Volume One Chapter 21 Don’t Leave Me

Xu Qian’s expression froze, but she quickly forced an even sweeter smile.

How dare Wen Yunzhi act so boldly!

She’d never gotten along with me.

Just wait until Fu Yuting leaves—I’ll teach her a lesson.

“Director Wen, you must be joking. I was just lucky to help President Lu with a bit of work, nothing more~”

Wen Yunzhi couldn’t be bothered to respond, rolling her eyes and turning straight to Fu Yuting. “Yuting, you’re going to Lu Corporation this afternoon. President Lu’s brother handpicked you for the job—purely on your own merit.”

Xu Qian’s smile faltered, her face twisting with barely concealed frustration. Her tone grew sharper. “I heard President Lu’s elder brother is a cold, harsh man. You must be very careful around him, sister.”

Fu Yuting paused for a moment, looking up at her.

“You seem to know a lot about Lu Jingyan’s... elder brother?”

Xu Qian’s gaze turned frosty. “Just rumors, that’s all.”

She leaned in, her perfume overwhelming and nearly stifling.

“He’s notorious for being strict with his subordinates. I heard an assistant once sent the wrong document, and the next day was shipped off to the Siberian branch.”

Fu Yuting’s eyes darkened slightly.

She’d never heard of anything like that about Lu Xing.

But the way Xu Qian put it, it was obviously deliberate.

There must be something more at play.

Seeing Fu Yuting silent, Xu Qian assumed she was frightened and smiled even more sweetly. “But don’t worry, sister. If you need anything, just let me know.”

Fu Yuting’s lips curved into a faint smile as she continued packing her things, not even glancing up.

Wen Yunzhi snorted, slapping a stack of documents into Xu Qian’s arms. “Vice President Xu, perhaps you should ‘worry’ about this report instead? President Lu is waiting.”

Xu Qian bit her lip, finally stomping off in her high heels, unwillingly.

As soon as Wen Yunzhi saw her leave, she shut the office door.

“That green tea viper, Xu Qian—I’m at my wits’ end with her!” Wen Yunzhi slammed her coffee cup onto the desk.

“Oh, that’s just how she is. Don’t bother with her.” Fu Yuting couldn’t help but laugh at Wen Yunzhi’s frankness.

Suddenly, Wen Yunzhi lowered her voice, her expression growing serious. “But... what she just said might be true.”

“I know.” Fu Yuting didn’t seem surprised, her eyes growing even darker.

After all, in the Lu family—a place that eats people alive and spits out the bones—how could anyone come out unscathed? He must be even more ruthless than Lu Ye.

That afternoon, at the Lu Corporation building.

Fu Yuting had just finished checking in at the secretariat when she felt a sharp gaze fixed upon her.

“Assistant Su.” The secretary beside her greeted politely.

Fu Yuting looked up, meeting a pair of scrutinizing eyes.

A woman stood before her, clad in a stylish pencil skirt, custom-tailored and adorned with Van Cleef & Arpels limited edition jewelry. Her lips were painted a deep red, and she eyed Fu Yuting with open appraisal.

“So, you’re Fu Yuting?”

Su Yu’s voice was measured, but held a subtle note of disdain.

Is this the secretary he specifically requested?

Admittedly, she’s pleasant to look at.

“This is Su Yu, the president’s special assistant. You may call her Assistant Su,” the secretary, Chen Jia, introduced with a smile.

Fu Yuting recalled the information Wen Yunzhi had given her.

Su Yu, only daughter of the Su Group, now serving as special assistant to Lu Jingyan’s elder brother.

Rumor had it that she’d once fallen for him at a banquet, insisting—tearfully, no less—on becoming his assistant.

Could she be the woman Lu Jingyan had warned her to watch out for?

Fu Yuting maintained her composure, extending her hand with a polite smile.

“Assistant Su, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to working with you.”

But Su Yu merely glanced at her coolly, striding past without so much as a nod. Her heels rang crisply on the floor, not even a glance spared.

This wasn’t ordinary workplace snubbing—it was blatant contempt.

Fu Yuting let her hand drop, slowly retracting it.

What had she done to offend this privileged heiress?

Or was this simply Su Yu’s natural rudeness?

Chen Jia, witnessing Fu Yuting’s hand fall, glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then whispered, “Assistant Su is always like that. Just try to keep your distance from the president. He’s on a business trip these days, should be back in a few days.”

“A business trip? Why so suddenly?” Fu Yuting looked puzzled.

“I heard it was a last-minute decision this morning. We didn’t dare ask for details,” Chen Jia replied carefully.

“I see. Thank you.” Fu Yuting felt a faint sense of gratitude at Chen Jia’s gentle reminder despite her own nervousness.

Back at her desk.

Outside the glass doors of the secretariat, Su Yu stood, fingers pinching an iced Americano, her lips curved in a cold, mocking smile.

She fixed her gaze on Fu Yuting at her desk, resentment churning within.

Let’s see what this secretary is capable of.

Who does she think she is, to deserve his attention?

“Secretary Fu.” Su Yu strode to Fu Yuting’s desk, heels clicking, and slammed a stack of documents down.

“These are urgent contracts the president needs. Send them to me in ten minutes.”

