Volume One, Chapter 20: Evenly Matched

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Mo Lingcheng felt her movement and gently pinched the hollow of her waist. "Don’t move around. Do you want the camera to get a clear view of your face?"

The sudden stimulation at her waist made Shen Qingqing’s already shy cheeks flush even deeper.

Quickly, Shen Qingqing buried her face into the crook of Mo Lingcheng’s shoulder.

Hiding her face like this only made her feel more bashful.

Through the collar of his down jacket, in the faint light, she caught sight of Mo Lingcheng’s chest muscles rising and falling with each breath.

Biting her lip and driven by a dwindling sense of propriety, she closed her eyes.

With her sight gone, her other senses sharpened.

Mo Lingcheng’s arm was resting behind her thigh; her damp upper body was pressed tightly against his right shoulder.

Her breath grew rapid, and her mind held only one thought: to end this torturous posture as soon as possible.

Minutes later, Mo Lingcheng led Shen Qingqing to a penthouse suite atop the hotel.

Once inside, Shen Qingqing tried several times to adjust her position but failed each time.

Only when she was tossed into the bathtub did she finally escape Mo Lingcheng’s grasp.

Regaining her balance, she knelt at the back of the tub, immediately lifting her gaze toward Mo Lingcheng’s left collarbone.

Unfortunately, Mo Lingcheng had already tucked in his collar and crossed his arms, looking down at her with an air of superiority.

"Not satisfied yet?" His eyes brimmed with sarcasm.

Biting her lip, Shen Qingqing slowly averted her gaze.

She realized she had no words to object.

Mo Lingcheng bent down, turned on the bathtub faucet, tossed out a command, then turned to leave.

"Clean yourself up and come out."

Watching his tall figure retreat, the questions in her heart grew heavier.

Their faces were similar, and their heights nearly the same.

Was this too much of a coincidence?

The more Shen Qingqing thought about it, the more afraid she became. If Assistant Zhou really was the man in camouflage from the valley, what should she do?

Confront him?

She shook her head, unwilling to imagine it.

Then an even more frightening thought occurred: if that spring dream that night wasn’t a dream, could the man in it have been Assistant Zhou?

A chill ran down her spine.

She didn’t dare think further.

Shen Qingqing turned up the faucet louder, letting the sound of rushing water drown out her heartbeat.

She told herself firmly: that night, it was definitely just a dream.

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She would never take the initiative to strip a man’s clothes, let alone deliberately kiss the man’s Adam’s apple...

Assistant Zhou couldn’t have been that man.

If he had a tattoo on his collarbone, she would have noticed it earlier when he warmed up by the pool.

Shen Qingqing kept convincing herself: Assistant Zhou had no tattoo; he couldn’t have one.

She had to quickly find out more about Mo Lingcheng, get close to him as soon as possible, and absolutely avoid unnecessary interaction with Assistant Zhou.

With her mind made up, Shen Qingqing hurriedly took a shower.

"Qingqing, I brought your clean clothes," Xiao Meimei called from outside the bathroom.

After changing, Shen Qingqing stepped out of the suite to find Mo Lingcheng already showered, sitting on the sofa reading a book.

As usual, he wore a finely textured black shirt with subtle patterns, and well-tailored dark trousers.

His collar remained buttoned up neatly.

Clenching her fists, Shen Qingqing approached Mo Lingcheng and whispered a thank you, "Assistant Zhou, thank you for your help today."

Mo Lingcheng didn’t look up, as if he hadn’t heard.

Shen Qingqing pressed her lips together, unsure whether to wait or repeat herself.

After a long moment, Mo Lingcheng finally spoke slowly, uttering four words: "Work seriously."

He still didn’t raise his eyes.

Relieved to receive a response, Shen Qingqing said, "Thank you for the encouragement, Assistant Zhou. I will do my best."

After a pause, she tentatively asked, "Should I head back now?"

Mo Lingcheng gave a slight nod as acknowledgment.

Without hesitation, Shen Qingqing grabbed Xiao Meimei’s arm and quickly left the penthouse suite.

Back in her own room, Shen Qingqing pondered deeply, deciding to gather information on Mo Lingcheng as soon as possible.

Just thinking about Assistant Zhou made her heart race.

She had to push forward with her original plan quickly.

The next day, Shen Qingqing’s submitted work received high praise from the technical department.

"I hereby announce that the first round of probationary employees advancing are Shen Qingqing, Lu Chen, and Xu Minyu..." The HR manager adjusted his glasses and declared the results.

"Xu Minyu? Why her?" A young man angrily stood up.

Originally, it was six candidates competing for three spots; Wang Ying had been eliminated early.

Xu Minyu had been hospitalized for wrist injuries and mental health issues.

He had seen Xiao Meimei’s artwork and found it mediocre.

He thought it should have at least been his turn.

Why Xu Minyu?

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The HR manager didn’t answer immediately but displayed a hand-drawn image on the screen.

He turned to everyone and said, "This is the piece Xu Minyu submitted."

Shen Qingqing looked up. It was a painting of celestial maidens scattering flowers.

In the picture, the flying goddesses danced lightly and brightly.

The entire painting featured smooth line work, vibrant colors, and elegant forms.

“Xu Minyu’s skill is this high?” Xiao Meimei exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the piece.

Shen Qingqing remained silent but knew in her heart.

This level could not possibly belong to Xu Minyu.

The previously defiant young man slumped back into his chair disappointedly. "I can’t argue when outmatched."

The HR manager looked at him gently. "Although you and Xiao Meimei did not pass the assessment, we have noticed your efforts. The company intends to arrange positions for you in the customer service department. If you agree, you can sign a labor contract."

Thus ended the first round of evaluation.

After the meeting, Lu Chen came over to Shen Qingqing.

"Congratulations," he said.

Shen Qingqing stood and smiled in return. "Likewise."

Xiao Meimei’s gaze flicked between the two. "When did you two become so close?"

Shen Qingqing and Lu Chen exchanged a knowing smile, saying nothing.

The voice recording on Shen Qingqing’s recorder wasn’t coincidentally captured by museum staff but was given to her proactively by Lu Chen.

Lu Chen was highly skilled professionally. Shen Qingqing had noticed him before.

She just hadn’t expected him to help her when everyone else shunned her.

"In the second round, we’ll be opponents. Good luck!" Lu Chen extended his right hand.

Shen Qingqing grasped it back, feeling a sense of camaraderie. "Good luck!"

After Lu Chen left, Xiao Meimei looked envious.

"So you’ve found a worthy new friend?"

Shen Qingqing grabbed her hand and smiled reassuringly, "Worthy rivals can’t compare to the bond of sharing a room and meals."

Xiao Meimei raised her eyebrows with a smile. "You’re such a smooth talker. We agreed that once we join the Mo Corporation, we’ll still share a dorm room."

"Deal," Shen Qingqing said, palm open, and they high-fived.

Xiao Meimei chose to join the customer service department.

Just as Lu Chen exited the meeting room, his phone rang.

Frowning, he walked to a quieter spot.

The voice on the other end said, "Well done. Now, deliver the fatal blow to Shen Qingqing. Don’t forget, your mother’s surgery fees are still waiting for you to pay."