Two Faced Lover - Chapter 53

53: Favoritism

What counts as a “perverted method”?

Bo Mingyan immediately thought of her behavior last night when she begged to have her head rubbed.

But if she were to truly act perverted, Bo Mingyan felt she would go much further than just asking for head rubs—and the roles would definitely be reversed.

She wasn’t sure whether Meng Xuran’s question was a warning not to cross the line or a subtle hint that a little transgression might be allowed.

“Would it deduct a lot of points?” Bo Mingyan tested the waters.

Meng Xuran stirred the oatmeal in her enamel cup with a spoon, creating ripples. “Not necessarily.”

Not necessarily a deduction—it might even add points.

After her hair tie was pulled off, Bo Mingyan’s hair cascaded down one side. She tilted her head to flick it back, the dark strands brushing over her shoulder and grazing Meng Xuran’s cheek. Meng Xuran turned to look at her.

Their eyes met.

Bo Mingyan’s eyelashes fluttered slowly, her red lips parting slightly. “What kind of… perverted method do you like?”

Her voice was low, bewitching.

“I like…” Meng Xuran’s throat moved as she averted her gaze, picking up her enamel cup. “No cheating. Figure it out yourself.”

“…”

The conversation ended there, and the kitchen fell silent.

Meng Xuran took a few sips of oatmeal and nibbled on her bread like a hamster, not stopping for a second. Bo Mingyan lowered her head, fingers tracing the pearl on her hair tie. After a moment, she moved the tie to her left wrist.

Bo Mingyan was left-handed and used her left hand for most tasks. She always wore an old-fashioned men’s watch on her left wrist—never taking it off, no matter how inconvenient it was.

Now, both the watch and the hair tie crowded her slender wrist.

Meng Xuran glanced at it. “Is that your father’s watch?”

Bo Mingyan: “Mm.”

“No wonder,” Meng Xuran said. “I’ve never seen you take it off.”

That was only part of the reason.

Bo Mingyan pinched the watch strap with her right hand, stealing a glance at Meng Xuran. After a while, she released it and pulled her sleeve down, covering her entire wrist.

Better not take it off.

She didn’t want to scare her.

After breakfast, the two went to the entryway to change shoes. Meng Xuran, as usual, agonized over which pair to wear. Bo Mingyan picked out a pair of taupe ankle boots for her and watched as she put them on.

Meng Xuran slipped on one boot, her height increasing slightly, while the other foot remained tiptoed on the ground. She wasn’t in a hurry to put on the second one. “I have a question…”

When Bo Mingyan looked up, she realized Meng Xuran was studying her thoughtfully. “What?”

Meng Xuran slid her foot into the other boot, using the motion to step closer to Bo Mingyan. She met her eyes and asked deliberately, “Little pervert, do you have some strange fetish? Like a foot fetish?”

It wasn’t the first time. Bo Mingyan’s gaze lingered on her feet for an unusually long time.

“…”

Bo Mingyan remained silent and turned away to put on her shoes.

She didn’t admit it, but she didn’t deny it either.

The ear exposed to the side was tinged with a faint blush.

Meng Xuran chuckled softly and teased, “Hey, your ears are red.”

“…” Bo Mingyan ignored her, casually grabbing a scarf from the coat rack and wrapping it around her neck.

“Did I guess right? You really do have a foot fetish? Or is it just mine?” Meng Xuran watched Bo Mingyan’s ears and lightly nudged her calf with her foot.

Bo Mingyan took a deep breath and turned to face Meng Xuran properly.

The other woman’s gaze swept over her scarf, eyebrows lifting slightly, her eyes brimming with mischief. “Seems like you like anything that’s mine.”

Bo Mingyan suddenly remembered—her scarves were usually kept in her room. The coat rack in the entryway had always been Meng Xuran’s domain.

Which meant the cashmere scarf currently wrapped around her neck belonged to Meng Xuran.

Bo Mingyan paused, then unwrapped the scarf and draped it over Meng Xuran’s shoulders instead. She tugged both ends, pulling Meng Xuran forward. Meng Xuran stumbled two steps, grabbing Bo Mingyan’s waist to steady herself.

The distance between them closed instantly.

Meng Xuran laughed at Bo Mingyan’s almost retaliatory move—she loved seeing her like this. “Are you doing this on purpose? Wearing it first so it’s covered in your scent, then wrapping me up in it?”

