CHAPTER 76: CHAPTER 76: THE "PURSUING" STRATEGY

Holly Crowe’s head was about to explode these days, pondering over the century-old dilemma of how to make Blake Sinclair fall in love with her.

When she told Celia Stiles about this over the phone, Celia confidently assured her, "Senior! Leave this to me! I guarantee to help you win over President Sinclair, and make him fall head over heels for you!"

Win over?

Holly mulled over this word.

Is she... also pursuing him?

But someone like her, who hasn’t even fallen for the other person yet but is already plotting to make him fall for her... doesn’t this feel a bit like being a player?

Listening to Celia’s confident tone on the phone, Holly couldn’t help but feel a bit skeptical.

After hanging up, she began searching online for strategies on how to chase someone. Various posts emerged endlessly, dazzling her.

[Still troubled by not winning over your crush? Save this video, you’ll learn it all!]

[Create a romantic atmosphere and take the initiative, assuredly win over your heart’s desire!]

[How to tell if the person likes you? Test with these three methods!]

[Chase strategies? Nonsense. Three moves to make the other half confess to you first.]

The headlines were more exaggerated one after another, spinning Holly into a daze. After spending ages, she finally figured out a bit of the trick.

In the evening, as Blake Sinclair was preparing dinner in the kitchen, Holly glanced at the first rule on her phone’s memo: "Show your personal charm appropriately, including but not limited to demonstrating life skills to create a sense of shared participation."

Cooking skills?

She looked at the person in the kitchen, took a deep breath, and walked over.

She leaned casually against the kitchen door frame, asking, "What are you up to?"

Blake Sinclair continued working without stopping, looked up, and smiled at her, "Preparing shrimp. Didn’t you say yesterday while watching a video that you wanted to eat some?"

Oh right, yesterday while scrolling videos, she seemed to have mentioned it offhandedly.

Shrimp?

It shouldn’t... be that hard, right?

After all, she’s lived independently for a few years and handled it before.

Holly rubbed her hands eagerly, volunteering, "Let me help you with this."

Blake shook his head without even thinking, "No need, it’s almost done. Don’t get your hands dirty."

"Oh, come on, it’s fine! Let me try!"

She squeezed in, fished a shrimp out of the sink, and grabbed scissors to devein it.

But the shrimp was too lively, not cooperating at all.

Holly pouted, setting it down disdainfully, "This one doesn’t feel right, let’s switch!"

She picked a slightly calmer one, and with a swift move, chopped off the head and whiskers, and gave a final pull!

Perfect!

She proudly waved the shrimp in front of Blake Sinclair, "How’s that? Am I good or what?"

Blake didn’t hold back his compliment, "Impressive!"

Buoyed by the praise, Holly was full of energy, her movements getting faster.

But in a moment of inattention, the scissors slipped, leaving a small cut on her fingertip, and blood beaded instantly.

"Ouch..."

Blake immediately stopped what he was doing, washed his hands, and took her to the living room. He pulled out a first-aid kit to disinfect and bandage her cut.

Seeing his furrowed brows, Holly softly comforted, "It’s no big deal, just a small cut. It would’ve healed soon even without treatment."

He looked her deeply in the eye, finally sighing with helplessness.

Since then, Holly was completely banned from setting foot in the kitchen, forced to retire from her culinary pursuits.

The first attempt ended in failure, and she even got hurt.

Holly wasn’t discouraged. If this path doesn’t work, she’ll try another! All roads lead to Blake Sinclair’s heart.

Then she recalled the online strategy suggesting, "Subtle care and attentiveness are crucial. The other person must consistently feel valued!"

Holly agreed, so true!

She skimmed through her chat history with Blake Sinclair, which mostly contained his reminders:

[It’s going to rain tomorrow, remember to bring an umbrella.]

[It’s dry today; I put some warm pear soup in your bag, remember to drink it.]

[I’ve already bought your weekly milk tea, don’t drink too fast.]

In contrast, her usual replies were just "Oh," "Okay," "Mm," at most paired with a perfunctory emoji.

With such a comparison, she really seemed... not attentive at all!

Holly checked the time; it was almost noon.

She immediately clicked into her chat with Blake Sinclair, starting to edit seriously: [Good afternoon~ Hope your morning wasn’t too hard. Remember to eat lunch on time! ☀️]

She hit send.

After some thought, feeling it wasn’t lively enough, she carefully selected a sticker from her emoji library, [Little Bunny giving you a back massage.jpg], and sent it over.

Looking at her loving message, Holly nodded in satisfaction.

For three days straight, Blake Sinclair received Holly’s noontime greetings along with that familiar little bunny emoji.

At the Sinclair Group, in the President’s office.

Blake Sinclair was going through some documents when his phone pinged.

Out of reflex, he glanced at the time: 11:40.

