Nevertheless, Ruan Danchen believed that her professionalism, and the fact that they were still in the company, was enough for Qi Chenglin not to act indecently toward her.

Qi Chenglin's expression was relaxed and did not display a hint of emotion. He nodded and said, "I, too, want to get all of the official business out of the way first."

"That's that then. Xiao Ruan take your time with Young Master Lin." Director Zhao smiled and left them.

During that time, the company was basically empty as all her colleagues had gone to lunch. She regretted almost instantly that she did not think things through—it would have been better if she went to a restaurant to discuss things with him because at least there would be plenty of people.

"Young Master Lin, this way please," Ruan Danchen said. She flashed a smile and kept her distance from him.

Qi Chenglin let out a snicker, for the time being, he was content with playing along. He kept quiet and followed her into the meeting room.

"Young Master Lin, is there anything you'd like to drink?" Ruan Danchen asked.

"I'm fine." Qi Chenglin sat down, then pointed at the chair beside him. "Please sit."

Ruan Danchen stared at the empty seat beside him, feeling that it was a tad bit too close and dangerous. With Qi Chenglin's sly gaze directed right at her, she felt sick in her stomach and hesitated before sitting down.

"I came here to discuss the renovations to my home," Qi Chenglin said softly. His voice was so soft that Ruan Danchen was forced to lean closer to him, although she was wary of doing so.

"Aren't you letting me take the job under my own name?" Ruan Danchen asked.

Since the assignment concerned Qi Youxuan's bedroom and playroom, Ruan Danchen did not really want to work under company guidelines. She wanted to do it for herself, not for Chengshi's.

"You're right. It's not like Director Zhao knows what you and I are talking about. We can still sign the contract personally later. I'm merely using your company office to talk about it," Qi Chenglin said plainly.

Ruan Danchen thought to herself, 'How shrewd.'

"Find some time to come over and take a look around the house. How about this weekend?" Qi Chenglin suggested.

Whilst Ruan Danchen was still unsure, he continued, "Youxuan's school break starts this Friday. He'll be at home from the weekend onwards."

Upon hearing that, Ruan Danchen agreed immediately.

Qi Chenglin did not say anything after that.

Ruan Danchen looked at the table in front of her instead of making eye contact with him. All of a sudden, she felt her ears turn extremely hot, and goosebumps began forming on her neck, just below her ears. She knew Qi Chenglin was looking at her, but she had no idea why he just stared at her without talking. She began wondering if he was unhappy with what she said earlier.

Unable to take it any longer, she mustered the courage to look up at him. At some point, he had leaned over exceptionally close to her. When she lifted her head, she nearly bumped into his lips.

Ruan Danchen's face reddened instantly and she pulled herself back. He then narrowed his eyes at her, and his rich yet displeased voice was heard. "Did Mu Huaisheng ask you out for lunch just now?"

The memory of the Benz flashed through her mind and she recalled it being rather close to her. "You heard everything?"

"How many times has he come to ask you out?" Qi Chenglin's eyes narrowed even more intensely.

Ruan Danchen felt guilty, but she was unsure if she sensed jealousy in Qi Chenglin's voice.

"Not a lot of times, just… a few times…" She cowered and answered earnestly.

"And how many times is that exactly?" Qi Chenglin's voice was somber and rich.

"I don't know. It's not like I kept count." Ruan Danchen mumbled softly. In her heart, she thought, 'Why is he questioning me like a jealous boyfriend?'

She pulled away again, but he came forward once more.

"It started after Mu Sisi framed me," Ruan Danchen said weakly. She stepped back rather awkwardly and lost her balance, nearly falling onto the floor.

Ruan Danchen glared at him exasperatedly. Qi Chenglin's scorching hot hand was placed on her back and he pulled her close into his embrace. At the same time, his other hand held her waist as well, and with both hands firmly holding her, he lifted her onto his lap.

Alarmed, Ruan Danchen's face turned flushed like a cherry. She never imagined that he would do such a thing, especially when they were in the middle of having a fully professional discussion.

She was trapped on the corner of the meeting table with her back against the edge of the. His muscular chest was just in front of her—it was broad and strong, and it intimidated her.

