This is the first time someone has ever called me a lady!

Damn it, this is truly the last straw.
A white glow sparked at her fingertips, but just then, someone clapped her sharply on the shoulder.
Her powers vanished instantly.
At the same time, the people in the office area called out nervously, “President Lin.”
Would they get in trouble just for standing here and watching the scene unfold?!
The colleague who had spoken looked even more terrified.
But then she remembered that President Lin had ignored Ye Xiyang the entire day yesterday.
Thinking of this, her fear lessened just a bit.
Xiao Qi glanced sideways.
Yichen was calmly watching the colleague who’d just spoken.
For some reason, even though Yichen’s expression was calm, Xiao Qi’s instincts told her that this serene president was far more terrifying than the one who’d just lost his temper.
She had to admit, her alien intuition was remarkably accurate.
After all, Yichen had weathered the business world for years; if he wore his emotions on his sleeve, he’d have been devoured long ago.
“What’s going on?” Yichen asked, his face unreadable.
Xiao Qi had just opened her mouth to reply when Yichen interrupted, “You speak, Tong Sijia.”
“I…” She hadn’t really lost her performance report; she simply didn’t like Xiao Qi and wanted to embarrass her.
But she couldn’t say that, so she lied, “My performance report went missing, so I was just looking for it at her desk.”
Yichen remained expressionless. “There’s surveillance here—shall I have the footage pulled up for you?”
Tong Sijia’s silence answered for her.
Yichen could see she was deliberately picking on Xiyang. “You. Apologize.”
Tong Sijia, already feeling guilty, immediately complied. “I’m sorry, Miss Ye. It was my fault—I shouldn’t have gone through your things.”
Xiao Qi was not the sort to make things harder for others when she was in the right. The apology seemed sincere enough; she was about to let it go.
But before she could speak, President Lin spoke again. “You have three minutes to pack your things and leave TC.”
Tong Sijia was speechless.
Even if she was unwilling, she couldn't defend herself now.
She hadn’t expected President Lin to care so much about Ye Xiyang. Just yesterday, she thought…
She’d really brought this upon herself.
Xiao Qi felt a pang of guilt. Wasn’t firing her a bit too much?
She tugged at the man’s sleeve beside her, her eyes pleading with him to punish Tong Sijia in some other way.
He ignored her.
Xiao Qi pursed her lips, her gaze apologetic as she watched Tong Sijia pack her things.
Within three minutes, Tong Sijia gathered her belongings and slunk out of TC.
Yichen spoke again, “The sapphire was lost because of me; it has nothing to do with Ye Xiyang…” Xiao Qi was about to speak, but Yichen shot her a look and she fell silent.
“From today on, no one is allowed to make baseless accusations against colleagues, nor to discriminate—do you understand?”
Though his tone was even, there was no room for argument.
The employees replied in unison, “Understood.”
“Come to my office,” he said, hands in his pockets, and headed to his office.
Xiao Qi followed him in, step for step.
“Close the door.”
“Oh!”
Yichen glanced at her, his tone indifferent. “You have quite a good temper.”
“Ah? Do I?” He was referring to just now; Xiao Qi blushed, thinking he was praising her.
Yichen looked at her as if she were a fool. “Such a self-sacrificing, brave, and kind colleague you are.”
= =
This time, Xiao Qi sensed the irony.
Why did that sound like a veiled insult?
She eyed him—if there was one thing he excelled at, it was mocking others in a roundabout way. Hmph.
“Come here,” Yichen beckoned her.
What does he want me over there for?

Xiao Qi had a bad feeling about this.
But that CEO’s look…
Fine, since he’d just helped her out, she’d go.
President Lin spread his palm, revealing the necklace.
Xiao Qi froze; every time she saw that necklace now, she wanted to run.
“You threw it away?”
Xiao Qi immediately put on an innocent face. “No.”
President, please, spare me—don’t give it to me again.
Yichen saw her on the verge of tears and frowned. “Then let me put it on for you.”
Xiao Qi instantly leapt back, glaring at the necklace, her refusal firm. “I’d rather die than wear it.”
“Why?”
“Because if I wear it, I feel like my head will fall off.”
He let it go—no need to force her.
Just as before, she’d said she liked simple, unadorned things.
That’s why he’d ordered her ring to be so plain.
He hadn’t expected her to lose her memory.
Still, her personality hadn’t changed much—she’d just forgotten the people around her.
Yichen shook off his gloom and pocketed the necklace. “Fine, I won’t make you wear it.”
Xiao Qi was nearly moved to tears.
“Thank you for your mercy, President.”
Yichen: “…”
He stood up. “Come, I’m taking you somewhere.”
Xiao Qi was puzzled. “Where to?”
Yichen only smiled.
When they arrived, Xiao Qi was even more confused.
“President Lin, why did you bring me to a temple?”
“No reason. I just thought your luck’s been bad lately, so I brought you to draw a fortune—see what it says.”
It was Xiao Qi’s first time in a place like this, and curiosity got the better of her.
But…
“President Lin, it’s work hours. Isn’t it bad to sneak out?”
He shot her a glance. “Yesterday, you dashed out in the middle of work—wasn’t that work time?”
“….”
Suddenly, Xiao Qi realized something important. “President Lin, does sneaking out during work hours count as…”
“It’s not absenteeism, but you’ll lose your pay for yesterday and today.”
Xiao Qi wanted to go back right now.
President Lin took out his wallet, pulled out a hundred yuan, and handed it to her. “I’ll pay for your fortune. You know me—I’m always generous.”
Xiao Qi: “…”
No reason to refuse free money; Xiao Qi shamelessly took the bills. Without thinking, she blurted, “President Lin, if you sold that necklace for cash and gave it to me, I’d take it in a heartbeat.”
Of course, her mouth worked faster than her brain, and the words slipped out before she could stop them.
A split second later, Xiao Qi froze, wide-eyed in dismay…
Yichen looked at her dazed expression. “Isn’t the black card money?”
Xiao Qi: “…”
“The other day, when I told you to return the sapphire and I’d give you money, who was it that said she didn’t want my money?”
Xiao Qi: “…”
Hearing the word sapphire, the dazed Xiao Qi recalled the video that had spread—and then what Joanna had said.
The smile in her eyes faded, she lowered her gaze and said nothing.
Yichen had been waiting for her to bring this up herself.

