Leaning against the railing in the stairwell, Ruan Jilao stared at the ended call, momentarily stunned before she couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.
He was, after all, the Son of Heaven’s Way—exceptionally capable in every aspect, and his desires were no exception.
So stubborn… and in denial.
Ruan Jilao opened the door to her home. Upon entering, Qiu Chaoshi, who had initially been eager to greet her, froze in place the moment she saw her.
Feeling self-conscious, Ruan Jilao instinctively covered her chest and neck, but it was a futile effort.
She spoke up, “It wasn’t me trying to seduce him. He couldn’t help himself and kissed me. I never expected him to be so… eager. It was like he’d never eaten a proper meal before.”
A wave of nausea surged in Qiu Chaoshi’s throat. Suppressing the urge to step back, she forced a smile and tried to console her instead. “I’m sorry you had to endure such disrespect because of me. I’m fine, really. I’m sorry my situation led to you being… taken advantage of by someone you barely know…”
The dense, overlapping kiss marks covering Ruan Jilao’s body told the whole story—just how impulsive had Jin Qi been to leave so many shocking traces, not even sparing her ankles…
Ruan Jilao stepped forward and took her hand. “While he was kissing me, I thought, since I was already there and it was happening anyway, I couldn’t let him take advantage of me and then fail at the task of impersonating you. Even though I felt wronged, I still kept my promise to you. If I had to do it all over again, I’d still do it for you.”
The crimson marks stood out starkly against her snow-white skin.
The feeling of disgust grew increasingly overwhelming for Qiu Chaoshi. She subtly pulled her hand away. “Thank you. This is my fault. Let me get you a towel and put it in the bathroom. You should take a shower first.”
With that, she hurried into her room in a flustered state, clutching a trash can as she couldn’t hold back her vomiting. Her nose stung unbearably, and tears streamed down her face.
It was all her fault. She was the one who had made Jin Qi mistake Ruan Jilao for her, causing Ruan Jilao to suffer this humiliation and leaving herself in such a wretched state.
It was so disgusting… The mere thought of what Jin Qi had done to Ruan Jilao was utterly unbearable to her.
If she had been the one to go today, could she have endured such intense intimacy?
She couldn’t…
Thankfully, Ruan Jilao had taken her place, and from the looks of it, she seemed to have… acquired a taste for it.
At this moment, Qiu Chaoshi’s feelings toward Ruan Jilao were incredibly complex—gratitude, envy, jealousy…
Why couldn’t she accept such intimacy? Why did the sight of the marks Jin Qi left make her feel nauseous and sick?
After a long while, Qiu Chaoshi finally emerged from her room’s balcony, holding a soft, fragrant pink towel. She instinctively glanced at Ruan Jilao.
The beauty was engrossed in watching TV, carefree and not bothering to ask why Qiu Chaoshi had been in her room for so long.
What Qiu Chaoshi was most grateful for was Ruan Jilao’s disinterest in gossip.
It left her with plenty of dignified space.
Noticing her, Ruan Jilao smiled and waved her over. “Come quick, your secret crush is being interviewed.”
Qiu Chaoshi’s face flushed for a moment. “What secret crush? He’s my idol, don’t talk nonsense. I’m coming, I’m coming.”
The two girls sat together, their eyes fixed on the distinguished figure on the TV screen.
Ruan Jilao casually dropped a bombshell with a smile. “Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you recently. I passed the interview. I’m now his personal secretary.”
Qiu Chaoshi felt as if she were living in a dream, staring in disbelief at the seemingly hopeless beauty beside her. “What?!!”
The ambiguous kiss marks on Ruan Jilao’s body once again pierced Qiu Chaoshi’s heart, and she hurriedly averted her gaze.
"Congratulations, the position by Zhi Shihan's side is a place countless people dream of."
Qiu Chaoshi suddenly felt an emptiness inside. She had always encouraged Ruan Jilao to find a job, but she never expected her to land such a good one.
