[Ice Tiger's Flirting] (The End) Author: Qiu Lin

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-23

Author: Qiu Lin
Word Count: 68895

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Prologue:

In a time of economic downturn, three business geniuses rose to prominence, holding leading positions
and building their own business empires with great ambition.

It is said that whatever they desired—a project, a profit—was
easily , effortlessly pocketed. Their ruthlessness, precision, and speed in the business world were renowned. Companies seeking to cooperate with them
pulled out all the stops. Because a single collaboration could secure the entire year's profits, eliminating the need for
further business.

To be their enemy was a terrifying prospect; a single move from them could
bankrupt you overnight, leaving your family ruined. Therefore, wise people knew to strive for cooperation with them,
while the few who overestimated their abilities and opposed them vanished completely in the treacherous business world, unable
to rise .

Because of their ability to wield immense power in the business world, coupled with their individual net worth exceeding hundreds of millions, they were dubbed the "Golden
Three Tigers."

For some reason, one of them was outwardly their enemy, and in public, they disdained to be mentioned in the same
name. Those who bestowed the title upon them, to avoid provoking this formidable individual, changed their name to—
Golden Tiger.

However, in private, they were still known as the Three Golden Tigers.

These three were:

Jiang Chengji: a half-Chinese, half-Japanese individual, whose Japanese name is Morino Takuzawa, thirty years old, cold and ruthless,
exuding an icy aura. He is the president of the Morino Group and one of the behind-the-scenes figures of Yangli Jewelry International Company;
he dislikes women, holding them in very low regard, even to the point of keeping his distance.

Lin Ziyang: twenty-eight years old, a half-Chinese, half-American individual, an illegitimate child, the president of the Opal family business sent to
Taiwan . Because his company started in jewelry, he and Yangli were outwardly competitors, but in private
, they were best friends. Lin Ziyang is a gloomy and ruthless man, a handsome and charming
playboy who , despite his fondness for women, never gives his heart or makes promises. His
principle in relationships is to part ways amicably.

Shen Tianqing, thirty years old, is the general manager of Senye Group and president of Yangli Jewelry International Company, which he
co-founded with Jiang Chengji. He is gentle and humorous, seemingly nonchalant, but actually
cunning and shrewd. He has a deep passion for jewelry, a hobby unknown to many, and establishing the jewelry company
fulfills his dream. He maintains an indifferent attitude towards women.

The three men have achieved remarkable success in the business world and possess outstanding looks and unmarried status. This has created a frenzy in high
society , with all women captivated and hoping to gain his favor. Therefore, wherever the "Golden
Tiger" goes, he causes a sensation and becomes the focus of conversation in high society!

Chapter 1

Around six or seven in the morning, on the winding asphalt road up the mountain, besides the elderly people exercising early, a young girl could
be seen playfully weaving among them, greeting them one by one. She wore
a red cotton short-sleeved top, faded capri jeans, and her hair was tied in a ponytail; she looked very pretty and young.

"Xiao Xin! What good dance steps have you practiced? We have to show Grandma
Zhang

sometime!" An elderly woman with gray hair strolled by, calling out to the girl dancing past her. Upon hearing this, the other elderly men and women nodded in agreement, their praise
making Xiao Xin's smiling face even more radiant with joy.

"Oh! No problem at all!"

she confidently patted her chest, loudly promising, her playful demeanor bringing smiles to everyone's faces.

She glided away from them with light, quick steps, turning back to flash them a bright smile and shout,
"Bye-bye, grandpas and grandmas!"

Xiao Xin was so focused on waving that she forgot she was on a sloping bend and almost
kissed the mountainside. Luckily, she used her nimble hands and feet to perform a graceful backflip, calming her racing
heart . She couldn't help but praise her quick reflexes, a smug smile playing on her lips, when
suddenly she heard the sound of screeching brakes.

When she came to her feet, she looked closely and saw a gleaming black Rolls-Royce stretching out
in The door opened, and a man in a sharp suit with a menacing expression made her already
unattractive face even more frightening.

Realizing she was blocking his way, she stuck out her pink tongue. Ugh! She'd caused trouble again.

"Uh…sorry! I blocked your way," she said with an awkward smile, bowing slightly in apology.

"What the hell are you doing? Are you looking for trouble?" The driver, with a sour face and a
fierce determined to get back at her. Seeing that she was just a young girl, he completely disregarded her and launched into a tirade of insults.

The driver's contemptuous look and unfriendly tone froze the girl's forced smile. "I...I..." she
stammered, knowing she was in the wrong, what could she say?

"What do you mean, 'I'? Go home and do your acrobatics, don't block people's way here." The driver continued with
a string of offensive insults, seemingly unstoppable.

The girl's face grew increasingly hostile, her hands unconsciously clenching into fists. "Hey! You old geezer, have you said enough
?" She waved her hands in front of him, gritting her teeth as she shouted, "I've already apologized,
fine , but why are you swearing at me?" What a bastard, what a despicable man!

Her sudden shout of protest startled the man for a moment, but he quickly puffed out his muscular chest,
glancing at her contemptuously. She was just a little girl; surely he wouldn't be intimidated by her bluff? So, he spoke to her again in a very fierce tone: " Shouldn't an idiot

like you, who treats the road like a circus , be scolded? This is clearly a place for cars to drive, you don't…" "Ah!" Her sudden scream made the man stop speaking, staring at her in disbelief. The scream was sharp and loud, almost shattering his eardrums, making him almost instinctively cover his aggrieved ears. Just as he was about to tell her to shut up, someone kindly stepped in to discipline her first. "Shut up!" The deep, authoritative command silenced Shi Xinlan instantly. She looked up, about to rebuke him…

Li, however, gaped, speechless, because of his striking good looks.

Wow! She thought to herself, what a handsome man! Thick, dark eyebrows, large, bright eyes, a straight
nose, thin, tightly pressed lips, and a strong, tall physique—truly a top-tier man.

It's just a pity he exudes a cold, unapproachable aura, though this doesn't diminish his mature masculine
charm. His eyes are as deep and unfathomable as a still lake, as if one might be drawn into them by a careless
glance .

But at this moment, that man with those beautiful eyes used his admirable mouth to command her to shut up!

Humph! What a joke! She, Shi Xinlan, wasn't a lovesick fool; she would never easily
succumb .

She boldly pointed at his face and yelled, "Hey! You guys are really going too far! It's clearly your
fault , but you act like it's all perfectly reasonable! Humph! I knew it, like master, like
dog, and you're absolutely right!" Ignoring the roar behind her, she continued her reckless criticism. "You
almost bumped into me, and you acted all fierce! That's so unfair!"

Her cheeks, flushed with anger, looked exceptionally beautiful, causing the indifferent man's eyes to flash
before smiled mockingly.

"How much?"

"What?" She had prepared a whole string of words to hurl at the two men, but his contemptuous
tone and arrogant attitude completely drowned them out. Besides, she couldn't understand what he was saying. It wasn't

until he reached into his pocket, took out his wallet, pulled out a few bills without looking, and shoved them into her arms
without a word before turning and getting into his car that she finally understood.

A series of swift and fluid movements left her no time to react.

"Go!" he uttered softly.

The driver quickly started the car and sped away.

Only after the car had disappeared into the distance did she come to her senses, looking at the banknotes in her hand, her anger reaching
its peak. That despicable man, how dare he treat her like a woman who loved money more than anything!

Damn it, damn it! She was so angry she was about to throw the banknotes on the ground and curse, "I don't want
your filthy money!" But just as she was about to drop the banknotes, she suddenly changed her mind and instead gripped them tightly
in her hand.

"Fine, very well, you bastard, remember this! Don't let me see you again, or I'll
make you pay!" Shi Xinlan was waiting for the day they met again. She would never be so oblivious to his
humiliation ; she would demand justice, or she would change her surname to his!

Ugh, she was so angry. She was the kind of person who couldn't stand being provoked, and she would remember him! She
angrily stuffed the banknotes into her pocket, as if they were a terrible hot potato rather than money. Her cheerful
mood vanished, and she decided to hurry home. Thinking of home, a warm smile welled up inside her, and she ran
towards it .

Shi Xinlan was a 22-year-old young woman, a recent graduate of the dance department at T University. She ran a dance studio and
lived in a large villa on Yangmingshan Mountain. Her father was a university professor; in academic circles, the name Shi Mingwen
was known to . Her mother was a gentle and virtuous housewife.

Besides being a university professor, Shi Mingwen also used his economics expertise to invest in stocks and real estate,
making a considerable fortune, which allowed him to buy the large villa on Yangmingshan Mountain and settle down in this quiet environment.

The people who had greeted Shi Xinlan were her neighbors. She went out for exercise every morning, so she knew
many elderly people.

With open-minded parents, Shi Xinlan had developed a positive and optimistic attitude towards life. Even when faced with setbacks
, she would only be sad for a few minutes before regaining her energy, jumping and laughing, enjoying life to the fullest.

Shi Xinlan took out her key and opened the front door. Hearing laughter coming from inside, a
genuine smile spread across her face, completely forgetting the unpleasantness from before, along with the handsome, aloof male
face .

The screen door slammed shut behind her, followed by her father's protest.

"Xiao Xin, I've told you so many times, a girl shouldn't be so rude. Be more refined," her father muttered as he ate breakfast at
the table .

Shi Xinlan laughed even harder, pulled out a chair, plopped down, grabbed a glass of milk, and gulped it down.
Seeing her mother's disapproving, gentle gaze, she put down the glass, stuck out her tongue, and
licked the milk stains from the corner of her mouth.

"Yes, Dad," she said, raising a hand to her head in a Boy Scout salute, a
mischievous .

Shi Mingwen could only shake his head helplessly and say to Li Yumei, "Look at your daughter, she's so naughty!
I bet she'll never get married, nobody's going to want her!"

Before Li Yumei could say anything, Shi Xinlan protested.

"Dad! What are you saying? I'm your daughter, after all!" She stood up,
hugged Shi Mingwen's neck from behind, and said coquettishly, "Besides, I don't want to get married. I want to stick with you forever."

Her coquettish words made Shi Mingwen very happy. "You're always going back and forth with me, really...
" he scolded gently, affectionately.

"Dad! I'm telling the truth!" Shi Xinlan said sweetly. "I don't want to get married! I want
to stay by my parents' side forever and make you happy!"

Mr. and Mrs. Shi only had one daughter, Shi Xinlan, so they both doted on her.
Mr. Shi especially spoiled this "mischievous" girl, buying her everything good and ensuring her a
very comfortable life. Of course, he showered her with love as well. Fortunately, Shi Xinlan didn't take this for granted;
instead, she became even more considerate, bringing much liveliness and energy to their quiet home.

Mr. Shi laughed heartily at her words.

"Alright, if you two keep bickering, it'll be too late later," Mrs. Shi said with a smile,
shaking her head. She could only watch helplessly as their drama unfolded.

Mr. Shi had an economics class in the morning, and although Shi Xinlan only taught dance classes two evenings a week,
she volunteered to teach children to dance at the orphanage every Wednesday morning or other afternoon whenever she had free time.

Hearing her mother's reminder, Shi Xinlan glanced at her watch and exclaimed, "Oh no! 7:40!
Oh no, I'm going to be late!"

She cried out in alarm, jumping off Mr. Shi and gulping down the half-finished
milk .

She skipped to the living room, grabbed her backpack, shouted goodbye, and disappeared, completely
missing the smiling faces of Mr. and Mrs. Shi.

Mr. Shi was a renowned professor in academia, naturally facing numerous invitations and social engagements.
However , he wasn't fond of socializing and would decline unless absolutely necessary, staying home with his wife.
Their deep affection wasn't just about maintaining a good image; it was a genuine and
enviable .

Whenever Mr. Shi agreed to attend a gathering, he would go with his wife. This particular banquet sought the support and sponsorship of
entrepreneurs to help them establish an economic and financial research institution. The funding was substantial,
hence Mr. Shi's personal presence, hoping to persuade the entrepreneurs to contribute generously.

Originally, Shi Xinlan hadn't planned to go, as she was always easygoing and had little interest in such occasions.
However , since her parents had promised to accompany her to the National Theatre to see
a performance by a renowned dance troupe from Paris, and that they would only make an appearance at the banquet before accompanying their daughter
to the show, she felt compelled to dress up and go with them.

