Chapter 46 — If you accept using hand, then…
“Assistant Nan, President Xie isn’t here right now. Could you please give him this document later? I have to rush to a meeting. Thank you.”
Her colleague, Xiao Qi, said as she hurried by.
“Alright,” Nan Xu replied, taking the folder and placing it neatly on the top of the pile.
“Oh, right—Director Qi from the project you were handling came by earlier. You happened to be out. Maybe you should set up a meeting with him to discuss the project details,” Xiao Qi reminded her kindly.
Nan Xu quickly thanked her. “Oh, okay, thank you!”
She pulled up Xie Hejing’s schedule and compared it with her own, trying to find a slot that would work.
Right—she also had to check Director Qi’s availability. The project timeline sheet wasn’t even finished yet. Nan Xu was running off her feet.
On her desk were two stacks of documents and Xie Hejing’s itinerary, all of which needed to be double-checked—she couldn’t afford even the slightest mistake.
After taking so many days off, she’d built up quite a backlog of work.
Since the moment she arrived that morning, she hadn’t lifted her head once, her attention completely absorbed in her tasks.
It wasn’t until several notifications popped up on her phone that her focus was reluctantly pulled away.
Nan Xu picked up her phone and glanced around the empty president’s office. She let out a small sigh of relief. Luckily, Xie Hejing was out for the morning—she could finally relax a little and steal a short break.
She placed her phone beside her computer, pretending to review documents, though her eyes were actually fixed on a video Wen Qi had sent her.
It was the one from the bar—that moment when Xie Hejing kissed her—secretly recorded by Wen Qi, who’d even thoughtfully added background music.
[Xuxu, tell me—did I film it well? With this angle and lighting, you could convince anyone it’s a drama scene.]
Nan Xu opened the video. Xie Hejing’s hand rested on the back of her head as he kissed her, gentle yet deliberate.
After the kiss, she had lowered her head in shy embarrassment, completely unaware of the unrestrained hunger in his eyes, as though he wanted to devour her whole.
Her cheeks instantly grew warm again.
She thanked Wen Qi for the video, and after a long moment of hesitation, decided to save it.
Unable to resist, she watched it once more—but then her gaze was drawn to something else.
The corner of a wallet peeked out of Xie Hejing’s jacket pocket.
It was the one she had given him as a gift.
The button flap was open, and with her sharp eyes, Nan Xu noticed something familiar inside—
A bracelet.
Her bracelet. The one she had accidentally left behind at his place a long time ago.
She’d meant to ask for it back, but with school and work piling up, she’d let it slip her mind.
She never expected he’d still kept it all this time.
Finally, she’d have a reason to ask for it back. Nan Xu smiled—the first genuine smile she’d had all day.
When lunchtime came, Xie Hejing still hadn’t returned to the office. Nan Xu ate with her colleagues in the cafeteria.
Xiao Qi naturally took a seat beside her.
Qi Yule had been Nan Xu’s closest coworker since she joined the company. They were around the same age, with similar backgrounds—both had studied abroad before returning home to work.
As soon as Xiao Qi sat down, she started grumbling about arriving too late for lunch—most of the good dishes were already gone.
Then, glancing at Nan Xu’s tray, she frowned.
“Xiao Nan, is that all you’re eating? Won’t you be starving by the afternoon?”
During work hours, Qi Yule called her “Assistant Nan,” but once office hours ended, she’d switch to “Xiao Nan.” She claimed it was to keep work and personal life separate.
On Nan Xu’s plate sat only a few pieces of chicken, some tofu, and a bit of green vegetables.
Seeing this, Qi Yule couldn’t help but ask with concern.
Nan Xu smiled lightly. “I don’t have much of an appetite today. I probably won’t get hungry later.”
Xiao Qi asked again, “Have you been working too much lately? Maybe it’s because you took that week off.”
“Hey, when you asked for leave, did President Xie give you a hard time?”
“And when you two were on that business trip together—was he difficult to get along with?”
“No, not really. He’s actually pretty easy to get along with.” Nan Xu took a bite of chicken and then asked, “Does he usually get angry at people?”
She didn’t recall seeing that side of him.
No—actually, she had. Xie Hejing’s cold expression could be terrifying, especially when he stared at someone in silence.
“Of course he does. He’s super strict, especially during meetings. Every time I have to attend one with him there, I can’t even breathe properly.”
Thinking of those meetings, Qi Yule shivered a little. Still, for all his high standards, Xie Hejing also paid well.
“But lately, his temper seems to have improved a lot. I’ve seen him smiling at his phone several times.”
Qi Yule tried to recall the moments. “I think it was around the time you were on leave. That scary aura of his had completely faded. He was even smiling a lot—looked so warm and pleasant. Too bad you weren’t around to see it.”
