Chapter 23

Shao Yihuai did not care for accessories; at most, he wore a wristwatch. At this moment, both the watch and his slender, protruding wrist bone were hidden beneath the fabric of his thin knit sweater.

His palm felt rough, searing, and powerful.

Chu Tong, in a hazy state, felt the heat—a heat source fueled by his hand. She twisted her body to push him away, mumbling a refusal.

Shao Yihuai’s palm slid down to clamp onto her waist, a deep warning rumbling in his chest: "Don't move."

Even while drunk, the young girl possessed a keen sense of survival; she immediately froze, obedient and still. It was he who, looking down at the slender waist gripped by his single hand, felt a chaotic storm erupting in his mind.

He relaxed his body into the seat back, tilted his head, and closed his eyes. But at that moment, Chu Tong draped herself over him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Burying her face against his throat, she whimpered, "Mr. Shao, I want to go with you."

"Hmm."

"It was love at first sight for me."

"Hmm."

He did not open his eyes, his breath emerging in ragged, scorching gasps.

Chu Tong reached up to stroke his Adam's apple, touching it unconsciously. Her actions left its owner almost helpless, forcing him to endure and allow her to tease him. One could not reason with a drunkard, and threats were useless—unless one were to take care of the matter right there.

The Maybach finally pulled into the underground parking garage of Langcheng.

Throughout the drive, the privacy partition had remained raised, and given the low, distinct moans emanating from the backseat, Uncle Zong was very discreet. When he opened the rear door, he deliberately averted his gaze, using only his peripheral vision.

He saw one of Mr. Shao’s leather shoes step out, followed by the other—the polished, full-grain Derby shoes glinting with a high-end luster even under the cold lights of the garage.

Then, a lady’s handbag dangled down.

The door closed, and Shao Yihuai walked directly toward the elevator.

Only when he turned a corner a few meters away did Uncle Zong glance back. It was a koala-style embrace; the girl was draped over Mr. Shao’s shoulder, his one hand supporting her hips while the other carried the bag.

Perhaps due to the difference in their stature and age, the scene truly looked like a parent carrying a sleeping child home after a day out.

At this thought, Zong Liangzhi couldn't help but shake his head. His employer, who had lived a life of asceticism for so many years, had finally decided to play—and he had chosen the most improper way possible. It was truly extraordinary.

-

He unlocked the door with the code.

Without even changing his shoes, Shao Yihuai turned on several low-wattage ambient lights. He placed Chu Tong on the sofa, went to the kitchen to prepare a glass of honey water, and then returned with a blanket to wrap her in before helping her sit up.

"Tongtong, drink some water."

Chu Tong barely managed to pry her eyes open, took the glass, and drank half of it. "I need to go to the restroom."

Shao Yihuai looked at her state and asked helplessly, "Can you walk on your own?"

"I can."

As she spoke, she rose, swaying unsteadily.

Shao Yihuai couldn't watch her struggle; he stepped forward, scooped her up, and carried her straight into the master bedroom.

The master bathroom was fully stocked with daily necessities. The toilet lid sensor triggered it to open automatically. Shao Yihuai set her down, stepped back a few paces, and stood with his hands in his pockets, watching her.

Chu Tong seemed to realize something; she shrank back and looked up. "Why aren't you leaving?"

Shao Yihuai offered a faint, unreadable smile. "Sober now?"

She had been half-asleep, but the spike of shame woke her up for the most part.

Chu Tong whispered, her tone sounding somewhat like a plea, "Please, just go out."

Shao Yihuai tilted his head and chuckled. "...I'll be right at the door. Call me if you can't get up."

He closed the door and stepped out. Chu Tong could hear him; his footsteps did not go far.

As the alcohol began to metabolize, Chu Tong sobered up significantly. She splashed water on her face while washing her hands. When she emerged from the bathroom and turned the corner, she saw the master bedroom door standing open. Shao Yihuai was leaning against the doorframe, one hand in his pocket, the other holding an unlit cigarette.

The main light in the bedroom was off, and the warm glow from the hallway illuminated half his body, casting him in a mixture of light and shadow that held an indescribable tenderness.

