When the Male Lead Finds Out I’m the Transmigrator Trying to Win Him Over - Chapter 34

In the afternoon, Yun Ruo received a greeting message from Feng You—some random, rambling words that didn’t really mean much. Out of curiosity, she went back to check Han Qi’s social media feed and noticed that Feng You had left a comment earlier that morning.

Just two exclamation marks.

He must have found out, right?

Her fingers tapped lightly: “What is it you want to ask?”

It was as if Feng You had been waiting at his phone. “Sister-in-law, are you dating someone right now?”

Feng You always habitually called her “sister-in-law.” Yun Ruo had tried correcting him many times without success, so this time she simply went along: “Not dating, but based on how things are going… Sister-in-law will soon have a boyfriend.”

Feng You: !

My friend’s wife is about to have a boyfriend? What a niche way of putting it.

He knew he shouldn’t keep using that form of address, but after so many years it had stuck. To him, “sister-in-law” was an acknowledgment. Besides, it was obvious that Meng Tingmo still had feelings for her. He always thought there was a chance for them to get back together.

And now Yun Ruo’s single sentence completely blocked that possibility.

Feng You: “Hahaha, congratulations then, Yun Ruo! So who is it? Do I know them?”

He still couldn’t bring himself to believe Yun Ruo and Han Qi could possibly be involved. They were like two people from completely separate worlds.

Yun Ruo: “You know him. But I haven’t caught him yet. I’ll tell you when I do.”

Feng You’s eyes nearly popped out.

Yun Ruo was the one pursuing?

He immediately thought back to how Yun Ruo had chased after Meng Tingmo for five years. That was truly… heartbreaking.

Putting away her phone, Yun Ruo went back to typing on her computer. Next door, the assistants were gossiping again.

“Is President Han… eating cake? Did I see that right?”

“Such a plain cake too. Unless it was something offered in front of a shrine, I can’t imagine President Han touching it.”

Assistant Liu: “That means our President Han has something going on!”

“Don’t talk nonsense. President Han’s buried in work every day. When have you ever seen him on a date? Except—”

Except that ever since Miss Yun showed up, Han Qi had been… different.

“Gasp—”

The assistants all sucked in a sharp breath.

It was over, it was really over. If Han Qi and President Meng clashed, things would turn ugly fast. And they knew yesterday had been Han Qi’s birthday.

Yun Ruo finally had a day off, so when she left work her face was full of smiles. Han Qi couldn’t help but frown at her: “So happy?”

“Mm-hmm.” Yun Ruo kept her eyes on the road ahead. “You don’t know how grounded this life as a working-class corporate slave feels to me.”

Han Qi: ?

Since when did any “corporate slave” actually enjoy working?

“Of course.” Yun Ruo already had her future planned out—after this, if everything worked out, she’d learn video editing at university. Whatever it was, she wanted to gain more skills so she’d have more career options when she graduated. For now, she was just laying her foundation.

After leaving Meng Tingmo, she finally felt like she could live her own life.

Not revolving around one person anymore gave her real security.

“Then what about dinner tomorrow night?” Han Qi’s voice came from the back seat. Since tomorrow was a holiday, to Yun Ruo, this wasn’t just a casual meal between boss and employee—it was very much a date in their ambiguous stage.

Yun Ruo hesitated.

Seeing this, Han Qi deliberately teased her, resting his arm on the back of her seat: “Didn’t you say you were pursuing me? Now you don’t even want to have dinner?”

“Of course I do,” Yun Ruo replied, “but you know… I’m just a corporate slave now.”

“No corporate slave wants to see their boss during a holiday—let alone go on a date with them.”

Han Qi paused, then laughed: “So what you mean is, if I want to date you, I’ll have to fire you first?”

“That would make it even less possible,” Yun Ruo slipped perfectly into her “working-class” role. “Firing me would make you an even worse boss.”

