Once they were in the car, Bai Tao finally felt at ease. She studied Pei Shi’s profile, finding him more and more pleasing to the eye. Even after five years, her taste was still impeccable. Her husband’s looks could easily outshine minor celebrities. And it wasn’t just his appearance; Pei Shi exuded a natural, commanding presence that made him seem unapproachable yet irresistibly attractive.

Unable to help herself, Bai Tao leaned closer to Pei Shi and said sweetly, “Husband, thank you for helping with the dog earlier.”

Pei Shi paused, seeming a bit uncomfortable and sensitive to her proximity, but he simply replied, “It’s nothing.”

Yuan Mu immediately chimed in, “President Pei, it was my oversight. I didn’t realize this hotel allowed dogs. I’ve already arranged for Sun Jing to book a different hotel that prohibits dogs.”

“Okay.”

Mentioning the dog made Bai Tao think of her earlier blunder when she confessed to Pei Shi. She had jumped into his yard, only to find out he had a dog! Since her time travel, she hadn’t seen the dog. Could it be that Pei Shi had sent the dog away to accommodate her fear?

This thought filled her with a mix of sweetness and guilt, knowing how much Pei Shi liked dogs. Clearing her throat, she cautiously asked, “That French Bulldog you had, do you still see it often?”

Pei Shi was taken aback for a moment. “Yes.”

So, he really did give it away because of her?

Although Bai Tao was indeed afraid of dogs, she couldn’t help feeling bad about Pei Shi having to give away the French Bulldog. “How about I buy some imported dog food and toys for you to take when you visit it next time?”

Pei Shi glanced at her and then turned to look out the window, his voice calm. “No need. It’s already passed away. Buying those things now is pointless. Better to donate them to a stray dog association.”

Oh…

Bai Tao was surprised. The dog had passed away?

“It got sick and couldn’t be saved.” Pei Shi looked at Bai Tao. “What’s wrong?”

“Did you not get another dog after that?”

“With you like this, how could I?” Pei Shi’s tone was flat and lacked emotion, merely stating a fact.

Bai Tao felt a pang of guilt. She knew how much Pei Shi loved dogs, but because of her… she hadn’t realized how much he had sacrificed for her.

“I… I was bitten by a dog when I was little, so I’m very scared of them.” Bai Tao extended her wrist, revealing a faint scar she usually kept hidden. “The nanny was slacking off, chatting with someone, and didn’t watch out for the dog. Since then, I’ve had nightmares whenever I see a dog…”

Instinctively, Bai Tao wanted to explain that her fear wasn’t out of spoiled fragility.

Pei Shi seemed to be hearing this reason for the first time. He stared at her wrist for a moment.

Feeling his gaze, Bai Tao wanted to hide her wrist again. “This scar is pretty ugly, isn’t it?”

“No.” Pei Shi looked away, his voice a bit awkward. “It’s not ugly.”

Was he comforting her?

He paused and then added, “Even though it has a scar, men don’t look at hands; they look at faces.”

“?”

“Your face is fine. If your hand is a bit ugly, it’s not a big deal.”

???

Bai Tao knew Pei Shi was sincerely trying to comfort her, but any warmth she felt vanished, replaced by confusion. Didn’t he just say it wasn’t ugly? Now he was saying her hand was a bit ugly???

“What’s ugly about my hand?! What’s ugly about this scar?!”

Pei Shi felt a headache coming on. “Didn’t you say yourself that the scar is a bit ugly?”

“I was just casually testing you! I didn’t expect you to really think it’s ugly!” Bai Tao looked like she was about to cry. “Pei Shi, I didn’t expect you to be this kind of person! And what do you mean men only look at faces? Do you think I have nothing else going for me besides my face? Is my body not good? Is my temperament lacking? Am I not talented enough?! How can you be so superficial?!”

“…”

Pei Shi decided to stay quiet. He shouldn’t have tried reasoning with Bai Tao because she would drag him down to her childish level and then defeat him with her extensive practical experience and terrifying logic.

Fortunately, they soon arrived at the meeting location. Pei Shi resumed his usual cool demeanor. After making sure Yuan Mu settled Bai Tao in a pet-free café downstairs, he went upstairs with Yuan Mu.

The negotiation process was a bit challenging. The executive from the other company, Zhang Zhixing, was an oily middle-aged man. His slick and calculating demeanor displeased Pei Shi, but since the other company had a noteworthy business line in cloud computing and AI, which was crucial for the global expansion of Pei Shi’s company, he persevered. After a whole afternoon of back-and-forth, they finally reached a preliminary acquisition agreement.

“President Pei, it’s a pleasure working with you! To celebrate, let’s have dinner together tonight before you leave!” Zhang Zhixing said, feigning enthusiasm. “Not joining us would be disrespectful!”

In the big data industry, most companies are contractors, needing to build big data systems or fulfill other requirements for businesses. Securing contracts is crucial for survival, so executives often have to engage in social drinking and networking to build relationships and get business. This has led to some bad habits typical of salesmen—believing that eating and drinking can forge connections, and massages can foster mutual appreciation.

Pei Shi disliked this culture, but considering the importance of this business line, he checked the time and decided to attend the dinner. He called Yuan Mu over. “Ask Sun Jing to pick up Bai Tao and arrange her dinner.”

Zhang Zhixing, being a sly old fox, immediately rolled his eyes and said, “President Pei, do you have another assistant with you? Let them join us! The more, the merrier! Once the acquisition is complete, we’ll all be one family!”