I went over and picked her up. She was much lighter than I had imagined. Given her curvaceous figure, I had expected her to be heavier, but surprisingly, she was quite light.
"Xia Ming, take it easy," Teacher Han Yan whispered in my ear. Perhaps she was a bit nervous, and her breath tickled my ear, making me feel a bit itchy and intensifying my reaction.
My hands held the backs of her legs through the pantyhose, feeling the texture of the stockings and the warmth of her body, which stirred some inappropriate thoughts in my mind.
She seemed tense, her body stiff. I said, "Teacher, don't be afraid. Trust me."
But this had the opposite effect—her body stiffened even more. I didn't dare say anything else and quietly waited for the starting gun. With a "bang," I rushed forward with the teacher on my back, taking the lead.
Although I couldn't beat Gao Tianjian in a fight, my physical fitness was no weaker than his. Teacher Han Yan on my back was slightly heavier than his English teacher, but my speed was still faster than his.
The race was only a hundred meters, and it would be over in the blink of an eye.
I saw anger flash in his eyes. Then, he gave a signal to someone, and suddenly, a person ran in front of me. I had to slow down to avoid crashing into them, which would have injured both me and the teacher.
With this unexpected interference, Gao Tianjian gained a significant lead. The remaining distance wasn't enough for me to catch up.
At that moment, the beautiful teacher Han Yan leaned close to my ear and whispered, "Xia Ming, do your best—you must win!"
It was as if I had been ignited, suddenly filled with fighting spirit and boundless energy. With one burst of effort, I overtook Gao Tianjian and crossed the finish line first.
After the race, Gao Tianjian glared at me coldly, his eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness. I returned his icy stare just as coldly. I'm not one to stir up trouble, but I'm not one to back down either. When it came to Chen Xixuan, he had practically ridden roughshod over me. If I stayed silent, I'd be nothing but a coward.
This competition was just my first warning to him. There would be more to come, and it would get worse.
"Xia Ming, here, wipe your sweat," Teacher Han Yan said, walking toward me with a few tissues in hand and handing them to me.
I watched as she approached, wearing a light blue shirt that was stretched taut across her chest. My mind wandered back to how those soft mounds had rubbed against my back earlier, stirring a wave of ambiguous feelings. As she drew near, a delicate fragrance wafted over, refreshing my spirits. I couldn't help but wonder if her rapid promotion was due to seducing the school leadership. I truly hoped not—such a beautiful woman shouldn't become a plaything for those despicable administrators.
When I returned home that evening, my mother, as usual, had prepared dinner and left me a note before heading back to the company to work.
After finishing my meal, I went to the company to look for her. She wasn't in her office, and according to her secretary, she was in a meeting. I made my way to the conference room, where the meeting was in full swing. As the chairman's son, I couldn't just barge in, so I stood by the door and listened.
"Chairman, recently, more and more of our suppliers have cut ties with us. The R&D department can't proceed with their normal tasks. We urgently need your assistance!"
"What about the negotiation team?" My mother's voice was cold.
"We're actively seeking new suppliers. Several have shown willingness to engage with us, and we're currently in negotiations."
"Yet I've heard not only are there very few suppliers willing to work with Xias, but the few you've approached have also ended in failed negotiations?"
"I—"
"At a time like this, instead of focusing on how to realistically help the company overcome this crisis, all you're thinking about is how to cover things up and keep me in the dark. What is the company paying you for?!"
My mother continued, "Don't try to deceive me. I know the R&D work has completely stalled, and we can't find new suppliers. The company is facing an unprecedented crisis. If you don't step up your efforts, you'll be the next ones to be let go!"
I knew the company relied heavily on the sales of Meifang, its flagship cosmetic product. The majority of the revenue came from this top-tier item, with upgraded versions periodically released into the market, providing indispensable support for Xias' prosperity.
For a long time, Xias' Meifang had always outperformed Mingshuo's Liankou—whether in product effectiveness, cost-performance ratio, or the speed of product upgrades and R&D.
But this time, Mingshuo suddenly launched the latest version of Liankou. Not only did its efficacy surpass Meifang, but the development time was several times shorter than before. In an instant, Xias lost a significant portion of its market share to Mingshuo, causing the company's stock to plummet repeatedly and pushing it to the brink of collapse.
If it were just ordinary business losses, the company could rely on its accumulated foundation to weather the storm—nothing major. But this time, Lotus Cosmetics' comprehensive dominance over Meifang had completely exceeded Shishi's tolerable limits. As a result, the company's employees were laid off repeatedly, and board meetings, which used to be held only once a week, were now taking place almost daily.
But that wasn't the worst of it. The worst part was that all of Shishi's avenues for survival had been cut off. It was obvious that the reason suppliers were unwilling to cooperate with Shishi was because Mingshuo was pulling strings behind the scenes.
Now, with Shishi on the verge of collapse, if these suppliers continued to work with Shishi, and Shishi eventually went bankrupt, they would have offended Mingshuo. Trying to survive in the cosmetics industry after that would be nearly impossible.
Such is the nature of business. One misstep, and all those who once greeted you with smiles can turn their backs on you without a second thought.
The situation can change in an instant. A top-tier company basking in glory one moment may face bankruptcy the next.
After the meeting had been tense for a while, I heard my uncle, Xia Dong, say, "Chairman, perhaps... while Shishi's stock is still valuable, we should agree to Mingshuo's acquisition plan. That way, we can minimize our losses—"
"Don't even think about it!" Mom snapped angrily. "As long as I'm here, Shishi will remain. No one is allowed to entertain the idea of an acquisition! If you want to leave, go ahead. I'll get Shishi through this crisis myself!"
