Upon hearing Wang Xiong's words, Xia Ling seemed to have heard the most outrageous joke.
Her exquisitely beautiful face maintained its haughty and aloof expression, only her eyes slightly upturned, and her red lips curled into a mocking smile.
"Personal assistant? You think you can do that?" Xia Ling slightly raised her chin, her eyes sweeping over what she considered a lowly stray dog, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. "What do you think Lingya Group is? A haven for lecherous, sleazy thugs like you?"
Wang Xiong suppressed his anger, his sincere face masking his inability to resist the lingering gaze on Xia Ling's ample breasts: "Aunt Xia, I promise I'll do a good job!"
"If there's nothing else…"
As Xia Ling was speaking, Wang Xiong suddenly stood up, walked around the table, and plopped down next to her. He deliberately sat very close, his hot breath almost brushing against her neck. Xia Ling frowned, her eyes filled with disgust and wariness.
"What...what are you doing?"
She shifted slightly to the side, but Wang Xiong followed, remaining pressed close to Xia Ling.
"Aunt Xia, the sales department is fine too. I'll definitely do my best to meet my targets."
Wang Xiong's eyes were fixed on the lace that was barely visible on Xia Ling's chest, and his dirty hand was already reaching for her high-quality black trousers.
"Your black suit looks perfect on you today, and with the thong underneath...although it's not the flesh-colored stockings I specified, it's still..."
"Enough!"
Xia Ling's eyes flashed sharp as knives. She quickly shoved his hand away and tried to move, but with them squeezed onto the sofa, there was no way to avoid him.
"Wang Xiong, do you think I'm easy to talk to?"
Wang Xiong paused, but the next second, his signature lewd smile returned. His hand moved to Xia Ling's thigh again, his fingers roaming restlessly, eventually venturing deeper into the inside of her thigh…
"Aunt Xia, please give me a chance…"
Just then, Xia Ling abruptly stood up, her long, black hair tracing an elegant arc in the air. With a swift movement, she delivered a resounding slap to Wang Xiong's face!
"Smack—"
Almost simultaneously, Xia Ling's slender fingers grabbed the coffee cup in front of her. The dark brown liquid traced a beautiful yet gruesome arc in the air before splashing heavily onto Wang Xiong's astonished face. The splashed coffee soaked her impeccably tailored suit, but she didn't care anymore.
"Disgusting!" Xia Ling's captivating eyes burned with rage. Her cherry lips parted slightly, each word laced with chilling coldness. "You're nothing but a pervert who fantasizes about other people's mothers all day!"
With a swift turn, her long legs, encased in black stockings, strode forward with rapid steps, her anger palpable. The 10cm black patent leather heels clattered angrily on the floor, leaving Wang Xiong with only his haughty and aloof back.
Wang Xiong hastily wiped his coffee-soaked, filthy school uniform with a tissue from the table, his hand covering his burning face. He watched Xia Ling's proud figure disappear into the distance, his bloodshot eyes narrowing, a sinister smile playing on his lips.
"The third time…" he muttered to himself, "That slut, the third time she's slapped me. What's with the high and mighty act? Sooner or later, I'll get her…"
Watching Xia Ling's tall figure disappear through the coffee shop door, he immediately pulled out his phone and dialed a number: "Dad, I can't handle this. That slut gave me the cold shoulder and even threw coffee at me… Yes, with that haughty attitude, I wanted to… Yes, if being gentle doesn't work, I have to resort to force… Don't worry… I'll do it your way…"
Warm sunlight streamed into the coffee shop, illuminating Wang Xiong's sinister, twisted face, and the bright red handprint on his cheek. The lingering scent of Xia Ling's mature fragrance, left behind as she left, contrasted sharply with the sweaty odor emanating from him.
…
I knew nothing of Xia Ling's experience at the coffee shop, but by the afternoon, Wang Xiong had become somewhat strange.
Normally, he would use breaks between classes to loudly discuss Mom with his cronies, spewing out all sorts of vulgarities, and occasionally pulling out Mom's gray stockings to show off like trophies.
But today, he was unusually quiet.