Upon arriving at the venue, Shi Xinlan found the noisy and bustling atmosphere extremely uncomfortable. Seeing everyone's
insincere smiles and the completely different emotions expressed in their eyes, she desperately wanted to escape.

"Dad," she softly called to her father, who was standing in front of her. When he turned around, she asked again, "Are you really sure you
can just make an appearance and leave?" She asked her father with great skepticism.

It wasn't surprising that she doubted him; since they arrived, her parents had been
chatting , and the overwhelming presence made her doubt whether they could possibly slip away on time to accompany her to
the nine o'clock dance performance.

Now, even when her father spoke to her, he had to force himself to look back at her!

"Don't worry, I know the time. Anyway, the department head said that as long as I make a token appearance, they
'll know I support the establishment of this organization, and they'll naturally sponsor the funding. So when it's almost time,
your mom and I will definitely go with you."

"But Dad..." She was about to reply when she realized her father was being pulled aside to talk and didn't have time
to listen. She could only pat her mother's shoulder and gesture for her to go to the self-service area to get something to eat, and then meet her at
the entrance later. After her mother understood and agreed, she quietly slipped away. If she continued to nod
and greet them like this, she would definitely go crazy.

Shi Xinlan walked towards the abundant food area, sighing and thinking, if she had insisted on going to see the performance by herself, wouldn't
she have avoided this predicament? But her parents were so enthusiastic about going with her, she
couldn't very well dampen their spirits, could she?

Looking at the various delicious dishes in front of her, Shi Xinlan suddenly smiled. "Well, maybe coming along has
its advantages . At least this delicious food is some kind of compensation!" she thought. "I'll just have a good meal
. Maybe they can leave once I'm full. It's a good way to pass the time."

She optimistically began her attack on the food.

Just as Shi Xinlan had contentedly filled her plate, she happily picked up her fork,
ready to find a good spot to dig in. But as she looked around, her gaze suddenly fixed on someone,
and she froze.

Shi Xinlan's fork pointed at a tall, thin, and muscular man. Her mouth formed an "O" shape with surprise, and
her eyes flashed with anger. The man in the white suit and trousers—wasn't that
the despicable man who had slipped her money on the street that day?

"Fine, very well!" she thought through gritted teeth. "I've searched high and low, and now this has come to me without any effort. Hmph, you
just wait and see how I repay you." The moment the thought crossed her mind, she strode straight at him like a vengeful goddess.
Seeing him about to turn away, she shouted at him, disregarding her image,

"Stop right there!"

Shi Xinlan pointed her fork at him, forcing him to halt and glance at her.

Damn it! This man was still as handsome as when she first saw him, making her heart race
uncontrollably. Shi Xinlan immediately scolded herself: What time is it now? Still thinking about this?
She quickly snapped out of her reverie, completely unaware that the previously noisy hall had quieted down because of her shout, and
everyone was looking at them.

Shi Xinlan's unladylike behavior made her the center of attention, but she focused all her attention
on the man not far in front of her. Seeing that he only glanced at her and was about to turn away again,
she quickened her pace and ran towards him.

"You wretched, stinking man, where do you think you're going? I still have a score to settle with you. If you have
the guts, stand there and don't move." He didn't even bother to acknowledge her and continued walking forward, which only fueled her fighting spirit.

Shi Xinlan hated these high heels she rarely wore and the evening gown she was wearing, which hindered her agile
movements . Now she was even putting in so much effort to chase someone. While cursing, she didn't stop
walking. Unexpectedly, he suddenly stopped, causing her to be caught off guard and bump into him... Instantly, a low curse and a scream rang out at the same time. Shi Xinlan was lying face down on Jiang Chengji

in an extremely undignified position . The food on her plate had long since disappeared, and her fork was nowhere to be found. Only when she realized, still shaken, that she was completely unharmed and had landed safely on a safe object breathe a sigh of relief and pat her rapidly beating chest, showing an expression of relief. It wasn't until she heard a cold and deep voice from below that she was startled. "Although many women want to throw themselves at me, this is the first time . However, I don't appreciate it at all. Now, can you get off me?" His unhurried tone revealed his calmness in this unexpected situation, but his words were full of sarcasm. "You...you..." Shi Xinlan stared wide-eyed down, realizing she was sitting on Jiang Chengji. But instead of jumping up like most people would, she bent down fiercely, grabbed his tie with her small hand , and glared at him threateningly. "You narcissistic jerk, who wants to throw themselves at you? We still have a score to settle, you better pay up..."

"I'll stay put, I'll be right back." She quickly jumped off him, rushing to grab her purse from the
locker , where he had inexplicably given her the money last time.

Unexpectedly, an angry man and woman blocked her path. Food from her plate
had spilled onto the woman's seemingly expensive dress, while a fork was stuck in the man's buttocks, creating
a comical scene that almost made her burst out laughing.

At that moment, her parents rushed over. Shi Mingwen apologized to them and scolded their daughter for her inappropriate
behavior. Out of respect for Shi Mingwen, the man had no choice but to leave, resigning himself to his fate
. After all, only his pride was hurt; a small stab wouldn't harm him.

But the arrogant woman wasn't so easily appeased. She immediately leaned against Jiang Chengji, acting
coquettishly , which made Shi Xinlan scoff disdainfully.

"It's not surprising at all that a man like you would have a woman of that taste as a companion."

Such sarcastic words made Shi's parents frown simultaneously! They exchanged accusing
glances, each blaming the other for spoiling their child. Just as they were about to reprimand each other, the man spoke first.

"So, you're jealous that the woman beside me isn't you?"

"Hmph, don't flatter yourself. Want me to be your companion? You'll have to wait hundreds of years!" Shi Xinlan
turned and strode away, not wanting to delve into why she felt a fleeting
sense of loss upon seeing another woman intimately nestled beside him.

Shi Xinlan acted swiftly, wanting to resolve their feud quickly, but when she returned, she
found the man chatting happily with her father, which infuriated her. This hypocritical man, using
his fake benevolent face to deceive everyone, everyone knew he was the most despicable and deceitful man, only capable of despicably
trying to appease her with money.

Before she could think, the banknotes clutched in her hand were suddenly thrown at his face, scattering like
petals above his head and falling to the ground.

A gasp of surprise and astonishment erupted.

After the banquet, Shi Xinlan was scolded mercilessly by her parents, but just thinking of the astonished
expression on the man's face made it all worthwhile!

Although such behavior was ungentlemanly, wasn't his act of handing her money humiliating enough?
She simply wanted to show him that money wasn't everything, and that having a few coins didn't give him the right to be so arrogant.

Just imagining his clenched fists and grim expression sent chills down Shi Xinlan's spine.
She believed that if it weren't for the public setting, he would have punched her a few times on the spot. Perhaps her impulsive nature
, her failure to consider the consequences, led to this incident.

The moment she saw him, her anger flared, and she lost her usual rationality; she no longer cared about anything else
. She had made a fool of herself, and her parents were so angry that they didn't speak to her for days, vehemently protesting her
inappropriate and unacceptable behavior.

After all, Jiang Chengji was a prominent figure in high society, and for a young woman like her
to throw money at him in public, especially with the media capturing the incident, was truly embarrassing.

She didn't even dare to think about that chaotic scene again; otherwise, she would blush with shame and wonder
how she could have done such a thing. Therefore, her parents were actively trying to contact Jiang Chengji to
apologize , and she was severely warned to behave herself and not to provoke him again.

Fine, she wouldn't go. Shi Xinlan couldn't help but stick out her tongue and changed her morning exercise spot to a higher
place to avoid running into him again and having an unpleasant incident like last time. There were almost no people there,
only a huge, luxurious villa next to it, and a large open space. She was very satisfied with
the spaciousness and flatness of the place; it was a spot she had searched for a long time to find!

After warming up, Shi Xinlan began practicing her new dance steps. Her somersaults and leaps were so
perfect and moving. Immersed in the music she was meditating on, she swayed gracefully, completely unaware that
behind the gleaming window on the second floor of the villa, a pair of deep, emotionless black eyes were staring intently at her.

Behind the man was an elderly butler, around sixty years old. He adjusted his black-rimmed
reading , cleared his throat, and, fearing his master might be offended by this intrusion, quickly spoke.

"Young Master, should we order someone to send that girl away?" he asked, sounding somewhat apprehensive. He had been with the Jiang family for
over thirty years. Since the young master took over—no, it should be said, since the young master became aware of things—his thoughts and emotions had never
been revealed. No one could fathom his joys, sorrows, or anger; only he could judge them himself.

Moreover, after being taken to Japan by Old Master Morino eight years ago, his temperament became even more unpredictable
, and his preferences even more inscrutable, so he had to be served with even greater care.

Young Master Jiang always preferred a quiet life, so he should be very unhappy if an outsider intruded into his space
.

"No," he said calmly, his expression still unchanging, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

"Huh?" Uncle Yuan thought the young master would agree, but his unexpected opposition left him stunned and
speechless.

Jiang Chengji didn't speak, simply standing quietly by the window, intently following the small
figure .

Uncle Yuan could only keep his mouth shut, his confusion growing, but he dared not ask; no one wanted to risk
their meager strength to test the young master's limits. If they displeased him, his temper could freeze even hell.

Uncle Yuan had been in the Jiang family for so long, and had only seen Jiang Chengji lose his temper once. He would rather go through hell
than experience that chilling ordeal again, so he could only stand there quietly, awaiting the young master's
orders.

For the next five days, Jiang Chengji stood at the same window at the same time, watching the girl dance with her
healthy beautiful body, displaying a captivating rhythm. Uncle Yuan stood behind him each time.

That morning, Jiang Chengji finally spoke: "This is interesting. You have a path to heaven, but you refuse to take it, daring to trespass
on my territory. If you have the guts to mess with me, you'll have to bear the consequences!"

Jiang Chengji said coldly, abruptly turning and leaving, leaving Uncle Yuan bewildered and completely confused.

Sigh! He should have known that the young master would never say anything to him. What was he expecting?
However, the young master showing interest in a young girl for the first time was truly unprecedented!

But from his observation just now, why did the young master's tone sound so terrifying?
Should sympathize with that young girl?

That afternoon, Shi Xinlan returned from teaching dance at the dance studio and, as usual,
greeted : "Dad, I'm home." She gave Shi Mingwen a bright smile.

"Xiao Xin, you're back?" Shi Mingwen returned a warm smile. "I'm back early today."

"Of course! I'm so charming, the kids are all under my thumb
. Who would dare disobey me?" Shi Xinlan's expression was rich, revealing a confident smile.

This afternoon, after teaching the children at the orphanage, she planned to help the director take the children to
the dining room and help distribute snacks, as usual. However, because a trainee teacher was there for an internship, she didn't need to help and
could return early.

"Hehe, I think if you don't cause trouble, the director will be in a terrible mood!" Shi Mingwen
teased her deliberately.

Shi Mingwen and his daughter had always had a very good relationship, so seeing that she seemed much more well-behaved, he
stopped arguing with her and joked around with her, demonstrating the strong bond between father and daughter.

"Angry? Dad, that's not giving your daughter any face!" Shi Xinlan said, heading towards Shi Mingwen
, wanting to cling to him.

"Xiao Xin, we have guests!" Shi's mother gently reminded her, giving Shi Mingwen a warning look.
Honestly, there are guests here, yet he still likes to cause trouble with his daughter.

Receiving his mother's look, Shi Mingwen immediately chuckled, still appearing relaxed and carefree.

Upon hearing her mother's words, Shi Xinlan quickly stopped and looked around. Sure enough, she saw a man
sitting on the sofa to her left, his deep, enigmatic eyes fixed on her, his emotions unreadable.

However, his face made her exclaim in surprise, "Ah! It's you!" Shi Xinlan jumped
in front of , pointing a slender, jade-like finger directly at Jiang Chengji, her face filled with astonishment,
her eyes wide open and her mouth agape.

Unexpectedly, the man didn't even frown, calmly looking at her and nodding in greeting.

Seeing her actions, Shi's parents couldn't help but frown.

Shi Mingwen spoke up in a stern voice, warning, "Xiao Xin, have you forgotten your manners again?"

