Chapter 299 - 296: Entrapment

Chapter 299: Chapter 296: Entrapment

Jiang Xia subconsciously glanced at Wang Ming. The guy had never mentioned this to him before, but the fact that he hadn’t accepted the milk tea suggested that things might not be what he’d thought.

He silently turned on his phone’s recording function, pushed open the glass door, and walked back out.

Zhang Yuanyuan watched the handsome guy from before walk toward her, a flutter of nervousness in her chest. She had clearly seen him chatting casually with the receptionist, and the receptionist had even been extremely respectful toward him.

’Is he also an employee of Qitian Animation? Or maybe even a junior manager?’

’Otherwise, why was he wandering around while everyone else was working hard?’

"Hello, are you looking for Wang Ming?" Jiang Xia asked, putting on a very friendly expression.

Zhang Yuanyuan blinked her eyes. "Um... y-hello."

"No need to be nervous. Old Wang is a little busy right now. Should I go get him for you?" Jiang Xia said with a slight smile.

Looking at the gentle, handsome man in front of her, Zhang Yuanyuan blushed slightly. "N-no, that’s okay. Just let him focus on his work. I can just wait for him here."

’Wait for him here?’

Jiang Xia cursed the shameless bitch in his mind, but his expression remained unchanged. "Wait out here? No, that won’t do. Come wait inside. It’s cold out, but the office has heating, so it’s much warmer."

Zhang Yuanyuan was a little surprised. The receptionist from before hadn’t let her in, yet this man was personally inviting her. It meant either he had a lot of authority himself, or Wang Ming’s position in the company wasn’t low.

However, she was more inclined to believe the former.

"I... I shouldn’t, should I?"

"There’s nothing to worry about." Jiang Xia chuckled, and his handsome smile struck a chord in her heart, leaving her momentarily dazed.

"It’s not like you’re a stranger."

Hearing this, a blush quickly spread across Zhang Yuanyuan’s cheeks. She asked shyly, "Are you a friend of Senior Brother Ming?"

’Senior Brother Ming?’

’Pah, what a bitch!’

"That’s right, we’re childhood friends. I wonder if he’s ever mentioned me to you?"

"Childhood friends?!" Zhang Yuanyuan’s eyes widened. She stared at Jiang Xia. He did look very young; she hadn’t expected him to be a contemporary of hers.

"I guess he hasn’t, then," Jiang Xia said, a look of regret on his face.

"Yeah, Senior Brother Ming never mentioned it to me." She blushed and asked, "Are you also a student at the Central Academy of Fine Arts?"

"No, I’m from Qingmei," Jiang Xia said with a smile.

"Impressive."

Jiang Xia let out a small puff of white breath. "Whew. It’s cold out here. We shouldn’t stand around talking. Why don’t you come inside with me?"

Zhang Yuanyuan nodded slightly. Waiting in the cold, boring hallway was no match for enjoying the warmth inside and the pleasant company of a handsome man to chat with.

She followed behind Jiang Xia, but instead of going through the door right there, he headed for the Slam Dunk project department next door.

Zhang Yuanyuan pursed her lips and couldn’t help but ask, "Um... isn’t it in there?"

"Oh, the reception room over there is occupied right now. This one is just as good. I forgot to mention, this is also part of the Qitian Animation Company; we just work on a different project."

"It’s huge..." Zhang Yuanyuan looked around at the office layout, secretly astounded.

Then again, she thought, considering how popular Cat and Mouse was in the country right now, it was only natural for the company to be this big.

But just as she followed Jiang Xia into the office, someone approached them holding a storyboard.

"President Jiang, could you take a look at this? Is this sequence of shots okay?"

"Mm, this is fine. Go with this. It’s good," Jiang Xia said with a faint nod.

"P-President... Jiang...?"

Zhang Yuanyuan subconsciously swallowed. Suddenly, she felt he was even more handsome.

