novelonline Chapter 1553 A Pretense Becomes Real
Chapter 1553 A Pretense Becomes Real
Meanwhile, in the company elevator, Qiao Hailun stood anxiously beside Qin Hao, her hands gripping the hem of her clothes tightly, her fingertips turning white. The elevator was small, and the faint scent of cedar emanating from Qin Hao, mixed with his unique aura, made Qiao Hailun's heart race, and even her breathing became cautious. For a moment, the atmosphere in the elevator was somewhat frozen, with only the soft hum of the elevator running, making each second seem exceptionally long.
With a "ding," the elevator doors slowly opened, and we arrived at the underground parking lot. Dim yellow lights shone on the gray cement ground, where rows of cars were quietly parked in their spaces.
"President Qin, where are we going?" Qiao Hailun forced down her unease and asked tentatively, her voice so soft as if she was afraid of disturbing something.
Qin Hao casually asked, "Do you have any dietary restrictions?"
Helen Joe shook her head.
"Let's have seafood then. There's a pretty good, long-established seafood restaurant nearby."
As they spoke, the two had already gotten into the car. Qiao Hailun opened the car door, sat in the passenger seat, and placed her bag on her lap. She took a deep breath, trying to appear natural. Just as she closed the door, she saw Qin Hao leaning closer to her.
Qiao Hailun was startled and instinctively shrank back, trying to avoid him. But there was a seat behind her, and she had nowhere to retreat. Her eyes widened as Qin Hao's face got closer and closer, her heart pounding like a rabbit's. Just when she thought Qin Hao was going to do something outrageous, she saw a smile curl up on Qin Hao's lips, and his hand had already reached over her to pull the passenger seatbelt over.
With a "click," it was fastened.
Helen Qiao froze, her mind blank. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found her throat as dry as if it were stuffed with cotton.
Qin Hao sat back in the driver's seat, started the engine, and the car vibrated slightly. He turned his head and looked at Qiao Hailun's still shaken appearance, teasingly saying, "So afraid of me, yet you dared to get in my car?"
Qiao Hailun took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "Who said I'm scared?" She straightened her back, feigning composure. "Besides, Mr. Qin, you're such a good person, how could I be afraid of you?"
Qin Hao looked at her with a half-smile, his gaze lingering on her face for a few seconds.
"You're giving me the 'friend zone' card so quickly?" he said slowly. "Do you think I'm easygoing, so you can take advantage of me?"
Helen Qiao's heart skipped a beat, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around the bag strap. Her mind raced—had he figured it out? She pursed her lips, trying to make her expression look innocent.
"Mr. Qin, I'm easily frightened, please don't scare me." Her voice trembled slightly: "I don't understand what you're saying."
Qin Hao didn't answer immediately. He turned to the side, one hand on the steering wheel, his gaze fixed on Qiao Hailun. The car's interior was dimly lit, with only the dashboard emitting a faint blue glow that cast a stark contrast on his face.
"You really don't understand?" His voice was very soft, as if he were asking something trivial.
Qiao Hailun looked like a frightened rabbit, her eyes darting around, completely unable to meet Qin Hao's gaze. She bit her lip, shaking her head repeatedly, her chin almost touching her chest.
However, a hand lifted her chin.
Qin Hao's fingers were long and strong, carrying a slight coolness. Qiao Hailun was forced to raise her head and meet his gaze. His eyes were dark and deep, like a bottomless pool. Qiao Hailun subconsciously wanted to lower her head, but was lifted up again.
"President Qin...I..." Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, and her lips trembled slightly.
Before she could finish speaking, Qin Hao had already covered her mouth.
Qiao Hailun's head buzzed, as if she had been hit hard by something. Her eyes widened, her pupils reflecting Qin Hao's face so close to hers. His eyelashes were long, slightly drooping, casting a shadow on his face. His lips were warm and soft, with a faint minty taste.
She instinctively tried to push Qin Hao away, pressing her palm against his chest and shoving him forcefully. But her strength had no effect; instead, it felt like she was provoking him. His heartbeat, steady and powerful, transmitted through his shirt, was steady and strong, each beat like a drumbeat.
Gradually, Qiao Hailun felt as if her consciousness had left her body. The tension, fear, and resistance receded like the tide. She closed her eyes, her fingers slowly loosened, and the clenched fabric of her clothes gradually smoothed out. She could only let Qin Hao taste her, like floating on the water, gently swaying with the waves.
She didn't know how much time had passed when a sudden, suffocating feeling forced her to desperately push Qin Hao away. She turned her head to the side, gasping for breath, her chest heaving violently. Fresh air rushed into her lungs, and she felt as if she had drowned and then climbed back to shore.
At the same time, tears began to well up uncontrollably. One by one, they rolled down her cheeks, dripping onto her dress and leaving dark stains.
