Chapter Fifteen: Sister, Call Me Achen

At noon, sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains and slowly spilled into the room, sparse and gentle.

Pei Susu awoke after a long, restful sleep, feeling as though her body had been run over by a car. Opening her eyes, she found herself in a spacious, minimalist room—not her home at all.

Where was she?

She tapped her dazed head, fragments of memory surfacing. Last night, she’d drunk wine laced with drugs and nearly fell victim to Lin Mu. Fortunately, she’d prepared a contingency and sent a message to Fu Zhichen beforehand; he arrived just in time to save her.

Wait—she seemed to recall hearing them address Fu Zhichen as “President Fu?!”

President Fu of the Fu Corporation in the capital?!

Fu Corporation, Fu Zhichen.

With such similar surnames, how had she not guessed?

“Are you awake, sister?” Fu Zhichen had resolved not to let Pei Susu continue avoiding the truth of their relationship. He’d skipped going to the office that morning, having Special Assistant Liu send the files to his home so he could work there.

He remained in her room, reading reports by the bay window.

Hearing Fu Zhichen’s voice, Pei Susu became much more alert. “Thank you for last night, President Fu.”

How absurd—absurd to the extreme. She had, each month, spent hundreds of thousands to “keep” the capital’s most prominent CEO, Fu Zhichen. That sum was less than what Fu Corporation earned in a single day. She’d embarrassed herself thoroughly.

Fu Zhichen narrowed his eyes and came to her side, placing his hands on either side of her, leaning in close.

“President Fu? How formal you sound, sister.”

Seeing that she had figured out most of it, Fu Zhichen didn’t bother to hide anything.

“Sister, do you remember what you promised me last night?”

With the drug’s effects at their peak, she had no recollection of what she’d said. She shook her head, bewildered. “What did I promise?”

A wave of frustration welled up in his chest. He took out his phone and played a recording from the night before.

Pei Susu’s cheeks flushed. She reached for the phone to snatch it away. “How could you record at such a time? Delete it, quickly.”

Fu Zhichen caught her slender wrist, his other hand encircling her waist as he leaned over her.

“If the recording doesn’t help you remember, perhaps we should revisit it together. I’ll help you recall exactly what happened last night.”

Catching the passion swirling in his gaze, feeling the lingering ache and weakness in her body, Pei Susu immediately became docile. “I remember now. I admit it, isn’t that enough?”

Fu Zhichen smiled with satisfaction, the corners of his lips curling. “Then how should you address me, sister?”

The low, magnetic timbre of his voice sent her heart racing. “Fu…”

Before she could finish, Fu Zhichen’s hand had already wandered to her waist, prompting her to change her words in alarm. “B-boyfriend! You’re my boyfriend.”

Fu Zhichen was pleased, smiling as he lowered his head to kiss the tip of her ear. “Sister, call me Chen.”

“Chen…”

Hearing Pei Susu’s tender voice, Fu Zhichen’s desire surged beyond control; he flipped over and pressed her beneath him.

…

After officially confirming their relationship, Fu Zhichen became increasingly clingy, personally dressing Pei Susu, preparing lunch, and eagerly driving her to work at Fu Corporation.

He insisted on holding Susu’s hand as they entered the company together, determined that everyone should know Susu was his.

On a secluded street near Fu Corporation, Pei Susu called out to Fu Zhichen, feeling guilty. “Just let me out here.”

Fu Zhichen looked at her in surprise, pulling the car over before she could finish.

Pei Susu unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned over, and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Be good, Chen. I’ll go in first. You come in twenty minutes later.”

Hearing this, Fu Zhichen understood—Pei Susu didn’t want anyone to know about their relationship.

His previously bright, handsome face darkened. “How long do you plan to keep this hidden, sister?” His voice dropped, threatening. “Give me a timeframe.”

Pei Susu coaxed him with two more kisses. “If word gets out about my relationship with you right after I join Fu Corporation, it’ll make work difficult.”

Fu Zhichen, annoyed, bit her lip. “But we agreed at noon. You promised to be with me.”

Meeting Pei Susu’s pleading gaze, he relented at last. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

“When I achieve something at Fu Corporation, we’ll go public.” Seeing Fu Zhichen’s pitiful expression, Pei Susu was moved, reaching out to pinch his cheek affectionately, her eyes filled with fondness.

At the entrance of Fu Corporation—

Liang Wenru had discovered that the order to break off cooperation with Xingye came from Fu Corporation. Puzzled, he brought Chu Qingzhu, carrying an exquisite gift box, to wait at the reception desk, intending to ask Fu Zhichen directly what had offended him.

Special Assistant Liu received a call from the front desk and reported to Fu Zhichen.

In the parking lot, Fu Zhichen spent twenty minutes in the car, quietly commemorating the day he began his relationship with Pei Susu. When he saw Liu’s message, the warmth in his eyes turned to icy coldness.

“Don’t bother with them. Let them wait.”

When Pei Susu arrived at the lobby, she spotted Liang Wenru and Chu Qingzhu waiting in the seating area. She tried to avoid them and head for the elevator.

Liang Wenru, sharp-eyed, spotted her and hurried over. “Pei Susu, what are you doing at Fu Corporation? Trying to cozy up to someone for a job?”

Pei Susu stopped, resigned. “Can’t your brain hold anything but lewd thoughts? I’m here to work—it’s obvious, are you blind?”

Liang Wenru had assumed Pei Susu worked for some obscure company and hadn’t expected her to join Fu Corporation. He straightened up, trying to use his height to seem more imposing.

“You’re so intent on defying me that you gave up being a general manager to become a low-level employee at Fu Corporation. I really underestimated you.”

Chu Qingzhu lifted the gift box. “Sister Pei, since you work here, do you know President Fu’s preferences? Wenru and I are about to meet him, but we’re worried our gift will miss the mark.”

She suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, I forgot! You’re just a regular employee—probably never come into contact with someone as important as President Fu.”

Well, not usually—except for two kisses half an hour ago.

Pei Susu, seeing that work was about to begin, pointed at an employee behind the two of them. “Look, is that President Fu over there?”

Liang Wenru and Chu Qingzhu vaguely saw a man in a suit in the distance and hurried over with their gift.

“Hello, President Fu, I’m Liang Wenru from Xingye. If we’ve offended you in any way, please forgive us.” Liang Wenru nodded and bowed, presenting the gift to the person Pei Susu had indicated.

“This is a small token of appreciation. I hope you’ll be magnanimous and grant Xingye a reprieve.”

The employee glanced back, terrified, and hurried away. “I’m not President Fu—I’m just a software engineer at Fu Corporation. If you want to see President Fu, talk to Special Assistant Liu.”

He’d have to explain himself to Liu—anything to avoid upsetting President Fu.

After distancing himself from them, the employee nervously messaged Liu to report the incident.

Special Assistant Liu reassured the employee, then went to Fu Zhichen’s office and reported what had happened in the lobby, covering his forehead with a helpless smile.