Chapter 42: “I can’t possibly do such a beastly thing to you!”

They say that nighttime is when people are at their most vulnerable and unguarded. Perhaps it’s the atmosphere of darkness that makes one want to open up. After living together for so long, this was actually the first time Cheng Yao learned about Qian Heng’s early experiences.

In her mind, Qian Heng had always been a high-and-mighty, born-elite boss. She knew he was outstanding, but precisely because he was so exceptional, he had always felt distant—someone to be admired from afar but not easily approached.

But tonight, after hearing his story, even though it was about a time when he had struggled, Cheng Yao didn’t feel like it diminished his image at all. If anything, it made her want to get closer to him.

It was as if he had suddenly become more real, more three-dimensional, more human.

So even Qian Heng had once faced injustice, setbacks, and uncertainty at the start of his career. Everything she had been through—he had experienced it all before her.

Though separated by time, Cheng Yao suddenly felt as if she were a small asteroid, originally following her own orbit, while Qian Heng followed his. Yet, in a fleeting moment, their paths had intersected, resonating with each other.

For some reason, she suddenly found the courage to confess something of her own.

“Actually, in my first year as an intern at my previous law firm, I cried so many times. So many times, I thought about just giving up—quitting law and going home to take the civil service exam instead.”

“It was exhausting. Even though I had a mentor, he never guided me. Most of the tasks he assigned me were administrative. He even treated me like his personal assistant—sending me to order flowers and buy Valentine’s Day gifts for his wife. When it came to cases, I barely got to do anything. I was just responsible for printing documents, typing out handwritten notes into digital files. I wasn’t allowed to attend any key meetings… but whenever there was a dinner with male clients, he would always take me along. Every single time, there would be drinking, crude jokes, and inappropriate comments.”

Cheng Yao took a deep breath. “I was always busy, yet I felt lost. It made me question—what was the point of all this? My salary was only two thousand yuan a month, barely enough to survive in City A. I had to rely on my family’s financial support just to stay. And worst of all, I couldn’t see any future for myself.”

Even though those days were behind her, remembering them still brought a sting of bitterness. Especially the part about being forced to attend those client dinners—she hadn’t even told her best friend, Qin Qin, about it. She had felt too ashamed and embarrassed. Yet now, for some reason, she found herself speaking so openly about it to Qian Heng.

Maybe it was because Qian Heng had this kind of presence. Beneath his sharp tongue and striking appearance, there was something solid, something safe—something that made people feel they could rely on him.

Unfortunately, her tragic experience didn’t seem to move Qian Heng in the slightest. Not only did he not comfort her, but he even said in a harsh tone, “Are you an idiot? You couldn’t just say no? What exactly were you, a drinking companion or a lawyer?”

“……”

“What’s his name?”

Caught off guard by his sudden question, Cheng Yao was confused. “Huh?”

“The mentor from your previous firm. What’s his name?”

“Yao Feng.”

“What was his specialty?”

“Inheritance law.”

“Good.”

Good? What was good??? Cheng Yao was completely baffled.

Just as she was about to press for an explanation, Qian Heng had already shifted the topic.

“And now?”

“What?”

Qian Heng coughed lightly. His voice sounded a little unnatural. “Now… do you still cry?”

Cheng Yao was momentarily stunned before realizing what he was asking. She first shook her head, then remembered that he couldn’t see her gesture. “No.” After a pause, she added, “Well… except for that time with Bai Xingmeng…”

“Hm.”

Just when Cheng Yao thought the topic was over, Qian Heng’s cool, textured voice sounded again.

“Endure the first two years of your career. Don’t cry. Everyone goes through this.”

Huh???

“If you really want to cry, I’ll buy you chocolate.”

Eh???

“Normal chocolate.”

Oh…

Cheng Yao didn’t respond, but Qian Heng seemed a little flustered. After a moment, he added, almost casually, “Forget it. If you really can’t hold it in, then cry.”

After saying so much without getting a response from her, Qian Heng finally seemed irritated. His tone turned sharp. “Are you even listening to me?”

“Yes—yes, I’m listening!”

“Next time you want to cry, you have to submit an application to me. You can only cry if I approve it.”

“…Okay.”

“If you dare to cry behind my back, I’ll deduct your year-end bonus.”