Fu Yuting opened the folder, finding page after page of dense English technical terms—professional jargon that no ordinary secretary could possibly review in such a short time.

“But isn’t the president on a business trip? I thought these documents weren’t needed until next month.” She blinked innocently at Su Yu.

“He says he needs them now. Are you questioning his decision?” Su Yu’s eyes were unwavering, her tone impatient.

“Understood, Assistant Su.” Fu Yuting met Su Yu’s challenging gaze.

Su Yu sneered, and as she turned, she “accidentally” knocked over her coffee cup—

Brown liquid instantly soaked the documents.

“Oh dear, I slipped.” Su Yu feigned surprise, not a trace of apology in her eyes.

Fu Yuting’s eyes chilled as she looked at the sodden papers.

At five o’clock that afternoon.

Fu Yuting had just finished salvaging the drenched documents when the internal phone rang. She picked up, and Su Yu’s spoiled tone came through:

“Secretary Fu, go over the quarterly financial report again. There’s an error in the numbers.”

Fu Yuting opened the file, only to find that key figures had been altered using transparent font—almost impossible to spot without careful scrutiny.

If she submitted it as-is, someone would surely catch the “error”—at best, she’d be scolded; at worst, fired on the spot.

Her fingers flew over the keyboard, pulling up the original data for comparison.

Su Yu wanted to destroy her reputation at Lu Corporation completely.

But to what end?

Now was not the time to confront her.

By seven in the evening,

Under the fading twilight, the office lights glowed cold and lonely. In an international corporation, overtime was rare; she was the only one left.

Fu Yuting rubbed her aching neck, looking out the window.

The sunset stained the sky crimson, the clouds ablaze like burning embers—so dazzling it hurt to look.

She drifted into a daze.

This was the sort of view that ought to be shared with someone.

The phone rang abruptly.

On the screen, the name “Bo Xingzhou.”

Fu Yuting stared at the name for two seconds before answering.

“Hello?”

On the other end, Bo Xingzhou’s voice was as calm and reserved as ever, touched with a familiar low timbre. “Mrs. Wang said you didn’t come home for dinner.”

Fu Yuting unconsciously traced the edge of a file, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Working late.”

After a brief silence, Bo Xingzhou’s voice deepened, steadier. “Come home early.”

Seeing the empty office, Fu Yuting felt a ripple in her heart. “All right. Are you home?”

Another pause.

“I’m on a business trip. I’ll be back in a few days,” Bo Xingzhou replied, his voice low and clear.

A business trip?

Why is everyone away on business today?

Could it be that he and Lu Xing are traveling together?

Fu Yuting shook her head, dismissing the thought.

“I’m heading home now,” she said, glancing at the nearly finished documents.

“Take care on the way.”

The call ended as soon as he finished speaking.

Fu Yuting stared at the phone, dazed. Did he call just to urge her home?

At the hillside villa,

She entered to find Mrs. Wang at the stove, reheating food, her voice drifting through the steam.

“Madam, what would you like for breakfast tomorrow—wontons or a sandwich? I bought fresh ingredients this morning…”

Fu Yuting washed her hands, gazing at the table spread with dishes. Suddenly, she craved yesterday’s breakfast and blurted out, “Just the same as this morning.”

Mrs. Wang looked puzzled. “This morning? But I took the morning off.”

“You… took the morning off?”

Mrs. Wang turned, utterly confused. “Yes, my son and daughter-in-law weren’t home yesterday, and my grandson had no one to take him to school. I asked for leave from the master.”

The air froze.

A buzzing rang in Fu Yuting’s ears as images of yesterday’s breakfast flashed through her mind.

Her fingertips trembled.

If it hadn’t been Mrs. Wang… could it have been Bo Xingzhou?

That same Bo Xingzhou who was ruthless in business, whose very gaze could freeze the blood—the infamous “cold-blooded king”…

Had he secretly made her breakfast?

Impossible. It must have been bought, she told herself.

C City.

Night had fallen. Bo Xingzhou stood by the hotel’s floor-to-ceiling window, a cigarette unlit between his fingers, gazing down at the city lights.

His phone lit up—

Mrs. Wang: [Sir, madam is asleep.]

He closed his eyes, replying nothing.

That night in the storm, he vaguely remembered gripping her wrist in desperation, like a drowning man clinging to driftwood, and uttering—

“Don’t leave me.”

When he awoke, she was curled up at the edge of his bed.

For the first time, he’d felt… fear. How could he dare to reach for that ray of light?

He, Bo Xingzhou, the “cold-blooded king” feared by all in the business world, had exposed his most vulnerable self to her.

So he’d run.

After a long while,

He finally lit the cigarette.

Wreathed in smoke, he dialed Su Han’s number.

“How are things at Lu Corporation?”

Su Han answered cautiously,

“Madam… seems to be having a hard time with Su Yu. She was working late again today.”

Bo Xingzhou’s eyes turned icy.

She’s courting disaster!

“Send a notice tomorrow—no more overtime for any staff. And interfere with Su Yu where you can.” Bo Xingzhou frowned, snuffing out the cigarette, oblivious as the ash burned his palm.

Now was not the time to move against Su Yu; with Lu Ye still lurking, he couldn’t push her into the abyss.

Still,

Su Yu, was it?

It seemed the Su Group wouldn’t be lingering here much longer.