After Becoming a Full-Time Employee, I Signed a Romance Contract with My Ice-Cold Boss - Chapter 2

Who Are You?

“Why did you only listen to the first half?”

Seeing that Xu Que had completely ignored the latter part of her sentence, Jiang Fengyi spoke up quickly.

“I’m only letting you stay for two or three days. You’ll go back to your own home once the typhoon passes.”

“…… Oh.”

As the two were preparing to head back, a voice calling out with feigned surprise drifted over from not far away.

“Oh, what a coincidence!”

A well-dressed, middle-aged Alpha male walked toward them. He wore a high-end custom suit, though his massive beer belly stretched the expensive fabric to the point of deformation.

As he drew closer, Xu Que noticed that the smile on his face was far too fake—a “skin-deep” smile that made her feel slightly uncomfortable.

Her sharp eyes caught Jiang Fengyi frowning the moment she saw the newcomer, though she quickly reverted to her usual expressionless state.

Jiang Fengyi: “Uncle.”

“Fengyi, how do you have time to be here today? I thought a busy person like you spent every waking hour stuck at the office.”

Xu Que remained silent, but internally, she was rolling her eyes frantically. This man wasn’t just unpleasant to look at; his way of speaking was utterly obnoxious.

Jiang Fengyi remained unfazed. “I also didn’t expect a man of leisure like yourself, Uncle, to have the time to wander around outside even during a typhoon.”

Jiang Fengyi’s uncle gave two fake chuckles. His gaze shifted, acting as if he had only just noticed Xu Que, and he directed the topic toward her.

“And who is this?”

He began nitpicking under the guise of being concerned for her. “Your mother wouldn’t like you associating with such dubious people from the outside.”

As he spoke, he looked Xu Que up and down, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt.

Xu Que could smell the heavy scent of gunpowder in the air. Before she could speak, Jiang Fengyi stepped in front of her, using her slender frame to shield her from the malice.

“Dubious people?” Jiang Fengyi laughed softly. “If we’re talking about dubious people, that crowd you hang around with…”

Her uncle sharply interrupted: “Disrespecting your elders! No manners!”

It was common knowledge that in the entire Jiang family, only the uncle had no job. He spent his days idling away, surrounded by a group of “fair-weather friends” who knew nothing but eating, drinking, and playing.

At his age, he could only rely on the family trust fund to support his household, and he loved nothing more than coming to the home of his sister—who managed the company—to sponge off her.

“You pushed aside the blind dates your mother arranged, claiming you were too busy with work, yet here you are with the free time to stroll through the wind with someone else!”

The uncle had finally caught a weakness in Jiang Fengyi, and his voice grew significantly louder in accusation.

“Apologies, I forgot to introduce her. She is my girlfriend of many years.”

Jiang Fengyi said she was sorry, but she had absolutely no intention of actually introducing them.

She continued to smile while delivering harsh words: “Furthermore, the ‘family matters’ between my mother and me do not require an ‘outsider’ like you, Uncle, to interfere.”

“Girlfriend? Does your family know you’re dating a commoner?”

“That is my business. If you are truly that bored, Uncle, you’d be better off staying home and disciplining your own child so they don’t get expelled from school again.”

“Hmph! Fine! Treat my kindness like dirt! You’re just as senseless as always! I can’t be bothered to talk to you anymore!”

Having said his piece, he turned and left without looking back, looking as though he couldn’t wait to rush home and spread the news.

After he left:

“I originally planned to tell you during dinner, but I didn’t expect to run into my uncle early.”

“It’s as he said. My mother arranged blind dates for me a while ago; she wants me to enter a political marriage.”

Jiang Fengyi didn’t mention that her mother’s goal for the marriage was to trade for profit; she wanted to preserve a shred of her own dignity.

“I was unwilling, so I found you in a hurry for this fake marriage.”

Xu Que listened quietly, acting as a qualified recipient for her emotions.

At some point, it had begun to rain. Slanted threads of rain fell onto the ends of Jiang Fengyi’s hair.

The cold wind, carrying moisture, ruffled Jiang Fengyi’s hem. The usually bustling street was now occupied only by the two of them, making it feel excessively desolate.

Jiang Fengyi walked slowly down the street, and Xu Que followed closely behind.

Clearly, the person in front of her possessed everything—wealth, beauty, power… yet at this moment, Xu Que saw a hint of loneliness in her silhouette.

The wind suddenly picked up, swirling fine grit and dust from the road. It had no direction, howling from every corner.

Xu Que quickened her pace to catch up, subconsciously walking on the outside of Jiang Fengyi, unobtrusively shielding her from the chaotic drizzle and the whistling wind.

Without a word, they both tacitly quickened their steps, walking side-by-side as they hurried toward home.

Xu Que drove on the way back. Originally, she had planned to go home first to pack a few changes of clothes, but the moment Jiang Fengyi got into the car, she instructed: “Go straight back to my place. The address is on the navigation.”

After saying that, she closed her eyes to rest.

Xu Que had no choice but to drive according to the GPS. At worst, she would just have to make an extra trip later.

The tightly closed car windows completely sealed out the wind and rain. Not long after the car started moving, the heavy rain began in earnest, mercilessly drumming against the roof.

Fortunately, Jiang Fengyi’s residence was nearby. With no traffic, they reached their destination in just a few minutes.

She breathed a sigh of relief. “Good thing I didn’t drive back to my place.”

The apartment Xu Que rented was in the far suburbs. If she had driven, it would have taken nearly an hour; driving in this weather was not safe.

Xu Que planned to wait for the rain to let up slightly before heading back to grab her clothes.

The reason Jiang Fengyi wanted them to stay together for these few days was easy to guess. To make two strangers appear familiar in a short amount of time, living under the same roof allowed them to quickly learn each other’s preferences and habits.

