Chapter 39: Snake Hiding Under the Flower
She nodded and brought out two different sizes just so he could measure which one to pick and shuffled towards the bathroom. She knocked loudly and called out.
"What?" he shouted, irritated.
"Take these!" After a few seconds, Mo Qingchen opened the door a crack and peered out.
"Don't use the towel in there. It's mine. Use the fresh one." She handed the towel over helpfully and moved away.
She smirked when she heard him grunt. He must have found the boxers hidden within the folds of the towel.
Inside the bathroom, Mo Qingchen was cursing himself.
He didn't know whether to praise her for being thoughtful or strangle her for underestimating his size.
He had to thank her for bringing different sizes though. He sucked it up and wore one. The print wasn't stellar, but no one was seeing it. It didn't matter. He left the other boxer on the clothing rack and changed into his clothes. Looking at himself in the mirror, he couldn't decide if he looked good or not.
"You don't have to return them," she spoke as soon as he came out.
"I wasn't going to," he grumbled. He cuffed his sleeves and checked himself out in the mirror before turning to her. "Sharing underwear is reserved for married couples."
Qian Meng recoiled.
"Why are couples sharing underwear." Her face twisted into disgust. Men's underwear was comfortable, so she could understand but the other way around? That sounded like a kink. Little old conventional her would never find out.
"We'll be taking my car to the office," Mo Qingchen declared.
"And who gave you that idea?"
"You left your car at the office and I brought mine to drop you off." Mo Qingchen smiled without a shred of emotion passing his eye. He thought for a bit before speaking again. "Oh, if you want to take a cab, I'll have to dissuade you. Shanghai is highly polluted, using a cab will worsen the situation."
"For the benefit of the planet, I'll have to humbly ride in your car."
He didn't have to show off; she had an electric car, too. She kept her mouth shut and followed him out. As they passed the lounge, two lines of employees formed on either side of their path. Qian Meng looked around, confused.
"Don't tell me, you didn't know my family owned this hotel," Mo Qingchen teased.
Qian Meng scoffed. "Of course, I knew. I just didn't think you would be a slave driver, making these employees bow down to you every time you come."
It was part of her plan to outrage her father by staying at Mo family's hotel and paying them money instead of putting it into her father's pocket. A little act of rebellion if you will. She had known, and therefore made the conscious choice of staying there.
"It's hard being a low key young master. They recognize you because of your aura and don't let you roam about freely." Talk about boasting. Qian Meng rolled her eyes.
"Pretending to be humble when you take advantage of your family name. Scoundrel."
"That's the second time you called me that in the span of twelve hours. Are you pushing me to act like one?" He shoved his hand in his pocket and walked away faster, hoping the entourage would disperse.
From the corner of his eye, he saw someone break through the formation and rush towards them. He placed himself between Yun Qian Meng and the man.
Qian Meng stopped suddenly when she saw his reaction and tried to see what he was doing. From behind his towering figure, she couldn't see a single thing. She shrugged nonchalantly and started to walk away when a man called for her.
"Miss Yun!" he shouted. The other patrons turned to look, the image of a disrupted walk of the royals playing out in front of them. Qian Meng turned to the source of the voice and raised her brow quizically. "Miss Yun, may I have an audience?" the man asked.
Qian Meng looked at Mo Qingchen with an expression that asked him what he thought of the situation. He just stared without an opinion, making sure his stance was intimidating.
"What is this about?" she asked politely. Unlike other great business people, Yun Qian Meng knew the meaning of respecting everyone she encountered. One never knew who they would offend if they had a prickly personality.
"I want ten minutes of your time to talk about my company." Qian Meng sighed.
"Do you want an investment? Is it an angel investment or are you looking for seeders?" she asked. The man brightened. He was probably in his mid-thirties and looked well-maintained for his age.
"Seed investment, actually. My company is located in Singapore and I want to expand to Mainland China as the market here is rich." The man had a small smile on his face.
"Are you sure I'm the right person for this? I have a person who is richer and better at business than me standing beside me. Ask him." She threw her hands up and waved before heading out. Mo Qingchen looked at her retreating back. Without a glance towards the other man, he walked away.
The man followed closely behind, running to catch up. The employees dispersed but waited at a distance whispering amongst themselves about Mr. Mo and Miss Yun going out at the same time.
"Miss Yun, please. I need just ten minutes of your time."
"Call my company and get an appointment, my friend. It's that simple." She smiled warmly at the man as they waited. The valet had just arrived with Mo Qingchen's car.
"I'm afraid that I won't be taken into consideration as I am not a native." The man gave a small guilty smile that made Yun Qian Meng stand on guard. This man had an ego bigger than his body could hold but his demeanor showed that he was a snake hiding under the flower.
How interesting.
"I'll give you an hour of my time. Get in." She quirked her head towards the car. Mo Qingchen sighed and glared at her.