He looked over, a trace of playful irony at the corners of his lips. "...Are you really awake now?"

Almost instantly, Chu Tong realized that he had left the bedroom door open and stood outside for fear that she would be frightened. In a setting like a bedroom, late at night, with the relationship they shared—if the door were closed and he were standing inside, she would undoubtedly have felt nervous upon stepping out of the bathroom.

She felt a little embarrassed, lowering her head to bite her lip as she murmured an affirmative.

"Wash up and get some sleep," he said.

"What about you?" she blurted out.

"What about me?" There was a deep, hidden meaning in his eyes.

Chu Tong gathered her courage, walked over, and hugged his waist. "...Thank you for today."

Shao Yihuai paused slightly, reached up to stroke her long hair, and said in a low voice, "I told you, don't thank me again."

"Hmm."

Chu Tong tightened her grip. "...I really like you."

She was young, and confessions always seemed to spill out of her anytime, anywhere.

Shao Yihuai used the hand holding the cigarette to brush the hair from her temple, then leaned down to kiss her earlobe. The damp, hot kisses spread to her neck and then her collarbone.

She was forced to tilt her head back, trapped between his chest and arms, unable to move.

Even in her naivety, Chu Tong could sense that this kiss was not simple—it was a manifestation of a physical desire for her.

Just as she was about to speak up and beg him to stop, Shao Yihuai picked her up and placed her directly on the bed.

As her back hit the soft sheets, Chu Tong felt a jolt of alarm, a mixture of nerves and anticipation. She called out in a very low voice, "...Mr. Shao..."

Shao Yihuai tossed the cigarette onto the floor, loosened his tie, knelt on the bed with one knee, and leaned in, whispering near her ear, "Don't make a sound. I'll leave after we kiss for a while."

Chu Tong had never known that kissing could be such an agonizing experience.

The master bedroom was lit only by a dim nightlight. She lay on the bed in a state of complete surrender, her entire body enveloped beneath Mr. Shao. Her senses were filled with his scent. His kisses were deep and heavy, and his hand kneaded her side, losing all sense of restraint.

She couldn't help but open her eyes. Daring not to look anywhere else, her peripheral vision caught only the sliver of white shirt cuff at his wrist; his broad shoulders completely covered her. She couldn't bear it and started to tremble.

That hand undid the button of her jeans, paused briefly on her lower abdomen, and wandered for a moment.

Chu Tong was terrified, fearing it would move upward, and even more afraid it would move downward. Her legs locked together, and a muffled sound escaped her throat.

Ultimately, Shao Yihuai pressed his forehead against hers and let out a deep, heavy sigh. Then, he covered her eyes with his palm and said in a raspy voice, "Don't look at me."

Chu Tong nodded repeatedly.

She sensed his hand pull away and him withdraw, standing sideways by the bed.

She secretly pried one eye open. Even in the dim light, the silhouette was painfully clear.

The decorous Mr. Shao, the Mr. Shao who always seemed so indifferent and composed.

It was terrifying; she could imagine that if she were to face that part of him one day, she would truly end up crying.

-

Shao Yihuai sat on the living room sofa, his legs spread wide.

The living room was dark, save for the ember of the cigarette between his fingers.

He reached up to loosen his tie, then simply tore it off, undid two more buttons, and finished half the cigarette. Once it had burned down, he stood up, crushed the cigarette out, and left.

A rarely used black Mercedes was parked in the Langcheng Mansion garage. Through the streets of Beijing, still bustling with traffic late at night, Shao Yihuai drove himself, took the elevated highway, and headed back to Manhe.

The window was cracked open, and the lights of other cars and neon signs continuously brushed across his profile. His handsome face appeared somewhat cold and solitary in the deep night.

-

Perhaps because of what happened on Tuesday night, Chu Tong didn't dare to contact Shao Yihuai for the next two days. She didn't know what to say, and since he didn't initiate contact, she was even more at a loss as to what to do.

It wasn't until Thursday night that Chu Tong received a message from him:

「Shao: I'm going on a business trip, see you next week. Uncle Zong and Su Jingwen are there for you; if you need anything, find them.」

Chu Tong replied that she understood, but she was busy preparing for final exams, spending her days in the library with no time to play.

