Has the Boss Bost His Temper Today? - Chapter 8

“Hiss, ow, ow, ow”

“I can’t apply the medicine if I don’t wash it clean first.”

“Who flushes a wound directly with iodine like that!”

“Iodine is for disinfecting.”

The light from the bar reflected off the black porcelain faucet, casting the swaying shadows of two people standing at the sink. Cullinan could only crouch outside the bar cabinet, peeking in suspiciously.

He stayed there because his dad said he wasn’t allowed in.

Duan Shiming used his other hand to support his scuffed wrist, directly nudging Chu Yanzhou away with his elbow. “Stand aside! I’ll do it myself.”

Chu Yanzhou was caught off guard and stumbled back a step. “?”

He looked at Duan Shiming with a face full of surprise.

Where did he get all that strength?

Duan Shiming lowered his eyelids, his brow furrowed. “At this spot, I just need to press down with a tissue to stop the bleeding.”

Seeing the tight knit of his brows, Chu Yanzhou asked, “Does it hurt that much?”

After cleaning the wound, Duan Shiming opened the nearby medicine box. “I’m easily allergic to a lot of medicines, I can’t just use anything.”

Chu Yanzhou leaned against the edge of the bar, watching how practiced the younger man was at taking care of himself. “What are you allergic to?”

“Lots of things.” Duan Shiming turned slightly, using a disinfectant wipe to clear the excess iodine from his forearm. “But my allergy to eggs is the worst, it makes it hard to breathe. Nuts, too.”

“You can’t eat them at all?”

“Yeah.”

Chu Yanzhou didn’t respond further. He watched Duan Shiming tilt his head, using his teeth to tear open the packaging of a large adhesive bandage.

The crystal lamp above the bar cast fine shadows under the man’s eyelashes. With the biting motion of his lips, his eyelashes trembled slightly, and his cheek moved along with it, puffed out like a hamster.

A hamster that smelled like citrus and lime.

Just then, the “hamster” suddenly looked up, his gaze crashing straight into Chu Yanzhou’s deep, clear eyes.

“What?”

Chu Yanzhou snapped back to his senses and stood up. “When can you give me the PPT?”

Duan Shiming angrily tossed the packaging into the nearby trash can. “You’re crossing the line. It’s the weekend right now, this question falls under the category of overtime. Let’s settle the compensation for the damage first.”

He finished speaking, his eyes darting around before he leaned toward Chu Yanzhou with a beaming smile. “Hey, how about this? Let the compensation offset two months of rent!”

Chu Yanzhou looked at him and smiled. “Secretary Duan, your talents are being wasted here.”

Duan Shiming curled his lips into a smirk and gave a nonchalant shrug.

“So, when can you give me the PPT?”

“Hey, hey, hey, I said it’s the weekend, don’t mention work. Cullinan, go deal with your dad. You usually tear the house apart, why are you so well behaved at home? Where’s that house-wrecking expert I was promised? Let me see some of that!”

Chu Yanzhou glanced at Cullinan.

Cullinan crouched down timidly, resting his head on his front paws. “…=(” He knew the difference between one full meal and being fed for a lifetime.

After washing his hands, Duan Shiming walked to the entryway and even cupped his hands toward Chu Yanzhou in a mock salute. “Then I’ll thank President Chu for the medicine and for your generosity in deducting two months of rent. I certainly won’t fail your expectations and will work hard! Dog walking is over, goodnight.”

With that, he opened the door and ran out.

Unexpectedly, he ran full tilt into someone at the door.

The other person instinctively grabbed the thin shoulders of the body that had crashed into them, but was suddenly distracted by the refreshing scent of citrus and lime pheromones. Their breath hitched, and their heart skipped two beats.

Duan Shiming jumped back in fright. “?”

He stumbled back two steps, but before he could steady himself, his waist was firmly supported by a warm, large palm.

“Did you get hurt?”

Chu Yanzhou’s voice drifted down from above.

Duan Shiming shook his head and muttered “I’m fine” before looking up.

The man at the door wore a sharply tailored dark gray suit. He was exceptionally handsome, appearing mature and gentle, surrounded by an air of noble elegance.

Huh, this one’s an Omega!

Chu Yanzhou let go, the sensation of that slender waist still seemingly lingering on his palm.

He reined in his emotions, his expression instantly cooling into a distant calm as he looked at the person outside. “What are you doing here?”

The man’s gaze fell on Duan Shiming. “It’s rare that I’m free, so why shouldn’t I come see how my fiancé is doing? Am I interrupting something?”

Duan Shiming felt the atmosphere grow awkward. He pressed himself against the doorframe and slowly edged out. “Then I won’t disturb you. Goodbye!”

He vanished in a flash.

Cullinan was also quick on the uptake, bolting after Duan Shiming as they made their escape.

“Why didn’t you reply to my messages?”

Chu Yanzhou turned around and happened to see a certain someone’s over-ear headphones on the entryway cabinet. “There’s no one else here, you don’t need to stay in character so much.”

