Wasn't this supposed to be a client meeting Why does it feel more like a date

When Chen Zhi walked out of the bathroom drying his hair, the first thing he saw was Pei Ningxue sitting on the edge of the bed.

In her hand, she was holding his phone.

"Why are you looking at my phone?" Chen Zhi feigned composure, walking toward the bed while drying his hair, pretending not to care at all.

Pei Ningxue looked up and gave him a glance.

She casually tossed the black-screened phone onto the soft quilt, clapped her hands, and stood up.

"To ensure we can fully get into work mode and not be disturbed by trivial matters," Pei Ningxue looked at him self-righteously, "I took the liberty of turning both our phones off."

Turned off?

Chen Zhi froze for a moment, then quickly walked over, picked up the phone, and pressed the power button.

The screen didn't respond; it was indeed turned off.

The heavy stone hanging in his heart instantly dropped. As long as she hadn't unlocked it to read his WeChat chat history, everything was fine.

"I have to give a thumbs-up to Boss Pei's work attitude," Chen Zhi played along, quickly stuffing the phone deep into his backpack. "A business trip should look like a business trip. We need to be fully focused and never get distracted."

Pei Ningxue crossed her arms over her chest. Seeing his relieved look, a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

Fully focused?

She hoped that the big pop star waiting bitterly at the gates of Peking University tonight could also appreciate Boss Chen's focus.

After resting in the hotel suite for less than half an hour, Pei Ningxue started touching up her makeup and picking out clothes.

"Let's go downstairs," Pei Ningxue said, picking up a Hermes bag.

"Where to?" Chen Zhi was still slumped on the sofa, trying to recover his energy. "Aren't we seeing the client tonight?"

"To Plaza 66." Pei Ningxue looked him up and down with a critical tone. "Are you planning to meet NIO's VP in those wrinkled casual clothes? We're going to buy you some presentable outfits."

Chen Zhi looked down at his clothes and thought they were perfectly fine, but since the CFO had spoken, he could only obediently follow.

However, upon arriving at the mall, Chen Zhi realized he had been tricked.

Pei Ningxue didn't head straight for the menswear section at all; instead, she dove right into the luxury womenswear boutiques.

And she went into one after another.

Chen Zhi sat on the leather sofa in the VIP lounge. His initial enthusiasm gradually faded into a vacant stare.

"How about this one?" Pei Ningxue walked out in a burgundy velvet dress and twirled in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror.

"It looks good. It perfectly matches your aura. Buy it." Chen Zhi nodded mechanically. This was already the twentieth time he had said "looks good" today.

Pei Ningxue rolled her eyes at him. "You didn't even look closely."

"I did, really." Chen Zhi swore to the heavens. "Boss Pei, with your figure and face, you'd look good even wearing a potato sack."

Chen Zhi was complaining wildly in his head.

In her multi-hundred-square-meter penthouse duplex at Wanliu House, the walk-in closet alone took up an entire master bedroom, filled with countless clothes that still had their price tags on.

Where did this woman get so much energy? Why did she have to activate crazy shopping mode as soon as she arrived in Shanghai?

Pei Ningxue was clearly satisfied enough with Chen Zhi's answer. She casually handed her card to the shop assistant. "Wrap it up."

Chen Zhi sighed, resignedly stood up, and took the several massive shopping bags handed over by the assistant.

"Let's go." In a great mood, Pei Ningxue walked over and linked her arm through Chen Zhi's.

"Huh? We're still shopping?" Chen Zhi felt like his legs no longer belonged to him.

"We haven't bought your clothes yet, of course we're still shopping," Pei Ningxue said matter-of-factly. "You're the face of Deep Space Technology. If you dress too shabbily, how will the car companies believe we have the strength to develop autonomous driving?"

And so, Chen Zhi was dragged around the menswear section for another full hour.

By the time he finally changed into a well-tailored bespoke suit worth over a hundred thousand yuan and walked out of the fitting room, the sky outside had completely darkened.

Chen Zhi raised his left wrist and glanced at the time.

Pei Ningxue's gaze lingered on the watch for a second before quickly shifting away. She didn't say anything.

"Boss Pei, it's almost 7 PM," Chen Zhi said, shaking his sore arms. "Didn't we agree to have dinner with President Li from NIO? If we head over now, won't we be late?"

Pei Ningxue walked ahead in her high heels without looking back.

"We're not going."

"What?" Chen Zhi froze in place.

"He just texted to say there's an emergency at the company today and he can't make it. The dinner is rescheduled to tomorrow noon," Pei Ningxue lied without batting an eye.

In reality, she had never scheduled the dinner for today in the first place.

"Then where are we going now?" Chen Zhi chased after her, carrying bags of all sizes.

"To eat." Pei Ningxue turned her head and blinked at him. "I'm hungry."

Half an hour later, the two were sitting in a top-tier Michelin-starred restaurant on the Bund.

Outside the panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, the night view of the Huangpu River was dazzling.

Scented candles were lit on the table, and a violinist in a tailcoat was playing a melodious tune nearby.

With this atmosphere and style, this didn't feel like a business trip at all. It felt more like a carefully prepared romantic date between a couple.

As Chen Zhi cut the Beef Wellington on his plate, the more he ate, the more he felt something was off.

Pei Ningxue was in an unusually good mood today.

"Try this, it tastes really good." Pei Ningxue rested her chin on one hand, looking at him with a smiling face under the flickering candlelight.

Chen Zhi felt a chill in his heart from her gaze.

Usually, Pei Ningxue was either a resolute female CEO or a tsundere heiress with high offense but low defense. Her current state, so gentle that it practically dripped water, was simply too abnormal.

"Boss Pei, your mood today... is a bit weird," Chen Zhi put down his knife and fork, speaking honestly.

"Is it?"

"It's too gentle, I'm a little scared." Chen Zhi coughed dryly. "Are you holding back some ultimate move?"

Pei Ningxue laughed out of exasperation.

"Is there nothing else in that head of yours?" She picked up her wine glass and took a small sip of red wine, a faint blush appearing on her fair cheeks.

"Chen Zhi, is the night view of Shanghai beautiful?"

"It's beautiful." Chen Zhi turned his head to glance at the Oriental Pearl Tower outside the window.

"Then enjoy it well." Pei Ningxue put down her wine glass and stared straight at him, her tone carrying the composure of a victor. "After all, no one will come to disturb us tonight."

She deliberately emphasized the words "no one".

Chen Zhi was completely confused, but he still cooperatively raised his wine glass. "Then here's to this beautiful night view, and to the beautiful Boss Pei."