Chapter 1631

"Of course not." What kind of nonsense was this "liking" him? How absurd! Besides, when had she been "reminiscing"? She had a headache! Samuel's expression darkened instantly. "Hmph. No? Then you dislike me?" "No, no! Uncle, I respect—" "Spare me," he cut her off sharply, his voice icy. "I don’t need vague, half-hearted answers. It’s simple—either you like me, or you dislike me. Pick one." For the first time, Xiao Qingqing thought to herself that Samuel was utterly impossible to please! Whoever ended up marrying him in the future would be cursed for eight lifetimes! If she said she disliked him… well, she’d probably regret it. But saying she liked him? That would be a lie. They barely knew each other, for heaven’s sake! While she was still hesitating, Samuel reached out, his fingers warm as they gently tilted her chin up. His thumb brushed lightly over her lips, his dark eyes boring into hers with unsettling intensity. "Qingqing," he murmured, his voice low and deliberate. "Choose." Xiao Qingqing hesitated for a moment before lifting her head to meet his gaze squarely. Instead of answering, she countered, "That’s not a fair question, Uncle. I barely know you—how can I say whether I like or dislike you? I doubt even you could honestly say whether you like or dislike me." "I like you very much." The words left Samuel’s lips in a slow, velvety drawl the moment she finished speaking. Xiao Qingqing froze as if struck by lightning, a shiver running down her spine. Her pupils dilated in shock as she stared at him, utterly speechless. Samuel took a slow drag from his cigarette, eyeing her in silence, masterfully amplifying Xiao Qingqing's discomfort to its peak. It truly lived up to that saying—when one person isn’t embarrassed, the other is left squirming. Xiao Qingqing, who had just mustered a bit of assertiveness, found herself shrinking back under his gaze. Unconsciously, her words stumbled out again: "Uncle... I thought someone like you wouldn’t lie." "Lie?" Samuel leaned back, crossing his legs with effortless grace. His gaze swept over her from head to toe before he remarked calmly, "You excel in studies, have sharp skills, know your boundaries without being weak, and you’re undeniably attractive. That night, I personally confirmed your figure is exceptional too. A girl like you—if I didn’t like you, wouldn’t that be the strange part?" Mentioning *that night* again made Xiao Qingqing want to scream. Besides... at his age, still without a girlfriend—shouldn’t he be... into men? Samuel tapped his cigarette lightly against the ashtray, then continued at a leisurely pace, "A simple, meaningless choice has you this flustered. Could it be you actually harbor some indecent thoughts about me?" Turning the tables! Who said Samuel was a man of few words? Every exchange with him left her utterly outmatched—like a helpless chick facing a hawk. They weren’t even in the same league. Fine, she surrendered. Wasn’t that an option? "I don’t dislike you, Uncle... so I guess that counts as... *like*." The corner of Samuel’s lips curled in satisfaction. "Good. Let’s eat." Kids don't have a care in the world? No problem! Just guide them patiently! After dinner, Samuel escorted Xiao Qingqing back to her school. When he returned to the company, Feng Zixiu was still there. Sprawled lazily on the sofa, Feng glanced up from his phone as Ye walked in, a teasing grin on his face. "So? Did you seal the deal?" Ye ignored him. Undeterred, Feng got up and sauntered over to the desk, mischief dancing in his eyes. "Told you that girl was dead set against it. What, struck out too, huh?" Too irritated to entertain his nonsense, Ye lifted his gaze, his voice icy. "Not everyone's as useless as you." Feng blinked in surprise. "Wait—she actually agreed to join the company?" "The president's wife doesn't need a job. If you have questions, just ask her." Feng's face twisted in confusion. "The president's wife? What the hell are you talking about? Weren't you just chasing Xiao Qingqing the other night? How did you—" Ye cut him off with a sharp glare. The sheer disdain in Ye's eyes—like he was staring at an idiot—made Feng pause. He scratched his head, utterly baffled. "Why are you looking at me like that?" "Wondering how someone can be this stupid. Xiao Qingqing *is* Mr. Bu." "*Holy shit!* No way! That little girl is Mr. Bu?!" Come to think of it, that voice he'd heard at noon today—wasn't that Xiao Qingqing's voice when he'd joined the crowd to see what the fuss was about? He couldn't help but exclaim, "Well, I'll be damned! Your little one here's got a secret identity, huh?" Samuel was in a good mood, the corners of his lips curling into a faint smirk. *Of course she does—she's mine.* But then Feng Zixiu seemed to recall something and added, "Wait, you just said... *Mrs. CEO*? Are you two for real?" Samuel merely smirked without answering, yet Feng Zixiu understood his meaning at a glance. Baffled, Feng Zixiu pressed, "Since when have you had your eye on that kid? I didn’t see this coming at all." Samuel chuckled lazily, ignoring the question. Instead, he said, "Since you've got so much free time, go and give the Su family a little *reminder*. Just leave them breathing—they still have their uses." *Well, well. So much for prying into gossip—now I’m being turned into cheap labor again.* *Some get their wedding night, while others get dirt and bones. Life’s just unfair.* By evening, Xiao Qingqing had been picked up by Samuel’s secretary and taken to the best beauty salon in Ancheng. After a quick makeup session and a change of clothes, she was brought before Samuel. The moment she stepped out of the car in front of the company, dressed in a form-fitting emerald-green cheongsam, Samuel’s eyes darkened with admiration. Unsteady in the high heels she rarely wore, Xiao Qingqing shuffled awkwardly toward him and murmured softly, "Uncle Jing." Samuel pulled his gaze away and gave her shoulder a light pat. "Why didn’t you wear the dress I picked for you? Didn’t like it?" Xiao Qingqing cursed him silently in her heart. *With marks from my neck to my knees—how the hell was I supposed to wear it?!* Seeing her remain silent, Samuel glanced up at his secretary. The secretary leaned in close and murmured something in his ear. A quiet chuckle escaped Samuel’s lips. The secretary blinked in surprise—now that was something he’d never seen before. After all these years working for the man, he had just discovered that his boss was actually capable of smiling! Samuel led Xiao Qingqing to the car, admiringly remarking, "This outfit looks even better than the one I picked!" Xiao Qingqing scoffed inwardly. *Yeah, right. Like I’d believe that.* As they drove, she couldn’t shake her unease. "Uncle Samuel," she ventured hesitantly, "where exactly are we going? Can’t you just tell me instead of being so mysterious?" Samuel met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "No. You’ll find out when we get there." Xiao Qingqing rolled her eyes. *What’s with all the secrecy?* She had assumed he was just taking her to some event, but when they arrived at a villa and she spotted the figures waiting at the entrance, her stomach dropped. She didn’t even want to step out of the car. *What on earth is this man planning…?*