Man is a Compromising Animal

"Did something happen at the company? You had to pull an all-nighter." Ye Shuang looked at Chen Qin, who was eating rice noodle rolls, and asked.

Though she was dressed impeccably, the exhaustion between her brows was unmistakable—clearly, she hadn’t rested well. The faint dark circles under her eyes were especially telling.

"There’s been some trouble with the project recently. I suspect there’s a mole in the group," Chen Qin replied with a hint of helplessness. "But a thorough investigation isn’t exactly easy… Want a bite?"

"No, I just had breakfast at the apartment. Are you heading back to the office later?"

"I can rest for a bit this morning."

"Then come over to my place and sleep for a while," Ye Shuang suggested. Going all the way back to the Chen Family would take too much time anyway—might as well nap here.

Hearing this, Chen Qin grinned like a little fox. "Okay~"

A mole…

"Next time there’s a management meeting, take me along," Ye Shuang said after a moment’s thought.

Chen Qin chewed slowly, swallowing before asking, "If you’re getting involved in company affairs, should I just give you a VP position?"

"That’s unnecessary. Without the proper authority, I wouldn’t be able to manage anyone," Ye Shuang replied casually.

"Heh, I believe in you. And if you need anything, just say the word." Still, Chen Qin didn’t take Ye Shuang’s request to attend the meeting too seriously. She knew how capable he was, but the group’s problems weren’t something that could be solved by simply sitting in on a meeting—unless Ye Shuang quit his job at Yinshan Academy and helped her run the entire company.

Or better yet, hand everything over to him while she played the role of the accomplished woman behind the scenes. Chen Qin wouldn’t mind that at all.

After breakfast, Ye Shuang brought Chen Qin back to his apartment. Watching her change into slippers, he asked, "You just came from the office—do you want to shower?"

He knew how particular Chen Qin was about cleanliness. She might even want to wash up before sleeping.

"I already showered at a hotel nearby."

Ye Shuang: "…"

"So why didn’t you just rest there?"

"It’s not the same. Nowhere’s as comfortable as your place." With that, Chen Qin flopped onto the sofa, looking ready to doze off right there.

Ye Shuang crossed his arms, eyeing her thigh-slit dress. "Aren’t you going to change first?"

Chen Qin shifted her long legs slightly, then cracked open one eye with a smirk. "A-Ye, help me change."

"No."

"Mean." She hugged a cushion, pouting. "It’s not like you haven’t seen before."

"If you’re referring to bathing together as kids…"

"Hmph, fine. You’re such a strawberry." Rolling onto her side, she patted the sofa and whined, "At least sit with me for a bit."

Ye Shuang didn’t refuse. The moment he sat down, Chen Qin slithered over like a water snake, resting her head on his lap with a satisfied grin.

Watching her antics quietly, Ye Shuang remarked, "That dress will be wrinkled if you sleep in it."

"Then help me change."

"…"

His gaze drifted to a small table nearby, where freshly laundered clothes were neatly folded. Picking up a set, he handed it to her. "Here."

Chen Qin reluctantly sat up and took the clothes.

"Unzip the back for me," she said, turning around. The dress had a back zipper that needed to be undone before she could take it off. Ye Shuang reached over and pulled it down.

Her smooth, fair back and rounded shoulders were tinged with a faint blush. He averted his eyes. "Done. Go change in the bathroom."

But the next second, Chen Qin spun around and pushed him onto the sofa.

Propping herself up on one elbow, she pressed against him without restraint. "Do you really not feel anything for me? Are you a monk?"

With the zipper undone, the fabric slipped down, barely covering her curves. Ye Shuang’s vision blurred with a sea of white, his throat bobbing involuntarily. "Get off…"

"Hmm?" Chen Qin twirled a lock of wavy hair around her finger, tickling his cheek with a playful smile.

Just then, a phone ringtone shattered the rising tension.

Ye Shuang checked—it was his work alarm. Chen Qin slowly sat up, her face now flushed with embarrassment. She hadn’t realized how bold she’d been just now. After all, she had zero dating experience, relying entirely on imagination.

Now dressed in Ye Shuang’s clothes, she stretched out her arms. "Carry me upstairs to sleep."

Ye Shuang steadied himself, giving her a look. "Don’t do that again."

"Won’t listen."

Ye Shuang: "…"

"Carry me up, and I’ll think about it," she bargained, tapping a finger against her lips with a sly glint in her eyes.

Ye Shuang wasn’t fooled. "Do you really think I’d believe that?"

“Fine, fine. A-Ye, I adore you, okay? At least give me a piggyback ride~~” Seeing her ploy fail, Chen Qin switched tactics, turning on the charm. She knew Ye Shuang’s weaknesses too well—like how he couldn’t handle a girl’s coquetry. It worked every time.

Sure enough, Ye Shuang relented. "Piggyback it is."

"Yay!" Truthfully, Chen Qin hadn’t expected much. People always settled for compromises. Her initial demand was just a setup—knowing he’d refuse to carry her, she’d aimed for the piggyback instead.

As Ye Shuang hoisted her up, they climbed the stairs.

Pressed against his broad, sturdy back, Chen Qin felt an indescribable sense of safety and warmth. "You carried me like this before…" she murmured.

"When?" Ye Shuang’s ear tingled at her whisper.

"In elementary school. I got into a fight, fell, and couldn’t walk… You carried me home like this." She nuzzled his neck.

The memory surfaced in Ye Shuang’s mind. Back then, Chen Qin had kept her hair short and was tomboyish enough to earn the nickname "manly" from her classmates. She’d scrapped with the kids who teased her.

If Ye Shuang hadn’t passed by, her injuries might’ve been worse.

And afterward, afraid of being scolded by her parents, she’d hidden at his place for days, claiming she was there to "study with A-Ye."

Not long after, she started growing out her hair.