The next morning, Xiao Mei sat at the large dining table, eating a perfectly cooked omelet (prepared by the maids, obviously). Liang arrived, looking surprisingly rested. He chose a seat across the table, maintaining a safe distance.
"I won't discuss what happened last night," Liang stated coolly. "But I expect my personal space to be respected from now on."
"Of course, Hubby! Your comfort is my primary function!" Xiao Mei replied, giving him a saccharine sweet smile that made him narrow his eyes.
[Cupid 5000: Warning! Love Rating at 80% is stable but fragile. Subject is initiating avoidance tactics. Immediate escalation required.]
[New Quest: Jealousy Protocol. Goal: Raise Love Rating to 90%. Task: Publicly meet and flirt with a male acquaintance in front of the subject. Reward: A new, faster Quantum Processing Chip for the Host's laptop. Penalty: Host must work as the Subject's assistant secretary for one full week.]
Xiao Mei nearly choked on her omelet. "Assistant secretary?! Managing his calls and his ego for a week? That's worse than the kitchen ban!" She looked at the reward—a new Quantum Chip—and her eyes glowed with greed. "I need that chip. Jealousy Protocol activated!"
She immediately thought of the perfect target: Zhang Min, a fellow programmer and long-suffering colleague from her past life. Zhang Min was the most logical, socially awkward, and least threatening man she knew. He was perfect for infuriating Liang.
She quickly sent a text: [Xiao Mei]: Zhang Min! Urgent meeting! Coffee, downtown, 1 PM. It's about Project SunnySideUp!
At 1:00 PM, Xiao Mei, wearing an outfit that was fashionable but too tight and revealing for a casual coffee, sat conspicuously at a cafe directly across the street from the Liang Group Headquarters. She had strategically informed Liang she would be "shopping downtown."
Zhang Min arrived precisely at 1:05 PM, looking lost in his oversized hoodie and thick glasses.
"Xiao Mei! Why are you dressed like that? And Project SunnySideUp was decommissioned three years ago," Zhang Min said, pulling out a small notebook and pencil.
"Oh, Darling Zhang Min!" Xiao Mei purred, grabbing his hand and pulling him down into the seat opposite her. Her voice was loud enough to carry. "I missed you so much! You are the only person who truly understands my logic!"
Zhang Min blinked rapidly. "Our logic is based on binary structure. It's objectively understandable."
"Stop talking about logic, my handsome coder! Tell me about us," Xiao Mei whispered, leaning across the small table so her silk blouse slipped slightly.
Zhang Min went bright red. "Us? There is no 'us.' We are colleagues. The emotional complexity is zero."
[Cupid 5000: Warning! Protocol failing due to low engagement from the acquaintance. Increase physical proximity.]
Xiao Mei took a massive risk. She reached over and gently adjusted Zhang Min's glasses, letting her fingers linger on his cheek. "You look so serious when you think about our... collaboration."
At that precise moment, a sleek black car pulled up aggressively near the curb. Liang stormed out, his face a mask of rage that far surpassed mere "Extreme Aggression."
Liang marched straight to their table. He didn't look at Xiao Mei; his gaze was fixed entirely on poor Zhang Min.
"Who are you?" Liang demanded, his voice low and vibrating with menace.
Zhang Min, overwhelmed by the sudden appearance of the imposing CEO, dropped his notebook. "I—I'm Zhang Min. We—we were just discussing... collaboration."
Liang didn't believe him for a second. He noticed the red lipstick mark on the rim of Xiao Mei's coffee cup and her exposed shoulder.
"Collaboration? My wife does not collaborate with men she barely knows." Liang gripped the back of Xiao Mei's chair, looming over her. "Xiao Mei, we're leaving. Now."
"But Hubby! Zhang Min and I were just getting to the critical part of the algorithm!" Xiao Mei protested sweetly, batting her eyelashes at Liang—a gesture she knew he hated.
Liang grabbed her wrist, his control snapping. "I said, NOW!"
He hauled her out of the chair, not caring about the startled cafe patrons. He practically dragged her back to the car.
He threw her inside. "If you want to flirt, Xiao Mei, flirt with ME! Not some pathetic coding nerd who looks like he lives in a basement!"
The car roared away from the curb.
[Love Rating: 90%]
The entire jump happened the moment Liang's hand clamped down on her wrist.
Xiao Mei straightened her clothes, a huge grin spreading across her face. "Cupid 5000! Success! 90%! I got the chip and I avoided being his secretary!"
Liang glared at her. "Why are you smiling?"
"Oh, nothing, Hubby! I just realized how much you care about my collaborators!" she chirped.
Liang gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. He didn't understand the complex logic behind her madness, but he understood the sudden, intense possessiveness he felt. "Just stay out of the kitchen and stay away from strange men!"