Xiu Mei blinked in confusion as her head tilted. She didn’t understand what Lu Chen was trying to say.

  Lu Chen lightly chuckled. "And it’s because it’s you."

  Xiu Mei got even more confused. Why was Lu Chen speaking in such cryptic words she did not understand? Seriously, he’s getting even more difficult to understand day by day.

  He was like a pregnant person with mood swings.

  "You’re becoming really weird, boss." She said. Xiu Mei was now sitting on the sofa in her room, relaxingly leaning her back on the pillow. She acted so relaxedly in her seat as he chatted with Lu Chen.

  "Hmm." She heard him say.

  Really, everything was going weird.

  Before she realized it, the person she thought to be the most aloof person became her suitor. He disliked making contact with women especially those who have hidden motives yet, he’s now consistently chasing after her. And what’s even weirder was that he doesn’t seem to be in love with her but he’s very determined to marry her. And his only motivation is to make her his wife and be his stepson’s mother.

  He was showing some of his unfamiliar sides to her that she would’ve never known if they had stayed within their professional bounds. The person she once thought would just stay to be an emperor CEO suddenly became even closer to her.

  She hadn’t even thought that this day would come where she would decline his marriage proposal, and not just once but multiple times!

  If this really continued, she was really going to lose her sanity. She couldn’t keep with how everything was changing so fast. It just felt like yesterday, she was still asking for a day off just to go on a blind date and now, Lu Chen was now chasing her.

  "So you’re giving me permission?" His deep voice startled her for a moment. Her line of thoughts paused and she remembered she was still on the phone with him.

  "Permission to what?"

  "To court you. To show my sincerity."

  Hearing that deep husky voice mixed with a tone of sincerity on the other line, Xiu Mei almost fell into a trance. Shit, why was his voice too s.e.xy?

  "What if I say no?" She playfully said.

  "Then I won’t stop chasing after you."

  "Then what’s the sense of asking for my permission if you’ll just ignore it?"

  "Just to make it official."

  "What are you going to make official?"

  "Official suitor and the permission to ward off other boys who are eyeing you."

  She gaped wide open.

  Xiu Mei couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by his words. What was he saying?!

  It’s not like a lot of people are hitting on her. And even if there is, she usually never noticed it.

  "What are you—"

  "When should I visit your parents?"

  "Huh?"

  Why was Lu Chen jumping from one topic to another?

  She couldn’t keep up with his train of thought!

  Xiu Mei scratched her head in annoyance. She would never understand the way his mind works at all. He’s too mysterious and a genius that she would never dream to understand completely.

  "Should I visit next week?"

  "Huh? What? No!"

  My gawd, does he have to be so serious in asking permission to her parents just to court her?

  What are we, in the early 90s era?

  "Why not?" She heard his voice turned dangerously low as he questioned her.

  Xiu Mei almost slapped her mouth. Damn it, she’s really putting herself on the line every time she opposes Lu Chen’s words.

  "You didn’t really have to go here just for that." She was trying to convince him to stop him from going all the way here, to the Xiu Mansion.

  "Are you embarrassed by me?"

  "What? No!" Then Xiu Mei stopped.

  Wait. No. That’s not it. She hasn’t even said yes to allow him to court her. And why did his words sound so wrong? It sounded like he was her hidden boyfriend that she couldn’t introduce to her parents?

  Xiu Mei then realized how sly Lu Chen was.

  Really, he has his way of turning her words into a completely different meaning. Or was it just her thinking too much?

  "Lu Chen, you’re too sneaky!"

  He was trying to slowly manipulate her. If she’s too late in realizing it, would she wake up when she was already eaten bone dry?

  He is really a dangerous wolf. She really wondered what would happen if she makes an enemy out of him. Would she wake up in hell afterward?

  "No." He denied her accusal.

  "You’re not being honest."

  "I am honest."

  "But you’re lying when you said you weren’t trying to slowly manipulate me."

  "I was just pushing you into my net so you wouldn’t run away." He said that so seriously and calmly like he didn’t say something so scary.

  Xiu Mei was startled. His words sounded like she was a prey that he was trying to catch and he was the predator. What was she? A Rabbit? Then he’s the wolf?

  She suddenly regretted her recent words. Did she just walk right into his trap?

  Would he…… eat her dry?

  Dang it! Xiu Mei panicked. The opponent is too scary!!