Chapter 530: Glib Talk

Han Qingwu’s smiling face got thicker upon hearing Chi Nan and was about to humbly reply when she suddenly froze. Even her pace to the stairs came to halt.

“You… what did you just say, Manager Chi?”

“I said I’m too old! Is there a problem?” Replied Chi Nan with a smile.

“You just said that you’d definitely be able to take your Boss’ heart from me,” Han Qingwu shook her head and said.

“That’s of course.” Chi Nan chuckled.

With slightly furrowed brows, Han Qingwu forced a smile and said, “Manager Chi, I think you’re mistaken about that. Tang Xiu’s heart has never been mine, and he has a girlfriend already. It’s the first Campus Flower of Shanghai University, Mu Wanying. Please don’t joke again later.”

“Teacher Han, I’ve seen Ms. Mu and she’s indeed a rare beauty. I will certainly like such a stunning belle if I were a man. However, I don’t think her place inside my Boss’ heart is that significant. Also, I’m rather curious as to how she could become my Boss’ girlfriend.”

Despite being reluctant to continue talking about this topic, Han Qingwu’s heart moved slightly upon hearing Chi Nan’s words. “I don’t quite understand what you mean, Manager Chi!”

Chi Nan shot Han Qingwu a meaningful look, as she smiled and said, “Since you’re not an outsider, then I’ll tell you what I have seen and have in mind, Teacher Han. I’ve seen my Boss bring many women here, each of whom is very beautiful and outstanding, such as Ouyang Lulu, the superstar Zhang Xinya, and the Magnificent Tang Corporation's General Manager Kang Xia… Yet, I can feel that my Boss doesn’t like them, and he… even seems to deliberately keep a distance from them.

“Perhaps you don’t know, but I was surprised to find that my Boss has always been very calm whenever he’s facing them. Regardless of whatever the issue is regarding them, he seems to treat it as an ordinary matter or something like that. But there’s only one person who can make my Boss act different.”

As she spoke up to there, Chi Nan stopped talking.

Han Qingwu asked Chi Nan with a blank expression, “Who is it?”

“It’s you!” Said Chi Nan with a serious expression.

“Me?” Asked Han Qingwu in disbelief. “But why me?”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t realized it yet?” Asked Chi Nan. “My Boss sometimes treats you well, and he looks at you in a daze for a few seconds in some occasions, while he’s also very indifferent toward you some other times, like he’s trying to deny you. Those changes in his mood or emotional changes are all because of something that you brought to him, I think.”

Stupefied, though Han Qingwu stared at Chi Nan, her mind was actually replaying all the scenes of what she had been through with Tang Xiu all this while. She realized that Chi Nan was right. Tang Xiu had indeed stared at her in a daze a few times. Sometimes, there was a hint of gentleness in his eyes, and there was also some occasions that he was indifferent to her, with a cold and detached feeling within.

Furthermore, there were also pain and grief in his eyes sometimes, as well as hatred and animosity.

This… why was that?

Patting Han Qingwu’s shoulder, Chi Nan smiled and said, “Teacher Han, although I don’t know what happened between you and my Boss, you’re the only woman who can make him emotionally unstable. So I’m congratulating you. If you can seize this opportunity well, then you will perhaps become our Lady Boss in the future.”

“I…” Han Qingwu’s mouth opened as she wanted to explain, yet she found that Chi Nan didn’t give her a chance to speak again and went straight upstairs. Chi Nan’s elaborate remark, however, sent a stream of joyous mood to her heart. Chi Nan’s comment about her becoming her Lady Boss was especially sweet.

Quickly after, Han Qingwu came to the third floor under Chi Nan’s guidance. When she entered the deluxe room, she took a look at the luxurious and extravagant private dining box, and only after seeing Tang Xiu did her expression turned somewhat unnatural.

“Boss, Teacher Han has arrived,” reported Chi Nan with a smile.

Tang Xiu got up. Despite feeling somewhat helpless inside, he squeezed out a smile and showed an amiable, friendly manner, “Teacher Han, I’ve ordered some good dishes, and have prepared a good red wine as well. Well, since I invited you to a feast today, then I’ll become a good host and entertain you well.”

Having said that, Tang Xiu pulled the opposite chair and motioned for Han Qingwu to sit there.

Han Qingwu, however, turned her head slowly. She found that Chi Nan had already withdrawn and closed the door from the outside, and looked hesitant before she sat on the chair.

Tang Xiu returned to his seat and then said with a smile, “Teacher Han, you seem pale. What happened?”

Han Qingwu shook her head and stared at Tang Xiu for a while. She straightly looked at Tang Xiu, who was looking at her like a dear person to him, before she said, “I don’t expect to have a meat pie fall upon me from the sky. Such as this feast, I don’t think you called me without a good reason, am I right? So tell me, what is it that you want from me?”

Having what he had in mind pointed out that bluntly, Tang Xiu looked somewhat awkward. He recalled his indifferent and detached att.i.tude toward Han Qingwu before, as he touched his nose and forced out a smile, “You’re really intelligent and considerate, Teacher Han. I just realized that you’re simply a living G.o.ddess of Wisdom. Nothing can escape your eyes, it seems.”

