Contract Marriage: Emperor CEO's Secretary Wife

"Oh please, can you stop calling me like that as if we're close? The last time I checked, I told you that your mere presence disgusts me right? Or is your brain that useless that you don't even remember that?"

Xiu Mei crossed her arms while bluntly expressing her distaste to Zhu Lin. Upon finishing those words, Zhu Lin's movements froze.

She could hear the faint chatter of the staff watching the scene. She paused for a moment to think.

Was she being too rude in public?

She blinked twice before resigning to her fate. Too late to take that back now. She'll just believe in the store's confidentiality protocol and her family's background so that what happens here won't leak outside.

"Mei'er, are you still angry about that? It's been many years ago." Zhu Lin tried to persuade and act pitiful in front of Xiu Mei.

Unfortunately for him, she didn't feel pity, rather, it was anger and disgust that reigned over her emotion. Because every time she sees him, all she could remember was his cowardice that led to the events that traumatized her all her life.

Ten years ago.

"Oh come on, Mei Mei! Just a few more minutes. Zhu Lin said he's on his way now." Ying Yue pulled on Xiu Mei's sleeve stopping her movements.

The 14-year-old Xiu Mei scratched her head and begrudgingly sat down on the grass. She looked up at the blazing sun in the sky and cursed.

It was midday and frickin hot. Sweat trickled down their skin making her feel so sticky and slightly disgusted with herself.

All Xiu Mei wanted to do now is change out of her uniform and submerge in an aromatic spa and bath. God knows how high the temperature is at this moment and Ying Yue's boyfriend was taking so long to arrive.

The two teenage girls are currently hiding underneath the shade of a tree in some small park ten minutes away from the academy. Looking at their attire and the time of the day, anyone would realize that they are students who skipped classes.

After sitting there for another ten minutes, Xiu Mei scowled at Ying Yue. She was very tempted to just ditch her here right at this very moment if that late boyfriend of hers does not show up anytime soon.

She was just here to accompany Ying Yue since she wanted to meet this boyfriend of hers that she repeatedly told her about.

"Does he have no sense of time or direction ah?! I'm dying from heatstroke and he's still not here?" Xiu Mei complained while desperately fanning herself with her hand.

Damn it! If she knew that she'll be waiting this long, she should've brought her wallet with her so she could buy some cold drink somewhere around here.

"Oh! He's right there! Zhu Lin!!" Ying Yue exclaimed, pointing at the entrance of the park. Xiu Mei lazily followed where she was pointing at and saw a man in their school's male uniform but instead of looking neat, he looked very unkempt and it looked like he did not even bother in combing his hair at all. What stood out the most was his good-looking face that could surely attract many girls everywhere he goes.

At first glance, Xiu Mei knew that Zhu Lin was the playboy type of guy.

She glanced at the Ying Yue who stood up and was waving at Zhu Lin yelling at him to hurry up. On her face, she looked very happy and infatuated with the guy.

Xiu Mei:...why does she always fall for good looking men ah?

Don't Ying Yue look at their overall look and attitude first before dating them?

Xiu Mei felt like pulling her hair in frustration because of Ying Yue's weird taste in men.

This wasn't the first time that Xiu Mei discovered her best friend's taste in men. If we count from primary school, Zhu Lin could be counted as Ying Yue's fifth boyfriend already.

And recalling all her ex-boyfriends, all of them fall in the good looking category. The catch though, their personalities are either playboys, too quiet, rebel, and c.o.c.ky.

With Zhu Lin's arrival, the three of them started walking away from the park. Xiu Mei wanted to give them some alone time at first but Ying Yue convinced her to come with them instead since she already skipped classes and all.

Xiu Mei could already imagine the scoldings that she would get from the queen at home once she hears about her skipping classes. She sighed before giving in to Ying Yue's request.

Since Xiu Mei forgot to bring her wallet, Ying Yue was the one who paid for most of the expenses that day. Xiu Mei was fine with Ying Yue to pay for her since every time the two of them hang out together, it's either her or Ying Yue who pays for their expenses anyway.