"Qi Chenglin!" Ruan Danchen warned softly. She did not dare speak too loudly since she had no idea whether there was anyone outside.

"Oh, you're calling me by name now? You kept calling me Young Master Lin just now, so prim and proper." Qi Chenglin leaned forward, and when he spoke, his steamy breath spread across her lips, leaving them warm and trembling.

"You came to discuss work, right? Put me down." Ruan Danchen pushed his chest. Her hands felt incredibly hot.

"We've finished discussing work. Now it's time to discuss personal matters." Qi Chenglin could not resist holding her body close against his. His thin warm lips rubbed against hers. "Ignore Mu Huaisheng if he comes looking for you again in the future."

He hugged her and felt her softness, making him lose all control and begin pressing her down on his lower abdomen. He rubbed against her lips. For so long he had been forcing himself to keep his cool. At that moment he felt blissfully thrilled. He felt extremely happy whenever he hugged her.

Ruan Danchen had enough of him always trying to get his way with her and acting so indecently. He never made it clear what he thought of her and how he treated her, and there was a pinch of resentment in her heart because of that.

"Qi Chenglin! What do you want? You do this to me all the time, kissing me, hugging me. What do you treat me as?" Ruan Danchen was slightly agitated as she felt that he treated her as though he was just another woman.

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her with his penetrative gaze. Barely inches away from her lips, his delectable-looking mouth said, "I treat you as my son's mother."

Ruan Danchen was at wit's end. It was the same answer time and again.

"I'm Youxuan's mother, but I don't have any sort of relationship with you! It doesn't mean you can treat me as you please." Ruan Danchen was irate. She poked his chest, but because her fingertips were soft, it did not feel painful to him.

Ruan Danchen struggled to break free, but Qi Chenglin held her so firmly that she could not escape. Instead, her actions excited him even more.

"Be a good girl," Qi Chenglin lowered his voice and warned softly.

Ruan Danchen was so frantic and distracted. Qi Chenglin decided to pin himself down on her body immediately.

She gasped in shock and blushed even more. She looked at him in disbelief and was afraid to move a single inch.

His erection was hard and hot!

Looking at her shocked and shy demeanor, Qi Chenglin's mood improved tremendously, and he could not resist teasing her.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace, allowing her forehead to come in contact with his chin. The stubble on his chin prickling lightly against her forehead, somewhat tickling her.

Qi Chenglin looked down and let his lips roam from the corner of her eye to her ears. He then whispered to her, "How did Youxuan pop out then if there was nothing between you and me?"

As he continued rubbing her, memories began flooding back to her. She began to recall what happened that fateful night seven years ago, where he made love to her so intimately the entire night. Present-day Ruan Danchen was in his embrace, and she felt the heat come over her body, making her head go up in flames.

In the midst of all that shame and embarrassment, his lips slid onto hers and began smothering them.

A few attempts were made to push him away, but none were successful. Initially, she was still aware that they were inside the company's meeting room, but with his kisses, her mind became much fuzzier and she slowly began to lose track of where she was.

Unknowingly, she submitted to him and trembled from his kisses.

All she could feel was the heat of his tongue occupying the entirety of her mouth. It was a strong, liquor-like taste.

After some time, Qi Chenglin let go of her. His kisses were the result of his loss of control— even his cheeks were stained with a pinkish glow of lust.

Ruan Danchen fluttered her eyebrows, and those monochrome eyes of hers were filled with a mistiness. It looked like a mix of passion and displeasure.

"Qi Chenglin, you're always like this. Is it because of what happened seven years ago that you think I'm a self-deprecating woman who would simply sleep with you as you please? Or do you think that you can just have your way because you constantly do this without my vehement objection?" Ruan Danchen blurted out.

She was conscious of the fact that she liked him and had feelings for him. Her heart thumped wildly whenever she saw him, and her face would redden too. Regardless, that was not a ticket for him to be ambiguous about their relationship and treat her however he wanted just because of what happened seven years ago.

If that really were the case, she was willing to make things clear from the outset and establish that the two of them will never have any kind of relationship in the future. She could accept it if she got to direct all her care toward Youxuan.

