After Trying To Pursue The Cold, Elegant Beauty. I Ended Up Being Flirted With Instead - Chapter 1

Congratulations, CEO Pei, on finding a sweetheart!

“Why are you still standing there? Didn’t Director Chen tell you? Drink this cup of wine for Xinxin.”

A clear, pleasant voice sounded by her ear, pulling Wen Zhu back from her confused thoughts.

She was startled for a few seconds, then looked at the table.

The people sitting at the table were either well-known figures in the film industry or investors with money to burn.

Pei Xiubai, seated in the main chair, wore gold rimmed glasses, and her long, black straight hair was tucked behind her ears. The amber light shone on her exquisite features, radiating a cold, glamorous, and stylish beauty.

Her left index finger tapped the table impatiently. Seeing Wen Zhu stare at her for a long time without moving, she thought Wen Zhu was unwilling.

Smiling faintly, Pei Xiubai spoke with a hint of coolness, “Secretary Wen, don’t forget your duty. Xinxin is allergic to alcohol, so you drink it for her.”

The word “duty” was spoken with particular coldness.

Wen Zhu finally came back to her senses. Her heart couldn’t help but contract painfully.

She was asking her to take the drinks for Jiang Xinxin.

Wen Zhu’s stomach churned, but she ultimately put down the chopsticks she was using to debone a fish and picked up the wine glass.

Her face was somewhat pale, but when she smiled, she was still gentle and composed. She stood up to toast, “Thanks to Director Chen, the filming of this movie went so smoothly. I’ll toast you on behalf of the leading actress, and wish the film box office soaring success!”

Most of the people present were aware of the relationship between Pei Xiubai and Wen Zhu, so how could Director Chen dare to actually let Wen Zhu toast her?

She was about to reach out to stop her, but Wen Zhu had already drunk three glasses consecutively, finishing the bottle of white wine in front of her.

Putting down the glass, Wen Zhu’s face was already flushed.

She stood up and smiled again, “I’m going to the restroom for a moment.”

Inside the restroom, Wen Zhu bent over and vomited until she was completely drained.

After a long rest, she leaned against the wall and walked back towards the private room one step at a time.

Just as she opened the door a crack, she heard Jiang Xinxin’s soft voice coming from inside, “CEO Pei, wasn’t it a bit much just now to ask Sister Wen Zhu to take the drinks for me? She looked very uncomfortable…”

But the response she received was Pei Xiubai’s indifferent scoff, “She’s pretending. What could possibly be wrong with her? She’s just an orphan. She’s just overdramatic.”

She’s just overdramatic.

These four short words were like a sharp dagger, stabbing directly into Wen Zhu’s heart.

The unconcealed contempt in her words stripped away all the warmth around her.

She was indeed unwell today.

In the afternoon, before the movie press conference, the custom-made bracelet Pei Xiubai had prepared for Jiang Xinxin accidentally fell into the fountain.

She had wanted to call someone to retrieve it, but Pei Xiubai thought she had intentionally thrown it away, and specifically instructed her to personally retrieve the bracelet from the fountain.

It was early spring, and the water was bone-chillingly cold.

She searched in the fountain for a full two hours. When she returned, she started feeling dizzy, and her throat was dry as if it were on fire.

Despite this, she still forced herself to keep up her spirits and accompany Pei Xiubai to this celebration party.

However, no matter how uncomfortable Wen Zhu felt physically, it didn’t compare to the pain of hearing Pei Xiubai’s words just now.

Wen Zhu suddenly felt ridiculous.

Just as she was considering turning around and leaving, a burst of cheers suddenly erupted in the private room: “CEO Pei and Miss Jiang are truly a match!”

“Congratulations, CEO Pei, on finding a sweetheart!”

Hearing this, Wen Zhu’s fingertips trembled fiercely, and she accidentally pushed the door completely open.

The scene revealed before her was like a heart gouging knife, completely crushing her soul.

Jiang Xinxin was straddling Pei Xiubai’s long legs, her fair fingertips timidly resting on her shoulder.

Their lips were pressed tightly together, with a piece of ice held between them.

They were so absorbed in the kiss that when they briefly parted, one could even see glistening silver threads.

Wen Zhu felt as if she had been drenched with a bucket of ice water from head to toe. She trembled uncontrollably, and her heart felt tightly gripped by an invisible hand, throbbing with intense pain.

How could this be?

Hadn’t Pei Xiubai promised her that she would only ever kiss her?

She had loved Pei Xiubai for a whole twelve years…

The intimate scene of the two women in the room lasted as long as Wen Zhu stood blankly in the doorway watching.

She didn’t make a sound to interrupt, as if she was trapped in an inescapable nightmare, or perhaps, self-flagellating, determined to imprint this cruel sight deep into her heart.

It wasn’t until someone noticed Wen Zhu’s presence and softly called out, “CEO Pei…” that the two finally separated. Pei Xiubai, annoyed by the interruption, wore a displeased expression.

“Sister Wen Zhu!” Jiang Xinxin was timid, and upon seeing Wen Zhu, she immediately flinched like a startled deer.

In her panic, she accidentally bit her lower lip, and the ice in her mouth slipped down her throat.