But seeing her boyfriend that does not volunteer in paying at anything at all, Xiu Mei's dislike to the guy hit rock bottom. He was very whiny and picky every time they go to different stores and he would always tell Ying Yue to pay for him instead with the excuse that he will pay her in the future.

Xiu Mei really did her best in holding herself back in hitting him at that time and dumping his body in a river. How the hell did Ying Yue meet this guy?!

They are currently in some kind of open bazaar that's quite popular these days. Xiu Mei saw a lot of people coming in so her interest was also piqued on what kinds of things are being sold at this kind of place.

She was too engrossed in looking at the items that she failed to notice that she got separated from Ying Yue and Zhu Lin. She slightly panicked after seeing no trace of them at all. Hastening her steps, she looked all over the place for them.

Xiu Mei cursed when she slipped her hand in her empty skirt and uniform pockets. Damn it, she forgot that she left her phone in her bag since most of her devices have a tracker.

She bit her lip in frustration while resuming in looking for them again.

Poor her, she didn't even have a single cent in her pocket. She might have to resort to borrowing a phone from someone just so she could call Ying Yue.

After looking for them for almost fifteen minutes, she finally saw them after exiting the bazaar.

"Ying Yue!" She exclaimed, trying to catch her attention. Ying Yue seemed to have heard it and turned to her direction. She was standing beside Zhu Lin at the entrance. Xiu Mei thought that since the two of them don't have any way of communication, Ying Yue realized that it's better to wait at the entrance since the exit and entrance to the bazaar is just this one.

She ran and stopped in front of Ying Yue. She was just about to apologize for accidentally getting separated from her when she felt something pointed at her waist.

"Don't move." A voice whispered behind her.

The three students were stunned by the sudden situation. Xiu Mei stiffened after realizing that the thing being pointed at her waist was a gun.

"Follow us and nobody makes a sound." The man instructed. Two other men appeared in front of them and threatened Ying Yue and Zhu Lin with guns.

They slowly forced them to walk side by side, probably trying to bring them somewhere with fewer people. Xiu Mei nervously gave a look at Ying Yue, who looked very scared at that time. She gave him 'that' look, signaling her about the self-defense classes they took with her brothers.

Ying Yue immediately understood it and discreetly nodded. Xiu Mei waited for a chance to surprise them with an attack so the three of them could escape.

A minute later, Xiu Mei moved swiftly twisting her body to the side and blocking the gun with her arm to push it away. She didn't waste any second captured the arm that was holding the gun and forced it to a direction with no people so just in case if the person pulls the trigger, no one would get hit.

She immediately targeted their eyes and struck them with her finger to temporarily blind them. After doing so, she quickly disarmed the man and inched away from him. She moved very quickly in doing this routine since she knew that she can only surprise them with speed but not force since she's not that physically strong yet.

Xiu Mei spun her head to look at Ying Yue's direction. She smiled seeing that Ying Yue also successfully disarmed the man. Zhu Lin was panting but he was able to free himself as well.

The three of them started to flee from the scene but stopped on their tracks when another group of men stood in front of them. All were looking at the three of them like they were some kind of prey that they are trying to capture.

Xiu Mei noticed the guns and knives that they were holding. She cursed.

Shit, there's too many of them. She wasn't sure if the three of them who don't have proper training can defeat all these armed men in front of them.

Before she could even think of something, Zhu Lin did the most unexpected thing that shocked Xiu Mei.

Zhu Lin was in so much panic and was very scared that he suddenly pushed Ying Yue to the front, towards the direction of the armed men.

"YING YUE!" Xiu Mei's eyes widened as her heart almost stopped in shock. She faintly saw Zhu Lin escaping the scene after sacrificing Ying Yue before Xiu Mei's body reflexively ran towards Ying Yue's direction trying to stop her body from falling forwards.