His warm breath was sprayed entirely against her neck, while Shen Jinyu’s other hand rested on her lower back, gently stroking it as if deliberately teasing her.
Through the thin layer of fabric, she could clearly feel the warmth of his skin and the firmness of his muscles beneath.
Ji Qingtang’s scalp tingled slightly, and a flush spread across her face.
“Didn’t you just play pretty wild a moment ago? Why are you blushing now?”
Shen Jinyu leaned close to her ear, his voice laced with a teasing tone, as if mocking her for being all bark and no bite when it came to being flirted with.
“It’s because of the alcohol!”
Ji Qingtang was both embarrassed and annoyed, so she opened her mouth and bit him on the jaw.
Shen Jinyu let out a soft hiss but kept his arm wrapped around her slender waist, refusing to let go.
“Shen Jinyu!”
Seeing his deep gaze fixed on her lips as he leaned down to kiss her, Ji Qingtang hurriedly called out his name.
Shen Jinyu stopped his movement and let out a light chuckle. “You called me ‘hubby’ pretty smoothly just now, didn’t you?”
Ji Qingtang caught the mockery in his tone.
“Don’t be crazy.” She shot him a reproachful glare, but her voice softened. “There are still people around…”
She wasn’t as shameless as Shen Jinyu.
Shen Jinyu knew his wife very well—she was so proud that she would never concede on anything.
Unless they were in bed, she rarely ever showed weakness.
Glancing at the driver from the corner of his eye, he lowered his voice and said, “When we get home, I’ll settle today’s score with you properly.”
Ji Qingtang rubbed her reddened wrist, suppressing the urge to take off her stiletto heels and pound holes into him with them, and demanded, “Why did you use so much force? It hurts like hell!”
Shen Jinyu’s gaze fell on her wrist.
She was naturally fair-skinned, with delicate and sensitive skin—any slight pinch anywhere on her body would leave a red mark.
He knew this better than anyone.
Shen Jinyu’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and he slowly averted his gaze from her. It took him a long moment before he uttered two words: “So delicate.”
…
The entire ride to the East Pavilion of Changlan Mansion passed without either of them saying a word.
After entering the door, Shen Jinyu called Ji Qingtang’s name twice but received no response.
He quickened his steps to catch up with her, wrapping an arm around her slender waist and pressing her against the wall of the entryway.
“Not seen for a few months, and your temper has grown quite a bit.”
Ji Qingtang, trapped in his embrace, pushed hard against his arm. Seeing that he barely budged, frustration surged within her.
“If I hadn’t gone to find you, would you have stayed out all night before coming home? Hmm?”
Shen Jinyu pressed his body even closer to hers.
Ji Qingtang lifted her head, her beautiful eyes glaring at him with reproach.
“Did you leave your brain behind before coming back to the country? I already told you, it was a gathering organized for Liu Chun’s birthday. Didn’t you hear Meng Xiao say on the phone that I called that gathering merely average?”
As if she, Ji Qingtang, would ever stay out all night for a gathering that wasn’t even worth her time. What a joke.
Shen Jinyu was silent for a moment, then his tone became noticeably more patient. “Don’t go to gatherings like this in the future. If someone with ill intentions catches you on camera, not only will it be hard to explain to the old residence, but it will also affect both the Ji and Shen families.”
Ji Qingtang naturally understood this reasoning.
Their marriage was tied to the interests of both families. Even without affection between them, they had to appear loving and harmonious in public.
She had only agreed to Liu Chun’s invitation out of boredom, planning to join in on the fun.
Who would have thought that Liu Chun—that woman—was anything but pure? She had directly called over a group of male models to dance provocatively.
Knowing she was in the wrong, Ji Qingtang let out a reluctant “mm” and pressed her hand against his chest to push him back. “Move. I’m tired, I need to go upstairs and rest.”
“Why are you angry?” Shen Jinyu didn’t budge, looking down at her. “What did I do to upset you?”
Ji Qingtang sneered. “Didn’t think the lofty President Shen would have such a high level of self-awareness.”
Shen Jinyu stared at her without blinking, watching her cold little face stay silent. After a moment, he said, “Resolve today’s conflict today. Talk now, or talk in bed later?”
Their bodies were pressed together, and certain chaotic images flashed through her mind. The flush on Ji Qingtang’s face deepened.
Now she genuinely couldn’t tell if the heat was from the alcohol or from Shen Jinyu’s endless suggestive remarks.
Reining in her thoughts, she put on an air of righteous indignation with her voice raised.
