92: Where exactly did I go wrong?

"What's going on? Don't you even know how to knock, as a secretary?"

Interrupted by Xu Xinyou, Ling Xian's temper flared up.

Xu Xinyou, dressed in professional attire, had just entered and was immediately scolded. A look of grievance appeared on her face, but thinking of her goal, she held it in.

"I'm sorry, President Ling. I'll be more careful next time," Xu Xinyou said in a muffled voice, her head lowered.

"Next time? You think there will be a next time?" Ling Xian frowned slightly. Watching the fleeting disgust in Xu Xinyou's eyes, he pretended not to understand.

"..." Xu Xinyou remained silent, not daring to reply.

"What is it?" Ling Xian had no patience to wait and asked directly.

In his view, he didn't believe a woman like Xu Xinyou, who had purposefully gotten close to him, had anything truly important to say.

"Nothing much, just some reports." Xu Xinyou had long since memorized these documents thoroughly.

She also had some understanding of certain confidential files.

But she just couldn't find anything abnormal within the Ling Group's internal operations.

She placed the roughly half-kilogram stack of documents on the desk.

*Thump!* A dull sound!

"Sss!" Feeling the cool, breezy sensation below, Ling Xian sucked in a sharp breath.

"What's wrong, President Ling?" Xu Xinyou feigned concern while continuously moving closer to Ling Xian.

"Don't come any closer. As my secretary, you must learn to handle these documents yourself."

Seeing Xu Xinyou pressing forward step by step, about to press right up against him, Ling Xian said coldly with a stern face.

"...Alright, President Ling." Xu Xinyou stopped in her tracks and ultimately agreed.

Ling Xian's unusual behavior was indeed suspicious, but there were more important matters at hand now.

Understanding the Ling Group's next move, bringing down the Ling Corporation, and seizing Ling Xian's weak points were the absolute priorities.

"Truly a second-generation playboy. Running such a large company but having his secretary handle affairs for him. If a corporate spy were to steal secrets, wouldn't it be right under his nose?"

Xu Xinyou inwardly complained, feeling even more contempt for Ling Xian.

In her view, the reason the Ling Group had managed to persist until now was because the core machinery of the corporation was intact; it could operate even without Ling Xian.

But once it reached a critical point, the Ling Group would hit a kill line, collapse suddenly, and be beyond redemption.

By then, she would slowly maneuver the Xu Family to take over the remnants of the Ling Group, replace them, become the Business Queen, seize control of power, and marry Leng Yunyan.

"Ahem, what are you grinning foolishly about?" Ling Xian, feeling Hu Yourong's restless movements below, grew anxious and quickly spoke up. "Aren't you going to get to work?"

Hearing this, Xu Xinyou picked up the reports, turned around, rolled her eyes, and left directly.

At this moment, Ling Xian could no longer endure it. He pulled Hu Yourong over. "You little temptress, if you don't know how, don't do it. It's really uncomfortable, you know?"

Hearing this, Hu Yourong lowered her head in silence, just swallowing.

"I'm sorry, I won't do it next time."

Looking at Hu Yourong, who was obedient, adorable, pitifully charming, and exceptionally capable, Ling Xian's heart couldn't help but soften.

"Forget it, it's fine. Just be more careful next time." Ling Xian sighed, then suddenly thought of something. "Wait, did you just swallow the beauty enhancing pill dry?"

Hu Yourong nodded with a silly smile. "Swallowed it."

"Pfft! Unbelievable. You silly girl, there was no need to do that." Ling Xian was speechless, shaking his head and laughing.

"Hehe... Sniffle!" Hu Yourong started laughing but then suddenly cried, sobbing twice before forcibly stopping herself.

"Now what's wrong?" Ling Xian was still quite serious with her.

In his view, besides being beautiful, Hu Yourong was also a helper who could assist him in handling the corporation's affairs well.

For this kind-hearted but insecure girl, Ling Xian tried his best to give her care.

Hu Yourong was his money pot; Chi Taohua and Mo Xueer were maids and also his shadow twin blades.

"I don't want to be just a pretty vase. I'm afraid you'll abandon me one day." After a moment of contemplation, Hu Yourong said quietly.

"Haha, you're overthinking things, silly girl." Ling Xian laughed heartily, reaching out to ruffle Hu Yourong's hair. It was as silky and smooth as Dove chocolate.

"I've left the company in your care for so long, and you're worried about this?"

"Oh, Young Master Ling, whenever you make a move, it's dealing with or clashing with those big families and major corporations. Of course I'm worried! Staying in the company every day makes me feel like my progress is so slow~"

Hu Yourong wasn't actually progressing slowly; she had already learned how to act cute and coquettish.

"You've just been in the company too long, under too much pressure, feeling restless inside." Ling Xian saw through her thoughts in an instant and understood the reason.

Staying in one place for too long, with monotonous, repetitive work, could give her the illusion of being stuck in place.

Over time, she would start overthinking, sinking into internal struggles, unable to extricate herself.

"Come on, I'll take you out to relax." Ling Xian stood up, took her hand, and walked out.

"President Ling? President Hu?" Secretary Xu Xinyou was somewhat surprised to see this scene and greeted them. "Where are you two going?"

Ling Xian didn't intend to hide it and explained directly, "I'm taking Yourong out to relax. Please help handle this work for now."

Hearing this, Xu Xinyou suddenly understood and quickly agreed with a smile. "No problem, please go ahead with peace of mind."

As Ling Xian and Hu Yourong turned to leave, Xu Xinyou snapped a photo of the scene with her phone.

The reason she was so willing to cooperate wasn't because she loved work; she wasn't a workaholic.

It was because she had caught Ling Xian's weakness.

"Hehe, I'll send this to Yunyan. This is your true face. All that deep affection before was just an act." Xu Xinyou thought triumphantly, sending the photo to Leng Yunyan.

[Xu Xinyou: Yunyan, look! This is Ling Xian's true face. Everything before was an act. Forget about him sooner.]

On the other end, Leng Yunyan received the photo. The figure in it looked more and more familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before.

Suddenly, she remembered a former junior employee of Ling Xian's: Hu Yourong.

Leng Yunyan froze on the spot.

Thinking of this, she opened her phone, her fingertips flying across the screen as she typed and sent a message.

[Leng Yunyan: Is this woman named Hu Yourong?]

[Xu Xinyou: ?]

[Xu Xinyou: How do you know President Hu's name? Have you met her before? Right, Ling Xian was always fawning over you, so you must know the main executives of the Ling Corporation.]

Now, it was Leng Yunyan's turn to be stunned!

How did Hu Yourong become President Hu?

Wasn't she just a little secretary last time?

She hadn't even considered her as a rival.

"No wonder Ling Xian suddenly gave up on me. It wasn't because of my mom, but because of Hu Yourong!" Leng Yunyan had a sudden realization, then fell into inner conflict.

She compared herself to Hu Yourong and finally concluded she was completely superior.

Whether it was family background, looks, or temperament... "So, where did I actually lose?" Leng Yunyan murmured to herself.

Over there, Xu Xinyou had painstakingly entered the Ling Corporation to work, all to make Leng Yunyan give up on Ling Xian. Over here, Leng Yunyan was agonizing over where she had lost.

If Xu Xinyou knew, one wonders what she would think.