Shang Xuci gasped and looked at the culprit.
After a brief silence of two seconds, he said, “Let go.”
The big white cat also sensed something was wrong and quickly pulled back its two guilty front paws. With a flick of its hind leg, it transformed into a young man sitting on Shang Xuci’s lap.
Slightly long, curly hair fell over his shoulders. His fair face looked innocently at Shang Xuci, his ears twitching while his fluffy tail rested on the spot he had accidentally pressed. He wanted to gently soothe it, but when Shang Xuci’s gaze caught his, he pulled back angrily.
“I didn’t mean to,” Jian Xun said.
He had thought a massage would make Shang Xuci feel good. It was just carelessness—stepping on something he shouldn’t have. The little cat didn’t understand; he simply pressed down. He wasn’t the kind of cat to act irrationally or mischievously—he would always admit his mistakes quickly.
“Yeah.”
“So you forgive me?” Jian Xun asked happily, his tail twitching.
“I forgive you.” Shang Xuci’s throat bobbed, his dark eyes shifting. He turned over. “Let’s do it again.”
“Okay, okay.” Jian Xun knelt on the bed and diligently massaged his shoulders and legs.
Finally, the boss generously pulled a red envelope from the bedside table and shoved it into Jian Xun’s hand.
Jian Xun lay down beside him and asked, “Is this for my massage?”
“Is it enough?”
The red envelope was bulging, clearly prepared long ago. Jian Xun nodded happily and said, “Thank you, boss. You don’t have to pay me anymore. I enjoy giving you massages.”
Each massage raised the intimacy level by ten—the fastest method.
“This is pocket money for Sui Sui.”
“It’s the same thing.” Jian Xun tossed back the covers and crawled in, slowly moving closer to Shang Xuci. The cat ears on his head twitched, and Shang Xuci immediately hooked a finger around them, giving them a squeeze.
The tips of Jian Xun’s ears instantly turned red. He looked at Shang Xuci and asked, “Why do you always like touching my cat ears? Do they feel good?”
“They feel good,” Shang Xuci said with a smile. “You have cat ears when you’re a cat, and you like showing them off when you’re human. Are you trying to get me to touch them?”
Jian Xun’s little scheme was laid bare, and he retorted, “No, I just feel comfortable this way!”
With that, Jian Xun slid down and lay flat, pulling the quilt up to his chin with both hands. He said, “I’m going to bed. Good night.”
Shang Xuci lowered his head, glanced at Jian Xun—who was pouting with his eyes shut—and said nothing.
Jian Xun peeked open his eyes and asked, “Don’t you want a goodnight kiss?”
Shang Xuci readily leaned over and kissed his smooth forehead.
Jian Xun felt the warmth of the quilt. He slipped his feet between Shang Xuci’s legs and clung to him, just as he always did when they slept side by side. These intimate little gestures were unconscious, completely unaware of the effect they had on Shang Xuci. He relied on sheer self-control to hold back, silently warning himself not to move.
Unsatisfied, Jian Xun lifted his graceful neck, pouting even more. “Not enough.”
Shang Xuci, stirred by his longing, gave in. He kissed him.
Jian Xun grew dizzy from the kiss and instinctively parted his lips.
Then Shang Xuci kissed him again—deeper, until he was breathless.
Jian Xun began to regret his own inexperience and teasing playfulness.
From his face, to his lips, to his jaw, Shang Xuci kissed him, gradually losing control.
Holding him tightly, Shang Xuci noticed the faint blush blooming across his cheeks, his expression more alluring than ever. He deepened the kiss, his hand sliding lower. Hearing Jian Xun’s broken sobs, he finally pulled back with effort, clutching the furry cat’s tail between their intertwined legs, wondering how much longer he could endure.
Jian Xun finally had a chance to breathe. Nestled quietly in his arms, his eyelids drooped. His slightly cool hands rested against Shang Xuci’s warm chest, and he slowly drifted into sleep.
Shang Xuci lowered his gaze to Jian Xun’s small face. It had grown a little rounder since they first met, but it was still fair and clean, with delicate skin like fine porcelain—impossible to resist pinching.
When he did, Jian Xun whimpered softly, leaning closer against his shoulder, his head resting there as his breathing grew steady. His long eyelashes trembled slightly, his face peaceful in sleep.
