"Manli, wait!"

Seeing Shen Manli about to leave, Lu Qiqi rushed forward and grabbed her wrist, her grip tightening slightly. Her beautiful face was filled with deep apology.

"I didn't mean to leave you there last time. I suddenly received an urgent call and had to rush off. I heard you got caught in the rain and almost caught a cold. I feel so guilty. You're not mad at me, are you?"

A flash of resentment flickered in Shen Manli's eyes, but her face remained expressionless. She shook her head repeatedly, seeming somewhat timid, and said, "How could I be? I'm Sister Qiqi's secretary. It's my duty to help you. Besides, you were busy with important matters. I already felt bad for not being able to help. How could I possibly be angry?"

The humiliation of being left behind and watching the car drive away still made Shen Manli grit her teeth in anger, but in front of Si Qinyu, she had to maintain her fragile image and naturally acted understanding.

"You are such a considerate and kind girl." Lu Qiqi released her hand, her gaze sweeping over the reddened wrist. A smile curled her lips as she pulled out a box from her bag. "I think this lipstick shade suits you better. Consider it a gift of apology, please accept it."

With that, she pressed it into Shen Manli's hand.

Shen Manli stared at the unflattering orangey-pink shade in her hand, her smile barely holding. She simply nodded in a hurry and left the office.

Having successfully offloaded the soon-to-expire lipstick she'd bought on impulse, Lu Qiqi felt a surge of satisfaction. She leaned back against the office sofa, arms crossed, and cast a deliberately jealous glance at Si Qinyu, pouting, "What, you're not happy to see me here?"

"Of course not, Qiqi. I'm always thrilled when you visit. I was just wondering why you suddenly decided to come to the company today?" Si Qinyu approached, attempting to embrace her, but Lu Qiqi subtly evaded his touch.

She displayed the delicate petulance of a young woman in love, and Si Qinyu didn't suspect a thing.

"I missed you, so I came. And it's not just today, I want to come here more often in the future." Lu Qiqi tugged at Si Qinyu's arm, half-joking, half-serious, "Hubby, how about I start working here tomorrow?"

This company was Si Qinyu's private property, unrelated to Ling Wei; Lu Qiqi was testing the waters.

Si Qinyu's body stiffened slightly, his eyes darkening. He gazed at Lu Qiqi, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and asked gently, "Why the sudden change of heart? Ling Wei needs you, and if you find Ling Wei boring, you can always stay home and relax."

The man's icy fingers brushed against Lu Qiqi's earlobe, sending a shiver down her spine like a venomous snake hissing, its forked tongue flicking.

Lu Qiqi's smile brightened. She leaned her head against Si Qinyu's shoulder, her soft voice dripping with affection and a hint of jealousy, "We just got married. I just want to see you all the time. You're so wonderful, I'm afraid you might change your mind and stop loving me."

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Her smile gradually faded, replaced by a cold, mocking expression. Lu Qiqi narrowed her eyes, glancing at the central position in the office. Sooner or later, she would be the one sitting there!

Initially surprised and suspicious, Si Qinyu was relieved by her words. He ruffled Lu Qiqi's hair, frowning slightly in disapproval, "Wife, I still think it's better for you to stay at home. I'm here to take care of both the company and Ling Wei."

Knowing his true thoughts, Lu Qiqi still pouted petulantly, pushing him away unhappily, "Why? Don't you want to see me every day?"

"Don't be silly!" Si Qinyu reached for her hand, explaining hastily, "Work is too tiring. You're my princess, I just want you to be happy every day. Besides, don't you want to have a baby with me soon?"

"Baby?" Lu Qiqi's fingers dug into her palms, turning a bloodless white.

"Yes, the fruit of our love. When the time comes, the child and I will both cherish you. I want to make you the happiest woman in the world. Leave these work matters to me. I don't want to see you staying up late and hurting your health." He spoke with deep affection, painting a beautiful, dreamlike picture, his eyes filled with longing.

If she hadn't witnessed those unspeakable acts, Lu Qiqi would never have believed that such a skilled scumbag existed in this world. A wave of nausea surged through her.

Who's the better actor?

Lu Qiqi blinked, her long eyelashes quickly becoming damp, the corners of her eyes reddening, making her look pitiful.

"Si Qinyu, do you really not love me anymore! There are so many pretty women in the company, you must have been tempted, that's why you don't let me come to the company!"

Her innocent and pure, deer-like eyes were filled with tears, as if they would spill over with another blink, making anyone who saw her feel a pang of heartache.

"Hmph, you don't want me to come, but I will! I'm going to keep an eye on you! Besides, the entire Lu family has put all their eggs in one basket, investing so much money, there can't be any mistakes. I'm going to keep an eye on Ling Wei too!"

Lu Qiqi quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her fingers, her tone filled with petulance and stubbornness. "If you try to stop me again, it means you have a guilty conscience, and I'll never talk to you again!"

"Honey..."

"Don't say anything, I won't listen. I'm not some naive little girl who doesn't know anything. My abilities are obvious to everyone. You actually want me to stay at home like a caged bird? Dream on!"

Lu Qiqi covered her ears, acting like a spoiled child, looking somewhat willfully adorable.

Seeing that she had made up her mind, Si Qinyu felt a headache coming on.

However, he didn't suspect Lu Qiqi's intentions at all. He only thought that this was a whim and jealousy on her part.

After all, Lu Qiqi had seen him and Shen Manli in the office today. It seemed that after getting married, this woman had become more prone to suspicion and jealousy.

Having come to this realization, Si Qinyu loosened his tie, finding Lu Qiqi's jealous, girlish display rather endearing.

But for now, he needed to coax her back into good spirits.

With a hint of dominance, the man took Lu Qiqi's hand, his tone a mix of indulgence and helpless resignation, "Alright, my dear wife, I'll agree to it!"

"You can say anything, but don't ever doubt my feelings for you. I agree to let you work at the company, but you have to promise me not to let your imagination run wild, and not to tire yourself out, okay?"

"Really?" Lu Qiqi looked up at him in disbelief, her voice still carrying a hint of a sob. Her nose was a little red, making her look adorably naive and eliciting a surge of protectiveness.

"Really." Si Qinyu gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, cupping her face tenderly, "Don't cry, it's breaking my heart."

Their eyes met, the atmosphere thick with a budding intimacy. As Si Qinyu leaned in closer, Lu Qiqi suddenly threw her arms around him, using the embrace to dodge the impending kiss.

"Thank you, hubby, you're the best! I'll definitely take good care of the company!"

She emphasized the words 'the best' with particular earnestness.