Ji Huaichuan looked toward the other end of the hallway, faintly hearing a door close.

He retracted his gaze and stepped into the entryway, smelling the pleasant citrus-lime pheromones in the air, which belonged neither to an Alpha nor an Omega. “Does that boy live next door? Do you have a lover?”

“My secretary.” Chu Yanzhou picked up the headphones, inspecting the design. Do boys like this kind of style?

“You’re comfortable letting Cullinan be with your secretary?”

Chu Yanzhou replied, “He is Cullinan’s friend.”

“Your secretary lives next door? Isn’t that your property? And you let your secretary come to your house?” Ji Huaichuan watched his movements. How could this boring man have such a trendy item? “This isn’t just an ordinary secretary, is it?”

Chu Yanzhou’s voice didn’t have the slightest ripple of emotion. “Don’t measure me by your hobby of keeping men.”

Ji Huaichuan got straight to the point. “You hired someone to take photos of me.”

“I am simply gathering evidence to protect my own reputation.” Chu Yanzhou opened the wet wipe box on the shoe cabinet, pulling one out to wipe the outer shell of the headphones.

“There are only three months left until our agreement ends. These three months aren’t enough for me to climb to the position I want. I don’t just want the Governor’s seat, I also want the trade routes with the Chu-Luo family.”

Chu Yanzhou stroked the cool outer wall of the headphones. “That was possible originally, but you went and hooked up with other men during the agreement. It makes me feel quite disgusted. I don’t think I can help you with a peaceful mind anymore.”

“While I’m still in a decent mood, you should leave quietly.”

His voice was cold, flat, and without waves, yet it weighed heavily on the heart.

Ji Huaichuan was instantly silenced, the full argument he had prepared coming to a halt. “It’s normal for me to have needs, isn’t it? We only have a fake agreement.”

“The agreement states clearly that during the contracted period, neither party shall do anything to damage their reputation.”

Ji Huaichuan argued, “I can handle these small matters.”

Chu Yanzhou said indifferently, “But it revolts me, I find it distasteful. So, I suggest you sign the termination agreement within these two weeks before your election, lest I do something that complicates things. Once the agreement is over, I won’t care how many men you play with.”

Ji Huaichuan tried to keep his composure. “Chu Yanzhou, don’t forget that I was the one who helped you back then. If it weren’t for me, your company would have been swallowed by the Chu Road Group long ago!”

“I know, but I’ve also helped you over the years, haven’t I? Isn’t your seat as a member of parliament quite secure? But your private life has truly crossed the line of my personal moral standards. Even if the relationship is fake, I cannot tolerate it. It insults my reputation.”

Chu Yanzhou sighed. “I feel like I’ve been tainted.”

Ji Huaichuan: “…”

Chu Yanzhou continued, “Moreover, you can’t even produce the 28 billion I need. I still owe the Chu-Luo Group 28 billion. What use is this agreement?”

Ji Huaichuan’s eyes narrowed slightly. “That’s 28 billion! Not 280 bucks! It takes time. I said I would help you, it’s just a matter of time.”

Chu Yanzhou was unimpressed by this rhetoric. “You only know how to make empty promises. I want it now, otherwise, there’s nothing to talk about.”

Ji Huaichuan’s expression began to sour. “You’re forcing my hand!”

Chu Yanzhou remarked, “See, you’re getting anxious again.”

“So you think I have no utility value anymore?”

“Yes, and you’re dirty,” Chu Yanzhou said bluntly.

Ji Huaichuan’s face turned cold. “You have no right to judge my private life.”

Chu Yanzhou turned toward the living room with the headphones. “When you are in the same boat as me, you must remain clean. Because to the public, we are ‘fiancés.’ Your image represents my image. If you can’t do that, then I have no choice. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. I may have fallen from grace, but I’m not dead.”

“I’ll give you two weeks to sign the termination. Otherwise, I’m afraid my hand might accidentally click ‘send’ to hundreds of media outlets. It wouldn’t be good if those photos leaked out.”

His tone carried a casual depth, yet it leaked a sense of effortless control.

As his voice faded, Chu Yanzhou glanced at the person at the door. “Otherwise, if I could help you up, I have the means to bring you down.”

The next day, the sun was blazing.

Monday was truly the worst.

Beep—Clock-in successful—

[8:59:59]

Duan Shiming held his breath for a final sprint, successfully clocking in at the gate at the very last millisecond. He then used his ID badge to fan himself, letting out a sigh of relief as he walked through the gate.

But suddenly remembering something, his eyes widened, and he sprinted toward the elevator.

With a ding, the elevator doors opened.

Duan Shiming charged out, but nearly collided with someone as he rounded the corner.

His pupils shrunk in fear as he slammed on the brakes. Once he stabilized himself, he looked up to see Chu Yanzhou leaning against the doorway of the secretary’s office, holding a steaming cup of coffee, his gaze sweeping over indifferently.

Duan Shiming raised a hand and greeted him with a wide smile. “Good morning, President Chu! You look as handsome and dashing as ever today. Seeing you gives me so much motivation and energy! Today is truly a wonderful Monday!”