It was nonsense, but strangely, for two people with no dating experience, the back-and-forth had a kind of playful charm.

A relationship of complete equality, of push and pull.

When they got home, Yun Ruo was about to leave, but Han Qi caught her quickly: “If tomorrow night doesn’t work, then tonight will. Auntie cooked for two.”

Their distance was too close. Yun Ruo leaned back slightly, and Han Qi’s face filled her vision.

“Tsk.” She sighed softly. Once, she thought Meng Tingmo was the most handsome man alive. Looking at Han Qi now, he was every bit his equal.

“Tsk what?”

“Since President Han insists, I’ll stay.”

“….”

Han Qi was left speechless. Exasperated, yet his eyes shone with amusement. After a few seconds, he released her wrist. As he passed her, he murmured lightly: “So between us… who’s really chasing who?”

Good question. Yun Ruo didn’t know either.

It felt like she was chasing Han Qi… but she hadn’t put in much effort at all.

Han Qi cooperated with her willingly.

Anyone watching would think you two were just mutually in love.

Yun Ruo stood in place for a while before shaking her head.

If only it were mutual.

—

The next morning, Yun Ruo arrived at the airport with her suitcase right on time. Han Qi had brought four people this time: three assistants and one bodyguard. Looked like it was going to be a busy trip.

They landed at noon and checked into the hotel before heading to a welcome banquet arranged by the partners. On such occasions, Yun Ruo was practically invisible—her only job was to pour drinks and pass dishes. She and the bodyguard ended up eating to their hearts’ content.

“This crab is good.” The bodyguard.

“This shrimp too.” Yun Ruo.

Up at the main table, Han Qi’s lips curved slightly upward.

That afternoon, they went for an on-site inspection. Yun Ruo tagged along, but midway she received a video call from Meng Tingmo. She didn’t answer. Moments later, a message came: “Mom, it’s me.”

It was Meng Feihan. He always contacted her using his father’s phone.

Since kindergarten let out early in the afternoon, he must have been picked up and brought to Meng Tingmo’s office.

Yun Ruo replied: “Mommy’s busy right now. I’ll call you later.”

Feihan scrolled through his stickers and picked one with a big kiss.

Yun Ruo froze for a second. That was a sticker she had sent to Meng Tingmo long ago—just a bit of playful affection. Meng Tingmo had liked it, saved it, and ever since then, he ended every chat with it.

She once teased him for being childish.

“How is it childish if I’m kissing my own wife?” he had said.

She thought she’d never see that sticker again.

But here it was. She just shrugged and put her phone away.

The inspection went long, and by the time they got back to the city it was past five. Dinner was arranged, but before that, they had some time to rest at the hotel.

Han Qi was still in the other room talking with two assistants. Yun Ruo decided to open his suitcase and hang up his clothes.

That was part of a personal assistant’s job, after all.

With no time at noon, everything had been left unpacked. Dress shirts wrinkle easily, so she carefully laid them out and ironed a few in advance, not knowing which he’d wear tomorrow.

And then there were the ties.

Yun Ruo stared at them, lost in thought.

While the others outside were still discussing work, she pulled out her phone and called Meng Feihan back. His cool little face appeared on screen.

“Mommy.”

Yun Ruo smiled, looking at the background—it really was Meng Tingmo’s office.

“Is Daddy busy?” If he was, maybe they could talk somewhere private.

Feihan glanced up at his dad, then answered very seriously: “He’s not busy. He’s just watching me. Not working.”

Yun Ruo: …

“Mommy, when will you come see me?”

Yun Ruo did some mental math. She wouldn’t be back in Bincheng until the weekend, but since Feihan had school on weekdays and her own schedule wasn’t fixed, she said: “Only in the evenings after work. Maybe next week.”

Feihan pressed his lips together: “Can’t it be this weekend?” He wanted to go out and play with her.

Yun Ruo would kiss him, hug him, smell nice, praise him, and play with him—always telling him he was the smartest, most adorable child in the world.