"Why are you crying?" Qin Hao's voice carried a hint of amusement. "I think that kiss just now was pretty good."
Qiao Hailun's tears flowed even more fiercely. She pursed her lips, her shoulders trembled, and her nose was red, like a wronged little rabbit. She didn't know what to say; her mind was a mess, and she could only let the tears fall.
Qin Hao knew he had gone too far. He pulled out a tissue and handed it over.
Helen took the tissue and wiped her face, but the tears still wouldn't stop. Between sobs, she cried, "How could you... that was my first kiss..."
"First kiss?" Qin Hao was somewhat surprised, raising an eyebrow slightly. "You haven't even had a boyfriend yet, have you?"
Qiao Hailun sniffed and nodded sadly. Her nose was even redder, her eyes were still brimming with tears, and her eyelashes were wet and stuck together.
"How is that possible?" Qin Hao's tone was somewhat incredulous: "How could a girl as pretty as you not have any suitors in college?"
Hearing Qin Hao praise her, Qiao Hailun felt a strange sense of joy. She sniffed, her voice muffled.
“My family was very strict when I was young. I had some suitors during college, but I didn’t date any of them. After graduation, I was very busy working at Ruijing Consulting, so I had even less time.”
"So, it turns out you happen to need a boyfriend." Qin Hao's smile faded, and he asked seriously, "What do you think of me?"
"Huh?" Qiao Hailun was stunned by this sudden confession. Her eyes widened, her mouth slightly agape, and her mind seemed to be instantly emptied. She just stared blankly at Qin Hao, as if someone had pressed the pause button.
Qin Hao smiled and gently patted her head, his fingers running through her hair.
What? You think I'm not good enough for you?
"No—" Qiao Hailun waved her hands repeatedly, her face turning bright red: "No, it's just..."
"What do you mean?" Qin Hao's gaze turned serious: "Don't tell me that you unintentionally revealed our relationship at the company just now."
He took Qiao Hailun's soft hand in one hand, held it in his palm, and blinked.
"Fake relationships will be exposed sooner or later. But if it's real, there's nothing to fear."
Qiao Hailun blushed deeply when her secret was exposed. She felt her cheeks burning and the tips of her ears turning red. What made her heart race even faster was the heat emanating from Qin Hao's palm. His palm was dry and warm, as if a ball of fire had entered it, constantly assaulting her reason and burning away all those chaotic thoughts.
"President Qin, you noticed it all?" Her voice was so soft it was barely audible.
Qin Hao's face hardened. "Still calling me President Qin?"
"Well... isn't it a bit inappropriate to call him by his full name?" Qiao Hailun blushed, avoiding his gaze, her eyelashes drooping and casting a shadow on her face.
"You can call me Ahao, or Brother Hao."
Qiao Hailun's lips moved, and after hesitating for several seconds, she finally squeezed out a faint sound from her throat.
"...Brother Hao."
Looking at her weak and vulnerable appearance, Qin Hao felt a strange sense of pleasure at having pulled off a prank. A slight smile played on his lips as he released her hand and started the car.
"Let's go, let's fill our stomachs first."
As the U8 pulled out of the underground parking garage and merged into the traffic, Qiao Hailun leaned back in her seat, watching the street scene rushing past the window. Streetlights flickered on one by one, neon lights flashed in the night, and the city's night was just beginning. At traffic lights, drivers and pedestrians around her would glance at the car a few times; some took out their phones to take pictures, others whispered amongst themselves. Sitting in the passenger seat, Qiao Hailun felt those gazes and a strange sense of pleasure rose within her.
"Am I dreaming?" she asked herself silently. "Could everything that just happened in the underground parking garage have been a hallucination?"
She secretly pinched her thigh. It hurt.
As they looked up and saw the U8 parked in front of the Lei Garden Restaurant, Qin Hao got out and naturally took her hand. His palm was warm, his fingers long and slender, gently clasping hers. Qiao Hailun looked down at their clasped hands and realized that everything that had just happened was real. Almost without hesitation, she took Qin Hao's arm and, like girls in the throes of new love, pressed her body close to his.
Actually, when Qin Hao insisted on taking her home yesterday, she sensed that he had feelings for her. Otherwise, why would a wealthy businessman like Qin Hao spend so much time on someone insignificant? Moreover, Qin Hao fulfilled all her expectations of a boyfriend—no, to be precise, she had never even dreamed of such a boyfriend. Young, handsome, successful, gentle, and considerate. Now that he had confessed his feelings, how could she possibly refuse?
Inside the private room of Lei Garden Restaurant, the lighting was soft, and the table was covered with a clean white tablecloth. The tableware gleamed warmly under the light. A waiter handed over the menu, which Qin Hao took and first gave to Qiao Hailun.