She emphasized the word “wrapping” deliberately.

Bo Mingyan’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

Meng Xuran reached up and brushed Bo Mingyan’s ear, dragging out her words. “Sister, your ears are even redder now than when I asked if you liked my feet.”

The mention made Bo Mingyan’s ears burn even hotter, and the other woman just had to point it out.

“Tsk, getting redder by the second.”

“Honestly, you don’t need to be embarrassed. My feet are nice—I even modeled a pair of shoes for Fantasy once and got a lot of praise.” Meng Xuran finished her narcissistic spiel before feigning shock to tease Bo Mingyan further. “Don’t tell me you’re only chasing me because of my feet.”

“Shut up.” Bo Mingyan, flustered and annoyed, looped the scarf two more times and pulled the middle section up to cover Meng Xuran’s mouth.

“No way!” Meng Xuran retorted stubbornly, her muffled voice piercing through the fabric. “See? I knew it! You’re definitely only after me because—”

Bo Mingyan was leaning over to free Meng Xuran’s long hair from under the scarf.

Hearing this, she cupped the back of Meng Xuran’s head and pulled her closer. Tilting her head, she pressed her lips against the scarf.

Everything around them blurred in that instant. The deep jade-green of Bo Mingyan’s eyes was mesmerizing, like an unfathomable emerald sea, rippling with an irresistible allure. Meng Xuran forgot to speak, her breath stolen, staring unblinkingly.

Warm breath seeped through the knitted fibers of the cashmere scarf, transferring to Meng Xuran’s lips.

The familiar scent of perfume coiled around them, fermenting the intimacy, spreading thread by thread through the cramped space.

Meng Xuran raised her hand. For a moment, she wanted to pull down the scarf, to seize more air—more warmth—from Bo Mingyan’s crimson lips.

But she feared Bo Mingyan might think her too forward, too eager, too… wanton.

So when Bo Mingyan snapped back to reality and stepped away, Meng Xuran twisted her wrist and pinched Bo Mingyan’s cheek with practiced ease. “Seal broken. Don’t think you can shut me up like that. Careful, or I’ll deduct points.”

Bo Mingyan blinked, the weight of her impulsive act lifting.

No sooner had she issued the threat than Meng Xuran shoved the car keys into Bo Mingyan’s hand. “82.”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. These points are for driving me to work,” Meng Xuran clarified. “They have nothing to do with what just happened.”

Her lower face was buried in the light pink scarf, the sliver of exposed skin faintly flushed. Her ears, peeking out, were small and bright red.

Utterly adorable.

Bo Mingyan stared at her face, idly tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, deliberately brushing her knuckle against the shell. “Oh?” she mused, tone ambiguous. “I wasn’t overthinking it, but why are your ears red?”

“…” Meng Xuran lowered her head, rubbing her earlobe, and stayed silent.

“Hmm?”

The low voice carried a hint of temptation.

“You’re so annoying!” Meng Xuran huffed, spinning on her heel toward the elevator. Over her shoulder, she tossed back, “It’s contagious—from you!”

Behind her, as the door clicked shut, Bo Mingyan’s soft laughter lingered in the air.

They arrived at the company together but parted ways after exiting the elevator.

Colleagues from other departments craned their necks to gawk at Bo Mingyan. Used to such gossipy stares, she paid them no mind and headed straight into the haute couture department’s office.

Her desk was covered with cards, milk, assorted snacks, and a bouquet of roses.

Bo Mingyan picked up one of the cards and skimmed the dense apology note—clearly written by multiple people. She turned to Hu Jingjing. “Jingjing, what’s all this… about?”

“Yesterday, Little Director Meng fired several employees who left particularly nasty comments on the anonymous forum.” Hu Jingjing explained in a hushed voice. “The others who’d been gossiping about you got scared and wrote these apology cards anonymously.”

Bo Mingyan’s fingers tightened around the card.

Ava walked into the office with her bag, chiming in, “Little Director Meng’s move was genius—killing one to warn a hundred. And so tactful. She axed seven or eight employees at once: some for the forum incident, others for inefficiency. But she never specified the reasons, so no one could be sure who was fired for what. Saved face and shut down speculation.”

“Only the male model He Chencheng’s dismissal was public knowledge.” Hu Jingjing added.

