My Weekend Lover Turned Out To Be My Boss - Chapter 71

Chapter 71: The Bet. “500 Miles”

Entering Guan Shuyun’s office, I found her sitting in her executive chair, twirling a fountain pen. Files were scattered across her desk, suggesting a mountain of work. When she saw me, she immediately tossed the pen aside and said breezily, “Perfect timing. I was looking for an excuse to slack off, and now I have one.”

She rose and walked leisurely to the other side of the office, where a meticulously carved solid wood tea table stood, adorned with high-end tea sets. Leaning against the back of a heavy chair, she scrutinized me. “So? Settled things with CEO Lan already?”

Unwilling to waste breath on trivialities, I replied shortly, “There’s nothing to discuss with someone I’ve broken up with.”

She let out a scoffing laugh. “My, when did you become so cold-blooded? It doesn’t suit your style. Sit.”

This uncharacteristic hospitality was rare. I didn’t want to beat around the bush. Before she could ask, I stated my purpose: “The person I’m here to see isn’t actually you.”

She seemed to have known the backstory all along. “I know. You want to see Qiao Xin.”

She began boiling water and arranging the tea tools. I suspected she was trying to set me up again, so I waited for her to continue. She took out a box of Pu-erh tea and started busying herself. Seeing my silence, she raised an eyebrow. “Why so quiet? Say something.”

I crossed my arms. “I figure you won’t let me see Qiao Xin that easily.”

She poured the boiling water, expertly rinsing the cups, smiling radiantly. “You know me well. However, looking for Qiao Xin is useless. She didn’t kidnap anyone. That Qiu Qi is in my hands. The ‘business card’ clue was just something Qiao Xin mentioned yesterday; I thought it would be useful. I didn’t expect you’d actually show up today.”

“Didn’t you say a life for a life? I’m here now. What else do you want before you let her go?”

“We both know kidnapping is illegal. Since I dared to do it, I obviously won’t let her go easily. As for what I want you to do, I haven’t decided yet. But today, I’ll take you to see Qiu Qi and invite you to my home for a casual meal. What do you think?”

I shifted my posture and took a small sip of tea. “Guan Shuyun, I just don’t get it. We have no grudge. Why do you insist on hounding me?”

The smile on her face deepened. “My target has always been Lan Feiyi. Sowing discord between you two was just more fun. You’re just too serious and exceptionally stupid—you didn’t believe the woman you lived with for years, but you believed me. Isn’t that ironic? But there’s a reason for hounding you; Lan Feiyi wasn’t the only one responsible for Qiao An’s death.”

I finally understood. After all these twists and turns, it was about revenge. “So you and Qiao Xin hooked up just to avenge Qiao An? But so what? He’s dead…”

My mocking tone made her uncomfortable. Her face darkened as she glared at me. Thinking of something “interesting,” I added, “Do you want to know what it was like when Qiao An died? I can try to recall it for you… To love to the point of madness, kidnapping his favorite woman and even endangering his own child, threatening to take me down with him—he threw his life away for nothing. And in the end, you women have to come and collect the debt. Why bother?”

“Enough! Shut up! You Feifan, don’t get too arrogant. Our scores haven’t even started being settled yet. You’re the first person who has dared to provoke me repeatedly. I’ve been tolerating you for a long time!”

Guan Shuyun’s anger wasn’t particularly frightening, but I knew she was a woman of action. I stopped talking and poured myself another cup of tea.

“Then let me ask you: what’s the point of kidnapping Qiu Qi? Is it just to threaten me?”

“I have my own personal grievances with Qiu Qi. You’re just a troublemaker who stirs things up wherever there’s a mess. Truly bad luck.”

“And what did you actually do to Phoebe?”

Seeing I had reached the core issue, she flashed that triumphant smile again. “Since you asked, I’ll explain it simply. Making you break up with Lan Feiyi was just the beginning. We will make her lose everything she prizes, and no one can stop it—even she has to comply now. The best parts are yet to come; you can watch the show. Though, it seems it doesn’t have much to do with you anymore. Oh, I just thought of a brilliant plot twist. I’ll keep it a secret for now and tell you later.”

Having experienced so much deception, my emotional response to her nonsense was minimal. I even felt she was right—what did it have to do with me? Lan Feiyi was the protagonist of this mess; I should stay as far away as possible to avoid being dragged back in.

