Volume One, Chapter 19: Complaining About Investors

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Uncertain how long Lu Jingchen would take to return, Ye Zhaoying decided to take a stroll and suddenly noticed a swing hanging from a large banyan tree nearby, painted a brilliant shade of blue.

A serene memory gently washed over her mind...

Back in college, near a wooded area at A University, there was a leisure spot with a row of swings, all painted the same vivid blue.

The scenery there was beautiful, especially on sunny days when, from a distance, one could see the tranquil Jingxin Lake shimmering under the sunlight.

Lush trees surrounded the area, and a gentle breeze carried a cool mist.

Ye Zhaoying loved swinging—it was one of the rare pleasant memories from her childhood after being trafficked.

Thus, during her college years, she often enjoyed sitting on those shaded swings, reading, especially in summer when the soft breeze made everything comfortable and delightful.

She never expected that Lu Jingchen’s place would have a swing so much like the ones at A University.

Drawn by some inexplicable impulse, Ye Zhaoying slowly approached the swing, sat down, and with her feet off the ground, began to gently sway.

If only she had a good book, she could have sat there all morning.

She swung for an unknown length of time, feeling peaceful and content.

Suddenly, a rustling noise came from the nearby grass, stirring a sense of foreboding within her.

She looked carefully but saw nothing at first—then, in the next moment, a giant dog, wolf-sized, burst out from the bushes!

“Ah!”

Ye Zhaoying was terrified and hastily jumped off the swing—or rather, fell off.

The huge dog bared its sharp fangs. When she was trafficked, she had once been chased by wild dogs, her pants torn to shreds.

That fear still lingered deep in her heart, making her scalp tingle at the sight of any dog.

The dog wagged its tail and started approaching her, and Ye Zhaoying felt as if her soul might flee.

“Ahhhh!”

A piercing soprano echoed across the mountainside, filled with despair.

She scrambled forward, finally standing upright, but the dog kept closing in. Summoning all her strength, she sprinted ahead like a sprinter in a fifty-meter dash.

Two figures appeared ahead—it was Lu Jingchen and his assistant.

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Ye Zhaoying’s mind went blank, terrified the dog would bite her leg.

“Lu Jingchen! Save me!”

In the moment of panic, she didn’t call him “President Lu” but instead shouted his full name directly.

She lunged forward, clutching Lu Jingchen’s arm, eyes wide with terror as the massive dog neared.

Swiftly, she circled behind him and gripped the side of his jacket as if holding onto her last lifeline.

Pressed tightly against his back, her hands were slick with cold sweat.

Her heart pounded wildly; she could even hear herself swallowing hard. Stiffening her neck, she peered forward, dreading the dog would charge and tear at her legs.

But, to her shock, the giant dog stopped right in front of Lu Jingchen.

Ye Zhaoying looked up at Lu Jingchen’s face—only the sharp, cold profile was visible from that angle.

With a fierce glance from him, the once aggressive and wild dog immediately lowered its head and obediently sat down.

The fierce canine, with its menacing teeth, instantly transformed into a meek little pet.

This...

Ye Zhaoying was utterly stunned. Could this dog be Lu Jingchen’s?

Before she could ponder further, she felt a chill and looked up, meeting Lu Jingchen’s cool, steady gaze.

She hadn’t noticed when he had turned his head to look at her.

Following his eyes, Ye Zhaoying saw her own hands clutching his jacket’s hem. The originally luxurious, handcrafted suit fabric was now wrinkled and tangled from her grip.

Embarrassed, she loosened her hold and offered a harmless smile to Lu Jingchen.

But then, looking down again, she saw the dog sitting on the ground, black eyes fixed on her.

Startled, she instinctively threw her arms around Lu Jingchen’s waist, almost wrapping her legs around him.

“President Lu, could you please take it away?”

Lu Jingchen’s breath caught slightly at her sudden closeness. Usually composed, his steady heartbeat faltered.

His adamantine eyes flickered with an unfamiliar emotion; after a moment, he steadied himself and sharply ordered the giant dog, “Go back!”

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The dog’s ears drooped, reluctantly retreating.

Ye Zhaoying watched the massive dog disappear and finally exhaled deeply, sweat breaking out from fright.

Looking up again at Lu Jingchen’s expressionless face, she quickly released her grip on his waist and stepped back about a meter.

Hastily bowing, she apologized to the investor, “Sorry, President Lu. I was bitten by a dog before and have a psychological trauma, which caused my overreaction. I hope you can forgive me.”

Lu Jingchen seemed momentarily taken aback; his expression softened slightly, eyes reflecting a complex emotion. After a long pause, he said, “It’s okay. It won’t appear here again.”

Feeling something was off, Ye Zhaoying quickly replied, “No need to go to such trouble. This is your home and you’re free to keep dogs. I won’t be coming here often anyway.”

After speaking, she glanced up to see Lu Jingchen’s face looking even darker than before.

Was it just her imagination?

Silence fell, thick and cold in the awkward atmosphere.

Suddenly remembering her purpose, Ye Zhaoying hurriedly took the car keys from her bag and handed them to Lu Jingchen.

“President Lu, here are your car keys.”

After he took them, she quickly added, “Since I’ve returned your keys, I won’t keep you any longer. Goodbye, President Lu.”

Seeing her eagerness to leave, Lu Jingchen’s gaze darkened. Yet he turned to his assistant and said, “Escort Miss Ye back.”

The assistant paused briefly, then replied promptly, “Yes.”

Ye Zhaoying was surprised. “No need, I’ll just take a taxi.”

The assistant insisted, “Miss Ye, it’s difficult to get a taxi here. Let me take you.”

Just as Ye Zhaoying was about to politely decline, she felt Lu Jingchen’s gaze on her. Unable to refuse, she smiled and said, “Thank you, then. That would be a favor.”

The assistant took the invitation with a polite gesture. “Not a problem.”

Those around Lu Jingchen were always serious-faced. Once inside the car, Ye Zhaoying felt the atmosphere grow chilly.

Unable to resist, she sought a topic and asked a question she’d long harbored in her heart:

“Assistant Qi, don’t you feel nervous or stifled working with President Lu every day?”