But she never mentioned it.
Stubborn and heartless, he thought. “Come on, I’ll go in with you.”
Xiao Qi sensed that President Lin seemed to be in a bad mood again but followed him into the temple, bewildered.
Kneeling on the mat, Xiao Qi took up the bamboo lot and was about to shake it when she suddenly thought of something. She looked up at him. “President Lin, you gave me the money, so whose fortune is this?”
Yichen’s expression softened slightly. “Ours.”
“Uh…”
Is that allowed?
Xiao Qi was puzzled but started shaking the lot anyway. After just two shakes, a stick fell out.
The temple was crowded, with many seeking fortunes. As Xiao Qi queued up to have hers explained, the others all insisted she go first.
She thought earthlings were, indeed, quite kind.
Happily, she handed the stick to the Daoist priest.
The Daoist consulted his book, swaying his head as he recited, “An excellent lot, number one, a most auspicious sign. The verse reads: ‘By the water’s islet, the ospreys sing, a virtuous maiden for a worthy man.’ Miss, your marriage is at hand.”
Xiao Qi: “…”
The people around congratulated her.
A faint smile appeared on Yichen’s face as well.
Amidst the congratulations, Xiao Qi beamed, “Mm! This is a good fortune. It’s the first time anyone’s called me a virtuous lady!”
Silence fell all around. Yichen looked at her, about to say something.
Then Xiao Qi realized, “Wait, you must be mistaken. I was asking about my luck, not marriage.”
The Daoist hesitated. “Miss, a marriage on the cards is a great joy—it will sweep away your bad luck.”
“….”
“How did you know I’ve been having bad luck?”
The Daoist immediately replied, “I read it from your face.”
“….”
You can really tell by looking at someone’s face?
Xiao Qi touched her cheek.
Then she turned to the silent Yichen, pulling him closer. “Then tell me what you see on his face.”
The Daoist studied Yichen for a few seconds, thoughtfully stroking his beard. “This gentleman’s brow shines brightly, his face is full of joy—just like yours. His marriage is coming.”
He glanced at Yichen. That fleeting smile on the man’s face was caught by the shrewd Daoist, who pressed on with even more enthusiasm, “Judging by your faces, the two of you are the most perfectly matched couple in the world.”
Xiao Qi: “…”
She sensed something was off, looked from the Daoist to Yichen, then back at the Daoist, and suddenly grinned, “Master, may I ask, are you married?”
The Daoist answered reflexively, “Yes, I am!”
“But Daoists don’t marry, so you’re a fake! Hmph, give me back my thirty yuan for the lot!”
The Daoist: “…”
Fuming, Xiao Qi climbed into the car, choosing the back seat.
As soon as Yichen got in, she couldn’t hold back, “President Lin, was this fun for you? Dragging me out here during work hours to draw some silly lot? I never thought you could be this childish.”
Yichen said nothing, just started the engine. The drive back was silent.
The atmosphere was so quiet, one could hear even their breathing.
But as soon as the car reached TC’s entrance, President Lin spoke. “It’s almost eleven. Go pick up the takeout—make sure it’s delivered to my office at exactly eleven. For every minute you’re late, I’ll deduct a hundred yuan. Go on.”
Xiao Qi: “…”
She was starting to think this man had a real passion for docking her pay.
If she were just an earthling, she’d never make it by eleven.
Hmph, but she was an alien with superpowers—who was she afraid of?
In the end…
At exactly eleven, the takeout was delivered to the president’s office.
“Xiyang,” Yichen called, his dark eyes fixed on her.
Being stared at made Xiao Qi shiver. She suddenly felt like she was the delicious takeout, and did her best to ignore the sensation as she forced a smile, “President, do you need anything else?”