Lucas hung up Adrien's call with a faint smile still on his face.
Take me to meet people?Serve tea and pour drinks? Yeah, yeah, I get it.
But tonight, he actually had something important to deal with. He didn't have the time—or the patience—to play along.
If he didn't go, and Adrien had to entertain guests himself, wouldn't that just make Adrien look awkward? Wasn't that technically Lucas's fault?
He really didn't feel like tearing his face off with Adrien right now.
"Besides," Lucas muttered, "you bunch of grown men drinking together—how am I supposed to make things 'fun' for the girls?"
Today's workload wasn't particularly heavy.
So Lucas decided he could relax a little. For example, he could create a few surprises for the younger girls and scare them half to death.
Wasn't that delightful?
Didn't it smell… wonderful?
Most of the work had already been handed off to Li Yufei, but Lucas still put on a show of working diligently until the afternoon.
In the small secretary's office, Li Yufei had been busy all day—calling to apply for patents, submitting documents, and contacting suppliers one after another.
Today's workload alone exceeded the total of the previous three days combined.
At exactly eleven p.m—
Snap.
Li Yufei closed her laptop. Exhaustion was written plainly across her delicate face.
"Hah…"
"Finally finished part of it."
Yes.Just part of it.
When she saw the progress bar stuck at 2/10, resentment surged in her chest.
"Getting scolded is one thing, but now even work has started squeezing me dry."
In the original story, Li Yufei was highly capable—yet she was often scolded by Lucas.
But for the money, she endured it.
After all, bosses like this were hard to come by.
She knew very well that her appearance was far too attractive to men. Some executives had even offered her annual salaries in the millions to poach her.
Beyond her competence, all that remained was beauty.
Everyone coveted her.
And beyond work, there were always other things bosses wanted.
But she never agreed.
That was why she had always chosen Lucas.
Though this boss lacked a heart and liked scolding himself, at least he still had principles.
Dragging her exhausted body home, Li Yufei rode the mini scooter she'd bought earlier that year.
She parked in the underground garage and took the elevator up to the nineteenth floor.
Her apartment was in Imperial View Garden. Naturally, it couldn't compare to Lucas's spacious penthouse—but it wasn't bad.
Seven thousand a month. Over a hundred square meters. Three bedrooms and a living room.
She slipped off her shoes and turned on the light.
And froze.
"Happy birthday, my little secretary!"
As the lights came on, an extravagantly arranged scene filled her vision.
Balloons. Blue ribbons. A heart-shaped arrangement glowing softly.
Compared to this atmosphere, the five-pound double-layer cake on the table looked almost out of place.
Then, from a corner of the living room, Lucas slowly stepped forward, holding a bouquet of flowers.
He was dressed in black.
A custom-tailored suit with a single button fastened, perfectly fitted to his lean frame.
If one had to describe it—
A thug in a suit.
Sharp features. Clean lines. A gentle smile hanging at the corners of his lips.
His eyes were bright but restrained.Eyes like stars. Brows like blades.
Perfection.
"Happy birthday, my little secretary. This is to celebrate your second year at the company."
His voice was magnetic—soft to the extreme.
Li Yufei was stunned.
Watching her dumbfounded expression, Lucas sighed inwardly.
Seeing all this I prepared so carefully… she should be moved to tears, right?
If it were me, I'd cry to death.
Lucas almost moved himself.
After all, who could resist such a secure, romantic offensive?
Even nuns wouldn't stand a chance, right?
It was just that—
After a moment, Li Yufei suddenly came back to her senses and let out a sharp scream.
"Ah!!"
"You—how did you get into my house?!"
Her face turned pale as she stared at Lucas, fear flooding her eyes.
Damn it!
How could someone get into her house?!
Lucas: "???"
"What about the romance and the surprises you talked about? And the touching moment?" he snapped.
"I went through all this trouble for you, and you're screaming at me?!"
You—
Lucas's face darkened instantly.
"When you rented this place, didn't you give me a spare key?"
He continued coldly, "You said you were afraid of sudden death. You gave me the spare key and said that if you didn't answer the phone or didn't go to work, I should come find you."
Li Yufei's scream cut off abruptly.
"…Did I?"
"…It seems… yes."
Lucas: "!!!"
What do you mean it seems?!
In the original story, it was clearly written—you gave Lucas the key, and Lucas even chose this neighborhood on purpose to make things easier.
So of course he was unhappy.
Didn't you understand?
If it weren't for seeing that you were capable and never crossed boundaries at work, you would've been kicked out long ago.
It wasn't him.
Otherwise, if his little secretary had given him the key, he would've used it long ago.
Lucas's expression turned cold, and the atmosphere he had so carefully built vanished instantly.
He shoved the bouquet into Li Yufei's arms.
"Fine. Hurry up and blow out the candles, make a wish, accept the gift. I'll eat the cake and leave."
He pulled out a pack of birthday candles—numbers 2 and 5.
After lighting them, Lucas grabbed Li Yufei, who still hadn't reacted.
"Blow."
She subconsciously did.
Seeing this, Lucas immediately flared up again.
"You made a wish?!"
"Forget it."
He was suddenly discouraged.
Picking up the knife himself, Lucas cut a small piece of cake, took it, and turned to leave.
"Take it slow by yourself. I'm going back."
"Oh, and remember—tomorrow's the weekend. Don't forget to come in for overtime."
Bang.
The door slammed shut.
Li Yufei stood there in a daze, her eyes slowly shifting from blank white… to red.