Meng Tingmo never did that. All he ever said was three words: “You like it? Buy it.”

Yun Ruo explained: “Mommy’s on a business trip. I’ll only be back Sunday night.”

She meant to answer Feihan, but Meng Tingmo suddenly walked over. Pretending to glance casually at the screen, his face darkened the instant he saw: “You went on a business trip with Han Qi?”

Yun Ruo rolled her eyes: “I’m his assistant. Who else would I travel with— you?”

Meng Tingmo’s expression stayed ugly: “You’d better be in separate rooms.”

Yun Ruo’s face darkened too. Who did he think he was? They were divorced, and yet he still tried to control her. “None of your business.”

Meng Tingmo snatched the phone: “Yun Ruo!”

“One room.”

A voice cut in from behind.

Yun Ruo jumped, turning around to see Han Qi. “You’re done?”

“Mm.” Han Qi nodded, while Meng Tingmo practically lost his mind. He demanded an explanation, but Han Qi simply ended the call.

“Dealing with him is easy. Just ignore him.” That was what friends were for—they knew each other best.

Yun Ruo chuckled: “It was Feihan I was talking to. We were fine, and then his dad had to butt in.”

She quickly texted Feihan to reassure him. He didn’t reply—probably too busy comforting his fragile father.

Han Qi glanced around the room. “You unpacked everything for me.”

He had only come looking because the door was ajar and Yun Ruo was nowhere in sight. Then he walked in and locked eyes with Meng Tingmo through the video call.

Meng Tingmo had only asked about the rooms after spotting him.

Technically, “one room” wasn’t wrong. It was a suite—Yun Ruo’s bedroom was right next door.

“Yeah. Look at these clothes and pick what you’ll wear tomorrow. I’ll iron it tonight.” She pointed to the row of shirts on the rack, among which hung two sets of casual wear. She even noticed an armband tucked in.

Uniform play?

Yun Ruo: …

That system of hers hadn’t acted like this before. Clearly, the second host had left behind some bad habits.

Han Qi stood there with his hands on his hips, then spread them wide with a grin: “You pick.”

Yun Ruo pressed her lips together. This was a little too intimate.

But fine. If she was going to do it, she’d do it.

“This striped shirt, with the armband, and the black trousers. As for the tie—this one.”

She finished in under a minute.

Han Qi was surprised by her speed but accepted it without question: “So quick. Don’t tell me you’d already planned it out?”

Yun Ruo clamped her lips shut, refusing to answer.

He didn’t push her, just kept smiling at her until her ears turned red.

This flirting is lethal.

When they left the room, Han Qi walked ahead. Yun Ruo, taking advantage of his distraction, quietly slipped the chosen tie into her own room and closed the door, pretending nothing had happened.

Han Qi didn’t notice.

It wasn’t until the next morning, after he had put on the shirt, vest, and armband, and only needed the tie, that he realized it was missing.

At first he thought he’d misplaced it, so he searched the entire room, but nothing. He was sure he hadn’t taken it out the night before. He hadn’t been drinking either, nor was he a sleepwalker. He couldn’t have thrown it away.

There was only one possibility. Someone had taken it.

Han Qi went straight to Yun Ruo’s door.

The assistants waited outside while he knocked and entered. “Yun Ruo, have you seen my tie?”

It was time. Yun Ruo drew a deep breath.

She turned around—there it was, the tie dangling from her hand.

Han Qi raised an eyebrow, his whole body relaxing. “You took it?”

“Mm.” Yun Ruo stepped closer, holding the tie in both hands. “Bend down. Tying a tie is part of an assistant’s job, isn’t it?”

It was indeed—but coming from her, it carried a very different meaning.

Han Qi froze in place.

Yun Ruo held his gaze without fear. She never backed down from something once she decided on it.

After a few seconds, Han Qi finally lowered his head.

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