?
Seeing her approach, Pei Shaoze looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"
Su Banxia stared at him, her face slightly pale, her gaze still cold and clear. She raised her hand toward him.
The desk was wide, and Su Banxia couldn't reach his face. She looked at him and said, "Come closer!"
Pei Shaoze glanced at her outstretched hand, momentarily stunned. "What is it?"
"Come closer!"
Su Banxia spoke.
Pei Shaoze leaned slightly toward her. He wasn't in the best spirits, so he didn't bother arguing.
As he drifted off, he suddenly felt a cool sensation on his forehead, incredibly soothing.
Looking up, he saw Su Banxia leaning in close, her palm pressed against his forehead as if she were... checking his temperature!
Su Banxia pressed her palm to his forehead, frowning slightly.
Then she pressed her own forehead against his, testing the warmth. It was a bit hot.
A mild fever, along with a cough.
Her actions left Pei Shaoze stunned, again and again.
He felt his heart, which had been beating steadily, suddenly race out of rhythm.
At that moment, he felt as though this woman before him had dealt the gentlest blow to his chest.
And he had no defense against it.
Still lost in her tenderness, Su Banxia pulled back and said, "You have a slight fever and a cough. I'll go downstairs to buy you some medicine!"
With that, she turned and left.
Pei Shaoze watched her retreating figure, lost in thought for a long time.
The phone on his desk rang several times without him reacting.
Yan Xin walked in with a stack of documents and, seeing him staring blankly at the door, exclaimed in shock, "Whoa, what's up with you? Possessed?"
He had never seen him like this before!
Yan Xin's arrival snapped Pei Shaoze out of his daze. He looked up at him and asked, "What is it?"
Yan Xin said, "These documents need your personal review."
As he finished speaking, Pei Shaoze's phone rang again.
Glancing at the caller ID, it was Old Master Pei.
Yan Xin smirked, "I bet it's about marriage again."
Rolling his eyes at him, Pei Shaoze didn't want to answer, but seeing several missed calls from the old man, he knew he'd keep calling if ignored.
So, he reluctantly picked up.
As soon as he answered, the voice on the other end said, "Find time to bring that girl from the Su family home for a meal. Since you want to handle things yourself, get married quickly. Don't drag it out."
Pei Shaoze frowned slightly. The Su family girl?
Su Banxia?
He didn't know how the old man had found out about Su Banxia, but he nodded slightly and said, "Mm."
The old man, used to being brushed off, added, "I'm having a birthday banquet in a few days. Bring her back. I'll contact the Su family then so we can all meet. The Su family is a scholarly household—don't be rude!"
Pei Shaoze was confused. The Su family? Scholarly household?
Into the phone, he asked, "Which Su family?"
Old Master Pei snorted, "Which Su family could it be? Isn't there a Su family in the West City? Isn't the Miss Su you found from that family?"
Pei Shaoze was taken aback. So the old man had mistaken Su Banxia for someone from the West City Su family?
If he explained now, the old man would likely investigate Su Banxia. Given her current identity, once exposed, the old man would cause trouble.
After a moment's thought, Pei Shaoze simply said, "Mm, it's the West City Su family. How did you know?"
"Hmph, don't worry about that!"
The old man said, "Bring her back in a couple of days. We'll all have a meal and get to know each other. How old are you, still without a wife? Trying to stall?"
Used to the old man's ways, Pei Shaoze replied, "Alright, alright, I know. I'll handle the Su family. Don't worry about it."
With that, he hung up.
Yan Xin looked at him slyly, "The Su family? Which one? Is the old man setting you up again?"
Pei Shaoze shot him a glare and said, "He thinks Su Banxia is the daughter of the West City Su family. Go investigate the West City Su family and find a way to get to know that Miss Su!"
Yan Xin was stunned, "Are you actually going to go along with that Miss Su?"
"Just do as I say!"
Pei Shaoze ordered, feeling feverish and irritable.
Seeing his mood, Yan Xin shrugged and muttered as he left.
Su Banxia returned with the medicine. Seeing Pei Shaoze resting his forehead on his hand while reviewing documents, she poured him water, took out the pills, and said, "Take your medicine first."
Hearing her voice, Pei Shaoze looked up and saw her.
Remembering the old man's call, he asked, "Have you met the old man?"
Su Banxia was confused for a moment, then recalled answering his phone yesterday. She shook her head, "No, but I answered when he called yesterday and you weren't around."
Pei Shaoze nodded, took the medicine from her hand, swallowed it with a sip of water, and looked at her, "The old man's birthday banquet is in a couple of days. You're coming with me."
Su Banxia was startled, "Me?"
"Mm."
Pei Shaoze nodded. Seeing her reluctance, he frowned and said, "The 4S shop called. The car's pretty scratched up. It'll cost a lot to fix."
Su Banxia: "..."
How could she have forgotten about scratching his car yesterday?
Money!
How much money would she lose!
Her heart ached.
Looking at him, she asked cautiously, "Did they say how much it'll be?"
Pei Shaoze dodged the question and said, "Come with me to the old man's birthday banquet, do as I say, and you won't have to pay for the repairs."
Su Banxia was taken aback. Was this a condition?
Such a good deal—she naturally nodded, "Okay!"
Figuring he wouldn't ask much of her, she agreed happily.
Seeing her like that, Pei Shaoze didn't say more and sent her back to work.
...
That evening, Su Banxia was dragged by Pei Shaoze to get all dolled up.
Coming out of the dress shop, she was teetering on seven-centimeter heels, almost in tears.
Looking at Pei Shaoze, she said helplessly, "Can we switch to something a bit lower?"
She really wasn't used to such high heels.
Even though seven centimeters wasn't that high.
Pei Shaoze treated her words as nonsense, rolled his eyes, and got straight into the car.
What else could Su Banxia do?
She obediently followed him into the car.
Inside, she looked at him and whispered, "Am I going to the birthday banquet as your date today?"
She felt a bit uneasy, sensing that he had gone through all this trouble to get her to come to the old man's banquet for a reason.
But she had no idea what he was up to, so she could only ask.
Pei Shaoze knew her little thoughts. Starting the car, he glanced at her and said, "You don't need to do anything. Just stick with me and don't cause trouble."
Su Banxia pouted. What trouble could a small fry like her cause? As long as no one bothered her, she'd be fine.
Soon, the car arrived at the Pei family's old estate.
Su Banxia had never been there before. Sitting in the car, she couldn't help but marvel, "Mr. Pei, did you grow up here?"
Pei Shaoze saw the envy in her eyes, hummed in acknowledgment, and said, "No need to envy. If you want to live here, you can just marry me."
Su Banxia: "..."
When did she say she was envious?
Such a big house—living in it must feel anything but cozy.