Her inexplicable rudeness last time had made her parents feel ashamed. This time, they had finally managed to get
him to come to their door in person, and the adults had been forgiving of her behavior, but look at her now
!

Mr. Shi quickly smiled apologetically at Jiang Chengji, saying, "I'm so sorry, it's all my fault
for spoiling her..."

Shi Xinlan immediately protested, "Dad, how am I spoiled? It's clearly him..."

"Enough!" Shi Mingwen rarely scolded Shi Xinlan in such a stern tone.

This tone meant Mr. Shi was truly angry, so Shi Xinlan could only stick out her tongue
, glare at Jiang Chengji, and sit sullenly to the side.

Seeing that his daughter didn't say anything more, Shi Mingwen nodded in satisfaction, ignoring her childish behavior. He really didn't understand
why his daughter became so childish around Jiang Chengji; she wasn't usually like this. Could it be that he had really
spoiled her?

"Xiao Xin, hurry up and apologize to Mr. Jiang." He had personally come to visit;
if didn't act more sensible, wouldn't she become a laughingstock? Although what happened last time... sigh, he didn't want to think about it.
Just thinking about the good things his precious daughter had done gave him a headache.

"Why should I..." Shi Xinlan wanted to protest unhappily, but when she saw her parents' disapproving
eyes and stern expressions, she reluctantly held back. She couldn't disappoint her parents, could she? Fine, she'd apologize
for their sake; it wouldn't kill her.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have humiliated you in public. If it happens again, I'll remember to do it
when no one is watching..."

Chapter Two.

"Xiao Xin!"

A warning shout stopped her from continuing, and Shi Xinlan had no choice but to shut up.

Shi's mother opened the bedroom door, very displeased, and lectured, "Look at what you're saying! What's wrong with you? Even
Mr. Jiang isn't arguing with you, and you still spout such nonsense. It's all your father's fault for spoiling you."

Shi Mingwen sighed helplessly. Why was it him again?

Seeing her father's helpless expression, Shi Xinlan felt a pang of guilt. She felt she shouldn't have disappointed her loving
parents , but she didn't know why she completely lost control in front of this man, acting impulsively and
speaking recklessly like an ill-mannered woman, truly embarrassing her parents!

Suppressing her anger, Shi Xinlan apologized to him again, which finally brought a slight look of comfort to her parents.

"Mr. Jiang, why don't you stay for dinner tonight?"

"No, I'll bother you again next time. I have other matters to attend to." Jiang Chengji stood up, giving Shi Mingwen a
gentle smile, then gave Shi Xinlan a meaningful look.

This look sent a chill down Shi Xinlan's spine. She had never been able to decipher the meaning behind his gaze before, but
this time his undisguised predatory look startled her. Just as she was about to question him about his intentions,
her parents told her to see him out.

At the doorway, she said to him coldly, "Let me tell you, I'm only
apologizing to you because of my parents. Don't think you're so right!"

Unexpectedly, after hearing her words, Jiang Chengji suddenly turned around and stood very close to her.

Startled, she quickly took a step back and defensively asked, "What do you want?"

"Shi Xinlan, this isn't over between us. You just wait!" he said, and without waiting for her
reaction, he turned and left.

Even though Shi Xinlan wanted to ask him questions, she couldn't get any answers, so she could only turn around and walk back into the house dejectedly. Who
had to deal with that lunatic? She wasn't that unlucky; why waste time with him? That man was better off staying far away from her
.

As she entered the living room, she heard her father's conversation.

"I really didn't expect Mr. Jiang to come looking for us," Shi Mingwen said, surprised and happy.

"Dad, you seem quite pleased that he came to see you." "

Of course. Mr. Jiang is half Japanese and an excellent business leader. You must have heard of the Morino
Group, right? The Morino Group is a multinational conglomerate, headquartered in Japan with branches all over the world."
The name Morino is well-known, and the company deals in a wide variety of products,
mostly high-priced items such as jewelry and clothing.

Hearing her father say this, could he be…?

“Wow! Dad! Could he be the heir to the Morino Group?” Shi Xinlan asked, her eyes wide with
wonder.

“That’s right. That’s why I was so surprised Mr. Jiang came to see me!”

“I originally wanted to meet him because of your matter, but I didn’t expect Mr. Jiang to come in person and even
discuss the funding for the research institute. He’s truly a rare and wonderful man.” Seeing his daughter’s
indifferent expression, Mr. Shi continued, “Don’t look so disbelieving. If he weren’t a good man, he
wouldn’t be so magnanimous as to not hold it against me and even discuss the sponsorship with me. If we can get his
support, there won’t be any problem with our institute being established.” Shi Mingwen said expectantly with an excited tone.

"Dad, don't overthink it. Maybe he just happened to be visiting!" Although Shi Xinlan didn't want to dampen
her father's spirits, her woman's intuition, combined with his gaze and what he had just said, suggested some
kind of conspiracy. She didn't believe he would be so kind as to unconditionally offer a large sum of money to sponsor her father's school.

"Mingwen, I didn't see him say much from beginning to end, and he didn't promise anything before leaving. Don't have too high
expectations, lest you be more disappointed later. I'll go prepare dinner."

Shi Xinlan seemed a little uneasy, because she hadn't forgotten Jiang Chengji's gaze and what he had said to her before he left.
Getting involved with this kind of man might not be a wise move, but she quickly shook her head and thought optimistically that they
were different worlds. Even if Jiang Chengji wanted to make things difficult for her,
she could just ignore him. Would he kill her?

Thinking of this, Shi Xinlan couldn't help but laugh, and then followed her mother to help prepare dinner.

Jiang Chengji is thirty years old this year, of mixed Chinese and Japanese descent. His father is Japanese and his mother is Taiwanese. Both his parents
perished in a plane crash. Jiang Chengji was only ten years old at the time and was raised in Taiwan by his elderly butler. He lived and studied with the huge insurance money left by
his parents . After graduating from university, he was taken to Japan by his Japanese grandfather.

After returning to Japan, Jiang Chengji took charge of the Morino Group. He minored in linguistics in university and is fluent in English and
Japanese, with some knowledge of other languages. He is also highly skilled in business and finance. Under his leadership
, the Morino Group has expanded beyond its core jewelry business over the past eight years.

The name Morino has become a global phenomenon under his leadership, growing and prospering. Even clothing,
computers, and the internet have grown under his guidance. He
controls , so major companies treat him with great respect and a degree of fear.

The Morino Group's headquarters in Taiwan is located in Taipei's busiest commercial district, in a fifteen-story building constructed by Morino
. Floors one through seven house a department store, exclusively featuring Morino products, including a dazzling array
of high-end goods. Food, fresh produce, and entertainment are offered in partnership with other companies, creating a
comprehensive .

Floors eight through thirteen are divided into departments such as sales, design, and accounting. The fourteenth floor houses the president's
office , while the fifteenth floor features spacious, residential-style suites equipped with modern amenities including a bar and kitchen
. Anyone wishing to stay late can relax on the fifteenth floor.

The president of the Morino Group in Taiwan is publicly known as Jiang Chengji, while few people know that the president of the Morino Group's headquarters, Morino Takuzawa
, is actually the same person.

Shen Tianqing stood before the luxurious desk in his CEO's office, handing a project proposal to Jiang Chengji. His brow
furrowed, he said helplessly, "This jewelry design is extremely important. It was faxed from an Arab company, and
even before it was completed, rumors circulated that it had been plagiarized by various Pakistani and American companies. If the royal palace finds out, we
'll have a lot to explain."

Jiang Chengji glanced at the fax. "Evidence?" This kind of thing can't be based on hearsay; there must be evidence.

"I've already sent people to Opal's Taiwan headquarters to investigate, and it's confirmed. Lin Ziyang
is quite smug, wanting to see us fail and become an international laughingstock." Shen Tianqing was filled with resentment,
cursing him a thousand times in his mind.

Lin Ziyang, twenty-eight years old, of mixed Chinese and American descent, was an outstanding talent. Opal was also a family
business . Rumors circulated that Lin Ziyang was an illegitimate child, but because of his strong abilities, he was sent to Taiwan to oversee the business. Opal,
like Morino, started in the jewelry industry and is naturally their biggest competitor; the rivalry between the two companies is
commonplace .

"However, their methods this time are truly despicable. I never expected Lin Ziyang to be this kind of person," Shen Tianqing
said angrily. Redesigning would be too time-consuming, severely damaging Morino's reputation
.

"Have the designers complete it according to the schedule." Taking advantage of Shen Tianqing's complaints, Jiang Chengji
reviewed all the possibilities and gave the order.

Jiang Chengji's decisive command made Shen Tianqing's eyes widen in disbelief. "Ah? President, if
they really produce such products, what about the Arab world…?" Please, if the Arab royal palace finds out that
their unique design is being widely produced by Opal, the consequences are unpredictable!

"Tianqing, you've been with me for so many years, surely you can see through this little trick? Think about
how tight our security system is; what we have, others have too…" Jiang Chengji glanced at him and said calmly.

Jiang Chengji's words reminded him. Yes! Morino's control was extremely tight. Every designer,
when designing a product for the company, would live in a secluded place arranged by the company, even
protected by top-notch bodyguards, until the product was produced, delivered to the buyer, and the entire transaction was completed. Only then could they possibly take a break. So,
the other company was…

"Ah!" A thought flashed through Shen Tianqing's mind, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Counter-surveillance! Damn it!
We've been tricked! They must have known we would investigate. Since they were the ones who leaked the information, they must
have been prepared. Their goal was to trick us; there's no time for a redesign. As long as we
lose credibility, it will benefit Opal." He shouted in sudden realization.

Jiang Chengji nodded. "Good that you understand." He was silent for a moment, then said, "This matter
ends here . You are in charge of everything. I want to know what's happening in Japan."

"That old man, Matsuzaka Riki, is now plotting a marriage alliance..." Matsuzaka Enterprises is
one of the top . On one hand, they have a close friendship with Morino Fanyu, Jiang Chengji's grandfather, despite their age difference.
Seeing how successful the Morino Group has become under Jiang Chengji's leadership, they naturally want to expand their business through a marriage alliance. While Matsuzaka
is a force to be reckoned with in Japan, it's only famous in Asia, and has missed opportunities to expand beyond that region
. Of course, cooperation with Morino is the only way to achieve this.

Matsuzaka Riki only has one daughter, so he also wants to find a good husband. Jiang Chengji is a
prime target , and Morino Fanyu is the fastest way to make his move.

Shen Tianqing saw that Jiang Chengji, who never showed any emotional fluctuation even when facing major business difficulties, had
his hands clenched on the table until they were almost white. He wasn't surprised at all; Jiang Chengji only revealed his emotions when discussing family matters,
especially his grandfather.

Shen Tianqing and Jiang Chengji were close friends in college. He didn't mind Jiang Chengji's taciturn nature at all,
seeing his loneliness and believing he needed friends, so he automatically became friends with him.
After graduation, at Jiang Chengji's request, he returned to Japan. The two pursued their master's and doctoral degrees together in the evenings
and studied together at the Morino Group during the day. Although Jiang Chengji wasn't good at expressing his emotions, Shen Tianqing felt their friendship
and sincerity; their feelings didn't need words to prove them.

Naturally, over the years, he had witnessed the conflicts and tensions between Morino Fanyu and Jiang Chengji clearly
. Only in front of Morino Fanyu would Jiang Chengji lose control. A few months ago, a conflict
led Jiang Chengji to decide to return to Taiwan for unknown reasons. No matter how much Morino Fanyu raged and cursed, he remained
unmoved . After returning to Taiwan, all of Jiang Chengji's emotions were hidden behind his expressionless mask, and he hasn't
lost control since.

"Really? That old man..."

"You're already thirty, and I heard that Songban Huazhen really likes you, so she's
been clinging . He agreed on your behalf, and I think it will be announced to the public soon."

"Chengji?" Shen Tianqing saw him lost in thought, his eyes vacant, which made him anxiously
call out to him. Only when Jiang Chengji's gaze was fixed on him did he breathe a sigh of relief and say, "What do you plan to do about this?" During the first month after
returning to Taiwan, Jiang Chengji's eyes were just as vacant, as if his soul had left his body, which made him
feel scared and panicked. He stayed by Jiang Chengji's side every day, afraid that he would continue like this.