During Nan Xu’s absence, Qi Yule had no one to really talk to. Most of the women in the office were either married or had boyfriends, and whenever they gathered, the topic inevitably turned to family.
Qi Yule never had much to contribute, so she simply kept quiet, staying on the sidelines.
That was why she especially cherished her conversations with Nan Xu—someone she could actually relate to.
“Xiao Nan, there’s a team dinner after work today. Are you going?”
“Team dinner?” Nan Xu looked puzzled. “I didn’t hear about that.”
Qi Yule smacked her forehead. “Ah right! You weren’t at work yesterday when Sister Zhang came by to tell us. She told me to pass the message along, but it’s been so busy this morning that I completely forgot until now.”
“So, are you coming?” Qi Yule asked again, eyes full of anticipation.
The last time they had a team event, Nan Xu had taken leave. This time, Sister Zhang had specifically said she shouldn’t miss it—it’d be good for her to blend in with the team.
Qi Yule, however, dreaded going alone. Without someone to chat with, those events always felt painfully dull. That’s why she really hoped Nan Xu, another young and single colleague, would join her.
After a brief pause, Nan Xu nodded. She didn’t have any plans that evening anyway, and attending a team event didn’t sound too bad.
“I’ll go.”
Qi Yule’s face instantly lit up. “Perfect! Then let’s go together after work!”
“Sure.”
Xie Hejing hadn’t been in the office all day, but he still managed to send timely reminders to Nan Xu—like telling her to eat lunch.
When it was time to leave work, another message came in from him:
[I won’t be home on time tonight. Make something for yourself—no ordering takeout.]
At that moment, Qi Yule had her arm linked through Nan Xu’s, happily discussing whose car they should ride in to the restaurant.
[Company team dinner. I’ll head back after it ends.]
Xie Hejing narrowed his eyes. Ah, right—there was some team event today. He vaguely remembered hearing about it but hadn’t paid much attention. He rarely attended those anyway. If he did, no one else would have any fun.
[Don’t drink. Eat less spicy food. I’ll come pick you up after it’s over.]
Nan Xu pressed her lips together and replied: [I can go back on my own.]
[Back where? My parents’ place?] Xie Hejing shot back immediately.
He could always read her mind. If he didn’t come for her, Nan Xu would definitely head back to the old family house.
He quickly shut down that idea: [I already told them you’re away on a month-long business trip. If you show up now, they might think they’re seeing a ghost.]
[A business trip again?]
Nan Xu stared at his “cover story,” feeling it was a bit too far-fetched.
So she texted: [Won’t they think you’re overworking your employees?]
[They do. I got scolded for it.]
Reading that, Nan Xu couldn’t help imagining his voice carrying a faintly aggrieved tone. The image made her smile.
Qi Yule tugged at her arm. “Xiao Nan, save your texting for later! Sister Zhang’s calling us to get on the bus!”
“Okay.”
Nan Xu sent her last reply to Xie Hejing, tucked her phone into her pocket, and followed along.
There were quite a few people at the team event, but the atmosphere was pleasant. No one was pushing drinks on others—those who wanted to drink did, and those who didn’t were left alone.
Nan Xu only took a glass of orange juice, sipping it slowly as she listened to her female colleagues chat. Most of their conversations revolved around their husbands and children.
She and Qi Yule had been quietly keeping to themselves—until Sister Zhang brought them into the spotlight.
“Xiao Nan, Xiao Qi, you two don’t have any plans for dating yet?”
Both froze for a moment.
But Nan Xu quickly answered, straightforward as always: “I do. I’m seeing someone recently.”
That instantly piqued Sister Zhang’s interest. “Oh? So there’s someone new! Tell me, maybe I can give you some advice.”
Nan Xu smiled slightly. Of course, she couldn’t say it was Xie Hejing, so she said instead, “He’s an old classmate.”
“An old classmate, huh? That’s good—you already know each other, and there’s some emotional foundation there. If things work out, you better invite me to your wedding banquet!” Sister Zhang said cheerfully.
Nan Xu chuckled. “Of course. If it really works out, I’ll definitely invite you, Sister Zhang.”
Sister Zhang laughed heartily. Being the oldest among them—her daughter was already in high school—she naturally treated Nan Xu and Qi Yule like younger sisters, always wanting to ask more about their lives.
“What about you, Xiao Qi? Do you have anyone you’re seeing? If not, I can introduce you to someone. Don’t worry, I’d never set you up just as a favor to someone else.”
Qi Yule, though two years older than Nan Xu, had never dated anyone. She was shy by nature, and at the mention of being set up, she grew flustered. After stammering for a while, she finally managed a small, hesitant, “Okay.”
