Chapter Thirty-Three: Licensed to Drive

"Personal assistant? What on earth is that?" Xue Tian'ai asked, having never heard of such a position before.

"It means you’ll only be responsible for me alone. You don’t need to bother with the rest of the company’s affairs. From now on, your office will be inside mine. Tomorrow, just head to the HR department and get the paperwork done."

"So basically, it's like being a secretary, right? Or is it that you want a secretary for work, and for everything else... heh heh..." Xue Tian'ai was rather pleased with this arrangement.

"Don’t even think about those sordid ideas of yours. A secretary is a secretary; an assistant is an assistant. The secretary handles miscellaneous chores, but the assistant is my direct support—someone who can stand in for me when I'm not around," Qin Mengxue explained.

All she wanted was to offer Xue Tian'ai a decent job without letting him disrupt the normal operation of the company. This seemingly powerful position was, in fact, perfect—because his authority would only matter in her absence, and she was almost never absent.

"So in the end, I’m just a kept man. Honestly, I do want to be a dignified man, but whatever you decide is the final word, my dear! I swear to obey!" Xue Tian'ai declared with mock seriousness.

Qin Mengxue looked at him, unsure what to say. She could only hope he’d behave himself in this role and cause her less trouble.

"By the way, dear, I still think an assistant’s job is much like a secretary’s. Why not let me be the most handsome male secretary in the company?" Xue Tian'ai grinned at her.

"I already have a secretary."

"Male or female?" The question slipped out instantly.

"Female, why?"

"Oh, that’s a relief." He let out a breath. "I was really worried I’d find a pasture growing on my head. As long as it’s a woman, I can rest easy."

At his words, Qin Mengxue’s elegant phoenix eyes twitched uncontrollably. She struggled to suppress the urge to throw her laptop at him again, wanting to crack his head open and see what nonsense filled his brain.

"Shall I hire a male secretary instead?" she hissed through clenched teeth, her face darkening.

"Let’s not. It’s not easy for her, and it would be wrong to replace her for no reason."

"A female secretary could be my assistant too."

"Then what would I do?"

"You could be my bodyguard!" Qin Mengxue’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she smiled slyly.

"Oh come on, darling, why are you so set on making me a security guard? I'll stick to being your male assistant, a kept man if I must, and I promise to excel at every task!" Xue Tian'ai saluted her with exaggerated formality.

"With such a perfect salute, it’s a shame you’re not a security guard," Qin Mengxue teased, tapping his forehead with her finger and smiling gently.

"Alright, I admit I was wrong. Can you let me off the hook now?"

"Let’s see if you dare talk back again!" Though she bantered fiercely with Xue Tian'ai, these exchanges actually relaxed her.

Qin Mengxue herself hadn’t noticed how different she became around Xue Tian'ai compared to her demeanor at the company.

"One thing, though," Xue Tian'ai said, exhaling and growing serious. His eyes deepened as he looked at her. "Do you want our employees to know about us?"

Qin Mengxue was caught off guard. She hadn't even considered this question, but now that he mentioned it, she found herself caring.

"I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it. What’s your opinion?" She answered honestly, tossing the question back to him.

Xue Tian'ai’s brows furrowed. "Personally, I think we shouldn’t make it public. If the men of Beiyang City find out I’ve married their goddess, they’d drown me in their spit!"

Qin Mengxue felt a pang of disappointment. She wanted her man to be ambitious, to stand tall—yet Xue Tian'ai seemed content to play the kept man, timid and evasive. But then again, she suspected he was merely putting on an act. She couldn't believe the eldest grandson of the Xue family was truly so incapable. Her feelings were a whirlwind of confusion.

Though Xue Tian'ai spoke so, in his heart he thought otherwise. He didn’t fear rivals; he simply wanted to hide in the shadows to see who was plotting against Qin Mengxue.

He hadn’t forgotten the bounty that had once targeted her. If his identity as her husband was revealed, the real enemy might be scared off, making it harder to find the mastermind. So he chose to lurk in the dark, waiting for the perfect moment to strike—a blow his enemies would never forget. They would learn that no one could harm his woman so easily.

"Let’s leave it at that. Tomorrow you’ll start at Menghua Group," Qin Mengxue sighed softly, picking up her laptop and heading upstairs.

Watching her graceful silhouette retreat, Xue Tian'ai gave a wry smile. Barely reunited, and already they had a marriage certificate—three years on paper, old married couple in name.

