Manipulative Harem God

Lisa hesitated, her eyes flickering with a mixture of emotions. "No, it's not that," she managed to say, attempting to compose herself.

Zhang Wei, not entirely convinced, studied her for a moment. "Then what's going on? You've been acting strange."

A heavy sigh escaped Lisa, her shoulders slumping. "It's not work. It's just... personal stuff," she confessed, her voice cracking.

??

The dam containing her tears finally broke, and she shook her head, forcing a smile as she started the car.

"Stop the car," Zhang Wei spoke sternly, unable to tolerate the unfolding drama any longer.

Lisa, her composure slipping further, nodded in acknowledgment, pulling the car over to the side of the road.

"Lisa, talk to us. What's bothering you?" Zhang Wei pressed, his tone softer now, concern evident in his eyes.

Amidst the tension, Xiong Mei couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Lisa. She spoke, "Lisa, we're here for you. Whatever it is, you don't have to face it alone."

Lisa had been holding back tears since the early morning when she boarded the plane to Dongjiang. She never anticipated that her first job would unfold like this—a real-life scenario far more challenging than she had imagined.

The harshness of reality overwhelmed her, and she longed to retreat to the safety of university life.

Zhang Wei, perplexed, questioned, "??"

Why was she crying?

Subtle annoyance flickered in his eyes, a confusion building as he tried to grasp the situation.

"Lisa!" He shook her slightly, hoping to break through the emotional barrier. Her flinch and immediate shutdown, however, revealed the impact of his stern gaze, leaving her subdued.

"Zhang Wei..." Xiong Mei gently reminded, sensing that it wouldn't bode well if he let his anger take over.

Zhang Wei, aware of his limited patience in such situations, took a deep breath, attempting to suppress the building frustration. He looked at Lisa with a softer expression, urging her to open up.

The confined space of the car seemed to tighten as Lisa, on the brink of emotional collapse, finally opened up to Zhang Wei. "Zhang Wei," she stammered, the helplessness in her voice echoing, "I...I can't fulfill the task you assigned to me."

Zhang Wei's expression shifted from curiosity to concern. "What happened?"

Lisa, battling her emotions, took a deep breath, mustering the courage to recount a painful encounter with Xu Qing. "I tried talking to Xu Qing, but it didn't go well. She insulted me, calling me a secretary only good for...for... sleeping with her boss... "

A flicker of anger flashed in Zhang Wei's eyes, "She said what?"

Lisa continued, her voice steady but burdened with the weight of humiliation. "After that, I just wanted to go back to my country and leave this job."

Zhang Wei's gaze darkened. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Lisa, her eyes reflecting a mix of regret and helplessness, confessed, "I wanted to, but then I saw the severance pay in the contract. It's about 20 times my salary. I can't afford to pay that, so I came here to ask if-if I can leave without paying any severance."

"..." Zhang Wei's face darkened, casting a shadow over the car, while Lisa wore a slightly scared expression, anticipating a scolding from him.

"... You want to leave?" he asked, his tone carrying a stern edge.

"I...I," Lisa stammered, finding it difficult to articulate her thoughts under his intense gaze.

Zhang Wei continued, "Lisa, what do you think the role of a secretary is, other than getting laid?"

Lisa fell silent, her eyes downcast.

"Have you ever done any work before this? Any tasks related to being a secretary or anything?" Zhang Wei pressed.

Lisa hesitated briefly before shaking her head. It was her first time in such a role, and the experience had been far from pleasant.

No, it was terrible!

Zhang Wei sighed, his tone softening slightly. "You can't just let someone scold you, especially within the same company, especially when you're the chairman's secretary. Your primary job is to get the work done for him."

"..."

Lisa's face fell, the weight of Zhang Wei's disappointment evident in his expression.

Xiong Mei's eyes blinked, a slight sense of nostalgia washing over her. Wasn't this the very reason she had accepted Zhang Wei's offer?

What good came from being an independent woman?

Better to be dependent, free from the tensions of jobs and responsibilities.

She inspected Lisa from head to toe, finding her attractive even by her standards, wondering why Lisa didn't just choose Zhang Wei and leave this job altogether.

Little did she realize that not everyone approached life with the same strategic mindset as her.

Zhang Wei suddenly smiled wryly, breaking the heavy silence. "Have you ever been to the mountains?" he asked, introducing an unexpected shift in the conversation.

"Huh?"

Lisa's eyes widened, taken aback by Zhang Wei's unexpected proposal. A moment of thoughtful reflection passed before she softly shook her head. "We don't have too many mountains in Nithelia..."

Zhang Wei's eyes gleamed mischievously as he nodded. "Then let's get you to some mountains," he suggested, a spark of adventure in his voice.

Lisa hesitated, a faint "but" escaping her lips.

Zhang Wei grinned, cutting through her reservations with a playful assertiveness. "What 'but'? You still want to leave after the twenty times severance pay? You are the secretary to the chairman; shouldn't you follow what he says?"

A mix of realization and gratitude flickered in Lisa's eyes. "I-I would take us to the hotel," she replied, determination now infused in her voice.

Zhang Wei nodded in agreement. "We'll be in Dongjiang for a day. You're fine with that, right?" he asked, turning to Xiong Mei.

Xiong Mei playfully extended her hands in surrender, shaking them in acknowledgment. "You're the boss!" she declared, the defeat apparent in her gesture.

Zhang Wei chuckled before leaning in to tease Xiong Mei. "Do you want to embarrass yourself in front of Lisa?" he whispered, signaling to his pants.

Xiong Mei's face instantly flushed red, and she vigorously shook her head, silently pleading for mercy.

She was done playing games; just spare her from any further embarrassment.