Chapter 24: A Date with a Beauty

In the afternoon, Zhang Jun accompanied Ma Hongqi for a game of Go.

Waiters kept knocking at the door, reporting that various individuals were requesting an audience, asking if Ma would see them. Ma waved them off, instructing the staff that no visitors were to be admitted; if they had business, they could discuss it at his office. He was approached by countless people every day, and if he accepted everyone, he would never get anything done.

"Little Zhang, you're quite something! Your skills are impressive, though you still lost by half a point. I suppose you won't be getting that reward I promised you—you'll have to try harder next time!" Ma Hongqi chuckled after winning, adding, "Let's go again!"

Zhang Jun smiled calmly. He had exerted all his effort just to lose, and he was relieved to have finally succeeded. Ma Hongqi loved Go, but his actual skill was mediocre at best. For Zhang Jun, winning was effortless, but losing was a delicate art. He couldn't make it too obvious; he had to let his boss feel a sense of accomplishment, as if he had narrowly emerged victorious after a fierce struggle. This way, he wouldn't be perceived as useless, yet he would still bring his boss joy. This wasn't just flattery—it was about maintaining the boss's morale. If the boss won and was in a good mood, wouldn't his life and work be more pleasant as a result?

As the games concluded, evening began to fall. Suddenly, Ma Hongqi asked, "Little Zhang, are you familiar with the West Warm Pavilion?"

Zhang Jun was slightly startled. He had eaten there twice, both times as a guest; it was a high-end establishment. He wondered if his boss already knew. Even a low-level civil servant like him felt the anxiety of being caught in a compromising position, and Zhang Jun was no exception.

"I know it; it's a high-end restaurant," Zhang Jun replied without hesitation. To hesitate for even a second would be an insult to his own intelligence. He quickly added the truth: "The first time I went there was after I became your secretary; my former colleagues invited me to dinner there."

Ma Hongqi asked, "What is the price level like?"

"It's quite expensive. We didn't even drink anything premium, and it cost over five hundred. The private rooms charge a hidden ten percent service fee; some people are exempt, others aren't. We weren't exempt last time."

"Who is exempt?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but I've heard it's for those who hold a Supreme Card."

"I see. Comrade Zhou Kang invited me to eat there recently, and he has one of those cards. He takes great pride in it! If every one of our comrades were kept like pets by businessmen just like him, it would be a terrifying prospect."

Zhang Jun could tell his boss was very dissatisfied with Zhou Kang. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Boss, there is something, and I'm not sure if I should say it..."

Ma Hongqi waved his hand. "Speak!"

Zhang Jun spoke in an ambiguous tone, "I don't know if I'm being overly sensitive, but Secretary-General Zhou has repeatedly urged me to report your whereabouts to him. When I refuse, he scolds me harshly, calling me incompetent. I told him I serve the boss, not the Secretary-General, which left him furious."

Ma Hongqi smiled, though the expression was enigmatic. "He’s done this more than once. The man before you, Gao Hai, was someone he arranged for me. He wouldn't listen to him either, and ended up in a car accident. Are you afraid?"

Zhang Jun straightened his posture and said firmly, "I am your man, and I only listen to you. With you here, I am not afraid."

Ma Hongqi invited him to stay for dinner. Just then, Zhang Jun’s phone chimed. Hearing it, Ma said, "If you have something to attend to, go ahead."

Zhang Jun glanced at the message from Xie Xiaoya: "Master, where are you? Didn't we agree on a date tonight?"

He quickly typed back: "I'm having dinner at the boss's place. Wait for me." He then said to Ma, "Just a friend, nothing important. I think I'll impose on your hospitality for dinner!" He spoke lightly to keep the atmosphere pleasant.

After dinner, Zhang Jun wished his boss a good rest and took his leave. There was a live-in maid at Ma's villa to handle chores, so Zhang Jun wasn't needed for anything else. Outside the guest house, he called Xie Xiaoya. "Where are you?"

Xie Xiaoya said, sounding aggrieved, "I'm at the dorm, where else would I be? I've been waiting for your summons, but you left me stranded halfway. I haven't even eaten yet!"

Hearing her soft, sweet voice made his ears tingle. "I'll treat you, then. What do you want to eat?"

"Hehe, I don't want to go out. Could you buy something and bring it to my dorm? Please? My roommate went home, so I'm all alone." Her voice carried a seductive charm that made his skin crawl with anticipation.

"I'll come over," Zhang Jun replied.

He had traveled the road to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Institute for five years, commuting several times a day; he knew it like the back of his hand. The dormitory was an old-fashioned block, a style common before the nineties, now only preserved by outdated institutions like this one.

When he reached her door, he knocked. It opened immediately.

"Master!" Xie Xiaoya was wearing a revealing two-piece outfit that left little to the imagination, exposing her midriff and slender waist.

"Xiaoya, I bought you some rice with toppings. Eat up."

Zhang Jun caught a glimpse of her fair skin and averted his gaze, only to see her long, straight, porcelain-white legs. Xie Xiaoya smiled, as radiant as a spring breeze. She took the takeout, placed it on the table, and began to eat. Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, she said, "Master, sit on my bed. Anywhere is fine."

The room held two beds, two desks, and a wardrobe. Her bed was by the window, which looked out onto a courtyard with a swaying magnolia tree. Zhang Jun sat on the edge of the bed, catching a faint, refreshing scent. His heart fluttered.

As he turned his head, he spotted her undergarments resting near the pillow. They were surprisingly large. 36C? He hadn't expected her to be so well-endowed given her slim frame. A sudden dryness settled in his throat.

"Master, you must be very busy with work, right?" Xie Xiaoya asked between bites.

Zhang Jun murmured a response. She was wearing a backless top, and her smooth, delicate back swayed before his eyes. "Master, I find you incredibly calm and steady. You're so different from other men," she said, turning back to smile at him.

"Just finish your food," Zhang Jun said with a wave of his hand.

After eating, she tidied up and went to the washroom to freshen up. When she returned, she closed the door and gently locked it. Hearing the bolt slide, Zhang Jun’s heart began to race. He forced himself to stay calm—it wasn't as if he were inexperienced; why was he acting like a novice?

Xie Xiaoya walked over gracefully and sat on the edge of the bed. She tilted her head, watching him. Her face was flawless, as smooth and tender as jade, making him long to reach out and touch her.