Jiang Chengji returned to his usual cold attitude.

"Do you think I will give in to that old man's wishes?" he asked coldly, glancing sideways at Shen Tianqing.

"Have you thought of a good way to deal with him?" Shen Tianqing asked hesitantly.

"No."

His decisive answer startled Shen Tianqing. "Huh?"

"Just wait and see who wins this time." A cold smile played on Jiang Chengji's lips.

That smile sent a chill down Shen Tianqing's spine. For the past few months, Jiang Chengji hadn't spoken to Senye Fanyu.
This meaningful sneer suggested that the grandfather and grandson were about to have another heated argument. However, Jiang Chengji was no longer the impulsive person he was a few months ago. His calm and detached attitude would surely frighten
Senye Fanyu. Sigh! He only hoped for a peaceful end to everything. "Since returning to Taiwan these past few months, you've almost always lived on the top floor. Recently, I heard from Uncle Yuan that you've been going back to your hometown . It seems you've adapted and aren't feeling nostalgic anymore?" Shen Tianqing asked him this time with the concern of a friend. Jiang Chengji glanced at him, his face still expressionless, but he knew in his heart why he had recently preferred to stay in his hometown. Even though Shen Tianqing was his only trusted friend, he didn't want to tell him about the unfamiliar stirrings in his heart, because even he himself couldn't understand what kind of feeling it was. "I'll settle everything today. Starting tomorrow, you'll handle all external affairs. Secretary Lin can bring me the official documents every afternoon." Jiang Chengji didn't want to answer his question, because he couldn't, so he began to give instructions. Hearing Jiang Chengji's words, Shen Tianqing was somewhat surprised. Since , he had never given him a single day off, never been absent from the company. What was going on this time? Jiang Chengji noticed his friend's confusion but didn't intend to explain anything, simply gesturing for him to leave. Shen Tianqing nodded and left, full of questions. He knew that if Jiang Chengji didn't want to talk, asking further would be a waste of breath. It was a light drizzle that morning, and the sky was overcast. Shi Xinlan , dressed casually with her long hair tied in a high ponytail, looked out the window with a clear mind, seemingly unaffected by the gloomy weather. "Xiao Xin, I think the weather's bad today, so don't go out for exercise," Li Yumei advised worriedly. "Mom, it's just a light drizzle, and there's nothing to build on the ground, it's fine! The World Dance Competition is next month, how can I not work on my physical fitness?" The annual World Dance Competition is the most coveted event for every dancer, and Shi Xinlan certainly didn't want to miss it. Although it could bring international fame, she didn't care about fame or fortune. What mattered most was being able to observe the dance moves of competitors from other countries , so that her own skills could improve and she could teach her students more trendy dance steps. "Then be careful!" Li Yumei knew that Shi Xinlan had always been an independent and thoughtful girl. Once she made up her mind, few could change it. For example, she had always loved dancing since she was a child, so she studied dance from kindergarten to university, and now she had achieved some success. "Okay, Mom, I know, thank you for your concern." She smiled and kissed her mother's cheek. "I'm leaving, bye." After leaving home, Shi Xinlan went to her usual dance practice spot, first doing stretching exercises and then running and jumping. Perhaps because she was confident in her familiarity with the environment and ignored the bad weather, she lost her balance while doing a backflip and twisted her right ankle when she landed. She cried out and fell to the ground, clutching her injured foot. When she touched the injury, Shi Xinlan cried out in pain. She knew that she could only get home by herself, so she first used her right foot to support herself, and then gently placed her right foot on the ground. But even this gentle placement hurt terribly. "Ouch! Damn it, it hurts so much." Shi Xinlan cursed under her breath, trying to distract herself from the excruciating pain.

The intense pain caused her to fall to the ground. Her once neat hair was now disheveled from the struggle and sweat, and
she looked rather disheveled.

She lowered her head, trying to stand up again, but the next moment she found herself suspended in mid-air, nestled
in a warm, broad chest. Without thinking, her instinctive reaction was to struggle to get out of his embrace.
Shi Xinlan realized he was holding her very tightly, so she used both hands and feet to break free, even cursing at him
.

"Hey! What's wrong with you? Why are you hugging me like that? You pervert! I don't even know you, this is
ridiculous!" Unable to break free, Shi Xinlan launched into a tirade without thinking.

Shi Xinlan raised her delicate, pretty face, her expression filled with astonishment, and even her struggles ceased. "It's you!"
she exclaimed, pointing at his face. "How did you get here?" she asked, her slightly open mouth still
agape in surprise.

Jiang Chengji held the woman's fragrant body in his arms, watching Shi Xinlan's rapidly changing expressions.
A hint of amusement flashed in his eyes, but he didn't show it. He simply said to her expressionlessly,
"I live here," and carried her towards the large villa.

Seeing that he had no intention of putting her down, Shi Xinlan shouted at him, "Put me down! I
don't want you to carry me!" How unlucky! She was looking for a place to avoid him so she could practice dancing in peace,
but how did she end up practicing in his yard?

Jiang Chengji completely ignored her protests and continued to carry her steadily towards the door.

Shi Xinlan was very dissatisfied with his indifference and couldn't help but push his arm. "Hey!
Are you deaf? I told you to put me down!"

She couldn't help but scream because his sudden release caught her off guard, and she almost
kissed the ground. Falling from that height was no joke, so she quickly grabbed his sleeve.
Once her heart had calmed down, she slapped his arm hard. "You… um…"

Shi Xinlan's eyes widened in disbelief that Jiang Chengji had kissed her.
Her lips, never before kissed, were pressed tightly against his, her senses instantly filled with his masculine scent, making her flustered and
bewildered; the feeling of a kiss she had never experienced before caused her body to tremble slightly… Just

as Shi Xinlan was about to push his head away and start yelling, he had already moved his lips away, a faint
smile said to her, "Has anyone ever told you that you're a very attractive woman?"

Jiang Chengji's sudden change left Shi Xinlan dumbfounded. She had never imagined that this man's smile
could be so captivating, but his next words made her roll her eyes in disbelief.

"No one has ever said that, only you," she said, emphasizing her words.

Hearing this, Jiang Chengji's lips curled into a smile. He raised an eyebrow and said to her, "Oh! So, I'm
the only one with the honor of letting you show this 'cute' side?" He suddenly stopped and looked down at her.

"Honored my foot!" she retorted irritably. "My gentleness is a
waste . You only deserve to see my 'cute' side, otherwise I'd be bullied by a hypocrite like you."

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Jiang Chengji suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter. This woman was really interesting.

What "cute"? She was a very gentle and lovely woman, completely unrelated to that word. If it weren't for him, why would her temper often flare up? She found it hard to understand her own irrational and unrefined behavior
when facing him ! Now, this culprit who had completely changed her dared to call her "cute" to her face? Humph! Just as Shi Xinlan was about to argue with him, she found herself already at his front door, where a rather endearing old man stood. She was busy observing him and didn't have time to say anything more. Uncle Yuan, standing at the gate, was so shocked his jaw almost dropped. The young master was actually hugging a woman and laughing heartily? What… what was going on? Could he be mistaken? Wasn't the young master supposed to hate women? How could he be hugging a woman and laughing like that? Uncle Yuan hurriedly took off his reading glasses and carefully wiped them clean, then widened his eyes, fearing he was seeing things. The woman was still nestled in the young master's arms, looking restless, her eyes wide. Seeing the young master laughing like that, she slapped his arm hard and called out to him in dissatisfaction. "What are you laughing at?" The young master, however, seemed completely unconcerned, his expression instantly returning to its usual indifferent… oh, no, it was the same old expression. Good heavens! How many surprises awaited this old man today? His heart could n't take any more shocks. When Shi Xinlan saw the old man's exaggerated reaction, she couldn't help but give him a mischievous smile. When she saw his glasses slip down his nose again, making him look comical, she playfully waved , leaving him momentarily stunned. Wasn't she the dancing woman the young master had been staring at for days? She looked full , not at all like someone with a foot injury. His intuition told him that exciting and lively days were to come, and for some reason, the old man felt a surge of excitement. This mansion had been too quiet for too long; it was time for a mistress to come and dispel the chill. It was n't until the young master instructed him to prepare hot water, towels, and medicine that Yuan Bo snapped out of his reverie and hurriedly went to prepare. Shi Xinlan was settled on a soft sofa, her large, bright eyes scanning the captivated by the 1930s-style furnishings. Old-fashioned round clocks and other decorative items were juxtaposed with modern appliances, yet they didn't seem out of place at all. Shi Xinlan was so engrossed in looking at the furnishings in the hall that she didn't notice Uncle Yuan had brought hot water, towels, and medicine. She also didn't notice Jiang Chengji placing her injured right foot on his lap, removing her shoes and socks, and carefully wiping it with hot water. When his hand touched the injury, the light touch felt like several pounds of pressure, causing her to cry out and immediately draw her attention back. "Oh!" Shi Xinlan reflexively reached out and grasped his large hand. "It hurts! Don't be so rough..." She took a deep breath to ease the pain and complained to him. Ignoring her grasping hand, Jiang Chengji gently stroked her injury with his hand, which was still covered in ointment. Looking at her tearful eyes filled with pain, her pitiful appearance stirred something within him, something he, who was usually inept at comforting people, found strange.

A hint of pity flashed through her mind, and without thinking, she blurted out, "I'm being very gentle, just bear with it."

Jiang Chengji's comforting words warmed Shi Xinlan's heart, but she still screamed in pain, even
harboring a petty suspicion that he might be taking revenge. She had
embarrassed , so was he deliberately pressing hard on her wound to make her the first
woman in the world to die from the pain?

Shi Xinlan's resentful and suspicious gaze shot directly at Jiang Chengji, but she dared not ask, because
his hand was currently pressing on her sore spot. She wasn't looking for death; besides, she was a smart woman, and she was the best practitioner of the saying "
discretion the better part of valor."

But another person was not so calm—that person was Yuan Bo. He was so stunned by the impossible scene before him
that he couldn't utter a single word. The usually aloof young master had never brought a woman
home , much less shown such tenderness and care to anyone.
It was truly rare for him to display such emotion towards this woman; it seemed she held a very special place in his heart.

Shi Xinlan watched intently as Jiang Chengji bandaged her sprained ankle, worry surfacing in her eyes. "My foot
should ... be better in a few days, right?" she asked hesitantly, worried that the injury would delay
her practice and affect her competition.

Seeing her worried expression, Jiang Chengji's words of comfort slipped out: "It's not serious,
it'll be better in a week at most." He found it strange that he hated seeing her furrowed brow; his heart
involuntarily clenched for her. Was that feeling heartache?

Shaking his head, Jiang Chengji didn't understand where these inexplicable thoughts came from. He only knew that
after Shi Xinlan's audacious act at the banquet, he had become interested in her, and this interest was for revenge.
No one could escape unscathed after provoking him; he wanted her to understand that if you dared to mess with him,
you had to be prepared to bear the consequences!

But what did this comfort mean now? Thinking of this, his expression darkened, and
a cruel smile appeared on his lips. Oh well, let's just consider it part of the plan!
How could the plan work without her cooperation?

Just thinking that this plan could both teach her a lesson for her audacious behavior
and be used to deal with Senye Fanyu made him feel a little better. Perhaps it was because Shi Xinlan had some use
that he tolerated and indulged her so much!

Shi Xinlan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing his words. She didn't bother asking why he knew about the recovery period for a sprained ankle;
she unconsciously believed him. She didn't understand where her trust in Jiang Chengji came from, or
when arisen. Hadn't she always disliked him?

This strange emotion stirred her thoughts, making her feel somewhat irritable, yet she
couldn't explain why she felt this way. Shi Xinlan impatiently shook off those chaotic thoughts, deciding that not thinking
about them would only confuse her mind. She didn't want to waste time thinking about things that would torment her!

She glanced at her watch and realized that it was already past ten o'clock. "Oh no, how is it so
late?" she exclaimed, jumping up and down, completely forgetting that she couldn't walk.

Jiang Chengji could only shake his head helplessly at her absent-mindedness. His movements were no match for her
forgetful mind, but he still quickly stood up to help her, unsurprisingly
hearing her clutching her injured foot, standing on one leg, crying out in pain and cursing.

