We moved to Golden Courtyard

That's true...

"Can you pat me? I can't stand up in the water."

Xu Qi hesitated for a moment, but finally stepped forward to help the other person up.

The smooth skin against his palm made Xu Qi instinctively reach out to touch it.

Anna looked at Xu Qi with a mocking expression.

"Mr. Xu Qi is being naughty~~"

"Ahem! I...I'm sorry!"

Anna chuckled—the more she teased, the more amusing it became.

Unable to resist, she moved closer to Xu Qi's body. In this cold swimming pool, the only warm thing was perhaps Xu Qi's body.

"Take me to a deeper place, okay? You'll have to hold me back, won't you?"

Xu Qi laughed so hard he almost cried.

Deep water area? You can't swim and you still plan to go to the deep water area?

"It's okay, just put your arm around my waist and hold me. As long as I don't move, you can keep me, right? I'm so sorry, I can't swim, so I've never been able to go to the deep end."

"Can you grant me this small wish?"

Xu Qi sighed.

"Okay, Anna, you absolutely can't move. You have to trust me, okay?"

"of course."

If Miss Eden trusts a man so much, what reason do I have not to choose to trust him?

He wrapped one arm around Miss Anna's slender waist, and when he felt that there was nothing to support his feet, Anna inevitably felt a little flustered.

Fortunately...

Xu Qi's hands are very steady and strong.

The arm around her waist was the strongest support, so much so that Anna felt at ease as soon as she hugged Xu Qi's neck.

"Sometimes I'm really curious about how people who can swim manage to float in the water."

"It's not difficult to float, but it's very difficult to support a person like this. I dare to do this because I'm a very good swimmer. Besides, you only see me floating on the surface with ease."

The underwater scene was rather disheveled.

Anna chuckled. Simply put, being so close, she could easily feel how Xu Qi's legs moved to keep them afloat.

Occasionally, I would accidentally brush against her thigh.

At this moment, even the coldest pool water could not conceal the strangeness and heat.

"Will it be very tiring?"

"It's alright. If I can't hold on any longer, I'll take you to the edge of the pool so you have something to hold onto."

Anna's expression was a half-smile.

It wasn't that Xu Qi said anything particularly suggestive.

She had only thought about what she would be doing at the time, with her hands gripping the wall and Xu Qi pressed against her from behind... well, she must have been thinking too much.

"Speaking of which, has Miss Eden told you my full name?"

"No, she calls you Anna in front of me."

“My name is Anna Shaniat.”

Xu Qi's expression remained unchanged.

Seeing this, Anna couldn't help but laugh and said, "It seems you know nothing about the origin of this surname."

"Miss Anna, would you be willing to introduce me to her?"

“In Britain, or even throughout Western Europe, Destiny is deeply rooted as a religious sect.”

“I know that. Eden told me about it before.”

"Within such a behemoth, there is a pope in charge of leadership, knights in charge of protection, and saints in charge of faith, but in reality... they all come from three families."

Xu Qi understood.

"So, Shaniat is..."

"She is a saint."

In other words, the woman Xu Qi is holding in his arms is a potential Holy Maiden of Destiny.

This status is definitely not ordinary.

"What about the other two?"

"The pope in charge is called Apocalypse."

Oh, Apo... Hmm? Xu Qi remained expressionless, but couldn't help frowning inwardly—if he remembered correctly, Theresa's surname was also this.

"The knight in charge of protection is called Kaslana."

Xu Qi's gaze sharpened, his face remained silent, but inwardly a raging storm was brewing within him.

Because he clearly remembered that Kiana's full name was Kiana Kaslana.

Anna naturally noticed that Xu Qi seemed to be deep in thought, but she didn't point it out, or rather... this conversation tonight was originally a task assigned to her by Eden.

"Find a suitable opportunity to tell Xu Qi about Tianming's situation."

These are Miss Eden's exact words.

Why are you telling me all this?

"I just thought you might find it useful."

Anna suddenly hugged Xu Qi tightly, which surprised Xu Qi. She turned her head and pressed against Xu Qi's chest.

The air was thick with moisture, and there was also the warmth emanating from Xu Qi's body—a masculine warmth, like a burning fire.

"You don't need to doubt me. I am Miss Eden's secretary, which means I'm destined to be your woman. If you want, then right here in this pool, you can have me."

Anna stepped aside and placed her hands on Xu Qi's shoulders.

