42

The traffic was smooth, and within an hour, the driver had delivered Shi Yue to the headquarters of Leng Group.

In the underground parking lot, Shi Yue got out of the car, shut the door, and walked over to the driver's side to thank him. "Thank you. I'll head in now."

The driver stopped her, speaking respectfully. "Miss Shi Yue, I'll be here waiting for you. If you need the car at any time, just let me know."

Shi Yue shook her head. "No need. You can go about your own business. There's no need to wait for me."

In her mind, since she was here to see Leng Yanmi, they would naturally go home together later.

The driver gave a wry smile and explained, "President Leng specifically instructed me not to do anything else today except to be at your service. If you ask me to leave, I honestly don't know what else to do."

Shi Yue understood his situation and smiled. "Alright then, I'll speak with her later and tell her to give you the day off. How about that?"

The driver nodded. "I'll just wait here then, for President Leng's next instructions."

After saying goodbye to the driver, Shi Yue headed into the building, taking the elevator to the first floor of the Leng Group tower.

When she saw the receptionist, dressed in a high-end custom uniform, she realized she might have been a bit rash. But since she was already here, she walked over and asked, "Hello, I'm a friend of President Leng. Can I see her?"

The receptionist maintained a polite smile. "Hello. Do you have an appointment?"

Shi Yue: "No."

"Then I'm sorry," the receptionist said apologetically. "President Leng's schedule is very tight, and she doesn't currently have time for extra meetings. If you'd like, you can leave your contact information here, and we'll submit a request to the president's office. Once approved, we'll arrange a meeting time for you."

Shi Yue took a deep breath. "How long does this process usually take?"

The receptionist checked her computer and replied, "If all goes well, you should receive a notification in about a week."

Shi Yue waved it off. "Never mind."

She pulled out her phone and looked at Leng Yanmi's number in her contacts. After some thought, she put the phone back. Leng Yanmi was clearly busy, and she didn't want to bother her with something so trivial.

Since she had no other plans after the award ceremony, she decided to wait in the lobby.

The receptionist asked politely, "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Shi Yue confirmed, "What time does President Leng usually finish work?"

The receptionist smiled awkwardly. "We're not sure about that."

"Sorry," Shi Yue apologized, realizing the question was inappropriate. "I came on a whim, hoping to catch her directly. I didn't think it through."

The receptionist replied kindly, "That's alright."

As they spoke, a woman in a tailored women's suit, exuding an air of professional elegance, approached them. She handed a file to the receptionist. "Confirm the data on this client list. I can't find the contact information for the president of Xinshihui."

"Understood." The receptionist looked surprised as she took the document. "Secretary Wang, why did you bring this down yourself?"

"I was out and happened to be passing by," Wang Na responded indifferently.

Seeing that the receptionist was busy, Shi Yue prepared to leave. She spotted a set of lounge chairs in the corner of the lobby and decided to sit there for a bit and think about her next move.

But just as she turned, Wang Na called out to her.

"Miss Shi Yue?"

Shi Yue stopped, surprised that the woman knew her. "Hello?"

Wang Na looked puzzled. "Is there something you need here?"

Shi Yue was still figuring out how to respond when the receptionist answered for her. "She's here to see President Leng, but unfortunately, she didn't have an appointment, so we couldn't arrange a meeting."

"To see President Leng?" Wang Na frowned and turned to confirm with Shi Yue.

Shi Yue nodded, confirming what the receptionist said. "Yes."

The receptionist added, "This lady said she's a friend of President Leng and wanted to skip the appointment process to meet with her directly. Secretary Wang, do you know her? Should I issue her a special access pass?"

Wang Na frowned even more. "President Leng is very busy these days and has no time for miscellaneous affairs." She then addressed the receptionist sternly, "You need to be more careful when handling visitors. Not just anyone should be allowed into the company."

Although Wang Na seemed to be reprimanding the receptionist, her words were clearly aimed at Shi Yue. Shi Yue, not wanting to cause trouble, quietly rolled her eyes and planned to leave.

But Wang Na stopped her again. "Miss Shi Yue."

She walked over to Shi Yue. "Is there a problem with the Design Competition? If you need anything, you can tell me, and I'll pass it on to President Leng."

When Wang Na mentioned the competition, Shi Yue understood—Wang Na likely recognized her because of the recent competition broadcasts and the trending news about her and Xi Chuanyu. She probably didn't know about her relationship with Leng Yanmi.

Shi Yue asked, "You've been following the Competition?"

Wang Na raised an eyebrow, her elite demeanor impossible to hide. "The competition is a subsidiary of Leng Group. I used to work with Zhang Zhuo, so I make it a point to keep an eye on related information."

"I see," Shi Yue nodded.

"No, the competition is going well. I'm not here because of that."

Wang Na narrowed her eyes and lightly tapped her thigh with her hand. "So, Betty was right—you're here for personal reasons?"

Shi Yue felt a bit embarrassed. The company was where Leng Yanmi worked, and coming here on a whim for personal reasons was a bit awkward.

"…Yes."

Her cheeks flushed slightly, but Wang Na misinterpreted her reaction.