Guan Shuyun was surprised by my lack of reaction. “Why aren’t you losing your temper? Normally you’d be standing up and yelling at me. You really aren’t following the script. You’re acting very strange today…”

I admired the tea cup and chuckled. “Is my reaction disappointing? I should be furious at being manipulated like this, right? Then you’d get to enjoy watching me struggle helplessly. Is that it? Actually, I’ve realized that my hatred for you is nothing compared to my hatred for Lan Feiyi.”

She looked confused, suspecting I was acting. “Stop pretending. Do you think I’ll believe you?”

“Whether you believe it or not is your business. Why would I lie? The reason is simple: you will never know how much I sacrificed for that love. I was willing to be a hostage to trade for the Lan mother and daughter, ready to die with Qiao An. Few people can do that in the face of death.

But what did I get in return? If your arrival was a test for Lan Feiyi and me, we failed from the start. She didn’t trust me. She thought I didn’t have the ability to share the burden with her. After everything that happened, she’d rather shoulder it alone than tell me a thing. Maybe your threats played a part, but people who truly love each other face both the sweet and the bitter together.

I was like a pet she kept—to be played with when she was happy and used as a punching bag when she wasn’t. Now, everyone is on her side, thinking I’m the one being unreasonable. I’m innocent and helpless. Why have I become the character who is ‘protected’ and looked down upon by everyone?

Because of Lan Feiyi. Because she has too much, everyone clings to her, and I became an accessory. People have dignity. She thought that because she gave me love, I should bow down and follow her. That isn’t love; that’s just a common boss-employee relationship. So I hate her. I gave her my years and my feelings, and this is the result she gave me.”

Guan Shuyun seemed to grasp my point. She thought for a while before saying, “Strange… how did one trip change your view on love so much? Setting aside our grudges, I think you’re okay. At least you’re devotedly loyal in a relationship—that’s quite likeable.”

“That trip turned into a joke… Don’t worry about your grudge with Qiu Qi; I have my own score to settle with her.”

The conversation was easier than I expected. Guan Shuyun didn’t make things difficult. She checked the time and set down her cup. “It’s about time. Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“Didn’t I say I’d invite you to a casual meal at my place?”

The “Hongmen Banquet” I couldn’t refuse was the main event of the day. I followed her to the lobby. When Lin Chen saw me, he immediately rose to meet us. Guan Shuyun grew alert at the sight of the stranger. “Don’t try any tricks.”

I shrugged. “Thanks to you and Qiao Xin, this is the bodyguard Lan Feiyi arranged for me, fearing you’d move against me. But as it turns out, you did move against me—it’s just that I wasn’t home, so Qiu Qi was the unlucky one. Why go to all that trouble? I’ve delivered myself to your door anyway.”

Guan Shuyun looked Lin Chen up and down, then relented. “He can come. My lazy security guards haven’t had a practice partner in a long time.”

By the sound of it, she wanted a fight? I had a sudden whim. “Hey, want to make a bet?”

Guan Shuyun’s playful side was piqued. She tilted her head and asked, “What do you want to bet?”

“What else? Money, of course. You’re rich, I can’t compete, so I’ll only bet a million.”

“A million… I can handle a small bet like that. How do you want to play?”

“You just said you wanted practice partners, right? I’ll let my man spar with your security. One-on-one or a group fight, your call. If he wins, I make a million. If he loses, I pay you a million. Simple.”

Guan Shuyun thought the stakes were too low. “How about this: if you win, I pay you five times back. If you lose, I don’t want your money.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I want you. You’ll definitely be useful later.”

Lin Chen heard everything. I turned around, a hidden smile on my face—everything was going exactly as planned. I faced Lin Chen and patted his solid chest. “Hear that? You better do me proud.”

Lin Chen looked at me expressionlessly and gave a faint nod. According to Yu Xiao, he was a freak who could take on a hundred men. This was going to be fun.

Guan Shuyun got into her car to lead the way, and I followed in mine. Lin Chen, sitting in the passenger seat, asked, “Why make such a boring bet?”

I watched the back of Guan Shuyun’s car and laughed. “What? Can’t you win?”

“Whether I can win or not, we’ll only know after the fight.”

“If you win, we’re rich. Five million! I’ll buy you twenty baskets of soup dumplings every morning, no problem.”

“And if I lose? That woman looks like trouble.”

“Success or failure depends on you. Remember, the sparring is just a cover. The real goal is for you to distract those guards so I can take Qiu Qi away.”

“And what about you?”

“I have my own arrangements. Remember, you’re currently employed by me. Listen to me and don’t mess up my plan.”

“I understand.”