"Yes, you have an appointment with him and you'll be right on time," Jia Shu spoke softly. She glanced at her watch.
Qian Meng prayed for the actual new secretary. The woman was grievously late. She wondered what happened to her.
"Since it is your first day, I'll send someone to show you around the health club when it opens. I think you will like it there."
Health club. Fascinating.
A few moments later, the elevator dinged and they were off. As the doors slid shut, Jia Shu was already chatting with the people around them.
Qian Meng gave out a friendly grin.
The executive suite had opulent furnishing, giving it a regal look, while somehow still maintaining a modern vibe.
A lively voice pulled Qian Meng out of her thoughts.
"Jia Shu, you're on time as always!" her smile was playful. "Your shoes are so beautiful," the woman cried out while glaring at Jia Shu's feet. "I'm so jealous. I can't wear heels for god knows how long."
She actually pouted like a child for a moment with her arms crossed.
"This is Gu Rong, Mr. Mo's Executive Secretary. She is excellent at what she does," Jia Shu explained.
"Oh, please… You'll be on track within no time!" Gu Rong said excitedly.
Qian Meng extended her hand to shake. Gu Rong took it and pulled her in for a quick hug instead. "Don't mind me. I started loving hugs when I got pregnant. I am sure the doctors can explain."
"Delighted to meet you," Qian Meng commented. "We'll be spending a lot of time together, you and I." It wasn't meant to sound ominous, but it did.
Jia Shu touched Qian Meng's arm. "I have to run. Enjoy your first day and don't hesitate to contact me if you need anything at all." She waved goodbye as she rushed to grab an open elevator.
Gu Rong grabbed Qian Meng. "Let's get you to Mr. Mo's office before it's too late." She scrunched her nose as though she didn't want to think about what could happen in that case.
"Too late?" Qian Meng wondered aloud.
"Mr. Mo has no tolerance for tardiness. I learned that lesson the hard way." She let out a cute little sigh. Qian Meng knew this well, but it had never affected her.
Gu Rong lifted her hand and knocked on the door three times.
After a moment, Qian Meng heard Mo Qingchen's deep voice commanding them to enter. Gu Rong quickly opened the door, leading Qian Meng by the hand to the front of a large desk.
"Mr. Mo, this is your new executive secretary, Hao Xiulan."
There was silence. Qian Meng saw Mo Qingchen press his lips together. He looked up and Qian Meng had to bite back a smile at his expression. He was trying so hard not to react to her little deception.
"Mr. Mo, I'll be taking my leave then," Gu Rong said quickly before moving back. The door closed behind her and Qian Meng chuckled.
Mo Qingchen finally allowed a smile to slip. "You look lovely today," he said as he stood up. He slid his hand into his front pockets.
"Thank you," Qian Meng answered. "Apparently, I look like an executive secretary. Whatever that means." She crossed over to his side of the desk and hopped up to sit on the edge of it. "I figured I might as well go along with it. Act as your informant. It was thrilling to be undercover."
"I see," Mo Qingchen said with a nod, laughing.
"What's so funny?" Qian Meng asked.
"You are," he answered simply. She seemed to have said something along the same line to him a while back.
"Why am I funny?" She eyed him cautiously as he started to slowly walk towards her.
"Because you just came in here and plop yourself down on top of my desk like it's nobody's business."
"You don't want me sitting on your desk?" It was his prized possession. But so was she.
"I never said that." Mo Qingchen sauntered the rest of the way over to her, closing the gap between them. He stood right in front of where she was sitting and pulled his hand out of his pockets, placing them on the desktop on either side of her hips. "In fact, you look very good on top of my desk. I'll have to keep that in mind."
He tilted his head to the side and his lips descended towards her. An alarm went off in Qian Meng's head.
"What are you doing?" she asked, even though she knew very well.
"I'm going to kiss you," he blinked innocently.
"In the office? Someone will come in at any time," she hissed.
"I know you want me to kiss you, Qian Meng. Who cares about someone walking in? We're getting married today."
There was no time to respond. His lips were on her in a flash, moving gently yet insistently against hers. She felt him move his hand to take her chin and tilt her face up towards his. Her mind was overloaded with thoughts. One moment he had been standing across the office and now he was kissing her. She didn't even know what to think.
She actually never thought the militant Mo Qingchen would allow for intimacy within the confines of his office. But she didn't expect him to be this candid and gentle at that moment.
She spent a few moments trying to sort out all the thoughts bombarding her and it took her a while to realize that Mo Qingchen wasn't just kissing her, she was kissing him back. Her lips were moving against his as well.
And then there was this feeling in her stomach. She had felt it on that rainy night when she first really kissed Mo Qingchen. Except, this time, the feeling was way stronger. While her lips were steadily warming up to him, her mind was panicking over that exact fact.