Squeezing the words out one by one from between his teeth, Si Jinnian glared fiercely at Pei Shuchen, his eyes filled with boundless murderous intent and threat.
Lowering his gaze to look at the collar being gripped in his grasp, Pei Shuchen gave a faint smile, revealing a look that was hard to fathom.
A moment later, he calmly and steadily grasped Si Jinnian’s hand, on which veins were bulging.
“Naturally, I believe Young Master Si’s words. However, to ruin the rest of your life over a mere million or so seems a bit not quite worth it, doesn’t it?”
Hearing this, the fire of rage in Si Jinnian’s heart flared up even more.
Pei Shuchen always seemed to possess a special power. With just the slightest effort, he could use four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds, driving Si Jinnian into an absolute fury.
If he were to actually make a move right here and right now to finish off this hateful fellow, although it would vent his pent-up hatred, when he calmed down and thought about it carefully, what this guy said wasn’t entirely unreasonable.
To throw away his own future so easily over someone who looked like a decent human being on the outside yet was a deceitful, hypocritical villain on the inside was truly a losing proposition.
Besides, just killing this guy off like this would let him off far too easily.
Thinking of this, Si Jinnian couldn’t help letting out a cold laugh, slowly loosening his grip on Pei Shuchen’s collar. He said coldly, “Consider yourself lucky you have some self-awareness.”
“For trash as sanctimonious, despicable, and shameless as you, ruining this young master’s second half of life is indeed not worth it.”
“Rest assured, that compensation will be transferred to your account shortly.”
After saying these words, Si Jinnian suddenly leaned forward, hooked his arm around the back of Pei Shuchen’s head, and pulled him forcefully toward his own chest.
Pei Shuchen clearly hadn’t expected Si Jinnian to pull such a stunt. His body tilted forward, and he was forced right into Si Jinnian’s embrace.
With his lips close to Pei Shuchen’s ear, brushing lightly against the auricle as if lingering by chance, Si Jinnian lowered his voice so that only the two of them could hear. “Pei Shuchen, I will barely count this round as your win, but you had better pray you don’t run into me again, or you won’t be this lucky next time!”
While speaking, Si Jinnian glared fiercely at Pei Shuchen, his eyes brimming with unwillingness and provocation.
Just as Si Jinnian finished speaking and prepared to let go of Pei Shuchen, he was suddenly captivated once more by Pei Shuchen’s faultless profile.
Especially when Pei Shuchen was pressed tightly against his chest, the faint woody scent radiating from him made Si Jinnian momentarily spellbound.
Guided by some mysterious impulse, as if driven by an unseen force, Si Jinnian suddenly tilted his head and swiftly planted a loud smack of a kiss right on Pei Shuchen’s cheek.
The sudden kiss left Pei Shuchen instantly stunned, while Si Jinnian himself froze right after delivering it, his heart hammering against his ribs as a wave of utter bewilderment washed over him.
What on earth was he doing?
Had he lost his mind?
He had clearly intended to dish out harsh threats and intimidate someone, so how did he suddenly get entranced by good looks?
Fuck!
Silently cursing himself in his heart, Si Jinnian quickly recovered his composure and steadied his mind. A moment later, assuming a deliberately playful and unbothered expression, he smiled and said, “Darling, our game has only just begun!”
Pei Shuchen was thrown into a flurry by Si Jinnian’s abrupt action. He widened his eyes in utter astonishment, completely frozen as if struck by a paralyzing spell, his breathing seemingly arrested at that exact moment.
Watching Pei Shuchen’s dumbfounded expression, a surge of inexpressible triumph welled up in Si Jinnian’s heart.
A moment later, the corners of his mouth curved upward into a sly, charming, and mischievous smirk, resembling a little fox that had successfully stolen cream. Without a moment’s hesitation, he turned around and walked out of Pei Shuchen’s office without looking back.
The instant he stepped out the door of Pei Shuchen’s office, the smile on Si Jinnian’s face vanished instantly, replaced by raging fury, bitter resentment, and a trace of imperceptible embarrassment and awkwardness.
Stepping out of Pei Shuchen’s office building, Si Jinnian could no longer suppress his inner emotions. He swung his leg out and kicked the roadside trash can fiercely.