The sudden force made Xu Qi subconsciously loosen his grip, only to instinctively tighten it again.

Anna's ample bosom had now buried his chin in her breasts. She leaned close to Xu Qi's ear, her seductive voice filling the air—"To possess a saint of Shaniat."

……

Xu Qi suddenly released Anna's hand, gently pushed her away, then hugged her from the front around the waist and carried her to the edge of the pool. Then... just like a wall slam, he pinned her against the pool wall.

If a different woman were here, she might think Xu Qi was already impatient.

But Anna could see it clearly.

Xu Qi's eyes were calmer than ever before.

"It seems that Mr. Xu Qi really doesn't like this kind of joke."

“Sister Anna, you are not my sister’s appendage, much less mine. Who you like and who you want to be with—I hope this is a choice for you.”

With a strong push, Xu Qi lifted Anna onto the edge of the pool, and then pushed himself out as well. Water splashed between them, creating a barrier between them.

Anna stared intently at Xu Qi, her beautiful eyes unblinking, and a smile, the most captivating she had seen all night, graced her lips.

"It turns out that Mr. Xu Qi really believes in love."

Xu Qi did not answer.

Anna then said, "Do you think I had any other choice? Your sister is only so gentle and considerate towards you..."

If you relegate me to the sidelines, then I'll be a lonely person for the rest of my life.

Xu Qi, who was already planning to turn and leave, suddenly turned around upon hearing this, rushed to Anna, and pulled her up from the poolside.

Then, to her astonishment, he kissed Anna on the lips!

Almost instinctively, she began to struggle, but Xu Qi held her firmly with one hand, while his other hand kneaded that beautiful spot without any pity.

It even had tiny water droplets on it.

It didn't take long; just a short while, Xu Qi let go of Anna.

Anna covered her lips with one hand and shielded her chest with the other, keeping her head down to avoid Xu Qi's gaze.

Xu Qi said coldly, "I saw anger and humiliation in your eyes—you didn't accept the fact that you had to become my woman as you thought."

What you said was just you trying to convince yourself! ...Anna, you're a good woman, and I'm not a good choice. Eden won't be your prison; she's... all bark and no bite.

529. Miss Anna just wanted to be an ordinary girl.

On the sofa, Bronya stopped playing games, rested her head on Xu Qi's lap, opened a bag of potato chips and handed it to Xu Qi, then accepted being fed by him.

"So... on your sister Eden's birthday, nothing happened between you and Eden... but instead you got involved in something ambiguous with her secretary?!"

"What do you mean by 'ambiguous'? Didn't I righteously and firmly reject her?"

"Good...good riddance! What kind of logic is that? It's the chairman's birthday, and she, a mere secretary, sneaks off? How could she possibly get anything like that!?"

Xu Qi rolled his eyes, put the potato chips aside, and wiped his hands with a napkin. Then he used his left hand to throw the potato chips into Bronya's mouth.

And his right hand? It gently rested on Bronya's abdomen.

The president blushed, realizing exactly what the other person was up to, but he let him be.

"And then? What happened next?"

"later……"

······

After changing his clothes, Xu Qi returned to Miss Anna's office, only to find someone he never expected to meet there.

"Sister Eden?"

"What? You seem surprised to see me."

Sitting on the office sofa, Eden seemed to be resting with her eyes closed. She looked very tired, and even hearing Xu Qi's footsteps didn't make her open her eyes.

Anna said you were in a meeting, and I thought it would go on until very late.

"It's already past nine o'clock, it's time to end this."

indeed.

Xu Qi stepped forward, sat down next to Eden, and massaged the acupoints around her eyes.

"You have this skill too?"

“舒服吗？”

It was just average, but Eden still smiled and said, "Hmm, very comfortable, almost on par with a professional masseur."

"That can't compare, but if Sister Eden likes it, I can do it every day."

The fatigue from the meeting seemed to vanish completely at that moment.

Every time this happens, she remembers—yes, Xu Qi has always treated her like an older sister.

The one whose ideas were flawed first was actually me.

"You just went swimming with Anna?"

"Ah."

Xu Qi's hands had moved to her temples. Eden's eyes were slightly closed, her face full of relaxation and enjoyment. She said with a playful expression.

"How is it? Anna's figure must be pretty good, right?"

Xu Qi paused, then remained silent.

Eden, noticing something amiss, countered, "It seems nothing pleasant has happened between you two."

"It was fine before, it's my problem."

"Really……"