Chapter 10
Feng Jin pushed open the door to her office and was met with the sight of Shi Yu munching on a peeled apple. Sitting across from her was the secretary from the neighboring office, who was blushing and stammering as she looked at Shi Yu.
Feng Jin found it hard to imagine how this secretary would handle a client call.
The moment the secretary saw Feng Jin, she looked like a student caught misbehaving. "President..."
"It's quite late. Shouldn't you be off work by now?"
"Ah?!" The secretary turned pale. "President, I..."
"Pfft~ You're really adorable, girl. Thanks for the apple, it was delicious," Shi Yu tossed the apple core into the trash, pulled out a few tissues to wipe her hands, and smiled at the secretary, who looked like a frightened bunny. "It's almost 8 p.m. The President says you can come back tomorrow."
"...Oh, okay." The secretary finally came to her senses, bowed, and said, "Goodbye, Miss Shi Yu. Goodbye, President."
With that, she quickly left the office.
"Such a cute little bunny!" Shi Yu rested her chin in her hand, gazing at Feng Jin. "Don't you agree, A-Jin?"
"Put away your twisted sense of humor," Feng Jin replied coolly, then walked to her desk and opened her email.
"A-Jin, I'm so hungry."
"Didn't you just eat an apple?"
"I'm still not full!"
"Endure it."
"You're so cruel."
Feng Jin felt exasperated. She rubbed her temples. After checking her email and seeing nothing urgent, she shut down her computer.
Just then, Jiang Suliu, who had timed his arrival, knocked gently on the door.
"President."
"Secretary Jiang, you can head home too."
Jiang Suliu paused for a moment before replying, "Understood, President."
The three of them left the company via the elevator. Standing at the company entrance, Jiang Suliu waited until Feng Jin got into Shi Yu's bright red sports car and left before hailing a cab and giving his apartment address.
In the cab, Jiang Suliu held his phone, looking at a photo on the screen. The usual coolness in his eyes was replaced with something soft.
He sighed lightly and locked the photo with a password.
He had taken it on the plane, when she was sleeping defenselessly. In that moment, he couldn't resist. He had snapped a picture.
The flustered, helpless yet secretly delighted feeling from that moment was something he still couldn't quite put into words.
"Bzzz—Bzzz—"
The phone vibrating pulled him back to the present. He glanced at the caller ID, hesitated, and then answered.
"Brother, you're still up this late?"
"Late? It's only 8:30 p.m. Beijing time," came the rich and elegant voice on the other end, tinged with annoyance. "You've been back for over three months. Why haven't you come home? Your phone's always off too!"
"Aren't Mom and Dad traveling around the world?"
"I'M still at home!"
"..." Jiang Suliu, usually calm and aloof, now looked a bit helpless. "I have work."
"Quit! I can still afford to support you."
"No." For once, Jiang Suliu showed rare stubbornness. "It's not about money, it's just..."
He couldn't finish the sentence.
His brother paused too. "Be honest with me. What are you really thinking? Don't think your little tricks can fool me. You know the kind of snakes I deal with every day."
"Mm, you're amazing, Brother," Jiang Suliu replied flatly. "I don't know exactly. But for now, I don't want to leave."
"Don't want to leave?" The voice on the other end chuckled darkly. "Then how about I come find you?"
"Brother!" Jiang Suliu tried to stop him, but the call had already ended. He had no choice but to put his phone away.
If his brother really decided to come to S City, no one could stop him, no matter how busy he was.
Jiang Suliu sighed again. He only hoped his brother wouldn't show up at his workplace. If she discovered his true identity, would she think he had ulterior motives?
At that thought, something felt stuck in his chest.
When he reached his destination, he handed a 100 yuan bill to the driver and entered his apartment building.
The doorman greeted him politely, and Jiang Suliu nodded in return.
Back in his unit, he pulled off his tie, tossed his suit jacket onto the sofa, and headed for the bathroom.
