Chaрtеr 11: Fighting fоr thе Сontract Wifе 11
Sinсe getting mаrried, Shen Jiаоjiао hаdn’t bеen wоrking. Неr daуs werе spent shорping, indulging in bеautу trеаtments, рrаctiсing уоgа, аnd осcаsionаllу feeling quite borеd.
So whеn friends frоm hеr sосial cirсle invited hеr tо Dаrk Вar fоr somе fun, Shen Jiaоjiао аgrеed withоut hesitation.
Shе hаd bееn sрending all her timе with Хiе Yanqing lаtelу—acсоmраnying him to wоrk during thе day аnd staying tоgеthеr аt night—and hаdn’t gоne out to have fun in a while.
Сoinсidеntаllу, Хie Yаnqing was awaу on а business triр, and shе was bored staying home alone.
Shen Jiaojiao dressed up for the occasion, though not too extravagantly. She wore a fitted dress and applied a full face of delicate makeup.
Even so, she exuded a charming and captivating aura.
When she arrived, everyone in the private room was stunned.
“Wow, Jiaojiao, when did you get subtle cosmetic work done?”
“Dressed up so beautifully, who are you trying to mesmerize?”
Familiar friends teased her, but Shen Jiaojiao, mindful of her persona, simply smiled shyly and said, “It’s all thanks to makeup.”
She didn’t take the main seat everyone offered her but instead found a corner to sit in.
The room was lit with ambient lighting, and only after sitting down did she notice someone else sitting in the innermost corner.
Shen Jiaojiao took a closer look and realized it was Wen Shanyi.
Wen Shanyi wore a faint smile and greeted her politely, “Jiaojiao, we meet again.”
Shen Jiaojiao was a bit surprised. What was he doing here?
His aloof, untouchable demeanor didn’t quite fit the lively, bustling atmosphere of the private room.
Wen Shanyi understood Shen Jiaojiao’s expression but kept his faint smile without offering an explanation.
This gathering was his idea, arranged specifically to see Shen Jiaojiao.
Ever since their meeting that day, Wen Shanyi couldn’t control his thoughts—thinking of Shen Jiaojiao during the day, at night, and even in his dreams.
He looked it up online and found that this was called “love-struck.”
Hopeless.
Wen Shanyi didn’t want to suppress his feelings, so he allowed his growing emotions to run free.
That’s why he had orchestrated this deliberate meeting today.
He was already at a disadvantage; without a bit of scheming, how could he ever see Shen Jiaojiao?
Thinking about the main event of the evening, a flicker of profound intensity flashed quickly in Wen Shanyi’s eyes.
Under the flickering lights, his expression was hard to read, but the subtle, dark aura he emitted sent shivers down Shen Jiaojiao’s spine.
She glanced at the air vent above. Was the air conditioning too cold?
Shen Jiaojiao rubbed her arms. It didn’t feel particularly chilly.
Wen Shanyi leaned in slightly, his warm breath almost brushing against Shen Jiaojiao as he asked, “Are you cold?”
“No,” Shen Jiaojiao shook her head, waving her hand to stop him from offering her his jacket.
Wen Shanyi felt a pang of regret but had no choice but to let it go.
Glancing at the glass in front of Shen Jiaojiao, Wen Shanyi casually brushed against her arm as he picked up a drink and handed it to her. “Would you like a drink?”
Shen Jiaojiao accepted it and, in turn, handed him a glass. Their fingers lightly brushed against each other.
That electrifying, tingling sensation returned.
The air of restraint in Wen Shanyi’s eyes and brows had vanished, replaced by a warmth akin to melting ice.
He clinked glasses with Shen Jiaojiao and took a small sip.
“Why are you two drinking quietly over there? There’ll be plenty more to drink later.”
Xiaoya, the liveliest person in the room, stood up. “Just drinking is boring. Let’s play Truth or Dare!”
“Okay, I’m in!”
“Sounds good.”No one objected, and they quickly cleared a table, starting the game.
The rules they set were simple: each person got three cards, and the one with the highest total could ask the one with the lowest to choose between “Truth or Dare.” If neither was chosen, they could simply drink a penalty shot.