"Ouch! That hurts like hell!" With only one leg supporting her, she was about to
crash into the ground. Resigned to the pain, she closed her eyes and decided to endure it again.

Wait, why doesn't it hurt?

Shi Xinlan peeked open one eye, then the other. Before her was Jiang Chengji's handsome face magnified. Yes,
truly a face that pleased the eye.

Why was Jiang Chengji frowning? Such a handsome face shouldn't be frowning. Without thinking, she
gently touched his slightly furrowed brow, trying to smooth it.

"What a waste! Don't frown so easily, it's a waste of such a handsome face..." She had no
idea that Jiang Chengji's frown was due to her casual curse.

Jiang Chengji wasn't angry at Shi Xinlan's actions of placing her hand on his face and commenting on him.
Instead, he said to her, "Be careful, don't forget your foot." He carefully placed her back on the soft
sofa , then sat beside her, not stopping her incessant nagging.

Jiang Chengji gestured to Uncle Yuan to prepare tea and snacks, and then called the Shi family to let them know.

Shi Xinlan was lively and intelligent, but she had one flaw: she was a bit absent-minded and occasionally absent-minded, which sometimes
led to her making a fool of herself. However, she didn't seem to care and continued to be absent-minded, often making others both amused and exasperated,
yet she remained oblivious.

When Jiang Chengji picked her up again, she stopped nagging, "Where...where are you taking me?"
Shi Xinlan asked疑惑地, but her hands clung tightly to his neck trustingly. "It's late! I need to go home.
If I don't go back soon, Mom and Dad will worry."

She was out exercising and would definitely be home by eight o'clock at the latest. Now that it was so late, her parents would definitely find it
strange.

Chapter 3

Ignoring Shi Xinlan's chattering protests in his ear, Jiang Chengji carried her towards the balcony without stopping.
"I've already asked Uncle Yuan to call the professors. They know you injured your foot and are staying with me,
so they're much more at ease."

Hearing Jiang Chengji say this, Shi Xinlan pouted and muttered in dissatisfaction, "Hmph! They're actually more at ease leaving me in your
care ? Are you kidding me?" Shouldn't they be worried because it's him?
She really didn't understand where her parents' trust in him came from. Didn't they know he was actually a
hypocrite ? They were so clueless about human nature, even less understanding than their daughter.

Actually, Shi Xinlan had forgotten that she had just trusted Jiang Chengji.

As she spoke, she sat down on a chair on the balcony. Seeing the exquisite tea and snacks prepared before her, she couldn't help
but swallow. The various small pastries were served on very beautiful and expensive plates, looking incredibly delicious
, making her eyes light up. She completely forgot what she was protesting. "Are these for me
?" she asked, her bright, sparkling eyes looking at him expectantly.

Honestly, the exercise and the argument with him earlier had left her starving, her mouth so dry
she wanted to grab the cup of tea and gulp it down. But basic politeness had to be observed, so she had to ask for her host's
permission first!

Looking at her bright, expectant eyes, Jiang Chengji couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Just moments ago she was loudly criticizing him for his
character flaws, but now she'd been won over by a plate of snacks and tea, completely forgetting
her earlier protests. Her attitude had changed far too quickly!

Jiang Chengji was utterly amazed by women's fickle nature. But shouldn't he be used to it by now?
Thinking this, his eyes dimmed slightly. This woman's natural and unpretentious demeanor was
refreshing feel relaxed and at ease, without the need for such exhausting defensiveness, simply
because she was so easy to understand.

To know Shi Xinlan's thoughts, one
only . He had never encountered a woman as genuine as her, which was one of the reasons she caught his attention. However
, he knew how to defend himself with women, so he remained reserved, observing her further before making a decision.
For now, her purpose was to aid his plan.

"Hmm, if you'd be so kind as to do me the honor." Rarely, he gave her a gentle smile
, concealing his true intentions and motives behind it. From carrying her inside, applying medicine and bandaging her wounds, to his current
tender treatment of her, this ruthless businessman, cold-blooded towards women, was like a wolf in sheep's clothing,
actually carrying out a grand plan known only to himself.

Of course, for a wolf to devour a lamb and abduct her, keeping her obediently by his side, he had to expend some
effort to seduce her, didn't he? He gave her a gentle smile, but a calculating glint flashed in his eyes. The
naive lamb, of course, didn't see the wolf's gaping maw, willingly walking
into his trap.

"Okay!" Shi Xinlan smiled at Jiang Chengji, unusually friendly towards him, as a way of repaying him
for what he had done for her and for treating her to delicious snacks.

Shi Xinlan unceremoniously picked up a small snack from the table and took a bite. "Mmm, delicious! Thank you!" she mumbled,
her mouth full.

Jiang Chengji had assumed a professor's daughter would be an elegant lady, with impeccable manners, but from their
first meeting until now, she had surprised him. It wasn't that she lacked manners, but
rather that she was genuine and unpretentious, so natural that one wouldn't dislike her boldness.

Although sometimes her words infuriated him, making him want to shut her up, most of the
time, her words were so funny that he almost burst out laughing inside. Strangely, this
unusually serene demeanor exuded a noble air about her.

Perhaps it was the refined air cultivated by her scholarly family background. If he wasn't mistaken, Shi Xinlan, when dressed up,
would undoubtedly be a noble and charming lady. But now, without makeup, she was beautiful and adorable, and her innocent words and
actions stirred an unusual unease in him. This unease made him restless, yet he also wanted to get to know this little sprite
better .

"Don't be so polite, Xiao Xin. You don't mind me calling you that, do you?"

Shi Xinlan, her mouth full of tea and snacks, nodded and quickly picked up her teacup to take a sip. "No, that's what my
family and friends call me anyway."

Jiang Chengji didn't delve into why he was unhappy to hear her say that. Perhaps it was because he had watched her exercise and practice dance on his land for
several , and felt that she should be his own personal
flying angel, so he didn't like calling her the same way as others. "Xin Xin."

"Huh?" Shi Xinlan looked at him with a puzzled expression, her eyes full of question marks. "Are you calling me?"

Jiang Chengji shook his head, amused by her adorable, confused look. "Yes, I've decided to call you Xin Xin
from now on ," he said firmly.

"Oh!" she replied nonchalantly, shrugging. "Whatever." Shi Xinlan didn't think it
was a big deal how she was addressed.

"No, this name—Xin Xin—only I can call you that," he insisted.

Hearing Jiang Chengji's resolute words, she looked at his determined expression with some surprise. "What?"
What was going on? "Why can only you call me Xin Xin?" She really didn't understand why he insisted on such
a nickname. She could just respond whenever he called her!

"Because it's a nickname I came up with!" Jiang Chengji knew his reason was weak, and
his insistence seemed ridiculous, but he just liked a name that only he could have, and no one else could have
it.

"Is that so!" She tilted her head to look at him. "But why should I let you call me that?"

"Xin Xin, you really like to go against me!"

Although his tone was gentle, his eyes were very gloomy, making Shi Xinlan feel uneasy and strange
, even a little creeped out.

Shi Xinlan glared at him, thinking that this man was really not cute at all. She had finally decided
to make peace with him, but in less than half an hour, he had annoyingly ruined everything again. "Hey!
What kind of look is that? Don't think I'll be afraid of you just because of that. I don't let you call my name like that, so you pettyly
look at me with that scary look. Don't think I don't know what kind of person you are..."

"Ugh..." Shi Xinlan glared at him with a wronged expression and resentful eyes. How could he be so petty, stealing
a kiss from her when she wasn't paying attention!

When Jiang Chengji touched her red lips, the electric-like feeling made his body tremble.
What kind ? Her lips were as sweet and alluring as he had imagined, yet he had never expected to be so overwhelmed. He instinctively
kissed her pink lips, his kiss both forceful and tender, exploring the sweetness within her mouth.

After her initial complaints, her thoughts were replaced by sensation; her cheeks burned, her heart raced, and
she felt so weak she couldn't support her heavy body, her entire being clinging to his strong frame.
He cradled the back of her head with one hand and embraced her waist with the other, his grip tightening with the deepening kiss.

Shi Xinlan's small hands clutched Jiang Chengji's clothes helplessly, her trembling body pressed against him, her bewildered
eyes lost in his warm, captivating breath. She felt only his intense masculine scent in her breath, the fresh
air slowly draining from her consciousness, leaving only the dizzying sensation he brought her…

Jiang Chengji, panting heavily, greedily inhaled her fragrant and sweet scent, unwilling to leave
the sweet little mouth that brought him such wonderful sensations. However, her breathlessness forced him to slowly withdraw from their embrace,
calming the throbbing aroused by her.

Released, Shi Xinlan reflexively reached out to touch her lips, swollen and red from his caresses.
The lingering warmth of his breath still lingered on them. Fresh air slowly filled her body, and her mind gradually cleared
, the intimate scene from moments before returning to her thoughts. When she realized her mouth was free, she couldn't help but
rebuke him.

"You…you dared to kiss me again…" Shi Xinlan's angry eyes met Jiang Chengji's still dark yet
burning gaze, instantly making her forget the words she was about to say. Her gaze was
held captive by him, as if bewitched, unable to look away. An invisible spell seemed to be cast upon them…

Shi Xinlan realized something was wrong. Damn it, damn it! She cursed herself inwardly, quickly avoiding his gaze.
This shouldn't be happening. How could he kiss her? And she shamelessly let him kiss her, then
silently gazed at him, almost forgetting she was supposed to dislike him.

What was wrong with her? It was all his fault! Not only did he kiss her, but he also used that lecherous look to flirt with her, causing her
to lose her first kiss without any principles. Her eyes were filled with anger and accusation towards him.

"Hey? Xin Xin, you're leaving me alone, don't you know that?" Seeing those bright, lively eyes, the only thing they revealed
now was accusation against him, he knew what she was angry about. He just wanted to remind her on purpose.
For some reason, he suddenly became addicted to teasing her cute, angry face. Of course, he would never let her
know .

"I'm glaring at you," she shouted angrily. "How could you
steal a kiss ?"

"Is that all?" he shrugged and asked casually. Please, was letting him kiss her that serious? Why get
so angry? And why are you glaring at him? So many women have offered themselves to him, and he wouldn't even bother kissing them!

Jiang Chengji's dismissive attitude infuriated Shi Xinlan. She angrily questioned him, "What kind of attitude is this?
This is serious!"

"Oh? Tell me how serious it is?" he asked, arms crossed, raising an eyebrow, looking languid, waiting for
her explanation. She absolutely mustn't tell him that she'd get pregnant after he kissed her and then expect him to take responsibility.
He might not know about such absurd statements from others, but he wasn't so sure about Shi Xinlan.

Anyway, he looked down on her. If Shi Xinlan knew what he was thinking, she'd probably be furious
. Jiang Chengji deliberately thought maliciously, why did she have to show such disgust after he kissed her, making
him so displeased?

"Nonsense! This was my first kiss, meant for the man I love most in my life. How could you
so petty as to steal it from me? You've already taken my kiss, what are you going to do with it?"

Hearing her say that, he thought about how one day she would meet a man she deeply loved and who was special to her,
and this made him feel uncomfortable. This feeling made him frown. "I can't."

"Fine!" She waved her hand at him, "Just don't kiss me randomly anymore." Actually,
she didn't dare admit that she had also been intoxicated by that kiss, but how could she
say it out loud? That would be too embarrassing!

However, since she wouldn't have any contact with him again anyway, and knowing this was his house, she stopped coming
to dance practice to avoid getting angry whenever she saw him and ruining her image—that wouldn't be worth it!

Strangely, just thinking about it made her heart flutter with a sense of loss, as if her heart
was out of control . Could it be that she had really fallen for him?

Thinking of this possibility, she quickly shook her head vigorously, trying to shake off this terrible feeling. She
couldn't possibly so unlucky as to fall for this guy she disliked from the start.

Shi Xinlan generously forgave Jiang Chengji's behavior, but his body pressed against her, causing her to involuntarily lean back
in her chair. Startled by his focused gaze, she quickly stretched out her hands to block
him . "What do you want to do? I'm warning you..."

Her words were interrupted by his soft yet firm whisper: "I hate being threatened, especially by a
woman, so I've decided to use this method..." His words suddenly stopped, and his lips immediately covered hers,
forcefully invading her mouth despite her resistance, stirring every inch of her fragrance, making her lose her senses again.

