You Should’ve Said Earlier that you’re Such a Little Flirt! - Chapter 13

Seeing her face turn visibly pale, Xiao Mi was startled, thinking she had said something wrong.

“Qingqiong, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Xu Qingqiong struggled to compose herself. “I’m fine, thank you,” she said, sitting back in her seat.

She remembered the first and only time she had met that Chairman Lin.

She and Lin Konglu were in the office when someone suddenly pushed the door open.

Chairman Lin appeared refined and elegant, dressed in a sharp suit—the quintessential image of a successful businessman.

Although Lin Konglu had immediately grabbed her hand and stepped in front of her to block his view, Xu Qingqiong still remembered that look vividly.

It was a scrutinizing, picky gaze that swept up and down. He wasn’t looking at a person; he was looking at a commodity to be priced and sold.

Before leaving, he had remarked in a breezy tone, “She’ll do.”

At that moment, a wave of visceral disgust washed over Xu Qingqiong.

Because that look instantly reminded her of someone—Ye Jianguo.

They shared the same cold-bloodedness, placing profit above emotion.

The only difference was that Ye Jianguo knew how to pretend; he would briefly act for the sake of interest.

This so-called Chairman Lin, perhaps because of his status, was blunt and naked in his approach, not even bothering to feign politeness.

Even the look he gave his own daughter, Lin Konglu, lacked any hint of fatherly affection. It was cold and commanding, more like a gaze directed at a subordinate, even tinged with a strange sense of loathing.

They say “it takes one to know one.” In that moment, shielded behind Lin Konglu, the first thought that flashed through her mind was that Lin Konglu was a person just like her.

She knew how much she had suffered in her naive youth for the sake of the so-called “familial affection” Ye Jianguo spoke of.

But she had her grandmother and Aunt Chun; she hadn’t lacked love growing up. That love had nourished her, making the lack of affection from her parents gradually seem less important.

But what about Lin Konglu?

She had never seen Lin Konglu’s mother, nor had she heard of any other relatives. Compared to herself, Lin Konglu seemed to have received even less.

Was her cold exterior just a protective shell?

But this was Lin Konglu’s own business. Would it be overstepping to ask?

Absent-mindedly clicking her mouse, she accidentally opened a chat window with her lawyer.

Ye Jianguo currently owned a handicraft factory that specialized in selling unauthorized replicas of various calligraphies and paintings. Simply put, he was making illegal profits from forgeries.

She had wondered if she could use this as a breakthrough to restrict his right to the inheritance—ideally, to send him to prison for a few years.

However, the lawyer’s reply was discouraging; the plan was nearly unfeasible.

First, the factory was small and profits were low. Even if they successfully gathered evidence and won a lawsuit to shut it down, it wouldn’t cause significant damage to Ye Jianguo.

Second, Ye Jianguo was cunning. He chose a vast variety of subjects to copy, making it difficult to organize evidence. It would also require contacting the original artists to testify, which was a logistical nightmare.

Xu Qingqiong re-read those lines several times, feeling increasingly frustrated. She tossed her mouse aside and headed to the breakroom.

Xiao Mi made her a cup of coffee and handed it over.

Xu Qingqiong took it distractedly, murmuring a thanks.

Taking a sip, she glanced toward the glass door and saw one of the elevators descending from the eighth floor, about to reach her current level.

There were four elevators commonly used in this office building: three for employees and one executive lift.

The eighth floor was where Lin Konglu’s office was located.

Staring at the flashing electronic display, she had a sudden, inexplicable premonition that the person inside was likely Lin Konglu.

Setting her coffee down, she walked quickly, then broke into a light run toward the elevator. Instinct took over; she decisively pressed the down button.

A second later, the elevator chimed and opened, revealing three figures inside the cabin.

Aside from Lin Konglu, there was Chairman Lin and an assistant.

The two women’s eyes met.

Lin Konglu’s pupils contracted slightly. Her usually cold expression flickered with a hint of awkwardness before she quickly regained her composure.

Xu Qingqiong froze, then looked away first, acting as if nothing happened. “Pressed the wrong button.”

Lin Konglu said nothing, immediately reaching out to press the “close door” button.

The doors opened and shut in less than five seconds.

Xu Qingqiong thought for a moment, leaned against the wall next to the elevator, and looked down to send a message: “…Where are you going?”

Lin Konglu replied about half a minute later: “To lunch.”

Xu Qingqiong: “With your father? Then wait for me, I want to go too.”

Lin Konglu declined politely: “I’ll be back soon. Is there something you want to eat? I’ll bring it back for you.”

“…” She didn’t actually want to eat.

Xu Qingqiong hadn’t expected Lin Konglu to refuse her. She felt a mix of shock and surprise, as this was the first time Lin Konglu had ever said no to her.

Xiao Mi came running up behind her, out of breath. “Qingqiong, what happened?”

Closing her hand over her phone, Xu Qingqiong shook her head silently.

