In the study.
Fu Huaixu tapped his fingertips twice on the desk and dialed the phone of his special assistant, Lin Jing.
The call was answered almost instantly, with a respectful voice: “President Fu, what are your instructions?”
“Book me a flight ticket to Kyoto.”
“Alright,” Lin Jing immediately ran through the recent projects in his mind and instinctively asked,
“Is it because the project in Kyoto requires your personal follow-up?”
“No.”
“Then why are you…?” Lin Jing was a bit puzzled.
“Personal matter.”
With those two words, Lin Jing immediately understood—don’t ask questions you shouldn’t.
He paused for a moment before adding, “Do you need me to accompany you?”
In addition to his duties as a special assistant, he usually also handled the roles of personal assistant and driver. But since the president said it was a personal matter, should he still go along?
“No need. Stay in Shanghai to handle company matters. I might be gone for several days.”
“Understood, President Fu. I’ll arrange it right away!” After hanging up, Lin Jing secretly muttered to himself. Judging by the situation, his boss was definitely going to pursue the boss’s wife.
Chu Family Villa
The light from the crystal chandelier fell on the cold, hard marble floor. Chu Lingyi sat on the sofa, unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt with her fingertips, occasionally glancing toward the entrance.
Seeing Chu Mingchen push the door open and enter, she immediately stood up and hurried over to greet him: “Brother, did you find out the details about that woman?”
Chu Mingchen didn’t say anything, simply handing her a few documents.
As Chu Lingyi quickly flipped through them, she heard Chu Mingchen speak: “She comes from an ordinary family, no significant background. A few years ago, she founded the Wilder jewelry brand, with its headquarters in Kyoto. She came to Shanghai this time for the brand launch event and returned to Kyoto the day after it ended.”
“Brother, but as soon as she appeared, she completely captured Huaixu’s attention.” Chu Lingyi bit her lip, her fingertips crumpling the pages of the documents. “I always feel she has ill intentions.”
“What’s the rush?” Chu Mingchen casually loosened his tie, his tone full of disdain. “If she dares to appear in front of Fu Huaixu again, I’ll crush her little jewelry brand like it’s nothing more than an ant.”
The panic on Chu Lingyi’s face finally eased a bit, and she nodded: “Brother, I understand. I’ll head back to my room now. You should rest early too.”
“Mm, goodnight.”
Wilder Jewelry Company
Shen Zhaoning was flipping through the design drafts on her desk one by one when the internal phone beside her suddenly rang. She casually pressed the speakerphone button.
“President Shen, there’s a gentleman at the front desk looking for you.” It was the voice of the receptionist, Liu Xuan.
Shen Zhaoning’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly: “If he has an appointment, bring him in.”
“He doesn’t have an appointment. He said his surname is Fu.”
Surname Fu.
Shen Zhaoning paused her pen, the first person that came to mind was Fu Huaixu. Had he come to Kyoto?
“Let him in.”
“Understood, President Shen.”
After hanging up, Liu Xuan looked at the man standing by the front desk. He was holding a large bouquet of exceptionally high-quality roses, their petals still dotted with tiny droplets of water, clearly of great value.
This must be President Shen’s suitor, right?
He was the first person, aside from President Shen’s close friends, to be allowed into her office without an appointment.
But looking at his handsome and outstanding face, standing next to President Shen would be a perfect match—a true pair of a handsome man and a beautiful woman.
“Mr. Fu, please follow me.”
Fu Huaixu gave her a slight nod, his voice carrying a hint of light laughter. “Sorry to trouble you.”
He raised his hand, his knuckles distinct as he gently tapped the door twice.
Only when Shen Zhaoning’s faint voice came from inside, saying “Come in,” did he push the door open and step inside.
Shen Zhaoning sat in the spacious executive chair, her gaze fixed precisely on the doorway. When she saw who had entered, her eyebrows lifted almost imperceptibly.
Fu Huaixu stood at the door, holding a bouquet of vibrant roses. The moment his eyes met hers, the corners of his lips curved upward.