He must have been out of his mind. He clearly hated Pei Shuchen to the core, so why had he still let himself get seduced by that guy’s good looks?
With a loud bang, the trash can overturned to the ground, scattering its contents everywhere.
Si Jinnian let out an angry roar. A moment later, gritting his teeth toward an unknown direction, he muttered, “Pei Shuchen, you absolute goblin. You just wait; sooner or later, I will make you kneel and beg me to let you go.”
Pei Shuchen sat dazed behind his desk, his heart beating uncontrollably and rapidly, each heavy thud slamming against his chest wall with a dull, forceful echo.
At that moment, he felt every muscle in his body tense up, his blood seemingly frozen solid, and even his fingertips trembling slightly.
“President Pei, are you alright?”
Having witnessed the scene just moments before, the secretary stood next to Pei Shuchen, wearing a look of nervous concern.
Even so, President Pei and Si Jinnian really looked quite a match standing together.
It gave off a strange vibe of a cold, aloof beauty paired with an overbearing little wolf pup.
Quickly sweeping a glance across the secretary’s face, which was plastered with worry mixed with a hint of excitement, Pei Shuchen felt a prickle of embarrassment. He feigned composure, cleared his throat, and said, “I’m fine. Go back to work.”
The secretary nodded and uttered an affirmative response, turning to scurry toward the door, only to be stopped abruptly.
“Wait a moment.”
“What is it, President Pei? Is there anything else?”
“What just happened, you are not allowed to speak of it.”
Pei Shuchen’s ear tips slowly turned red, and his tone carried a hint of unnaturalness.
The secretary curved her lips into a smile, staring at Pei Shuchen with a knowing grin as she promised, “Rest assured, President Pei. I won’t talk nonsense.”
In the evening, Pei Shuchen was invited once again to the home of Si Jinnian’s parents.
Pei Shuchen hadn’t wanted to come, but Li Shuhe used the excuse that she felt bad for not letting him stay for dinner last time, insisting by any means that he come over again. She even warned that if he didn’t come, it would mean he looked down on them.
Moreover, she claimed there was an important matter she wanted his help with.
Unable to resist such warm hospitality, Pei Shuchen could only bite the bullet and step through the Si family gates once more.
Before setting out, Pei Shuchen had even made indirect inquiries with Li Shuhe to confirm whether Si Jinnian was at home. Learning that Si Jinnian had gone out with his wild friends, Pei Shuchen had let out a sigh of relief.
Yet to his utter astonishment, the moment he arrived at the Si residence and barely had his backside settled in a chair, Si Jinnian returned.
Seeing Pei Shuchen, Si Jinnian curled his lips into an imperceptible, mischievous smirk, and right in front of Li Shuhe and Si Yanchuan, he called out to him with great enthusiasm, “Shuchen-ge.”
Pei Shuchen felt his scalp go numb at being addressed as Ge by Si Jinnian, and lifting his gaze to look at him made his entire body feel deeply uncomfortable.
This guy was suddenly being so enthusiastic toward him and even calling him Ge; he definitely harbored malicious intentions.
Pei Shuchen frowned slightly, his intuition whispering that tonight’s dinner probably wouldn’t go down very easily.
Sure enough, the very next second, Si Jinnian proactively took a seat right next to him in front of his parents and very familiarly looped his arm through Pei Shuchen’s.
“Shuchen-ge, why didn’t you call me when you came to my house for dinner? Didn’t we say we wanted to spend time together often from now on?”
“If my mom hadn’t called me to say you were coming over for dinner tonight, I probably would have missed the chance to see you again.”
“I know it was my fault for rejecting the marriage before, but haven’t I already apologized to you? I was blind and unappreciative, so please forgive me and give me another chance. I really like you; won’t you refuse to abandon me?”
Si Jinnian’s words made Pei Shuchen’s pupils dilate in shock. Turning his head to look at Si Jinnian, he felt his entire body break out in goosebumps.
When on earth did, he ever agree with Si Jinnian to spend time together often?
And furthermore, when did Si Jinnian ever apologize to him and say he liked him?