"Luo… President Luo…"
Bai Tao picked up the phone, her fingers subconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. A cold, jade-like voice came from the other end, carrying a hint of something she'd never heard before—was it... mockery?
Bai Tao's ears immediately turned bright red.
He's teasing her!
The very same CEO who exuded frost in the conference room, was... flirting with her over the phone?!
"This is a misunderstanding!" She rushed to explain, her voice trembling. "I can explain—"
"I don't believe you."
Beep—
The phone was decisively hung up.
Bai Tao stared at the darkened screen, suddenly remembering something her childhood friend often said: "When a man says 'I don't believe you,' what he's really saying is 'I want you to coax me in person.'"
Damn!
She grabbed her jacket and rushed out the door. Behind her, Liang Yu's voice echoed, "Tao! Is that Luo He, your CEO?!"
"I'll deal with you when I get back!" Bai Tao slammed the door, her heart racing so fast she felt it might leap out of her chest.
28th Floor, Donghai Jinmao Tower
The entire floor was so quiet you could hear the ticking of the clock.
Luo He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his long fingers lightly swirling a wine glass. The city lights outside reflected on his sharp profile, casting a rare warmth in his usually cold eyes.
He was smiling.
It wasn't the polite smile he used in business settings, but a genuine smile, the kind that made his eyes curve slightly with delight.
The phone screen remained on, still displaying the group chat titled "Loving Family." The latest message was a 60-second voice note from Bai Tao's grandmother: "Little He, coming over for dinner this weekend, I'll make soup to nourish you…"
Little He.
The nickname, so simple and affectionate, stirred a strange warmth in Luo He's chest.
He remembered the shock of being suddenly added to the group just two hours ago, and Bai Tao's shocking declaration in the chat: "This is my boyfriend @Luo He." His first reaction had been to assign this audacious little employee to the Africa branch—
Until he saw her family's reaction.
[Grandmother] sent three firework emojis.
[Mother] immediately changed her tone to "son-in-law."
[Cousin] went wild tagging him: "Brother-in-law, look at me! I have a picture of my sister wearing open-crotch pants as a kid!"
Luo He absentmindedly ran his finger over the screen and suddenly realized—this was the first time in twenty-eight years that someone had treated him as "someone's boyfriend" instead of "the heir to the Luo family."
It felt... nice.
"Knock, knock."
The orderly knock on the door broke his train of thought. Luo He turned around, his usual indifferent demeanor returning, but a faint smile still lingered on his lips. "Come in."
The door opened.
Bai Tao, panting slightly, stood at the entrance. Her hair was slightly disheveled from the wind, and her cheeks flushed from running. She wore an oversized sweatshirt, looking like a rabbit who had accidentally wandered into a wolf's den.
"President Luo..." She nervously twisted the hem of her shirt. "I can explain about the group..."
Luo He casually sat back in his leather chair, crossing his long legs. "Sit."
When Bai Tao carefully sat at the edge of the couch, the man suddenly turned his phone toward her—on the screen was a message from her cousin: [Brother-in-law! Do you want a video of my sister as a kid, falling into the trash can while trying on her mom's high heels?]
Bai Tao: "…"
Is it too late to jump out the window?
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]