A Pharaoh and Her Beloved Queen: Modern Chapter - Chapter 5

Ye Zhiqing’s office was tucked away in a quiet corner. Ruan Yu, knowing Ye Zhiqing’s love for tranquility, had specially cleared this space for her.

On ordinary days, aside from necessary work handovers, it was exceptionally peaceful.

In the spacious office, neither of them spoke, neither disturbing the other. Edith leaned back on the sofa, her eyes narrowed as she watched Ye Zhiqing with a look of satiated contentment.

Ye Zhiqing, meanwhile, focused on the work at hand, automatically ignoring the burning gaze coming from the other person in the room.

For the upcoming “Autumn Auction” in October, Rongbaozhai had planned and prepared twelve special sessions. The most eye-catching was the “Autumn Secret Treasures: Ancient Elephants” special series.

Ye Zhiqing concentrated on flipping through the planned lots for the Ancient Elephant series. The first half continued Rongbaozhai’s usual steady style: rare old artifacts, paintings and calligraphy by ancient masters, rare ancient books, rubbings, ceramics, and jade carvings.

Ruan Yu’s arrangements were flawless, but if they wanted to suppress Hanhai during the Autumn Auction, these were likely far from enough.

Continuing to flip through the pages, Ye Zhiqing prepared to see the arrangements for the second half, only to find it completely blank.

She searched the desk, but there was no information regarding the lots for the second half.

Did Yaya miss some pages?

Ye Zhiqing leaned her body slightly to one side to grab her phone, and her gaze inevitably collided with Edith’s in mid-air.

The corners of Edith’s lips were slightly curved, just enough to soften the hard lines of her face. A gentle light floated in her deep eyes. Her upright and elegant sitting posture brought out the grand, ancient charm of her features to the extreme.

She was breathtakingly beautiful; no one had ever made Ye Zhiqing feel so stunned.

The gaze was nakedly observant, yet so honest that Ye Zhiqing couldn’t feel even a hint of revulsion.

Feigning composure, Ye Zhiqing broke eye contact and leaned fully over, turning her side to Edith as she slid her screen to call Su Ya.

Su Ya was Ye Zhiqing’s assistant. Per Ye Zhiqing’s request, she usually only handled the transfer of documents and was quite idle; she only became busy during essential schedule arrangements or business negotiations.

“Yaya, look for the lot information for the second half of the Ancient Elephant series. See if you missed a few pages?” Her voice was gentle, yet it carried a trace of cold distance that made people hesitate to approach.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end. “VP Ye, CEO Ruan specifically instructed that the information for the second half of the Ancient Elephant session is temporarily not to be disclosed to anyone.”

“Alright, I understand.” Ye Zhiqing paused. She assumed Ruan Yu had her own calculations, and it wouldn’t be too late to ask when she returned.

Seeing that Ye Zhiqing was mostly finished with her work, Edith seized the opportunity to suggest they go down for lunch together.

Glancing at the time—12:30 PM—Ye Zhiqing nodded. Before leaving, she didn’t forget to tidy her messy desk.

The two then entered the elevator, one after the other.

At this hour, employees were either in the cafeteria or the breakroom, so the elevator was empty. Only Edith and Ye Zhiqing remained, standing at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

Along the way, a subtle, indescribable atmosphere began to spread.

As if trying to break the awkward silence, Ye Zhiqing pressed the elevator button and asked casually, “What would VP Yi like to eat for lunch?”

“Dumplings and Hutong Roast Duck,” Edith answered with total gravity—serious expression, serious tone.

She was so serious that Ye Zhiqing was certain she wasn’t joking. Suppressing a smile, she asked, “How long has VP Yi been in China?”

“One week.”

“Have you been to China before?”

“No.”

“Your Mandarin is very good.”

“I had a Chinese tutor teach me.”

Pfft— Ye Zhiqing let out a soft laugh. Although Edith didn’t understand what was so funny, seeing Ye Zhiqing smile made the curve of her own lips deepen.

The stiffness and awkwardness from their previous interactions gradually dissolved.

“VP Yi, you have a very humorous way of speaking.” Ye Zhiqing took a small step back, tilting her head slightly to look at Edith. The smile reached her eyes, like a flower suddenly blooming on a desolate snowy plain—utterly beautiful.

“Is that so?” Edith’s gaze was one of undisguised doting and sincerity.

Time seemed to stand still. Their gazes met in the air, entangling and locking. In each other’s eyes, they could clearly see their own reflections, releasing signals of joy.

Ye Zhiqing had to admit that Edith was the first person who, in such a short time, made her feel exceptionally comfortable.

So comfortable that she often unconsciously ignored Edith’s various boundary-crossing behaviors. Simultaneously, there was that strange throb deep in her heart.

Yet, she would always regret it afterward, feeling conflicted and contradictory.

The rich, light fragrance surged within the narrow space, traveling from her nose to her brain, making her thoughts stiff and sluggish.

The two stared deeply at each other. Alluring red lips parted slightly, gradually drawing closer, closer…

In the next instant, accompanied by a piercing buzz, the elevator shook violently. The lights overhead extinguished instantly, followed by the weightless sensation of a rapid descent.

“Ugh—” Ye Zhiqing slammed hard against one side. A piercing pain radiated from her back and ankle; in an instant, her forehead was covered in fine cold sweat.

Edith reacted instantly. Pressing against the wall, she used one arm to shield Ye Zhiqing tightly in her embrace while the other hand gripped the elevator handrail. “Zhiqing, don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

The voice was deep and powerful, resolute and reassuring.

Ye Zhiqing clutched Edith’s collar tightly, quickly regaining her senses. She groaned in pain, “Quick, press the emergency stop button, then press all the floor buttons.”

Thump— After another violent shake, the elevator came to a halt.

After letting out a small sigh of relief, Edith soon noticed something was wrong. She turned on her phone’s flashlight and saw Ye Zhiqing arching her back, leaning against her in a strange, curled-up posture.

Her eyes turned cold. Edith leaned down, wanting to pick Ye Zhiqing up, but she was met with refusal.

A soft small hand pressed against Edith’s chest, her voice still trembling slightly. “Let me sit against the wall. Think of a way to get out first.”

The phone’s light source was too weak; Edith couldn’t determine Ye Zhiqing’s specific condition. After a moment of hesitation, she carefully supported Ye Zhiqing’s upper body as she sat down.

Then, Edith quickly found the emergency phone and dialed the number…

Once everything was done, Edith crouched beside Ye Zhiqing. With extreme care, she wrapped her right arm around Ye Zhiqing’s back and firmly picked her up.

It was a domineering, absolutely possessive posture. In a slightly husky voice, her warm breath brushed against Ye Zhiqing’s ear: “Wrap your arms around my neck. It will be more comfortable.”

A response as faint as a mosquito’s buzz came: “Put me down…” Having never been treated this way, Ye Zhiqing felt lost and ashamed. An indescribable heat surged through her body, seemingly providing a brief relief to her pain.

Edith acted as if she hadn’t heard, holding her even tighter and repeating, “Hold my neck tight,” her tone firm.

Unable to refuse, Ye Zhiqing gently put her arms around Edith’s neck.

In the small, dark space, her other senses became exceptionally sharp. Ye Zhiqing could clearly perceive Edith’s breathing and even feel the parts of their bodies pressed together—those firm, beautiful muscle lines…

A thin layer of sweat broke out on her body. Ye Zhiqing thought she might be going crazy. The current situation made her extremely uneasy. She closed her eyes, only hoping that the rescue would arrive quickly.