America: I came here to study, not to show mercy.

Chapter 269: Getting into trouble
Li Xiaoen paused for a moment as he brushed aside Suffer's damp hair, but he immediately realized what was happening and quickly resumed his normal movements.

"Um……"

Looking up at the young man's slightly narrowed eyes, Suffer scoffed, "Judging from your reaction, I already know the answer."

“I did meet with Victoria, and I don’t want to hide it from you.”

Li Xiaoen nodded and answered honestly, without any embarrassment on his face. He looked up and met the girl's gaze through the mirror in front of him, a meaningful smile on his face. "Sophie, do you know? Victoria once asked me this question."

After he finished speaking, seeing that Su Feier's originally calm expression suddenly turned somber, Li Xiaoen raised an eyebrow and lowered his gaze to avoid meeting her eyes.

With her lips pursed, Suffer took a deep breath, lost in thought, and changed the subject.

"Tell me, has anything good happened at your studio in England?"

"How did you know?"

Li Xiaoen paused for a moment.

"I could tell from your expression when you came back."

"Am I that obvious?"

"It's not obvious, but I can feel it."

"..."

"Okay, Sophie, you're really smart."

Li Xiaoen sighed with emotion. There was a lot to say about the studio collaboration. While helping to blow-dry her hair, she briefly recounted her meeting and negotiations with Prince Philip.

"So, this small studio has already attracted so much attention and gotten so involved?"

After finishing drying his hair, Li Xiaoen had just put the hairdryer down when Su Feier stood up and walked closer to him. She looked up at him, tilted her head, and asked, "Are you feeling pressured, or are you feeling triumphant, happy, and excited?"

"Um……"

Li Xiaoen tilted his head back and pondered for a moment, then let out a long sigh, "No, I don't think so. I feel that whether anyone pays attention or not, I will still have this mindset."

"The fact that people are paying attention and want to get involved proves that they have high hopes for my studio. I have to say, they really have a good eye."

As he spoke, Li Xiaoen lowered his head, met Su Feier's light blue eyes, and grinned.

Sophie laughed too, raising her arms to wrap around the young man's neck.

"Carry me to the computer desk, let's look at the next part of the proposal together."

"Just looking at the proposal?"

Li Xiaoen's hands naturally rested on the girl's slender waist. Usually, such intimate actions between the two were either the prelude to what was about to happen, or the cuddling and reminiscing after it was over.

"Let's first roughly outline the key milestones and plans for the studio's future."

Suffer's mischievous gaze, seemingly blatant and bold, led her to add, "I want it three times tonight, just don't beg for mercy then."

"Even if you beg for mercy, it's not up to you..."

"Who wins and who loses is still uncertain."

Although it's true that there are only oxen that die from exhaustion, not fields that are ruined by plowing, Li Xiaoen narrowed his eyes and still asked defiantly. Seeing a hint of contempt in Su Feier's eyes, he immediately calmed down.

Without saying anything more, he bent down, scooped up the girl's two plump thighs with both arms, and carried her face to face. He took a few quick steps to the bedside and tossed her onto the soft bed.

"Sean!"

She was startled at first, followed by a brief feeling of weightlessness. It didn't hurt when she landed on the bed, but Suffer felt herself sinking back into a low position. She gritted her teeth and glared at the young man.

"What kind of proposal are you looking at?"

With a soft chuckle, Li Xiaoen quickly stripped off her pajamas and pounced on the bed...

At this moment, unlike the commotion on this side, there was an eerie silence in the next room.

Serafina and Mary pressed their heads against the wall, straining to listen, but after a long while they could only vaguely feel some slight vibrations, and their faces fell.

"Serafina, I've already told you, but you just won't believe me if you can't hear me."

Mary gave him a helpless look. "It's better to ask Sean yourself tomorrow."

"Go ask him yourself?"

Serafina's eyes widened in shock. "Just ask?"

"of course."

"Can Sean tell you?" Serafina frowned slightly, her eyes full of disbelief.

"Um……"

After a moment of contemplation, recalling her previous conversation with Sean, Mary gave an amused smile. "I think Sean will tell me."

Upon hearing this, Serafina froze in shock.

For his momentary pleasure, Li Xiaoen ended up with deep teeth marks on both shoulders, and even a red hickey on one side of his neck that hadn't faded overnight.

Even so, at least he couldn't say he lost last night—he woke up at eight o'clock according to his biological clock, got out of bed, washed up and sat in front of the computer, while Su Feier was still lying in bed, fast asleep.