“If you have any pressure or difficulties, talk to me in advance. Or talk to Bao Rui and Tan Ying. Don’t just cry alone.”

Huh… Though Qian Heng was as domineering as ever, somehow, being controlled by his overbearing ways… didn’t feel so bad???

Cheng Yao thought to herself, Have I been in this toxic cult for too long? Have I already been poisoned to the core?

But since it was such a rare opportunity, her curiosity got the better of her. “Boss, back then… did you ever feel lost?”

“When I had to work overtime until 4 a.m. every day for a week straight, only getting four hours of sleep a night, yeah.” Qian Heng seemed to shift slightly, his voice sounding even closer to her. “Lack of sleep for too long makes you irritable. Makes you wonder why you’re living like this when you don’t even need to.”

“And then?”

“Then I had a huge fight with my dad. I figured that if I wanted complete control over my own life, to never be manipulated by anyone, I needed to have the capital and the ability to stand on my own.”

Who would’ve thought that someone as wealthy as Qian Heng had such an inspiring story…

After a brief silence, Qian Heng spoke again. “Why did you become a lawyer?”

“Me?” Cheng Yao hesitated before answering, “To seek justice for my sister.”

“Deng Ming?”

“You know?”

“Yeah.”

At the mention of Deng Ming, Cheng Yao suddenly felt disheartened. “Will I ever surpass him? Last time, with Bai Xingmeng’s case, he still ended up taking advantage of the situation in the end. I’m so useless.”

“You’ll never surpass me. But surpassing him? That’s not a problem.” Qian Heng’s voice remained indifferent, as distant as ever. “Your talent is far beneath mine, but at least your attitude is decent. Barely salvageable.”

Cheng Yao almost burst out laughing. This guy… why is he so awkward? He clearly wants to encourage me, but he just has to act all cold and distant. Would it kill him to say something nice for once?!

Yet even though his tone was as arrogant as ever, she had a feeling that if there were a light on right now, his expression would probably be… gentle.

Her venomous boss’s version of gentleness was like a cactus in the desert—proud, standing tall, covered in sharp thorns that screamed rejection. Silent, passive. But if you reached out, cut through its tough exterior, you’d find precious water inside—warm with the lingering heat of the sun.

“Well then, Boss, I’ll be counting on you to ‘salvage’ me!”

Qian Heng responded in his usual lofty tone, “Since you’re begging me so sincerely, I suppose I can reluctantly help you.” Then, as if issuing a decree, he added, “Hang in there for two more years. In these two years, my only requirement for you is—no dating, no marriage. Devote all your time to work.”

“Huh? No dating either?”

At her question, Qian Heng’s tone instantly turned displeased. “You still want to date?” He paused, his voice growing even more dangerous. “Or… are you already secretly dating someone behind my back?”

What do you mean by “secretly dating behind your back,” bro? You make it sound like I’m cheating on you or something…

Yet, for some reason, Cheng Yao instinctively denied it. “I’m not!” She explained, “I just think dating doesn’t have to affect work. Two people can grow together, support each other, that kind of thing.”

Qian Heng let out a cold snort. “Yeah, right. How many men actually have that kind of drive nowadays? Grow together? You can date if you want—as long as the man is better than me.”

“…”

After a moment, Qian Heng added, “Actually, never mind. There’s probably no one in the entire universe better than me. I suppose… if he’s just slightly inferior, I’ll allow it.”

“…”

Boss, I don’t know if there’s anyone better than you, but there’s definitely no one who thinks as highly of themselves as you do! At this rate, I’m never getting married in this lifetime!

“Enough, go to sleep.”

…

But a moment later, Cheng Yao suddenly remembered something—

“Boss, are you still awake?”

“I am.”

“That extra 50,000 bonus you said you’d give me… have you transferred it yet?”

“I’m asleep.”

“…”

If shamelessness were a competition, Qian Heng would already be standing at the finish line.

Is there any hope for the boss tonight?

Cheng Yao really wanted to shout: No! He’s still completely hopeless!

That night, maybe it was because Qian Heng had finally put aside his usual venom and showed a rare moment of warmth, but Cheng Yao slept exceptionally well.

When she woke up the next day, she felt completely refreshed, as if she had been reborn. The bed beneath her was soft and warm, like sleeping on a cloud…

Wait.

A bed?

Soft??

Wasn’t I supposed to be sleeping on the floor???