Qi Chenglin's expression turned sullen and he stared at her, seemingly angry.

Never before did she see him with such a freezing-cold expression. Even in the beginning, he was only jokingly cold when teasing her, never has he been so frightening.

His lips were pursed in a tight line and his eyes were staring at her gloomily. His gaze knotted up Ruan Danchen's stomach, and she instantly regretted saying what she did so rashly.

She realized she was utterly powerless because she still felt guilty despite doing nothing wrong.

Both of them were at a standstill and neither of them said a single word. The intensity of his gaze increased even more, and being rather afraid, she backed off instinctively.

All of a sudden, Qi Chenglin sighed deeply and continued staring at her with those enigmatic eyes. However, they were much gentler than before, even a hint of helplessness was present.

His lips parted slowly, allowing his mellifluous voice to travel out from within. "Am I not making myself clear enough? Is this why you insist that I spell everything out for you?"

Ruan Danchen trembled for a moment, and her monochromatic eyes looked at him in a somewhat confused manner.

Qi Chenglin pulled her closer to himself and leaned in. When the tip of his nose almost touched hers, he looked at her lovingly and began speaking, "I have feelings for you. Be it my heart or my member down below, both of them feel passion when it comes to you. From that night onward, I've never felt those feelings again, not to any other woman. I'm just lucky that you're Youxuan's mother.

"I said long ago that I'm not a man who treats women however I want. You didn't believe me, so I'll repeat that again. Ruan Danchen, I think I like you, the serious kind of like, and I'm sincerely interested in pursuing my feelings for you. It is my hope that you and I will end up genuinely liking each other, to the point where it can someday turn into love. This has nothing to do with the fact that you're Youxuan's mother. It solely concerns you. If possible, I'd like you to complete my family so Youxuan has a birth mother instead of a stepmother."

Ruan Danchen's mind went blank and her heart was numb.

She never expected her question to lead to a confession. He even mentioned forming a family with him. He could choose to not speak, but instead, he spoke about things that were far into the future.

Qi Chenglin looked at her dazed, with a dopey look. He sighed. The anger she had earlier slowly began to dissipate, and at that moment she looked endearingly clueless.

Incapable of restraining himself, he kissed the corner of her lip and crooned softly, "Couldn't you see that I was chasing you right from the beginning?"

Ruan Danchen was silent.

'Was he really chasing me?'

Her face was red, and she looked down as she felt uneasy looking at him.

It was her bashfulness that tickled his heart, prompting him to lean over and kiss her soft lips.

Ruan Danchen neither avoided him nor rebuffed him. She simply allowed him to continue kissing her. Qi Chenglin's heart began pounding—he wrapped his arms tightly around her and gave her a deeper kiss.

It took him a long time to finally let go of her, and by then her hair was already a mess. Both her eyes were tinted with lust and covered by a layer of impassioned mistiness. Her cheeks were seductively rosy and very alluring.

Qi Chenglin could not resist breaking into a gentle smile as he looked at her. The curvature of his lips was not too significant but was sufficiently warm to send Ruan Danchen's heart into a frenzy.

"Stop looking at me like that." She instinctively placed her forehead on his shoulder due to her inability to withstand his gaze.

As she breathed in the ever-present smell of his male cologne, her ears were so red that they might have almost bled.

She never once imagined that she and Qi Chenglin would have such a moment together, whereby he would confess to her and gaze warmly at her while she was in his intimate embrace.

Ruan Danchen knew that from that moment onward, their relationship would officially change—she was going to be his significant other.

She felt emotional knowing that she could neither run away nor reject him. A man like Qi Chenglin would not give her the luxury of doing so.

Despite that, Ruan Danchen was still unable to believe it, as if it was all a dream.

It was amazing to think that someone as magnificent and noble as Qi Chenglin decided to be with her. Most importantly, she could be by Youxuan's side openly.

Still somewhat trembling in his embrace, Qi Chenglin gazed down at her gentle demeanor before lowering his head and kissing the corner of her eye. He made his way down to her ear, then earlobe, followed by her neck.

