{Chapter: 341 Who is this man?}
It was all Lin Yuan's fault.
Yan Ruyue's mind felt muddled, caught somewhere between dazed confusion and overwhelming emotion and heat. Her usually sharp, calculating eyes were now misted over, shimmering with uncertainty. Her breath came in soft, fluttering waves, and her entire body felt as if it were melting—delicate, pliant, unsteady.
But the moment she heard Xiaoyun's voice from outside the office door, reality struck like a cold breeze.
Her hazy thoughts snapped back into focus.
Somehow, from deep within herself, she found the strength to push Lin Yuan away from her. Her palms landed against his chest, firm and decisive.
"O-Okay~! I-I see~~!" Yan Ruyue called out in response to Xiaoyun, her tone sweet and breathy, laced with a fragile tenderness she usually never revealed.
That soft and syrupy voice slipped past her lips involuntarily, revealing the emotions she was trying to suppress. It was so different from her usual cold, distant tone that even Lin Yuan felt a sudden stir in his chest.
Outside, Xiaoyun paused, her eyebrows twitching in surprise. That... didn't sound like the icy, authoritative President Yan she worked under every day.
There was something oddly seductive in that voice.
Yan Ruyue herself noticed the change, and her face flushed again. She coughed lightly to mask her embarrassment, her elegant hand rising to cover her lips.
"Ahem! I'll be there shortly. Just wait for me outside," she called out again, this time in a firmer, more composed tone—closer to her usual businesslike demeanor.
Inside the office, Lin Yuan stood by with a slight smirk dancing on his lips. His dark eyes shimmered with amusement, watching her regather her composure like a cat licking its fur back into place after a tumble.
Yan Ruyue turned to glare at him—well, as much of a glare as someone with burning cheeks and misty eyes could give.
"You're the worst," she muttered, lips pouting slightly, though her voice lacked any real anger.
Her gorgeous face still held traces of red, a soft warmth that made her look not just beautiful but alive—vibrant in a way rarely seen.
It was Lin Yuan's fault.
Every bit of the heat swirling in Yan Ruyue's cheeks, every tremble still lingering in her legs, every wrinkle in her once-immaculate outfit—it was all because of him.
Her thoughts were scattered, drifting in a haze of lingering pleasure and confusion. Her breath came shallow and uneven. Her long lashes fluttered, and her body—normally composed and elegant—now felt dangerously soft and weak.
Her blouse had been unbuttoned halfway down, her lace bra slightly askew, barely holding together. The hem of her skirt had ridden high around her hips, and her thigh-high stockings, once flawlessly worn, now bore the evidence of his mischief—creased and uneven. One of the garters had even come undone, dangling just above her knee.
There were still traces of where his hands had wandered. Her skin tingled where his fingers had trailed, and the memory of his lips—pressing soft, teasing kisses against the tops of her thighs, just above the silk—made her chest tighten.
"You're… you're the worst," she whispered, voice trembling—not with fear, but with lingering embarrassment and something far more dangerous.
He only grinned.
Still flustered, she moved to fix herself, but Lin Yuan stepped forward without hesitation. "Let me help you," he said, voice calm but laced with amusement.
She instinctively stepped back, but he was already reaching for her, straightening her blouse, adjusting her skirt, gently hooking her garter strap back into place. His fingers brushed along her thighs, just enough to remind her of the kisses he'd left behind minutes earlier.
"You—stop that," she hissed softly, her voice barely convincing.
"I'm just helping," he replied smoothly, though his fingers moved with deliberate slowness.
She let him continue, if only because her hands were shaking too much to do it herself.
"You're really to blame," she murmured, not even looking at him. Her eyes were fixed on the floor, and her ears were red..
Yan Ruyue shivered faintly but allowed it.
Her voice tinged with embarrassment and a trace of girlish resentment.
She scolded him lightly, but to Lin Yuan, it sounded more like flirtation. Especially since her eyes betrayed her—the same eyes that had coldly dominated boardrooms were now filled with an undeniable affection.