He closed the door behind him, casually locking it, and placed the flowers steadily on her desk.
“Your favorite Juliet roses,” he said cheerfully, with a hint of barely concealed flattery.
“What are you doing in Kyoto?” Shen Zhaoning crossed her arms over her chest, leaning lazily back in her chair.
His deep eyes brimmed with amusement, his tone tinged with a mix of grievance and coquetry:
“Of course, I missed you. So much that my heart felt restless. I had to fly over to see you.”
As he spoke, Fu Huaixu walked over to Shen Zhaoning, leaning casually against the desk as he bent down to draw closer to her.
Shen Zhaoning raised an eyebrow and extended a finger, pressing it against his chest and giving a gentle push, trying to create some distance.
“Mr. Fu, as far as I recall, we don’t seem to have any relationship at the moment, do we? You’re awfully smooth with that ‘I missed you.'”
“Zhaozhao, have you forgotten a few days ago…” He leaned forward, his long arms resting on either side of the chair’s armrests, trapping her between himself and the chair.
He moved close to Shen Zhaoning’s neck, his warm breath brushing against her sensitive ear, sending a shiver down her spine. “We were at a negative distance, and you clung to me five times~”
His voice dropped to a low, husky whisper near her ear, laced with a hint of mischief and even a touch of wicked amusement. “You were also very…”
The floodgates of memory burst open instantly. The intimate scenes from that night surged into her mind like a tide—the disheveled bed, her uncontrolled gasps beneath him…
Shen Zhaoning’s cheeks flushed crimson, as if about to bleed.
She abruptly raised her hand, covering his mouth.
“Shut up!” she hissed through gritted teeth, her eyes filled with a mix of embarrassment and warning. “If you dare say another word, I’ll make you leave!”
Fu Huaixu, with his mouth covered, only smiled more deeply, his eyes glinting with delight. Unfazed, he lightly flicked his tongue against her palm.
The sudden sensation of warmth and wetness shot through her like an electric shock. Shen Zhaoning recoiled as if burned, quickly withdrawing her hand, her fingers instinctively curling inward.
Yet, the smile on Fu Huaixu’s lips refused to fade. “But Zhaozhao, your reaction… is far more honest than any words you could say.”
Just then, the ringing of a phone shattered the intimate atmosphere. Seeing it was a call from the kindergarten teacher, Shen Zhaoning grabbed her phone and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window.
An inexplicable tightness gripped her heart, and her fingers curled slightly. She answered the call, pressing the phone to her ear. “Hello, Teacher Li?”
“Zhixuan’s mom, it’s terrible! Zhixuan accidentally fell on the stairs and hit his head. He’s bleeding quite a bit!” Teacher Li’s voice trembled, each word striking Shen Zhaoning’s heart like a heavy blow.
Shen Zhaoning’s face instantly turned deathly pale, drained of all color, as if every ounce of strength had been sapped from her in an instant. Her body trembled uncontrollably.
“And… how is Zhixuan now?” Her voice quivered too, carrying a barely perceptible sob.
“Please don’t panic. We rushed Zhixuan to the hospital near the compound right away. The doctor has already stopped the bleeding, and they’re conducting further examinations now.”
Teacher Li tried her best to soothe Shen Zhaoning’s nerves, but her tone was still filled with guilt and worry. “It’s all our fault for not keeping a closer eye on the children. I’m so sorry, Zhixuan’s mom.”
“Alright, I understand. I’ll be there right away!” Shen Zhaoning took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. After hanging up, she turned around, her eyes brimming with anxiety and panic.
She rushed over to grab her bag and dashed toward the door.
“Zhaozhao?” Fu Huaixu stood by the desk, seeing Shen Zhaoning’s face as pale as paper and her eyes filled with terror and urgency. An ominous feeling surged in his heart.
Just as he was about to step forward and ask what had happened, Shen Zhaoning had already bolted out of the office like a gust of wind, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.
Fu Huaixu was momentarily stunned, then quickly chased after her. He could sense that something serious must have happened.