Chapter 120: Don’t Mention the Longevity Lock, Don’t Agitate Qin Mohuai

The car was silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Xia Yuan could hear her own heartbeat, like an out-of-sync drum, chaotic and uneven.

Last night, she had confessed the secret of her shortened lifespan to Qin Mohuai and had even thrown a tantrum, all based on the belief that he was also facing a short life.

But it turned out Qin Mohuai wasn’t terminally ill at all. It had all been a trick to get her to talk.

He really lived up to his role as the head of the Qin Corporation—smart beyond words. If his plan had been anything else, there’s no way she would’ve let the truth slip.

The Qin family had great genes, and Qin Mohuai had personally told her he could live well into his eighties or nineties.

But could she even make it to fifty?

Xia Yuan remained unusually quiet, her pale face turned toward Qin Mohuai, her eyes filled with a complicated mix of guilt.

When Qin Mohuai saw her expression, he immediately put on a devastated look.

Xia Yuan puffed out her cheeks slightly. Don’t think I don’t know—you’re just acting based on my reaction!

“Mohuai, even if I’m not around, you need to live a good life.”

“Xia Yuan, don’t be so cruel. Words like that are a curse to me.”

Qin Mohuai had been pretending earlier, but now he was genuinely angry. His handsome face held a calm madness to it.

Who could stay sane after hearing their wife’s life was being cut short?

If he were younger, stripped of the maturity and composure time had instilled in him, the younger Qin Mohuai would have been consumed by anxiety and frustration, probably holding Xia Yuan and crying for a long time.

Xia Yuan mumbled softly, “There’s nothing we can do now. We just have to accept it.”

Ha, such a calm and carefree response.

Qin Mohuai’s slender, pale hand covered his eyes as he struggled to keep his vision from going dark out of sheer frustration. He bit down on his tongue, the metallic taste of blood bringing him back to clarity, suppressing the urge to spank her.

“You’re coming to work with me today.”

“Will that stop you from being mad?”

Hearing that, Qin Mohuai grabbed her chin, biting her soft lips with a fierce intensity in his sharp brows, like he wanted to swallow her whole.

“Baby, stop saying things that upset me. My willpower isn’t as strong as you think.”

“Last night, Qin Jingye was terrified I’d lose my mind. You should’ve seen the fear on his face—it was something you’ve never seen before.”

“Three long years taught me the meaning of ‘cherish.’ Even if I lose my mind with sadness, I won’t dare destroy the happiness I have now.”

“I’m begging you, baby, stop bringing up the shortened lifespan and death. If Qin Mohuai goes crazy, even he doesn’t know what he’ll do.”

Xia Yuan rested her forehead against his chest, listening to his powerful heartbeat. Like a small mushroom hiding from the world, she quietly murmured, “Okay.”

She wouldn’t mention it again.

—

In the garage, He Qin waited for Mr. Qin’s car. As soon as he saw them, he began rattling off the day’s work schedule. He spoke quickly, clearly enunciating each word so that even Xia Yuan could understand everything.

Xia Yuan chuckled softly.

Qin Mohuai, holding her hand, asked, “What’s so funny?”

Xia Yuan: “I suddenly remembered Secretary Cao. That day in the elevator, I complimented him on his full hairline. Back then, your hair was still grayish-blue.”

Qin Mohuai, with his deep, magnetic voice, explained, “Secretary Cao is highly capable. He was promoted to a general manager position in a subsidiary.”

Indeed, Secretary Cao was capable and experienced. But another reason for his transfer was that Qin Mohuai felt Cao was too obedient to his grandfather, even going so far as to help persuade him to remarry.

After transferring Secretary Cao, Qin Mohuai couldn’t quite tell if this was an act of power or if he simply couldn’t bear anyone trying to separate him from Xia Yuan.

Maybe it was both.

If Xia Yuan had returned any later, he truly would’ve become a tyrant.

Qin Corporation often held meetings, and employees anonymously voted that “useless meetings” ranked second in terms of what wasted the most work time.

This meeting was to address that issue.

After listening to the report, Qin Mohuai reformed the meeting structure.

With his slender arm resting elegantly on the black table, every move he made exuded incredible decision-making and leadership skills. This was a side of him Xia Yuan had rarely seen.

She was watching Qin Mohuai, and many others were watching her.

Mrs. Xia was impossibly young and beautiful, with skin as fair as white jade, elegantly dressed in a black formal gown, wearing haute couture as if it were her everyday wear. She embodied the effortless grace of a wealthy old-money woman.

On the other hand, their President Qin, sitting next to Mrs. Xia, embodied the essence of “mature and steady”—and mature was the key word. He was getting older…

“Any objections?”

Everyone shook their heads.

The new rules were established. Starting next year, just a month away, all major meetings and the executive calendar of the Qin Corporation would follow the new regulations.

At this point, the meeting should have ended, but Qin Mohuai didn’t move. He signaled to He Qin, who opened a PowerPoint presentation.

They planned to use an entire floor of the newly built KG mall to create the world’s most fun, childlike, dreamy, and affordable “Ice Cream Kingdom.”

He Qin, Qin Mohuai’s chief secretary, represented his boss’s intentions with every move. But even so, this project seemed like a money-loser, completely out of character for Qin Mohuai, known as the “money-making machine.”

The general manager of the new KG mall raised a question: “President Qin, fantasy and affordability contradict each other.”

“Fantasy” required expensive design and the healthiest food, all of which cost money.

Qin Mohuai replied, “I’ll assign someone to oversee the Ice Cream Kingdom. If there are losses, the headquarters will allocate funds to cover them, with an annual budget of 150 million yuan.”

150 million yuan!

President Qin was making a massive investment, the equivalent of a small business’s entire yearly revenue.

After hearing this, no one had any further objections. President Qin was clearly determined to do this as a charitable project.

No wonder he was known as the king of the Xiangzhou business world. Even his indulgences smelled like money.

Unconsciously, Xia Yuan grabbed hold of two of Qin Mohuai’s fingers, her clear and gentle eyes twinkling. Was this for her?

“Meeting adjourned.”

Qin Mohuai tightened his grip on Xia Yuan’s hand as they returned to the office.

With no one else around, while he was drinking water, Xia Yuan tiptoed and kissed the skin near his ear. The soft, tingling sensation sent shivers through his body, and Qin Mohuai quickly grabbed her waist, lifting her onto his desk.

The desire in his eyes was restrained but intense. His handsome face maintained its usual composure, but his lips gently entangled with hers for a long, tender kiss.

Xia Yuan’s face flushed, and she gasped slightly. “Qin Mohuai, when the mall opens, can I go eat ice cream?”

“Baby, are you trying to break my heart?”

There were some things in this world he simply couldn’t do—like extending her life or changing the hardships she’d faced since childhood.

Qin Mohuai held her lovely, shy face in his hands, his fierce, emotional eyes clouded with desire, just on the verge of losing control.

A rhythmic knock interrupted them.

Qin Ke: “Third Brother, it’s me. I’m coming in.”

He pushed the door open and walked in, seeing his third brother sitting in a leather chair, with Xia Yuan, elegantly dressed in a black gown, standing beside him, her delicate fingers trembling as she held a document, reading it to Qin Mohuai.

Only Qin Mohuai knew if his reading difficulties had improved…

Qin Ke felt like he had interrupted something.

“Since Sister-in-law is here too, take a look at the design for the longevity lock. Aside from the sapphire, should we add other gemstones?”

Xia Yuan’s gentle and somber eyes glanced over at him. Please don’t mention the longevity lock, don’t mention longevity…