Shang Xuci reached out and switched off the light. As the room darkened, his hand unconsciously stroked the cat ears, gently caressing them.
Jian Xun slipped into a deep slumber.
Shang Xuci’s sleep quality improved with him beside him, though his body clock remained out of sync. In the end, it was Jian Xun who woke him the next morning.
After washing up and having breakfast, Shang Xuci took Jian Xun to Yinfeng Entertainment.
The manager was already waiting at the door to greet them. Everyone had been worried that the company would collapse with headquarters in trouble, but Shang Xuci’s decisive actions had saved it. Their anxieties were finally eased.
From a distance, Wu An saw the boss step out from the driver’s seat, open the passenger door, and help a young man out.
The sharp-eyed employee behind him immediately noticed the unusual closeness between Shang Xuci and the young man and whispered a few words to Manager Wu.
After they were introduced, Manager Wu began to observe carefully. He noticed how Mr. Shang always smiled when speaking to Jian Xun, and how naturally intimate their behavior was. Wu An quickly understood and gained a deeper respect for Jian Xun’s judgment.
The elevator stopped on the 20th floor, right at the esports department.
Jian Xun’s eyes lit up as he stepped inside. He had stumbled upon this place once before when he was still a cat, but seeing it now from a human perspective was an entirely different experience.
Wu An was perceptive. Seeing Jian Xun’s excitement, he immediately arranged for him to be taken on a tour.
Shang Xuci didn’t waste any time. “Wu An, starting today Jian Xun is a member of your esports department. Take good care of him. A new coach will join in a few days, and he’ll have only Jian Xun to supervise.”
Although Shang Xuci was reluctant to see Jian Xun leave his role as assistant, he wanted the young man to pursue his passion. He could help with his studies, and Jian Xun would receive professional coaching for his specialized courses.
As for himself, Shang Xuci planned to clean up the mess at Shang Group over the next few days. After handling Du Guan and Xu Rong’s affairs, he would focus on accompanying Jian Xun.
Seeing his boss come in person for what seemed like a small matter, Wu An understood even more clearly how much the young man meant to him. He nodded at once. “Don’t worry.”
By the time the group finished the tour and met the contestants, it was already lunchtime. Shang Xuci answered a few calls, then said to Jian Xun, “You’ll be working here from now on, so get acclimated.”
“What about you?” Jian Xun asked without hesitation. “Back to Xinyu or Shang Group?”
Xinyu was very close, just across the street from the building. Shang Group was farther away, and if Jian Xun wanted to find him it would take longer.
“Back to Shang Group first,” Shang Xuci said, squeezing his hand. “I’ll have someone pick you up for lunch at noon. Wait for me—I’ll take you home after you get off work.”
Seeing that everything had been arranged, Jian Xun nodded.
After settling Jian Xun’s affairs, Shang Xuci returned alone to Shang Group for a meeting.
Shang Ye and Shang Wei both attended. Under the two men’s sour looks, Shang Xuci announced his appointment as chairman of the group. His first order of business was to purge the traitors.
He read a list of names, dismissing fence-sitters and incompetent connections. He replaced the company’s mid-level management and demoted or reassigned top managers.
With each name called, those below felt uneasy.
But no one dared object.
After the meeting, Shang Wei took Shang Ye to a restaurant for a private meal.
The more Shang Wei thought about it, the angrier he grew. “How dare he fire us as directors in front of everyone? He’s getting more and more disrespectful toward his father!”
Shang Ye wasn’t in a much better mood. He picked up his glass and drained it.
The group’s ability to weather the crisis was entirely thanks to Shang Xuci. Both veteran and new employees were convinced by his leadership.
No one knew exactly how much equity Shang Xuci had taken from the family this time. Including the money provided by the patriarch, a conservative estimate put his stake at over sixty percent. He held absolute power, and no one could stop his decisions.
After the incident, Shang Ye realized his own limitations. He felt resentful but powerless. Fortunately, Shang Xuci showed him mercy, exiling him to a smaller subsidiary rather than firing him outright.
Shang Ye listened in silence to Shang Wei’s complaints.
Shang Wei was already a little drunk; it was unclear what he was thinking when he began cursing, “That bitch Xu Rong! How dare she steal company secrets… Wait until she comes back—I’ll show you how I’ll deal with her. Divorce… that’s right, I want a divorce!”