This kiss was full of strength and dominance, as if trying to imprint his kiss on her heart. The deep desire
made all her senses merge with his taste, and then she found herself being released again.

"This method reminds you of..." He released her, taking a step back once she was standing firmly,
his eyelids lowered. The next moment, the previous arrogance and possessiveness, along with the turmoil of passion, vanished when his eyes lifted again.
The man's gaze returned to its unfathomable depths, as deep as a still pool.

After calming himself, he continued, "Don't make any more threats, or you'd better
be prepared for me to gag you at any moment."

This man is truly... despicable! Utterly despicable! "You..." Seeing him move a step,
Shi Xinlan quickly covered her mouth, afraid of being attacked again, which made her dizzy.

Her wary appearance made Jiang Chengji unable to help but slightly twitch his lips.

It seems this woman isn't too stupid after all; she's finally learned her lesson.

Seeing Jiang Chengji's smug face, Shi Xinlan could only glare at him with murderous intent.
She could only silently accept this situation, forced to bow her head under someone else's roof—after all, she
was a wounded soldier unable to move!

Her unusual obedience pleased Jiang Chengji greatly; it seemed he had found a way to deal with this woman.

"After you finish eating, I'll have someone drive you home."

"No…no need." She quickly refused to eat anymore. "I can't eat anymore; I want
to leave now."

How could Jiang Chengji not see through Shi Xinlan's intentions? Fine, he'd let her off for now! If she
thought this was the end of it, she was being too naive. Why push away meat that's already in her mouth
?

However, before she left, Jiang Chengji gave her a passionate, deep kiss. Seeing her fleeing in panic
, his mood suddenly improved.

After Shi Xinlan got into the car, Jiang Chengji stood at the door watching her leave, while Uncle Yuan stood behind him,
watching Shi Xinlan's panicked attempt to escape. When Jiang Chengji turned around, his gloomy and
cold eyes sent a chill down his spine.

It seemed that Miss Shi was definitely not going to escape the young master's grasp, but to be honest, he had never seen the young master go
to such lengths for any other woman.

"Uncle Yuan?"

Jiang Chengji's deep, icy voice rang out, causing Uncle Yuan to respond quickly.

"What are your orders, young master?" he asked respectfully.

Jiang Chengji whispered something in his ear. "This matter should be carried out immediately."

"Yes." He turned and left, his eyes widening all the way. He knew it! The young master's feelings for Miss Shi
were different from those for other women. He had to hurry and get things done, lest he delay the young master's plans.

He couldn't wander around anymore; he had to stay obediently at home.

"Sigh!" She propped her chin on her elbow, sprawled on the living room sofa, her legs dangling in the air, and
let out a long sigh. Although her foot was much better, the doctor still advised her to use her right foot less so
it would heal faster, and she had no choice but to obediently comply.

But she was so bored! Shi Xinlan looked at her foot with endless resentment. It seemed to be all better,
so why was it so useless that she still couldn't dance?

A passionate image suddenly flashed through her mind, making her curse rudely. Damn it, why did
her thoughts wander back to the scene of kissing Jiang Chengji that day?
The memory of his lingering warmth on her lips, his breath lingering in her nostrils, made her extremely annoyed. Even now, his deep male
voice was still pressing on her memory, making her incredibly irritable. She

really didn't know what had possessed her. Didn't she clearly promise herself not to think about him anymore? A whole week had passed since she returned from his house
, and she still couldn't forget that kiss that made her cheeks burn with embarrassment just thinking about it.

The urgent ringing of the doorbell interrupted Shi Xinlan's thoughts, making her frown. Who could it be at this
hour busy lately with funding for his research institute, his social engagements increasing
several times over, and her mother had been accompanying him to various banquets.

Look at it now, it was only a little past nine, but her parents had to attend three or four banquets and couldn't be
back so quickly. Who could be coming at this hour? Well, she'd better check the intercom first!

When she saw Jiang Chengji's handsome face on the monitor's small screen, she couldn't help but take a step back in fright.
Ugh! What was he doing here again? How annoying! She had just remembered him, and now Jiang Chengji was in front of her again?

Hearing the urgent ringing with no sign of stopping, Shi Xinlan had no choice but to press the intercom button
and say, "My parents aren't home, come back another day!"

But his deep voice came from the other end: (I'm here to see you.)

"What do you want?" she asked rudely. Ever since their first encounter, the two of them had been like
an incompatible pair, making her grit her teeth in anger. She didn't know what there was to say between them.

(Open the door first.)

"No." She refused outright. What a joke! Every time she ran into him, she was the one who suffered.
Besides , her good image was always inexplicably ruined after meeting him.

(I really have something to tell you, please don't be stubborn, okay?) Jiang Chengji's calm tone
suppressed his displeasure.

Stubborn? He dared to call her stubborn? She couldn't help but widen her disbelieving eyes, her hands clenching into fists in anger
, suppressing her rising rage, wishing she could punch the man's face on the screen. She told herself,
hold back! She had to hold back; she was a well-mannered lady, she couldn't stoop to his level.

(Xin Xin.) His raised voice carried a hint of threat.

But Shi Xinlan didn't want to pay any attention to Jiang Chengji. How dare he call her willful? Humph!

(If you don't open the door, I'll call your father right now and tell him that his precious
daughter doesn't know how to treat guests.) As soon as he finished speaking, he made a move to take out his phone from his suit...

but the door lock opened at that moment.

Jiang Chengji opened the door expressionlessly and walked in, not believing that this little girl could outmaneuver him.

As soon as he entered, he saw Shi Xinlan standing in the center of the living room, glaring at him fiercely, and
gritting her teeth she cursed, "You little devil." How dare she threaten her parents, it was too much! Jiang Chengji
knew perfectly well that her father had a good impression of him and hoped that the Senye Group would
sponsor . If he tattled on her to his father, his doting father, while not scolding her, would certainly be
very disappointed in her. Therefore, she absolutely couldn't be so insensible as to hurt her father's feelings.

Jiang Chengji deliberately ignored the criticism and simply asked her, "You really like dancing?"

His question startled her; she hadn't expected him to ask that, and her arrogance vanished instantly. When
someone treated her so politely, she had no reason to be unreasonable, so she could only
nod at him.

"Yes! Besides, all the hard work I've put in before was for participating in the World Dance Competition next month."
Mentioning her interest, she unconsciously blurted out her plans.

Seeing the sparkle in her eyes when she talked about dance, he understood that she truly loved
it. A calculating glint flashed in Jiang Chengji's eyes; it seemed he had grasped her weakness. "Good luck!"

"Thank you." Shi Xinlan could tell that Jiang Chengji genuinely wished her well, and she was very happy. For
some reason , knowing that he could accept her dancing made her feel joyful, and she even
forgot all the unpleasantness she had with him before.

Actually, Shi Xinlan was a carefree person who didn't hold grudges.
As long as the other party didn't push their luck, she wouldn't pursue it further. If the other party wanted to make peace, she would
accept them without holding a grudge.

Especially now that this man had brought up her favorite topic, what was there to argue about?

"I heard you opened a dance studio. Why don't you practice there? That way you're less likely to get
injured." Jiang Chengji asked curiously, though he knew the reason very well.

"The dance studio isn't very big, and the main reason is that it's too far from home." She replied with a smile.

"Oh, I see!" He thought for a moment before saying, "I have an indoor gym that would be perfect for you."
"Practice dancing. If you don't mind, you can come to my place from now on."

"Really?" She was so happy she almost jumped for joy, but then her eyes dimmed as if she remembered something, and she hesitated
. "But...won't that be inconvenient for you?"

He wasn't about to let the fish escape the hook. He quickly told her, "No, not at all."
What a joke! He had gone to great lengths to give them more time to spend together, to win her over. How
could there be any inconvenience?

At this moment, Shi Xinlan suddenly tilted her head slightly, carefully examining Jiang Chengji. There was a hint of wariness in her eyes,
completely unlike what he had expected.

She was clearly very excited just now, wasn't she? Why was she looking at him like that now? So Jiang Chengji
asked her, wanting to know what was going on in this little one's head.

"What's wrong? Am I so handsome that you have to stare at me like that?" he asked teasingly, deliberately mischievously.
Strangely, he suddenly found himself enjoying teasing her, though he was more curious about
why looked at him like that—of course, it couldn't be because he was handsome.

Jiang Chengji's rare sense of humor startled Shi Xinlan. She never expected such a serious man
to have such a humorous side. But she quickly understood the meaning behind his words,
a blush . She made a face at him and scoffed, "Stop being so vain! Who…who's
admiring your handsomeness?"

Humph! She'd rather die than admit it. Every time she looked at Jiang Chengji, she'd be
mesmerized by his good looks—how embarrassing! Although his face was truly top-notch, she would absolutely, positively not
tell him, lest he become smug.

"Oh? What else are you looking at?"

"I was just thinking, why would someone as kind and cunning as you be so willing to lend me your space
to practice dancing?" She couldn't be blamed for judging him so suspiciously.

Shi Xinlan thought pettily, it was no wonder she thought so badly of him. She hadn't forgotten that he
always unconsciously put on a smug and arrogant wolf-like act in front of her, while
maintaining a gentlemanly image in front of her parents, causing her to be nagged by them until now. So, of course, she had to be wary of him.

Actually, it was commendable that Shi Xinlan was so vigilant; it seemed she wasn't too stupid after all! A cunning glint flashed in Jiang Chengji's eyes
, but compared to him, a seasoned businessman, she was still no match!

As for her daring to call him a cunning and treacherous villain to his face… he was always very generous, so he'd let it slide for
now . There would be plenty of opportunities to punish her properly later. So far, no one had
dared to challenge his authority, yet this little brat kept defying him. She had to be prepared
to face the consequences.

For now, he'd lure her in, take advantage of her, and then figure out how to properly punish this
reckless , sharp-tongued woman. Without her as a perfect pawn, how could he possibly win against
that old man?

So he suppressed his displeasure at her tone, merely raising an eyebrow and a strange smile playing on his lips.
He said to her, “Xin Xin.”

“What?” His strange smile terrified her, so her tone betrayed
a hint of wariness.

"Don't you think you're a pretty and popular girl?"

Hearing Jiang Chengji say this, Shi Xinlan suddenly raised her head and confidently replied, "Of course!"
Did he even need to say that? Although she wasn't a narcissistic woman, she knew she was indeed quite
good-looking, and she certainly had that much confidence. "You don't need to tell me that; I know it myself. Besides, my
personality is so adorable, of course I'm popular!"

Shi Xinlan's confident demeanor radiated light, making Jiang Chengji secretly admire her. She certainly had
the right to be confident, but he still chuckled softly. "Your personality is adorable?" He found the adjective
amusing.

This woman was truly fascinating. Jiang Chengji had never known he could be so easygoing and joking,
especially with a woman? He suddenly narrowed his sharp eyes, scrutinizing her. Perhaps this was the reason he kept
wanting to get closer to her?

No! Jiang Chengji coldly and swiftly dismissed the possibility. He would never make the same mistake again, never let
himself become like that again. Cold memories were the best way for him to remind himself, and this woman
was merely a pawn in his plan.

Yes, that's it. He told himself that things had to be this way. He would have these emotional reactions to her,
he would let her do as she pleased, all for the sake of his plan! After all, defeating that old man was
far more important than her.

"So? My personality is cute, do you have a problem with that?" Shi Xinlan growled at him defiantly. This
annoying guy always managed to make her lose her rationality and her usual composure; she clenched her fists angrily,
tilting her head back to glare at him.

"I think you're cute, so I like you a lot, that's why I'm borrowing your space," he
calmly replied.

Shi Xinlan then realized that the man in front of her seemed to have changed, becoming the same as when she first met him.
This version of him made her feel uneasy, but what followed was another emotion that she couldn't understand
even more —heartache.

"Damn it!" Shi Xinlan cursed inwardly. Why did she feel this pity for him? Why
did she feel sad for him when she saw the aloofness and unfamiliarity emanating from him? Perhaps this emotion had amplified
her anger towards him to its peak.

She blurted out, "Liar!"

