There's a kind of pain called shooting yourself in the foot. After calling out three or four times with no response, Qi Shi'an finally understood this pain deeply.

Shen Duoyi sat cross-legged next to the sofa, face to face with the robot, playing gleefully.

"Did the manufacturer give you a name?"

The robot didn't respond. Shen Duoyi read through the manual once and basically mastered how to play with it. He found the button to open the small keyboard inside and set up a bunch of common conversations for the robot.

Qi Shi'an leaned against the wall holding a glass of water, looking forlorn like a neglected concubine in the imperial palace. But Shen Duoyi, this muddle-headed emperor, ignored the old lover's tears while laughing with the new one. He cleared his throat and asked formally: "May I ask what your name is?"

The robot's light lit up, sensing the question and answering: "I am Xiao Qi, I am Xiao Qi."

"Do you have any special talents?"

"I eat a lot, I eat a lot."

"What's your favorite food?"

"I love everything you cook, I love everything you cook."

Shen Duoyi collapsed onto the floor, laughing so hard his whole body shook, knocking over a can of popcorn on the table. He simply lay sideways on the carpet, looking toward Qi Shi'an standing by the wall, while casually picking up a piece of popcorn to eat.

Qi Shi'an walked over to put down his glass, then bent down with one hand supporting the back and another hooking under the knees, lifting Shen Duoyi up horizontally. In the past, Shen Duoyi wouldn't have liked being handled like this - too mushy. But today he was completely relaxed and didn't move, even quite enjoying it.

"Your Majesty, if you miss me just come find me. What's the deal with getting a 'Xiao Qi'?" Qi Shi'an glanced sideways at the robot as he passed by, really wanting to return it.

Shen Duoyi raised his arms to circle Qi Shi'an's neck, moving closer to kiss his ear: "My dear minister, wasn't Xiao Qi a gift from you?"

Qi Shi'an had already carried him to the balcony in the bedroom. Shen Duoyi was just puzzled at first, but when he was laid down on that thin blanket he finally realized what was happening. He tried to crawl away and escape, but unfortunately was grabbed and thoroughly pinned down.

Qi Shi'an asked: "Are you willing to stick your butt up this time?"

Shen Duoyi hung his head and struggled, feeling the changes in the other's body clearly through their movement. He was held tight and finally sensed something was wrong, turning his head to shout: "Don't use your grappling techniques!"

Before he could finish speaking, his mouth was covered. The curtains on the balcony blocked out the afternoon sun, the thin blanket wrinkled from their movements, even the floor below seemed to be getting warmer.

Shen Duoyi lost all ability to resist from the moment of penetration. He was still wearing his shirt and the watch Qi Shi'an had just given him. But his lower body was naked, left only with the accumulating torment of soreness and pleasure.

"I'm going to be killed by you..."

Hearing this, Qi Shi'an slowed his movements, pretending to be tender-hearted, but after deceiving him, began tormenting him heavily again. When everything was finished, he held Shen Duoyi curled up in the hanging chair to recover, his expression gentle, as if that beast from earlier wasn't him at all.

Shen Duoyi was wrapped in a towel, the hair at his temples slightly damp with sweat, the flush not yet completely faded from his face. He seemed drained of all energy, lying limply against Qi Shi'an's chest.

After a long silence, Qi Shi'an gently massaged Shen Duoyi's lower back: "What's wrong, still sore?"

Shen Duoyi said weakly: "I'm thinking about how to take these gifts back."

"...You really are something." Qi Shi'an's hands applied pressure, "Stop thinking about it. Just leave them here, otherwise if you pack everything up and go home, who knows when you'll come visit again."

Shen Duoyi nodded: "But I have to take Xiao Qi with me. You're allowed to keep a Duoduo plant, why can't I cherish Xiao Qi?"

And so at twenty-eight years old, Shen Duoyi made up for lost time on this day. When he went to work on Monday, he received gifts and warm wishes from his colleagues, then threw himself into work with this happiness.

There were many documents and files on the desk, with his assistant helping to organize them. He opened the final draft of the emergency plan for a final check.

He had completed his fifty percent, and had intermittently helped Team Leader Qi complete twenty percent. After saving everything, he sent the file to Team Leader Qi's email and picked up the internal phone line.

"Team Leader Qi, I just sent the final draft of the emergency plan to your email. You can just paste your part directly in."

"My part?" Team Leader Qi seemed to have just arrived and hadn't caught up yet, "Alright, I'll look at it right away. Thank you, I'll treat you to lunch."

Shen Duoyi hung up and started working on the client analysis plan, only having time for a drink of water around ten o'clock. His assistant reminded him it was time for the meeting, so he grabbed his materials and headed to the conference floor.

Supervisor Tang and Team Leader Qi also came out of their offices. Shen Duoyi asked: "Team Leader Qi, did you send the plan to Mr. Qi?"