He nodded and tried to brush past Chu Yanzhou with feigned ease.

“Did I not say that you aren’t allowed to clock in at the very last second?” Chu Yanzhou said.

Duan Shiming froze at the door, his hands pressed awkwardly against his pant legs.

Tsk.

So annoying, he camps at the door every day just to catch me!

Chu Yanzhou’s gaze lingered on the tip of the younger man’s reddened ear for two seconds. He took a sip of his coffee. “Hand in the PPT before 11 o’clock. You don’t need to show it to Xin Lei, just send it directly to me.”

Duan Shiming replied, “Oh, okay.”

Only then did Chu Yanzhou walk back to his office.

Duan Shiming instantly breathed a sigh of relief. He walked into the office and noticed everyone’s teasing looks, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Sorry, sorry, I turned off my alarm.”

Ying Feng leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed, laughing. “Conquering President Chu only takes one Duan Shiming.”

Duan Shiming sat back at his workstation. Suddenly thinking of the beauty he saw last night, he turned his head and rested his chin on Xin Lei’s cubicle divider. “Hey, Sister Xin Lei, does President Chu have a partner?”

Seeing him poking his head out like a cat, Xin Lei smiled and gave an “mm-hm.” “Yes, he has a fiancé, a government official. It’s one of those power unions between two major wealthy families.”

Duan Shiming nodded in understanding. “No wonder.”

He opened his computer and hurried to create that “earth-shattering” PPT.

Time flew by, and soon it was 11 o’clock.

[Cullinan: Secretary Duan, PPT]

As soon as Duan Shiming saw the reminder pop up on the smart desk, he immediately saved the PPT to the shared folder and then stood up with a “whoosh,” rushing to the CEO’s office.

Knock knock.

“President Chu, I’m here!”

“Come in.”

Duan Shiming pushed the door open, immediately putting on a perfect eight-tooth smile as he walked to Chu Yanzhou’s side. “Please open the shared file.”

Chu Yanzhou leaned back gracefully, his long legs crossed. He pulled his chair slightly away from the desk, leaving the space for him.

Duan Shiming: How lazy.

He walked to the desk, propping one hand on the edge as he leaned over to click the file. His white shirt, tucked into his suit pants, outlined a very attractive waistline and made his legs look long.

Because of the close proximity, the scent of citrus and lime pheromones was very potent. The pheromones, which didn’t need concealing, were like sensory invaders, weaving through the air and stirring trouble.

Chu Yanzhou’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He forced himself to look away, but his gaze inadvertently fell on the sterile bandage on the other’s right wrist, which looked a bit eyesore.

Suddenly, a loud and excited background track blasted from the computer.

His brow jumped. “?”

On the screen, an Ultraman was performing a transformation pose with arms spread wide. Under special effects, the words [Respected Leaders] popped up along with dozens of red hearts. Finally, the Ultraman took flight, dragging out the text: [Please Look At Our Proposal].

Chu Yanzhou: “…”

Duan Shiming slapped his hand on the desk, raised his chin, and winked at Chu Yanzhou. “How about it? Is it eye-catching?”

Chu Yanzhou pointed his finger toward the door.

Duan Shiming: “What, it’s no good?”

“When you are outside, don’t tell people you are my secretary,” Chu Yanzhou said, closing the PPT. “Get out.”

Duan Shiming pouted. “Oh.”

“Redo it and send it to me.”

Duan Shiming was furious. “You didn’t specify the requirements before I made it! This makes work efficiency very low! Man, why must you make it hard for another man!”

“We’re driving to H-City tomorrow. Get off work at three to go home and pack your luggage,” Chu Yanzhou said.

Duan Shiming’s expression changed instantly. His eyes brightened, and he pressed his hands together in a thankful gesture. “Okay, President Chu, I’ll go back and change it right now!”

“Double-check the hotel information.”

Duan Shiming nodded repeatedly. “Okay, okay.”

Chu Yanzhou didn’t say anything more, just waved the back of his hand.

Duan Shiming walked out of the office with a light step. Heh, then I’ll just pull out version 2.0. I was already prepared!

Just as he stepped out, the phone in his pocket vibrated. He took it out and saw it was an unknown number. He thought about hanging up, but after a moment’s hesitation, he chose to answer.

“Hello?”

“Is this Secretary Duan?”

Hearing the voice on the other end, Duan Shiming thought for a moment. This voice sounded familiar?

“Hello, Secretary Duan. I am Chu Yanzhou’s fiancé, Ji Huaichuan. I was wondering if you’re free right now? I’m downstairs at the company and would like to have a chat.”

Duan Shiming: “Chat with… me?”

He remembered now. It was the great beauty he saw last night.

Chu Yanzhou’s fiancé!

“Don’t be nervous. I just want to ask for a favor.”

Duan Shiming was puzzled. “What kind of favor?”

The voice on the other end was gentle and deep. “Help me pursue Yanzhou.”

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