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Chapter 31: Thirty Years Old—Is That Considered Old?

“Liuzheng, what are you thinking about?”

Xie Qingcen stepped out of the car and walked over to Ruan Liuzheng, leaning in slightly with a gentle smile on his face.

A faint gleam flickered through his dark ink-like eyes.

Ruan Liuzheng looked up and was startled by the sudden closeness of his handsome face. Her pupils contracted slightly.

Her chest gave a faint, involuntary flutter.

She took two steps back and drew a deep breath. “It’s nothing, Mr. Xie…”

“Hmm?”

Xie Qingcen interrupted her, his tone slightly teasing. His smiling gaze landed on her lips, and he casually reached out a long, slender finger to tap her gently.

“Little Liuzheng, what should you be calling me?”

Ruan Liuzheng paused, as if remembering something.

After a long silence, she lowered her gaze and bit her lip before correcting herself—though her tone was serious:
“Xie Qingcen, I hope this time you’ll keep your word.”

After she finished, she turned her head away, a flicker of awkwardness flashing across her face.

Xie Qingcen quietly looked at her and let out a low chuckle.
“Of course.”

Ruan Liuzheng glanced at him, then turned and walked toward the large building ahead.

…

About ten minutes later, Ruan Liuzheng was standing in a high-end men’s fashion boutique. A vein on her forehead was twitching, and her usually calm eyes were now burning with anger.

She should never have trusted Xie Qingcen!

Ruan Liuzheng glared coldly at him. Her voice was icy:
“Didn’t you say you were buying me clothes? Why have we only visited men’s stores on the way here?”

Her plan had been simple: pick a random outfit to satisfy him and then get back to work.

She had just taken on a new role at the company and had a lot to get familiar with. Plus, Suofan was currently working on a huge client deal.

She needed to deliver a proposal that would impress the client and help secure the project.

But somehow, she’d let her guard down—and fallen into Xie Qingcen’s trap.

One step at a time, she’d followed him into a men’s clothing store… and somehow agreed to help him pick out clothes!?

Ruan Liuzheng clenched her teeth, glaring at the smiling man in front of her with freezing eyes.

This is what she got for going soft. One moment of weakness, and it kept happening. Again and again.

Men are nothing but trouble!

Xie Qingcen smiled innocently. “It’s a change of season. Isn’t it normal to buy a few new clothes?”

“Besides, you agreed to help me choose. Liuzheng, a person shouldn’t go back on their word, right?”

Ruan Liuzheng’s eyes darkened, and her fists subtly tightened at her sides.

He was the one scheming, yet he put on this act of innocent sincerity.

She took a deep breath. Her voice turned cold and angry.
“Xie Qingcen! Don’t you have anything better to do?”

“I’m doing something right now, aren’t I?” he replied with a raised brow.
“Making it up to my ‘creditor’—isn’t that a very important task? I told you, I’m a responsible man.”

He looked at her, his dark eyes intense.
“Liuzheng, I promise I’ll make sure you’re satisfied by the end of today.”

His eyes darkened as they locked with hers.

His clear, magnetic voice had a rough edge to it—subtly seductive, though he didn’t seem to realize it.

In truth, he still had several important meetings that afternoon.

But after what had happened the night before… he’d become even more greedy.

Especially after experiencing Ruan Liuzheng’s sweet softness…

His eyes grew darker. His tongue unconsciously pressed against the roof of his mouth.

He wondered—would she really taste as sweet as he imagined?

A glint of heat flickered in his gaze.

Ruan Liuzheng caught the deep look in his eyes and instinctively took two steps back, her expression now guarded.

She kept a safe distance from him.

After a moment, she pressed her lips together and asked:
“Tell me honestly—have you always pursued women like this?”

She didn’t finish the sentence, but her expression made her thoughts clear.

Xie Qingcen paused. Then he let out a low laugh and raised an eyebrow.

“I’ve never chased anyone before. Usually, it’s the women who come after me.”

“You, Little Liuzheng, are the first woman I’ve ever had to work for.”

He took two steps forward and came to stand directly in front of her, his expression serious.

Through those deep, soul-piercing eyes of his—it really did look like there was genuine emotion.

Ruan Liuzheng frowned slightly and looked away, trying not to dwell on the strange feeling stirring in her chest.

She asked, keeping her voice calm:
“You’re already thirty—have you really never met a woman who moved you before?”

“Sure I have. That woman is you.”

Xie Qingcen’s voice was low and smooth, with a playful lilt.
He raised an eyebrow.
“And since when is thirty considered old for a man? I don’t think I’m that much older than you, am I?”

Faced with his questioning look, Ruan Liuzheng awkwardly cleared her throat, realizing her earlier tone had been a bit off.

A faint blush crossed her elegant face.

She frowned slightly.
“No, but still… Xie Qingcen, I really think you should rein it in a little. Otherwise—”

“Hmm?”

Xie Qingcen tilted his head, his lips curved in amusement.
“What, Little Liuzheng—are you unhappy with my methods of pursuit?”

“But if I’d used more conventional tactics, wouldn’t you have kept running away from me? I bet you’d still be avoiding me like the plague. Am I wrong?”

He smiled.

“So for an exceptional woman, I need to use exceptional means. Honestly, I think I’ve been quite effective so far. Don’t you agree, Little Liuzheng?”

Ruan Liuzheng: …

To be fair—if he hadn’t been so aggressive—she really would have stayed far, far away from him.

There was no way she’d still be…

She took a deep breath.

Knowing there was no winning a verbal sparring match with Xie Qingcen, she simply gave up and did as he wanted—pointing randomly at two outfits and shoving him off to the fitting room.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Xie Qingcen looked down at the two pieces she’d picked. A subtle smile appeared on his thin lips.

He picked them up and walked toward the fitting room.

After he left, Ruan Liuzheng turned to look at Qi Chong with a frown.
“Is your boss always this free?”

Qi Chong hesitated. He glanced down at the densely packed schedule notes on his tablet and the flood of urgent texts still popping up.

He pressed his lips together. His expression was… hard to describe.

After a long moment, he looked up and gave a polite, respectful smile.

“Miss Ruan, President Xie is usually very busy. But today—because of you—he cleared his entire afternoon.”

Nothing is more important than chasing his future wife.

Ruan Liuzheng pursed her lips and gave Qi Chong a deep look, then let out a cold snort.

She turned around.

Slap—

“Ruan Liuzheng! You shameless woman! You’re seeing another man behind my brother’s back? No wonder you dared talk back to me last night!”

Out of nowhere, Fu Zhiqing had barged into the store. She stormed over and slapped Ruan Liuzheng across the face, screaming with fury.

Now she stood in front of her, her expression twisted with anger.

She had originally planned a shopping trip with her girlfriends today, but they bailed on her last minute.

Just as well—because she ended up witnessing this scene instead.

She’d been watching outside for a while now, and what she saw only made her more furious.

Ruan Liuzheng not only didn’t try to hide anything—she was openly helping another man pick out clothes. In public!

Did she even care about her brother anymore?

And what if… she was using her brother’s money to buy those clothes!?

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.