24: The atmosphere has gotten to this point!

Xie Mengya's heart suddenly clenched.

She felt like she was absolutely heinous.

In the next second, she almost instinctively reached out and grabbed Lin Chao's hand, which was still suspended in mid-air.

"Of course not!"

Her voice was urgent and fast, carrying a hint of panic that she hadn't even noticed herself.

"Of course we are friends."

Lin Chao looked up, and before the disappointment in his eyes could fully dissipate, it was replaced by a flicker of surprise.

Xie Mengya let out a long sigh.

In that sigh, there was exhaustion, reflection, and even more so, a sense of relief.

"I've seen far too much intrigue and deception in the business world."

Her gaze drifted toward the window, as if piercing through this quiet tea room to see the blood-soaked world of capital outside.

"Even the person sharing my bed was trying every possible way to scheme against me."

She said this very softly, but it hit Lin Chao's heart like a massive boulder.

Xie Mengya withdrew her gaze and locked it firmly onto Lin Chao's face again, her expression incredibly complex.

"But I really didn't expect..."

"...that one day, I would meet someone as sincere as you."

Lin Chao's face flushed.

The disappointment and grievance on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a pure sense of bashfulness.

He scratched his cheek, his eyes darting around slightly.

"I was afraid you'd say, President Xie... that I shouldn't have accepted that million from CEO Lan!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Mengya was first taken aback, then she burst out laughing.

That laughter contained a hint of self-deprecation and a touch of helplessness toward Lin Chao's peculiar way of thinking.

"Why shouldn't you take it?"

Her tone was decisive.

"She asked for your help, you got the job done, so you should be paid. It's only natural!"

After speaking, she let go of Lin Chao's hand and decisively took out her phone.

Her fingertips tapped quickly on the screen several times.

"I'm transferring one million to you right now."

Lin Chao's eyes widened instantly.

Without looking up, Xie Mengya continued her task.

"You've successfully completed the task I gave you."

"Ding-dong!"

A crisp notification sound for the incoming payment rang out.

Lin Chao subconsciously pulled out his phone to take a look; seeing that long string of zeros, his breathing stalled for a second.

"Thank you... Thank you, President Xie!"

His voice was filled with uncontrollable ecstasy.

Xie Mengya put down her phone, but instead of looking at him, she reached out again.

This time, her hand gently covered the back of Lin Chao's hand resting on the table.

It was warm and soft.

Her thumb, with a faint, almost imperceptible pressure, gently caressed his skin, circling again and again.

The atmosphere in the tea room instantly became suggestive.

Her voice lowered accordingly, taking on a hint of lazy huskiness.

"Are you still... calling me President Xie?"

Lin Chao's heart skipped a beat.

Xie Mengya leaned forward slightly, her beautiful eyes shimmering as if she wanted to draw his entire being into them.

"What I said before..."

She paused, her red lips parting slightly.

"...was all from the heart!"

Lin Chao's Adam's apple bobbed uncontrollably.

The hand covering the back of his was as warm as jade, yet it seemed to carry an electric current, making half of his body go numb.

He met Xie Mengya's shimmering eyes, his heart pounding wildly.

After a long silence, he finally spoke tentatively, his voice a bit dry.

"Then..."

"Should I call you... Sister Mengya?"

The smile at the corners of Xie Mengya's mouth deepened instantly.

It was a smile filled with extreme charm and satisfaction.

She leaned forward another half-inch, her breath as sweet as orchids.

"And then?"

At this moment, Lin Chao's brain almost crashed.

And then?

What else could there be?

But just as he was about to be completely sucked into those eyes, a flash of inspiration struck his mind!

The awkwardness and tension on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a professional smile that was almost excessively bright.

"Then, Sister Mengya, would you like to order a massager from our company?"

Xie Mengya: "?"

Lin Chao acted as if he didn't see the flash of shock on her face and began to introduce enthusiastically.

"The Basic model is 2,888, great value for money, and can be given as a benefit to your employees!"

"There's also the 5,888 Platinum model, which is the one you bought before. You know how effective it is!"

"If the budget is sufficient, we have the 8,888 Deluxe model, which features smart temperature control and voice interaction!"

He spoke with increasing vigor, his words coming out fast as if he were afraid she would interrupt him at any moment.

"Besides that, we also have massage chairs! The 18,888 Basic model, the 38,888 Platinum model, the 58,888 Deluxe model, and the 88,888 Ultra-luxury zero-gravity space capsule model!"

"Oh, right! Our company recently launched a smart massage bed set for 128,888..."

He continued to blather on incessantly.

The expression on Xie Mengya's face had completely frozen.

The hand that had been covering the back of his was now stiff in mid-air.

The charm and tenderness in her eyes receded at a visible rate, hardening into a layer of frost.

The suggestive atmosphere vanished without a trace.

In the air, only Lin Chao's passionate sales pitch remained.

"...This massage bed even has a sleep-aid function, which can effectively improve sleep quality. Sister Mengya, you work so hard normally..."

"Enough!"

Xie Mengya finally couldn't take it anymore. Gritting her teeth, she squeezed out two words.

Lin Chao's sales pitch came to an abrupt halt.

He blinked and looked at her with an innocent face.

Xie Mengya stared at him intently and asked word by word, "Is this what you wanted to say to me?"

In her heart, ten thousand alpacas were stampeding through!

I was fucking planning to give myself to you!

The mood was already set!

And you're here pitching massage chairs to me?!

Do you look down on me that much?!

Seeing the fury in her eyes that was almost ready to spit fire, Lin Chao fell silent instantly.

A deathly silence fell over the tea room.

After a long while.

The professional smile on his face slowly faded, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness.

He looked into Xie Mengya's eyes and spoke in a deep voice.

"I believe that Sister Mengya and I... are friends."

Xie Mengya was stunned.

Lin Chao's eyes were clear and firm.

"If something is really going to happen between us..."

"I hope it's when our relationship can take a step forward."

Not in this suggestive atmosphere mixed with interests, calculations, and momentary impulses.

Xie Mengya also fell silent.

She just quietly looked at Lin Chao, looking into those eyes that didn't contain a single trace of impurity.

The wicked fire in her heart somehow slowly extinguished.

It was replaced by an even more complex emotion.

A long time passed.

She suddenly let out a "pfft" and began to chuckle.

That laughter dispelled the awkwardness filling the room.

"Since we're friends," she arched an eyebrow with a hint of playfulness, "then why are you still trying to sell me these things?"

"Doing business even with your friends?"

Hearing this, the seriousness on Lin Chao's face immediately broke, and he gave a slightly embarrassed "hehe" laugh.

He scratched his head.