Chapter 22: She Said She Likes Him on Top

In Country A, Zhou Beiming’s phone screen was mirrored onto the projector.

A few senior executives were in the middle of a final discussion on an acquisition.

Huo Jiuyan was flipping through the project proposal on Zhou Beiming’s phone when he noticed a message from someone saved under the nickname “Little Bunny.”

Little Bunny again.

Just over an hour ago, this “Little Bunny” had already called Zhou Beiming several times.

At the time, the CEO from the acquisition party had arrived, and Zhou Beiming had gone to meet him. Seeing the incoming calls, Huo Jiuyan had only silenced them—neither answering nor declining.

Now, more messages had come through. Huo Jiuyan hovered, curious but hesitant.

Suddenly, he remembered Zhou Beiming mentioning a while back that he was raising a rabbit.

His curiosity was raging.

Since Zhou Beiming wasn’t back yet, Huo Jiuyan, driven by his foolish curiosity, tapped open the messages from Little Bunny.

A few photos. One message.

Simple.

In an instant, all discussion in the room ceased.

You could hear a pin drop.

Huo Jiuyan stared at the screen in stunned silence, dumbfounded.

Zhou Beiming truly lived up to his name.

Those kinds of positions… and “Little Bunny” had even selected them for him to try out?

The other executives exchanged awkward glances.

Someone couldn’t hold back and muttered, “President Zhou… a role model for us all.”

Suddenly, the conference room door opened.

Everyone turned to look. In an instant, the atmosphere dropped to a suffocating chill.

Zhou Beiming stood there, half-smiling, half-not. But in his eyes, it was a winter frost.

He walked over unhurriedly and retrieved the phone from Huo Jiuyan’s hand. His voice was calm, but final: “That’ll be all. Meeting’s over.”

Everyone knew they had seen what they shouldn’t have. They scrambled to leave.

Huo Jiuyan tried to escape too.

But just as he stood up, Zhou Beiming spoke. “Director Huo, weren’t you just saying you couldn’t find anyone for that deep-sea mining job in Africa? Why not go yourself? You seem to have a strong sense of curiosity—perfect for the role.”

Mining off the coast of Africa?

That was like being skinned alive every day.

Huo Jiuyan forced a dry laugh. “Beiming, come on, let me explain—”

Zhou Beiming got up, one hand in his pocket, and walked out.

Huo Jiuyan looked to the heavens in despair.

He smacked his own hand hard. Why had he opened Pandora’s box?

And yet…

Who was Little Bunny?

He was dying of curiosity.

Any woman who dared send Zhou Beiming that kind of message… couldn’t possibly be decent.

Meanwhile, back at the apartment—

Within two minutes, Su Nian had quickly recalled the messages.

She comforted herself—Zhou Beiming was busy. He hadn’t picked up earlier, hadn’t called back. He probably hadn’t seen the messages either.

On the video call, Chu Lige was laughing so hard she had tears running down her face, smudging her makeup.

She blinked her long lashes rapidly, her eyes irritated. “Little Nian Nian, you’ve grown bold! Sending those kinds of pictures and asking which one Zhou Beiming likes? Isn’t he going to come home and put them to use?”

Su Nian’s face turned as red as a boiled shrimp.

In the video, someone appeared behind Chu Lige. She hadn’t noticed yet and kept laughing. “Next time, don’t multitask. If you send more of those pictures—”

“What pictures?”

A low, teasing voice cut through the air like velvet.

Su Nian saw Jiang Yun’s cold, ascetic face appear on screen first.

Chu Lige’s laughter froze on her face. She turned her head, tears streaked across her pancake-thick makeup. “Are you haunting me?!”

Su Nian could smell the smoke of war—she had trouble of her own and quickly hung up the video call.

Right as she disconnected, a video call from Zhou Beiming came in.

She licked her lips nervously, afraid to answer.

The call timed out.

She let out a long breath. Maybe that was it.

But then his video call came again.

She still didn’t answer. Zhou Beiming kept calling. Relentlessly.

Afraid of making him angry, Su Nian finally tapped accept with trembling fingers and sat far away from the phone. “What do you want?”

Heaven help her—please let him not have seen it.

She was still praying when a cold, mocking voice came through.

“What position do you like best? On top? On the bottom? Sideways? Sitting?”

In just a few words, Zhou Beiming shattered her hopes.

He was talking about those pictures.

Su Nian’s face tingled, burning hot.

She mumbled, “I sent them to the wrong person. They were meant for someone else.”

“For someone else?”

The warmth in his voice vanished instantly.

Su Nian rushed to clarify, “It’s a girl. My friend.”

Zhou Beiming asked, “Which friend?”

Su Nian didn’t want him prying into her social circle—she didn’t want to get Lige involved.

She said whatever came to mind. “An actress friend. She’s about to act in a film by Director Chen Biao. It’s kind of explicit. I looked up Chen Biao and found some bad news, so I sent the info to her… but I sent it wrong.”

Then quickly added, “And Auntie Zhang asked me to pick tableware. I meant to send you the pictures of the sets…”

“Heh.” Zhou Beiming let out a cold laugh, as crisp and sharp as autumn wind.

Su Nian didn’t dare look at her phone screen. She had no idea what expression he was wearing.

Her fingers nervously twisted together.

His voice came again through the phone. “Where are you?”

Su Nian obediently picked up her phone, the camera now showing her face—blushing as red as a monkey’s backside.

Zhou Beiming narrowed his eyes slightly, the darkness in them quickly disappearing.

He asked casually, “What did you do today?”

Su Nian answered honestly, “I went to the research institute to work on my paper. Then I visited the Su family tonight.”

Zhou Beiming poured himself tea. His long fingers curled around the cup as he studied her. “What did you do at the Su family?”

“I picked up a dress. My sister’s celebration banquet is tomorrow. Aunt Xiu bought me a dress for it.”

“Oh?” Zhou Beiming sounded thoughtful. “Tell me everything that happened at the Su house. In detail.”

Su Nian wasn’t sure why he was asking, but she recounted everything—from dinner to trying on the dress, and Su Feixiao seeing her off—though she left out the marriage proposal from the Liu family and the part about him being invited to the celebration.

Zhou Beiming drank his tea slowly, listening in silence.

Suddenly, he looked at her. “Why didn’t you mention the phone call?”

Even through a screen, Su Nian could feel the heavy pressure he exuded.

He had asked. She didn’t know how to lie.

After thinking for a moment, she said, “Didn’t you tell me to tell my Father that you weren’t going to the banquet? I did. Then he told me to call you.”

Zhou Beiming lit a cigarette and took a drag. “So you wanted to invite me?”

Su Nian lowered her head and didn’t reply—tacitly admitting it.

Zhou Beiming narrowed his eyes. “Do you want me to go?”

Su Nian had no real opinion. Feixiao’s business had nothing to do with her. Besides, Zhou Beiming was overseas—it was unrealistic for him to rush back.

“Do what you need to do.”

Zhou Beiming let out a low chuckle and smoked in silence.

Neither of them spoke.

When he finished his cigarette, he lit another.

As he did, he lowered his gaze to the phone. “Little Bunny, which one do you like best?”

Su Nian…

She hadn’t even sent him the tableware photos yet. He must be talking about those… scandalous photos.

Her ears turned red.

Zhou Beiming’s eyes were half-lidded, a dangerous glint within. “Speak.”

One word, yet it carried the commanding force of someone born to lead.

Su Nian shut her eyes. “You… on top.”

It was the position they used most often.