Jiang Minghua’s thoughts were in turmoil.
He hadn’t brought up that night at all — could he be deliberately pretending nothing had happened?
Then she reconsidered. Someone of Xie Jinchen’s stature, a titan at the very apex of the pyramid, surely wouldn’t quibble over something like her. He probably hadn’t given that night a second thought, which was why he could be so at ease and natural.
Jiang Minghua smiled, relieved, and steadied her voice as she demurred politely:
“That won’t be necessary, Mr. Xie. I wouldn’t want to take up any more of your time.”
Xie Jinchen unbuttoned his suit jacket, took a cigarette case from his pocket, and slid out a cigarette. He didn’t light it — just held it between his fingers and tapped it lightly against the table.
“No need to rush off, Miss Jiang. I still have something I’d like to ask you. You’re sitting too far away — walls have ears, so I’ll have to speak quietly.”
Jiang Minghua was crying on the inside. She’d read the situation wrong — he was still going to hold that matter over her head.
Jiang Minghua: “…I don’t think there’s anything about me worth asking. Are you looking to ask about something regarding the school? I actually have somewhere I need to be, so how about I find one of my fellow students to sit and chat with you for a while?”
Xie Jinchen turned the cigarette between his fingers, watching how eager she was to flee, and found it amusing. Yet his expression remained aloof and refined.
“It’s nothing major. Does Miss Jiang not even have three to five minutes to spare?”
His voice was measured and unhurried, brooking no argument. There was no aggression in it, yet it carried an imposing presence that would not be defied.
Jiang Minghua felt he gave her the same impression as her own father back home — even more so, in fact — inspiring an instinctive urge to submit.
Jiang Minghua had no choice. Since he’d put it that way, what could she do? It was just about that night, after all. She’d deal with it — cross that bridge when she came to it. No big deal.
Reluctantly, she shuffled over and sat down — at the very far end of the sofa.
Xie Jinchen noticed how far away she’d chosen to sit, but didn’t press the matter. She sat with perfect posture, like a schoolchild afraid of being called on in class, her bottom barely perched on the edge of the cushion.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Xie Jinchen’s mouth.
He rose to his feet, and with his long legs carried himself over to sit right beside her, enveloping her in an imposing, commanding presence.
The two of them were now very close, and the sudden contraction of distance sent Jiang Minghua’s heart hammering wildly. She felt her own breathing go ragged.
Jiang Minghua: “…”
In an instant, goosebumps prickled across her skin as she turned to look at the handsome, refined, dignified man.
“Wh-Why are you sitting so close? It’s not appropriate if someone sees us…”
She could almost feel the heat rolling off him, along with his clean, pleasant scent.
Xie Jinchen watched her cheeks flush, and the darkness in his eyes deepened.
He nonchalantly extended one long arm behind her — not quite touching her, though from a distance it looked as though he had her encircled in his embrace.
He looked at the stray wisps of hair falling by her cheek, fine and soft as a newborn baby’s.
He was a man who always did as he pleased. His fingers brushed the stray lock behind her ear — only for the girl to suddenly seize his wrist.
And sure enough, it drew the indignant reproach she wanted to voice but dared not fully express:
“Mr. Xie! What do you think you’re doing?!”
His fingers seemed to sear her skin where they touched, and she unavoidably recalled how intimately the two of them had held each other that night.
Her cheeks flushed deeper and deeper.
Xie Jinchen paid her no heed, suppressing the urge to go further and caress her face,
Watching her small hand grip his wrist, his skin tone was clearly a shade darker than hers. He even felt he could grasp both her wrists with just one hand.
That was true—that night, he had pinned both her hands above her head with one hand while the other gripped her waist. Hard, hard, with, force.
Jiang Minghua noticed the man’s gaze and abruptly let go.
“I’m sorry.”
Her heart was in turmoil. She turned her body to the side, trying to distance herself from him in this way.
But the two of them were pressed so close together that her effort was futile.
Xie Jinchen smiled, then spoke:
“Classmate Jiang should have a good memory. You wouldn’t forget what happened in my room that night. I remember you were the one who initiated things that night—I don’t think I’m misremembering.”
Xie Jinchen stared fixedly at the expression on her face, his posture relaxed. Though it was a question, he said it in a declarative tone.
He finally brought it up.
Jiang Minghua was silent. The base of her ears quietly and steadily grew warm. Of course she remembered what happened that night.
Why was it that when other people got drunk and woke up, they forgot everything?
Not only had she not forgotten, but the images of the two of them that night were imprinted in her mind more and more deeply.
She hadn’t yet figured out what to say when a wave of warm air suddenly came from behind her ear,
spilling onto the sensitive skin of the back of her neck, like an electric current running from there through all her limbs.
Jiang Minghua didn’t dare move. She heard the man speak softly behind her ear, his voice carrying a magnetic sexiness:
“Classmate Jiang, why aren’t you speaking? Do you want me to remind you what happened that night? I remember there were several times when you were the one…”
“Mr. Xie!”
Jiang Minghua suddenly stood up. The skin behind her ear was still burning.
She felt that now not only was the back of her ear burning, but her entire body felt like it was on fire, scorching hot.
Glaring furiously at the man who was unhurriedly adjusting his cufflinks, the words she had been holding back finally burst out:
“Mr. Xie! What exactly do you want?! Kill me or cut me up, do as you please!
I admit that night was my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten drunk and gone into your room and offended you, but there’s no need for you to say it so bluntly.”
Did she still want to save face or not! Jiang Minghua’s face was flushed red. How could this man say everything?
Jiang Minghua forced herself to calm down. She couldn’t lose her composure. She continued:
“What exactly do you want? I know you’re not short on money. Why be so calculating? I’ll apologize to you—I’m sorry, is that enough?”
Xie Jinchen also stood up. When sitting, it wasn’t obvious, but standing, he was a full head taller than Jiang Minghua.
He looked to be at least one meter eighty-nine. Jiang Minghua only reached his shoulder.
His tall, cold, aloof presence was intimidating and frightening, especially now as he stood silently watching her.
That kind of oppressive feeling, soundless and invisible, enveloped the girl.
The psychological shadow from her middle school days, that sense of being utterly out of reach, seemed to have taken physical form.
Jiang Minghua: “…”
Her momentum instantly deflated by half. She was unconvinced in her heart—why grow so tall? She had to tilt her head up to look at him. So bullying.
She faced his cold, dark gaze head-on, refusing to lose any ground.
The two silently locked eyes for a moment. Xie Jinchen looked at her deeply, his voice unhurried:
“Don’t say it like that, Miss Jiang. It’s good that you remember this matter. I don’t mean anything else by it. I bear responsibility for this too—and you suffered more of a loss.”
Jiang Minghua was stunned for a moment, not expecting him to say that.
The next second, she heard him say:
“But since your apology is so sincere, I’ll accept it. However, I’m a bit petty and can’t stand to take a loss, so Miss Jiang owes me a favor, and with that, this matter is settled.”
Jiang Minghua: “…”
She didn’t understand how there could be such a vindictive man. It wasn’t as if she was the one who had enjoyed herself, yet he spoke so sanctimoniously, as if she had truly wronged him.
Sure enough, capitalists were all shrewd and wicked.
Jiang Minghua glanced at him. The man remained handsome and refined, hands in his pockets, carrying himself with the elegance of a noble scion.
He wasn’t just a noble scion—he was the top-tier kind.
Jiang Minghua sighed inwardly.