My Elite Boss Is Carrying My Child - Chapter 3

“I’ll be watching!” Xi Xingyu drew out the last word, then solemnly extended his pinky finger. “Pinky swear. If my brother comes, you have to stay. You’re not allowed to make excuses to go home.”

Qi Jiezhi hooked his finger around the boy’s small one and gave it a gentle shake. “Alright, pinky swear. But we have a deal: you have to finish your homework first.”

“Deal!” Xi Xingyu immediately buried his head back into his schoolwork.

Watching him, Qi Jiezhi let out a small laugh. His gaze drifted toward the window, and for some reason, he found himself thinking of…

Qu Mingluo’s face.

He told himself it had nothing to do with Xingyu’s brother, and he wasn’t particularly curious, anyway.

“Teacher Qi, look at this one!” Xi Xingyu pushed his notebook over. “The answer I got looks really weird.”

Qi Jiezhi took a pen and sketched out the solution on a piece of scrap paper. Xingyu was bright, it only took one look for him to grasp the logic.

“I get it now.”

“You’re a smart one, Xiao Xing,” Qi Jiezhi said. “Keep going with the rest.”

“No problem.”

However, as soon as the boy finished the current set of problems, he realized something was off. “Wait, if I finish this fast, you definitely won’t be here when my brother arrives. Are you trying to avoid him?”

“Not at all.” Qi Jiezhi ruffled the boy’s hair. “What do I have to hide from?”

“I don’t know, I just get the feeling you don’t like meeting strangers,” Xingyu said. “I forgot about that just now, sorry, brother.”

Qi Jiezhi smiled and told him, “It’s okay.” He clearly wasn’t bothered by it.

Xingyu’s praise for his brother’s looks was sincere and without ulterior motives, so Qi Jiezhi didn’t overthink it. Once the homework was done, Qi Jiezhi said his goodbyes.

The pay from the Xi family was excellent, and the hours were relatively flexible. As long as Qi Jiezhi confirmed that Xingyu’s assignments and training were complete, he was free to go.

Qi Jiezhi headed out the main gate and hopped onto his bicycle. He hadn’t been riding long when he saw.

Qu Mingluo.

Qi Jiezhi was stunned. Why was Qu Mingluo on foot?

He figured the man might live in this neighborhood, but he wasn’t certain. Still, after how awkward things had been that morning, he thought it was better to say hello.

“Good evening, President Qu,” Qi Jiezhi said, acting casual. “I followed you here.”

“That isn’t very funny,” Qu Mingluo replied, dismissing the joke.

“Well, this is awkward then,” Qi Jiezhi admitted. “Truth is, I’m working here as a tutor.”

“I see.”

Qu Mingluo looked up, his gaze lingering on Qi Jiezhi’s face for a second before shifting to the bicycle basket. Inside was a slice of strawberry cake that Xingyu had asked the housekeeper to make for him.

“Your student’s surname is Xi.”

Qi Jiezhi realized this wasn’t a question. He looked at Qu Mingluo with confusion, but the man didn’t say anything more. As they brushed past each other, Qu Mingluo added, “Xiao Xing likes those things, he made that.”

Qi Jiezhi froze in place. It finally clicked: Qu Mingluo was that distant relative Xingyu had mentioned.

…And he was closer than expected.

Qi Jiezhi felt like his earlier thought of Qu Mingluo’s face was his sixth sense trying to warn him. Too bad he hadn’t caught on at the time.

Xingyu hadn’t been lying, his brother really was good looking.

Qi Jiezhi awkwardly pulled out his phone, staring at it for a long while without knowing what he was looking for. Eventually, he gave up, shoved the phone back into his pocket, and pedaled toward the subway station.

On the way, he thought about messaging Lin Shuangyu, but after some consideration, he decided it was better not to pry. However, while his mind was racing, his phone vibrated. It was a message from her.