She couldn’t quite describe the feeling, but she instinctively felt that Chairman Lin was bad news. She had secretly nicknamed him “Ye Jianguo Plus/Pro/Max Flagship Edition.”

She always trusted her intuition.

Having her first active offer of help rejected made her feel a bit disappointed and slighted.

But since Lin Konglu didn’t need her, then… fine.

Xu Qingqiong replied: “Nothing, nothing I want to eat.” She just wanted to be with her.

After a few seconds, she added a bit petulantly: “Come back early.”

On the other side.

Lin Konglu calmly scanned the screen. Her finger moved slightly as she coolly took a screenshot of the reply and saved it to her cloud album.

Lin Shuhai’s face was frozen in a cold expression, his eyes scrutinizing her. “You’re getting married soon. You haven’t forgotten what you should and shouldn’t be doing, have you?”

Lin Konglu remained expressionless, clutching the phone in her hand. She replied with her head down, “I know.”

Lin Shuhai gave a cold laugh. “Good. I thought you were so busy dating lately that you’d forgotten everything.”

The atmosphere fell into a heavy silence.

Lin Shuhai suddenly smiled, switching to a patronizingly kind tone. “It was a pity about CEO Zhang’s son; he was quite a good catch, but you weren’t willing. I never expected my only daughter to be a lesbian.”

“A lesbian… tsk tsk…” He leisurely crossed one leg and leaned back. “Take her to the hospital for a check-up soon. Hurry up with the process—I want to see my grandson born as soon as possible.”

Xu Qingqiong finished her lunch distractedly. She checked her phone several times, but Lin Konglu still hadn’t returned.

Coincidentally, Ye Jianguo sent another message, reminding her to come home this weekend.

Fuming, she gave him a piece of her mind.

Ye Jianguo was currently in a position where he dared not voice his anger, though his face surely soured. He didn’t message her again.

Feeling slightly better, Xu Qingqiong leaned back in her chair to calm down.

A few colleagues were gossiping during the lunch break and didn’t bother to hide it from her.

Most ordinary colleagues liked her. Though she looked like someone not to be messed with, she was actually quite good-tempered and easygoing, always helping out when needed.

Compared to certain “hellish” managers, Xu Qingqiong was an angel of a coworker.

Propping her chin on her hand, Xu Qingqiong stared boredly at her screen. She had no desire to listen to gossip until she heard a familiar keyword: Lin Konglu.

She straightened her back. Her hand reaching for her water cup slowed down. Using her toes to nudge the floor, she adjusted her swivel chair and pricked up her ears.

Colleague A said: “I saw on some forum the other day that Director Lin lived abroad before because Chairman Lin was infertile and had no heir. He only brought her back to ‘recognize his ancestry’ because he had no other choice.”

Colleague B asked: “Really? No wonder he hasn’t let her take over the position for so long.”

Colleague A continued: “Who knows if it’s true, but the news is hilarious. ‘Recognize the ancestry’—honestly, that wording makes it sound like we’re back in the Qing Dynasty. What, does he still need a male heir?”

“…”

Xu Qingqiong felt conflicted listening to this. She thought it would be some explosive secret, but it was just baseless, soap-opera-level rumors.

It was almost certainly false. She had even seen headlines before like: #SHOCK! Deceased famous museum founder suspected to be a lesbian?!#

That one was basically naming her grandmother.

How could that be? It had to be fake. If it were true, where did she come from? Was she picked up from a trash can?

Suddenly, the atmosphere went silent. The colleagues who had been gossiping stopped abruptly.

Sensing something was wrong, Xu Qingqiong glanced toward the glass door.

Outside, she saw a familiar figure. White shirt, black trousers, slim waist, hair tied back—a cold and sharp aura.

Who else could it be but Lin Konglu?

Xu Qingqiong’s heart skipped a beat. She felt strangely relieved, yet even though she wasn’t the one gossiping, she felt more flustered than those who were. She immediately looked away.

Then she felt stupid. Why am I hiding?

She turned her gaze back, forcing herself to stare to see what Lin Konglu was doing.

The figure didn’t stop. Lin Konglu walked a circle and then took the stairs up to the eighth floor.

But Lin Konglu could have taken the elevator directly to the eighth floor; there was no reason for her to stop at the seventh just to walk up.

Xu Qingqiong blinked, realizing something. At that moment, a new notification popped up on her phone from Lin Konglu.

The previous message was Xu Qingqiong saying: “Come back early.”

Lin Konglu replied: “I’m back.”

Xu Qingqiong was confused: “?”

You’re back, why do you need to tell me specifically?

Lin Konglu: “Where is my reward?”

Xu Qingqiong was speechless: “???” Who promised you a reward?

Lin Konglu: “Oh, there isn’t one?”

“…” Xu Qingqiong tried to brush her off. “No! Because you came back too late!”

Lin Konglu replied smoothly: “Fine. I’ll work harder next time.”

The veins on Xu Qingqiong’s forehead throbbed: “…” Work harder my foot!!!

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