Chapter 102: What to drink

Liu Qiu felt that someone like Duan Liming was exactly the kind of domineering CEO she had always imagined.

It wasn’t that bosses had to keep a cold face, but in the novels and TV dramas Liu Qiu had seen, CEOs rarely smiled.

The original owner of this body didn’t like to smile either.

“Darling, are you fascinated? You’re staring without blinking.”

Chaoyue’s voice made Liu Qiu withdraw her gaze, and she turned to look outside the door.

“I just think she’s impressive.”

“Oh~ how is she impressive?”

Chaoyue whispered this right beside Liu Qiu’s ear, her warm breath brushing against it and making Liu Qiu’s ear itch slightly.

“Chaoyue, don’t stand so close.”

Liu Qiu glanced around to confirm that no one else had noticed how close they were standing, then added, “We’re working right now.”

Chaoyue stared at Liu Qiu’s expressionless side profile and couldn’t help poking her cheek.

“Qiuqiu, cosplaying a CEO again? Smile a little.”

“Chaoyue, don’t do this.”

But Chaoyue didn’t listen.

Her poke turned into a pinch as she grabbed the soft flesh of Liu Qiu’s cheek between her thumb and forefinger and gently tugged.

“You still haven’t answered me. What’s impressive? Who’s impressive?”

Liu Qiu couldn’t help frowning.

She pressed her lips together and reached up to catch Chaoyue’s mischievous fingers, tilting her head slightly as she lowered her voice.

“Chaoyue, be good.”

Because of Liu Qiu’s movement, their faces ended up very close together.

Chaoyue let out a soft sound and suddenly wrapped her arms around Liu Qiu, pulling her into a hug while whining coquettishly.

“Qiuqiu, can we do it once? I want you to check me.”

“So sexy… Last time I thought you could only be the one being checked, but today I think you could stay on top the whole time.”

‘Chaoyue, be good.’

The lowered tone at the end of the sentence, paired with that indifferent expression—how could a human be this seductive?

Chaoyue’s blunt words made the tips of Liu Qiu’s ears turn red.

Because her hair was tied up, both of Liu Qiu’s small, pale ears were exposed, so the faint redness was very obvious.

Chaoyue’s gaze fell on the reddening ear tips, and she couldn’t resist hugging Liu Qiu even tighter.

“Darling, the people Duan Fan found for me last time weren’t as pretty and cute as you. Qiuqiu, I love you so much. Kiss.”

Liu Qiu didn’t take Chaoyue’s words seriously.

Chaoyue’s personality was far too jumpy.

Liu Qiu placed her hand against Chaoyue’s forehead to stop her from rubbing against her again.

“Chaoyue, let go quickly.”

“We’re still working.”

Although she had never worked as a security guard before, she was certain that sticking together like this definitely wasn’t appropriate.

Chaoyue was really too familiar with people.

They had only known each other for a few days, yet her attitude made it seem as if they had known each other for more than ten years.

She said everything to Liu Qiu.

But that also proved from another angle that Chaoyue didn’t dislike her.

So Liu Qiu only pushed gently and didn’t use any force, nor did she try to pull away the arms wrapped around her waist.

Suddenly, a wave of shocked exclamations erupted from inside the venue, drawing Liu Qiu’s attention.

“Miss Duan, you sound so confident that the technology has succeeded. Is that because you already have experimental results?”

“Miss Duan, will children created this way have any side effects?”

“Miss Duan, why did you decide to develop this technology?”

“Miss Duan, you—”

The noisy barrage of questions was irritating even just standing at the doorway.

But it really was astonishing.

Same-s*x couples could have children, and the child wouldn’t even need to develop inside a human body.

That was practically the same as creating a new kind of humanity.

Liu Qiu’s attention was completely focused on the scene inside, so she didn’t notice Chaoyue’s small movement.

Only when she felt a warm, damp sensation on her ear did she suddenly come back to her senses.

She realized that Chaoyue had actually taken her ear into her mouth.

Liu Qiu pressed her lips together.

She placed her hands on Chaoyue’s shoulders and gently pushed her away while whispering, “Chaoyue, why are you biting me?”

“Let go.”

Chaoyue obediently released her and returned to her original position, putting on an innocent expression.

“Qiuqiu, you kept staring at Duan Liming. I just wanted you to stop looking.”

Liu Qiu let out a breath.

“I won’t look anymore. Chaoyue, don’t move around either.”

Chaoyue smiled.

“Okay, darling.”

After that, Chaoyue really didn’t move around or talk nonsense again.

Liu Qiu sighed in relief.