"Order whatever you like."
Qiao Hailun didn't take it. She consciously moved her chair closer to Qin Hao before taking the menu and opening it.
"The food here is so expensive!" She glanced at the menu and immediately hesitated to order. Her finger hovered over the price of one dish for a moment before quickly flipping past it. The cheapest dish cost several hundred yuan; ordering just a few would cost her several days' wages.
Qin Hao smiled.
"Don't worry, one meal won't bankrupt me. Order whatever you like, don't worry about saving me money."
However, Helen Qiao only ordered a few inexpensive dishes—a plate of blanched bok choy, a plate of steamed spare ribs with black bean sauce, and a bowl of soup of the day. She closed the menu and handed it to the waiter.
Qin Hao shook his head, flipped open the menu again, and ordered a few more of the restaurant's signature dishes—a crispy roasted pigeon, a typhoon shelter-style stir-fried crab, a steamed grouper, and two bowls of fish maw and chicken soup…
"You've ordered too much; it'll be a waste if we can't finish it," Qiao Hailun whispered a reminder.
"If you order the cheap ones, you might spend the money and still not like them, that's a waste."
Qiao Hailun thought about it and realized it made sense. But this meal would cost at least two or three thousand yuan, which was equivalent to her monthly food expenses. She secretly glanced at Qin Hao, who was holding a teacup and drinking tea, his expression indifferent, as if he were doing something perfectly ordinary.
The waiter had just left when Qin Hao's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and stood up.
"I'm going out to take this call. Please have a seat for a while."
"Mmm." Helen Qiao nodded obediently.
Qin Hao pushed open the door and left. She was left alone in the private room, so quiet she could hear the hum of the air conditioner. Bored, Qiao Hailun took out her phone and opened WeChat groups, finding the company group chat in an uproar. Messages kept popping up, all about her and Qin Hao.
"Qiao Hailun and President Qin are together?"
"Really? Who said that?"
"I saw it with my own eyes; they were always together. How could it be fake?"
"Tsk tsk, I never would have guessed. He's usually such an honest person."
"That's what you call keeping your true abilities hidden."
"She's got the skills; there's nothing you can do about it since you don't have as big a chest as her."
"Having big breasts isn't a big deal, maybe they're fake?"
Qiao Hailun's cheeks flushed as she read the messages, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her. She recalled Qin Hao's words—"A fake relationship will be exposed sooner or later." She couldn't help but feel secretly relieved: thankfully, the charade became real.
About ten minutes later, Qin Hao returned to the private room. The waiters began to serve the dishes one after another, filling the entire table. The crispy pigeon was golden and crispy, the typhoon shelter crab was fragrant with garlic, the steamed grouper was tender and white, and the fish maw chicken soup was rich and mellow.
After the meal, Qiao Hailun felt like her stomach was about to burst. On one hand, the food was indeed delicious, with each dish exquisitely prepared; on the other hand, she was worried about the cost—how much did such a large meal cost?
"Are you full?" Qin Hao put down his chopsticks and looked at her.
Helen Qiao suppressed the urge to burp and nodded.
"Let's go, next stop." Qin Hao waved his hand and stood up.
Helen quickly stood up and asked cautiously, "Where are we going?"
Qin Hao couldn't help but laugh when he saw her nervous expression.
"Don't worry, I won't sell you out."
At the entrance of the "Cocoon" bar, neon signs flickered in the night, a long queue formed at the door, and music wafted from inside. As soon as the U8 stopped, a security guard approached, bowing and beaming.
"Mr. Qin, let me help you park your car."
Qin Hao handed the car keys to the other person, and also took out a few bills from his wallet and handed them over. Under the light, Qiao Hailun glimpsed that they were several red hundred-yuan bills.
"I can't accept this..." the security guard said, but his actions were quick as he stuffed the money into his pocket, his smile widening.
Qiao Hailun watched from the side, secretly amazed. They earned several hundred yuan just by parking a car; that was almost a day's wages for her.
"Let's go." Qin Hao extended his hand.
"Oh." Qiao Hailun took Qin Hao's hand and followed him inside. Pushing open the glass door, deafening music rushed in, the lights were dim and hazy, and the dance floor was crowded with people. The air was filled with the mixed scent of alcohol and perfume.
As soon as he reached the bar, Shen Mo came to greet him. He was wearing a floral shirt, his hair was slicked back, and he had a warm smile on his face.
"President Qin! What a rare guest!"
Qin Hao patted him on the shoulder. "Let me introduce you. This is Shen Mo, the owner of the silkworm cocoon company, President Shen." He turned to Qiao Hailun and said, "This is my girlfriend, Qiao Hailun."