The car drove directly into the underground garage. The two of them got out one after the other. Despite the torrential rain outside, even the soles of their shoes didn’t get wet.

Looking at the garage, which was brighter than a hotel lobby, Xu Que marveled, “As expected of a luxury development for the wealthy. This is so high-end.”

Jiang Fengyi said casually, “If you like it, I’ll give you a unit.”

Xu Que: !!!

“Really?!”

“If you play the role of my partner well, I can give you a house as a reward.”

Jiang Fengyi truly was a boss; she easily boosted the “new employee’s” work morale.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Xu Que nodded repeatedly. “I’ll definitely do a great job!”

Xu Que couldn’t help but fantasize about a wonderful life where she had a huge sum of money and lived in a grand mansion. Full of motivation, she began fulfilling the requirements of the agreement immediately.

The agreement stated: she must treat Jiang Fengyi as a partner.

Xu Que took a step forward, intending to open the door ahead for Jiang Fengyi, but the sensor door opened automatically, giving her no chance to show off her attentiveness.

Following her into the elevator, Xu Que wanted to help press the floor button, only to find there were no numbered buttons inside.

“Do… do we not need to press the floor?”

“The elevator knows which floor I live on.”

“High-end communities even have elevators this advanced?”

“It scanned our faces before we entered. The backend is linked to the residents’ identity information. The elevator only opens when it reaches the resident’s floor, which enhances security and privacy.”

“I’ll talk to the property management later to have your information entered. You’ll be coming here often in the future, so it will be more convenient.”

“I have to come… often in the future?”

“Of course. Currently, our relationship is that of a couple in love.”

With a ding, the elevator doors slowly opened.

“We’re here. Let me register your fingerprint first.”

Jiang Fengyi stood at the door and naturally took Xu Que’s hand to press it against the smart lock. She lowered her head, operating it with patience, seemingly unaware of how intimate their posture was.

Xu Que, however, was not so natural. She was used to living alone and rarely got so close to anyone. The cool touch from Jiang Fengyi’s fingertips magnified her senses.

As the other woman moved, soft strands of hair brushed against Xu Que’s cheek, leaving behind a faint, lingering fragrance that tempted one to lean in and find its source.

Xu Que had to turn her head to the side, deliberately creating some distance, while making small talk. “Are you… are you cold?”

Jiang Fengyi stopped, not understanding why she suddenly asked that.

“Your… your body temperature is a bit low.”

Only then did Jiang Fengyi realize her palm was tightly wrapped around the other woman’s fingers. She immediately let go.

“It’s registered.”

With that, she didn’t wait for Xu Que and headed into the house first.

Xu Que followed her inside. Once past the entrance foyer, the view opened up significantly. The living room alone was much larger than the total area of the one-bedroom apartment Xu Que rented.

Walking further in, she heard the sound of a spatula flipping in the kitchen. An auntie (domestic helper) was stir-frying, and the aroma of the food wafted through the door cracks into Xu Que’s nose.

“It smells so good!”

The famished Xu Que immediately threw the slight awkwardness at the door to the back of her mind. Her brain was occupied by the steaming hot food.

Jiang Fengyi checked the time. “Dinner will be ready soon.”

“How do you know?” Xu Que watched the auntie still tossing the wok. “She isn’t finished yet.”

“Dinner is always served at this time.”

Just as the words left her mouth, the last dish came out of the wok, and the auntie walked over carrying the plate.

“You’ve returned at just the right time. Dinner is ready.”

After setting the food on the table, the auntie didn’t leave. she hesitated, looking at Jiang Fengyi, unsure if she should speak.

Jiang Fengyi asked, “What is it?”

“Miss Jiang, I’d like to ask for a few days off. My youngest daughter is sick and has no one to look after her at the hospital.”

It was a sudden emergency, and the other auntie was away on her rotation back to her hometown and couldn’t make it back in time. That was why she looked so troubled.

“Have Xiao Zhou drive you there. Which hospital is it?”

Xiao Zhou was her driver. Usually, when she didn’t feel like driving, Xiao Zhou would take her to and from work; his schedule was very flexible.

“Miss Jiang, then your meals for the next few days…”

“Don’t worry, I have a way.”

The auntie cleaned up the kitchen and left. Only the two of them remained at the dining table.

Xu Que held her bowl and asked curiously, “What is your ‘way’?”

Jiang Fengyi took a bite of food and said calmly, “Make it myself.”

“You know how to cook?”

“No, but I can learn.” She then added, “It shouldn’t be hard.”

“I’ll do the cooking for the next few days.”

This time it was Jiang Fengyi’s turn to ask, “You know how to cook?”

“I’ve always cooked for myself. Although my skills can’t compare to your auntie’s, I’m good at general home-cooked dishes.”

Xu Que saw Jiang Fengyi take out her phone during a break in eating.

“What’s wrong?”

“Transferring money to you as payment for the cooking.”

Xu Que refused repeatedly. “No need, no need! Just consider it my rent for staying here.”

Back when they signed the marriage agreement in the afternoon, they had already exchanged contact information.

Before Xu Que could finish speaking, Jiang Fengyi had already transferred the money.

This was the first time Xu Que had encountered such a generous boss; she felt like going to stir-fry two more dishes for her right now.

The atmosphere was harmonious and pleasant.

Ding-dong—

The doorbell rang.

“Maybe the auntie left something behind.” Xu Que had just received a sum of money and was looking for a way to be useful. She volunteered, “I’ll get the door.”

“Auntie, did you forget to take—”

The smile froze on Xu Que’s face.

“…… Who are you?”

The middle-aged woman outside the door looked past Xu Que, meeting eyes with Jiang Fengyi inside the house.