Chapter 32 — Nan Xu, are you trying to piss me off to death?
Nan Xu froze where she stood, disbelief written all over her face. “Brother, what are you even saying—” She paused, then raised her voice again. “Do you even realize what you’re saying?”
Her throat tightened. He had actually asked her to kiss him.
He was getting more and more insane.
She hurriedly pulled her hand back, but that lingering warmth only spread deeper into her chest, sparking waves of tingling heat.
“Don’t you want to try it?” Xie Hejing’s voice was slow and gentle. “Kiss me… while you’re fully sober. Of your own will.”
He bent down slightly, meeting her eyes.
But Nan Xu lowered her gaze, and naturally, her eyes fell to his lips.
In an instant, flashes of their ambiguous moments together flickered through her mind. Her heart thudded violently.
“No… I don’t,” Nan Xu whispered.
“You hesitated,” he said.
“I didn’t,” she denied.
Xie Hejing frowned. “Are you trying to pull away from me again?”
“No, but this is different. It’s not the same.” Nan Xu’s voice trembled. “If I just kissed you like that, it would be irresponsible to you.”
He didn’t argue, only asked calmly, “Nan Xu, would you ever kiss someone you didn’t like?”
She shook her head. “Of course not.”
“Then there’s your answer.”
How had the conversation circled back here again? Nan Xu’s chest rose and fell sharply. She wanted to untangle it, to argue it through.
But then—like a sudden spark—a thought struck her.
What about him? Would Xie Hejing ever kiss someone he didn’t like?
The more she thought about it, the stranger it felt. Gathering her courage, she lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. “If I kissed you first… would you let me? Or would you pull away?”
Maybe before her lips even touched him, he’d already dodged.
…That would be mortifying.
“I’m right here,” he said, arching a brow. His low voice carried an irresistible pull, as though coaxing her into surrender. He didn’t give her a definite answer, but his words hooked her, tugging her down with him, inch by inch.
Nan Xu’s cheeks burned hotter. Her eyes drifted again to his finely cut lips, and her mind buzzed, reason and impulse colliding fiercely.
In the end, reason won out.
She didn’t dare look at him any longer. Right now, Xie Hejing felt like a sly fox, weaving spells with just a few words, impossible to resist. Thankfully, she still had enough self-control to hold on.
. . . . .
The morning sunlight slipped through the cracks in the curtains, scattering mottled shadows across the room. Even as Nan Xu replayed their exchange in her head, she still winced at her moment of hesitation.
She hid herself back in her room, unwilling to face him.
Her hand rested on the doorknob. She hesitated for several minutes more. But when she recalled the doubt in his eyes yesterday, her heart steadied.
She wasn’t at all like what Xie Hejing accused her of being. She wasn’t afraid to know.
If Nan Xu really wanted to figure out what kind of feelings she had for him, the most direct and effective way was indeed to get closer.
She couldn’t keep running away.
It shouldn’t be difficult to just get closer. At least, that’s what she told herself.
After steadying her thoughts, she stepped out of her room—only to see Xie Hejing standing before the mirror, adjusting his appearance. He wore a crisp dress shirt, the collar slightly open to reveal the delicate line of his collarbone.
Her brain, still foggy from waking too early, instantly cleared a little. Then she suddenly remembered—she was still wearing his shirt. Heat rushed to her cheeks.
Without saying a word to him, she darted back inside, hurriedly changed into her work attire, and only then reemerged.
But Xie Hejing hadn’t moved. Still in the same outfit, he now sat on the sofa closest to her door—waiting.
When she walked over, it became obvious: he had been waiting for her.
He handed a tie to her.
Nan Xu blinked, caught off guard, fumbling for words. “I… I don’t really know how.”
He only nodded slightly and withdrew the tie, without comment.
Relieved, she exhaled softly. She really had no idea how to tie one, and if she messed it up, it would just make her look ridiculous in front of him. They still had a project site to inspect later, after all.
“It’s fine, I’ll teach you,” his voice came suddenly from behind. Nan Xu hadn’t even noticed when he’d moved so close.
Her first instinct was to refuse, but before she could get the words out, he cut in sharply: “Nan Xu.”
The familiar tone made her jolt instinctively. “I’ll learn! I’ll learn,” she blurted.
His gaze softened, and he picked the tie back up, gently placing it in her palm, his hand briefly covering hers. Warmth spread immediately through her skin, making her fingers tremble faintly.