"It’s just a title, not worth mentioning," Jiang Xia said with a gentle smile. He pushed open the door to a reception room and said in a gentlemanly fashion, "Beautiful lady, please come in."

Without realizing it, her face grew even redder.

’But why had Wang Ming never told her that one of his childhood friends was the president of Qitian Animation Company?’

The thought of interacting so closely with such a young president made Zhang Yuanyuan’s breath come in short gasps, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Don’t stand on ceremony, have a seat anywhere," Jiang Xia said, getting her a cup of hot water. His hospitality was impeccable.

"Thank you, President Jiang." Zhang Yuanyuan took a sip of water, her face flushed red.

Jiang Xia sat down on the leather sofa, taking in her expression. He cursed her as a slut a few times in his head before asking with a chuckle, "So, are you Old Wang’s girlfriend?"

"No, we’re just classmates," she said honestly.

Zhang Yuanyuan didn’t dare lie about this. After all, the two were childhood friends and were surely close; one simple question would expose any lie.

"Then do you like him?" Jiang Xia asked.

"No, I don’t," she blurted out, shaking her head.

For some reason, in front of Jiang Xia, she was trying her hardest to project the image of a pure and innocent girl. Even though she had just confessed her feelings to Wang Ming the night before, she was now decisively cutting all ties.

’Besides, Wang Ming had already clearly rejected her, so it was perfectly reasonable for her to look for another guy, right?’

"Wang Ming already has someone he likes," Zhang Yuanyuan said, forcing herself to get the words out.

’Holy shit. She knew he liked someone else and still tried to hit on him. So shameless. What a bitch.’

’Wow, she changed how she addresses him fast. Just a minute ago, it was ’Senior Brother Ming,’ now it’s ’Wang Ming.’ A professional player would be put to shame by how quickly she’s distancing herself.’

"Oh. So you’re not his girlfriend, and you don’t like him. Then why are you here?"

"He helped me a lot at school, and I just happened to be passing by, so I thought I’d stop in to see him," Zhang Yuanyuan said, her heart pounding nervously.

"I see." Jiang Xia suddenly leaned forward, a sly, charming smile slowly spreading across his lips. "So, do you have a boyfriend right now?"

Staring at the handsome face so close to her own, Zhang Yuanyuan’s heart began to race. She could feel her face grow hot as a deep blush spread all the way to her ears.

She shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. "No, I don’t."

"What a coincidence. Neither do I." Jiang Xia leaned back on the sofa, a light, meaningful chuckle escaping his lips.

Zhang Yuanyuan bit her lip and said in a coquettish voice, "I asked Wang Ming to introduce me to some exceptional guys before, but he told me he didn’t know any. But President Jiang, you’re..."

Jiang Xia secretly clenched his fists. ’Even now, she’s trying to drive a wedge between him and his brother-in-arms. This goddamn bitch.’

"I’m not what?" he teased.

"Well, I just didn’t expect someone as exceptional as you, President Jiang, to still be single."

"I just haven’t met the right girl yet. You’re so beautiful, I’m sure you have a lot of guys chasing after you, right?"

Zhang Yuanyuan blinked. She had a strange feeling that Jiang Xia was trying to flirt with her. Suddenly, she felt like she might have just hit the jackpot.

’President Jiang is polite, gentle, handsome, and rich. Compared to him, what the hell even *is* Wang Ming!?’

’It was so infuriating! Why didn’t that guy tell her sooner that he had such an amazing childhood friend? She had wasted so much time on Wang Ming because of it.’

"Oh, no," she said, feigning demureness. "I’ve always felt that I’m not pretty enough."

"Not at all. You’re gorgeous—more beautiful than any other girl I’ve ever seen," Jiang Xia praised her without reservation.

"Then... would you like me, President Jiang?"

Zhang Yuanyuan suddenly summoned her courage, her gaze turning slightly seductive as she stared intently at Jiang Xia.

Seeing the confident look on her face, Jiang Xia smiled.