This was a high-end teahouse, and Chu Xiaotian had gone all out, booking a VIP suite. The room wasn’t just for tea and conversation; it also included a bedroom, making it no different from a hotel’s presidential suite. He had meticulously prepared everything, including a plan to drug the aloof CEO to make his intentions easier to achieve.
Lin Chuqing entered the private room with a slight frown. She had agreed to the meeting despite her reservations about Chu Xiaotian’s intentions. The timing of 6 p.m., with daylight still lingering, provided her with some reassurance. Furthermore, the location being a teahouse rather than a hotel eased her concerns somewhat.
Even so, her guard remained up.
As she walked in, her sharp gaze immediately landed on Chu Xiaotian, who was clumsily fiddling with a tea set, pretending to brew tea.
“Chu Qing, you’re here! Please, have a seat,” he greeted with a smile.
Lin Chuqing’s entrance was like a cool breeze. Her flawless features, elegant figure, and noble, icy demeanor captured attention effortlessly.
Every time Chu Xiaotian saw her, he couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned. Today was no different. His heart raced uncontrollably at the sight of this peerless beauty.
Suppressing his excitement, he reminded himself to maintain his composure and act like a gentleman.
He extended a hand toward her in a welcoming gesture.
Lin Chuqing noticed the greed flickering in his eyes, and her expression darkened. However, in the interest of resolving their ongoing conflict, she decided to endure her discomfort and sat down across from him.
She wasted no time and asked coldly, “Mr. Chu, you mentioned resolving our conflict. Is that true?”
“Of course,” Chu Xiaotian replied boldly, quickly following up with a rehearsed display of affection. “Chu Qing, you know how I feel about you. How could I bear to be at odds with you?”
Her expression remained stoic as she stared at him, her gaze cold and unyielding.
Seeing this, Chu Xiaotian feigned a sudden epiphany and slapped his own forehead.
“Ah, my memory! How could I forget? At the business expo, I made those reckless threats. That was entirely my fault.” He sighed deeply, his tone full of remorse. “I was blinded by anger after being humiliated, and I let my emotions get the better of me.”
“I regretted those words the moment I said them. Ever since, I’ve been consumed with guilt and unease. That’s why I wanted to meet you—to apologize.”
Chu Xiaotian stood up and gave a sincere bow. “I’m truly sorry, Chu Qing.”
This apology was part of the strategy Li Xiao had advised. To lower Lin Chuqing’s guard, an acknowledgment of past mistakes was necessary.
Li Xiao had been clear: If you want to achieve your goals, you must be patient and willing to endure some discomfort.
Chu Xiaotian had taken this advice to heart. Winning over Lin Chuqing, this "iceberg CEO," was worth any hardship—even humiliation.
Lin Chuqing’s eyes flickered briefly, but rather than feeling moved, she found herself growing more disgusted. If not for her goal of resolving the conflict, she would have left immediately.
Her tone turned colder. “Mr. Chu, I’ve already told you that it’s impossible between us. Please don’t waste your time.”
A shadow passed briefly across Chu Xiaotian’s face, but he quickly masked it with a forced smile.
“I understand, Chu Qing. You have every right to reject me. But you can’t stop me from liking you,” he said earnestly. “You can turn me down, but I won’t give up. One day, I’ll win your heart.”
Lin Chuqing was speechless. His persistence was irritating, but his implication was clear: his affection for her was the reason he had stopped opposing her company. He wanted to turn hostility into friendship.
There wasn’t much she could say to that. After all, she couldn’t control his thoughts. Since she had no intention of pursuing a relationship with him, she decided to let it be.
Her primary purpose for this meeting was to resolve the company’s issues, and that had been achieved. She saw no reason to stay any longer.
“Is there anything else, Mr. Chu?” she asked, her tone distant. “If not, I’ll take my leave. There’s still plenty of work waiting for me back at the office.”
“Chu Qing, can’t you stay just a little longer?” Chu Xiaotian’s voice softened, almost pitifully. “This conflict between us could’ve been resolved with a simple phone call. The only reason I asked you to meet was to see you.”
He gestured toward the tea set on the table. “Let’s at least share a cup of tea and talk for a while.”
By now, the tea was brewed.
Chu Xiaotian poured two cups with exaggerated care, placing one in front of Lin Chuqing and holding the other himself.
“This is all I ask, Chu Qing,” he said earnestly. “You know how much I’ve sacrificed for you. I even fought with my father and refused to be his obedient son anymore.”
“Please, just this one cup of tea. Fulfill this small wish of mine.”
His words carried a hint of truth, making them even more convincing. In his pursuit of Lin Chuqing, he had indeed defied his father, earning the scornful label of "licker" and risking being disowned.