Wang Na let out a cold laugh. "I must admit, you're quite the attractive Omega, but what's even more impressive is your deep scheming."

Shi Yue was confused. "What?"

"Did the incident with Xi Chuanyu teach you nothing? She immediately clarified the rumors and cut ties with you as soon as they surfaced." Wang Na crossed her arms, her tone icy. "I thought you'd learn to be more discreet after that, but now you've set your sights on President Leng."

They were still near the reception desk, so the staff overheard their conversation. Though they tried to be subtle, the two receptionists exchanged glances, clearly interested in the gossip. Their looks toward Shi Yue had changed dramatically.

Shi Yue's lips twitched awkwardly. "You're misunderstanding this."

She was about to explain further when Wang Na shrugged. "Does it matter if I'm misunderstanding? Your actions are already quite perplexing."

At this point, anyone would get upset.

Shi Yue furrowed her brows and replied bluntly, "I don't think I owe you an explanation for my intentions. But as for you, interpreting everything with such malice—doesn't that stem from your own serious bias?"

Wang Na chuckled and suddenly said, "I'm a Beta."

Shi Yue was baffled. "What?"

"I'm a Beta, unaffected by Omega pheromones. Your attempts to act spoiled or play coy won't work on me." Wang Na raised her chin arrogantly. "And let me remind you, President Leng isn't like most Alphas either. If you have any sense, you'll stop wasting your efforts on her.

"The competition still has a long way to go, and President Leng values it highly. As her assistant, I really hope she won't be distracted by unnecessary disturbances in the upcoming stages.

"Do you understand?"

In the end, Wang Na had jumped to the conclusion that Shi Yue had ulterior motives.

Shi Yue took a deep breath. "Enough. I don't think we need to continue this conversation."

She turned to leave and sat down on the nearby sofa, taking deep breaths to calm herself.

Wang Na followed her. "Is there something else you need?"

Shi Yue raised her head, already tired of trying to reason with her. "Is there a rule that guests aren't allowed to rest here?"

"There's no such rule," Wang Na replied coolly. "But the staff is quite busy, and they might not be able to attend to you properly."

Shi Yue: "I don't need anything. I'll just wait here."

Wang Na: "Waiting for who? President Leng?"

"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," Wang Na said, spreading her hands. "President Leng isn't even in the building right now."

Shi Yue was taken aback.

Wang Na wasn't lying.

Just five minutes earlier, Leng Yanmi had taken the private elevator down to the first level of the underground parking lot, accompanied by her assistant and several clients.

She was indeed busy today, heading out for a site inspection at a partner company. Her car was already prepared, and the driver had opened the back door, bowing respectfully.

Just as she was about to step into the car, something caught her eye—a familiar vehicle parked nearby. She stopped and stepped back out of the car.

The assistant was confused. "President Leng?"

"Wait," Leng Yanmi said.

She pushed past the group and walked over to the familiar luxury car. As soon as she saw the license plate, she was certain—it was the car she had sent to pick up Shi Yue.

The driver, seated inside, noticed Leng Yanmi and quickly got out to greet her. "President Leng."

At that moment, he thought Shi Yue had asked for his dismissal, and he was puzzled as to why President Leng had come in person to deliver the message.

Leng Yanmi frowned. "Why are you still here?"

She asked, "Didn't I tell you to take her back to the apartment?"

The driver was equally confused.

He looked up, his mouth forming an O'. "Ah, well, it's because Miss Shi Yue asked me to bring her to the company instead. She took the elevator upstairs. You… didn't run into her?"

Without a moment's pause, Leng Yanmi turned and headed for the elevator.

The assistant was bewildered, hurriedly following behind. "President Leng? Do you have other plans?"

Without stopping, Leng Yanmi replied, "Stay here and wait for me. I'll be back shortly."

Her commands were always absolute, so the assistant immediately stopped in his tracks. "Yes, understood!"

One of the clients, trying to be polite, called out, "President Leng, take your time! We can wait!"

Once inside the elevator, Leng Yanmi considered calling Shi Yue to find out where she was but then remembered the poor signal. Figuring it wouldn't take long, she put her phone away and decided to head to the first-floor reception.

Coincidentally, as soon as the elevator doors opened, she saw Shi Yue sitting on the lounge sofa.

Shi Yue, meanwhile, was about to lose her mind dealing with Wang Na.

She was beginning to regret her decision to come here on a whim just to see Leng Yanmi. Maybe she should've just stayed home.

Wang Na was still droning on. "I've seen many young Omegas like you, thinking you can use your pheromones and Alpha's instincts to get what you want. But let me tell you, you've picked the wrong target. If you'd taken the time to learn more about President Leng, you wouldn't be having such childish thoughts.

"Xi Chuanyu might've fallen for your tricks, but President Leng…"

Shi Yue stood up abruptly and snapped, "Enough!"

She felt insulted and angry, ready to give Wang Na a piece of her mind, but before she could, a figure swiftly approached, diverting her attention.

Before she realized what was happening, Leng Yanmi was already standing in front of her.

The 'President Leng' that Wang Na had been going on about was now looking at Shi Yue with nothing but warmth, her eyes filled with affection as she asked, "Why did you suddenly decide to come by?"

