Chapter 1630

Xiao Qingqing shuddered, her face instantly flushing crimson. She hastily wriggled out of Samuel's embrace, crossing her arms protectively over her chest as she turned to stare out the window, feigning composure to mask her embarrassment. Inside, however, she was mortified beyond belief. I'm done for. Today is absolutely the end of me! The driver, panic-stricken, quickly turned to apologize, certain he'd be fired by Third Master for this blunder. To his surprise, Samuel didn't reprimand him. Instead, in an uncharacteristically good mood, he simply said, "Watch the road." The driver blinked in astonishment before hurriedly responding, "Yes, sir! Right away!" Samuel turned his gaze to Xiao Qingqing, who refused to meet his eyes. A faint smirk played on his lips as he deliberately kept his tone casual. "Just now was—" Xiao Qingqing knew—another accident. Third Uncle had only grabbed her to keep her from hitting the seat. But it was still unbearably awkward. Desperate to change the subject, she cut him off, pretending nothing had happened. "Why did you suddenly invite me to dinner, Third Uncle? Is there something you need?" "Giving you a chance to make amends. You're treating." Her mind flashed back to the text she'd sent him in front of everyone earlier. This... She'd only promised to make it up to him to stop him from causing a scene. Who knew he'd actually hold her to it? She hadn't even done anything wrong... The car pulled up to a restaurant Xiao Qingqing had never been to before. Before their arrival, Samuel had already ordered the meal, so as soon as they entered the private dining room, the waitstaff began serving the dishes. Coincidentally, every dish Samuel had chosen happened to be her favorites. Could it be that their tastes were remarkably similar? To avoid awkwardness, Xiao Qingqing treated the meal as a task, keeping her head down and focusing on eating. Yet, Samuel, seated beside her, didn’t touch his chopsticks. Instead, he turned to study her intently. Even with her strong composure, she couldn’t hold out any longer under his gaze. Clearing her throat, she spoke up, "Uncle Jing, why aren’t you—" But before she could finish, he interrupted, "Why would a young girl like you choose a man’s name for herself?" Huh? Xiao Qingqing was puzzled. Samuel leisurely pulled out a cigarette, lit it with practiced ease, took a slow drag, and exhaled a wisp of smoke. Most men performing such an act might come across as pretentious, but Samuel was different. His every movement exuded an effortless elegance that went far beyond mere refinement. "Why call yourself 'Mr. Bu'?" Hearing those three words, Xiao Qingqing tensed instantly. But since Samuel had uttered them right in front of her, it meant he had already uncovered the truth—there was no point in denying it now. With a composed yet slightly cold gaze, she asked directly, "That person from Dimensional Otherworld who just called me—do you know them, Uncle San?" "Yes," Samuel replied without hesitation. "It's a company I started privately." Xiao Qingqing was stunned. Dimensional Otherworld had emerged as a rising star in Ancheng in recent years, specializing in game development and AI robotics. Two weeks ago, while browsing a robotics forum, she had stumbled upon a technical post about a challenging issue in AI research. After skimming through it, she found the problem manageable and offered a solution. She had assumed the matter was over—until the company somehow tracked down her number, eager to recruit her. But what truly shocked her was discovering that the company belonged to her uncle. "Uncle San, why would you start a company like this? Is it a personal interest?" Samuel's expression darkened momentarily, his gaze growing distant, as if weighed down by some unspoken memory. After a brief silence, he answered solemnly, "No. It's... to fulfill the wish of someone I deeply respect." Before Xiao Qingqing could press further, he smoothly shifted the topic. "Why did you call yourself 'Mr. Run'?" The name certainly had its origins, but she wasn’t inclined to share personal details with him. So she shrugged it off casually. "I was out jogging when I saw the post. Just picked it randomly." "That *is* random," he remarked dryly, picking up his chopsticks and serving her a portion of food with practiced ease. His tone was calm, but there was a hint of admiration. "Nuannuan always praised how bright you are—top grades, self-taught in many things. But I never expected you to master AI, something completely unrelated to your field." This was the first time Xiao Qingqing had heard Samuel compliment someone, but the flattery was far too transparent in its intent. She decided not to beat around the bush and said bluntly, "Uncle, I know why you asked me out today. But I’m about to start my senior year, and the academic pressure is intense. I can’t take a job at your company." Seeing her firm stance, Samuel showed no trace of displeasure, merely replying calmly, "I want the real reason. Don’t use school as an excuse—it won’t work on me." After a brief silence, Xiao Qingqing decided to cut to the chase. "Before my father passed away, he was obsessed with AI research. He neglected managing the company, which led to internal problems and... that tragic outcome. My grandfather believed my father’s fixation on the tech industry ruined everything. Before he died, he warned me never to enter this field—not to repeat my father’s mistakes. And I... promised him." "I heard the Xiao family’s downfall was due to a traitor within the company, not your father’s passion. Besides, isn’t this an industry both you and your father loved?" Xiao Qingqing shook her head, a faint, melancholic smile touching her lips—though it never reached her eyes. "Uncle, I’m not a child anymore. The life I’ve lived has taught me that not everything we love can be ours. Some things are just... not meant to be." Samuel studied her. She was only twenty, yet the scars of her past had forced her to grow up far too soon. His voice deepened. "If you don’t want to enter the industry, fine. But as the boss’s woman, occasionally offering technical advice when they hit a roadblock—that wouldn’t break your promise, would it?" Xiao Qingqing was momentarily speechless. *The boss’s woman?* They had a contractual relationship, nothing more! Before she could protest, Samuel pressed on, "Skilled talent is hard to come by these days. Pushing the industry forward is an uphill battle. It’d be a shame to let your expertise go to waste. Don’t you think?" Xiao Qingqing considered it. Helping out occasionally wouldn’t violate her promise. And who knows—it might even satisfy her lingering curiosity... "Fine." Satisfied, Samuel nodded, then picked up his chopsticks to serve her some food before setting them down again. His expression turned serious. "Now that business is settled, let’s talk personal matters. Why didn’t you answer my call earlier? And don’t bother making excuses—I saw you ignore it." "......" Xiao Qingqing felt utterly exasperated. After all this time, he... why couldn't he just let it go? Samuel's intense gaze burned into her, unwavering, as if any unsatisfactory answer from her would prompt him to devour her whole right then and there. After a moment of internal struggle, she realized avoidance wasn't a solution. She decided to lay her cards on the table—better to establish some distance between them. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Uncle, though we're not exactly close, we do know each other through Nuan Nuan. What happened that night... I am a girl, after all..." "So, you've been avoiding me because of that?" His voice was low, edged with something unreadable. Xiao Qingqing scratched her forehead nervously. "It's just... seeing you makes me feel... incredibly awkward. I thought it might be better if we... kept our interactions to a minimum in the future." "Awkward?" A smirk tugged at his lips, his eyes darkening with amusement. "Are you replaying that night in your head when you look at me? Do you... like me?"