On Friday, Su Jingwen took the initiative to call and invite her to dinner.

After class, she found an empty classroom to recite her notes for a while, and only after Su Jingwen messaged her saying she had reached the main gate did she rush out.

Though there was an age gap of over twenty years between them, there was no generation gap in their conversation, and they talked non-stop along the way.

Only when they arrived did Chu Tong realize they were going to Rongji.

Rongji was located inside an old hutong courtyard, and cars couldn't enter, so Su Jingwen parked her Audi in a paid lot at the mouth of the alley, and the two walked in.

Su Jingwen had a reservation, so they sat down immediately and ordered.

Chu Tong felt she had learned a lot from their last conversation, so this time she intentionally asked more questions, ranging from corporate group operations to public relations strategies when dealing with the media.

Su Jingwen couldn't help but ask Shao Yihuai for guidance: *The young lady is bursting with curiosity, what should I do?*

Shao Yihuai replied:

「If she wants to learn, take the time to teach her well.」

Su Jingwen had no choice but to answer everything she was asked.

"Do you want to be a journalist?"

"That's my plan for now, but I don't know anything about the media industry yet."

"Journalism is highly specialized—there's livelihood, economy, entertainment, technology, and so on. When you look for internships, you can try different sectors to see which one you like best. For a master's in journalism in Hong Kong, they look at IELTS scores and internship experience. When do you plan to take the IELTS?"

"During winter break, after the New Year. I want to participate in two competitions next semester, then I'll look for an internship."

"That works, plan early," Su Jingwen said with a smile. "After getting your master's and coming back, taking the civil service exam in Beijing or applying for a PR position at a state-owned enterprise shouldn't be a problem."

Chu Tong nodded.

Su Jingwen seemed to remember something. "You mentioned your family situation last time. Does your mother have any expectations for you? Does she want you to seek stability?"

"Yes," Chu Tong said, feeling a bit helpless. "She even hopes that after I finish my undergraduate degree, I'll go back home, take the teacher's exam, and become a Chinese teacher."

"Parents are like that; they don't want their children to take risks."

They finished their meal while chatting and laughing.

Su Jingwen went to pay the bill, and Chu Tong waited by the counter.

While she was looking down, idly scuffing the floor with the tip of her shoe, she heard a gentle voice: "Sister Wen?"

Chu Tong and Su Jingwen turned to look. Standing before them was a woman wearing a cape and long boots, smiling brightly at Su Jingwen. "Sister Wen, what a coincidence. Are you here to have dinner with Brother Shao?"

Su Jingwen’s expression flickered almost imperceptibly before she quickly adjusted it, smiling. "Second Miss, what a coincidence. It's the weekend, I'm off the clock. I'm just having a meal with a relative's child."

Lin Jiayin looked behind her and saw a tall girl.

The girl was extremely beautiful, with elegant, delicate bone structure and a clear, innocent expression, though her fox-like eyes possessed an unconscious, alluring quality. She was dressed simply—a common autumn/winter pairing of a skirt and stockings with a knit sweater—but her coat was rather extraordinary; it was a limited edition from a luxury brand, worth nearly a hundred thousand.

*She must be a wealthy relative.*

Lin Jiayin smiled. "I'm Lin Jiayin. You look so young, still in university?"

Seeing this "Second Miss," only four words floated through Chu Tong's mind: *a lady of high breeding.*

She was poised and dignified; it was clear at a glance that she likely came from a scholarly family.

Chu Tong smiled as well. "I'm Chu Tong. Nice to meet you, Second Miss."

Su Jingwen cursed Shao Yihuai a thousand times in her heart, but she still had to keep a polite smile on her face. "Second Miss, we should be going now?"

Lin Jiayin said, "I have dinner scheduled with Brother Shao tomorrow. Remember to remind him."

"Of course, of course."

Su Jingwen agreed repeatedly and offered a few more polite pleasantries before pulling Chu Tong away.

Chu Tong asked, confused, "Is that Second Miss a family friend of Mr. Shao's?"