At work, Qi Yule was always brisk, efficient, and detail-oriented—but right now, she was blushing, which drew teasing laughter from the other women at the table.
Nan Xu chuckled along, listening quietly as their conversation continued. Somehow, the topic gradually drifted into rather adult topics.
Qi Yule’s face turned even redder. She bit her straw, pretending to play on her phone, trying to ignore the conversation.
Nan Xu, however, listened intently. She wasn’t too shy to pay attention; in fact, she felt that maybe she could learn something from their experienced talk.
“I swear, lately things between my husband and me feel just like going to work—no feelings, just business as usual.”
“Hahaha! Don’t tell me you two just get straight to it with no romance at all?” Sister Zhang teased boldly.
The first woman shrugged. “Well, what else are we supposed to do? He walks into the room and just… starts.”
Sister Zhang shot her a look of mock disapproval. “You can’t just let him take charge like that. You should enjoy it too! Tell him to please you for once. Otherwise, of course it’s going to feel like work.”
“Really? Maybe I’ll try that tonight,” the woman said, sounding half-convinced. Then she frowned. “But what if he doesn’t want to?”
Sister Zhang took a sip of wine and said decisively, “Then find someone who does.”
“…”
The two older women went back and forth like that, chatting easily, until Sister Zhang’s eyes landed on Nan Xu, who was still listening attentively.
“What’s the matter, Xiao Nan? Got something you want to ask?” she said with a teasing smile.
Nan Xu didn’t shy away. She thought for a moment before asking, “I just wanted to know—before you got married, how did you know you really had feelings for your husband?”
The table went quiet for a beat.
One of the women, who had married through a blind date, looked thoughtful. She’d never really considered the question before. Back then, she’d just thought it was time—his background was good, their families matched—so they got married.
Sister Zhang, on the other hand, spoke with the confidence of experience. She’d been married three times—and each time, she was the one who initiated the divorce. Whenever the love was gone, just sharing the same space made her uncomfortable.
“It’s simple,” she said. “Spend time together. Talk about life, ideals, the future. But don’t just stop at that. Emotional connection is good, but it’s not everything.”
“Find a chance to hold hands, to kiss—and maybe go a bit further. In those moments, pay attention to what you really feel. If you feel resistance, that’s your answer. But if there’s joy, excitement—then chances are, you do like him.”
Nan Xu lowered her eyes. They’d done most of that already… except for the more intimate part.
She paused.
Was what she and Xie Hejing had now still not enough?
Later that night, Xie Hejing’s car was parked on a side street. After saying goodbye to her coworkers, Nan Xu slipped through a narrow alley and climbed into his car.
The moment she sat down, she spoke directly:
“Brother, I think our… level of contact still isn’t enough.”
For a second, Xie Hejing froze, caught completely off guard.
She always had a way of saying things that left him momentarily speechless.
But, in truth, what she said was exactly what he’d been thinking.
He had been wondering how to bring it up himself—how to do it without scaring her off. He hadn’t expected her to say it first.
“And what kind of contact are you thinking of?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Saying is one thing, but doing is another. Don’t look at how Nan Xu seems bold now; if Xie Hejing really starts to make a move, Nan Xu will probably be scared witless.
He could only guide her slowly.
Nan Xu was still thinking, “Let me think…”
She regretted not asking Sister Zhang for more details earlier.
Seeing this, Xie Hejing reminded her in a drawn-out tone, “I told you at the resort last time, you could try using a hand. Nan Xu, we can take it slow. If you accept using a hand, we can try other places next time.”
Nan Xu finally remembered this and said, “Using a hand? I’ll look up what to do later.”
She wasn’t clear on the specific process, only vaguely recalling Sister Zhang briefly mentioning it earlier.
Hearing this, Xie Hejing found it strange—how could Nan Xu accept using a hand so easily?
Sure enough, a few seconds later, he heard her say, “Brother, I have nail extensions; will it hurt you, will it affect anything? Should I go get them removed?”
She looked at her nails with a hint of regret, she really liked this color.
Xie Hejing’s expression suddenly darkened. So Nan Xu thought it meant using her hand.
No wonder she agreed so quickly. Xie Hejing said through gritted teeth, “Not your hand, mine.”
Nan Xu’s expression froze. Her gaze fell on the hand Xie Hejing was holding the steering wheel with.
The knuckles were distinct, veins stood out and then flattened with the movement, and the fingers were long and agile, concealing an undeniable strength.
“Yours?” Nan Xu swallowed.
Xie Hejing slightly curled the corner of his lips, “Of course. After all, it’s about seeing if you have desire for me. Naturally, I’ll be the one to ‘serve’ you.”