Returning to the Legal Department
Thursday, continued…
After finishing their lunch, Hou Yi and Anna sat down, continuing their strategy discussion. Their primary concern was identifying the spies within Hou Enterprises—those loyal to Lu Jinhu and Yang Lin.
They quickly agreed that two individuals were already confirmed: Supervisor An and the receptionist. However, the rest were more uncertain. They both suspected there was likely someone within the catering staff, particularly the group that had delivered their meal.
As they continued debating, their minds turned to the financial and travel departments. Both felt it was highly probable that spies were embedded in these departments—having access to sensitive financial data and Hou Yi’s travel arrangements would provide the perfect cover for monitoring his movements. That would account for at least five spies. The question remained: how many more were there?
Around 1:50 pm, Hou Yi turned to Anna with a more practical suggestion. “I guess I need to make arrangements for you to return to the Legal Department so you can keep working on the documents. We still have to handle the issues related to the development project in Australia.”
Anna nodded. “Yi, I’d bet that they have a spy in the department handling that project, too.”
Hou Yi smiled slightly. “Most likely. I’ll talk to the bodyguards. They’ll make sure you get back without being identified, and then you can come back in afterward.”
Then, Hou Yi paused, reached beside the couch, and handed Anna a small brown paper bag. “Now, please don’t get angry. But we need to make it seem like we took what the catering staff interrupted to its logical conclusion.”
Anna’s eyebrows arched in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Hou Yi pointed toward a door on the far side of the office. “Over there is a suite I use when I have late-night or early-morning meetings. I don’t stay at home during those times. And just so you know, I’ve never slept with anyone there. But while I’m sorting things out with the bodyguards, can you mess things up a little in there, like we had… well, you know, sex? Spray a little bit of your perfume on the bedding, and leave some of your spare underwear behind as if we couldn’t find them before you left.”
Anna blinked in disbelief. “Yi, you have a dirty mind.”
Hou Yi smirked, unfazed. “Well, we need to mess with Lu Jinhu and Yang Lin’s minds. They need to be wondering who my wife is. It’ll send a message that we can’t keep our hands off each other. It’s a bit petty, but it’ll be fun. Just imagine their faces when we eventually meet them as a couple, and they have to deal with all the stories of our sex life that their spies have reported back.”
Anna sighed, leaning back in the chair as the implications of his words settled in. “I thought we were just trying to find spies.”
Hou Yi’s smile softened. “That’s part of it. But I promised I’d help you get your revenge. This is a little part of it. We’re showing just enough to make them draw their own conclusions. It’ll keep them guessing.”
He paused, his eyes softening. “I know you’re uncomfortable with this, but I’m happy you’re willing to play along. We need to get organized, so we don’t waste any more time.”
A few minutes later, Hou Yi opened the office door, and a ring of bodyguards flanked Anna to ensure her identity remained protected. Before handing her her handbag and laptop bag, Anna reached up, put her arms around Hou Yi’s neck, and kissed him—a gesture for anyone who might be watching.
Reluctantly, she pulled away, and Hou Yi handed her the bags.
As Anna walked away, Hou Yi called after her. “Thank you, darling, for your visit. See you at home tonight.” Anna turned, raising her hand in a wave, making sure her wedding and engagement rings were visible for all to see.
The tight circle of bodyguards escorted her to the elevator and down to the waiting car. The car drove off, stopping a kilometer away, where Anna was helped into a taxi. The bodyguard, apologizing for not accompanying her, explained that he would pick her up again that evening. Anna understood that the bodyguards were selling a particular narrative to the company.
She paid the taxi fare and rushed through the foyer of Hou Enterprises, making her way back to the Legal Department. Once there, she caught the elevator back up to her office.