Lin Shuangyu: Qi, President Qu wants to hear the interns’ reports Monday morning.

Qi Jiezhi: All of them?

Lin Shuangyu: Just you.

Then, she sent a voice note.

“Go up to the 28th floor by yourself. You’re going to report to our handsome President Qu face to face.”

She wasn’t joking, she was giving him a genuine heads up. Thinking of the man’s features and the high salary, Qi Jiezhi decided it wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

He stared at the screen for a long time. The words “Just you” felt like a cryptic hint. He remembered what Qu Mingluo said as they passed each other, and it felt as though the man had made this specific request precisely because they had just crossed paths.

Qi Jiezhi shivered, then shook his head.

Over the next few days, he worked his normal day shifts and tutored Xingyu in the evenings. Xingyu didn’t ask a single question, so it was clear Qu Mingluo hadn’t mentioned their encounter, and Qi Jiezhi didn’t bring it up either.

The two didn’t cross paths at the office, since Qu Mingluo stayed on the 28th floor and didn’t usually come down to inspect the staff.

On Monday morning, Qi Jiezhi arrived earlier than usual. Facing Qu Mingluo for a formal report was making him feel a bit… uneasy.

Due to the previous “accident,” the elevator buttons had been modified. Regular employees couldn’t even press the 28th floor. Once Qi Jiezhi stepped inside, he pressed the call icon.

He could tell it would be a video call, so he adjusted his posture beforehand to make sure his face looked flawless from that angle.

Qu Mingluo answered and hung up within a single second, and then the light for the 28th floor blinked on.

Watching the numbers climb, Qi Jiezhi recalled the first time he met him. Back then, he thought Qu Mingluo was just some senior colleague. Now that he knew more, he realized the man was someone he couldn’t quite read.

The doors opened to reveal deep grey cashmere carpeting stretching down the hall. Qu Mingluo’s office door was open. He was sitting at his desk reviewing documents, a cartoon-patterned bandage stuck to his temple.

Qi Jiezhi figured Xingyu must have put it there.

“Sit,” Qu Mingluo said without looking up, his voice flat.

Qi Jiezhi sat in the chair opposite him, placed the report on the desk, and slid it forward an inch with his fingertip.

Qu Mingluo finally looked up. His eyes brushed over the spot on Qi Jiezhi’s hand where the bite mark had been, but the trace was gone now.

“A standard report,” Qi Jiezhi began, summarizing what he had accomplished the previous week.

He kept it strictly professional, acting as if no other connection existed between them. Qu Mingluo took the file but didn’t look at the contents yet. Instead, he asked, “Do you know why I called you here?”

“Sister Lin said you wanted to see if the bait was still alive.”

Qu Mingluo’s finger paused as he turned a page.

Qi Jiezhi immediately added, “That was a joke.”

“It wasn’t funny.” Those three words were spoken in the exact same tone as the “not very funny” from the other night.

Qi Jiezhi pursed his lips, thinking that this President Qu was truly cold to the bone.

“Has that spy’s company made any other moves?”

“Yes, but we’ve already cooperated with the police to finish the statements,” Qu Mingluo said. “You don’t need to worry.”

“President Qu, can I ask something I probably shouldn’t? Please?”

“Go ahead,” Qu Mingluo said casually.

“Did I really get into Hengxin based on my own ability?” Qi Jiezhi asked.

“Hiring isn’t handled by me. Your boss looked you over and decided you were capable,” Qu Mingluo told him. “And based on the report you submitted, you don’t have to worry about being fired. Anything else?”

“Does that mean you’re satisfied with my report?” Qi Jiezhi looked at him expectantly.

“Yes. You can go now.”

“Great!” Qi Jiezhi said. “Thank you, President Qu.”

Qi Jiezhi stood up, pushed the chair back into place, and turned toward the door.

“Wait.”

Qu Mingluo’s voice came from behind him. Qi Jiezhi stopped, feeling a bit flustered.

