68: Being a woman is a never-ending journey of wonder!

"I originally just wanted to annoy the Secretary-General a little, but who knew her temper would be so explosive this time? It's truly unpredictable." Shang Wan Ning sighed softly.

Xiao Si rested her chin on her hands, a look of sudden realization on her face. "Host, you must never try to guess a woman's heart."

"You should know that at every critical juncture, their moods undergo new changes."

"Moreover, the 'her' we interact with on a daily basis might not be the real 'her.'"

"After all, the title 'Witch of a Thousand Faces' isn't just for show."

Xiao Si blinked and continued speaking.

"So, when you encounter a situation and feel indecisive, try thinking about the problem from a woman's perspective. As the saying goes, use their own methods against them—using magic to defeat magic is the most effective way."

The self-proclaimed 'Dog-Headed Strategist' Xiao Si solemnly imparted her so-called experience and heartfelt advice to Shang Wan Ning.

"Thanks! Being a woman really is a field of study." Shang Wan Ning tapped her knee lightly with one hand.

"That'll be one hundred thousand incense offerings!" Xiao Si held out her hand in the system space, asking her Host for pocket money.

Shang Wan Ning curled her fingers and rubbed her fingertips slightly. "Swipe the account yourself."

"Got it! Sister Shang." Xiao Si beamed with joy. "Hehehe... the funds to ask out the sister system are in hand."

"Oh! Host. What did last night actually taste like? I heard Ling Qi muttering about it secretly several times this morning."

"Could this be the source of your cold war?"

"Actually, when you praised Lin Ran in front of Ling Qi just now, the jealousy exploded..." Now that the money had arrived, Xiao Si returned to her usual gossip-loving self, chatting away incessantly.

Shang Wan Ning clenched her fists, her face turning bright red, and she rolled her eyes hard. "Get lost, Gossip Si!"

Clang!

A certain system's head plunged straight into the floor tiles.

[Hiss! The speed at which the Host changes her face is faster than she counts money. Isn't she afraid of her face cramping?]

[Her application of the 'Way of Womanhood' is truly masterful! Where was that innocent look from just now?]

[Sigh... the clown is me.]

...Lin Ran frowned, looking at Ling Qi with a condemning gaze, and changed the subject: "Secretary-General, why was the deployment for the Painted Skin Ghost called off?"

Ling Qi sneered but did not answer.

Shang Wan Ning's eyes narrowed, and her aura suddenly turned cold. "I told Ling Qi to call it off. The Special Affairs Bureau is not to interfere in the matter of the Painted Skin Ghost."

"The Underworld manages 'ghosts,' and the mortal realm manages 'people.' It is only natural." When Shang Wan Ning looked at Lin Ran, she possessed a powerful, oppressive sense of dominance that seemed to completely envelop her.

"But..." Lin Ran resisted the urge to kneel and bow, wanting to say more, but was directly interrupted by Shang Wan Ning.

"No buts! The Underworld has the Underworld's rules. Since there is something fishy about the Painted Skin Ghost incident, it's not the Special Affairs Bureau's place to handle it," Shang Wan Ning said expressionlessly.

Seeing this, Ling Qi added fuel to the fire from the side: "Chief Assistant Lin should spend more effort on the Ghost Messengers dispatched to the northern region!"

Lin Ran bit her lip and ultimately did not speak again. She knew that once the Empress decided on something, it was very difficult to change.

"Thank you for the reminder, Secretary-General."

For a moment, the gazes of the human and the ghost met, and they stared at each other.

Ten minutes later, Shang Wan Ning leisurely spread her arms, fully stretching her slightly stiff body like a cat that had just woken up, full of laziness and ease.

Then, she slowly stood up and said casually, "I need to take a bath. You all go about your business."

Lin Ran didn't say much, only nodding slightly before turning around and leaving the office.

She thought to herself: [There's no need to rush for the 'Consort Position.' There's plenty of time; everything should be done step by step.]

[I've played the 'old cadre' style—the policewoman—for several years! This Chief Assistant can endure it!]

Following a crisp sound of the door closing, "Bang!"

The entire room instantly fell into silence.

At this moment, Ling Qi's originally bright eyes dimmed slightly. She reached out with her slender fingers to brush the hair falling over her shoulder. Opening her vermilion lips, she asked softly, "Do you need your Subordinate to scrub your back? BOSS."

Shang Wan Ning's voice sounded a bit muffled as she responded, "Isn't there a small meeting at 11 o'clock? Don't you need to go preside over it?"

Hearing this, the corners of Ling Qi's mouth curled up, and her graceful body leaned back against the soft sofa. She looked incredibly charming, her long wavy hair swaying freely.

She laughed softly and said, "That meeting can be left to You Wu to preside over. As for this delicious delicacy, it absolutely must not fall into the mouths of others!"

Shang Wan Ning couldn't help but grit her teeth, saying angrily, "Still thinking about eating? You might as well eat vegetarian dishes for a few days straight!"

"Isn't eating meat good? It's a balanced nutrition for growth." The smile in Ling Qi's eyes deepened as she teased her BOSS. "Besides, your Subordinate didn't perform well in the back seat of the car last night! I still had thirty percent of my strength left."

Shang Wan Ning was so angry she put her hands on her hips, her luscious red lips pouting high as she shouted indignantly, "Ling Qi! From last night until now, I haven't even had a chance to take a single bath!"

"I don't mind, BOSS!" Ling Qi said with a straight face.

"Besides, hasn't your Subordinate already cast a Cleaning Spell on the BOSS? You are absolutely clean and spotless."

As Ling Qi spoke, she quickly teleported to Shang Wan Ning's side and gently ran her fingers through her dark hair.

As Ling Qi extended her arm, Shang Wan Ning fell defenselessly onto the chair behind her.

And in that inadvertent moment, the distance between the two became closer and closer, their bodies pressing tightly together.

Although Shang Wan Ning was in a more passive position below, her powerful aura and majesty as the Empress ensured she would never give off a sense of being inferior.

On the contrary, that innate noble temperament allowed her to maintain her composure under any circumstances!!!

Ling Qi kept her gaze fixed on Shang Wan Ning, taking in all her expressions in an instant.

Deep in her eyes, besides madness, there was a bit more sharp delight, which she didn't hide in her tone at all.

"Your Subordinate is madly in love with the way the BOSS... born noble yet fallen to the mortal world... is forced to submit."

Shang Wan Ning raised her head, looking directly at Ling Qi, who was straddling her, a trace of anger in her eyes.

Suddenly, she opened her mouth and bit hard on Ling Qi's lips.

"Hiss, hiss, hiss..." Only a few faint sounds could be heard.

All other sounds were completely drowned out between their lips and teeth.

That deep whimpering, both blurred and indistinguishable, seemed to contain endless complex emotions...