Chapter 105

Ruan Liuzheng, the overbearing boss in a pink apron, tightened her grip and took a deep breath. "Did you carefully select that painting?"

Xie Qingcen pursed his lips and remained silent. A faint glint flickered in his dark eyes, and his handsome face took on a slightly darker look.

Ever since he and Ruan Liuzheng agreed to attend Wen Jiming's exhibition together, he had secretly contacted Wen Jiming and, after carefully selecting and examining each of his numerous collections, had finally chosen the painting he had just seen.

The moment he saw it, he immediately thought of Ruan Liuzheng's painting.

Xie Qingcen hadn't hesitated to ask Wen Jiming for it and bought it. They had secretly agreed to give Ruan Liuzheng a surprise today.

Unexpectedly, Ruan Liuzheng's reaction...

His eyes dimmed slightly, and the corners of his thin lips gradually pursed into a straight line.

The clean, neat lines of his face were slightly tense.

He wasn't angry, but simply disappointed.

Ruan Liuzheng felt a pang of pain in his stomach.

She keenly sensed something, and her cold eyes couldn't help but be tinged with a complex emotion.

Once again, she deeply felt Xie Qingcen's deep affection, and once again heard the chaotic heartbeat in her heart.

She looked at Xie Qingcen steadily, and slowed her breathing slightly, "Xie Qingcen, thank you for the surprise you prepared for me, I'm very touched."

Ruan Liuzheng reached out and held Xie Qingcen's wrist, forcing him to raise his hand, guiding his hand to cover his left chest, his eyes raised, and his cold voice revealed a faint smile.

"Do you feel it?"

Xie Qingcen's eyes trembled slightly, and Ruan Liuzheng's faint smile was reflected in his dark eyes, and Ruan Liuzheng's irregular heartbeat was under his palm.

His Adam's apple rolled, and the uneasiness that rose in his heart unexpectedly dissipated.

He lowered his brows, masking the turmoil in his eyes. His voice was clear and even, "Hmm."

Ruan Liuzheng quietly gazed at Xie Qingcen, whose expression remained calm. Her delicate features flickered slightly, and she lowered her eyes, the corners of her pale pink lips curling uncontrollably.

His hand on his chest was so tense it was almost in sync with her heartbeat, yet he stubbornly refused to admit it. He

had a hidden agenda.

Ruan Liuzheng sighed softly, then smiled and explained, "Xie Qingcen, it's not that I don't like that painting, but if I wanted to, I could create hundreds of works of comparable quality."

She paused briefly before continuing, "If you're still unhappy, I'll give you a few paintings in a few days as an apology, okay?"

Xie Qingcen suddenly raised his eyes, his dark, inky eyes glittering with stars, yet beneath them lay a deep, brooding gaze.

He stared at Ruan Liuzheng intently, his sparse brows shrouded in a vague, dark glow.

He accurately caught the confidence and loopholes in Ruan Liuzheng's words.

Xie Qingcen's eyes flickered, "Okay, but what I want to know more now is why you know Astrid so well and are so confident that you can paint works on a level similar to Astrid's?"

Although Hanfei's business does not involve the art world, and Xie Qingcen has never studied art, Xie Qingcen has heard a little about the art world.

A few years ago, the painter Astrid, who suddenly emerged in the art world, was called a genius by people in the art world. Every painting of Astrid was sold at a sky-high price, even to the point where it was hard to find one.

The reason why he chose that painting was also partly due to Astrid.

But now...

Xie Qingcen looked at Ruan Liuzheng's pure and otherworldly face, and a faint light flashed in his deep ink-colored eyes.

He slowly withdrew his hand, the corners of his thin lips slowly raised, and there was a bit of ambiguity in his eyebrows.

His eyes were deep.

Ruan Liuzheng let Xie Qingcen look at her, her beautiful eyes still calm, she said with an unchanged expression, "You've guessed it, haven't you?"

Xie Qingcen smiled lightly, not at all surprised by Ruan Liuzheng's answer, his eyes were pleased, "But I want to hear you tell me in person."

Ruan Liuzheng lowered her eyes slightly, "Then let's talk about this issue again in the future when the time is right."

She avoided Xie Qingcen's question with a clear purpose, her eyes were light, and there was no ups and downs in her cold voice.

But the corners of her lips gradually pursed into a straight line.

It's not that she didn't want to say it, but Xie Qingcen's eyes were too blunt now, so blunt that it was a little embarrassing.

Ruan Liuzheng unconsciously clenched her palms and subconsciously chose to avoid it.

Xie Qingcen didn't think about it either, he looked at Ruan Liuzheng quietly, with a depth that was hard to conceal under his calm eyes.

He chuckled softly, his brows relaxed. "It's time to find a suitable time to have a proper conversation."

"Little Liuzheng, I don't want any more misunderstandings between us due to unfounded reasons."

Xie Qingcen's lips curled slightly, his dark eyes gleaming with a domineering, arrogant air.

Ruan Liuzheng keenly understood the hidden meaning in his words, and recalling her two recent misunderstandings of Xie Qingcen, she nodded, "Yes."

...

Back at Yuelan Mansion, Ruan Liuzheng headed straight for the study. She needed to review her findings from the day and send a list of painters she favored to Rosent, lest someone else preempt her.

Xie Qingcen, on the other hand, went to the kitchen to prepare dinner for Ruan Liuzheng and her son.

This had become a tacit understanding between them.

Half an hour later, Xie Qingcen knocked on the study door. He pushed open the door, a gentle touch on his handsome face.

He had already taken off his rather formal suit jacket, now wearing only a snow-white shirt and a pink plaid apron wrapped around his waist that was completely inconsistent with his temperament.

It was a last-minute gift from Ruan Liuzheng when they went shopping at the mall.

Ruan Liuzheng had originally thought it was harmless, but now, looking at Xie Qingcen in front of her, she suddenly felt that she should go to the mall again.

If his assistants or employees knew about this domineering boss wearing a pink apron, his dignity would be completely lost.

Ruan Liuzheng stopped typing on the keyboard, his cold eyes quietly looking at Xie Qingcen in front of him, a slight curve at the corner of his lips.

"Is it time to pick up Chengcheng?"

Xie Qingcen nodded. He took two steps forward, leaned lazily against the desk, and lowered his eyes. "Miss Ruan, this is the third time."

He smiled, his delicate eyebrows and eyes carrying a hint of a half-smile of teasing.

Ruan Liuzheng paused, and her light crimson lips pursed slightly.

A rare hint of embarrassment flashed across his cold eyes.

Indeed, since she and Xie Qingcen had been together, this was the third time she had forgotten the time because of work.

And every time, Xie Qingcen would appear on time to remind her, which gradually made her develop a habit.

But this was not a good sign for Ruan Liuzheng.

Ruan Liuzheng's eyes flickered slightly, and she opened her lips and said, "I won't give you this opportunity next time."

"Let's go!"

Ruan Liuzheng stood up and glanced at Xie Qingcen calmly, her beautiful eyebrows revealing a serious look.