The sound of glasses clinking in the private room never faded, and even if soone wanted to co over for a toast, seeing Jing Jihan reclining against the sofa with his eyes closed for a nap, they hesitated to approach.
Images uncontrollably flashed through Jing Jihan’s mind.
Suddenly, it was Shi Su’s long-hidden certificates under the cabinet, trophies abandoned in the corner of the cabinet, the unspoken past, and her seemingly clear and calm emotions that hid barbs everywhere.
Then there was Shi Mianmian hugging his leg, begging him to be her father. When he asked Shi Su where Mianmian’s father was, Shi Su replied expressionlessly, "He’s dead."
There was also the woman who blushed with embarrassnt when he jokingly approached her, clearly without any dating experience, yet able to raise Mianmian and educate the child to be adorable, well-behaved, and polite.
And Shi Su facing her agent, explaining loudly, "I have no extra thoughts about him, he isn’t interested in either, nothing has happened between us. We’re pure and innocent!"
In that mont, Jing Jihan rembered Shi Su’s scene running out because of a nightmare, trembling as she searched for dicine.
She had an unspoken past and experiences; strong and fierce, yet with an unknown vulnerability, lovely tenderness, patience, wisdom, adept at playing dumb to win, clearly not one to be trifled with, yet sotis misleadingly appearing harmless, only when you truly approach can you see her barbed essence.
She’s not foolish, but is skilled at pretending to be naïve.
"Mr. Jing, do you have a headache? Shall I massage it for you?"
An elegant PR woman, sharp-eyed, noticed Jing Jihan had been silent on the sofa for a long ti. Seizing the opportunity, she picked up a glass of wine and walked over, placing it on the coffee table, then reaching out to massage his temples.
Jing Jihan’s face was calm and composed, still with his eyes closed, neither moving nor showing whether he heard, or if he was asleep.
Before the woman’s hand could touch him, Zhou He tily intervened, blocking her hand and giving her a warning look: "Don’t you understand the rules?"
The PR woman paused, then smiled and dared not proceed further, turning away dejectedly.
In Jiang City’s elite business circle, everyone knows Jing Jihan avoids won. Even when socializing outside, though so partners might invite small stars or PR personnel for fun, no one can get close to him.
At any ti, don’t assu you’re clever enough to intrude into Jing Jihan’s personal space; this is the rule.
-
The driver drove, with Zhou He in the front seat, watching Jing Jihan from the rearview mirror, whose brows slightly furrowed, evidently weary from consecutive days, and having drunk a lot tonight, even with good tolerance, it was hard to rest well in the car.
"Mr. Jing, the Southern District is close to Xuan Nan Villa. Are we going back to Xuan Nan Villa or..."
Jing Jihan unusually spoke: "Kaixing Mansion."
Zhou He didn’t quite understand, as the villa was so close, and with Mr. Jing drinking and tired, he should head back to rest early, instead of detouring to the company.
There were no early etings or projects needing attention in the company tomorrow...
Zhou He didn’t dare ask more, nor did he have the courage to make decisions on his own, signaling the driver to head to Kaixing Mansion, while glancing in the rearview mirror to see Jing Jihan still leaning against the seat, quietly closing his eyes.
Half an hour later, the car drove into the underground parking lot of Kaixing Mansion.
Seeing Jing Jihan rub his brow bone, Zhou He asked, "Mr. Jing, shall I help you upstairs?"
"No need, I’m not drunk."
Jing Jihan faintly said, then got out of the car.
Indeed, he drank a lot at night, and his head had been aching since the end of the gathering, yet he remained calm and serene, unreadable, with no visible clues.
Zhou He sat in the car silently, not following, thinking: You’re not drunk, but with such a brewing storm, it feels like soone is about to have bad luck.
-
Living on the thirty-first floor, Shi Su knew nothing of the outside world; she was tornted by questions in her mind, sleeping fitfully, waking in a daze to find it just after eleven at night.
Mianmian slept soundly; she quietly got up, tucked Mianmian in, got out of bed, planning to heat a cup of milk in the kitchen.
Insomnia was agonizing; perhaps drinking a cup of milk before sleeping would bring peaceful slumber.
The living room lights were off, only a dim nightlight was on in the bedroom.
Guided by mory, Shi Su walked to the kitchen, turned on the light, took a box of milk from the fridge, and went to heat it.
Just after heating it, it was still too hot to drink imdiately.
She poured the milk into a glass, glanced at the kitchen trash, rembering Mrs. Qin ca by to cook in the evening, and Mianmian sneaked in to drink two cups of yogurt, leaving so untouched and abandoned, later cleaned up by Mrs. Qin.
Now the faint fernted yogurt sll wasn’t pleasant.
With sleep elusive, Shi Su went back to the bedroom for a jacket, returned to the kitchen, and took the trash bag to throw it out downstairs.
Past midnight, the two elevators were quiet; going up and down to toss trash only took five minutes.
After throwing away the trash, a chill from the autumn night clung to her; she shivered, returning to the elevator, pressing for the thirty-first floor.
Upon reaching the floor, she had just stepped out when the motion sensor light flashed on, and suddenly her arm was yanked forcefully, stumbling forward without ti to react as a pair of arms encircled her from behind.
In an instant of being embraced, Shi Su’s mind seed to shut down.
Wanting to cry out for help, she instinctively turned her head to see who could breach the tightly-secured thirty-first floor of Kaixing Mansion when a man’s lips abruptly sealed hers.
Even without seeing clearly, the familiar scent in the man’s breath made Shi Su’s mind explode!
Jing Jihan?!
The man’s breath was heavy with the sll of alcohol.
Shi Su wanted to struggle, but he grasped her arms and locked them behind her back.
At the sa ti, he gripped her chin, his breath and kisses were overwhelmingly domineering, alien in a way that left Shi Su completely bewildered.
Did he drink fake alcohol, or was soone drugging him?
Amidst the intense and invasive kiss, Shi Su fought for a breath of air—
"...Hmm...Jing...Jihan..."
"Let go...of ...hmm..."
"Jing...hmm!"
She struggled to kick him.
Jing Jihan simply pinned her against the wall beside the elevator, firmly holding her, giving her no room to move or resist.
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