Chapter 542: Chapter 542

He was methodically arranging work for his subordinates at this moment, his demeanor calm and composed, with a touch of casual elegance.

Xie Baola suddenly wondered, what exactly about Chen Jiayan attracted her?

Besides his good looks, it was probably everything about him.

It was that indescribable feeling, but you knew for sure he was the one you wanted to be with.

Besides being intrigued by the novelty, it must also stem from that inexplicable heartbeat.

It stirred a sensation both sour and itchy in her heart, with a bit of sweetness seeping through.

Like a sweet poison, it was irresistible.

Xie Baola’s gaze gradually became distant as she watched him.

"The meeting ends here."

It wasn’t until Chen Jiayan uttered these words that Xie Baola snapped back to reality.

She stood up and walked towards him.

"Boss, I hope you have fun with your ’sister-in-law’."

As Chen Jiayan was hanging up the video call, his computer broadcasted a teasing comment at just the right moment.

Chen Jiayan cheerlessly shut down his computer.

Xie Baola leaned her hands on the desk, a meaningful smile on her face: "Sister-in-law? Are your employees referring to me?"

Chen Jiayan sat there, leaning against the couch, and indifferently said, "No, they misunderstood."

Xie Baola brought over a plate and placed it in front of him: "The barbecue has gone cold because your meeting took so long."

She complained lightly.

"How are you going to take responsibility?"

"Is the food you cooked even edible?"

Chen Jiayan’s eyes roamed and eventually fell back on her face.

Xie Baola was speechless. Wasn’t this a blatant underestimation of her abilities?

"I tried for quite a while, how could it not be edible? Don’t you think the color looks decent?"

Chen Jiayan really underestimated her!

She was determined to succeed in whatever she set out to do.

"The main issue is that the food is cold now, so naturally, it doesn’t taste as good. It’s all your fault, you have to take responsibility!"

Xie Baola was righteous and indignant.

In any case, it was up to him to take responsibility.

All these were the fruits of her hard labor, yet they hadn’t made it into his stomach at all.

It was truly a waste.

Chen Jiayan said nonchalantly, "So what do you want me to do?"

Before Xie Baola could reply, he remarked in an offhand manner, "It doesn’t matter if it’s cold, as long as it isn’t burnt, we can still eat it."

The color was indeed much better than what she had managed at the barbeque restaurant last time.

As Chen Jiayan said this, he reached out his hand.

Xie Baola moved the plate out of his reach.

She didn’t want him to have to eat the cold food.

Chen Jiayan’s brows and eyes showed confusion.

Xie Baola, without expression, said, "If it’s cold, don’t eat it. Everyone is still barbecuing downstairs; let’s go down too."

Chen Jiayan stood up: "Let’s go."

The two of them walked toward the door together.

Xie Baola, pushing her luck, said, "I might have wasted the barbecue I made, but you haven’t compensated me yet."

As if struck by inspiration, Xie Baola raised her eyebrows with a smile, "Let’s go to the hot spring together tonight."

She patted Chen Jiayan’s shoulder: "It’s settled then."

It seemed he hadn’t agreed yet.

Xie Baola, fierce and righteous, said, "If you don’t go, then what you said about taking responsibility was just lip service."

Her words made him appear like a heartbreaker.

Da Pao greeted them eagerly when they showed up together, "Here you are! Come and sit down."

Da Pao and the others were already sitting on chairs, swigging drinks, a table of barbecued food in front of them.

Xie Baola and Chen Jiayan took their seats.

"What were you doing up there for so long?" Da Pao asked with an intimate gleam in his eyes.

They had been gone for at least half an hour. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the Novᴇ(l)Fɪre .ɴᴇt

A lot could happen in half an hour.

Xie Baola curled her lip: "What else could be happening? President Chen was in a meeting, and all the barbecue I made got cold."

Xie Baola still couldn’t forget about it.

Da Pao thought it wasn’t a big deal, "Then just go and grill another batch."

Xie Baola refused outright.

Why should she go to the trouble again?

She wouldn’t waste her effort anymore.

Chen Jiayan could detect the lingering grievance in her tone, and he found it amusing that this could occupy her thoughts so persistently.

"What do you want to eat then? I’ll grill it for you."

Was she satisfied now?

"There’s already plenty to eat on the table," Da Pao was almost at a loss for words about them.

Xie Baola didn’t bother with his comment and cheerfully responded to Chen Jiayan’s question.

The two of them went over to the barbecue grill.

Da Pao: "...They must be crazy."

"So says a single dog; you wouldn’t understand."

Chen Jiayan took his time grilling, while Xie Baola simply sat on a nearby chair watching him.

It was evening now, the sunset staining half the sky red, casting an orange-red glow across the land.

A faint gleam of light fell on Chen Jiayan’s shoulder, as if casting a glow around his entire being.

When you like someone, it’s like they shine.

The sizzling of grease and the scent of cumin wafted through the air, an aroma that made mouths water.

"Bring a plate here."

Xie Baola passed him a plate.

Chen Jiayan placed all the cooked barbecue onto the plate.

"Aren’t you going to have some?"

Xie Baola held up a skewer of barbecue to Chen Jiayan’s mouth.

Chen Jiayan did not move.

Xie Baola’s hand continued to extend forward.

Chen Jiayan had no choice but to take it, sampling a small bite.

Still couldn’t resist her?

Once the BBQ ended, everyone returned to the hotel.

Their bodies smelled of barbecue — wonderful when eating, but not so pleasant now.

After taking a shower, wrapped in a bath towel, Xie Baola emerged, her hair washed and wrapped in a towel.

She dug out a hairdryer from the drawer, but as luck would have it, it was broken.

It seemed like fate had handed her an opportunity.

Xie Baola immediately left her room and went to Chen Jiayan’s door.

Her face brimming with a smile that couldn’t be suppressed, there was an inexplicable excitement.

Chen Jiayan opened the door, and upon seeing Xie Baola’s outfit, his brows instantly furrowed.

Xie Baola clutched the edge of the towel: "The hairdryer in my room is broken, is yours working?"

"It should be; let me check."

Chen Jiayan said this and began to close the door, the very picture of gentlemanliness.

Xie Baola quickly used her hand to block the closing door, then squeezed her body through.

Chen Jiayan, in an effort to maintain distance, inadvertently let her succeed.

"What are you doing?"

Xie Baola, wearing hotel slippers, shorter than him by a head but not lacking in presence, asserted, "Who knows what kind of people are staying in this hotel? How could you let me wait outside in this attire, aren’t you afraid I’ll get kidnapped by some bad guy?"

He just wanted to ask, was she serious?

Indeed, her outfit was quite provocative.

And he was a man too.

Was she that confident in him?

"I meant that you should wait in your room."

"It would be too much trouble for you; I can wait here instead."

"It’s already troubling."