The office was quieter than usual, an odd calm after the chaos of the children's charity event. Jiang Yue sat curled up on the leather couch in Li Zhenkai's office, still scrolling through the endless stream of memes of her "Trampoline Stunt."
"Tragic Muse Bounces Into History."
"The Goddess of Poetry… now also Goddess of Gravity."
"The Bounce That Healed My Depression."
Her lips twitched, but she refused to let herself laugh out loud. She was determined to maintain some shred of dignity.
Fang Zixuan, sprawled lazily in the armchair across from her, tilted his head with that mischievous grin that meant trouble. "You know, Yueyue, your luck is honestly more entertaining than half the dramas I film. If this poetry thing ever slows down, you could join me on set. 'Comedic Goddess.' You'd trend in minutes."
Jiang Yue gave him a withering look. "No thanks. I'd rather not risk more concussions in the name of art."
He chuckled, leaning forward with a gleam in his eyes. "Speaking of risks… I bet something."
Li Zhenkai, seated at his desk flipping through reports, didn't look up. "Don't start." His voice carried that sharp authority, the kind that made most men shrink.
But Zixuan thrived on poking the tiger. "No, listen. I bet you, Zhenkai can't make Yueyue smile without using money, power, or your terrifyingly efficient PR team."
That made Jiang Yue pause. Her gaze flickered between them, amusement slowly blooming in her eyes. "Oh? That sounds interesting."
Finally, Zhenkai looked up, one eyebrow arched. "You want me to participate in your childish games?"
Zixuan smirked. "Childish? Or… impossible?"
The challenge hung in the air. Qin Yuze, who had been silently reviewing files in the corner, didn't even look up. "You're going to regret this," he muttered under his breath.
But Jiang Yue leaned forward, intrigued. "I want to see this. Mr. CEO, without your money or power, can you make me smile?"
For the first time, Li Zhenkai looked… uncertain. His hand stilled over the papers. He was a man who crushed competitors with a phone call, who dismantled corporations with one strategic move. But Jiang Yue's smile? That was not a battlefield he was accustomed to.
"Fine." He stood, adjusting his cuffs, masking the flicker of hesitation with his usual calm composure. "I'll accept."
Zixuan grinned like a proud instigator.
Jiang Yue crossed her arms, watching him closely. Her heart thudded, though she'd never admit it.
After a long pause, Li Zhenkai reached for a napkin from the table. He sat back down, pulled out a pen, and began… sketching.
Jiang Yue leaned closer, her curiosity piqued. His brows furrowed in concentration, as though he was finalizing a billion-dollar merger. Zhenkai barely said a word, only sketching lines with grim determination.
Finally, he turned the napkin around.
Jiang Yue stared.
It was supposed to be her face. But the drawing looked like a lopsided oval with two dots for eyes and what appeared to be… a potato shaped nose.
Silence.
Then Jiang Yue's lips twitched.
"Is that… me?" she whispered, horrified yet amused.
Zhenkai cleared his throat. "Artistic interpretation."
Zixuan fell out of his chair laughing. Qin Yuze finally glanced up, blinked once, then returned to his files as if saying, I refuse to be part of this circus.
Jiang Yue covered her mouth, but the laughter burst out anyway. "This looks like a cursed potato!"
Her laughter filled the office, soft and uncontrollable, echoing like a melody against the usually serious walls.
Zhenkai's gaze softened, the corners of his lips tugging almost imperceptibly. For once, he didn't mind being the butt of the joke. Because he had succeeded, without money, without power.
He made her laugh.
But before the warmth could linger, Zixuan's phone buzzed. His smile faded instantly as he read the message.
"Uh-oh," he muttered, the lighthearted atmosphere dimming. He glanced at Zhenkai. "It's Zhou Meili. She's pushing a new smear campaign, claiming Jiang Yue bribed her way into that publishing house she inherited. She's got tabloids lined up already."
Jiang Yue stiffened. "What?"
Zhenkai's entire aura shifted. The softness was gone, replaced by a razor-sharp intensity. He pulled out his phone, issuing rapid commands. "Trace the source. Shut it down. No one touches her reputation"
Zixuan watched him, expression unreadable. "You really do care, huh?"
Zhenkai's jaw tightened. His eyes never left Jiang Yue as he replied, low and steady, "I don't let anyone toy with what's mine."
Jiang Yue's heart skipped. She should've been offended at the possessiveness. Instead, her chest warmed in ways she wasn't ready to confront.
And as Zhenkai's team moved to dismantle Zhou Meili's attack, Jiang Yue glanced back at the cursed potato sketch. Despite the storm brewing, she smiled again.