Good.

Let’s just quietly finish the job like this.

Time passed slowly, and the venue gradually fell silent.

Liu Qiu’s legs were numb from standing.

She didn’t know how long she had been standing, but it should be ending soon.

And it really was.

After Duan Liming finished her final sentence, she gently pressed the microphone button, signaling that the press conference was over.

She had no intention of saying another word.

Duan Liming stepped down from the podium, and her assistant immediately approached her.

“Boss, let’s leave through the north gate. There are too many reporters outside.”

Duan Liming said, “Go bring Chaoyue to the north gate.”

The assistant nodded.

While Duan Liming had been speaking earlier, she had been paying attention to everything in the venue—including the doorway.

Naturally, she had seen Chaoyue.

Anyone who had followed Duan Liming for a long time knew about Chaoyue.

Rumor had it that she was Duan Liming’s kept lover.

The assistant couldn’t help being a little curious.

At this moment, she secretly speculated that maybe her boss had seen Miss Chaoyue acting intimately with that security guard and had gotten jealous.

People gradually began leaving the venue, but Liu Qiu didn’t leave.

She hadn’t received any notice, so she couldn’t leave casually.

This job paid by the hour.

The longer she stayed, the more she earned.

Liu Qiu wore a cap pulled low over her face.

The original body had been somewhat well known, and she didn’t want to be recognized and questioned.

Suddenly, a woman in a suit walked past her, then stopped beside her.

“Miss Chaoyue, the boss wants to see you.”

Liu Qiu quietly glanced over.

So the woman was looking for Chaoyue.

Chaoyue raised a bright smile, stepped past the assistant, and wrapped an arm around Liu Qiu’s arm.

“Sure—but I need to bring my darling with me.”

“I can’t bear to be separated.”

The assistant turned along with Chaoyue’s movement and finally saw the face of the other “security guard.”

She recognized her.

It was the boss of Chengmei Clothing.

Although they had no business dealings, when the Second Miss of the Duan family had started her clothing company, she had once approached Liu Qiu.

So the assistant knew that Liu Qiu was someone the Second Miss disliked.

The assistant’s expression didn’t change.

She simply smiled politely at Chaoyue.

“Please follow me, Miss Chaoyue.”

Liu Qiu didn’t want to go.

But Chaoyue’s grip was surprisingly strong, and Liu Qiu couldn’t break free.

She could only walk forward while being held by the arm.

“Chaoyue… they’ll deduct our pay,” Liu Qiu said helplessly.

Chaoyue blinked at her.

“Qiuqiu, they won’t. The person in front of us works for the boss.”

“Sister Li, we won’t get our pay deducted for leaving our post, right?”

The assistant replied without turning back, “That’s right, Miss Chaoyue. Your wages will be settled normally. There won’t be any impact.”

She felt like she was about to witness some gossip.

Known fact: Miss Chaoyue was the boss’s lover.

And now the lover was being this intimate with another woman.

Would the boss get angry?

She had followed the boss for three years and had never seen her get angry before.

Her boss always appeared calm.

But the results of her actions were anything but calm.

For example, the reproductive technology she had just announced—something shocking enough to shake the entire world.

A fertilized egg formed from combined genes could develop into a fetus inside a culture dish, completely free from the limitations of gender or a human womb.

Even now, thinking about the process from the first project proposal to today still left the assistant astonished beyond words.

---

“Boss, Miss Chaoyue has arrived.”

The assistant lightly knocked on the car door.

The black car window rolled down.

Liu Qiu’s gaze passed over Chaoyue’s shoulder and saw the person sitting inside the car.

It was Duan Liming.

She had seen her from afar earlier, but seeing her up close made Liu Qiu realize that this person’s presence was far more than simply imposing.

Liu Qiu had met many people before.

But this was the first person she didn’t dare meet eyes with.

That gaze was too deep.

Dark and heavy, like dense fog or a bottomless abyss.

“Chaoyue, get in.”

The voice was low and magnetic.

Liu Qiu instinctively stepped back, trying not to be seen.

The original owner’s memories contained very little about Duan Liming.

She only knew that Duan Liming was someone far above her.

Liu Qiu even suspected that the original owner’s habit of keeping an expressionless face had been learned from Duan Liming.

Just as Liu Qiu’s thoughts wandered, Chaoyue suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her forward.

“Liming-jie, can my darling come into the car with me?”

Liu Qiu’s body stiffened instantly.

She could feel that cold, emotionless gaze rest on her for several seconds.

“Get in.”

“Okay.”