With the addition of Evan, the "struggle" spirit of employees from major internet companies was also brought in. Many colleagues came to work overtime on weekends as well. In addition to having Haskel take care of their three rich meals a day, Li Xiaoen also gave them three times the overtime pay as agreed.

Sitting in front of the computer, he didn't immediately continue developing the project proposal; instead, he started replying to messages from the studio.

After a long while, as if noticing that there was no one under her, Suffer closed her eyes and first touched the bed for a while before opening her drowsy eyes and looking at Li Xiaoen.

Immediately, a long, fair, and shapely leg emerged from under the covers and kicked at the other person.

Sometimes, I really feel like you're just a little girl.

With a helpless glance at Suffer, Li Xiaoen sighed. Seeing that he had finished explaining to Haskel, he took the initiative to end the conversation, picked up his notebook, and went to bed to lean against the headboard.

As soon as he sat down, Suffer leaned his head over and put one of his legs across Suffer's thigh from under the covers.

Looking down, he saw that Suffer had her eyes closed. Li Xiaoen shook his head and said nothing more. He put one arm around Suffer's back and started typing rapidly on his notebook.

"That's a good idea."

After an unknown amount of time, while Li Xiaoen was engrossed in his work, Su Feier in his arms suddenly let out a sound, abruptly pulling him back to reality.

"Were you awake the whole time, watching?"

Li Xiaoen raised an eyebrow, his hand pausing.

"No, I saw this as soon as I woke up."

Sophie murmured, sat up and looked over, her eyes regaining their clear brightness, "No wonder you have so much confidence in your studio, which is just a push business."

There are many things about me that you don't know.

Li Xiaoen smiled and raised her chin. "Trying to please me, remember to wear a flight attendant or nurse uniform next time, and I'll consider telling you."

"About superpowers?"

She braced herself against the bed and moved closer. Su Feier had just woken up and her hair was disheveled. Her fair, oval face had flawless skin, and her light blue eyes were captivating as she stared at her.

Her gaze lowered slightly, and she spoke in a sweet voice, "Sean, if you really tell me you have some superpowers, then from now on, when it's just the two of us, you can decide what I wear..."

"Really?"

"real."

“That’s a pity…” Li Xiaoen sighed, leaning weakly against the headboard. “I’m out of luck now. Let’s see if God will favor me in the future and grant me superpowers that set me apart from all other humans.”

"Wait until then..."

With hopeful anticipation, Li Xiaoen turned to look at Su Feier, only to be met by a hand that rapidly enlarged and firmly covered his face.

She touched him briefly and then left. Seeing the young man shut his mouth, Sophie rolled her eyes, combed her messy hair, got out of bed, and put on her clothes.

What are your plans for today?

"I need to go to the studio to explain the collaboration with the Cambridge University laboratory and facilitate communication between the two sides."

Seeing Suffer get up, Li Xiaoen also got up and started tidying up. "Is there anything you need? Do you need me to keep you company?"

Two days had passed since he left, and the 24-hour time limit of the [Advanced Learning Domain Halo] he had cast earlier had long since expired. Occasionally, he would see in the work group that a colleague was panicking because his thinking ability had declined and his work progress had slowed down a lot. He was worried that he would not be able to complete the tasks initially assigned, so he took the initiative to comfort the colleague and asked Evan to slow down the time limit for everyone's tasks.

Today he insisted on going to the studio, even if it was just to leave a mark on the studio and gain some recognition in the field of learning.

"No need, I also need to go to my internet company in New York."

Sophie shook her head in reply. If she weren't afraid that her father would find out from somewhere that she had spent time alone with Li Xiaoen, she would have either taken the young man to her company or followed him to his studio today. The fact that they were together now was because she had brought Serafina and Mary along as a cover.

"Oh, right, Sean."

As if remembering something, just before leaving, Sophie turned around and looked back, her long, smooth golden hair flowing through the air. "With the expansion of the business and the cooperation with Cambridge, the current number of people in your studio is not enough. You should hire more people."

"Yeah, that's what I thought too."

Li Xiaoen smiled and nodded in agreement, "For your 51% share, I must do my best to make the studio bigger and stronger."

"Virtue..."

What was clearly his own studio and its achievements were portrayed by the young man as being for her.

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Also, Sean, you're in charge of the overall direction of the studio, but I don't think you need to do everything yourself anymore. You find it tiring and troublesome, don't you?"