"Sent it." Team Leader Qi looked at the time without saying much more, "Let's go up."

In the conference room, Qi Shi'an and Zhang Yiming were both there, and key personnel from other departments had also gradually arrived. The main lights were turned off, leaving only a row of small lights. Annie was at the door ready to take notes, and the meeting officially began.

Qi Shi'an began analyzing point by point according to the material's content, with various departments discussing as usual. After one section finished, he undid his cufflinks, but instead of tossing them on the table, he carefully put them in his pocket.

Shen Duoyi saw this and smiled to himself.

"Alright, last meeting we had the consulting department colleagues prepare a complete plan, let's take a look together." Qi Shi'an opened the latest unread email in his inbox and imported it to the main screen.

Zhang Yiming frowned first: "Half-finished?"

Qi Shi'an quickly browsed through it: "If it's not complete you can explain why, but don't send it to me and waste everyone's time." He scrolled to the bottom and saw the signature, "Team Leader Shen?"

Shen Duoyi was still in shock. He had specifically told Team Leader Qi to paste the content in completely, but now the plan only showed the seventy percent he had completed. And in the signature area there were only three words "Shen Duoyi", so naturally everyone would think this was his work.

The consulting department was under Zhang Yiming's management, and he asked directly: "Team Leader Shen, was there not enough time or were there other difficulties?"

"We had allocated it properly." Shen Duoyi glanced at Team Leader Qi. He had guessed that the other person might have just sent the wrong version, but the screen had just shown the source was the department email, so Team Leader Qi had deliberately left himself out when sending it. He didn't know what reason the other person had, but knew that at this moment he certainly wouldn't stand up and admit it, so he looked toward Supervisor Tang.

Qi Shi'an had been staring the whole time and immediately asked: "Old Tang, how did you allocate this?"

"It's like this, Xiao Qi recently has too many projects on hand, really can't be in two places at once." Supervisor Tang looked toward Qi Shi'an and Zhang Yiming, explaining naturally, "We must prioritize clients, so the plan was given to Xiao Shen. Xiao Shen is also busy, so maybe time wasn't very sufficient."

In front of numerous colleagues and two bosses, Shen Duoyi had to swallow this bitter pill. The signature was his, and his superior's testimony pointed to him. He suddenly found himself unable to argue. After a brief silence, he straightforwardly said: "I accept the disciplinary action, and guarantee the plan will be completed before leaving work."

After speaking, Shen Duoyi lowered his gaze to stare at the table. He had no heart to confront others now, only wanting to figure out why this incident had happened. Had he unknowingly offended Team Leader Qi and Supervisor Tang, or was it something else?

The incomplete file couldn't be used, so the meeting was cut in half. After the meeting, Qi Shi'an and Zhang Yiming were still discussing topics from the meeting. Colleagues gradually left, and Shen Duoyi deliberately packed up very slowly.

When almost everyone had left, Qi Shi'an also stopped his conversation with Zhang Yiming. He looked up as Shen Duoyi approached, then gently extended his left hand, palm up with those two cufflinks.

Shen Duoyi took them and bent down to put them on Qi Shi'an's cuffs. He had no expression, but having no expression indicated he wasn't very happy.

Zhang Yiming said: "Mr. Qi, our company has always had high benefits and strict requirements. If we handle today's matter officially, it would definitely require disciplinary action."

Qi Shi'an said: "Then let's handle it officially, consider it buying a lesson."

Shen Duoyi looked up at him: "You know I was wronged?"

"Of course I know, you stabbed me several times in anger, my wrist almost broke." Qi Shi'an raised his hand to touch Shen Duoyi's face, but remembering Zhang Yiming was still beside them, changed it to patting his shoulder.

Shen Duoyi said: "Team Leader Qi and I were each responsible for fifty percent. I helped him do twenty percent, didn't expect the remaining thirty percent would become my black pot."

Going back to pursue responsibility would take another round of effort, after all there was no witness or physical evidence. Qi Shi'an said: "Go back and complete that thirty percent, then the plan will be completely yours, and at that time all the bonus for this part will be given to you."

Shen Duoyi asked: "What does the disciplinary action affect?"

Zhang Yiming answered: "The assessment coefficient, related to promotion."

The cufflinks were already on, and Shen Duoyi took his materials and left, still politely saying "goodbye". Zhang Yiming watched the figure disappear at the door and asked Qi Shi'an: "You're not going to show favoritism?"

Qi Shi'an said very confidently: "You're really underestimating our Team Leader Shen."

Shen Duoyi returned to the consulting department with his chest out and head high, as if what he faced wasn't disciplinary action but some kind of commendation. On the way back he carefully examined several times, reflecting on whether he had offended colleagues, but the examination was fruitless - he could face anything with a clear conscience.