chapter 12: tête-à-tête

Assistant Feng was so scared by his boss looks but still wanted to say at least half his thoughts, now that he found someone he can vent to about his boss without getting reprimanded "S-see what I mean?" Feng tittered nervously. "Always with the stern reminders and glowering looks! You'd think after so many years I'd be used to that..." He trailed off as Chenxiu's glowering did indeed intensify.

Unable to contain her laughter any longer, Mina let out a decidedly unladylike snort of amusement. She shot Chenxiu an impish look. "I can certainly see why you'd need the assistance dealing with such a... prickly personality."

A muscle ticked in Chenxiu's lean jaw but his eyes danced with wry humor. "Yes, well, for all his glaring faults, Feng does have his uses on occasion."

"Hey now," the put-upon assistant protested with a pout. "I'll have you know I'm irreplaceably useful! Why, if it weren't for me, this office would devolve into utter chaos and mayhem!"

Exchanging a look with Mina that fairly screamed 'oh really?', Chenxiu drawled, "Is that why the quarterly reports are still unfinalized two weeks after the deadline?"

Feng's eyes widened comically as he clutched the disheveled file folders to his chest. "They're...uh...coming along! I've just been...double checking all the figures for accuracy!"

"I'm sure," Chenxiu said dryly, turning his attention back to Mina with a look of profound suffering. "You can see the challenges I face managing this one."

"I can only imagine," she replied lightly, a smile tugging at her lips as she held his gaze boldly. His eyes heated momentarily before Feng's awkward cough interrupted the charged moment.

"If you two lovebirds are done chirping at each other," he grumbled good-naturedly, "maybe we could actually focus on getting some work done?"

Chenxiu's brows arched upwards at the ludicrous endearment while Mina felt her cheeks warm, she might be a bounty hunter or assasin as modern language calls it, but she was still after all too new to matters of love. But before either could respond, Feng was already bulldozing ahead, oblivious.

"Anywho, good to meet you, Dr. Han! Hopefully I'll get this cranky boss In fit shape again soon so he can stop distracting you from your very important medical duties and whatnot."

With a longsuffering sigh, Chenxiu pinched the bridge of his nose as if warding off a headache. Mina bit back a grin, recognizing the opportunity he was presenting.

"Actually Chenxiu," she said innocently, gratified by the way his gaze snapped to hers at the use of his name, "I was hoping to go over your rehabilitation regimen more thoroughly, ensure you're following the prescribed stretches and exercises."

His eyes glinted with the promise of further banter. "You require a...hands-on assessment, Doctor?"

Feng's head swiveled comically between them, confusion etched on his features. But Mina was focused solely on the heated look Chenxiu leveled her way, the air between them growing thick and charged once more.

"I believe that would be...advisable, yes," she murmured, holding his molten stare in challenge.

Clearing his throat loudly, Feng excused himself to "secure the perimeter" with a mystified shake of his head. But neither Mina nor Chenxiu paid him any mind, locked in the escalating tensions of their private little tête-à-tête