The words had barely left her lips when she saw Jiang Chengji, his face dark with rage, rapidly approaching her, causing her
to stumble backward. He even stretched his hands between them, seemingly believing this would provide some
protection . "You... what do you want to do?" she stammered,
utterly disdainful of his attempt to intimidate her with his physical advantage, yet also somewhat afraid.

She truly didn't understand this man. Why could he be so relaxed and friendly with her just a moment ago... well, that
's a bit of an exaggeration, but she really loved seeing his smile. And now he was suddenly
this utterly repulsive persona. She wondered if Jiang Chengji had a split personality, or a severe
case of dissociative identity disorder.

Although reason told her to stay away from such a person to avoid being affected, her emotions... she
felt a strange attachment to him, causing her to always present a seemingly innocent face to him,
concealing her growing feelings for him.

In Chapter Four,

when Shi Xinlan was surprised to discover her feelings for Jiang Chengji, he was already in front of her, pinning her
against the wall, leaving her unable to move. His handsome face, magnified before her, glared at her with a stern expression.

"Do you know that accusing a man of being a liar in front of him is an extremely unwise act?"
Jiang Chengji said through gritted teeth, his masculine scent surrounding her, his hot breath on her face
, so close... so close that she could hear her heart pounding, so fast and so
rapid.

He was so close that she could hardly breathe. To prevent Jiang Chengji from seeing the extent of his
influence on her, Shi Xinlan straightened up to meet his gaze, her eyes boldly and without flinching as they met his magnetically
attractive eyes.

"But I'm telling the truth," she retorted loudly. "While it's true I'm cute, I
don't see any reason why you like me."

Trying to lie to her? She wasn't blind. From the beginning, Jiang Chengji had infuriated her,
treating her with an arrogant, condescending attitude. Was his cold and heartless demeanor a sign of liking her? Then what about that sudden flash of
rare humor and a rare smile? Wasn't that a sign he was in love with her?

He was utterly deceitful! Did he think she was really that stupid? No way.

Shi Xinlan's distrustful expression annoyed Jiang Chengji, but upon hearing her words
, a cunning glint flashed in his eyes. A small flame ignited in his deep, unfathomable gaze,
drawing her in irresistibly.

Unaware that his strong body was almost pressed against hers, until he suddenly reached out and pulled her into his
arms, her curves completely pressed against his powerful frame.

"What...what do you want to do? Let me go!" She frantically tried to push him away.

"I'll prove to you right now that I really like you, and I'm not a liar!" Before he finished speaking,
his lips were already on her trembling, cold lips, sucking and biting her lower lip, which parted in shock.

Under the impact of Jiang Chengji's intense masculine scent and his fierce kissing assault, she couldn't help but retreat.
She was a novice in this area; if she let him do as he pleased, she would be the one to completely surrender.

But he seemed to have already noticed her movements. His arms were already firmly wrapped around her neck, and his body
skillfully restrained her, preventing her from moving.

His movements were forceful, his burning lips pressing hard against hers, biting and invading her mouth as she gasped helplessly,
exploring its silky sweetness.

She trembled with desire, helplessly pushing against his strong body. Beneath the silk shirt was
a muscular masculine chest that made her feel as if she were on fire, the heat leaving her weak and powerless.

She should have known that whenever he kissed and caressed her so passionately, she could only obediently submit,
powerless to resist. Involuntarily, her cold fingers stopped pushing him away and instead caressed his taut
chest muscles.

He gasped, holding her head still with both hands so his tongue could explore deeper…

because he hadn't expected her proactive caresses to be such a fatal temptation, causing his desire
to rise rapidly. A surge of excitement swept over him, gathering in his lower abdomen, making him completely unable to control his body
's reaction…

Feeling his lingering, deep thrusts, she felt a surge of heat within her, causing her
to .

His hot, thirsty lips slid down her neck, caressing her soft skin, lightly licking and
lingering .

Finally, his lips returned to hers, where soft moans had escaped, entwining intimately and yearningly,
until she leaned against him, limp and powerless, until she trembled with excitement and
gasped .

When he finally and reluctantly withdrew from her soft, sweet red lips, both of them were panting.

He wasn't the kind of man who enjoyed letting women nestle in his arms after intimacy, but with her, there were
always many exceptions. A finger gently traced her swollen lips as he murmured, "
Now you should believe I like you, right?"

Was Jiang Chengji trying to conquer her with a gentle offensive? Shi Xinlan's eyes suddenly narrowed in displeasure.
She grabbed his collar tightly with one hand and gritted her teeth, saying, "You're not going to tell me
you kiss every woman like this, are you?"

Jiang Chengji raised an eyebrow at her. This woman really had a knack for provoking him. He smiled coldly, his cheeks
twitching slightly. "No! Usually, I just use women's bodies to satisfy my desires, but I never kiss
them."

She gasped at the ruthlessness in his words. When she saw the anger in his eyes, she was
completely speechless and could only give an awkward smile. "Uh..."

She suddenly felt that she shouldn't have lost face in front of him like this, so she mustered her courage and said,
"Okay! Then... how many women have you kissed?" Good heavens! She found her cheeks rapidly flushing red
because she could easily see the interest in Jiang Chengji's eyes. He seemed amused by her concern.

Before he could answer, she hurriedly called out to him, "What kind of look is that? Let me tell you,
I don't care how many women you've liked..." Shi Xinlan stammered, feeling guilty, "I was just curious."

If any woman had dared to question him like that before, Jiang Chengji would have left without hesitation. But her
concern , for some reason, pleased him, making him whisper to her before his lips touched hers,
"You, only you!"

As her eyes widened, he kissed her lips, savoring her sweetness...

After her foot injury fully recovered, Shi Xinlan began to visit Jiang Chengji every day. After her practice,
she could shower in a fully equipped bathroom, and he would always wait for her on the balcony, where they would drink tea
and chat .

Although their interactions were often marked by Shi Xinlan's fiery outbursts and his inability to resist being provoked,
their feelings for each other had been accumulating unknowingly.

One day, after Shi Xinlan finished her dance practice and showered, the two leaned against the railing, gazing at the beautiful scenery before them, a rare moment of peace and tranquility .
They chatted idly.

Shi Xinlan took a deep breath. "Mmm, the air here is so fresh."

Since starting to exercise at Jiang Chengji's place, the excellent sports facilities and the spacious, smooth wooden floors had transformed
what was originally just simple running into something more—she had started dancing. She really had to thank this man.

Jiang Chengji gazed expressionlessly at her radiant appearance, but a hint of doting affection, unnoticed even
by himself, .

Since he had confessed his feelings for her,
although he could sensitively sense the subtle changes in her emotions. The messages strongly indicated that Shi Xinlan liked him,
and he believed this would greatly help his plan.

Whenever Jiang Chengji thought this way, he felt a sense of relief, completely unaware that his heart
was in danger of falling for her, and presumptuously believing that his emotional changes were entirely due to the successful execution of his plan
.

Their relaxed and comfortable interaction was thanks to his confession to her last time. It seems
every woman loves sweet words; this tactic is incredibly effective, even Shi Xinlan isn't immune. After all,
she's just a woman!

Just as he was thinking this, Shi Xinlan suddenly turned her head and gave him a sweet smile, making him hold his breath.
Although she rarely smiled at him like that, he had to admit she was truly beautiful, almost
irresistibly drawing his attention to capture her smile with a kiss.

"By the way, I want to thank you." Since Jiang Chengji's confession, her mindset had
changed significantly. Although occasional arguments still occurred, she felt something was
different.

And given her personality, she wasn't an ungrateful woman, so of course she wanted to express her gratitude to Jiang Chengji for
generously offering her the space.

After observing him for these past few days, it became clear that he had no ill intentions towards her. Perhaps,
as he claimed, he simply liked her and wanted to help her. Therefore, Shi Xinlan
felt extremely embarrassed for her previous suspicions and could only express her sincere gratitude.

"Thank me?" Hearing her say this, he raised his shield, his eyes becoming deep and unfathomable. "Are you sincere?"
Not long ago, she had doubted his intentions, but now she willingly expressed her gratitude. Jiang Chengji knew that this was due to the trust she had developed in him
after observing him for a period of time.

In fact, after spending these days together, he had come to understand her personality quite well. Shi Xinlan was not a
willful, spoiled, or temperamental woman; it was just that her straightforward, lively, and energetic personality made her unable
to suppress any emotions, saying whatever came to mind, even if it offended people without realizing it.

However, this young lady could distinguish right from wrong. If she was right, she would argue her case forcefully; if she was wrong, she
would not yield to and would insist on getting justice. But if she was wrong, she would immediately admit it and make amends; if she
was right, she would never be unforgiving.

His questioning now had nothing to do with those reasons; he simply wanted to tease her,
to see the sparkle of anger in her eyes—something that always amused him for some reason.

Hearing his questioning tone, just as Jiang Chengji had guessed, she indeed clenched her fists angrily, waving them in
front of and shouting, "Hey! What do you mean by that? Doubting me? Of course I sincerely thanked you
."

Seeing her so agitated, a malicious smile crept onto his lips as he deliberately asked, "Oh?
Is that so? Then… how will you prove you're sincere?"

"Proof?" Shi Xinlan was stunned by his question. After thinking for a moment,
she rolled and said to him in a dramatic tone, "Please, how do you prove sincerity? Do
you expect me to dig my heart out and show it to you to see if it's bloody?" After saying that, she
immediately made a face as if she was about to vomit. "Ugh, that's terrifying!"

Shi Xinlan scrunched up her beautiful face, her rich expressions becoming more and more varied with her words and gestures
, looking quite cute and amusing. Jiang Chengji paused for a moment, then burst into loud laughter
.

His hearty male voice and the expression on his face when he laughed were so charming and
handsome that she couldn't help but show him that shameful, drooling expression. She just couldn't help it! Who told Jiang Chengji
to have such a charming smile? It made her heart beat so fast.

Easily captivated by his laughter, she could only stare blankly at his smile, completely unaware that Jiang Chengji had already
stopped laughing and moved closer to her. Only when he pulled her into his arms did she come to her senses, hearing his soft
whispers.

"Of course not, this is the best proof." He lowered his head and pressed his lips to her soft ones,
sighing as he kissed her delicate red lips.

Here it comes again! That electric shock-like feeling returned. His wet, slippery tongue explored her
mouth gently teasing her. His kiss was so sweet, so delicate, that any protest she might have wanted to make turned into
a soft sigh of submission. She involuntarily closed her eyes, letting herself be immersed in the tenderness he gave her.

Gradually, his alluring, light touches moved towards her cheek, advancing towards her ear. His mouth
spoke of his desire for her: "Ever since that day I kissed you, I've wanted to kiss you like this again. It
feels so wonderful, so sweet."

Jiang Chengji's gentle yet powerfully hot lips lingered on her ear, nibbling at her earlobe
. His heavy breathing made Shi Xinlan's mind go almost blank; she could only
respond to him instinctively.

"I want you!"

he declared possessively, causing her to widen her eyes involuntarily. But when she looked into his burning eyes,
a raging fire made her instinctively want to back away, realizing that he seemed
determined .

But his steel-hard fingers suddenly gripped her arm, lifting her to his chest and pulling her into
his .

She quickly reached out and pressed her hand against his chest at his movement, but sensitively noticed
how firm and vibrant the male muscles beneath her soft palm were.

She heard him breathe heavily and looked up at him, surprised to find that he was aroused by her small
touch.

She blinked her bright, lively eyes, almost mesmerized by his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed, finding
it incredibly sexy. Then she looked at his strong jawline, now adorned with a stubble, and was captivated. Her gaze finally
settled on his tightly pursed, sensual lips; just thinking about their passionate kiss made her heart race and
her cheeks flush.

Shi Xinlan was powerless to resist or stop Jiang Chengji's declaration, for she found her
body trembling with anticipation for his next move, her hands involuntarily caressing his
chest.

This unintentional teasing caused Jiang Chengji's breathing to quicken again, and he couldn't help but
pull her into the living room, placing her on the silky cushions, his heavy body half-pressing down on her. His moist
lips licked her earlobe, his new stubble rubbing against her delicate skin, bringing waves of ticklish pleasure, and
a surge of heat instantly coursed through her body.

His nimble fingers teasingly covered her swollen, round
breasts, skillfully kneading her rosy nipples until they tensed and stood erect from the stimulation. Unaware of desire, she instinctively raised her chest,
pressing against those magical fingers.