The conversation between Duan Liming and Chaoyue was something Liu Qiu couldn’t interfere with at all.

Her destination seemed to have been decided already.

Looking at the open car door, Liu Qiu clenched her fingers.

“I… I won’t go.”

Chaoyue immediately looked like she was about to cry.

“Qiuqiu, aren’t we good friends? We haven’t even spent four hours together today.”

Liu Qiu pressed her lips awkwardly.

“We can meet again tomorrow.”

“Liu Qiu, get in.”

The words came from Duan Liming.

Liu Qiu’s expression froze instantly.

Chaoyue narrowed her eyes and pushed Liu Qiu into the car.

Then she closed the door behind them.

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The interior of the car was very spacious—more like a small living room than a vehicle.

Liu Qiu sat as far away from Duan Liming as possible, while Chaoyue sat right beside her.

She happily leaned her head on Liu Qiu’s shoulder with a charming smile.

Duan Liming didn’t look at them.

She simply focused on the data displayed on her laptop.

“Chaoyue, perhaps you can explain why you appeared at the venue.”

Chaoyue played with Liu Qiu’s long fingers as she answered with a smile.

“Liming-jie, the salary was fifty yuan per hour. Of course I went.”

Duan Liming raised her eyes and looked at Liu Qiu, who had been staring out the window.

“Liu Qiu. Long time no see.”

Liu Qiu hadn’t expected Duan Liming to speak to her first.

She stiffly turned her head, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

“L-long time no see.”

According to the original memories, the two of them weren’t close.

Liu Qiu didn’t even know how she should address Duan Liming.

Chaoyue immediately interrupted their conversation.

She threw herself into Liu Qiu’s arms and rested her head against Liu Qiu’s neck, whining.

“Qiuqiu, don’t talk to her too much.”

“I haven’t forgotten—you praised Liming-jie not long ago.”

Liu Qiu’s cheeks turned slightly red.

“Chaoyue, don’t do this.”

She didn’t dare look at Duan Liming.

Even though Duan Liming hadn’t shown any hostility, Liu Qiu always felt timid around people with such overwhelming presence.

Just as Liu Qiu was about to raise her voice and tell Chaoyue to get up, her stomach suddenly growled.

The sound echoed clearly in the quiet car.

Liu Qiu’s cheeks flushed bright red.

She had been standing for so long that it was natural to feel hungry—but her stomach growling now was incredibly embarrassing.

Duan Liming tapped her finger lightly on the table.

“Go to Lanting Pavilion.”

At that moment, Liu Qiu no longer wanted to say a single word.

She was already a little afraid of Duan Liming.

Now they had barely exchanged a few sentences, and her stomach had already betrayed her.

It was mortifying.

She turned her head toward the window and simply stared outside, ignoring Chaoyue who was still hugging her.

The afternoon sun was blazing around three or four o’clock.

Liu Qiu was still wearing the security uniform.

With her eyes lowered, she followed closely behind Chaoyue.

After they entered the private dining room, Liu Qiu tugged at Chaoyue’s sleeve and whispered near her ear.

“I’m going to the restroom.”

Chaoyue smiled.

“Okay. I’ll go with you.”

Liu Qiu frowned slightly and shook her head.

“No need. I’ll go by myself.”

Chaoyue was about to say something else when Duan Liming spoke.

“Chaoyue, being too clingy isn’t very likable.”

Liu Qiu’s eyelashes trembled.

While Chaoyue was still momentarily stunned, Liu Qiu quickly walked forward.

There was a restroom inside the private room.

After entering, Liu Qiu closed the door behind her.

Outside, Chaoyue sat down on a chair and rested her chin in her hands.

“Liming-jie, you don’t seem like the kind of person who would be this kindhearted.”

“You’re not familiar with Qiuqiu, right?”

Duan Liming nodded.

“Indeed. We’re not familiar.”

“But I need Liu Qiu’s genes.”

She had screened many candidates.

So far, only six people qualified.

One of them was Liu Qiu.

Only the combination of excellent genes could produce a perfect next generation.

Duan Liming blinked lightly.

“I want Duan Fan’s genes to combine with Liu Qiu’s.”

“The Duan family needs to cultivate a new heir.”

Chaoyue’s smile slowly faded.

She rested her chin on her hands and stared directly at Duan Liming.

“Liming-jie, have you forgotten?”

“Liu Qiu is married. She has a wife.”

“And besides, Duan Fan wouldn’t want to have a child with someone she dislikes.”

Duan Liming’s expression didn’t change at all.

“Money.”

“There is nothing that money cannot buy.”

