CEO Above, Me Below

The next day, Xiaonian and Gong Ouyang left the villa immediately after breakfast. 

Perhaps, Xiaonian thought, Gong Ouyang wasn’t as calm as he appeared to be. After all, it was his own brother. 

The only complaint Xiaonian had in her heart other than him threatening to kill her yesterday night, was her uniform. 

It gave her chills, looking at herself in the mirror in this weird uniform. 

They started back to TianZhi quite early in the morning, as a result there wasn’t much traffic on the roads and they reached the city very early. 

Xiaonian sighed inside herself in sheer relief. There won’t be lot of people around this time and as long as she made a quick work of it, she can escape quickly into the house without anyone noticing her odd attire.

As soon as the car parked, Xiaonian quickly pulled the uniform blazer together and jumped out of the car taking off towards the elevators.

“…….”

Gong Ouyang really admired this woman’s top quality running abilities at times. She was like an enthusiastic power bunny.

Xiaonian went through the communal lounge room and turned around for the elevator but immediately stopped short as she came across and almost collided with the person already there.

“Xiaonian..” the handsome young man said in surprise when he saw her.

Demeanor like an elegant jade, and a noble face. 

It was Mu Qian Chu.

A complicated look passed Xiaonian’s face.

Since she realized that he and Shi Yue lived in this building, and later because of the incident with the porcelain shop, Xiaonian always made sure to avoid running  into them by accident.

She checked and rechecked the hallways before she went out and sometimes avoided going out altogether.

This was the first time she was careless, and at the first instance of negligence she ran into him. 

If it wasn’t for this ridiculous and embarrassing uniform, would she ever do this?

Sigh.

Thinking about what she was wearing, she immediately pulled her blazer together and tried to discreetly pull her skirt down.

Mu Qian Chu who was watching her closely immediately noticed her attire and became distracted. His eyes widened in surprise and there was hint of confusion in them as well.

Watching someone else witness her in these shameful clothes, Xiaonian’s cheeks reddened with embarrassment and humiliation.

But she refused to say another word to explain this situation to him.

She was someone who understood her position at all times. And she knew that explaining anything to this man before her, would probably invite ridicule her way. 

He had helped her a while back, but she has been burned too many times in his hands to not be wary. It was all too easy for him to turn back to his hatred and tell her how worthless she was. 

And, that word still, for some reason, bruised her heart the worst.

She, really really wanted to be of some worth, in the eyes of someone she cared. 

She stood by before him, looking straight ahead. She had not done anything wrong. She had not.

Mu Qian Chu watched emotions roil in her eyes and his eyebrows tightened in consternation.

“You ran away so fast, only to stop here?” Gong Ouyang’s teasing voice came from the main door of the lounge. There was a hint of amusement in his voice.

Mu Qian Chu’s fingers folded into a fist involuntarily and his gentle look were barely held together on his face.

Xiaonian flinched as soon as she heard his voice and turned around. He was still around the corner and she couldn’t see him yet. Her fingers trembled a little with anxiety. Although she did not do anything wrong, she did not want anyone to know about Gong Ouyang.

But, now that her adopted mother knew about him, can she really think Mu Qian Chu wouldn’t know?

She sighed inside exhausted. Guessing and second guessing herself, what was the point? 

Gong Ouyang’s step froze for a second when he turned around the corner and saw a man staring at Xiaonian. But he quickly shook himself off and walked as if nothing was wrong.

But his mood did not improve when he found out that the man before him was none other than the ‘brother-in-law’.

His eyes became a little colder than before as he considered the man in front of him.

Hmph!

Compared to himself he was clearly nothing!

Mu Qian Chu, on the other hand had plenty time to prepare himself and put on his mask of a gentleman as he faced Gong Ouyang.

“Mr. Ouyang, what a pleasant surprise,” he opened smoothly.

“It turned out to be you, her brother in law,” Gong Ouyang said tauntingly.

Mu Qian Chu had never been a confrontative person. He simply looked at Gong Ouyang and smiled.

“The relationship between Mr Gong and Miss Shi is not suitable for Mr Gong to address me as brother in law. I don’t have the honor, unfortunately.”

Even though a smile played on his lips, there was an air of provocation seeping in between them.

Gong Ouyang’s hand on Xiaonian’s shoulder tightened, and he sneered at Mu Qian Chu, “Naturally,” he snapped and pulled Xiaonian into the waiting elevator leaving Mu Qian Chu standing behind them until the doors closed.