Plunder-Chapter 148 Xu Yayun Refuses to Comply

"I’m sorry, Sister Yun, I shouldn’t have..."

Before Zhou Jin’an could finish, Qiao En interrupted him.

She had actually been quite touched by his standing up for her moments earlier.

"There was nothing wrong with what you did just now; it’s me who should apologize. I shouldn’t have raised my voice at you in public."

Qiao En stopped, her gaze burning into Zhou Jin’an.

"No, no, you didn’t do anything wrong."

Zhou Jin’an’s arms flailed like windshield wipers, "Sister Yun had told me that my situation is special right now, and I mustn’t speak carelessly, or I will harm myself, and it could also bring trouble to Sister Yun and Brother Cheng Lu. I just forgot in my panic, Sister Yun, did I cause trouble again?"

He looked at Qiao En with hopeful eyes, filled with the fear of being punished for making a mistake.

Qiao En fell silent, "I’ll take you home."

She tried to hail a taxi by the roadside, but Zhou Jin’an stopped her.

"Sister Yun, I don’t want to go home. That house is too big, and I’m really scared when I’m alone. I want to stay at your place."

He pouted, acting childishly.

Qiao En’s heart softened again.

Children are inherently afraid of loneliness and dislike being alone.

If she let Zhou Jin’an go back to Chu Garden alone and something happened, she couldn’t bear the responsibility.

"Then you’ll sleep on the couch tonight."

Qiao En compromised.

Zhou Jin’an didn’t make a sound, still pouting.

When they got home, Qiao En found him a pillow and blanket, but he refused to sleep on the sofa.

"I don’t want to sleep on the sofa; I want to sleep on the bed."

He asked in a low voice.

Qiao En glared at him sternly, "This is my home, and that bed is mine. If you aren’t willing to sleep on the sofa, then I’ll take you back home right now."

"I’m not going home."

Zhou Jin’an huffed, holding the pillow and crumpling himself into a ball on the sofa, his tall frame curled up and turned away from Qiao En, grumpily burying his head in the blanket.

Qiao En ignored him and went to the bedroom after washing up.

She didn’t have the habit of locking her bedroom door and fell asleep once she lay down.

In her dream, it was the same cliff-falling scene again.

The minivan skidded uncontrollably down, rolling along the slope, and she gripped the door handle tightly, her body tumbling around inside the tumbling vehicle.

"Mr. Zhou, save me!"

Before her consciousness blurred, she called out that person’s name.

But he didn’t show up.

Afterward, endless darkness was all that greeted her...

"Mr. Zhou—"

Qiao En jerked awake from the nightmare only to be startled upon opening her eyes.

Zhou Jin’an had entered her bedroom from the living room at some point and had climbed onto her bed.

He sprawled in a bold ’大’ shape on the bed, and she, like a little bird relying on someone, curled up in his embrace.

She rested on his arm, and his other arm held her tightly.

The two were nestled close together like two spoons.

Time seemed to have traveled, bringing them back to the past.

Qiao En’s heart pounded fiercely.

As she turned her head, Zhou Jin’an’s handsome face came into view.

He was fast asleep, his steady breathing echoing in her ear, his warm breath teasing the hairs on the back of her neck.

Time paused for only a second before she instinctively pushed Zhou Jin’an away.

He woke from his sleep, his brows furrowed, his voice groggy as he asked, "Sister Yun, what’s wrong?"

"Who allowed you on my bed?"

Qiao En had already gotten out of bed.

Her heart was in turmoil as she wrapped herself in a blanket.

The man on the bed still looked groggy, "I had a nightmare in the middle of the night, felt very scared, and cold, so I came in here. It’s warmer and feels more secure sleeping with you, Sister Yun. I want to sleep with you from now on."

His childlike words were innocent, but Qiao En couldn’t bear to listen any longer.

He might have felt secure sleeping with her, but she felt anything but.

"Get up; I’m taking you back."

Qiao En found some clothes to change into in the wardrobe and went to the washroom.

No matter what, she had to take him back today.

She still loved him in her heart, but she hadn’t forgiven him yet.

Without finding Su Nian or clearing up the truth, she and Zhou Jin’an couldn’t have such intimate contact again.

However, when Qiao En finished and came out, she found Zhou Jin’an had curled back into the blankets and fallen asleep again.

"Zhou Jin’an, if you want to sleep, go back to your own home."

Qiao En grabbed his ear and dragged him out of the bed.