Pfft… Han Qingwu couldn’t help laughing. It was the first time for her to hear such a nauseating sentence from Tang Xiu. Then, she rolled her eyes and snorted, “Hmph, excessive addressing and attention usually have evil intentions behind it. Just spit it out and don’t fawn on me! What exactly is your purpose?”

Tang Xiu clapped his hands and smilingly said, “Look, look at you, what did I just tell you? You’re really smart! Anyways, I actually don’t have too big a matter to trouble you, it’s just… that I possibly have some urgent matters in the near future, so I’m afraid I will have to take a leave for a few days. Thus, I’m hoping that you will approve it, Teacher Han.”

“You’re asking for a leave of absence?” Han Qingwu’s tone hiked up as she looked at Tang Xiu angrily. “NO WAY! Are you going to relive your old mistakes again?”

“I really do have some matters to deal with!” Tang Xiu forced a bitter smile. “Please think about it. I’m a Big Boss, and there are many things I need to deal with. I’ve been staying on campus every day in the last two weeks to study, and many things have already been acc.u.mulated. If I don’t deal with it, then things will become very troublesome. You… just please remember when I saved your life back then, and give me a few days off. I promise that it won’t delay my studies at all.”

“What are going to do for asking a few days off, exactly?” Asked Han Qingwu after being silent for a while.

“Kang Xia contacted me today saying that a very important product of the Magnificent Tang Corporation will be released to the market in the near future, so I need to pay attention to this matter. Additionally, my friend and I are investing real estate in Shanghai and the project is about to start soon, so I need to finalize the final cooperation plan with him. Also, I probably have to make a trip to the South China Sea, as there are important things that need to be addressed there as well.”

“South China Sea? What are you going to do there?” Asked Han Qingwu with a puzzled expression.

“I’m going to buy an island,” Tang Xiu answered.

Han Qingwu rolled her eyes, “You’re just bullsh*ting me, aren’t you? Are you only able to think of such a ridiculous, absurd excuse?”

“I’m not joking with you. I’m going to buy an island in the southern part of South China Sea,” said Tang Xiu seriously.

Staring blankly, Han Qingwu was silent for more than ten seconds before she finally said, “I only had a few cla.s.ses to teach recently. Furthermore, I’m not feeling well and am not in a good mood as well, so I’m going to take a few days off, too. If you promise to take me with you to the South China Sea, then I’ll choose to believe you.”

“What do you want to do? Are you going to watch me?” Asked Tang Xiu in a strange tone.

“It’s good that you can get it, hmph,” Han Qingwu snorted. “If anything, I must go out to refresh my mind. Promise me that you’ll bring me! If you don’t…”

“You…” Besides being helpless and forcing out a bitter upon seeing how Han Qingwu threatened him, Tang Xiu had no other emotions at all. After thinking for a short while, he then nodded and said, “I can take you with me, but you must accept my conditions first.”

“What conditions?” Han Qingwu stretched out her hands and said.

“If I have some matters that need to be managed in the future, then you must approve my applications for leave. And you’re not allowed to forbid and stop me as long as I pa.s.s the exam at the end of the year. Even if I don’t attend cla.s.ses on the campus for the whole semester, you will not speak about that nor will you make things difficult for my academic credits!”

“I promise!” Han Qingwu happily answered.

“To be honest, dealing with a cla.s.s-in-charge teacher like you makes me worried and happy at the same time,” Tang Xiu shook his head and forced a smile. “Anyhow, the dishes will be coming up soon, let’s chat while we eat!”

Really, not long after Tang Xiu talked about it, the room’s door was knocked and pushed open from the outside. Chi Nan personally carried a plate and came in with a few beautiful attendants and put the dishes and wine on the table. Afterward, Chi Nan said with a smile, “Boss, the dishes you ordered have been served. Just call me directly if you have other needs.”

“OK! Off you go then!” Tang Xiu waved and replied.

After savoring the meal and drinking the wine, Han Qingwu and Tang Xiu chatted a bit. When they were halfway through the dinner, Han Qingwu stared at Tang Xiu and suddenly said, “There was a hot news in our campus today saying that you’ve announced your relations.h.i.+p with Mu Wanying, is that right?"

“It’s only a ruse, a fake relations.h.i.+p,” Tang Xiu shook his head. “I became notoriously famous out of nowhere, and it was rather baffling. Many girls in the campus are confessing to me, to the point of getting me annoyed and vexed. Mu Wanying, in the other hand, faces the same situation, so we both discussed it and decided to pretend to be a couple just to thwart them.”

“So, you two are pretending to be a couple?” Han Qingwu felt happy inwardly, yet she kept maintaining a calm expression on the surface. “So to say, the news is false?”

“Yeah, my dorm mates called me before about that, and I read the news on the campus forum as well. That hug was intentional, and we did that for the others to see it,” Tang Xiu nodded.

"Ah, it turns out to be like that!” Learning the truth of the matter, Han Qingwu’s depressed feeling disappeared all of sudden and was replaced by an inexplicable happiness.