After Becoming a Full-Time Employee, I Signed a Romance Contract with My Ice-Cold Boss - Chapter 13

Early Susceptible Period

“Where are you hurt?”

Jiang Fengyi walked over quickly, only to see a circle of people surrounding Xu Que, who was grimacing in pain.

In the center of the crowd, the moment Jiang Fengyi appeared, Xu Que’s face immediately returned to normal, no longer making unsightly expressions. In front of outsiders, she addressed her just like the other employees.

“President Jiang.”

“President Jiang!”

The office worker whose desk had been overturned by Zhao Ruxuan cried out, finally finding a backbone. They complained to Jiang Fengyi with a long face: “You have to stand up for me! I spent all morning organizing those documents, and she just threw them away!”

“What documents?”

“The promotion plan for the new product.”

“Don’t worry, you can hand it in a few days late. I’ll have finance give you an extra payment for the lost time.”

The worker’s face immediately shifted back to a rational expression: “Thank you, President Jiang!”

Having settled that matter, Jiang Fengyi turned her gaze back to Xu Que.

“You… where are you hurt?”

“My thigh.”

It hurt when Xu Que pressed on it; she guessed it was probably bruised.

Jiang Fengyi stepped forward: “Let me see.”

Although President Jiang appeared cold and aloof, those who had spent enough time with her knew she treated her subordinates well. Thus, no one thought it out of place for her to show concern for Xu Que.

Xu Que pointed to the outside of her thigh.

“This… this spot… it’s not very convenient.”

True enough, the employees in the office were all looking over at them.

“Come to my office for a moment.”

Some veteran employees, fearing the newcomer Xu Que might be intimidated by the cold-faced Jiang Fengyi, kindly comforted her: “President Jiang is just worried about you, don’t be too stiff.”

Xu Que followed behind Jiang Fengyi into the office and conveniently closed the door, cutting off the curious gazes from outside. Jiang Fengyi noticed this but said nothing.

“It wasn’t convenient with so many people just now. You can show me the injury now.”

Xu Que sat on one side of the sofa, right next to the knitted blanket she had given Jiang Fengyi. She slowly rolled up her suit trousers; the pants were a loose fit, so she easily pulled them up high.

Her entire leg was exposed, revealing a terrifying purplish bruise about two or three fingers wide on her fair skin.

Xu Que herself was surprised: “I didn’t expect such a large bruise. I thought it was just a small spot.”

“Don’t move,” Jiang Fengyi held down Xu Que as she tried to stand up, then turned to pull a medical kit from a corner of the office.

“Sit still. I’ll apply the medicine for you.”

Xu Que sat back obediently on the sofa.

Jiang Fengyi’s hair was very long. When she lowered her head, several strands of hair draped over her shoulder to her chest, as if intentionally causing trouble, swaying and obstructing her vision.

As she moved, the restless ends of her hair lightly brushed against Xu Que’s bruised injury, leaving behind a trail of itchiness.

Xu Que’s heart began to itch as well.

With every breath she took, her nose was filled with the floral scent from Jiang Fengyi’s body. The fragrance seemed to possess an addictive magic, and Xu Que allowed herself to sink into it.

“Which perfume do you use? It smells very nice.”

Xu Que thought to herself that she probably wouldn’t be able to quit this scent anytime soon.

“Me?”

Jiang Fengyi had just finished spraying the medicinal mist on Xu Que, so her nose was full of the scent of Chinese herbs.

“I don’t wear perfume.”

Because Jiang Fengyi’s pheromones were the scent of Night-blooming Cereus, the light floral fragrance on her body would become intense whenever her susceptible period arrived. No amount of perfume could cover it up. Over time, she simply stopped wearing perfume altogether.

However, the floral scent only intensified during those few days of the susceptible period; usually, the scent on Jiang Fengyi was so faint it was almost non-existent.

The Night-blooming Cereus is lonely and cold, quiet and pure; its grand blooming and withering only happen in the dead of night, and those lucky enough to have smelled it are few and far between.

Xu Que was one of those lucky ones.

“But I seemed to smell flowers…”

“It must be your imagination,” Jiang Fengyi denied firmly. “There is only the herbal smell of the injury spray here.”

After speaking, she hurried away with the medical kit. Her retreating back looked as if she were afraid that if she stayed a second longer, Xu Que would sniff out the truth.

Xu Que didn’t believe there was anything wrong with her sense of smell. Even after Jiang Fengyi left, a faint, seductive floral fragrance lingered in the air.

She murmured to herself: “Why be so quick to deny it?”

After Jiang Fengyi helped apply the medicine, Xu Que’s bruise felt cool and refreshing; as long as it wasn’t touched, it didn’t hurt at all.

She was about to go back to work when Jiang Fengyi, having put away the medical kit, walked up to her: “Go home and rest for a few days. Come back to work once your leg is better.”

“It’s no big deal, I—”

Jiang Fengyi insisted: “I am your boss. Listen to me.”

Xu Que had no choice but to take leave and go home. Before she left, that extremely faint floral scent in the office still lingered in her heart.

Sitting back at her computer, Jiang Fengyi was in no mood to work. She stared at the date in the bottom right corner, lost in thought. There were still two weeks until her susceptible period was supposed to arrive; why was there an anomaly this time?

The gland at the back of her neck was faintly burning—a sign of the approaching susceptible period. Jiang Fengyi’s hand instinctively reached back through her hair.

“Mm…”

The moment her cold fingers touched the warm gland, the Night-blooming Cereus scent in the office suddenly became intense. If Xu Que were still here, she would definitely have been able to tell the source of the addictive floral fragrance.

It turned out it wasn’t perfume clinging to long hair, but the unique scent of Jiang Fengyi’s pheromones.