“And if Fu Jinyin really is an experimental subject, I will arrange their divorce.”

Her calm expression, indifferent words, and slow tone made her seem almost unnaturally composed.

She was like someone drifting outside the world itself—completely tranquil.

Inside the restroom, Liu Qiu sat on the toilet with her phone in her hand, hesitating whether she should call Fu Jinyin to pick her up.

She should just leave.

But with Duan Liming here, she strangely found herself unable to say she wanted to go.

[System, this is the first time I’ve seen someone with such a powerful presence.]

The system replied: [Ah, it’s nothing special. When the host turns thirty-five, you’ll definitely have the same kind of presence as that woman.]

The system always praised her without thinking.

Liu Qiu didn’t believe a single word.

As she stared at the chat interface, Liu Qiu suddenly noticed a message in the text box.

[Wife, I want to eat shrimp—]

The timestamp matched exactly with the time Duan Fan had ordered the large prawns that day.

She definitely hadn’t sent that message.

A suspect immediately appeared in Liu Qiu’s mind.

The system.

[System, did you send this?]

The system laughed awkwardly.

[Ha… haha… well, the host wanted to eat shrimp, right? So I… okay, yes, I sent it.]

It had forgotten to delete the message.

Liu Qiu pressed her lips together and smiled.

[Thank you, System.]

[It’s nothing. Host, as long as you don’t dislike me.]

The system actually felt increasingly guilty.

It couldn’t tell the host that Fu Jinyin was an octopus monster.

Liu Qiu decided not to call Fu Jinyin after all.

She didn’t want to disturb her.

At the same time, another question appeared in her mind.

Fu Jinyin had gone out to buy lobster just because of a single message.

Did that mean she actually liked the original owner?

Liu Qiu didn’t dwell on the question for long.

Whether she liked her or not didn’t change Liu Qiu’s desire to treat Fu Jinyin a little better.

If possible, she wanted to know how Fu Jinyin had gotten all those scars covering her body.

After putting away her phone, Liu Qiu stood up and walked outside.

She had been in the restroom for a long time.

If she stayed any longer, Chaoyue would probably knock on the door.

When Liu Qiu came out, she saw that the table was already filled with dishes.

She didn’t know how they tasted, but they looked exquisite and smelled wonderful.

Chaoyue waved at her with a smile.

“Qiuqiu, come quickly. Let’s eat. Weren’t you already hungry?”

Liu Qiu felt a little awkward.

She secretly glanced at Duan Liming from the corner of her eye and realized that Duan Liming was also looking at her.

Instinctively, she lowered her long lashes and avoided that gaze.

She didn’t know much about Duan Liming, but she felt that the woman was dangerous and didn’t want to get close.

Liu Qiu clenched her fingers.

“I—”

“Liu Qiu, come eat.”

“I’d like to talk with you about my sister Duan Fan.”

Duan Liming’s words left Liu Qiu completely unable to refuse.

It wasn’t an order.

Her tone was calm, almost casual.

Yet it was impossible to reject.

Liu Qiu walked over slowly and sat beside Chaoyue.

Chaoyue happily pushed three glasses of drinks forward—one for Duan Liming and one for Liu Qiu.

“Let’s eat first. Qiuqiu, don’t stay hungry.”

Looking at the faint pink liquid swaying in the glass, a sudden idea popped into Liu Qiu’s mind.

If she got drunk, she wouldn’t have to talk with Duan Liming.

Liu Qiu raised her eyes and cleared her throat.

“Can I have some alcohol instead?”

Chaoyue’s eyes flickered slightly.

“Darling, what kind of alcohol would you like?”

But Duan Liming spoke softly.

“If you’re drunk, you won’t be able to talk.”

“Liu Qiu, do you not want to chat with me?”

Her thoughts were instantly exposed.

Liu Qiu’s body stiffened.

“I just like drinking.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to talk.”

What Liu Qiu didn’t know was that whenever she felt nervous, she subconsciously made small movements.

For example, clenching her fists.

Or her eyelashes trembling.

Or lightly pressing her lips together.

“You’ve pressed your lips together seven times.”

“At times like this, your fingers also curl.”

“Liu Qiu, you’re nervous.”

The simple words made Liu Qiu slowly widen her eyes.

Then Duan Liming added calmly, “Next, your eyelashes will start trembling very quickly.”

Liu Qiu’s breathing gradually became uneven.

She could clearly feel her eyelashes trembling.

Her slightly pink cheeks turned pale.

Liu Qiu had no idea when Duan Liming had started observing her so closely.

Even though Duan Liming’s gaze had rarely rested on her before.