Shi Yue saw her and immediately forgot all her anger. "I was bored at home and figured I could see you sooner if I came here."

She smiled, still a bit surprised. "How did you know I was here?"

"Why didn't you call me when you arrived?" Leng Yanmi lightly pinched her cheek, answering the question. "The driver told me.

"You should've let me know. You're not allowed to run off without telling me."

Shi Yue laughed, "I'm an adult. How is this 'running off'?"

Leng Yanmi, completely serious, replied, "If it's not in my schedule, it counts as 'running off.'"

"Tch," Shi Yue rolled her eyes. "I came to see you, and I still get scolded?"

She deliberately wrinkled her nose. "Hmph, I won't come next time."

Leng Yanmi reached out to pinch her nose, but Shi Yue dodged with a laugh.

Shi Yue then remembered something. "Aren't you busy? How do you have time to come here and lecture me?"

"I was about to head out for an inspection," Leng Yanmi said, checking the time. "Want to come with me?"

Shi Yue shook her head quickly. "No way! You're working, what would I do there?"

She took a deep breath. "It's fine. I'll just head back to the apartment."

Though Leng Yanmi agreed that Shi Yue might get bored following her, she wasn't about to let her leave. "I'll be back in two hours. Wait for me here."

She pulled a card from her pocket. "Use this to access the 66th floor…" She stopped mid-sentence, finally noticing Wang Na standing stiffly nearby. "Wang Na?"

She called her assistant's name, then said, "Perfect. You can cancel your work this afternoon and help me take care of our guest."

Wang Na's face had gone pale. "Pre-President Leng…"

Leng Yanmi hummed in acknowledgment. "Take Miss Shi Yue upstairs and make sure she has the highest level of access." She turned to Shi Yue and added, "If you get bored, feel free to use my computer. Find something to do, and I'll be back soon."

Shi Yue glanced at Wang Na, noticing that the woman who had been so confident moments ago was now as pale as a ghost.

Amused, Shi Yue said, "I wouldn't dream of touching your computer. It's probably as cold and boring as you, the capitalist."

Leng Yanmi ruffled her hair affectionately.

"I have to go now," she said, rushing toward the elevator. But before leaving, she instructed Wang Na, "If she needs anything, take care of it. Find her something to eat, and do your best to meet all her needs."

Wang Na stammered, "Y-yes, President Leng."

Shi Yue joined her in the elevator, initially planning to accompany her to the car, but saw a crowd gathered around it and decided against it.

Before the elevator, she straightened Leng Yanmi's collar and, seeing no one was watching, stood on tiptoe to kiss her on the chin. "Good luck with work. Come back soon."

Leng Yanmi buried her face in Shi Yue's neck, taking a deep breath before reluctantly letting her go.

After she left, Shi Yue returned to the elevator, sharing an awkward silence with a visibly shaken Wang Na.

Shi Yue couldn't help but laugh. "You really don't have to be this nervous."

"Miss Shi Yue," Wang Na's voice was shaky, "I sincerely apologize for earlier."

Shi Yue shrugged. "Arrogance and prejudice seem to be part of your personality type. When I first met Leng Yanmi, she was pretty much the same."

"I'm really sorry," Wang Na repeated. Glancing at Shi Yue's reflection in the elevator walls, she softly tried to change the topic. "I'll take you to the president's office now. The 66th floor is entirely President Leng's area, divided into the outer secretarial zone, the central office, and a private lounge. Would you prefer to rest quietly or watch some videos?"

Shi Yue: "I'll just be by myself."

"Understood," Wang Na replied with a respectful nod. "Have you had lunch yet? I could order something from President Leng's favorite restaurant…"

"No need." As the elevator arrived on the 66th floor, Shi Yue walked out and added, "Just show me the lounge, then you can get back to your work.

"I don't need anyone to look after me."

"Alright." Wang Na led the way.

In the secretarial area, several assistants were hard at work. The commotion drew their attention, and two of them recognized Shi Yue from previous meetings with Leng Yanmi.

They stood up and politely greeted her. "Miss Shi Yue."

Shi Yue nodded in response, acknowledging them.

If it had been one of these assistants she'd met downstairs earlier, she'd likely already be in the office by now. But fate had its way of playing tricks on her.

Wang Na silently led her to the lounge, and after closing the door for Shi Yue, she finally broke down, covering her face and unable to move for a while.

Meanwhile, a piece of gossip involving Leng Yanmi began to spread throughout the company, starting from the front desk.

[Anonymous989: OMG, President Leng is finally warming up!!!]

[Anonymous358: What are you talking about?]

[Anonymous989: I saw it with my own eyes! A super pretty Omega lady was escorted to President Leng's office by Assistant Wang! A first-time ever! If this isn't the future boss lady, who else could it be?]

[Anonymous722: But doesn't President Leng have a condition…? Would an Omega really want to be with her?]

[Anonymous216: Even if they're together, they can't naturally have kids, right? So sad…]

…

…

…

Shi Yue had no idea that her impulsive decision today had left a lasting impression on the entire Leng Group, setting the stage for a future misunderstanding that would soon become a laughingstock.