Lin Chuqing frowned slightly.
Chu Xiaotian’s serious tone and demeanor made her hesitate.
She recalled the threats he had once made, claiming it was his father’s decision to suppress her company. The blockade had only been lifted because Chu Xiaotian had intervened.
She thought to herself, ‘Perhaps he really did stand up to his father for my sake.’
Even so, her heart remained unmoved.
If Chu Xiaotian still refused to give up, what else could he be called but a hopeless sycophant?
Lin Chuqing considered the sincerity of Chu Xiaotian’s words, her gaze landing on the teacup in front of her. A thought crossed her mind—was there something wrong with the tea?
With her stunning looks and sharp intellect, Lin Chuqing had carved out a name for herself in the business world. She wasn’t the type to trust easily, especially not sweet words or hollow gestures. She had always been vigilant.
As if reading her mind, Chu Xiaotian chuckled awkwardly.
“Chu Qing, do you really think I’d do something to the tea? Haha… How could I ever harm you?” he said, his tone half-joking.
To prove his innocence, he picked up his own teacup and drank it in one gulp. Then, to further reassure her, he poured himself another cup, drank it just as quickly, and refilled his cup again.
But as the second cup went down, Chu Xiaotian began to feel something unusual. A heat spread through his chest, like a fire igniting inside him.
What the hell? he thought.
Where did Li Xiao get this medicine? Isn’t this effect way too strong?
When the drug was being prepared, Chu Xiaotian had repeatedly asked Li Xiao about its specifics, but Li Xiao had been evasive, saying only that it would be a "surprise." Now, it seemed like Li Xiao’s so-called "surprise" had backfired.
As the effects of the drug intensified, Chu Xiaotian shot a quick, panicked glance at Li Xiao, who stood quietly nearby.
Something’s wrong, he realized.
The drug was supposed to work on Lin Chuqing, but why was it affecting him instead?
It was, of course, part of Li Xiao’s plan. He knew Lin Chuqing’s personality well—reserved, cautious, and particularly wary of men. There was no way she would drink tea offered by someone she didn’t trust.
To lower her guard, Li Xiao had advised Chu Xiaotian to drink the tea himself—multiple times if necessary. Appearing desperate to prove his innocence, even foolish, was the best way to win her over.
Chu Xiaotian had followed Li Xiao’s advice to the letter. It made sense at the time. But now, with the drug’s effects overwhelming him, he regretted it. He didn’t dare drink another drop, afraid he would lose control before Lin Chuqing even sipped her tea. That would ruin everything.
Li Xiao, observing Chu Xiaotian’s gratitude-filled glances, couldn’t help but feel a pang of disdain.
‘Why are you so excited? You’re like a lab rat testing the drug on yourself, and you won’t even get to enjoy the results.’ He thought bitterly.
Li Xiao’s gaze flicked to Lin Chuqing. Her beauty was unparalleled—elegant, cold, and untouchable. She exuded a sense of conquest that could drive any man mad.
He felt a wave of bitterness.
This perfect woman... destined to fall into Xu Hao’s hands.
The thought was unbearable. For nights, Li Xiao had been tormented by the idea of Lin Chuqing being humiliated and broken by the villain Xu Hao. He had even considered warning her, but Xu Hao’s threats held him back.
If he told Lin Chuqing the truth, she might escape harm. However, Xu Hao would turn his wrath on Li Xiao’s family, endangering his parents and sister. The thought kept him silent.
Suddenly, Li Xiao’s heart clenched. His eyes widened in alarm as he saw Lin Chuqing pick up the teacup.
She had watched Chu Xiaotian drink the tea twice without issue. Believing it safe, she decided to fulfill his wish and leave as quickly as possible.
Even so, she remained cautious. Bringing the cup to her lips, she sniffed it first. Her sharp senses detected no abnormalities.
The tea tasted pure.
Hehuan Powder... It’s supposed to be colorless and odorless, she reminded herself. But her examination revealed nothing suspicious.
Without further hesitation, Lin Chuqing tipped her head back and drank the tea in one gulp.
Placing the empty cup back on the table, she looked at Chu Xiaotian and said calmly, “I’ve had the tea. Can I leave now?”
For a moment, Chu Xiaotian was too overwhelmed to respond. His excitement nearly caused him to lose control. He knew the potency of the drug—it was already affecting him, even in small doses.
‘Lin Chuqing won’t last long.’ He thought gleefully.
Dropping his pretense, his expression twisted into something unrecognizable.
“I’m not stopping you,” he said, his tone smug. “You can leave if you want... but I suggest you wait a little longer.”
Lin Chuqing’s heart sank at his sudden shift in demeanor. Her sharp gaze fell on the teacup, and dread filled her chest.
The tea... something was in it.
