Nervous, she instinctively clenched her palms, her tone slightly hesitant.
Pei Shaoze noticed, and Yan Xin did too.
As for her explanation, Yan Xin seemed lost in thought, merely nodding slightly.
Pei Shaoze, however, looked at Su Banxia with a meaningful gaze and said darkly, "A married couple living apart—can a woman like you, Secretary Su, accept that?"
Su Banxia froze, her eyes meeting his. What did he mean?
What did he mean by "a woman like you"? Accept what?
"President Pei, what do you mean?"
Pei Shaoze didn't answer her. Instead, he turned to Yan Xin and said, "The company has a video conference tonight. You go attend it for me."
Clearly, he was dismissing him.
Yan Xin was full of curiosity, but with no chance to say anything to Su Banxia, he could only nod and leave.
As soon as Yan Xin was gone, Su Banxia was suddenly yanked by Pei Shaoze, pulled entirely into his embrace.
The move was so abrupt that Su Banxia had no time to brace herself.
Startled and unsteady, she glared at him. "President Pei, what are you doing?"
He held her, pressing her into a corner of the café, his voice low and husky, magnetic and teasing. "Su Banxia, when did you get married?"
"Five years ago!"
She answered stiffly, looking at him. "President Pei seems very interested in my personal life?"
He held her close, lingering on her sensitive spots from memories six years ago, his voice deep. "I'm not just interested in your personal life—I'm interested in your life as a whole."
Su Banxia frowned, deeply displeased. "I think I've made it very clear to you, President Pei. That night six years ago was an accident between us. I have my own family. You and I are just a superior and subordinate. Please don't make things difficult for me because of the past."
"Heh..."
Pei Shaoze let out a cold laugh. "Make things difficult for you..."
Unsure what he meant, Su Banxia lowered her eyes, waiting for him to let her go.
After a long moment, Pei Shaoze leaned in, pressing against Su Banxia, his eyes half-closed, his warm breath brushing her cheek, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Six years ago, you should have known this day would come. Su Banxia, I'll give you two choices."
"What?"
She looked at him, waiting for his answer.
Pei Shaoze curled his lips, a faint, dark smile appearing. "One: resign voluntarily and never show up in front of me again. Two: stay with me, keep working at the company without worry. As for your family—since you're not living with your husband now, it doesn't seem to affect our relationship."
The more Su Banxia listened, the deeper her frown grew. She stared at him in disbelief. "President Pei, what do you mean?"
What did he mean by "not living with your husband doesn't seem to affect our relationship"?
Seeing her incredulous expression, Pei Shaoze smirked. "Your comprehension is... touching."
Even so, he continued, "What I mean is, from now on, you'll be my woman, Pei Shaoze's, and stay at the company."
Before he could finish, Su Banxia abruptly stood up from her seat, staring at him in shock, her delicate brows tightly knit.
"President Pei, I'm a married woman!"
Even if she didn't have a husband, she had clearly told him she was married.
She never expected that, knowing this, he would still say such morally bankrupt things.
He was the CEO of Dingsheng, someone who held the livelihoods of countless people in his hands—how could he... lack moral integrity!
Unmoved by her shock, Pei Shaoze simply fixed his dark, bright eyes on her, quietly waiting for her response.
After a long pause, Su Banxia looked at him and said, "President Pei, if I don't agree, do I have to resign?"
"Yes!"
His answer was absolute.
Su Banxia didn't know what to say for a moment. She stared at him, then asked, "Can I ask why?"
She had already explained everything about six years ago and the present—why was he still holding on?
Her question only drew a faint smile from Pei Shaoze. "Does a man need many reasons to want a woman?"
"Why?"
Su Banxia was baffled. "Why me?"
Pei Shaoze wanting her?
She didn't believe it.
This man's mind was too deep—there was no way he could truly want her.