Pei Xiubai’s expression immediately changed, and her eyes filled with heartache. She hastily said, “Sweetheart, don’t eat ice, you’ll catch a cold.”

Perhaps the shock of the earlier scene was too great, numbing her heart.

Hearing this, Wen Zhu didn’t feel pain. Instead, she curved her lips in a self-mocking, bitter smile.

She had never heard such a gentle tone from Pei Xiubai.

Jiang Xinxin merely swallowed a piece of ice, and Pei Xiubai was as nervous as if facing a great enemy.

But when she was retrieving the bracelet in the cold water all afternoon, did Pei Xiubai ever consider that she might catch a cold too?

Jiang Xinxin, however, ignored Pei Xiubai’s concern, her eyes red as she looked at Wen Zhu, “Sister Wen Zhu, don’t misunderstand, it was because…”

“You don’t need to explain,” Pei Xiubai interrupted her.

She gently embraced Jiang Xinxin and said indulgently, “She’s just a secretary.”

Yes, just a secretary, not even a girlfriend.

Wen Zhu felt that all her efforts over the years were nothing but an absurd farce.

She clenched her fingers tightly.

Don’t cry, this is all the dignity you have left, don’t cry in front of Pei Xiubai…

Taking a deep breath, Wen Zhu used all her strength to keep her tears from falling.

She slowly walked to her seat, picked up her bag, and laughed very softly, her voice carrying a hint of imperceptible tremor, “I have something to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now.”

She just wanted to leave this suffocating place as quickly as possible.

But she didn’t expect Pei Xiubai wouldn’t even grant her this small bit of grace. She snapped coldly, “Stop! Did I say you could leave?”

Years of habit made Wen Zhu stop involuntarily.

The relationship between her and Pei Xiubai had never been equal.

When Pei Xiubai looked at Wen Zhu, her expression was cold and indifferent, “Director Chen just left he should still be downstairs. Go see him off.”

The warm, yellow light shone on her, yet radiated a hint of chilliness.

Wen Zhu’s head was pounding, almost making her faint. She didn’t know where she found the courage, but she clenched her fists, refused to turn around, and stated directly, “I’m not feeling well. I need to go to the hospital.”

This was the first time Wen Zhu had refused Pei Xiubai’s command in all the years she had lived in the Pei family.

Pei Xiubai was stunned at first, then an inexplicable burst of anger flared in her heart, and her dark, deep eyes became even colder, “Secretary Wen, do you not want to work anymore?”

“Yes.” Wen Zhu felt utterly exhausted, physically and mentally.

She tightly grasped the doorknob, “I will submit my resignation to the company tomorrow.”

The atmosphere in the private room completely froze.

Aside from Pei Xiubai’s noble status, which meant few people usually dared to contradict her.

Even more, everyone present knew what kind of person Wen Zhu was.

Hadn’t they seen enough of it on set over the past two months?

Every time CEO Pei told Secretary Wen to ‘get lost,’ Secretary Wen would obediently comply.

But before long, she would come back at mealtime with carefully prepared meals, worried that CEO Pei’s diet was irregular.

Would a woman like that be willing to leave CEO Pei?

Not only did they not believe it, but Pei Xiubai didn’t either.

She thought Wen Zhu was still upset about the bracelet incident this afternoon, and a trace of impatience flashed across her brow, “Fine. If you want to leave, then get out cleanly and don’t be an eyesore.”

It seemed she had spoiled Wen Zhu’s temper over the past few years.

She even dared to talk back to her now.

Pei Xiubai was certain she wouldn’t leave and added, “You’ve made enough of a scene. Go see Director Chen off.”

Wen Zhu wanted to say that she wasn’t making a scene, but the thought quickly passed, and she felt there was no need.

Any further explanation would only make her seem more unreasonable.

She opened the private room door, stepped out, and her retreating figure carried an inexplicable sense of finality.

Seeing that Wen Zhu ultimately listened to her and went out to see the client off, Pei Xiubai’s expression improved significantly.

She wasn’t angry, so the people next to her finally dared to speak, “CEO Pei truly has extraordinary charm. Who in the circle doesn’t know that Wen Zhu has lived in the Pei family for over ten years, just like a dog of the Pei family.”

“What would that be called in ancient times? A ‘family-born slave’!”

“Haha, how about we make a bet? Let’s bet on when Secretary Wen will not resign this time?”

“What are you thinking? How is that possible!”

“Making a fuss for a few days should be enough. In a few days, won’t she come back shamefully to apologize to CEO Pei?”

“I bet three days!”

“Two days!”

Amidst the clamor, everyone burst into laughter.

Pei Xiubai took a sip of the clear white wine, the crystalline liquid blooming on her lips, and her hand once again stroked Jiang Xinxin’s soft, slender waist.

The eighteen-year-old’s skin was so delicate it seemed like water could be squeezed from it, she loved it immensely.

Putting down the glass, Pei Xiubai curved her lips into an arc, “I bet one night.”

Everyone looked at her in confusion.

Pei Xiubai hooked her lip, her tone casual and nonchalant.

Just one night.

As soon as tomorrow morning arrived, Wen Zhu would still obediently come to the company to bow her head to her.

Resignation? What resignation.

She was just a parasite that could only survive by depending on the Pei family. Where else could Wen Zhu go after leaving her?