The first round began. Shen Jiaojiao looked at her cards—well, her luck was a bit off. Three aces.
Unsurprisingly, Shen Jiaojiao ended up with the lowest hand.
The highest hand happened to belong to Aya, who glanced at Wen Shanyi before asking with a grin, “Jiaojiao, Truth or Dare?”
Shen Jiaojiao thought for a moment. “Truth.”
Without hesitation, Aya casually asked, “Is there anyone here who’s your type?”
Shen Jiaojiao scanned the room, everyone watching her with amusement.
As a married woman, she couldn’t answer that question.
So, Shen Jiaojiao raised her glass and downed it in one go.
It turned out to be a shot of whiskey. For someone who rarely drank, it was strong enough to make her cough.
Without a second thought, Wen Shanyi gently patted her back.
Fortunately, the lighting in the private room was dim, and they were in a corner, so no one noticed.
Or… perhaps someone saw but didn’t dare to say anything.
After patting her back a few times, Wen Shanyi handed her a bottle of water, and Shen Jiaojiao finally caught her breath.
Her face flushed from coughing, and her eyes grew misty, making her look utterly charming.
Wen Shanyi’s gaze deepened. He took a sip of his drink, masking the slight shift in his demeanor.
The second round began. This time, Shen Jiaojiao had the highest hand, while Wen Shanyi had the lowest.
Shen Jiaojiao turned to him. “Truth or Dare?”
Wen Shanyi, relaxed and unhurried, replied, “Truth.”
Shen Jiaojiao casually asked, “What’s your favorite food?”
Before Wen Shanyi could answer, two young men chimed in, “Jiaojiao, you can’t ask such boring questions in this game!”
“Yeah, if you don’t know what to ask, we can help.”
Shen Jiaojiao chuckled. “Then you take over.”
The man pointed to his own nose, glanced at Wen Shanyi, who slightly raised his chin, and feigned a mischievous grin. “Alright then, Mr. Wen, what kind of girl do you like?”
Shen Jiaojiao turned to look at him.
Having had a few drinks, Wen Shanyi’s usually cool features took on a lazy air, even his voice softened. “Gentle and cute.”
As soon as he finished speaking, someone teased, “Oh my! Gentle and cute? Isn’t our Jiaojiao exactly like that?”
A faint smile played on Wen Shanyi’s lips, neither denying nor confirming it.
Shen Jiaojiao rolled her eyes at them and waved her hand, the large sparkling diamond ring on her finger catching the light.
Wen Shanyi’s jaw tightened, the upward curve of his eyes flattened, and his expression instantly turned cold.
He leaned back on the sofa, silent.
Someone familiar with Wen Shanyi across the table shook his head repeatedly. A once unattainable figure had not only fallen from grace but seemed to be descending into something darker.
He quickly urged everyone to keep playing, keeping the atmosphere lively.
The game continued for over a dozen more rounds, and as the group got more into it, the questions and dares grew bolder.
Everyone was also assigned a number, and the person with the highest hand could randomly pair two people to stare at each other, hug, or even kiss.
Fortunately, Shen Jiaojiao’s number was never drawn.After playing for about an hour, Shen Jiaojiao checked the time—it was already past nine o’clock, not too early.
She hadn’t drunk much tonight, but the alcohol was strong, leaving her slightly tipsy.
So Shen Jiaojiao announced her departure: “It’s getting late, I should head off first. You all keep playing.”
Xiaoya tried to persuade her to stay: “Don’t go yet! Do you have a curfew or something?”
Others chimed in: “Xie Yanqing can’t be that strict with you, can he? It’s only nine o’clock.”
Shen Jiaojiao looked a bit troubled, but fortunately, Xiaoya came to her rescue: “Then how about Jiaojiao plays one last round with us!”
She nodded immediately.
The cards were dealt. This time, Shen Jiaojiao’s hand was neither strong nor weak, so she thought she was in the clear.
But then a somewhat unfamiliar man in the opposite corner, holding a strong hand, declared: “Then let number five and number seven kiss for a minute.”