“Before—whether it was going back to the old estate or accompanying you to galas and celebrations—didn’t I give it my all, a full twelve out of ten in acting, and save you plenty of face? And you? You burst into that private room looking like you were catching a cheater. Whose face were you slapping? Plenty of people in the circle already whisper behind my back that I’m whipped, and then you go and make snide remarks at my expense—do you just want to see me humiliated?”
Ji Qingtang said it all in one breath, barely pausing to inhale.
Shen Jinyu was taken aback for a moment, then took a step back and released her. “Fine, let’s call today’s matter even. Stop throwing your little tantrum.”
Ji Qingtang had felt considerably better after venting, but hearing the words “little tantrum” reignited her anger.
“How is it even? How did you know I was at Jinjing International—did you have someone tailing me?”
Shen Jinyu furrowed his brow slightly, as if he found her raised voice a bit grating, and said with little patience, “Stop watching those brainless dramas.”
Ji Qingtang felt her brain had truly short-circuited from his infuriating behavior—she couldn’t believe she’d even asked such a question.
If Shen Jinyu wanted to find her, it would take no effort at all. Why would he need to have someone follow her?
Ji Qingtang was at a loss for words but refused to back down, snapping back at him.
“What do you mean I’m throwing a tantrum? When you’re at business dinners and social functions, there are plenty of female servers pouring wine and minor celebrity girls keeping you company, right? Have I ever suspected you of stepping out? It’s you who didn’t trust me first…”
Before she could finish, Shen Jinyu suddenly bent down and effortlessly scooped her up in his arms.
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“What are you doing! Can’t win the argument, so you resort to brute force? Shen Jinyu, I’m telling you, don’t you dare touch me tonight! Put me down!”
Shen Jinyu loosened his grip, and Ji Qingtang—who had been thrashing and struggling in his arms just moments ago—instinctively clung tightly to his neck.
He glanced down at Ji Qingtang and let out a silent chuckle.
Upstairs, Ji Qingtang was tossed onto the bed.
Shen Jinyu leaned over her, pinning her wrists. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, but I care.”
Ji Qingtang froze for a moment before the meaning of his words sank in.
This bastard really did have a strong possessive streak.
“Those women pouring wine and keeping company—I never touched a single hair on their heads,” he continued. “I hope Mrs. Shen has the same awareness and doesn’t get too wild with those friends of yours.”
“Why don’t you just say birds of a feather flock together? A perfectly good man, and yet he’s got a mouth that says nothing pleasant…”
Ji Qingtang was retorting at him while struggling and twisting her body, when she suddenly felt the change in his body. She immediately went still, not daring to move an inch.
Shen Jinyu’s arm was braced on either side of her, the tip of his nose brushing against her cheek, his breathing growing heavy and ragged.
Ji Qingtang’s mind went blank for a moment, her fingers unconsciously curling.
The ambiguous atmosphere had been built to its peak, but the phone ringtone chose that exact moment to ring, completely out of place.
Shen Jinyu closed his eyes briefly, then rose from above her and answered the call.
Ji Qingtang propped herself up on her elbows against the bedsheet and lifted her body to look at his back as he stood before the floor-to-ceiling window.
He was speaking in a perfectly serious tone, as if he had instantly pulled himself away from desire.
As if even one more second would have been a disgrace to his status as the president of the Shen Group.
He certainly knew how to hold back.
Well, it wasn’t her who was suffering anyway.
As she walked toward the bathroom, Ji Qingtang could still hear Shen Jinyu on the phone, seemingly discussing the acquisition of a certain percentage of equity in an American competitive sports club.
She didn’t care much about business matters, but based on her understanding of the Shen Group, she guessed that the person on the other end of the line was most likely her brother-in-law, Shen Yu.
The Shen Group’s main business was commercial real estate and international resort hotels. Entertainment and cultural investment was merely a well-performing expansion business for the group, hardly worth Shen Jinyu’s personal involvement.
Coincidentally, half a year ago, her brother-in-law, who was obsessed with racing, had been forced into the role and became the primary person in charge of the Shen Group’s entertainment and cultural investment division.
Besides, at this hour, the only people who would call were either Shen Jinyu’s executive assistant or the Shen family.
Inside the bathroom, Ji Qingtang removed her makeup in front of the mirror, casually tossed aside the black slip dress she was wearing, and stepped into the bathtub.
Her graceful, alluring figure submerged into the warm water. She felt completely relaxed, lying back with her eyes closed in comfort.
But before she could enjoy even a few minutes of peace, the bathroom door was pushed open from the outside.