The next morning, the sunlight didn't just peek through the curtains; it flooded the room like a spotlight. I woke up with my face buried in something incredibly soft and smelling of expensive sandalwood. It took me three seconds to realize I was still pinned under Su Qian's arm, my body acting like a living plushie.
Before I could even think of a way to wiggle out, the sound of the bedroom door opening echoed through the vast space.
"Su Qian, the meeting with the board has been moved to—"
A woman stepped in. She was just as tall as Su Qian, perhaps even an inch taller, with her silver hair pulled back into a ponytail so tight it looked painful. She wore a sharp, navy blue suit and carried a tablet like a weapon.
This was Secretary Lin. Her eyes, cold and analytical behind rectangular frames, swept across the bed and landed directly on me.
"Oh," Lin said, her voice like cracking ice. "I didn't realize you had finally decided to adopt a pet, Boss."
"He's not a pet, Lin," Su Qian grunted, finally releasing me and sitting up. She looked at me, then back at Lin. "He's... a ward. And he's a Succubus."
Lin walked closer, her heels clicking loudly on the hardwood floor. Each step felt like a drumbeat of doom. She stopped at the edge of the bed and looked down at me. I felt like a bug under a microscope.
"A male Succubus?" Lin adjusted her glasses, her gaze intensifying. "They were thought to be extinct in the urban sectors. Most were hunted down by the Goblin tribes centuries ago. Where did you find such a... petite specimen?"
"The bridge," Su Qian replied casually, heading toward the bathroom. "Take care of him while I get ready. Feed him something that isn't milk. He claims to be twenty-five."
Lin didn't say a word until Su Qian's shower started running. Then, she leaned over the bed. Her face was inches from mine, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of something that wasn't just professional curiosity.
"Twenty-five, huh?" Lin reached out with a gloved hand and flicked my tail. I let out a small, involuntary yelp. "You're quite small for a demon. If I were Su Qian, I'd put a collar on you. A creature this rare tends to 'disappear' when left unattended."
I shivered. Su Qian was overwhelming, but Secretary Lin was terrifying.
"I'm a person, not a rare collectible!" I snapped, trying to sound brave while wrapped in a t-shirt that was basically a blanket.
Lin straightened up, her cold expression returning. "In this world, Li Yuan, those two things are often the same. Now, get up. We need to measure you for a proper wardrobe. You can't keep running around in the Boss's laundry."