Chapter 9: 09

Chapter 9

The air conditioner, blowing hot and cold, coupled with a downpour, had finally succeeded in giving Xie Cheng a cold.

However, it seemed that heaven was still unwilling to let him off lightly -

"President Xie, you look like a fresh water plant right now, just freshly picked, tender and dripping with dew. See, you're still dripping!"

"President Xie, your sneezes have a very spiritual quality!"

"This one is good too, very powerful!"

...

"President Xie, that's ten sneezes already. I've heard ten is your lucky number, could this be a sign you're about to have good fortune?"

"President Xie, with your wet shirt clinging to you after the rain, there's a kind of semi-transparent feel, a hazy allure, making you seem even more lewd! A very high class lewdness!"

Lan Xi chattered incessantly in Xie Cheng's ear, "No doubt this is why you insist on not using an umbrella in the rain!"

Xie Cheng was truly fed up: "I don't use an umbrella because no one holds one for me."

He said through nearly gritted teeth, "Nor do I feel lucky, because lucky people don't have to suffer as I do now."

Xie Cheng thought after saying this much, Lan Xi would at least keep quiet and have nothing to say.

But he didn't expect that after a moment, Lan Xi spoke up righteously again -

"President Xie, I believe there's no suffering in vain in this world."

"Like getting caught in the rain this time, I believe you benefited as well - there's a saying, 'Children without umbrellas just have to run faster.'"

She looked earnestly into Xie Cheng's eyes, "Next time it rains and you don't use an umbrella, you should run faster!"

"...Is this girl poisonous?"

Xie Cheng's head spun and ached. His constitution was usually robust, but this time upon returning home, he truly felt exhausted in body and spirit.

Fortunately his health was good, and he was young. After resting for a full day, Xie Cheng finally recovered.

He went back to the company to deal with work matters, and decided to clear his calendar of networking events in the coming weekend, planning to make a long overdue visit to the gym near his condo complex. He felt it was very necessary right now to build up his physique and strength.

**

Ever since Xie Cheng caught a cold, Lan Xi had been very concerned, wanting to continue her conquest.

But oddly, whether assigning her to analyze data or attend meetings, Lan Xi didn't have a chance to get close to him again.

The guidebook said, to conquer an earth male, you first need ample shared time together, and especially create coincidental encounters to occupy his personal time. More exposure develops feelings.

The weekend was almost here, where could she "coincidentally encounter" Xie Cheng?

Luckily she had Xie Cheng's sister Liang Di by her side.

"Unlike those bookworm nerds, Xie Cheng really enjoys outdoor sports, and is pretty good at them. He has a habit of going to the gym by our condo complex on weekends, and also joined the Rong City cycling club..."

When asked about Xie Cheng's hobbies and interests, Liang Di chatted tirelessly -

"He's always had a lot of girls trying to pursue him, so a lot of them go to the gym hoping for a 'chance encounter'. Some girls are especially skilled at hooking men, very crafty. Their schools are thousands of miles from that gym, yet they shamelessly claim it's 'on their way'... "

"Words like this, just lightly imply it. Especially for our schoolmates Xie Cheng also knows, when she says it's on the way, Xie Cheng isn't dumb, he naturally knows she came specially for him, but the other party doesn't expose it. This intensifies a kind of ambiguity, neither clear nor blurred, hinting her desire to pursue him, yet still vague. This extremely tantalizing approach can instantly attract a man's attention..."

Lan Xi suddenly understood, exclaiming she had learned a lot.

She decided to arrange this "chance encounter".

As for what to do after the chance meeting, Lan Xi had it all planned out.

The guidebook and Wang Zhiqiang both said, show a man your greatest strengths. The more outstanding one's advantages, the greater the charm. Your extraordinary traits often make people take notice, making them fall for you instantly.

The gym was a great location, ideal for displaying Lan Xi's absolute advantage.

Lan Xi didn't have many skills, but her strength was incomparable to others.

It was time to demonstrate her capabilities to Xie Cheng. Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com

**

No matter how Xie Cheng calculated, he didn't expect to see Lan Xi's face at the gym that weekend.

She smiled brightly, wearing tight gym clothes that accentuated her figure's curves.

It had to be admitted, although not too bright, she did possess a kind of stunning beauty. Her glamorous looks and alluring body, paired with her perpetual slightly muddled expression, made her seem a typical dumb beauty. This attracted the gazes and approaches of most of the men at the gym.

Xie Cheng didn't pay Lan Xi much attention. After warm-ups, he went to the machine he usually used and prepared to start exercising.

He chose the chest press.

With his exercise base, he selected 80 kg.