Could she really learn this properly?
Xie Hejing leaned in, close enough for their breaths to mingle.
Holding her wrist, he slowly guided her movements, murmuring instructions in that low voice of his: “Cross it here first, then loop it around…”
Nan Xu kept her head lowered, eyes fixed on the tie, forcing herself to concentrate. But the familiar scent of him lingered in the air, pulling her heartbeat into a frantic rhythm.
And then he drawled casually, “Pay attention. From now on, my ties will depend on you.”
“Me?!” Nan Xu yelped. “You want me to tie them for you?”
His eyes narrowed with a faint squint. “You don’t want to?”
“No, it’s not that—I’m just afraid I won’t do it well.”
“Then focus and learn. Unless you’d prefer I keep teaching you over and over again.”
The implication in his tone made her straighten up immediately. She pushed all stray thoughts aside, eyes glued to the fabric in her hands. “Don’t worry, Brother, I’m smart. I’ll get it on the first try.”
Her words came out in a rush, serious yet a little flustered.
Xie Hejing: “…”
On the way to the inspection site, Xie Hejing sat in the back seat, his gaze drifting now and then toward Nan Xu, who was absorbed in going through the project documents.
She had placed the folder on her lap, pulling out one file after another, carefully checking each detail. Her eyes scanned the dense text line by line, brows furrowed in concentration, lips moving slightly as she silently verified each figure.
At the site, the machines roared around them. Qi Ming walked at the front, explaining the situation, with Xie Hejing beside him. Nan Xu followed diagonally behind Xie Hejing, and a few others trailed at the back.
They moved between the different construction zones.
Nan Xu kept pace tightly with Xie Hejing, her eyes never idle. While observing the site conditions, she quickly jotted notes into her notebook, afraid to miss even the smallest detail.
The noise was so overwhelming that whenever she wanted to hear Xie Hejing’s comments on specific aspects of the project, she had to lean forward slightly, listening closely before scribbling furiously again.
The group worked through the entire morning before finally breaking for lunch.
The site was far from the city, so they decided to eat at the cafeteria there.
On the top floor, a few simple private rooms were reserved for senior staff. Nan Xu followed Xie Hejing inside.
As Qi Ming introduced the dishes to him, Nan Xu sat nearby. After a whole morning of rushing around, she finally had a moment to rest. She set her notebook on the chair beside her and rubbed her legs.
Soon after, a dull ache in her stomach made her uncomfortable, so she stepped out to ask someone where the restroom was.
Meanwhile, Qi Ming left with the menu, eager to instruct the kitchen to prepare the best dishes possible for today.
In a blink, the private room was empty except for Xie Hejing.
That was when a young, glamorous woman boldly walked in.
Amid this dusty, noisy place, she stood out with her polished outfit, heavy makeup, and an overpowering cloud of perfume.
Xie Hejing’s brows knit almost instinctively. “What is it?”
Undeterred by his cold expression, the woman asked boldly, “Handsome, can we get to know each other?”
Xie Hejing: “…”
His expression darkened. His voice was low, curt. “No.”
Rather than being discouraged, her interest seemed piqued. She stepped in further, plopping herself down in the seat where Nan Xu had been, pushing the notebook aside. “You’re here for the inspection, right? I can show you around. This whole area’s under my management. Whatever you want to see, I’ll take you.”
“Get out. I don’t need it.” His brows drew tighter, his patience stretched to its limit as he resisted the urge to leave outright.
“You’re so young and successful, yet so aloof. Must be hard to find a girlfriend, isn’t it?” she teased, her tone almost mocking.
The darkness in Xie Hejing’s eyes deepened. He would never lay hands on a woman, but that didn’t mean he could endure her endless chatter in his ear.
He drew in a sharp breath, ready to issue a final warning—when Qi Ming walked back in.
Catching sight of the woman, he blurted out in shock, “Qi Hui? What are you doing here?”
His sister was notorious for being lazy and spoiled, always hating the idea of work, let alone coming somewhere this far. What was she doing here?
Qi Hui flinched at the sight of her brother. She certainly wasn’t about to admit she’d overheard that he was hosting a delegation today—and that she’d rushed over after hearing one of them was supposedly a very handsome man.
Almost instinctively, Qi Ming’s gaze flicked toward Xie Hejing.
What he saw there—a simmering storm of anger, tightly leashed but moments from breaking—made his chest tighten in dread.