"Chairman, I'm only thinking of the company's best interests. This is the only way to stop the bleeding. If we drag this out, we'll only lose more. Of course, none of us want Shishi to be acquired, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Chairman, you can't let your personal emotions jeopardize the future of our entire company."
"Xia Dong, have you lost your mind? Whose side are you on?!" Mom was so furious she addressed him by his full name.
"Chairman, you can't accuse me unfairly. I'm only considering the interests of everyone in the company."
"Don't even think about it. If you want to sell, sell yourself! Shishi is not for sale! This meeting is adjourned!"
People began filing out of the room. When my uncle came out and saw me, he shook his head helplessly and gave a bitter smile. I knew he had tried his best to persuade Mom, but I also understood her. Shishi was the result of her and Dad's hard work, and she would never give up easily.
After everyone had left, only Mom remained inside. She stayed silent for a long time, and I didn't dare enter.
Ten minutes later, Mom finally emerged. When she saw me, she paused, and a flicker of brightness appeared on her weary face. "Mingming, what are you doing here?"
"Mom, have you eaten?" I stood up and asked.
"Not yet. I'm not hungry."
"It's already eight o'clock. Let's go eat."
"Have you eaten?"
"I have."
"As long as you've eaten, I'm fine. I'm not hungry, and I still have work to do."
I followed Mom to her office.
"Mingming, you should go home. Have you finished your homework? Don't you have class tomorrow?"
"My homework is done, and tomorrow is Saturday—the weekend."
"Is that so..."
Seeing how exhausted Mom looked, so busy she couldn't even remember the date, my heart ached for her.
"Mom, let me give you a massage. You've been working all day—you must be tired."
"Well..."
While she was hesitating, I walked over, placed my hands on her soft shoulders, and began to massage them.
Perhaps because of yesterday's experience, Mom wasn't particularly resistant today. After I had been massaging for about ten seconds, she completely relaxed and let me work on her shoulders.
My fingers brushed against the smooth, high-quality silk of my mother's white blouse. Her long, straight black hair was right beneath my nose, and I could catch its delicate fragrance. Giving her a massage was truly a pleasure.
Standing behind her, I looked down as she worked. Today, as usual, she had left one button undone at the collar. From my vantage point, I noticed she had changed into a white lace bra, and the snowy, firm swell of her breasts formed a deep cleavage. I couldn't help but relish the view. Completely absorbed in her work, she remained unaware of her exposure.
I felt a bit dazed. Since the Liankou incident, I had unexpectedly grown closer to my mother. Before, such intimate contact would have been impossible, let alone catching a glimpse of her chest.
But I wasn't satisfied. I wanted more from her.
An hour later, she stopped working. Perhaps because I was there, she didn't keep me company all evening, nor could she send me away, so she ended her work early and we left the office together.
There was no food at home, and she was hungry, so she took me to the barbecue street for some grilled skewers.
Back when Dad was around, he often brought her here for barbecue. Our whole family loved it, and even though Mom was now a cold, elegant queen standing at the pinnacle of the social pyramid, this habit hadn't changed.
As we walked down the barbecue street, many people recognized her and greeted her warmly, though there were also some lecherous, unwelcoming stares. I stayed alert, shielding her to make sure she wasn't bothered.
After we finished eating, we passed through a dimly lit alley on our way to the car. Suddenly, a few thugs emerged and, without a word, attacked us. True to her nature, Mom remained incredibly calm in the face of danger. She had always been disciplined and practiced some self-defense, and with my decent physical strength, we quickly subdued them. Still, I ended up with a minor injury—a cut about five millimeters long on my knee from one of their knives. Dark red blood trickled out, but it didn't bother me much. Mom, however, was so worried she started crying.
There were no clinics or hospitals nearby, so she helped me sit against the wall, tore off a piece of her shirt sleeve, and bandaged my wound.
"Ming, are you okay? I'm sorry, I got you hurt."
"Mom, how can you blame yourself? They were the ones who meant us harm."
"Shh, don't talk. Let me take you to the hospital."
"It's just a small cut. Look how worried you are."
"Don't say that!" she suddenly snapped, her outburst catching me off guard.
Then, realizing she had lost her composure, she apologized, "I-I'm sorry. I was just so worried about you."
"It's fine, Mom, really. If you're that concerned, how about giving me a little reward?"
"Wh-what kind of reward?"
Almost without thinking, I blurted out, "A kiss on the lips."
I immediately regretted it, but the words were already out. I expected her to blush furiously, but after a moment of silence, she just said, her face red, "C-can it be on the cheek instead?"
How could I refuse? I was lucky she wasn't punishing me for my audacious request. "Y-yes, of course that's fine!"
Then, my mother took a deep breath, her full chest seeming ready to burst through the buttons and leap out. Her red lips then gently pressed against my cheek.
Warm and soft, moist—for a moment, I felt as if my heart were blossoming. The feeling of being kissed by my mother was truly wonderful.
I looked at her; her face was as radiant as a red peach, with a hint of girlish shyness in her demeanor, making me almost feel as though I were in love with her.
I couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like if she really kissed me on the lips.
Although I had secretly kissed her last night, it was me who took the initiative, and because I was so cautious, I couldn't fully savor the sensation of her lips as vividly and genuinely as I could now.
Next time I have the chance, I must experience what it's like to kiss my mother.
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