Chapter 37.4

Because of the popsicle incident, Meng Zhengrong felt much closer to Xu Yuan and clung to her all evening, following her everywhere except the restroom.

At this moment, Meng Zhengrong didn’t realize how clingy and annoying he could be when seriously dating.

On Friday morning, Xu Yuan first checked in at the Finance Department. After sitting for an hour or two, she went to the Public Welfare Project Department. Upon entering, she encountered someone from the HR Department. By now, everyone at Meng Corporation knew Xu Yuan was Mrs. Meng, so naturally the people from the HR Department didn’t dare to neglect her.

“Manager Zhang, what brings you here?”

Xu Yuan knew this was the HR manager and invited her to sit and have tea.

Manager Zhang quickly declined with a smile, addressing her as Mrs. Meng since Xu Yuan didn’t have an official position yet.

“Mrs. Meng, I have something to report.” Manager Zhang took out a brown paper bag. “Manager Shen previously asked me to hire an assistant. After rounds of interviews, we selected one. Do you approve of this person? Here’s their basic information.”

Although Shen Ming was Meng Zhengrong’s uncle, since he left, Xu Yuan had the final say in whether to hire more people or not.

Xu Yuan knew the Meng Corporation recruitment process was transparent, and Shen Ming couldn’t interfere, so the person hired should be trustworthy.

Anyway, since they had selected someone, they might as well hire them.

Xu Yuan nodded, “Alright, let him start work.”

Manager Zhang sighed in relief, “I’ll notify him to start on Monday. Mrs. Meng, here’s the file if you’re interested.”

Xu Yuan took the paper bag and, after seeing Manager Zhang off, returned to her office. Just as she was about to open the file, the office phone rang, so she put the file in the drawer. Friday was very busy, both for the Finance Department and the Public Welfare Project Department, so she forgot to look at it.

Meng Zhengrong finished work early that day, feeling a bit excited about going swimming with Xu Yuan.

As soon as work ended, he found Xu Yuan, and they left together.

Their villa has a swimming pool, though not very big. Meng Zhengrong’s goal wasn’t really to swim, so he decided it was enough.

By the time Meng Zhengrong changed into swimming trunks and appeared in front of Xu Yuan, Xu Yuan had already cursed him as a hooligan several times in his heart.

Xu Yuan didn’t remember agreeing to go swimming with Meng Zhengrong, but he was insistent, almost forcing her to change into a swimsuit.

Most of the original owner’s clothes were in the walk-in closet. Unwilling to look for one herself, Meng Zhengrong dragged her there, finding two or three swimsuits in a drawer.

The original owner’s swimsuits were already conservative by today’s standards, not bikinis, but even the most conservative ones felt too revealing to Xu Yuan.

This is actually quite understandable. Even modern people can feel a bit shy about changing into swimsuits for swimming, let alone Xu Yuan.

“I don’t want to swim,” Xu Yuan said firmly, looking at the scanty fabric of the swimsuit in her hand.

Meng Zhengrong: “You promised me, you said we’d swim together on Friday.”

Xu Yuan’s face didn’t change as she said, “I don’t remember saying that. Do you have any evidence?”

“…Who records conversations with their wife?”

Seeing Xu Yuan’s resolute attitude, Meng Zhengrong didn’t push it further. Instead, he clung to her like a sticky plaster and said, “Actually, we don’t have to swim. Just give me a kiss.”

Thinking about it, it seemed like every time they kissed, it was he who initiated it. She had never taken the initiative to kiss him.

He felt a bit sad about that.

Xu Yuan thought to herself, they had kissed countless times already, what difference would one more make? She gritted her teeth, stood on tiptoe, and pecked him on the lips quickly.

Meng Zhengrong knew this was the most Xu Yuan could manage at the moment. If he teased her any further, the consequences would be unbearable.

Although Meng Zhengrong did not ask Xu Yuan to swim with him, he asked her to watch from the side.

Since returning from the impoverished town, Meng Zhengrong had been consistently working out, and it showed. He hadn’t achieved eight-pack abs, but he had regained his six-pack.

Finding an opportunity, he naturally wanted to show off his physique.

Despite it being late in the evening, it was still somewhat hot. Xu Yuan simply sat by the pool, dipping her feet in the water, watching Meng Zhengrong swim back and forth like a fish.

Watching him swim, Xu Yuan felt a wave of emotion.

When they first met, she thought he was very aloof and didn’t talk much. Now, she was constantly being proven wrong. Maybe, deep inside, Meng Zhengrong had always had an inner child who never grew up.

While Xu Yuan was lost in thought, Meng Zhengrong swam near her, held his breath underwater, and snuck up to her feet. Taking her by surprise, he reached out and tickled the soles of her feet.

Xu Yuan, feeling ticklish, reflexively kicked, and Meng Zhengrong surfaced, splashing water everywhere. He smiled, revealing a neat row of white teeth.

“Are you crazy?” Xu Yuan retracted her feet from the water.

Meng Zhengrong raised an eyebrow and wiped the water off his face. “Say that again.”

Before Xu Yuan could repeat herself, Meng Zhengrong pulled her into the pool.

The original Xu Yuan could swim, but the current Xu Yuan couldn’t. Falling into the water suddenly, her first reaction was to grab onto anything nearby—be it a person or a piece of wood.

She wanted to shout, but the situation didn’t exceed her capacity to be shocked, so she couldn’t scream.

Meng Zhengrong held her by the waist, pressing their bodies close together.

Summer clothes were thin, and even though Xu Yuan was clothed, she felt the warmth of Meng Zhengrong’s skin.

“You can’t swim?” Meng Zhengrong asked in surprise.

Xu Yuan said nothing.

“Then I’ll teach you. Let’s start with holding your breath.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Meng Zhengrong pulled Xu Yuan underwater.

Xu Yuan struggled, naturally uncomfortable since she couldn’t swim and couldn’t hold her breath underwater.

While struggling, Meng Zhengrong suddenly kissed her.

Fortunately, he was mindful of Xu Yuan and soon brought her back up. Gasping for air, Xu Yuan took deep breaths.

Meng Zhengrong really deserved the nickname “Kissing Maniac.”

He pressed Xu Yuan against the pool wall and gave her a deep kiss.

As Xu Yuan gasped for air, she unconsciously parted her teeth, allowing Meng Zhengrong to deepen the kiss, their lips and teeth entwining passionately.

After a long while, Meng Zhengrong reluctantly let go of her and, with a sultry expression, licked his lips. “Just showing you what artificial respiration is.”

Meng Zhengrong should be grateful that Xu Yuan was too exhausted to retaliate. Otherwise, she would have shown him how painful a well-placed kick could be.

**