Cornered by the CEO

"No," he shook his head. "Just a pre-breakfast chuckle. You know how our culture emphasizes laughing and removing toxins from our body in the morning," he explained. He had no idea what he was talking about and evidently neither did the other two at the table. They looked at him like he was absolutely insane.

Bai Ye Qing dove in. The steak was slightly different from what he was used to. Oddly, it was slightly gamey but extremely delicious. There was a red wine sauce on the side as well.

His gaze landed on Mo Qingchen, who sat quietly and enjoyed his meal and he took a moment to watch the man. He had been compared to this billionaire and asked to see where he stood in comparison. So, that was what he did. Mo Qingchen did stand out. The restaurant was filled with people, each and every one of them extremely cultured and prominent but Mo Qingchen with his ruffled black mane and bottomless eyes was impossible not to notice.

Beside him, Yun Qian Meng's presence was equally domineering. A woman who was sure of what she wanted and wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty to achieve it. He liked these kinds of women. The more independent and strong they thought themselves to be, the easier they were to manipulate.

They fell into his trap easily. Apparently, acting like a little flower who needed the protection of a woman evoked their motherly instinct to protect. He used it to his advantage quite often.

Qian Meng looked up when she felt his gaze on him and felt the need to suppress a gag. The look in his eyes was predatory. He didn't know how easy it was to read, so he didn't bother to change his expression.

"Thank you for inviting me to breakfast with you this morning," he said sweetly.

Qian Meng was taken off guard. "I didn't invite you. You showed up. I'm not impolite enough to turn you down." And it was her fatal flaw. "Are you enjoying your meal?" she asked.

Mo Qingchen silently watched the two interact.

Bai Ye Qing nodded. "It's delightful. Though I am sorry I couldn't get a chance to try something new." He shot Mo Qingchen a victorious look.

The other's brow rose. "You've had reindeer before? I thought you hadn't tried the cuisine?"

Qian Meng watched with rapt fascination as Bai Ye Qing started to cough. "I'm sorry, what?" he spluttered.

"Reindeer filet," Mo Qingchen pointed towards Bai Ye Qing's dish. He made it sound like it was obvious.

Bai Ye Qing's eyes widened dramatically. "Reindeer?" He squeaked. Mo Qingchen was definitely pulling his leg. "As in Santa's little helpers?" His fork dropped to the plate.

"Well, no," he shook his head, making Bai Ye Qing sigh with relief. "Santa is a fictional character, so are his reindeer. Though the little helpers would be tasty, I am sure." Mo Qingchen snickered at Bai Ye Qing's horrified expression.

"This is not funny!" He grabbed for his water and chugged it down. The devout Christian in him protested. He had worshipped those reindeer as a child. Such cute little things... he had eaten a piece of one? "How could you let me eat it?"

Qian Meng shrugged. "If I recall correctly, it was the obvious choice," she noted with a grin on her face.

Even though his meal was incredible, the little boy inside Bai Ye Qing refused to eat one of Santa's helpers. Mo Qingchen and Yun Qian Meng found the situation exceedingly amusing, though Yun Qian Meng did offer to order something less traumatic for his benefit.

He politely declined.

"You can't look down on me for not knowing these things. That snobbish," Bai Ye Qing pleaded.

"I am not ridiculing you, Bai Ye Qing. You must understand the reason we can't take you seriously," Qian Meng began. "I hope this acts as a wake-up call for you. Put your act together. You don't have anything to boast about. You are not worthy of my attention."

"I have money. I have a company. I have everything that you do, then why am I not a candidate that you will consider? Your father thought I was suitable. And parents always want what is best for you."

Qian Meng frowned. "You have money? You have not earned a single penny on your own. The job you hold was given to you by your father and late brother. They wanted you to be productive so they hoped you would spend at least eight hours a day at the office. Do you work, though? Or do you take advantage of your identity and put one leg over another and watch as the rest of the employees bust their ass to make a living?"

She stopped and looked him dead in the eye.

"The time you put in has no worth because you are just riding on someone else's coattails. You have not tasted what it is to struggle and become something on your own. You haven't felt the pleasure of winning after a series of losses. Those experiences make a human being worth being noticed."

Qian Meng thought that she had said enough. Silence engulfed the room.

"If these are your problems, I will work on them. But I will definitely win you over," he pledged. He quickly wiped his mouth and stood up to leave.

Qian Meng didn't hold him back as he walked out.

"What a bastard, he dragged me to have a meal with him and then didn't even bother to pay. Indeed, he is a flower boy who likes taking advantage of other people." The amount of food they ordered was huge and Mo Qingchen insisted on sharing. She had a taste of everything.

Without Bai Ye Qing in the room, the atmosphere was relaxed.

"I know the look in his eyes," Mo Qingchen said, breaking the silence in the room as they waited for dessert. "He finally realized that the receipt of favor is oppressive. That it means that he was chosen because he was family and not because he deserved that position."𝒇𝐫ℯ𝑒𝒘ℯ𝑏n𝑜ѵ𝐞l.c𝗼𝗺