In an instant, Cheng Yao was wide awake. She sat up and found herself sprawled across her boss’s bed, limbs splayed out, taking up the entire mattress.

Which raised a very important question…

Where was her boss? The man who was supposed to be sleeping on this bed—where had he gone??

With a nervous heart, Cheng Yao lowered her gaze—only to see Qian Heng lying on the floor, fast asleep.

He was too tall, and the limited space on the floor didn’t allow him to stretch out properly. At over 1.8 meters, he had to curl up slightly just to fit.

This was the first time Cheng Yao had ever seen Qian Heng asleep.

And honestly… his face really was something else.

His handsome brows were relaxed, his long eyelashes rested quietly, and his jawline was smooth and defined. His slightly tousled hair gave him an unexpectedly innocent and obedient look. The loose collar of his pajamas revealed a small glimpse of his chest, rising and falling gently with his slow, steady breaths. The subtle allure of the scene made it tempting—just a little—to undo a button and take a closer look…

For a night at this level, 11,000 yuan didn’t seem like such a bad deal after all…

Cheng Yao sat on the bed, quietly watching Qian Heng’s sleeping face.

She remained like that until Qian Heng finally stirred awake, and she watched as his beautiful eyes gradually cleared from drowsiness.

Unable to suppress her gratitude and excitement any longer, she spoke up—

“Boss! Thank you for giving up the bed for me and sleeping on the floor! I’ll always remember this kindness!”

Maybe it was their late-night conversation that had brought them closer, Cheng Yao thought. Qian Heng, this walking contradiction, had ultimately given up his bed for her, proving that deep down, he still had some gentlemanly decency.

“I was sleeping soundly,” Qian Heng said flatly. “Then, in the middle of the night, someone crawled onto my bed in the dark, stole my blanket, and then—” He paused, his tone sharpening, “—kicked me off my own bed .”

“Cheng Yao, this kindness… I will remember as well.”

???

What happened to the whole gentleman giving up the bed thing???

“That’s impossible!” Cheng Yao instinctively denied. “I would never do something so beastly to my boss!”

But after her firm denial, she started piecing together the hazy memories of last night…

She had gotten up to go to the bathroom, and then…?

Then she had crawled back onto the bed, pulled the blanket over herself, and drifted back to sleep. But for some reason, the bed had felt smaller than usual—like there was a giant body pillow on it. Cheng Yao was used to sleeping sprawled out, so she had instinctively kicked at the “pillow” a few times to get comfortable…

And then?

And then there had been a loud “thud” as something heavy hit the ground…

As she pieced together the events of last night, sweat started to bead on her forehead. Hurriedly, she leaned forward, bowed her head, and apologized repeatedly. “I—I was half-asleep! I thought it was my own bed…”

But before she could finish, she noticed something strange—Qian Heng, who had been glaring at her just moments ago, suddenly turned his gaze away. His expression stiffened, and he wordlessly tossed a pillow at her.

Cheng Yao: ???

She reflexively caught the pillow and hugged it to her chest, looking at him in confusion.

Seriously? This petty? She hadn’t kicked him off the bed on purpose! Did he really have to throw a pillow at her over it?!

“Get out.”

Huh???

Qian Heng really seemed upset. He refused to look at her directly, and there was an odd tension in his voice.

From Cheng Yao’s angle, she could only see his sharp profile and his lips, pressed tightly together.

Now she was getting irritated too. She really hadn’t done it on purpose, but Qian Heng was making such a big deal out of it! She tossed the pillow aside, ready to properly explain herself and argue her case.

But just as she threw the pillow down, Qian Heng—who had been calmly sitting on the edge of the bed—suddenly sprang into action.

With startling speed, he grabbed his blanket and, before Cheng Yao could react, wrapped her up in it like a burrito. Then, with a blank expression, he lifted the bundled-up Cheng Yao, carried her to the doorway, and—

Unceremoniously dumped her onto the floor outside his room.

He straightened up, his movements slightly stiff, then turned back into his room and slammed the door shut.

A few seconds later, the sound of running water echoed from his bathroom.

One advantage of this apartment was that it had two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, so Cheng Yao never had to share with Qian Heng.

But wait—hadn’t he already showered last night?

Why was he taking another one first thing in the morning?

As far as she knew, he wasn’t a germophobe…???