This seductive, silent plea made him unable to suppress his boiling desire any longer. His lips slowly moved down,
teasing the junction of her neckline and snow-white skin, gently biting the sensitive, delicate smoothness of her collarbone.

Shi Xinlan gasped, feeling a surge of pain from the stimulation, and tried to pull away, hastily
leaving the cushion. Unexpectedly, he gently pushed her, making her lie back on the sofa, his greedy lips continuing
to create astonishing waves of desire on her body.

"Mmm…" she opened her mouth to protest, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist his passionate onslaught if it continued,
but all that came out were soft moans and gasps.

The voice was melodious and alluring, making Jiang Chengji impulsively slide his large hand behind her thigh, forcefully pushing
it towards him, his surging desire pressing tightly between her legs.

"No..." The intense contact made her face burn red, her body stiffened, and she awkwardly
and uncomfortably twisted her body, trying to break free from him.

"Don't move!" He seemed to be suppressing something, his breathing heavy.

"No... I can't think like this..." She tried hard to break free from this situation, not wanting things to develop so quickly
between , but to no avail.

"I want you to not think about anything..." Jiang Chengji suddenly smiled wickedly, his large hand tightly encircling her
slender waist, creating more pleasure on her body, "Just think about the pleasure I'm going to bring you."

He moved one hand along her pink cheek, to her small, firm breasts, and
shamelessly kneaded them through the thin clothes, looking at her hazy eyes, a mixture of innocence and sensuality, which made him
feel pang of pity.

He lowered his head and kissed her with a tenderness that surprised even himself, showering her with boundless affection. After she
responded, he let out a low growl and launched into a frenzied kiss, his hot tongue darting between her teeth, teasing her
little tongue. His hand cupped one of her full breasts, kneading it wildly through her clothes, his thumb frequently caressing her
nipple.

Shi Xinlan felt her reason had already vanished with his passionate kisses and caresses. She was
aroused , panting heavily, her wild breaths escaping from her swollen lips. Her body went limp in his
arms, her palms unconsciously stroking his strong body…

Her unintentional, clumsy movements on his body ignited his desire in the shortest time,
no longer bothered by the clothes. He lifted her up, removing all her restraints, greedily admiring her
jade- like body, his fingers kneading her already erect nipple.

"No!" The coolness against her chest pulled her back to her senses, and she instinctively resisted. But

Jiang Chengji, already aroused by lust, couldn't stop now. Ignoring her weak protests, he pressed his strong body against her soft, delicate frame, grasped her full breasts with both hands, lowered his head, and wildly sucked and licked her pink, erect nipples . "Mmm...ah..." Shi Xinlan felt her breasts throbbing with unbearable pain, yet also experiencing a refreshing pleasure. She couldn't help but moan , her self-control crumbling, succumbing to lust. His movements became increasingly wild, greedily sucking on her tender nipples, even gently chewing and pulling them, causing her some pain, yet also a surge of excitement. Waves of sensual pleasure surged through her, finally causing her to cry out uncontrollably. Her hands gripped his body tightly, unable to restrain her rising desire. "Ah..." her head swayed gently. Her soft moans and unconsciously swaying sensually reached his ears and filled his eyes, so alluring and seductive that he couldn't help but knead her breasts even harder, his lips working in perfect harmony with hers, licking and kneading, moving back and forth between her peaks, until her body instinctively arched and met his. Her delicate moans brought him an unprecedented surge of passion, and her proactive and passionate response made him break through her final barrier without . His fingertips slipped under the edge of her panties, conquering her softest spot and beginning to explore her most mysterious and vulnerable parts. Jiang Chengji's unrestrained caresses made Shi Xinlan tremble helplessly, while he looked up to admire the sensuality displayed by the beauty before him, a wicked smile flashing in his eyes. "Don't be afraid! I won't hurt you." The words had barely left his lips when his long, slender fingers, which had been kneading her core, suddenly slipped inside, penetrating deeper and deeper until she was ready to receive him. Only then did he lift her pink buttocks, breaking through all resistance , reaching her sweet flower core… Jiang Chengji attentively observed and cared for every expression on her face. Seeing her reaction and her abandoning of restraint, he knew she was no longer in pain. Therefore, he no longer held back, wantonly taking advantage of her virgin body, taking them both into a passionate sensory world until both of them achieved maximum satisfaction. Jiang Chengji rolled onto Shi Xinlan's side, looking with satisfaction at her pinkish skin. His large hands lingered, caressing her entire body, causing her to tremble sensitively. A hint of tenderness flashed in his eyes; he to develop such strange feelings for her.

Should he admit his plan went wrong? Was it because he hadn't factored in his feelings for her?

Seeing her stir and open her eyes to look at him, he suddenly asked, "Are you alright?
Did I hurt you?" He looked with satisfaction at the red marks he had left on her body, his mark, a
declaration that she belonged to him, which made him proud.

His gentle yet explicit words made Shi Xinlan blush. She shook her head as if in response,
but this only emboldened him to lean closer and tease her, "What? Did the cat bite your tongue, leaving you speechless?"
His fingers traced her lips, knowing what she was shy about, but he loved teasing her.

Sure enough, she punched his chest hard with her small fist, "Go to hell!" Knowing they
had just been intimate, what could she possibly say? For two people naked together, saying anything at this moment
would be strange, especially since she had just recovered from such a wonderful feeling. And he still wanted her to say
something ?

Thinking of this, a strange expression suddenly appeared on Shi Xinlan's face, causing Jiang
Chengji, who was about to chuckle, to frown slightly.

"What's wrong? What are you thinking about now?"

"You...you want me to talk, you don't mean you want me to say those kinds of things, do you?" Her tone was very
strange , and her eyes were extremely ambiguous.

Jiang Chengji had a very bad feeling. Could this little girl be thinking of something shocking again
?

"Tell me." Although he was somewhat doubtful that what she said would make him regret it, he still wanted to hear it.
The desire to know all her thoughts and opinions filled his entire mind.

"Hehe..." She looked at him, a sly smile on her face. "So you're the kind of
man !" She playfully patted him twice and said, "Okay, okay, I admit it, you
were absolutely fantastic in bed, absolutely amazing. Are you satisfied now?"

He was taken aback at first by her ambiguous expression and bold words, but then he saw that she
wasn't as open as she seemed, a charming blush creeping onto her cheeks and behind her ears. He couldn't help but
burst out laughing. This little girl is so cute!

Seeing Jiang Chengji laugh, Shi Xinlan's shyness reached its peak. She slapped him, both embarrassed and angry, "What
are you laughing at? What do you want to hear? Why don't you just say it directly? Why make me guess like this? Isn't it
annoying?"

His laughter suddenly stopped, but the smile remained. He lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "Since you are
so satisfied with my performance, I certainly can't let you down. I have to properly 'thank' you.
So, allow me to try harder to please you to repay you."

As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately turned her body over, making her lie face down. His large hands carefully explored
every inch of her silky skin on her back. Then his lips covered her delicate back, pecking and kissing his way down...

As soon as his lips touched her skin, she trembled all over, panting softly, and involuntarily called out
his name. Her hands gripped the sheets loosely and involuntarily, her head rubbing against the pillow in unbearable ecstasy, soft moans
escaping her lips…

His virility, already heightened by kissing her beautiful back, was now amplified by her almost speechless, sensual
moans, fueling his desire. He parted her legs and plunged himself into her
tender, moist core, until a satisfied sigh escaped their lips simultaneously.

Then he intensified his movements, wildly possessing her, dancing out their own world of passion…

Jiang Chengji was reviewing official documents in the villa's study, while his friend, Shen Tianqing, the general manager of the Senye Group,
sat beside him.

“I think you should be prepared; your grandfather plans to come to Taiwan at the end of next month,” Shen Tianqing reminded him.

Jiang Chengji continued reviewing official documents without changing his writing style, replying indifferently, "So what?"

"It's nothing, but don't forget, your old man didn't come alone this time. He brought Songban
Huazhen, intending to announce to the world that she's your fiancée." After saying this, Shen Tianqing cautiously
observed Jiang Chengji's expression, wanting to see his reaction.

Unexpectedly, he didn't even flinch, merely snorting coldly as he continued reviewing documents.

"Chengji, that old man's determination is very strong. If you don't make things clear with him, it'll be
troublesome once the news gets out."

He stopped reviewing documents. "Think about it, who will look bad then?" A
mocking smile played on his lips, his eyes cold.

Hearing this, Shen Tianqing quickly nodded, thinking to himself: That's right, the one who looks bad will be that old man.
President Morino is always very concerned about his image, while Jiang Chengji doesn't care at all how the outside world portrays him.

Of course, newspapers and magazines knew absolutely nothing about Jiang Chengji, so no one dared to write anything recklessly. Otherwise, given
the reputation and status of the Senye Group, no print media could withstand their
defamation claims if legal action were taken, because the name Jiang Chengji was incredibly valuable. Therefore, unless there was solid evidence or
a press release issued by the Senye Group itself, no one dared to publish anything.

Shen Tianqing stood at the table. "I think you definitely have a plan in mind, so I don't need to worry about you. You can take
your time reading the documents; I should be leaving." He turned to leave when suddenly the door was pushed open forcefully. A gust of wind swept through,
and before he could even see the person's face clearly, he heard a clear female
voice Jiang Chengji.

"Jiang Chengji, what right do you have to move all my things here? What do you mean by this?" This is
outrageous ! She had just returned home from dance class when all her belongings were gone. Her mother told her that
Jiang Chengji said it was all her idea; she wanted to move in with him and hoped they would respect the young couple's
decision.

Hearing this, Shi Xinlan was furious. That despicable guy! Although she enjoyed their time
together and it wasn't that she didn't want to be with him, how could he disrespect her and
make decisions without her consent? That's why she stormed over to confront him.

Shen Tianqing noticed a slight shift in Jiang Chengji's previously calm and indifferent expression at her arrival.
A glint of light flashed in his eyes. These changes were subtle, but having known him for so long, he could certainly sense them.
He watched the two of them silently, but with great interest.

Shi Xinlan was furious and oblivious to everything else. The moment she entered, she focused all her attention
on Jiang Chengji, completely unaware that Shen Tianqing was standing to the side, watching them with great interest.

Jiang Chengji quickly concealed his turbulent emotions, stopping his work of reviewing documents. His deep black eyes
fixed on her, he calmly said, "You don't want to move in with me?"

His calm demeanor contrasted sharply with her agitated state. Hearing this, she clenched her
fists and waved them in front of him. "You despicable bastard!" she yelled angrily. "This has nothing to
do with whether I want to or not; it's a matter of respect. Do you even understand what I'm angry about?"

To his surprise, he casually crossed his arms, enjoying her exasperated expression, finding it
extremely amusing. "Alright! Xin Xin, I hope you can move in with me. What do you think?"

Jiang Chengji believed that since they already had a close relationship, there was no reason for them to be separated.
Besides, he really enjoyed the feeling of holding her while sleeping, which was why he acted immediately after making the decision
without .

"I don't want to!"

Shi Xinlan's resolute refusal made Jiang Chengji's eyes, which had been flashing with amusement, suddenly turn gloomy. He said to her,
"What did you say?" Then, upon hearing a muffled laugh, he glanced at Shen Tianqing, avoiding looking at
the annoying yet obviously amused expression on his face.

"Do you have anything else to say?" This was a way of telling Shen Tianqing to go home and not disturb them.

Seeing that Jiang Chengji's attention was on him, Shen Tianqing quickly cleared his throat. "Uh, you haven't
introduced ?" He was joking, how could he miss getting to know the
woman who had caused such a big change in Chengji's attitude? Besides, their interactions were really funny, especially that woman...

hahaha, it was extremely interesting.

Chengji certainly had women, but they were all just for relieving his physical desires! He had never been serious about
any of them. This woman was different from the average woman these days; she wasn't dressed up
extravagantly, and her speech and behavior were simply innocent and natural. What was most amusing was that she dared to
yell at a thousand-year-old cold stone! And Chengji, not only hadn't thrown her out, now actually wanted her to move in with him.

However, this young lady refused without any hesitation, which only
broadened his horizons further. He found their situation incredibly entertaining, and it would be a
real !

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