38: Chapter 38 Is this what you call an office romance?

"Old Jack, don't touch that private room yet. Send two sharp waiters to keep an eye on it. This is our first fish of the night."

Chen Yuan withdrew his gaze; he was in no hurry to rush in and make an arrest.

Since he knew they were coming for him, things would be easy to handle. On his own turf, the roles of hunter and prey could be reversed at any moment. Rushing in now was not only pointless but would also risk staining the freshly laid wool carpet.

He turned around, but before he could give his next order, a warm, fragrant hand slipped into the crook of his arm.

"Boss, let's put aside the fighting and killing for a moment."

Sophia's voice trembled, not from fear, but from an irrepressible excitement. Her cheeks were flushed with an alluring crimson, and her peach-blossom eyes seemed to pool with the shimmering waters of spring.

"Didn't you just say I should pick an office?"

Without waiting for an answer, she pulled Chen Yuan toward the end of the corridor, where the general manager's office—the one with the best view and the most luxurious decor in the entire nightclub—was located.

"I've already chosen it, and... I've also prepared a special 'welcome gift' for you."

Pushing open the heavy double oak doors, the world instantly fell silent.

The soundproofing here was excellent, completely shutting out the heavy metal music from downstairs and the noisy crowd in the hallway. In front of the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, the night view of San Verde lay unobstructed, with neon lights flickering like a flowing river of light.

"Click." Sophia locked the door behind her.

She didn't rush to speak, instead walking over to the wine cabinet and opening a bottle of wine that had already been decanted. As the dark red liquid poured into the crystal glass, a mellow aroma filled the air.

"Boss, what do you think of this outfit?"

Sophia turned around, handed the glass to Chen Yuan, and then gently unbuttoned her black professional suit jacket. The jacket slid off.

Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow, a flash of admiration crossing his eyes. Beneath it, instead of the usual shirt and skirt, she wore a modified, deep red, high-slit qipao.

The silk fabric clung tightly to her fiery, Latin-inspired figure, perfectly outlining her breathtaking S-shaped curves. A golden embroidered phoenix swirled across her chest, rising and falling with her breath as if it were alive.

The most lethal part was the skirt, which was slit all the way to the top of her thighs. As she walked, her long, straight legs—wrapped in ultra-thin, nude-colored stockings—flashed in and out of view, carrying the ultimate allure of a collision between Eastern and Western aesthetics.

"I've heard that Eastern men have no resistance to this kind of outfit."

Sophia walked up to Chen Yuan and, without stopping, straddled his lap. The hem of the qipao slid down, revealing a large expanse of snow-white, smooth skin. She wrapped her arms around Chen Yuan's neck, pressed her forehead against his, and her warm breath brushed against the tip of his nose.

"I had to hold my breath for a full ten minutes just to get into this."

Her breath was like orchid fragrance, and her voice was low and husky. "How is it, Boss? Are you satisfied with this work report?"

Chen Yuan reached out to wrap his arm around her slender waist; the skin beneath his palm felt as warm and smooth as jade.

"The outfit is nice." He took a sip of wine, his gaze wandering unrestrainedly over her body. "But this isn't just for looks, is it? Manager Sophia, you are a smart woman, and smart women never make losing deals."

"You've seen right through me." Sophia let out a playful laugh and leaned forward slightly, her ample chest nearly pressing against Chen Yuan's. "I wanted to tell you that since you've entrusted me with such an important position, I will never let you down."

She traced circles on Chen Yuan's chest with her finger, her tone suddenly turning serious. "I've had the Red Queen take over the security system here. Vibration sensors are embedded in every inch of the walls, and there are infrared scanners in every vent. Even if a fly flew in, we'd be able to tell if it was male or female."

"Also, I've embedded the microchips you provided into the membership cards." A shrewd light flickered in Sophia's eyes. "As long as they carry the card, no matter where they go, they can't escape your eyes. This isn't just a nightclub; it's your 'watchtower' for monitoring the entire city."

Chen Yuan nodded, his fingers gently stroking the fabric at her waist. "Well done. However..." He leaned close to Sophia's ear and gently bit her delicate earlobe. "Isn't it a waste of this outfit to talk business in the office?"

Sophia shuddered, letting out a stifled moan. "Then... shall we discuss some personal business?" Her eyes were filled with seduction as she took the initiative to kiss Chen Yuan's Adam's apple. "For example, the specific operating procedures for an office romance?"

The temperature in the air rose sharply. The ambiguous atmosphere flowed like a tangible substance as the distance between them closed, their breaths intertwining. Sophia's fingers nimbly undid the first button of Chen Yuan's shirt, her fingertips bringing a tingling sensation like electric current.

Just at the critical moment when the dry tinder and raging fire were about to ignite, "Bang! Bang! Bang!" A series of rapid, rough knocks on the door exploded through the silent office like a thunderclap.

"Boss! Boss, are you in there? Something's happened!" Victor's rasping voice came through the heavy oak door, filled with obvious anxiety and panic. "Open the door, Boss! It's chaos downstairs!"

Sophia's movements froze abruptly. Her face, still flushed with heat, was instantly filled with killing intent. If looks could kill, Victor would have been sliced to pieces by now.

"Damn fatso!" Sophia gritted her teeth as she got off Chen Yuan and hastily smoothed her skirt. "He'd better have a damn good reason, or I'll shove him down the toilet!"

Chen Yuan sighed helplessly. This was probably the price of being a villainous boss; there were always unruly subjects wanting to disturb his pleasure at the critical moment.

He unhurriedly buttoned his shirt and steadied his breathing before saying coldly, "Come in."

The door opened. Victor stumbled in, completely failing to notice the lingering, amorous atmosphere in the room—or perhaps he was too scared to care.

"Boss! It's bad!" He wiped the sweat from his forehead and pointed downstairs. "Those arms dealers in the 'Emperor's Hall'—I don't know what got into them, but they suddenly ran into the main hall and started smashing things!"

"They say our alcohol is fake! And they said our 'Power' has been watered down!"

"Now they're holding guns, cornering several waiters, and demanding you come down to give them an explanation, or they'll bathe the nightclub in blood!"

"Fake alcohol?" Sophia laughed in anger, cold light flashing in her eyes. "These bastards are clearly here to pick a fight! Our alcohol is all air-freighted in; where would fake alcohol come from?"

Chen Yuan stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and straightened his slightly wrinkled suit. His expression was calm, perhaps even... expectant.

"Of course they know it's not fake alcohol." Chen Yuan turned around, looked at Victor, and a cruel arc formed at the corner of his mouth. "They just want an excuse to test my bottom line. Or rather, they want to lure me down so it's easier to make their move."

Since he had overheard their conspiracy outside the door just now, all of this was within his expectations. This wasn't a drunken rampage; it was clearly a death warrant.

"Let's go." Chen Yuan stepped toward the door. As he passed Sophia, he gently patted her shoulder. "Don't be angry. The night isn't over yet."

"Since the guests feel the alcohol isn't strong enough..." He pushed open the door, his voice as cold and sharp as a blade. "Then I'll go down personally and add some 'spice' for them."