Ruan Danchen trembled even more, and both her hands grabbed the lapel of his jacket. She felt his palm on her body, his heat transmitting through her thin clothes and onto her skin.

His nose and lips were filled with her fragrance, and her silky skin made him reluctant to lift his hands off her.

Ruan Danchen's head was constantly lowered, and the redness began spreading from her scalp to her shoulders. She was still afraid to look up and face him, as she still believed that her newfound relationship with Qi Chenglin was a dream. Her mind was still wandering, and her heartbeat was increasing in speed. She may be in his embrace, but she still felt unreal.

The meeker she was, the more unrestrained Qi Chenglin became. He wanted to carry her away because he might just do her right there if he did not.

He kneaded her soft body and continued kissing from her neck to her lips. The second his thin lips came into contact with hers, an extremely passionate kiss followed suit.

"Are you still going to say that I treat you flippantly next time?" Qi Chenglin hugged her while kissing and saying that.

Ruan Danchen was too shy to say anything. Letting him kiss her was her way of silently affirming their relationship.

Her meekness made Qi Chenglin unable to control himself. While still stuck to her lips, he took a deep breath and forced himself to let go of her. His gaze, however, remained unwavering, and he could not refrain from looking at her face.

Ruan Danchen was getting very anxious. She grabbed his suit jacket but had no idea how to react—in her twenty-six years of life, she did not have the slightest experience in love.

Her first time was given to him due to rather messy circumstances, but there never was a proper relationship between them. Never did she think that her first true relationship would be with Qi Chenglin.

He was much older than her, with much more experience and a much higher status than he. She felt completely at a loss as to what to do.

It felt like she entered a foreign city as a naive young girl, and someone pointed at the most luxurious house there and said, 'That's yours'.

Even more unexpected was how she could still like him after what happened seven years ago.

When she thought about that, she could not help but look up at him. For that short moment, she discarded all her feelings of nervousness and shyness just to look at his handsome face.

His dark pupils were luminous, and his expression was full of content. She felt hot and bothered just from looking at the lips that kissed her earlier.

Qi Chenglin's lips were curled in a slight smirk, one that was very handsome indeed. At his age, he had the charm of a mature man.

Ruan Danchen thought to herself, 'If a man like him was really adamant about getting a girlfriend, no woman could resist his skills. He's serious at times and naughty on other occasions.'

Qi Chenglin was still reluctant to let go of her. He could not help but grind on her lower body.

Ruan Danchen blushed. How could the man do such a shameless thing without even asking!

When Qi Chenglin was on the verge of doing her right then and there, voices were heard from outside the door.

Ruan Danchen's face paled. She recalled that Yang Yunshu and another colleague from the design department chose to lose weight together, and in recent times, their lunch consisted of salad or Konjac noodles from the nearby 7-11 convenience store. They would head down to get food before coming back up to have lunch in the meeting room.

"They're coming in to eat. Let go of me now." Ruan Danchen did not give a damn about her embarrassment and looked him directly in the eye. Her face was still blushing, but her eyes revealed her franticness.

Qi Chenglin narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on her instead. "Let them see us then. I have no intention of making this a secret affair. Didn't I tell you I was serious with you?"

His words made her heart feel warm and grounded.

Someone as mature as him would definitely be direct in his feelings. Once he acknowledged the relationship, it would good to be public. He did not wish to keep it a secret. Certainty was important to him because it gave people a sense of security. His decision not to hide it made her feel very adored, and she understood why the Shen family wanted Shen Zhijing to marry him, even going to great lengths to attempt to make it materialize.

It was not only because of his background but also because of his character as a person.

Even so, she whispered to him. "Yang Yunshu isn't like others. If she saw us, she'll spread so many rumors about me to everyone in the company. Previously she insinuated that I was willing to… sleep with… for the sake of a job."

- - -

Grandmother Qi: "This little brat finally confessed. I was so anxious."

Qi Chenglin: "Why are you in such a hurry for? It's not like your granddaughter-in-law will go anywhere."

Qi Chengzhi: "Is your member down there in a hurry?"

"…" Qi Chenglin: "Yes."

Han Zhuoli: "Pity. Your time management sucks. There's nothing you can do even if you were in a hurry."