“Come to Seaview Bay on Friday night,” Qu Mingluo said.

Qi Jiezhi turned around. “I was going anyway. What do you mean by that, President Qu?”

Qu Mingluo finally lifted his head, his gaze lingering on Qi Jiezhi’s face a little longer than before.

“Xiao Xing’s parents are going on a business trip,” he said, his tone level. “I have to go check on him.”

Qi Jiezhi blinked, then nodded. If Qu Mingluo wasn’t specifically looking for him and it was just a normal tutoring arrangement, then there was nothing to worry about.

“I know,” Qi Jiezhi said. “Xiao Xing told me last week. He said his parents are very busy with work.”

Qu Mingluo’s finger tapped lightly on the edge of the file, as if he were weighing his words.

“Since you know that, do you know what else he told me?”

“Xiao Xing knows we’ve met?” Qi Jiezhi asked.

“He does,” Qu Mingluo said, keeping it brief. “He asked me to ask you if you’d like to move in for a bit. I could drive you to work.”

Qi Jiezhi felt his heart skip a beat.

He looked at the cartoon bandage on the side of Qu Mingluo’s face. It was half-hidden by his hair, making the visible part look somewhat ridiculous, clashing completely with his icy aura. But it was clearly the work of a child. Qu Mingluo had no reason to lie about it.

“Was the part about you driving me to work also Xiao Xing’s idea?” Qi Jiezhi asked, voicing his doubt.

Qu Mingluo’s hand froze mid-turn. “Does it make a difference?”

“It does,” Qi Jiezhi said. “Xiao Xing doesn’t like being a burden to people. If he said it, it’s because he really needs me there. But if it wasn’t him…” He trailed off.

Qu Mingluo looked at him, his eyes turning dark and unreadable. “If it wasn’t?”

Qi Jiezhi broke into a smile. He leaned forward, resting both hands on the desk and peering at Qu Mingluo. “Then I have to ask, in what capacity are you inviting me, President Qu?”

Qu Mingluo’s eyes swept over his face before he quickly looked away, as if he’d been burned.

“In the capacity of an employer, obviously,” Qu Mingluo said. “His parents aren’t home, so I need someone who can keep an eye on him.”

“And how much are you planning to pay me?” Qi Jiezhi’s eyes were full of blatant greed for money.

“Three times your usual hourly rate. It will come out of my personal account, not through Xingyu’s parents or your official salary,” Qu Mingluo negotiated.

“My rates are already quite high,” Qi Jiezhi said. “But since you’re the one asking, there’s an extra fee.”

Qu Mingluo finally looked at him properly, his brow furrowing slightly as if trying to tell if he was being serious.

“Five times then,” Qu Mingluo said after a thought. “Move in today. No need to wait until Friday.”

“Deal,” Qi Jiezhi said. “I knew you had superpowers, President Qu.”

“Go on,” Qu Mingluo said. “See you tonight.”

“President Qu, I know you’re telling me to go back to my desk, but the way you say ‘go on’ makes me feel like a little palace eunuch.”

“Then what does that make me?” Qu Mingluo asked.

“The Emperor, of course,” Qi Jiezhi replied. “For someone as decisive and demanding as you, there’s another name: a tyrant.”

Qu Mingluo let out a cold snort. “Is that really how you see me?”

Qi Jiezhi thought for a moment, then asked, “That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, right?”

“Go,” Qu Mingluo said again.

Qi Jiezhi laughed and took his leave.

As he walked out of the 28th floor and the elevator doors slid shut, he leaned against the metal wall. In the reflection, he saw that the tips of his ears were bright red.

Five times the rate, paid from Qu Mingluo’s private account, without his parents knowing.

What did that mean?

It meant this was a personal invitation from Qu Mingluo. It wasn’t a family hire, and it wasn’t a company assignment. It was Qu Mingluo himself who wanted him to stay at Seaview Bay.

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