He let her chastise him, saying nothing. Compared to their playful exchange at the cinema, today's encounter had escalated—this time, he had tasted more than just her lips and tongue.
Still, he offered no defense. Instead, he silently assisted her, his gaze lingering on her a bit longer than necessary.
When the two of them had finally tidied everything up, Yan Ruyue took a few deep breaths, pressing her hands to her chest to calm her fluttering heart. Then, with all the dignity she could muster, she stepped out of the office.
Outside, Lin Yuan followed closely behind.
Standing at the door was Secretary Xiaoyun. She turned and spotted them both emerging together—and immediately her gaze sharpened.
"Let's head to the conference room," Yan Ruyue instructed calmly, as if nothing had happened.
"Understood, President Yan," Xiaoyun responded, bowing slightly.
The three of them walked down the corridor toward the elevator. Xiaoyun deliberately kept her gaze lowered. She dared not look too closely at Lin Yuan—not just because of his striking appearance, but because of what her sharp senses were telling her.
She had seen President Yan's cheeks—still slightly pink. She had noticed the faint flush to her neck and the minute disarray of her usually perfect clothing.
Xiaoyun had worked with Yan Ruyue long enough to notice even the smallest of changes.
The hem of her skirt was slightly uneven, the neckline of her blouse a little looser than normal, and her stockings—oddly—were misaligned. One side was clearly just a touch higher than the other.
It didn't take a genius to put two and two together.
Her mind involuntarily wandered back to the muffled voice she had heard earlier—soft, delicate, and clearly out of breath. She snuck a glance at Lin Yuan, whose handsome face remained utterly calm, unreadable.
What... exactly had happened in the office?
Xiaoyun's cheeks slowly reddened as her imagination ran wild.
Still, she knew better than to ask.
She kept her head down, pretending that nothing had caught her attention, that she had not noticed the signs or the awkward atmosphere between the two.
As for Yan Ruyue, she remained blissfully unaware of her secretary's internal suspicions. She held her composure as best she could, walking steadily forward.
But her heart—her heart was still beating too fast.
And Lin Yuan? He strolled beside her like nothing had happened, lips curled in a faint smile, the memory of her trembling body still fresh in his mind.
Since there was no mirror in the office, Yan Ruyue could only rely on the faint reflection in the polished surface of the elevator doors. With a practiced hand, she adjusted the edges of her blouse, smoothing the creases and making sure her skirt was properly aligned. Her sharp gaze traced her appearance critically, ensuring that no trace of her earlier disarray remained visible.
While straightening her collar, she couldn't help but glance sideways at Lin Yuan, who stood beside her with that same infuriatingly calm smile. He looked completely at ease, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all.
Rolling her eyes, Yan Ruyue clicked her tongue softly in disapproval, but said nothing.
She focused again on her appearance, smoothing her hair back and tugging lightly at her cuffs. As the elevator slowed, nearing the floor where the conference room was located, she took one final breath to compose herself.
She had been the president of Yanyue Company for years. Regardless of what had just happened behind closed doors, once she stepped out into that conference room, she needed to be the ice-cold, unshakable leader her company knew her to be.
That part of her—disciplined, professional, untouchable—had been honed over countless board meetings, public appearances, and crisis negotiations. The moment the elevator gave a soft ding and the doors slid open, that persona snapped perfectly back into place.
Xiaoyun, standing, bowed slightly and gestured ahead.
"President Yan, this way."
Without hesitation, Yan Ruyue stepped forward with her usual grace, Lin Yuan trailing just a step behind her.
The conference room they entered was spacious and sleek, dominated by a long mahogany table polished to a glossy sheen. Around it sat a number of middle-aged men and women, all dressed in tailored suits. Their expressions were sharp, businesslike, with a mixture of impatience and restrained curiosity.
