Inside a private room at Jinjing International Club, shirtless male models danced with feverish enthusiasm.
They were tall and muscular, wearing low-slung black trousers. Their sharply defined abs, visible above their waistbands, looked wild and irresistibly sexy under the lights, drawing a chorus of screams from the women below.
Ji Qingtang lounged in a plush seat, turning her wrist as she gently swirled her glass of red wine.
“Male models dancing—just hearing about it sounds exciting. So? Did it get your blood pumping?”
Ji Qingtang glanced toward the dance floor. It was plain she wasn’t impressed. “It was all right. Pretty average.”
Their muscles were nicely defined, to be fair, but they still weren’t as much to look at as her so-called husband, Shen Jinyu.
“That can’t be right. Liu Chun may keep it quiet, but she really knows how to have a good time, but if she invited you to help organize this and foot the bill, she’d have hired the most expensive male models.”
Meng Xiao stepped into the elevator. “Oh, and just now, outside the club, I saw someone from a distance who looked a lot like your husband. You’ve been having such wild fun lately—aren’t you afraid he’ll catch you?”
Ji Qingtang gave a derisive snort. “Who does he think he is, telling me what I can do?”
Meng Xiao laughed. “Of course nobody would dare try to rein in our spoiled, gorgeous Fugui Tang.”
Ji Qingtang didn’t mind that compliment. “Where are you? If you don’t get here soon, I’m leaving.”
“Don’t! Let me broaden my horizons.” Meng Xiao watched the red numbers above the elevator doors flash by, practically buzzing with excitement. “I’ll hang up now. I’m almost there. Just wait till I tuck some bills into those boys’ waistbands!”
…
The music stopped, and the male models withdrew backstage to change. The dazzling, flashing lights softened into a dreamy glow.
The young ladies, who had been screaming for quite a while, finally had a chance to return to their seats and enjoy their wine.
Though the gathering had been arranged to celebrate Liu Chun’s birthday, Ji Qingtang was the one everyone clustered around.
“Darling, why are you sitting here drinking all by yourself?”
Liu Chun had known Ji Qingtang for a long time, and now she teased her with a bright smile. “You get married, and suddenly you’re all tied down and can’t have fun?”
Ji Qingtang tapped a finger lightly against her glass. “The show was too small-scale. It didn’t do much for me.”
Liu Chun smiled. “That was just an appetizer. The next act has plenty more variety.”
Ji Qingtang didn’t answer, but at least she humored them by raising her glass.
The glasses clinked. Someone had barely taken a sip before she eagerly began praising Ji Qingtang. “As expected of a wine from Miss Ji’s private collection. You can hardly put a price on it.”
Everyone there was sharp enough to know that, although the gathering was supposedly for Liu Chun’s birthday, the real purpose was to use the occasion to make Ji Qingtang’s acquaintance. When they saw her smile and nod, they all joined in with their flattery.
“And it’s not just the wine. Even the dress Miss Ji wears for a night out is from the latest haute couture collection.”
“That necklace Miss Ji is wearing must be one of a kind in the whole world.”
“You keep calling her Miss Ji. You should be calling her Mrs. Shen. Everyone in our circle knows how much President Shen and Mrs. Shen love each other.”
“Exactly. President Shen and Mrs. Shen’s wedding caused a sensation throughout the whole capital.”
“…”
Ji Qingtang was starting to lose patience. She was just about to cut them off when the private-room door suddenly opened.
One by one, everyone turned to look.
Ji Qingtang unhurriedly finished the red wine in her glass. As she set it on the table, her red lips parted. “You’re so late. Don’t tell me you got lost?”
After speaking, Ji Qingtang turned toward the doorway.
The man was tall and lean, nearly a head taller than the male attendant in a vest standing beside him. He wore a black shirt without a tie, casual but still impeccably put together, with an air of untouchable nobility. Light reflected from the crystal wall sconces and cast a few gleams across his face. His brow was sharply defined, his gaze deep, and his thin lips beneath a high nose were faintly curved, his thoughts unreadable.
H-How could it be Shen Jinyu?!
They stared at each other from across the room.
He already looked cold and weary, his presence commanding. Dressed now in a black shirt and black trousers, he seemed even more formidable and restrained.
Ji Qingtang frowned. Wasn’t he supposed to be away for at least another week before coming back to the country?
