It was still that Maybach. Liu Xie really liked this car.
It was a pity she hadn’t even passed her driver’s license test. Back in her freshman year, she had failed the practical driving exam for months on end, and after being mocked by her roommates, including Zhu Niao, she finally gave up.
With her bright yellow hair, she looked exactly like the type who would drive a luxury car to a bar to pick up good girls from respectable families.
But in reality, she neither knew how to drive nor did she ever go to bars.
The only thing that fit her yellow hair persona was copying her roommates’ homework once they finished, using their pens as well.
“I’ll take you to the company first. I’ve got some things to handle, then we can go home together,” Liu Anran said as he stopped at a red light, waiting for it to turn green while glancing over at Liu Xie.
Liu Xie knew that if she said she didn’t want to go, Liu Anran wouldn’t hesitate to turn the car around and first take her to the little home they’d be living in together for the foreseeable future, then quietly drive alone to the company to finish his business.
But Liu Anran had already shown how much he cared by taking time off his busy schedule to pick her up. If she wasted more of his time with her own hesitation, it would just seem immature.
“Then let’s go to your company first. I’m curious to see how impressive someone young and accomplished who drives a Maybach really is,” Liu Xie said with a sly smile.
“Stop watching those dumb videos. Without family backing, it’s nearly impossible to be young and successful enough to drive a Maybach. Even I can’t,” Liu Anran said as the traffic light turned green and he started the car.
“Well, you could always become a live-in son-in-law, marrying into a family and driving their Maybach,” Liu Xie teased, pulling out her phone and scrolling. “I actually saw a video about that the other day.”
Liu Anran didn’t drive too fast, nor too slow.
The time he had to deal with his work wasn’t abundant, and he was usually meticulous about leaving himself some buffer, so naturally, he was in a bit of a hurry.
Yet, he was unwilling to give up the chance to be alone with Liu Xie.
The car stopped in an underground parking lot beneath an office building.
Liu Xie thought for a moment and left her book in the car. After all, she’d be taking Liu Anran’s car to school again the next day.
When she thought about it, having a small-company young CEO as her personal driver wasn’t so bad.
Except this personal driver didn’t act like a typical one who stuck strictly to his duties; he always liked to meddle in the passenger’s business, and now he was even managing her menstrual cycle.
Entering the main door of the building, Liu Xie looked at the clean and tidy environment and the people around her dressed in formal suits, and she inexplicably felt like an ugly duckling who had wandered into the swan’s circle.
Even with her angelic face, devilish figure, and seductive voice, she wasn’t just an ugly duckling here—she was more like a crane standing among chickens.
She even heard the receptionist enthusiastically greeting her “good younger brother,” though the overly flirtatious manner seemed a bit overdone.
“Director Liu, good afternoon!”
Liu Xie had thought that such eye-fluttering gestures only appeared in movies when the plot demanded it, but she never expected to see it in real life.
However, as soon as the flamboyant receptionist spotted Liu Xie, her expression instantly changed—like a mouse encountering a cat.
And it was that huge Northeast Chinchilla cat type.
Liu Xie didn’t notice this, of course. She just watched her dear younger brother’s reaction to see how Liu Anran would respond.
Because Liu Xie had stopped walking, Liu Anran paused as well and turned to look at her. His usual cold expression was tinged with concern.
“What’s wrong?”
Good. At this moment, her rude, ill-mannered CEO younger brother didn’t even bother to pay attention to the receptionist.
“Nothing.” Liu Xie shook her head, but it didn’t seem to ease Liu Anran’s suspicions.
He stared without blinking, his steps halted as if deep in thought.
Then he spoke, “Just wait here. You don’t need to follow me around anymore. I’ll come find you once I’m done.”
“Huh?” Liu Xie hadn’t responded yet when Liu Anran gently pressed her down onto one of the small sofas in the lobby.
This was clearly a tiny employee rest area, though judging by the look of it, few employees probably had time to rest here.
It seemed Liu Anran thought Liu Xie wasn’t feeling well, explaining his earlier pause.
“There are charging outlets here, and over there is a drink vending machine, but no ice for you.”
Liu Anran gave her a few final instructions. “If you’re bored, feel free to walk around a bit. Just say my name if anyone asks. And if anything comes up you can’t handle, call me.”
Liu Xie felt like he was speaking like a parent reminding their child before a school trip—there was something about being treated like a kid.
“Oh, I know, I’m an adult. I can take care of myself,” Liu Xie waved her hand dismissively.
Liu Anran left.
Unlike before when he’d leave decisively, now that Liu Xie wasn’t by his side, he kept looking back as he walked down the hall.
It was as if he absolutely couldn’t bear to leave her alone here.
Finally, he disappeared inside the elevator, leaving Liu Xie waiting alone.
But Liu Xie wasn’t one to sit still for long. After briefly looking at her phone, she stood up to survey her younger brother’s workplace.
The more she looked, the more it matched the stereotype of a commercial office building. And usually at this point, a Mary Sue female lead would walk in, accidentally catching the attention of a young CEO, leading to a dramatic and melodramatic love-hate relationship that eventually ends happily.
Liu Xie considered herself incapable of being that kind of protagonist because she imagined the CEO’s parents would have just paid to make her leave if needed.
Was she mixing up the plot?
Frowning, Liu Xie stood by the elevator door, watching the numbers count down.
“Hello.”
Suddenly, a young woman appeared beside her and greeted her.
“Huh?” Liu Xie hadn’t expected someone to say hi and replied, “Hello.”
The woman wore casual clothes, looking somewhat out of place among the others.
“I noticed you don’t have a work badge. You don’t look like an employee here. So, what are you…?”
Clearly, she was asking Liu Xie’s purpose for being here.
Liu Xie remembered that Liu Anran had said if anyone asked, she could give his name.
“Liu Anran,” she said succinctly.
“Hey, me too.” The woman smiled warmly.
“Ah?”
Ooh, competition perhaps?