Upon hearing Qin Hao's introduction, Shen Mo's gaze lingered on Qiao Hailun for a second before his smile grew even warmer. He immediately said to Qiao Hailun, "Miss Qiao, this is your first time here, so all the expenses are on me."
Qiao Hailun was momentarily at a loss for words and instinctively looked at Qin Hao. Qin Hao leaned close to her ear and whispered, "President Shen is one of us, don't embarrass him."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Shen," Qiao Hailun said quickly.
“Miss Qiao, there’s no need to be so polite with me.” Shen Mo waved his hand. “President Qin and I have been old friends for many years. Besides, he also has shares in this bar. In the future, you can just mention my name when you come to patronize it.”
He called the bar manager over and whispered a few instructions. The bar manager nodded repeatedly, gave Helen a respectful look, and then took out his phone.
“Miss Qiao, if you ever come to our bar in the future, just let us know and I’ll make the arrangements for you.” He added Qiao Hailun on WeChat.
"Okay, thank you for your help." Helen Qiao smiled politely.
Seeing this, Shen Mo called the bar manager over and whispered something in his ear. The bar manager nodded and scurried across the dance floor to the DJ area.
The next moment, the previously noisy music abruptly stopped. The people on the dance floor paused, then looked up. The DJ stood on the stage, raised his hand, and shouted in an rousing tone, "All of you—a dozen beers, on the house of our beautiful Miss Qiao! Let's give Miss Qiao a standing ovation!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the music started again, a highly rhythmic dance track. The entire venue erupted in cheers, whistles, shouts, and applause blending together in a deafening roar.
Who is Miss Qiao?
"I don't know, I've never heard of it before."
"Maybe she's a new rich kid. Who cares? As long as there's free wine to drink."
"Miss Qiao is so generous!"
Helen Qiao stood frozen by the bar, completely stunned by what she saw. Hundreds of people on the dance floor were raising their glasses and cheering in her direction. The lights swept across her face, and she instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes.
After a long while, she finally came to her senses. She quietly leaned close to Qin Hao's ear and whispered, "With so many people at the bar, it must have cost a lot of money, right?"
“If it were someone else, it would cost at least tens of thousands of yuan.” Qin Hao smiled. “But the cost price is only a few thousand yuan. It’s not too expensive.”
Qiao Hailun's eyes widened even more. Several thousand yuan isn't expensive? That's almost a month's salary for her! Is this how rich people spend their money?
After having a few drinks with Shen Mo at the booth, the atmosphere gradually warmed up. The music changed to a slower tempo, and the lights dimmed a bit. Qin Hao stood up and extended his hand to Qiao Hailun.
"Let's go dance."
"But I don't know how to dance." Qiao Hailun hesitated, looking at the swaying crowd on the dance floor, a little nervous.
"I'm relieved that she's alright." Qin Hao said with a mischievous grin, pulling her up.
Qiao Hailun could only let Qin Hao lead her onto the dance floor. At first, she was stiff all over, unsure of what to do with her hands and feet. Qin Hao held her hands and swayed her slowly. Her body gradually relaxed, and she began to sway to the rhythm.
Perhaps it was the great atmosphere of the bar, or perhaps it was the alcohol, but Qiao Hailun danced more and more wildly. She tossed her hair, swayed her hips, and her devilish figure was on full display under the lights. Several men around her were unconsciously drawn to her, but after meeting Qin Hao's gaze, they wisely looked away.
Before the song was even finished, Qin Hao felt his mouth go dry. Every movement she made seemed to be teasing his nerves, slowly eroding his reason.
He pulled Helen close and kissed her.
This time, Helen didn't struggle or resist. After an initial shyness, she stood on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around his neck, and began to respond passionately. Her lips were soft and hot, with a hint of sweetness from the wine.
The couple's passionate kissing gesture spurred several other couples nearby. Suddenly, the dance floor seemed to erupt into a kissing contest, with couples embracing and kissing everywhere.
As the song ended, the music switched to a more energetic rhythm. Qin Hao could no longer contain his excitement and pulled Qiao Hailun off the dance floor. He held her hand tightly, her palms sweaty.
"Where to?" Qiao Hailun asked breathlessly, her cheeks flushed and her lips slightly swollen.
Qin Hao didn't answer, but simply pulled her through the crowd towards the door. A night breeze blew by, carrying a hint of coolness, dispelling the heat from their bodies. Qiao Hailun's hair was ruffled by the wind; she raised her hand to smooth it, her heart pounding.
Qin Hao stopped beside the car, turned around, and looked at her. The neon lights cast flickering shadows on his face, but his eyes were bright.
"Is it your house or mine?" he asked, his voice low and hoarse.
Helen Qiao kept her head down, not daring to look at him. The night breeze made her skirt flutter gently. She bit her lip, hesitating for a long time.
"Let's go to your place." (End of Chapter)