Shen Jinyu walked over and stopped beside her, looking down at her. “Had enough fun?”
The people who had just been chattering away with one compliment after another fell silent, intimidated—whether by Shen Jinyu’s overwhelming presence or because they were worried for Ji Qingtang, no one could say.
Ji Qingtang tugged at the corner of her mouth, putting on a smile. She stood, eyes crinkling, and said, “Darling, why did you take so long to come get me? I’ve been waiting ages.”
She couldn’t let their loving-couple image fall apart.
They still had to put on a show in front of outsiders.
After all, Ji Qingtang could lose anything—except face.
As luck would have it, just as Ji Qingtang finished speaking, a group of male models who had changed outfits walked onto the stage. Several metal poles slowly rose from the floor.
Liu Chun had been right: this time there was a lot more variety.
There were twice as many male models, and they were all barefoot, with only towels wrapped around their lower halves.
Shen Jinyu frowned, shifting his gaze from the dance floor back to Ji Qingtang.
She wore a shimmering spaghetti-strap evening gown. The skin it revealed was smooth and fair, and the glimpse of cleavage below her collarbones was especially alluring.
He hadn’t seen her in months, and she seemed to have gotten even wilder.
Shen Jinyu put an arm around her slender waist and looked at her dazzling face with an impassive expression. “Are you leaving now, or do you want me to stay and watch with you for a while?”
Damn man. His face was already cold and sour, and now he had to talk in that sarcastic, needling way too?
Would it kill him to smile?
They hadn’t seen each other in months, and he’d already forgotten how to play a loving couple who trusted each other?
Ji Qingtang suppressed her anger. “This was arranged to celebrate Liu Chun’s birthday in the first place. I’m leaving now. Have fun, everyone.”
…
Once they were out of the private room, Ji Qingtang flung her bag to Shen Jinyu with a cold expression, then strode straight toward the exit in her high heels without looking back.
The car was parked outside the club, and the driver respectfully opened the rear door.
Ji Qingtang ignored the gesture. She opened the front passenger door herself and bent to get in.
Shen Jinyu stepped forward and caught her by the wrist. “Sit in the back.”
Ji Qingtang frowned and tried to pull away, but he still had a firm grip on her wrist. Irritated, she said, “Let go. You’re hurting me.”
Shen Jinyu loosened his grip but didn’t release her wrist.
The two of them stood locked in a standoff beside the car. Sensing how tense the atmosphere had become, the driver didn’t dare so much as breathe.
Ji Qingtang pressed her red lips into a thin line, shot him a glare, then walked to the back seat.
The car started. Ji Qingtang rested her elbow on the window ledge and turned to look out, making it perfectly clear she had no intention of talking.
The night was deep, the city lights brilliant, and the car moved smoothly along the elevated highway.
When Meng Xiao called, Ji Qingtang hadn’t even had time to scold her for being a jinx before Meng Xiao let out a scream.
“Ahhhhh! Babe! What a feast for the eyes! Thank you, Miss Ji, for showing me this amazing, colorful world! Did you feel the male models’ abs? They felt incredible!”
The car was utterly silent. Ji Qingtang’s phone was turned up loud, making Meng Xiao’s voice all the more piercing.
Shen Jinyu, who had been leaning back with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and turned to look at Ji Qingtang.
For no reason she could name, Ji Qingtang tensed up and hurriedly pressed the button to turn the volume down.
Meng Xiao had no idea what was going on and kept chattering.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Where are you? How come I didn’t see you?”
“You actually called that average? Have you seen something even better, or has your husband raised your standards?”
Ji Qingtang let out a breath and hung up.
Shen Jinyu adjusted his shirt cuffs and looked at her with a flicker of interest.
“Why don’t you tell me? I’d like to know too—has Mrs. Shen ever touched a male model’s abs?”
Ji Qingtang tilted her head and met his gaze without flinching. “What business is it of yours?”
The corner of Shen Jinyu’s mouth twitched, and he let out a quiet, inscrutable laugh.
Ji Qingtang frowned. “What’s so funny?”
Shen Jinyu leaned closer, took her wrist, and, with an unyielding air, spread her palm and pressed it firmly against his chest and abdomen, moving it over them as he spoke in a low, slow voice.
“Tell me—which do you like better, my physique or theirs?”