Suddenly, she felt a bit envious of Ruan Jilao—beautiful, cherished by others, and now with the opportunity to work alongside Zhi Shihan.
Ruan Jilao pretended not to notice her disappointment, patting her shoulder with a laugh. "Hahaha, want his autographed photos? I'll buy a Polaroid camera and get you five."
"Sure."
The beauty eagerly extended her snow-white, slender hand as if asking for a red envelope, her lively eyes like those of a fox spirit. "Remember to reimburse me for the camera and film, Boss Qiu."
…
The next day at Zhi Corporation
A beauty in a light green suit dress, holding a matching Polaroid camera, praised the gentle, smiling man before her. "You're so photogenic, Zhi Zong."
The image that developed on the film made the man look as if he had stepped out of an anime.
Zhi Shihan didn't stop her enthusiasm, though his assistant beside him couldn't help but frown. Who would dare have the Family Head of the Zhi Family pose for photos like this?
Usually, journalists who photographed Zhi Shihan were carefully selected from numerous national media outlets, with layers of screening before they could even get a chance to see Zhi Zong.
But after all, he worked for the Zhi Family, and no matter how displeased he was, he couldn't overstep and intervene.
After Zhi Shihan received the Polaroid photo, a fountain pen was handed over. The girl looked at him pleadingly. "Please, could you sign your name on it too?"
The assistant by the man's side finally couldn't hold back. "Xiao Ruan, Zhi Zong's signature isn't something to be given out casually."
Zhi Shihan didn't take the pen immediately but instead asked, "What do you plan to use this for?"
Ruan Jilao replied frankly and sincerely, "My roommate has admired you for a long time. She's followed you from university until now, collecting information about you every day. I want to give her these autographed photos to keep."
The assistant felt displeased upon hearing this—wouldn't this mean anyone could ask her to get Zhi Zong's signature?
Zhi Shihan nodded and extended his hand. "The reason is acceptable. What about you? What do you think of me?"
Ruan Jilao handed him the pen with both hands, watching as he signed with fluid, unrestrained strokes. The man's demeanor was restrained and gentle, yet his signature carried a bold, free-spirited energy that made her pause for a moment.
She spoke up, "Of course, I regard you as my most respected leader. You work tirelessly day and night, and I wish I could be by your side at all times to ease your worries."
Zhi Shihan smiled upon hearing this. "Indeed. It seems I’ve been quite a handful for you. If not for seeing you suddenly so lively today, I’d almost forgotten how spirited you were when you first joined."
He was clearly teasing her. Ruan Jilao, thick-skinned, grinned and said, "Then, can you take me to the cocktail party, Zhi Zong? That way, if anyone tries to climb into your bed, I, as your personal assistant, can stop them."
The assistant shot a warning glance at Ruan Jilao.
Zhi Shihan lightly tapped the solid wood desk with the pen cap, reminding her, "You must speak the truth here. Why do you want to go?"
Ruan Jilao looked at Zhi Shihan, who meticulously planned and organized his work, striking at his soft spot. "The daily work is so boring. Such a monotonous life ages the heart. I want to attend the legendary cocktail party and see the glamorous lives of you elites in the upper circle. Is that okay?"
This answer took Zhi Shihan by surprise.
He fell into a contemplative silence.
Success was often dull and tedious. From the moment he was born, he had already reached the finish line. He had grown accustomed to this feeling and didn’t find it unbearable.
His assistant spoke up beside him to refuse: "Xiao Ruan, you need to maintain a proper attitude toward your work. If the leader hasn’t asked you to go, don’t bring it up."
Zhi Shihan said, "A banquet is not a place for fun. If you want to go, you may, but no mischief."
"Understood."
"And don’t say things like you just did again."
"Received."
Watching Ruan Jilao’s eager expression and seeing Zhi Zong, who seemed to agree to everything in a state of "beauty clouding judgment," the assistant felt uneasy and suddenly found himself with a headache.
Was this a honey trap sent by Jin Zong?