It had taken Qi Ming no small effort to bring Xie Hejing here. If things were ruined now…
All his hard work would go straight down the drain.
“I’m so sorry, President Xie. This is my younger sister—she’s really thoughtless. Please forgive her. Qi Hui, hurry up and apologize to President Xie!”
But instead of looking remorseful, Qi Hui froze at her brother’s words. What caught her attention wasn’t the rebuke—it was the title.
President Xie…
So this was Xie Hejing?
The handsome man in the inspection team was actually him!
Her brother had always dealt with greasy, middle-aged businessmen. She never spared them a second glance. But this time, out of nowhere, appeared a man with such sharp presence and striking looks—
Qi Hui’s eyes lit up instantly.
“Brother, he’s Xie Hejing!”
A muscle twitched irritably between Xie Hejing’s brows.
Qi Ming ground his teeth, his frown deep enough to cut. He gave her arm a sharp tug. “Apologize. Now.”
But Qi Hui only pulled away, wincing. “You’re hurting me! Why should I apologize? I didn’t even say anything wrong.”
“You—!” Qi Ming’s eyes bulged, but with Xie Hejing right there, he bit back the harsher words on his tongue.
“Director Qi,” Xie Hejing said coolly, “it seems you have family matters to handle. Let’s resume our discussion once that’s settled.”
Qi Ming let out a breath of relief and hurried to thank him before dragging his sister toward the door.
Her wrist throbbed from his grip. She yanked free, rubbing at the red mark and glaring. “What’s your problem, brother? Why grab me like that? It hurts!”
Qi Ming’s face was dark with frustration. “What are you even doing here? Do you have any idea who he is?”
Business in Linbin was hard enough to conduct—he was still hoping to win some investment from Xie Hejing.
“I know exactly who he is,” Qi Hui said, her lips curling into a smile. “He’s Xie Hejing. I didn’t expect him to be this handsome in person. Brother, introduce me to him, will you?”
“Introduce, my ass.” Qi Ming spat, his voice sharp with warning. “Qi Hui, don’t you dare try anything. That man is not someone you can mess with.”
Not only had Xie Hejing built his own business empire from scratch, but he also came from a powerful family. In every circle, his name carried weight. If Qi Ming hadn’t dug into his background beforehand, he might have made the mistake of underestimating him because of his youth.
“Why can’t I?” Qi Hui shot back. “He’s not even taken. What’s so wrong about it?”
“How do you know he isn’t?” Qi Ming demanded, startled.
Qi Hui stomped her foot, exasperated. “Oh, come on. One look and you can tell—he’s been abstinent for ages. If he had someone, no way would a man his age stay that restrained for this long. Brother, just help me, please? This is the first time I’ve actually liked someone. If you don’t introduce us, someone else will snatch him up!”
Just then, Nan Xu stepped out of the restroom and happened to spot Qi Ming standing with a young woman at the private room door.
She hesitated. If she walked over, she might interrupt a private conversation. But if she stayed back, she worried Xie Hejing might later ask why she had taken so long.
After wavering a moment, she chose to wait quietly where she was.
It was Qi Ming who noticed her first. He shot Qi Hui a glare, signaling her to shut up, then turned to Nan Xu with a quick smile.
“Assistant Nan, the dishes are about ready. Let’s head back inside.”
“Ah… okay.” Nan Xu nodded softly. As she passed by Qi Hui, she noticed the girl’s puffed-up cheeks.
Clearly, the siblings had just been quarreling. Nan Xu quickened her pace, eager to escape this little battlefield.
She had no idea the real battlefield would be the afternoon inspection.
Qi Hui threw a tantrum until Qi Ming reluctantly added her to the inspection team.
And once she joined, she either stared shamelessly at Xie Hejing, or complained—tired, bored, asking when it would finally end.
Qi Ming’s temples throbbed from the constant strain. He could only keep apologizing to both Xie Hejing and Nan Xu. Every time he suggested sending Qi Hui away, she would burst into tears, threatening to smash her head against the wall.
She had suffered a mental breakdown before, even attempted suicide. With their parents gone and only her left, Qi Ming had no choice but to treat her with extreme caution, no matter how unreasonable she became.
Throughout the entire trip, Qi Hui’s gaze practically clung to Xie Hejing.
But Xie Hejing’s eyes… drifted instead to Nan Xu, again and again—watching her, gauging her reaction. Would she notice? Would she care?