Sure enough, as usual, as soon as he started, the women who came for him gathered in groups of three or five, either holding up phones to record him, or directly praising Xie Cheng's fit body and strength. Some asked in coquettish voices whether Xie Cheng could give them pointers.

But on second thought, it should be easier to conquer such a fragile Earth male, right?

Lan Xi felt she couldn't give up yet.

The final blow was next!

**

Lan Xi blocked Xie Cheng at the locker room entrance—

"Mr. Xie." Lan Xi tossed her hair. "What a coincidence running into you here today. I just happened to be coming to the gym and I bump into you."

"..."

The new staff dormitory for Chengxin where Lan Xi lived was practically half a city away from the gym Xie Cheng frequented. There was no way she just happened to be in the neighborhood. She had come specifically for him.

Xie Cheng used to be quite famous at this gym because of his strength and well-defined muscles. He practiced every activity with skill. However, today...

Today, Lan Xi had completely shown him up in every possible way.

Xie Cheng looked at Lan Xi somberly, his expression unpleasant as he stared at her, wondering what else she was trying to stir up.

But Lan Xi was oblivious, still dutifully following her own script.

She looked at Xie Cheng affectionately as the guidebook instructed: "You understand what I mean, don't you?"

Conquering a man required combining theory and practice, being flexible and adaptive. Fortunately, Lan Xi was a quick learner and had completely absorbed the random bits of knowledge Liang Di had accidentally imparted.

She carefully chose her words to further imply, "Apart from our boss and subordinate roles, I was thinking that you and I could possibly develop a new kind of relationship. I could also be qualified for other identities..."

The guidebook said that after deploying all kinds of tactics, it was time to close the net—conquering the heart of a stubborn man sometimes required going straight to the point, but not being too explicit, still leaving the man ample face and room, so he wouldn't feel forced onto the chopping block to do something.

Lan Xi hinted, "Just that kind of intimate relationship, inseparable. That kind where you would trust me with your life." She recalled the popular internet romance novel lingo and smiled slightly.

Xie Cheng was stunned, and did indeed look surprised.

For a player like Lan Xi who didn't follow normal social logic, the best response was to counter her with the same approach. Know yourself and know your opponent, and you will win every battle.

Xie Cheng felt he was gradually grasping Lan Xi's logical vein.

As long as he imagined her motivations going in an absurd direction, he would surely be right.

Thinking of everything that had happened today, looking at Lan Xi deliberately putting on a serious face before him, Xie Cheng had an epiphany.

She actually wanted to...

Xie Cheng felt he finally understood.

He looked at Lan Xi, "So the ultimate goal behind you acting so arrogant today, doing every activity I was doing to show off, was this?"

Show off? What show off?

Lan Xi kindly corrected, "I only came to demonstrate my strengths. Didn't you feel it?"

"Mm." Xie Cheng expressionlessly replied, "I've felt it one hundred percent."

Lan Xi was overjoyed in her heart. Her continuous campaign over the past few days was clearly having an effect.

Lan Xi expectedly asked, "So..."

Xie Cheng calmly said, "You should go back first. I understand your meaning, but I'll have to ask Cao An's opinion on this matter."

Lan Xi's eyes lit up.

It was a success!

Lan Xi could already feel Xie Cheng's frantic heartbeat right now, the intense throbbing frequency signaling the excitement in his heart.

Asking Cao An made sense too. Cao An seemed like Xie Cheng's friend. It said online that for matters like this, some men would ask their friends when uncertain, which was very normal!

**

What Lan Xi didn't know was that right after she left satisfied, Xie Cheng immediately called Cao An.

He had just said "Hey" when Cao An first asked, "Mr. Xie, you just finished working out? Why are you so out of breath today? Are you not feeling well?"

"No." Xie Cheng rubbed his brow furrowing them, "I just overdid it a bit today, did every piece of equipment in the gym."

He glanced at his smartwatch, "So my heart rate is still high."

Xie Cheng decided to get right to the point. "Lan Xi came to ambush me at the gym today."

"What happened?" Cao An was a bit surprised, but he knew there were always those chasing after Xie Cheng who would try to strike up conversation or create a coincidental encounter at the gym. He subtly guessed, "Do you need me to handle it as usual?"

"No need. She's not like those other girls. You can't analyze her with normal logic." Xie Cheng pressed his lips before continuing uneasily, "She volunteered herself, wanting to develop a new intimate working relationship with me, apart from the normal boss and employee roles."

"She wants to be my personal bodyguard." Xie Cheng paused, his voice still full of incredulity. "She blocked me just now and clearly expressed this intention, flaunting her strength, then telling me to entrust my life to her."

"..."