Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

The atmosphere at the lunch table was all merry and chirping only because Xian Shun was doing the talking. She was in the dark about the odd dynamics between Guiying and Zheng Jiao.

Guiying took a third sip of water from her glass, still trying to remember the part when Xian Shun said about adding Zheng Jiao to the lunch group too.

She peeked at Zheng Jiao, who was calmly and silently listening to Xian Shun chattering and chirping with her arms folded at her chest. Till this date, she was as mysterious of a figure to Guiying as ever.

After the entire fiasco with Jia Lin ended in her getting fired from her job, Guiying had immediately approached and apologized to Zheng Jiao for her misunderstanding. She had simply smiled and let the matter go.

"A shame that you cannot work in my department," she shrugged.

Guiying wasn't sure how to answer that, so she kept quiet.

Yet the mystery of her previous resigned assistants remained. Guiying assumed that she plotted to kick her out of the CEO's office to pull her into her department, which wasn't the case at all.

Then why did the previous assistants leave their job?

It was a question Guiying was really curious about but sadly, nobody had the answer.

"Are you thinking about me?"

The sudden question dropped by Zheng Jiao made Guiying choke in her throat.

"No."

"But you were definitely lost in your thoughts while looking at me," she arched her brow upwards. "I sense an intense question in your gaze."

"N-Not really."

Xian Shun sheepishly grinned. "Well, Zheng Jiao is pretty. I was asking her beauty secrets myself."

"An IT head sitting in front of her laptop the whole day has no beauty secrets, I am afraid," she smiled.

"Lies," she snorted. "I don't see any dark circles around your eyes. And your skin is always so glowing."

"Different reasons. Anyway, why did you invite me to lunch? I believe we haven't talked much before. Aren't you working more closely with Cai Guiying?"

Wait, so Zheng Jiao is also confused about this? Guiying thought.

Xian Shun said, "Of course I would invite you when I see you all lonely hanging around the coffee machine while the rest of the employees are enjoying themselves in their own groups."

"..."

Zheng Jiao stared at her. "You picked me up as if I am some pitiful puppy?"

Guiying choked for the second time in horror.

Was Zheng Jiao offended? Would there be an altercation with Xian Shun by any chance?

"I invited you because you WERE looking like a pitiful puppy. Rather than eating a cold lunch all alone being cooped up in your office, it's better to enjoy a hot served meal with your friends! Plus, you are beautiful and look smart and I like talking to beautiful and smart people like Guiying," Xian Shun proudly said.

Guiying felt shy with the sudden compliment. "Thanks…"

"I didn't beg to be included, not by my words or gaze," Zheng narrowed her eyes.

Guiying began to sweat.

She is definitely angry.

Xian Shun grimaced and gave a confused look at the same time. "Don't you know that your face is like an open book?"

Really? Guiying had her jaw dropped in her mind. How come I am not able to read her then? Do you have some special powers?

Just then, lunch arrived and Xian Shun clapped her hands with delight. "The food is finally here! Let's dig in and start talking about our love interests~ Let's start with Guiying."

Guiying coughed. "I…"

"And don't you lie! Everybody will tell the truth here," she declared.

Eventually, she helplessly said, "...Well…I do have someone I like."

"O.M.G! Tell us more!" Her eyes sparkled with an endless hunger of curiosity.

Zheng Jiao tilted her head too.

Guiying gave a brief recap of her writing career and told the part where she received letters from one of her fans. Those sweet letters grew closer to her heart and in no time, the person behind those letters too. The thought of Zixin warmed her gaze and a soft, beautiful smile stretched her lips.

Xian Shun gasped. "This feels like a lovely fantasy story but isn't this dangerous? I mean sure he is your fan and all, but you cannot say these days. People hide their real identity all the time! What if it's some creepy old man in his seventies eyeing you?"

Guiying choked for the third time who automatically thought of Zixin as a seventy odd man.

"I do know that this happens a lot but…I don't know how to explain. I think I just felt it intuitively that he wasn't anything like that. It's just his words, his feelings that I have come across in every single letter of his made me trust him. I know you might still think that I am an idiot…Also, I have met him already. He is not an old man in his seventies. Young, in his late twenties. So I definitely wasn't scammed."

"You have met him? Is he handsome?" She suddenly looked somber.

"..."

Her brow twitched. "That's what matters to you more?"

"Duh. Everybody likes aesthetically pleasing people to the eyes~"

She shook her head. "Yes, he is definitely handsome," she cleared her throat with her slightly blushing cheeks.

"A score! That's half the battle won~ What does he do for work?"

Guiying couldn't exactly tell that he was the CEO himself.

"Well…he works in a company. Corporate world."

Which isn't technically wrong, she thought.

Before she could dig deeper about Zixin, Guiying attempted to divert the attention from herself. "My story is over. What about you? Do you have anybody you like? Or…"

She looked a little hesitant at Zheng Jiao and dropped the same question to her as it would be rude to not include her.

"You?"

Xian Shun went first. "I am currently in the process of searching! I did think of Assistant Ling as a candidate but he works too hard! I don't like workaholic people."

"..."

Poor Assistant Ling. I am sorry.

Assistant Ling sneezed somewhere. "Achoo!"

For some reason, he felt irked. "Why do I feel that somebody was pitying me just now? Damn it, who dares!?"

Back at the table, Zheng Jiao simply shrugged when it was her turn. "I don't know. Maybe I am interested in someone? But it seems it will be impossible to catch hold of them."