"Any suggestions?"

A smile appeared on Li Xiaoen's face.

"You also need an assistant, or rather, a secretary."

Do you have any good candidates to recommend?

"Catherine."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiaoen froze on the spot.

"Doesn't she have her own job? Although it's in her family's business."

As one of the major media giants in the United States, even though she only served as the head of a branch, Catherine's situation and treatment were better than most other college graduates, and even other wealthy children of the same social class.

Instead of contributing to the family business and becoming a leader, he runs to work in a small job, or even as a secretary.

Suffer dared to say that even Sean Lee had never thought of such a thing.

“Their family is very large. No matter what, because there are still many elders above her, her business in her family is basically over for the next few decades. She will never be able to climb to a higher position or gain more say.”

Sophie murmured, her voice tinged with regret, "Given her ambitious nature, it's impossible for her to have stayed in that position and endured such a long time."

"Otherwise, why do you think she, as the person in charge of a branch office, kept running to your studio recently? Wasn't it because she saw an opportunity to make a breakthrough?"

Finally, Suffer even gave Li Xiaoen a meaningful wink and chuckled.

"Hmm, now that you mention it, I think I can understand."

Unless the elders in the family who control the business are too absurd or outrageous, the second or third generation of descendants usually need to start from the bottom. As long as the elders in high positions don't speak up, if you want to rise to the decision-making level in your own company, you have to outlast at least one person.

This is the current situation of the main family members in large family businesses. However, if you really look into it, it's not all bad. With many descendants in the family and many elders in the decision-making level, they have plenty of time to observe the next generation of descendants.

A large family business is far more stable than a business run by a single branch or a few individuals.

"Although Catherine is usually outspoken, she is definitely capable and has a bottom line in certain areas, so you can use her with confidence."

Seeing the young man deep in thought, Sophie added another sentence.

"Yes, thank you for your recommendation."

Coming to his senses, Li Xiaoen nodded in agreement.

"so……"

Suddenly, Su Feier sighed and stammered, then slowly walked up to Li Xiaoen, raised her hand and grabbed the young man's collar, tightening her grip, and glared at him, "What were you thinking when I first advised you to hire a secretary?"

"..."

Indeed, a woman being too smart is definitely not a good thing for her partner.

Li Xiaoen was both amused and exasperated. He had clearly tried to control his facial expressions when he tentatively asked the question, but the truth could only be guessed by the other party.

"Sophie, whether you believe it or not, and no matter what I think, I will ultimately seriously consider the person you recommended."

Li Xiaoen slumped his shoulders, placed his hands on Su Feier's slender waist, and explained helplessly, "As long as that person is of decent character and capable of getting things done, I will ask her to come over."

"So, you mean to admit that you suspect I'm trying to plant my own people in the studio?"

Sophie's eyes turned dangerous.

"Actually, Sophie..."

Li Xiaoen caressed the girl's slender waist with both hands, saying, "If it were you, I would praise you for being very smart."

"You doubt me, yet you expect me to praise you?"

Sophie's eyes narrowed slightly.

She couldn't help but feel resentful. She had been worrying about the young man's studio, wanting him to make it bigger and stronger as soon as possible. He had come to her house to face her father and openly take her away. Despite her good intentions in helping him and offering advice, she was suspected of coveting the studio's achievements, trying to plant her own people, or even spying on him.

This is never going to end...

Li Xiaoen had a headache and kept thinking to himself, "Sometimes when women get stuck on something, not even dozens of oxen could pull them apart."

Without saying anything more, he suddenly lowered his head and kissed those slightly upturned, rosy lips that seemed to express grievance and dissatisfaction, completely silencing any possibility of the other person speaking again.

Li Xiaoen, who was already feeling irritable in the morning, began to breathe heavily after Su Feier's slight, sluggish response. His hands, which had been on the girl's slender waist, started to roam around.

"Sean, Sean..."

Suddenly realizing what was happening, Suffer quickly patted the young man's chest twice with her hands, allowing the two to briefly separate while catching their breath.

"What's wrong? You're allowed to touch me, but I'm not allowed to touch you?"

Looking down at his shirt with the collar wide open, Li Xiaoen gave a mischievous chuckle.

"Change the subject!"

Sophie gave a disgruntled rebuke.

"Why can't I say that this is my answer?"

"Humph……"

With a light snort, Suffer rolled her eyes, turned around gracefully, and strode downstairs.

(End of this chapter)