The realization hit her just as heat surged through her body. A fire seemed to ignite from within, spreading rapidly.
Her frosty expression turned colder as she glared at Chu Xiaotian. “You drugged me?” she demanded, her voice sharp and accusing.
Chu Xiaotian burst into maniacal laughter, his face contorted with twisted satisfaction.
“Did you just figure it out? Too bad it’s too late. The drug is already working its way through your body,” he sneered, his voice filled with unrestrained glee.
His eyes burned with uncontrollable desire, reflecting the depths of his obsession and depravity.
Lin Chuqing frowned deeply, her mind racing.
Observing Chu Xiaotian’s flushed face and his visible struggle to endure the effects of the drug, she quickly pieced it together. Chu Xiaotian had fallen victim to his own trap.
He had done it deliberately, taking the drug himself to trick her into drinking the tea. He even drank two cups without hesitation. Despite her caution, Lin Chuqing had been deceived by his bumbling and harmless act.
She couldn’t believe it. Someone who had pursued her so persistently, who refused to accept her rejection, turned out to be so cunning.
What now? Lin Chuqing thought anxiously.
No matter how cold and composed she was in her professional life, no matter how strict and unyielding she could be, she was still a woman. Facing the impending danger of losing control over herself, she couldn’t help but feel panic welling up.
As the heat in her body surged, Lin Chuqing gritted her teeth in frustration. She had to find a way to escape.
Pushing herself to stand despite the overwhelming discomfort, she stumbled toward the door, hoping to open it and call for help.
But before she could reach it, someone else moved in front of the door.
It was Li Xiao, Chu Xiaotian’s silent accomplice, standing guard with a cold and menacing expression.
They had come prepared.
Lin Chuqing’s distress grew as the heat intensified. Her only choice was to shout for help. She opened her mouth, but the effects of the drug made her voice weak. “Help…”
Meanwhile, Chu Xiaotian was visibly struggling. The drug coursing through his body made him feel like he was on fire, his face twisting with barely contained desire.
Yet he held back.
Li Xiao’s words echoed in his mind: It will be worth it to see the proud Iceberg CEO lose her composure.
Chu Xiaotian smirked, his expression deranged. “Go ahead and scream, Lin Chuqing. Even if you shout until your voice breaks, no one will come to save you!”
He was confident that everything was under his control, his twisted grin filled with delight.
But what Chu Xiaotian didn’t know was that a small pinhole camera was hidden in the room, capturing everything.
The camera transmitted a live feed to the box next door, where Xu Hao, calmly sipping tea, watched the events unfold on his phone.
This was all part of Xu Hao’s plan. He had instructed Li Xiao to set up the camera so that he could intervene at the perfect moment. Xu Hao had no intention of letting Lin Chuqing be harmed, but he needed the timing to be just right.
He had even told Li Xiao to let Chu Xiaotian wait and savor his delusions before making any moves.
Now, as the situation escalated, Xu Hao decided it was time.
He stood up, his expression cold, and strode to the adjacent box.
Without hesitation, he pushed the door open forcefully.
“What’s going on here?” Xu Hao demanded, his voice sharp. “Who’s shouting for help?”
Li Xiao, standing guard at the door, didn’t look surprised by Xu Hao’s sudden appearance. But Chu Xiaotian froze in terror.
Caught in the act, Chu Xiaotian’s face turned pale. He had been celebrating prematurely, thinking his plan was foolproof, and now Xu Hao had caught him red-handed.
Xu Hao wasn’t just anyone—he was an influential figure, a close friend of Chu Xiaotian’s father.
Chu Xiaotian immediately thought of his father’s stern warning: If Xu Hao ever tells me you’ve caused trouble, I’ll break your legs myself!
“Mr. Xu… I-I…” Chu Xiaotian stammered, panic-stricken.
Meanwhile, Lin Chuqing, who had been on the verge of despair, felt a glimmer of hope. She recognized Xu Hao, the CEO of the Xu Group. Although her acquaintance with him was brief, she had a favorable impression of him.
“Mr. Xu, help me!” Lin Chuqing pleaded, her voice trembling.
Xu Hao glanced around the room, his gaze sharp and intimidating. His cold eyes landed on Chu Xiaotian, and his tone was icy. “Get out.”
Chu Xiaotian, overwhelmed by fear and shame, didn’t hesitate. He lowered his head and bolted from the room.
Li Xiao tried to follow, but Xu Hao struck him with a swift, calculated blow. The strike wasn’t lethal but left Li Xiao incapacitated, temporarily robbing him of his strength.
With both troublemakers out of the way, Xu Hao calmly closed the door behind him.
Before he could say anything else, Lin Chuqing, overwhelmed by the drug’s effects, staggered toward him, seeking support...