Chapter 46

The meeting, as Qin Chuan had said, wasn’t particularly important and didn’t last long.

Bo He only needed to review the materials on the way, familiarize herself with the categorized content, sit beside Qin Chuan during the meeting, hand him the necessary documents when required, and otherwise remain a silent, motionless statue—eyes downcast, mind focused.

The only inconvenience was having the boss right beside her. Even with nothing to do, she couldn’t idly pull out her phone to pass the time.

Fortunately, Bo He had enough self-discipline to concentrate on the meeting itself, allowing her to endure the two-hour session.

After the meeting, there was a working lunch, and the two headed to the venue’s conference hall for the buffet.

Qin Chuan’s mind was still immersed in the meeting’s content, lost in thought the entire way.

“Earlier, they mentioned the demolition schedule for the old buildings around the new district. The speaker’s words didn’t match the materials. Check it for me.”

Bo He didn’t need to flip through the documents and answered promptly.

“The materials say November, but the meeting just now mentioned December.”

Qin Chuan couldn’t help but glance at her. “You memorized it all? Photographic memory?”

Bo He smiled. “Nothing that impressive. I was just bored during the meeting, so I read through the documents and ended up remembering most of it.”

It was a strange feeling.

Qin Chuan mused to himself.

During the last meeting, Bo He had similarly caught everyone’s attention in the same manner, but back then, he had assumed she was scheming and calculating.

Now, at a different time and with a changed perspective, her actions seemed to him like diligence and effort.

Even Qin Chuan, who prided himself on fairness, couldn’t help but reflect: in all his years managing Sheng Ming, had he ever judged people or situations with such strong, unconscious bias?

Sometimes, when you’re too close to something, you lose sight of the truth. Only by chance does clarity strike, like waking from a dream.

A face he once found unremarkable now seemed endearing even in silence.

Qin Chuan sighed softly.

Unaware of his thoughts, Bo He noticed his flickering gaze and eventual sigh, assuming she had done something wrong again. She promptly shut her mouth.

A brief silence fell between them.

Upon entering the dining area, Bo He glanced around and asked Qin Chuan, “Boss Qin, I’m going to grab some food. Should I get you anything?”

Distracted, Qin Chuan waved his hand. “No need.”

Bo He was more than happy to hear that. Like a caged animal set free, she practically skipped toward the buffet table.

Her eyes had already locked onto the cherry cake at the corner of the spread.

For a cherry enthusiast, this was a far greater reward than any other delicacy. Without hesitation, she made a beeline for it.

After securing her slice, she instinctively glanced back the way she came—a natural reflex to plan the shortest return route.

She saw Qin Chuan on the phone.

His expression was icy, all traces of earlier warmth seemingly scraped off by the doorframe on his way in.

She couldn’t hear his words, but the way his lips formed each syllable with deliberate force suggested the conversation was anything but pleasant.

She paused, not wanting to walk into the line of fire.

The first time might’ve been inexperience.

A second time would just be stupidity.

But...

Qin Chuan’s earlier apology unexpectedly resurfaced in her mind.

After a moment’s hesitation, she picked up another serving tong.

Qin Chuan’s good mood had indeed been thoroughly ruined.

The culprit was the phone call he had just ended.

Suddenly, he found himself agreeing with something Bo He had once said.

The bonds between parents and children were as countless as threads, some thick, some thin.

Some connections were so faint they barely existed, with parents constantly meddling in their children’s lives, disrupting their peace.

Like Qin Shiyu and him.

Like Director An and Bo He.

A plate of cake appeared on the table before him.

The slice was neatly cut, the edges of the cream undisturbed, the cherry perfectly centered.

It was a sight that would satisfy even the most obsessive perfectionist—like Boss Qin.

Bo He sat across from him.

“I didn’t know what you liked, so I just grabbed some cake.”

Qin Chuan said nothing.

Misinterpreting his silence, Bo He reached to take the plate back.

“If you don’t like sweets, that’s fine. I can handle the cake—no need to worry about waste.”

But the other end of the plate was pressed down firmly.

Qin Chuan said, “Who said I don’t like it?”

He pulled the plate toward himself and began eating with a fork.

His movements weren’t crude, but they were swift. By the time Bo He had only finished a third of her slice, he had already devoured his.

Bo He’s lips twitched. “You really like cherry cake?”

“Not particularly. But sweets help improve my mood in moments like this.” Qin Chuan wiped his mouth. “And you don’t need to address me so formally. I’m not that hard to get along with.”

Oh, really?

Bo He mentally scoffed, her inner tone dripping with sarcasm.

Somehow, as if sensing her thoughts through sheer willpower, Qin Chuan glanced up at her.

“I have a perfectionist streak. It’s not that I can’t handle losing—I just prefer winning. Every battle I win now secures my future a little more.”

Bo He couldn’t resist asking, “But you’re already the company’s boss.”

The implication was clear: with absolute authority over Sheng Ming, what more did he need to secure?

Qin Chuan smiled faintly. “Above me, there’s still the Qin family. My father holds nearly all of Sheng Ming’s shares. While it may seem like I make the company’s decisions, the moment I deviate from his expectations, he steps in to ‘correct’ me—until I fall back in line.”

Bo He: “And in most cases, are your father’s decisions right or wrong?”

Qin Chuan was silent for a moment. “He’s a business genius. But that doesn’t mean everyone should follow his path.”

Bo He bit back her words but couldn’t resist a small jab. “Is that a rational judgment or just rebelliousness?”

Surprisingly, Qin Chuan didn’t take offense.

He actually seemed to consider the question seriously before answering.

“I won’t deny that a small part of it is rebellion. When someone tries to control not just your career but also your marriage and life, you’d resist too. But the bigger reason is that his personality is bound to cause problems sooner or later—whether with his business partners or his own family. Eventually, someone else will reach their limit, just like I have.”

Seeing Bo He’s skeptical look, he sighed softly.

“You’ll understand someday. Now, eat up. Thanks for the cake—I do feel better.”

For the first time, Bo He realized that without his usual sharp edges and cold demeanor, Qin Chuan could be surprisingly gentle.

Especially when he said “thank you”—the focused sincerity in his eyes almost made her feel like she was the only woman in the world.

Now she understood why Chi Yun, who had seen plenty of handsome men, had reacted so strongly to their breakup.

The allure of beauty was universal—as women, they all understood it.

Almost against her will, she blurted out a question she immediately regretted:

“What are we doing after lunch?”

Qin Chuan smiled that gentle smile again.

“There’s a Starbucks nearby. We’ll grab some drinks, then duo queue—‘Eat Chicken.’”

Bo He: “...”