Chapter 204 Steven Tells Her to Reject Philip
A warm feeling washed over Nora as she took the snacks and thanked him. "Thank you."
Steven dislike hearing such polite words. He turned around, picked up the bag of snacks Philip had bought, and prepared to take it out and deal with it.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Giving these to James to eat." Steven walked to the company entrance and handed the bag to James. "If you don't like them, just throw them away. Just don't let me see them again."
"Got it!" James knew these were snacks from Steven's rival, and promised in a low voice, "I'll make sure they disappear completely."
Steven was satisfied. At least now he had an answer for Nora.
He returned to the office and shut the door behind him. The password lock clicked softly as it locked.
"Why are you locking the door? When the delivery person brings the packages later, I'll have to go help them open the door." Nora said while setting up her computer.
"You're so silly." Steven walked over. "You can't just let delivery people leave packages at the door. Wait until you're free to go get them? Keeping the door closed is safer. This way, even people like Jimmy can't get in if they come looking for you, and those salespeople can't get in either. Saves a lot of trouble."
"True." Nora thought about it and felt he had a point. "You gave those snacks to James?"
"Yeah, he said he was hungry, so I gave them to him," Steven said without batting an eye.
Nora didn't think much of it and continued with her own business.
"What are you doing?" Steven asked.
She was crouched under the desk. Steven glanced at the computer on the desk - it was the one he had configured for her. "You brought your computer from home?"
"Yeah, brought it this morning. The laptop doesn't work well - it freezes whenever I process orders." Talking about the computer, Nora suddenly remembered something and looked up to ask, "By the way, is the computer you bought me really expensive? Is it an Alienware?"
Steven froze, a flash of guilt crossing his usually calm face. "Yeah, it's a company partnership model. I bought it at an internal price, much cheaper than the market price."
"How much cheaper?" Nora tilted her head.
Steven looked down at her. "Seventy percent off."
"Even at seventy percent off, it's not cheap." For her, spending several thousand dollars on a computer was too expensive.
"Don't you think this computer performs really well?" Steven asked back.
"It does work really well." Nora had long felt this computer was super easy to use.
She thought Steven was just good at picking things, but it turned out it was because it was expensive, so the components were high quality.
"You're starting a business. This isn't a one or two-year thing - it could be five years, ten years, even twenty or thirty years. You'll use it every day, at least eight hours or more, for many years. Don't you think buying a better one is more cost-effective? Otherwise, if it lags or breaks after a while and needs repairs, wouldn't that be annoying?"
What Steven said actually made sense.
Nora felt he had a point. "Things you use every day really should be better quality."
Once she chose to start a business, she wouldn't go back to working for someone else.
Once you step onto the path of entrepreneurship, there's no turning back - either persist until you see the light, or exit in defeat with massive debt.
Either way, she had to grit her teeth and keep going.
From now on, she'd have to come to the company every day.
The business she built herself was like her child. If she wanted it to grow well and be better than others, she had to invest more time to maintain and nurture it, so it could stand out among countless competitors.
"You're setting up the computer?" Steven crouched down. "Want me to help?"
"Yes! I'm a bit confused about these cables. I forgot to take photos when I unplugged them this morning." If she had photos, she'd know how to plug them in.
Steven laughed. "Why make it so complicated? Let me do it."
He took the cable from her hand, his fingertips touching her small hand, and suddenly a current seemed to pass through.
Nora froze for a moment, looking at him blankly. "Did you feel like we just got shocked?"
The two looked at each other, and the atmosphere became a bit subtle again.
Steven stared at her. "It's static electricity."
Nora came to her senses and said with a smile, "Oh, right, there's more static in winter."
Steven didn't say anything, just looked at her.
Nora felt her face getting hot. Being stared at like this by him was really embarrassing.
"Just set up the computer..." she reminded him.
He reached out to cup her face, his breath falling over her as he kissed her.
Nora's heart jolted.
Why was Steven kissing her again?
Her eyes widened. He kissed her until she was breathless. She raised her hand to block him. "We're setting up the computer, don't mess around."
"I like kissing you," Steven said in a low voice, his eyes burning.
She didn't dare meet his gaze, lowering her head, obviously shy.
Steven moved closer, his high-bridged nose touching hers, rubbing slowly. "Do you want me to kiss you?"
Nora's face was too red to speak.
