19 Take advantage of me, then.

"My eyes are up here, my mister…" Seeing him scrutinize her front, Zoey was confident about how she looked as she naturally presented herself decent at work. "Don't tell me you're wondering how my lips taste like?" She dawdled, teasing him to see some reactions.

Matthew Xi got a whiff of her breath; intoxicating and magnetizing if he would describe it. Although in normal days, he would describe it as a simple mint scent.

"Too close, I'm wearing white." After staring at her alluring lips, Matthew Xi raised his gaze and met hers. "Aren't you afraid I'd take advantage of you?" Seeing that she pouted upon hearing his remarks, Matthew Xi blankly inquired.

"Take advantage of me, then." Instead of being repelled, Zoey's pouting lips curled into a playful grin as she winked at him.

"Can you, Mister~?" Leaning closer, Zoey plucked her lips forward which made him instinctively draw back. Watching her offer herself like this, part of him felt upset but, more than that, he found himself in a hopeless situation.

Just then, the door of the conference room abruptly opened. "Boss, I forgot to tell — Oh, I'm sorry!" Mel's loud voice assailed Zoey's and Matthew Xi's ears before it trailed off upon seeing the situation inside.

In a snap, Mel bowed her head and shut the door closed, almost breaking the whole glass door in a hurry.

"Tsk," Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Zoey rolled her eyes as Mel broke the atmosphere.

Can't Mel read the situation? A woman and a man, alone in a room? Not to mention, everyone thinks that Matthew Xi was her lover, so what do they expect when two adults were left alone? Pray together?

"She really knows how to annoy me sometimes." Backing away, Zoey let out a disconsolate sigh and finally let him have his private space. "What do you want to do, darling?" Zoey leaned against the edge of the conference table, while her palms rested on her sides.

She watched his eyes blinked, giving no emotions for her to read. As their eyes met, she saw a wave of emotion flickered across his eyes; however, it was too brief that she didn't understand what it was.

"First date." Matthew Xi said. "You said you want to discuss the first date." his voice was coldly monotonous but soft.

"Aiya," Shaking her head, Zoey clicked her tongue. "Darling, don't you like me?" Out of the blue, Zoey asked.

For a second, Matthew Xi pondered on the question she worded rather complicatedly — gaining her complex answer. "No." After a beat, he answered. Obviously, his answer was either "no, I like you", or "no, I don't." but he chose not to elaborate.

"Okay!" Despite the vague response, Zoey's lips stretched from ear to ear as she clasped her hands together. "Then, shall we go?" Zoey brightly suggested, which made him knit his brows.

"Where?"

"To my client meeting — we'll discuss our first date on the way." In a matter-of-fact tone, Zoey began arranging the few folders on the desk as she explained the unimportant details without looking at him. "Is that okay with you?" she added.

Actually, Zoey didn't have another important meeting for the day. However, the office was full of busybodies, and she needed reasons to drag this guy somewhere to take advantage of his visit. She couldn't possibly do that if these office people were like Mel, right?

Matthew Xi stared at her back lethargically. Her schedule tempted him to refuse as Matthew Xi's wound was still healing, though not that serious anymore. However, the more he watched her, the more she intrigued him.

Matthew Xi didn't expect that she's truly dedicated to her business. Granting that the articles regarding this businesswoman was amusing, her personality contradicted those words written in that inside story.

Yet, the Zoey before him now... perhaps he was wrong to judge so easily? After all, although his presence triggered her cheeky and playful personality to resurface, it wasn't enough for her to distract her drive.

"Your call." Still bearing the same tone, yet his response threatened her lips to curl into a smile. Hence, she has to bite her bottom lip.

****

When Zoey departed from the conference room, she headed back to her office to bring important documents with her. Meanwhile, Matthew Xi followed from behind. Matthew Xi felt that he somehow became her personal assistant whose duty was to follow her all day.

Speaking of which, Matthew Xi noticed Zoey didn't have an assistant. He kept observing the surroundings and when there was no assistant post outside her office or near it, Matthew Xi arched his brows.

Opening his mouth, Matthew Xi wanted to fulfill his curiosity, but words wouldn't come out.

"Boss Zhou!" Just as the two reached Zoey's office, Mel's voice assailed their ears from behind. Subconsciously, Zoey and Matthew Xi turned to look where the voice came from; they saw the ever cute Mel glide towards them.

"What?" Arching her right brow, Zoey still couldn't forget how Mel sabotaged her lovely time with her darling.

"Err, about these designs you sent to the art department…" When Mel arrived and stopped steps away from her, she immediately showed her boss a design that both women are familiar with. Although she sounded awkward at first, Mel continued to blabber her concern.

Out of habit, Zoey listened to Mel's words as she nodded and headed inside her office; Mel followed behind her.

Matthew Xi was about to follow the girls, however he paused and turned to his left. Knitting his brows, he spotted a few employees he saw earlier; they waved at him as if gesturing to come closer to them. To be sure, Matthew Xi pointed at himself, and they all nodded in unison.

"Huh?" He didn't know whether he should go to them or pretend that he didn't see. The next second, he saw two male employees approaching in full speed. Their reaction and agility was startling, as if they were there to rob Matthew Xi.