her rapidly beating heart, echoing in her ears.

How she managed to leave the office after that—Qiao Ziman had no idea.

How she got back to her desk, Qiao Ziman had no idea. She only remembered feeling dizzy, wobbling on her feet, her legs weak, and almost tripping as she left the office. The word “embarrassing” didn’t even begin to cover it.

Qiao Ziman covered her face with her hands. The burning heat radiating from her palms stunned her for a moment. Then, the little figure in her mind began wailing to the sky, tears streaming down its face.

Hate!

She hated it!

How was that little “white flower” so good at kissing? How was it even possible???

Xiao Jing, noticing Qiao Ziman’s strange state—sometimes zoning out, sometimes sighing and pounding her chest—became concerned. He peeked over at the crumpled piece of paper on her desk and asked, “Sister Qiao, why are you drawing a flower over and over?”

Qiao Ziman gripped her pencil tighter, pressing the tip deep into the paper. “To torment it, crush it, and destroy it!”

Xiao Jing: “…”

“Uh, anything I can help with, Sister Qiao?”

Qiao Ziman picked up the piece of paper, her smile menacing. “Take this to President Chi.”

Xiao Jing: “…” Sister Qiao seems to have lost her mind.

“Forget it, I’ll do it myself!”

If today she dared to kiss, who knows what might happen tomorrow? Qiao Ziman couldn’t let this situation spiral out of control. One way or another, she had to lay it all out on the table today.

Qiao Ziman pumped herself up, gathering her courage and determination as she headed back to face Chi Yin for a second time. She was resolute, ready to confront her. However, just as she turned a corner, she saw Chi Yin approaching with a group of senior managers.

The managers, upon seeing Qiao Ziman, immediately began offering their congratulations.

Qiao Ziman: “???”

One of the vice presidents explained, “Xiao Qiao—no, we should call you President Qiao now! You’re getting promoted.”

“The company has appointed you as the head of the new project. Not only will you oversee the illustration department, but you’ll also be responsible for the entire project team.”

Chi Yin glanced over at her, adding calmly, “An official announcement will be made by the company later.”