In the empty office filled with floral fragrance, Jiang Fengyi endured the discomfort and applied a suppressant patch ahead of time.

The reason she had sent Xu Que home to rest, aside from letting her recover, was for another reason.

Jiang Fengyi felt a faint desire for Xu Que’s patient comfort; this desire became especially strong whenever Xu Que appeared before her. Furthermore, she couldn’t control her gaze, which would always drift toward Xu Que intentionally or unintentionally.

She was afraid that if Xu Que continued to stay here, she would instead become the trigger that caused her susceptible period to arrive early.

Things were gradually slipping out of her control.

In a suburban villa, Zhao Ruxuan returned home in a disheveled state, only to be met with a barrage of accusations from Zhao Ruofei.

“Look at yourself! What have you become?”

Zhao Ruxuan tilted her neck back in defiance: “I just couldn’t swallow that resentment!”

“And now?” Zhao Ruofei stung her deliberately. “Are you happy now that you were kicked out in broad daylight and subjected to everyone’s mockery?”

“You—you!”

“Didn’t I say we needed to plan carefully? Why won’t you listen to me!”

“By the time you’ve finished planning your revenge, I don’t even know if our Zhao family will still exist.”

“Ruxuan!”

Zhao Ruofei slapped the table. “How dare you speak to your sister like that!”

The prestige established since childhood could not be discarded overnight. Zhao Ruxuan muttered “What’s the big deal” under her breath, but she didn’t dare to argue back any further.

“Now, I ask, you answer. Don’t say any other nonsense.”

“You snuck in. Did you see anyone?”

“I saw Jiang Fengyi once.”

“What was her reaction when she saw you? Was she guarded?”

“Expressionless. Still that deadpan face.”

Zhao Ruofei shot her a look, and Zhao Ruxuan immediately fell silent.

Zhao Ruofei tapped her index finger on the table. She didn’t speak for a long time. Zhao Ruxuan stole a careful glance at her, not daring to make a sound while her sister was thinking.

Thump—thump—thump.

The rhythmic tapping finally stopped.

The dazed Zhao Ruxuan immediately stood up straight, waiting for Zhao Ruofei’s instructions.

“For the time being, stay home obediently and don’t go anywhere. After the birthday banquet next month, you can go wherever you want.”

Zhao Ruxuan nodded repeatedly: “I promise I won’t go anywhere before the banquet.”

“Go upstairs and change your clothes.”

After the noisy Zhao Ruxuan left, Zhao Ruofei sat alone on the leather sofa. The servants behind her made no sound, as silent as if they weren’t alive.

“Jiang Fengyi, don’t think you can cast our Zhao family aside so easily.”

“Birthday banquet?”

Jiang Fengyi looked at the invitation handed over by her assistant with a hint of suspicion.

“The Zhao family invited me to a birthday banquet?”

“Supposedly, everyone who has dealings with the Zhao family received an invitation,” Wu Qi speculated. “Perhaps the Zhao family wants to use this to prove to everyone that they are still doing well even without the support of the Jiang family.”

Jiang Fengyi didn’t bother looking at the invitation again: “Let them think whatever they want. I won’t attend.”

Unexpectedly, the reversal came very quickly.

Two days later, on the 22nd floor of Jingjiang Technology:

“You must go to the Zhao family’s birthday banquet!”

Inside the office with the doors tightly shut, President Jiang and Chairman Jiang were having an argument.

Unfortunately, the soundproofing of the door was too good. The people outside couldn’t hear why the two were arguing; they only saw Chairman Jiang leave without saying a word at the end.

Little President Jiang, left in the office, had a very low-pressure aura. No one dared to go in and court disaster at this time.

Except for Xu Que, who had just returned from leave.

“What’s wrong with you? You look like you’re warning everyone to stay away.”

Jiang Fengyi pinched the bridge of her nose and leaned back against the chair with her eyes closed.

“It’s nothing.”

“You can talk to me if something is bothering you. After all, we are comrades in the same camp.”

Jiang Fengyi frowned, looking like she had a headache.

“My mother was just here. She informed me that I have to attend the Zhao family’s birthday banquet next month.”

Xu Que had appeared behind Jiang Fengyi at some point, skillfully massaging her temples. In the past, when Director Su Mei had a headache, she would massage them like this to provide relief.

“Then, do you want to go?” she asked softly.

“No, not at all.”

Jiang Fengyi closed her eyes and enjoyed Xu Que’s service comfortably.

“Then we won’t go. I’ll help you find an excuse.”

“What excuse?”

“Just say work is busy and you can’t find the time.”

Jiang Fengyi sighed: “My mother is also in the company. She knows my workload.”

“Then how about the excuse: ‘My girlfriend is jealous and insisted on taking me on a date’?”

A current girlfriend being jealous of a former blind date partner—it was very logical.

Jiang Fengyi opened her eyes again, and her light-colored pupils regained their brightness.

“We’ll use that excuse!”

With the matter weighing on her heart resolved, Jiang Fengyi’s breathing became much smoother. She couldn’t help but smile when she looked at Xu Que.

“Why didn’t I meet you earlier?”

If she had signed the marriage agreement with her earlier, she wouldn’t even have had to go to the blind dates arranged by her mother, let alone all the other countless large and small banquets. Xu Que would surely have been able to solve them all one by one.

When these words reached Xu Que’s ears, however, they took on a different meaning.

She couldn’t help but wonder: Does Jiang Fengyi also have a slight liking for me? Not too much, just a little bit is enough.

Xu Que waited for what would come next, but Jiang Fengyi seemed to have just mentioned it casually and quickly threw herself back into work.

Yet, it left Xu Que’s heart tossing and turning, unable to find peace.