When he emerged, steam clung to his skin. Droplets of water slid down his neck, disappearing into the folds of his bathrobe. He grabbed a dry towel and began drying his hair. Once it was no longer dripping, he sat down on the couch.
He powered on his laptop, plugged in a USB drive, and started organizing and archiving the content from that day's meeting.
Once that was done, he pulled out a project file from his briefcase. It was a proposal for a collaboration with the Concass Group, which he had to finish soon.
He thought about Feng Jin smoking quietly outside the conference room today. Her mood was low, yet she had to keep it together for the shareholders. When he saw her smoking, he had lost control and forgotten she was his boss and he her subordinate. Even if he could do it over, he'd still do the same.
He had thoroughly investigated the Chu family within a month of joining Sheng'an.
Chu Mingyu had been with Feng Jin for 19 years. When she was nine, after her mother's death, she nearly developed autism. It was Chu Mingyu who accompanied her through the darkest times. Naturally, their engagement followed. No one would've expected the person she trusted most to betray her.
To make matters worse, the company was going through turmoil, and her father's illness had worsened. She had no choice but to shoulder everything on her own. Her achievements were admirable. Sheng'an's growth wasn't due to her father, but her own capabilities.
He recalled what Liu Wenbo had said last night at Xingyu Club. His fingers stopped typing. After a moment's thought, he moved the mouse and opened his email.
He reviewed his upcoming schedule, his eyes settling on the Wang family's debutante ball in two days.
Chu Mingyu would definitely be there.
Jiang Suliu wasn't wearing his glasses. His slightly damp hair framed his face, and his long, narrow eyes glowed with both allure and coolness.
The contradiction in his appearance made him strikingly beautiful.
He closed the email and turned back to the Concass proposal, though he found it hard to focus.
The Wang family's influence in S City rivaled that of the old-money Chu family. But unlike the declining Chus, the Wang family was on the rise. They had only one daughter, who had been raised well and was a socialite beloved by many elite heirs.
She was nothing like Feng Jin—who was decisive, sharp, and more formidable than most men.
Chu Mingyu, a man with a scholar's pride, couldn't bear being overshadowed by his fiancée. Rumors and snide remarks eventually broke him. Then he brought a female celebrity home, just in time for Feng Jin to catch him.
The timing was too perfect.
Unless—Chu Mingyu had planned it as revenge.
Foolish and pathetic.
Jiang Suliu's lips curved faintly. In the dim light, a trace of wickedness emerged on his otherwise perfect face.
Chu Mingyu had succeeded.
But he had underestimated Feng Jin—and overestimated himself.
Jiang Suliu sighed quietly and returned to his proposal.
If he could finish it early, maybe she wouldn't have to work so hard.
Outside, the city lights glowed like daylight.
Shi Yu had a little too much to drink after dinner, so Feng Jin took over driving.
Shi Yu leaned against the seat, drowsy. Feng Jin reached over, fastened her seatbelt, then started the car and headed toward her villa.
The car was quiet. Feng Jin didn't like playing music. Just when she thought Shi Yu had fallen asleep, Shi Yu spoke.
"A-Jin."
"Hmm? What is it?" Feng Jin slowed the car, thinking she felt unwell. "Are you okay?"
"Mm... not really..." Shi Yu yawned lazily. "I'm not drunk..."
"Right, you're not drunk," Feng Jin played along. "But if you feel sick, let me know. You drank quite a bit tonight."
Shi Yu pouted. "It was only one bottle."
Feng Jin didn't argue. "If you're sleepy, rest. I'll wake you when we get there."
"Mm." Shi Yu half-opened her eyes, gazing at Feng Jin beside her. Her voice was lazy, "By the way, A-Jin..."
"Hmm?"
"That secretary of yours..."
"What about him?"
"...Do you really believe HR isn't compromised?"
"Not entirely."
"Then why..."
"I know what you're worried about," Feng Jin said, slowing the car for a red light. The neon lights outside flashed past. "You don't need to worry about Jiang Suliu."
"..."
"Because," she said calmly, "I've met him before."