It’s Not Okay to Kiss Me as Soon as We Meet (ABO) - Chapter 19

Every second the clock in the conference room ticked, it tugged at everyone’s heart like a pull. Summer nights darkened late, and now the sky outside had gradually turned black, but Shen Li still hadn’t appeared at the company.

Special Assistant Yang stood by the massive conference table, not daring to breathe. He always felt like General Jun was about to eat him alive.

Shen Yan sat in the swivel chair with his legs crossed, wearing an expression of assured victory. He said leisurely, “Uncle, with so many of us here, is there any need to keep waiting? Li Li is an omega after all, and with such a big mess, it’s natural she’d feel too much pressure. Who knows, maybe right now she’s off somewhere on vacation to relax and unwind. When she gets back, as her big brother, I’ll have to give her a talking-to. Though our family’s omega grew up spoiled, she can’t just leave a bunch of elders hanging here while she goes off to play without even saying a word—that’s a bit much, isn’t it?”

Shen Jun’s face darkened. “A Yan, say a few less words. I know better than anyone what kind of person Li Li is!”

Board member Wang Feng chimed in. “General Jun, I think A Yan has a point. If Li Li went out to handle work, why can’t her special assistant give a straight answer?”

Wang Feng glanced around at the attendees, as if eager to share family gossip. “In the end, it’s that omegas are too fragile and can’t handle things. The product department director position is a bit too heavy for Li Li. For girls from families like ours, why push so hard? Wouldn’t it be nice to stay home comfortably? Not to mention far-off examples—my eldest daughter just had her second boy this year.”

Hearing this, Special Assistant Yang couldn’t hold back anymore. Though his CEO Li still hadn’t sent word, he had seen with his own eyes how hard Shen Li worked overtime in the past. Sometimes when work ran too late, Shen Li even sent him home first.

“Executive Yan, Director Feng, though I haven’t gotten CEO Li’s message yet, I can say for sure that CEO Li is busy with company matters and absolutely didn’t go on vacation.” This was ridiculous—as long as you knew CEO Li a little, you wouldn’t say that about her. Anyway, if CEO Li gets the boot, this old man goes with her, Special Assistant Yang thought bitterly.

Shen Yan had a strong sense of hierarchy—he always felt that with his status and background, a worker like Special Assistant Yang didn’t deserve to talk to him. His tone grew even harsher. “Little Yang, not to pick on you, but when it comes to work, you need to broaden your horizons. You’ve always worked under an omega, so I don’t blame you if you can’t. Work cares about results, not process. Even if Shen Li didn’t sleep a wink these three days and kept investigating, if there’s no result by midnight tonight, it’s the same as if she played for three days, did nothing, and turned in a blank sheet—got it?!”

Seeing Special Assistant Yang still standing there stiffly, Shen Yan felt irritated—he still remembered how Special Assistant Yang had clapped back at him before. Seeing him still staunchly defending his boss at this point made him seethe.

Hearing Shen Yan talk like that, Special Assistant Yang felt a bellyful of injustice and was just about to open his mouth when Shen Yan cut him off. “Look at you, getting all red-faced and thick-necked after I try to teach you a lesson—what a disgraceful thing an omega trained. You’re so indignant, so how about I ask if you dare bet with me.”

The stubborn streak deep in Special Assistant Yang’s bones got fired up. “Bet what?”

Shen Yan gave Special Assistant Yang a sidelong glance and said disdainfully, “Let’s bet on whether Shen Li shows up with a solution by midnight! If she does, then I, Shen Yan, will foot the bill for a company-wide team-building trip out of my own pocket. If Shen Li doesn’t come back, heh heh, besides her having to roll out of the company as agreed, you, Special Assistant Yang, roll out with her. How about it—dare or not?”

It was almost nine o’clock now, and Shen Li still hadn’t returned—Shen Yan felt victory in the bag and grew increasingly arrogant.

Special Assistant Yang wasn’t afraid of a head-on clash. He’d already decided that if Shen Li wasn’t at the company anymore, he had no reason to stay. “Sure, why not? Everyone sitting here today is a big shot at our company—witness this, folks. When our CEO Li really shows up, Executive Yan, you have to keep your word! Just make sure to check your account first—wouldn’t want to make a joke if you can’t cough up the cash.”

Shen Yan’s father, Shen Yi, twitched at the corner of his eye upon hearing this. His son was the type who climbed the walls if not beaten for three days. What was this nonsense bet with a little assistant! Though the odds of Shen Li returning were low, if she did, a company-wide team-building would cost tens of millions at least—what a spendthrift fool!

Shen Jun listened to the conference room getting rowdy like a marketplace, a vein throbbing at his temple. He slammed the table hard. “Quiet down, all of you! Sit here nice and still until midnight. If Li Li isn’t back by then, I as her father won’t play favorites. But right now, everyone waits obediently. Bickering all day—you’re not afraid of outsiders laughing!”

When the tiger roared, the little cats and dogs below all shrank their necks into their collars and trembled. Shen Jun’s authority ran deep—when he got mad, everyone habitually quaked in fear.

Lin Huaiyi waved the file folder in her hand at Shen Li. “Miss Shen, ignoring the great hero who helped you succeed this time so soon?” She even pretended to cover her face and sob.

Shen Li had no choice but to turn and shoot her an iceberg glare. “Shut up.”

But Lin Huaiyi was different now—she had seen the iceberg melt and wasn’t afraid at all.

Seeing Shen Li finally speak, Lin Huaiyi perked up and leaned in with a sincere apology. “Just now, in the heat of the moment, I came up with a quick fix. It was wrong of me to pick you up without asking, but we judge by results, not intent, right? Look, the outcome’s good—we caught the flight. You have to give me credit for that.”

