C23 An Employee Who Knows the Situation

"Nothing."

Ling Kemiao couldn't bear the thought of losing face and quickly denied it, though she appeared quite unnatural.

Changshun stepped forward.

"I heard you say something. Your voice was just too quiet. Say it again."

"You..."

"Do you need some help with cleaning up this mess? Like..."

Suddenly, Changshun moved closer to Ling Kemiao, their noses nearly touching.

His warm breath caused an unusual reaction in Ling Kemiao's body once more.

She hastily pushed Changshun away.

"If you're not going to talk..."

"Thank you! You're truly despicable."

Changshun couldn't help but laugh, satisfied with her response.

"Yes, it seems we're cut from the same cloth."

Ling Kemiao found herself at a loss for words after Changshun's comment.

She had to admit, her previous attitude toward Changshun was somewhat...

If it hadn't been for him, she would have been humiliated by Lee Xian. Not only that, but Lee Xian might have used what he captured to blackmail her into doing even more.

Furthermore, if Changshun had any ill intentions, he could have taken advantage of her earlier, without bothering to save her.

Upon reflection, Ling Kemiao realized she had misjudged him for the first time.

Changshun was, in fact, a true gentleman.

Or was he?

He now regretted not having taken his chance with her.

After enduring her insults so many times, sleeping with her once would have been fair retaliation.

But as soon as this thought crossed his mind, his stomach began to act up again. He had to rush to the restroom to address his urgent needs, putting any romantic escapades on hold for the moment.

The laxative had Changshun running to the bathroom multiple times that night. Fortunately, Zhu and Hei, concerned about potential retribution and Ling Kemiao's possible inquiries, bought him anti-diarrheal medication from the pharmacy, which finally calmed the storm.

By the time Ling Kemiao felt better, it was already the next morning.

She immediately summoned Changshun to her office.

"Ms. Ling."

"About yesterday, you better not..."

"Don't worry, nothing happened yesterday. I'm aware."

"And..."

Before she could finish, Changshun handed over Lee Xian's phone to Ling Kemiao.

"All the evidence of his wrongdoing is in here. I haven't deleted anything. You can handle it as you see fit."

Ling Kemiao was at a loss for words, her mouth slightly agape, as the other party had preempted the conversation.

"You..."

"Ms. Ling, if there's nothing else, may I leave? Or if you think I should stay, then I can..."

Changshun had braced himself for this encounter.

Typically, an employee who witnessed their boss's less than stellar moments was on a one-way path to termination.

"Hold on! You be quiet. I'm the boss here. Until I've spoken, who gave you permission to ramble on like that?"

Changshun obediently fell silent.

His compliance left Ling Kemiao momentarily unsure of what to say next.

Her gaze fell upon her phone, the embarrassing images flashing in her mind, causing her to blush and issue another warning.

"You must forget everything you saw. No fantasies, understood?"

Changshun remained silent. He couldn't comply, so he chose not to lie.

Ling Kemiao didn't receive a response but didn't press further. Her tone softened.

"Continue to work hard, and I'll make sure you're fairly compensated. You may go now."

"Is that all?"

Changshun, who had mentally prepared himself to be fired, was bewildered.

"What, you'd prefer to be fired?"

"No! Of course not."

He turned to leave, but then...

"Wait a moment."

Did she have second thoughts?

Changshun turned back, his expression sullen.

"You protected me, so please take this."

Ling Kemiao placed a bank card on the table.

"What is this?"

"There's thirty thousand yuan on this card. It's not a gift; it's an advance on your salary for the next three months, with a little extra as a bonus."

Changshun did some quick calculations and was surprised by the amount.

"Ms. Ling, what is my monthly salary now?"

"Five thousand."

Five thousand?

Changshun felt as if he'd been struck by a winning lottery ticket.

He used to toil away at construction sites for just over three thousand a month, and now he was easily making five thousand. It was as if fortune had fallen into his lap.

"What, is it too low for you?"

"No, I'm extremely grateful. I'll be on my way."

He couldn't believe his luck. A five-thousand-yuan monthly salary meant Xiuxiu's tuition fees were covered, and he might even start saving some money...

As Changshun stepped out, a warning voice echoed in his mind. "So you've come into money, what now? Just remember, our lives are intertwined. If I vanish, you won't last long either." The thrill of his hefty paycheck was abruptly doused by Belle's icy words.

"What... what did you mean by that?" he asked.

"Exactly what I said."

"You disappear, and I die too?"

"Exactly! I'm not someone who lets others take advantage of me. So you'd better hustle and make money to gather those medicinal herbs for me. Time is not on our side."

Once Changshun had his thoughts in order, he confronted Belle. "What are you, exactly? Why is my life tied to yours? Could you really be some kind of spirit? That would explain..."

Before he could finish, he felt as if his cheeks had been slapped twice.

"I should just knock some sense into you! I am no spirit."

"But you're trying to harm me!"

"Don't be ridiculous. If I wanted to harm you, why would I tell you all this?"

Changshun realized she had a point. If she had wanted to harm him, she could have simply ignored the trouble in his village.

Still...

Sharing his life with something intangible, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was the one being wronged.

"What's on your mind now? Hoping to touch me? You're a pervert, a creep."

Changshun was speechless, feeling as if he'd been slapped again.

"Listen, making money isn't hard if you're willing to cooperate. And I am..."

Worried about appearing odd to others, Changshun quickly retreated to a secluded stairwell, sitting down to better converse with this enigmatic woman.

"Listen. Enough with the talk of selling. I sell my talents, not my body."

"Pfft! It's clear you're a virgin. Even if you were to sell yourself, I doubt anyone would want you—you lack experience."

"You! Don't kick me when I'm down!"

"I will! What are you going to do about it?"

Fuming, Changshun fell silent.

After a pause, Belle continued, "I've done some digging on the company you're working for. They make cosmetics, right? Well, I have a beauty formula that, while it may not give you the same results, is quite effective at hydrating the skin and slowing down aging."

"What's your angle this time?"

"I'm obviously looking to have you make a fortune quickly, so you can help me regain my freedom. Don't you miss me?"

It was an ordinary conversation that took on a different tone when the other person's voice suddenly softened and became seductive.