After Letting My Guard Down, I Got Trapped by a Yandere CEO - Chapter 26:

Chapter 26: A Confession That Must Succeed

In the days that followed, Jiang Zhao’s body quickly recovered under the hospital’s care.

That day, the sun was shining brightly.

After Lingxue Group absorbed the market left behind by Chenfeng Group, it completely solidified its position as the leading enterprise in Jiangnan City. With the competition gone, the workload eased considerably. In the past, with rivals around, they constantly had to seek profits and fight for collaborations. But now? The entire Jiangnan City market was in Lingxue Group’s hands, and those partners were practically begging to work with them.

In the CEO’s office, Jiang Zhao handed over a cup of hot water with a fawning smile to Qin Lingxue, who was immersed in work. He said, “Xue’er, you’ve been working so long, aren’t you tired? Have some water, take a break.”

Hearing that, Qin Lingxue raised her head slightly and gave him a lazy glance, then crossed her right leg over her left.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhao immediately understood and brought the cup to her lips, feeding her water like a doting attendant.

After drinking, Qin Lingxue leaned back in her chair and lifted her stocking-covered feet toward him, closing her eyes to rest.

Jiang Zhao sat on the nearby chair, gently lifting her slender feet and placing them on his lap. He removed her high heels and began to massage her feet with practiced hands.

While enjoying the moment, Qin Lingxue asked casually, “Is the company retreat all arranged?”

The retreat—an annual activity for most companies—was meant to enhance employee recognition and team spirit. Lingxue Group had over 200 staff members, so everything needed to be carefully planned in advance.

While massaging her feet, Jiang Zhao nodded and replied earnestly, “All done. It’s at Lingquan Mountain. The scenery’s great and perfect for outdoor cooking and camping. I booked the entire mountain for the day.”

“Mm.” Qin Lingxue looked pleased. She then beckoned him with her fingers and said softly, “Come closer.”

Jiang Zhao leaned in, and the next second, he felt something soft press against his face.

“A reward,” Qin Lingxue said.

She was becoming more and more convinced that letting Jiang Zhao chase her from scratch was the perfect decision. Look at how obedient he was now—he was like a sweet, well-trained pup. If not for needing to maintain her image, she might have hugged him on the spot.

As for this retreat, Jiang Zhao had his own plans—he was going to take this chance to confess properly and aim for official status. After all, he could only look but not touch right now, and it was driving him mad.

Even sharing a bed at night had taken all his begging and pleading…

The next morning arrived.

Weekend mornings always felt fresh. One by one, buses arrived at the base of Lingxue Group’s building. Employees from each department boarded in turn—even Qin Lingxue was no exception.

Inside the lead bus, every seat was taken except the one beside Qin Lingxue.

She stared at the empty seat and frowned.

Where was that damn man? He actually didn’t sit with her. Was he trying to rebel?

The driver walked over and cautiously asked, “CEO Qin, is there anything else you need? If not, we’ll get going.”

Snapping back to herself, Qin Lingxue replied coolly, “No. Drive.”

When dealing with anyone other than Jiang Zhao, Qin Lingxue was the classic icy goddess—her aura screamed ‘do not approach.’ The employees sitting behind her hardly dared to breathe.

I get to sit on the same bus as CEO Qin… this is the peak of my life!

Soon, all twenty buses started up in an orderly fashion and headed for Lingquan Mountain.

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhao sat in the last bus, leaning close to the ponytailed woman beside him and whispering, “Xiao Yu’er, are you sure this plan is going to work? This is my whole future on the line here—we can’t afford any mistakes.”

The girl beside him, baby-faced with a slight pout, said flatly, “Boss, you’ve asked me that eighteen times since yesterday. I swear, I want to shove a toilet brush in your mouth.”

Jiang Xiaoyu was someone Jiang Zhao had met in the orphanage when they were kids. Back then, she had been just a tiny girl, and her nickname had been given by Jiang Zhao himself. After Jiang Zhao was adopted by the Jiang family and later started his own business, he ran into Jiang Xiaoyu again—she had already graduated from university early.

Frankly speaking, without this genius loli girl, a huge chunk of Jiang Zhao’s former business empire wouldn’t have existed. Her importance was undeniable.

“You look so cute. Why’s your mouth so mean? You used to be much more obedient,” Jiang Zhao teased, reaching out to pinch her chubby cheek—only to withdraw his hand awkwardly after glancing around.

He was just respecting his wife, definitely not being whipped. Definitely not…

The journey to Lingquan Mountain wasn’t long—about 1.5 hours. After a nap, they arrived.

Lingquan Mountain was ranked fourth among all scenic spots in Jiang Province. As its name implied, it boasted a spectacular waterfall. Even before getting off the bus, they could hear the faint sound of rushing water.

The moment she stepped out, Qin Lingxue headed straight for the bus Jiang Zhao was in, her displeasure practically written on her face.

She’d gotten sleepy three times on the way there, and without anyone beside her to lean on, she had to tough it out.

“Jiang Zhao! Why didn’t you sit with me?”

Seeing her pouty expression, Jiang Zhao’s heart melted. A sulking wife was so adorable!

“My bad. How about I carry you up the mountain to make up for it?”

Qin Lingxue’s expression finally softened a little. As Jiang Zhao turned and crouched down, she wrapped her arms around his neck and climbed onto his back.

Feeling the soft warmth pressing against him, Jiang Zhao felt like his blood might boil. Grinning from ear to ear, he supported her legs and started hiking up.

With his fitness, carrying someone up a mountain was nothing.

The other employees who got off the bus looked on with envy—men and women alike.

Male employees: Why couldn’t they be the ones carrying CEO Qin up the mountain?

Female employees: Vice President Jiang is so gentle and reliable. Too much sense of security!

Soon, everyone began climbing toward the picnic spot.

Qin Lingxue, nestled on Jiang Zhao’s back, rested her head on his shoulder and fell asleep before long, her body clinging tightly to him.

For some reason, she always felt extra sleepy when she was with Jiang Zhao.

Jiang Zhao glanced at her sleeping face and felt immense peace in his heart. His determination to confess grew even stronger.

Though this would be the first confession of his life—it had to succeed. Failure was not an option!