Shen Li’s head spun—she always felt like for every sentence she said, Lin Huaiyi had ten ready. She had been an iceberg since childhood, not quick with words, and couldn’t outtalk Lin Huaiyi.

She accidentally moved her foot, and a stabbing pain shot through—Shen Li’s face paled again for an instant.

Lin Huaiyi, who kept a close eye on Shen Li, understood right away. “Does your foot hurt?”

Without waiting for Shen Li to answer, she bent down. Shen Li wore a dress, her ankle exposed, and Lin Huaiyi could clearly see a big swollen spot on Shen Li’s fair, slender ankle—it was already turning a bit bruised.

Lin Huaiyi beckoned and said in Japanese to the flight attendant, “Excuse me, someone here twisted an ankle—could you bring some ice pack and bruise cream or something?”

The plane had a first-aid kit, and the attendant soon brought an ice pack and sprain cream. The cream tube was small, and Lin Huaiyi squeezed some onto her hand.

Shen Li took the sprain cream and tried a few times but couldn’t apply it herself.

Lin Huaiyi coaxed softly. “Shen Li, don’t push yourself—let me help?”

Shen Li was still hesitating when Lin Huaiyi added a heavy dose. “You don’t want to limp into Shen Corporation after we land and give Shen Yan a laugh, right?”

That did the trick—Shen Li obediently handed the cream to Lin Huaiyi and requested, “Be gentle when you apply it…”

With permission, Lin Huaiyi bent down. Seeing Shen Li’s ankle again, she suddenly hesitated to touch it.

Shen Li’s ankle was extremely white and fine, yet the ankle bone protruded prominently, looking like a work of art that might shatter if you placed a hand on it.

Shen Li saw Lin Huaiyi staring blankly at her ankle, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her voice took on a thin layer of anger. “Are you going to apply it or not? If not, give it back—I’ll do it myself!”

Lin Huaiyi felt like her secret had been exposed and chuckled guiltily. “Apply, apply, apply.”

Lin Huaiyi carefully squeezed the cream onto her hand, then spread it evenly over the swollen spot on Shen Li’s ankle. “I need to rub it in for the cream to reduce the swelling faster—bear with it a bit.”

From living alone for so long, Lin Huaiyi had picked up a bit of every first-aid method. Her palms were very warm, and as she rubbed the cream in, she steadily transferred her palm’s heat along with it. Shen Li didn’t feel much pain—just a bit… tingly.

Shen Li bit her lip hard, trying not to make any weird sounds.

The flight was late at night, and there were hardly any people in first class, but Shen Li still didn’t want to make embarrassing noises. It was just applying sprain cream—did Lin Huaiyi have to make it feel like a Thai masseuse? Shen Li grumbled inwardly.

Lin Huaiyi had no idea Shen Li was cursing her in her head. She seriously worked the cream in, and when she straightened up, sweat beaded on her forehead. “Shen Li, try moving your ankle now?”

Shen Li obediently wiggled her ankle—hey, it really didn’t hurt as much. Lin Huaiyi had this skill too. Miss Shen couldn’t help but give her an appreciative look, which sent Lin Huaiyi floating.

Shen Li said with mock annoyance, “Hurry up and wash your hands, Lin Huaiyi—look at them, all dirty.” She tossed her a tissue to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

Lin Huaiyi found it funny and looked at Shen Li with eyes for an ungrateful little white-eyed wolf, happily receiving the eye-roll Shen Li threw back.

The two bantered for a bit, then both fell quiet without a word.

Shen Li tilted her head to look at the pitch-black sky outside the window and spoke softly. “Lin Huaiyi, thank you so much this time. Without you, I couldn’t have done it alone.”

Lin Huaiyi was good at handling cold-shouldered Shen Li and comforting anxious, downcast Shen Li, but chatting with a calm Shen Li like this was a first. Shen Li thanking her so sincerely left her at a loss.

Unconsciously, she scratched her head, messing up her hair. “Uh, Shen Li, you suddenly thanking me so seriously threw me off—can you act normal?”

Shen Li choked on her breath, nearly coughing it up—this Lin Huaiyi was so infuriating, she really wanted to hit her.

Shen Li thought it, and her body followed—without much thought, she punched Lin Huaiyi. “I’m being serious! Why are you so good to me?”

Lin Huaiyi hadn’t figured out how to brush off Shen Li when the plane hit a big bump right on cue.

The cabin broadcast came on. “Dear passengers, dear passengers, we’ve hit some turbulence—the plane may shake a bit. Please fasten your seatbelts and don’t panic.”

With that interruption, Lin Huaiyi let out a sigh of relief.

Having lived two lives, Lin Huaiyi knew exactly what was wrong with her.

She had realized it from the moment she found she couldn’t refuse any request from Shen Li—unconditionally going along with someone, unable to stand seeing her bullied, even finding her scolding cute and willing to take it.

This wasn’t some poisoning symptom—it was hopelessly falling for her!

Lin Huaiyi’s ear tips, hidden in her hair, flushed red as bl00d. She hadn’t expected that at fifty or sixty combined from two lives, this was her first time liking someone—what an old house catching fire, iron tree blooming.

Lin Huaiyi sank into her runaway romantic thoughts, unable to pull herself out, when a retch suddenly came from beside her.

Shen Li was airsick.

Lin Huaiyi quickly chased the improper ideas from her head and focused on taking care of Shen Li.

Oh no—now Shen Li had a new name: the one on Lin Huaiyi’s heart.