Lin Yuan's eyes briefly scanned the room. It was easy to tell who these people were—shareholders, and not just ordinary ones. These were the core investors who had backed Yanyue Company during its formative years and now sought to pressure Yan Ruyue into a major decision.
As expected, all eyes turned toward the two of them as they entered.
While most had been expecting Yan Ruyue to appear, they hadn't expected the man walking beside her.
Their gazes lingered—some confused, others surprised. Yan Ruyue, known for her icy distance and her deliberate avoidance of unnecessary contact with men, now walked shoulder to shoulder with someone.
More than that, she seemed comfortable—too comfortable.
Some of the more well-informed shareholders recognized Lin Yuan and exchanged subtle glances.
Wasn't this the same Lin Yuan whom Yan Ruyue had been engaged to in the past? The one she had reportedly been cold to, even rejecting publicly at one point?
And yet now, the atmosphere between them was very different.
Very close. Too close.
The change was enough to stir whispers in the minds of several present, though no one dared voice their questions aloud.
Still, the air was thick with speculation.
Despite their private curiosities, most soon turned their focus to the matter at hand. There were business decisions to be made, contracts to finalize. Gossip could wait.
Without needing instruction, Lin Yuan followed Yan Ruyue to the head of the table. She took the main seat with composed authority, and he sat casually beside her, as though he belonged there.
A thick document was already placed in front of her. Xiaoyun approached quietly and leaned down to speak softly in her ear.
"President Yan, this is the official share transfer agreement. The names of all parties who've agreed to sell their shares are listed here. Once you sign, the transfer will become legally binding and effective immediately."
Yan Ruyue gave a faint nod, her expression unreadable. With a calm hand, she picked up the document and began flipping through the pages.
Her eyes drifted down the list of names, her expression betraying nothing.
But inside, each name stirred a different reaction.
Some of these shareholders had been with Yanyue Company since its early days—people she had once considered allies, even friends. Their departure stung, if only slightly.
As she scanned each name, her eyes occasionally flicked up to meet the gaze of the individual in question, briefly locking eyes across the table.
Some of them couldn't meet her stare. Ashamed, perhaps, that they were walking away when things weren't as easy or profitable as they had hoped.
Others nodded slightly, silently thanking her—for she was buying their shares at a price marginally above market value. A kindness, though one that offered her strategic control.
A few sat stiffly, their pride unbending. They clearly believed they were making the right call, choosing to exit while they still could.
And then there were those who simply didn't care—eyes blank, fingers tapping on the table, treating this like just another business transaction.
Once she had finished scanning the list, Yan Ruyue placed the document on the table and straightened her back.
Her cold, composed voice broke the silence.
"I have reviewed the share transfer agreement," she began, her voice steady and commanding. "Many of the names listed here belong to people I have worked with for years. People I once trusted to stand by this company through both its successes and its setbacks."
She paused, letting her words settle into the room.
"This is a moment of transition. One where all of us will go our separate ways. And that is fine. But before I sign this agreement and make everything final, I have one last question to ask."
Her sharp gaze swept across the table, resting on each shareholder for a breath longer than was comfortable.
"Is there anyone who wishes to withdraw their decision? Anyone who would like to remain part of Yanyue Company?"
A heavy silence filled the room.
For a few moments, no one spoke. The only sound was the soft hum of the air conditioning and the faint buzz of a phone on silent mode.
The air was thick with tension.
And then, as if the weight of her words had shaken something loose, the murmurs began.
A quiet ripple of conversation spread among the shareholders. Some leaned toward each other and whispered. A few shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Others looked directly at Yan Ruyue with uncertain expressions, as if reconsidering their choices for the first time.
The decision wasn't as simple anymore—not when Yan Ruyue, icy and resolute, was staring them down like a queen deciding the fate of her court.
And sitting beside her, Lin Yuan said nothing, his calm, confident presence only deepening the unease of those across the table.
The meeting was no longer just about numbers and contracts.
It was about loyalty. Power. And the subtle but undeniable shift happening within Yanyue Company's walls.