Picking up his phone, sure enough, there was that familiar avatar and bunny emoji greeting again.

He wasn’t quite sure what Holly’s messages meant over the past few days, but he always cooperated by sending photos of his lunch.

This morning, he had just finished an international meeting, delaying his lunch.

Picking up his phone, he replied: [I haven’t eaten yet today.]

The reply came quickly.

Wife: [A little rabbit tilting its head in confusion.jpg]

Wife: [Are you very busy today?]

Blake Sinclair: [Just finished a meeting.]

After sending the message, the other side was silent for a moment.

Soon, a new message popped up:

Wife: [Then... do you want me to bring you lunch? [A little rabbit eagerly rubbing its hands.jpg]]

Blake Sinclair’s eyebrows slightly arched, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

He didn’t hesitate at all.

Blake Sinclair: [Sure.]

Wife: [Then wait for me! I’ll be there in half an hour! [A little rabbit running frantically.jpg]]

Blake Sinclair: [Alright, no rush, be careful on the road. [A little rabbit waiting.jpg]]

Cole Tanner looked at his boss, President Sinclair, with a look that said he had just seen a ghost.

At this moment, the secretary knocked and entered: "President Sinclair, your lunch is ready. Should I bring it over now?"

Blake Sinclair looked at her, a hint of pride in his voice: "No need. My wife is coming over to bring me lunch herself later."

Secretary: "!!!"

Cole Tanner: "????!!!!"

Blake Sinclair looked at Cole Tanner, who was still in shock, and instructed: "Later, you go down and meet her personally."

Cole Tanner nodded dumbly: "Okay, President Sinclair."

After finishing the last document, Cole Tanner was about to leave when he was stopped again.

Blake Sinclair: "Have you ever had a girlfriend?"

Cole Tanner: "..."

Boss, if you want to insult me, just say it directly, no need to beat around the bush.

Blake Sinclair gave him a disdainful glance and rephrased the question: "If someone sends you greetings at a fixed time every day, caring whether you’ve had lunch, what does that mean?"

Who is Cole Tanner?

To have risen to the position of Blake Sinclair’s top assistant, he’s certainly not an ordinary person.

He immediately got the hint.

He cleared his throat and started rambling: "President Sinclair, from my extensive... uh, theoretical experience, such behavior is usually a direct expression of liking someone, caring about someone!"

Blake Sinclair looked up and gave him a "go on" look.

Encouraged, Cole Tanner continued with enthusiasm: "Think about it, she messages you on time every day, which means you’re on her mind all the time! It’s a subtle yet persistent way of pursuing you! She might not be completely sure of your feelings, so she uses this daily care to hint at you, test you, and slowly infiltrate your life..."

He rambled on with theories combining relationship psychology and internet jokes, but Blake Sinclair only picked up a few keywords.

"Likes him?"

"Pursues him?"

"Tests him?"

.....

He thought of Holly Crowe’s unusual behavior these days... it all seemed to make sense.

Blake Sinclair restrained the smile trying to escape his lips but his heart was filled with joy.

Cole Tanner almost ran out of saliva speaking, only to realize his boss seemed distracted.

He cautiously called, "President Sinclair?"

Blake Sinclair snapped back to reality, composed his emotions, and casually replied, "I see, you may leave now."

Cole Tanner: "..."

That’s it? After all my analysis, all I get is a "Mm"?

Heartless capitalist!

He mentally ranted but respectfully turned and left.

Just as he was about to exit, Blake Sinclair’s voice came from behind: "Shane Yates asked me to ask that."

Cole Tanner: "....."

Second Young Master Irving? Who are you kidding! Who would believe that!

But the next second, he nodded immediately: "Okay, President Sinclair, I understood. I’ll head out now."

"Mm."

Meanwhile, Holly Crowe looked at the message she impulsively agreed to about delivering lunch and felt troubled!

She couldn’t make it in half an hour, and she didn’t even know how to make it.

Holly Crowe quickly opened a food delivery app, ordered some exquisite pretty meals, entered the Sinclair Group as the address, and drove over.

When she arrived at the Sinclair building, the delivery also arrived shortly after.

Holly Crowe took out the lunchbox she had long prepared, opened the delivery boxes, and poured the contents in.

Cole Tanner had been waiting downstairs for some time, and upon seeing Holly Crowe, he immediately came forward: "Madam, President Sinclair sent me to meet you."

He tried to take the lunchbox, but Holly Crowe avoided him: "No need, no need, I can carry it myself!"

"Okay, then please follow me this way." Cole Tanner led her to the exclusive elevator of the president.

The elevator went up to the fifteenth floor, the top level, and the door opened.

Cole Tanner brought her to the office entrance, knocked twice, and then left.

This was Holly Crowe’s first time at the Sinclair Group; she tightened her grip on the lunchbox, then reached out to gently push the door open.