Zhou Jin’an was incredibly annoyed and stubborn as hell.

"I won’t, I want to sleep on your bed."

He clung to the quilt, refusing to get up no matter what.

Qiao En realized that she was utterly helpless against a child throwing a tantrum.

"Are you sure you won’t get up? Then I’m calling Cheng Lu right now."

After saying that, she actually dialed Cheng Lu’s number.

"Miss Xu, I can’t make it back this morning, please continue to take care of Director Zhou."

Cheng Lu spoke quickly and then hung up the call.

When Qiao En tried to call again, a stiff female voice answered, "The number you have dialed is currently unavailable."

Zhou Jin’an was causing trouble for her, and to make matters worse, Cheng Lu wasn’t in Rong City.

Qiao En was furious, and she chose to give up.

"Then you just sleep."

She took her small bag, left Zhou Jin’an without care, and quickly exited the room.

She ran all the way.

But when she reached Nanchen, she was still one minute late.

Because of that one minute, she was scolded severely.

"Xu Yayun, what’s the matter with you? Didn’t I make myself clear yesterday? You must be on duty by 7:10 am. What’s going on? You’re the only one in the department who’s late. What? Do you think with Director He backing you up, I wouldn’t dare to penalize you?"

Group leader You, the person responsible for cleaning the hall, looked down at Qiao En with dominating arrogance.

"I’m sorry, it wasn’t intentional, I will definitely pay attention next time."

Qiao En apologized with her head bowed respectfully.

But the other party was relentless, "Next time? How long have you been at Nanchen? You caused a scene yesterday, and again today, and you still dare to talk about next time? Do you think Nanchen belongs to your family, and you can come whenever you want? Do you understand what rules are?"

Qiao En didn’t respond.

She knew she was at fault, so it was only natural to be scolded and punished.

"I will report your situation to Director He exactly as it happened. Whether you stay or go will be up to your own fate. Starting now, you are responsible for the cleanliness of the hall’s floor. If there’s another slip-up, just pack up and leave."

After finishing her rebuke, Group Leader You strutted away with her plump hips swaying.

Qiao En’s expression was bland as she picked up a cleaning bucket, bending over and dragging the mop across the floor with all her might.

Group Leader You had ordered a punishment for her, so the several cleaners who originally mopped the floor had been sent elsewhere. In the vast hall, only she was bustling about.

With people coming and going in the hall, to keep the floor clean she had to speed up both the pace and frequency of her mopping.

She was so tired that she couldn’t straighten her back, with large drops of sweat sliding down her forehead.

But even so, Qiao En kept persisting.

Suddenly, a figure planted itself in front of her.

That person also stepped on the mop that Qiao En was holding. She tried to pull it back, but the man was strong and she couldn’t move it.

"Sir, excuse me, could you please step aside?"

Qiao En’s throat was hoarse, as she hadn’t eaten or even had a sip of water since arriving at the company that morning, and she was almost too weak to stand up straight.

"Who told you to mop here? Come with me."

Zhou Jin’an’s voice rang in her ear.

Qiao En was startled and slowly looked up, only to see him standing in front of her with an authoritative face.

Taking advantage of Qiao En’s moment of distraction, he snatched the mop from her hands and threw it forcefully to the ground, then grabbed her wrist and started to drag her away.

"Zhou Jin’an, let go."

Qiao En resisted, but he tightened his grip.

"Not letting go. If you don’t come with me, I won’t let go."

Once he began to talk, his voice had the petulance of a child.

Nanchen’s CEO Zhou Jin’an pulling and tugging with a cleaner was indeed a novel sight.

Before long, many people stopped and turned their gazes towards the pair.

Qiao En disliked the feeling of being so publicly scrutinized.

"Zhou Jin’an, let go. Have you forgotten what I told you?"

But at that moment, Zhou Jin’an seemed to have truly forgotten.

"Xu Yayun, do you have no shame? I see you didn’t come to work, you came to cause trouble. Pack your things and leave now."

Just then, Group Leader You walked over, brimming with indignation.

She hadn’t seen Zhou Jin’an’s face and only saw Qiao En struggling with a man in the hall.

But as she approached and saw the man’s face clearly, she was instantly flustered.

"Director... Director Zhou, why is it you?"

"Why can’t it be me?"

Zhou Jin’an countered with a sinister smile, his handsome face cold as he continued to drag Qiao En out, ignoring her resistance.

"Tell Old Zhang, starting now, Xu Yayun is no longer working here."