During afternoon math class, I sat absentmindedly in my seat, thinking about Mom, and then about Wang Xiong's change. Instinctively, I stole a glance at Wang Xiong, who sat in the back row of the classroom.
He was looking down, seemingly taking notes, but then, Wang Xiong suddenly looked up, and our eyes met instantly—his eyes no longer held the usual flippant and provocative gaze, but rather an indescribable coldness, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, watching its prey.
…
Meanwhile, at Lingya Building, in the CEO's office.
After the coffee shop incident at noon, Mom had changed out of her coffee-stained black suit, replacing it with a well-tailored dark gray suit, paired with a beige silk shirt.
Her shirt collar was slightly open, revealing glimpses of her beautiful collarbone. She still wore pantyhose under her trousers, but to match the suit, the stockings were now grey.
The sheer grey stockings hugged her shapely, long legs, while 10cm black patent leather stilettos silently accentuated the carpet. Every subtle movement exuded the elegance and sophistication of a female CEO.
"Knock knock knock—"
"Come in."
Without looking up, her slender fingers held a pen, signing smoothly on a document.
"President Xia…"
Administrative Department Supervisor Chen Yuting hurried in, holding her breath at the sight of Xia Ling's focused work. Even as a woman herself, she had to admit that President Xia radiated an undeniable charm.
Mother raised her captivating eyes and asked, "What is it?"
"The Starlight International Convention Center just called. They said the venue for this weekend's press conference..." Chen Yuting paused slightly, a hint of nervousness in her voice, "...they suddenly demanded a price increase, saying the 150,000 yuan per day rental is too low, and they want to raise it to 300,000 yuan."
Hearing this, Mother's long eyelashes fluttered slightly. She elegantly put down her pen, her red lips parting slightly: "Anything else?" Mother keenly sensed Chen Yuting's hesitation.
"It's..." Chen Yuting took a deep breath, "Just ten minutes ago, the fire department suddenly sent people to the venue, saying the fire escape width in the exhibition hall doesn't meet standards, and the automatic sprinkler system needs upgrading. It must be rectified immediately... If the rectification isn't completed before the weekend, the press conference cannot be held as scheduled."
After Chen Yuting finished speaking, a brief silence fell in the office.
Mother's slender fingers tapped lightly on the solid wood desk, her beautiful phoenix eyes gazing to the side. She knew this was no coincidence; Wang Xiong had most likely been instructed by his father, Wang Datao, to target her.
A moment later, Xia Ling slowly rose. Her long, shapely legs, supported by 10cm heels, clicked almost imperceptibly on the soft office carpet.
"First, contact the venue immediately and tell them we accept the new price," Xia Ling's voice was calm and elegant, carrying an undeniable authority. "Second, immediately convene the engineering department to develop a detailed rectification plan; third, notify the legal department to prepare a lawyer's letter against the venue for breach of contract, just in case."
"Yes, Ms. Xia," Chen Yuting quickly took notes.
"Also," Xia Ling continued, "have the exhibition team prepare alternative plans and contact other venues. Remember, this must be done discreetly."
After Chen Yuting left, Xia Ling walked to the floor-to-ceiling window in her high heels. In the distance was the bustling city skyline, and closer in was the headquarters building of the Lingya Fashion Group, which she had built herself.
She took a deep breath, her slender fingers gently rubbing her temples. After noon, Xia Ling had anticipated the current situation. Although it wasn't too troublesome, the mere thought of Wang Xiong's short, ugly appearance and lecherous eyes still made her uncomfortable.
After a brief glance, Xia Ling returned to her desk and sat down again. Just as she was about to continue her work, the internal phone on her desk suddenly rang.
"Ring ring—"
Her slender fingers grasped the receiver to answer the phone, but the next second, her delicate eyelashes trembled slightly.
"Ms. Xia, Ms. Susan from the Hera Group is here," the receptionist's voice came through the receiver. "She says she has something important to discuss with you in person."
Hearing that name, a complex, dark look flashed in Xia Ling's eyes.
She knew Susan too well. The two had been inseparable since childhood. The girl who always wore the same dress and followed her around had now become the one most eager to bring her down from her pedestal.