This shy appearance stirred Steven's emotions.
"Turn your head this way." He cupped her face, about to kiss her, when someone knocked on the company door. "Anyone there?"
It was Philip's voice.
Nora snapped back to reality, looking at Steven in alarm.
He had always been very opposed to her meeting with Philip.
Sure enough, a dangerous dark swirl appeared in Steven's eyes, both eyes turning gloomy.
Nora grabbed his hand, coaxing softly, "Steven, don't be angry. I'll go out and reject him."
Only after hearing this was Steven satisfied. He scraped her nose. "Reject him completely, or I'll get angry."
Nora's face flushed as she got up and opened the glass door.
"Nora." Outside the door, Philip was carrying fruit, his smile gentle and refined.
Philip came almost every day during lunch break.
Nora felt really embarrassed. Biting her lip, she said, "I'm sorry, Philip, my husband came over."
Philip was slightly stunned. "Didn't you two already get divorced?"
Steven, in the office, hearing this, felt his eyes turn cold.
Nora worried he'd get angry and said with a frown, "We just had a fight, we didn't actually get divorced..."
Philip's eyes dimmed. "You're not planning to divorce him anymore?"
Nora didn't speak, sneaking a glance at Steven.
He was assembling the computer. She could only see his profile and didn't know what he was thinking.
She didn't know whether Steven would divorce or not, so she didn't answer.
If Steven didn't want a divorce, she still wanted to work things out with him.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that." Philip took a step back.
Nora felt slightly guilty. "I'm sorry."
From what she said, Philip pretty much understood. His eyes darkened as he turned and left.
Nora felt somewhat guilty.
At this moment, she seemed to realize that Philip really did like her...
Back in the office, Nora looked a bit dejected.
Steven glanced at her, his face dark. "What? You can't bear to see him go?"
"No." Nora denied it, her lashes lowered. "I just feel a bit guilty."
"What's there to feel guilty about? If you don't like someone, you should reject them directly. Always giving people hope but never being together - that's what playing with someone's feelings means." Steven's words were heavy, as if reminding her.
Nora frowned. "I already told you, he never confessed to me. I can't just randomly tell him I don't like you, can I?"
Steven couldn't argue with that either. He said coldly, "Anyway, stay away from him. I'm a man, I can tell - he wants to pursue you."
"Can you not make it sound so bad?"
"This is bad? I didn't even say that he's pursuing you because he wants to sleep with you."
Nora wanted to sew his mouth shut. His words were really too harsh.
Because of this interruption, the atmosphere between them turned cold again.
Nora went to unpack deliveries.
Steven waited a while, but she didn't speak. His brow furrowed. "Is there anything else that needs setting up? Tell me now, don't wait until I'm gone and you can't do it."
Nora's hands paused, and she smiled.
Although they were having a small cold war, he still cared about her.
She said in a muffled voice, "Can you help me set up the printer, too?"
Her big eyes blinked, clearly trying to be cute.
Steven was amused. "Where is it?"
"That printer box by your feet."
Steven took off his jacket, wearing only a black shirt, and pulled the printer out of the box. If James saw this, his jaw would definitely drop.
The CEO himself, living in luxury, was actually here figuring out how to set up a printer.
"Can I put the printer next to your computer desk?" Steven asked.
"Sure," Nora responded, not expecting Steven to be so capable. Maybe men were naturally better with these electronic products.
After finishing the printer, Nora said again, "Steven, if you have time, could you help me install the security cameras?"
After the incident with Jimmy, Nora had become cautious and bought several security cameras. If someone came to cause trouble in the future, she could record it and report it to the police.
Steven's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. He looked down at her from his height. "Nora, I've been here for over an hour, set up the computer and printer, and you haven't even given me water. Now you want me to install security cameras?"
Did she think he was a handyman?
Nora's face reddened at the scolding. "Sorry, let me get you some water."
She went to pour water. Two large water bottles sat there, but there was no water dispenser and no disposable cups.
Nora said awkwardly, "Steven, we haven't bought disposable cups yet. Can you use my water cup?"
Her water cup was brought from home.
"Fine." Steven didn't mind.
Nora took the cup over and lifted one of the large water bottles to pour a cup. "Wow, it's so heavy."
Steven frowned, took the cup she handed him, and said helplessly, "You're planning to pour water like this every day? Why don't you buy a water dispenser?"