Despite his outward cheer, he felt a twinge of sympathy for Qin Mengxue. Beneath that flawless face, there must be so much grievance and sorrow.

As a man, he was used to the family’s arrangements, but for Qin Mengxue—just twenty-three and already bound to a predetermined future partner with no chance to resist—her delicate frame must hide many unspoken troubles and emotions.

With her beauty and poise, she could have chosen any man she wished, yet a single marriage contract tied her irrevocably to him—a stranger. There was no foundation of affection, and yet they were now husband and wife. Surely, she must resent it deep inside.

Not only did he feel for her, but he also questioned himself: what did he truly make of this marriage? In his twenty-five years, he had never loved anyone, and the very idea of love was unfamiliar.

Could he fulfill his new role as a husband? Still, he silently swore to himself to do everything in his power to protect and care for her—because she was his wife.

Downstairs, Xue Tian'ai sat on the sofa, lost in thought, his mind full of concern for Qin Mengxue. Meanwhile, upstairs, she was not so troubled.

Though she brought her laptop up, she also took the ring and lingerie he’d given her. Instead of reading her files, she began to slip the Ocean Tear ring onto her finger.

Her skin was like white jade, her slender ring finger adorned by the pale blue gem, which shimmered with an exquisite light as if it had been custom-made for her.

She stretched out her hand under the lamp, admiring how perfectly the Ocean Tear melded with her finger. Her cheeks flushed, and a strange unease took root inside her.

Though Xue Tian'ai was lazy, frivolous, and prodigal—and their marriage forced upon her by his family—their conversation had not been as repellent as she’d imagined.

In fact, she found herself feeling something for him—a nameless, inexplicable sensation that both unsettled and excited her.

Glancing at the lingerie bag beside her bed, a daring thought crossed her mind: she would try them on.

“Hmph, why not? After all, he used my own money to buy them. It’s only right that I try them,” she reasoned, opening the bag and spilling out its contents.

Black lace, white lace—seductive lingerie in black and white, delicate camisoles... Seeing so many revealing pieces, she nearly backed out.

These were simply too daring.

But in the end, she bit her lip, picked up a black-and-white camisole, and decided to try it.

She undressed, removing her undergarments, then slipped the little camisole over her body and walked to the mirror.

Just as she was about to examine the effect, the door suddenly opened with an untimely creak. Xue Tian'ai entered, wrapped in a bath towel.

At the sound, Qin Mengxue instinctively turned. He was just as stunned to see her in the mirror, wearing the lingerie he had bought.

For a moment, both were dumbstruck. She hadn't expected him to barge in without knocking, and he never imagined his daytime fantasy would come true—Qin Mengxue was trying on the very lingerie he’d picked out.

Xue Tian'ai’s eyes were fixed in amazement. The camisole’s low neckline was edged in white lace, framing her curvaceous figure perfectly.

Her snow-white skin and the deep, artfully revealed valley of her chest were tantalizingly visible, with half her soft bosom exposed—utterly tempting.

Her long black hair cascaded down her smooth, jade-like back. Her shoulders, slim and luminous as the moon, were gently rounded, while her arms were as white and delicate as lotus roots. The sight overwhelmed him.

"Ah!" Qin Mengxue finally reacted, swiftly crossing her arms over her chest and shrieking, "What kind of pervert barges in like this?!"

"Aren’t married couples supposed to share a room? I’m just coming to sleep—I'm tired!" Xue Tian'ai’s eyes never left her. With such a view, how could he look away? He even wished he had a camera to capture the moment.

"No way! I haven’t accepted you yet! We can’t share a room. Get out and find somewhere else to sleep!" She dove under the covers, wrapping herself tightly and exposing only her head.

"You haven’t accepted me, but you’re wearing the ring I bought, the lingerie I chose—my dear, you’re so contrary," Xue Tian'ai teased, stepping closer. Clearly, she didn’t dislike him as much as he thought.

"What’s wrong with wearing a ring bought with my dowry, or lingerie bought with my money? That has nothing to do with you!" she retorted, cheeks burning. "I’m warning you—don’t come any closer! Or else—!"

"Or else what?"

"Or else I’ll call the police and say you’re harassing me!"

Xue Tian'ai found this so adorable he could hardly stand it. What kind of wife threatens to report her husband for harassment?

"The police wouldn’t care about that! Besides, we have a marriage certificate," he replied with a mischievous grin. "So even if I sleep with you now, the law won’t punish me—I have a legal license to drive!"