Bo Mingyan froze. “Huh?”

“Yesterday, he threw a fit in the office after being fired. Said you and Little Director Meng were shady and accused her of favoritism to get rid of him. Someone even filmed it—I’ll send you the video, Mingyan.” Hu Jingjing pulled out her phone and forwarded the clip. “Looks decent but acts like a dog.”

“Decent? Pfft. Not even as handsome as me.” Liu Yang grumbled.

The others laughed.

Meanwhile, Bo Mingyan put on her earphones and played the video.

The footage was blurry, making expressions hard to discern, but the audio was clear.

He Chencheng was nearly shouting: “Don’t think you’re the only one who can track IPs. My ‘poor sales performance’ is just an excuse. Director Meng, dare you deny you’re favoring Bo Mingyan? Helping her settle a personal grudge? She can’t stand me, so you’re kicking me out!”

In the video, Meng Xuran kept her eyes on her computer, refusing to even glance at He Chencheng—making him look like a clown. Her voice was so soft the volume had to be turned up to hear:

“First, your ‘poor sales performance’ is indeed an excuse. It’s the fig leaf covering your defamation of a company employee. You’re even more shameless than I thought.”

“You fu—” He Chencheng tried to interrupt.

Meng Xuran said coolly, “Didn’t your parents teach you not to interrupt your superiors? Or did you not have any? If so, forget I said anything.”

He Chencheng lost it and lunged at Meng Xuran, only to be restrained by two security guards.

“Second, if this were about settling grudges, you’d never have gotten past our front door. Be grateful she doesn’t even register you. Third, if Bo Mingyan is on one end of the scale, you don’t deserve to be on the other.”

Here, Meng Xuran finally looked up at He Chencheng. Even through the blurry video, her disdainful smile was unmistakable.

“Get it now… little brother?”

Hu Jingjing propped her chin in her hands, starry-eyed. “Goddess indeed. I’ve watched this dozens of times. Called my parents about it yesterday—they said with a boss like this, they don’t have to worry about me being bullied.”

As the video ended, Bo Mingyan’s heart remained unsettled.

For so long, she’d been on the unfair side of the scale—whether with superiors or her own mother.

But now, Meng Xuran had given her blatant favoritism.

“Little Director Meng is too cool.” Ava’s assistant gushed. “Hu Liuri, starting today, I’m stealing your goddess.”

“Pfft, get lost. She’s mine.”

Bo Mingyan removed her earphones and set them down, cutting off their squabble. “Then what’s all this other stuff? Compensation gifts?”

“Tokens from your little admirers after you came out publicly.” Liu Yang said, carrying a mannequin over. “Girls these days are even thirstier for beauties than guys. Tsk.”

“Jingjing,” Bo Mingyan asked, “do you know who sent these?”

“Yep.” Hu Jingjing pointed at each item. “The cookies and yogurt are from Qiao Shan and Zhu Jinye in Sales. The chocolates are from Chang Qing in Planning. The cake is from Luo Wenqian in HR. The roses are from Song Yuting in Marketing.”

“Xiao Yanyan, why ask so carefully? Planning to pick one?” Ava teased.

Bo Mingyan explained gently, “To return them.”

“Not leaving a single shred of hope, huh? Wait—” Ava scrutinized her, eyes widening as if discovering a new continent. She sniffed the air and leaned in for a closer look. “Xiao Yanyan, you’re hiding something! You’re wearing perfume, makeup, and no glasses! Are you seeing someone?!”

“No,” Bo Mingyan denied flatly. As she gathered the scattered items to return, she thought of the new progress bar Meng Xuran had given her that morning. “But it might happen soon.”

The haute couture team was stunned.

“Holy sh1t?!” cried the freshly graduated assistants.

“Guy or girl?” Liu Yang, recently traumatized by gender dynamics, dropped the mannequin’s hand in shock.

“Why didn’t you mention it before?” asked the gossipy Ava.

“Is he reliable? Don’t rush into it—take your time vetting. A girl’s youth can’t afford to be wasted.” advised the steady Zhou Wenlin.

“I’m the one pursuing her.” Bo Mingyan said, arms full as she headed for the door.

Gasps erupted. Ava couldn’t resist chasing after her. “Who is it? Is anyone actually worth making the first move?”

Bo Mingyan pushed the door open, glancing back and said.

“My goddess.”