Someone was openly coveting him.
And she didn’t seem to mind at all.
That irritated him.
No—infuriated him.
Because Nan Xu was completely oblivious. She was buried in her notebook, discussing project details with others, not sparing a glance at what was happening beside her.
At one point, Xie Hejing even coughed twice. Not loud, not soft—just enough to stand out amidst the discussion. But Nan Xu only looked up briefly before returning to her work, as if he were invisible.
His expression darkened further.
By the time Nan Xu finally sensed the storm brewing beside her, they were already on the car ride back. Qi Ming drove in the front.
Nan Xu lifted her head from her notebook, suddenly realizing—Xie Hejing hadn’t spoken a single word to her the entire afternoon.
She stole a glance. His face was cold, his aura distant, like a wall of ice keeping her at arm’s length.
A chill ran through her. Still, she typed out a message.
[Brother, what’s wrong? Are you too tired?]
But Xie Hejing shut his eyes, making no move to check his phone.
Nan Xu hesitated, then shifted her seat ever so slightly, inching closer until she was hidden from Qi Ming’s view. She reached out and gave his sleeve a small tug.
No response.
Her heart sank. She was almost certain she had made him angry somehow.
But how? She had spent the whole afternoon working hard, discussing the project seriously. Why was he upset?
After a moment of thought, she tugged his sleeve again.
This time his hand twitched, but he still ignored her.
Nan Xu’s face crumpled in confusion. She truly had no idea what had gone wrong.
Finally, she steeled herself, heart pounding, and slipped her fingers into his palm, gently wrapping her hand around his.
And it worked—instantly.
Xie Hejing’s eyes snapped open, and miraculously, the icy air around him seemed to melt a little.
Nan Xu hurriedly pointed at his phone, urging him with her eyes: Look. Please look.
It took Xie Hejing quite a while before he finally replied.
[That woman stared at me the entire afternoon. You didn’t notice?]
His eyes, full of grievance, locked onto Nan Xu.
Nan Xu replied: [I noticed. So what?]
So what?!
Xie Hejing nearly choked on his own fury right there in the car.
[Nan Xu, are you trying to piss me off to death?]
Nan Xu blinked, utterly baffled. Someone else had looked at him—so why was she the one in trouble?
She racked her brain, trying to connect it back to herself somehow. But no matter how she turned it over, she couldn’t find the link.
Unless…
Her thoughts spun until she finally landed on a possibility. Maybe it was the tie she had knotted for him—was something wrong with it?
She sneaked a glance at his chest. Left, right, top to bottom—the tie looked perfectly proper, nothing out of place.
Then what on earth was he mad about?
Since she couldn’t figure it out, she tried a gentle comfort instead:
[Don’t be mad, brother. Getting angry is bad for your health.]
Xie Hejing: …
[Nan Xu, you’d better know exactly why I’m angry.]
Nan Xu bit her lip, then typed: [Because President Qi’s sister was staring at you?]
She found her own reasoning funny, and a laugh slipped out before she could stop it.
The car had been filled with background noise from Qi Ming’s music, but at that laugh—everything seemed to fall silent.
Especially Xie Hejing, who tugged sharply at his tie and let out a cold snort.
His voice cut through the air: “Assistant Nan, what’s so funny? Care to share what made you laugh like that?”
Nan Xu’s nerves jumped. She rushed to explain, “I—I was just laughing at nothing, haha. Don’t mind me, President Xie.”
The car fell quiet again.
But this time, Xie Hejing ignored her completely.
Nan Xu sat stiffly, utterly at a loss. She knew her laugh had been poorly timed, but she had no idea how to make him talk to her again.
Xie Hejing folded his arms, waiting silently for her next move. But ten whole minutes passed, and the girl who had boldly grabbed his hand earlier didn’t dare make a single attempt now.
His brow creased as he turned his head to watch her.
Nan Xu didn’t notice. She was bent over her phone, tapping in the search bar:
[Made boss angry…]
Delete…
[What to do when you make your brother mad?]
Xie Hejing almost burst out laughing from sheer exasperation. Instead, he pulled out his own phone. His long fingers typed two characters before he hit send.
Nan Xu, scrolling through her “strategies,” startled when a notification flashed across the top of her screen.
She looked up—straight into his gaze.
He slowly turned his phone so the screen faced her.
Two bold words glowed back at her.
[Coax me.]