HYAT - 27

In front of less familiar strangers, Shen Qianzhan would subconsciously put on an act. She was sparing with her words, using “hmm,” “ah,” and “oh” whenever possible, trying to create a rich context with those single, non-repeating words to keep the conversation flowing smoothly.

For example, the young man in front of her, with a refined appearance, who had thoroughly saturated every cell of his body with Hermès Terre d’Hermès cologne.

He asked three questions in a row:

“I’ve been a member for three years, and this is the first time I’ve seen you. Have you never participated in association events before?”

“Have you joined the Watch Association?”

“I’m quite an experienced watch collector. If you’re interested, you can discuss with me anytime. Shall we add each other on WeChat?”

Shen Qianzhan held her breath, trying her best to block out the overwhelming scent of cologne from this man that could knock someone out.

She suddenly missed the cool scent on Ji Qinghe, which was sometimes as rich as ink, sometimes as subtle as bamboo, possessing an inexhaustible calm that comes with the passage of time.

Even Su Zan, that little sycophant, never overdid his bold scent.

She perfunctorily hummed, with no intention of adding him on WeChat or continuing the conversation.

Her cold attitude and aloof demeanor clearly conveyed a message—don’t want to chat, don’t want to add, and definitely don’t want to bother.

But the colder the beauty, the more attractive she became. The layers of young talents, after a brief setback, fought even harder.

In a public setting, most men were too embarrassed to openly express their intentions. Firstly, Shen Qianzhan had already given one the cold shoulder, and no one wanted to repeat that embarrassment. Secondly, being too direct seemed to lack depth and wasn’t sophisticated enough.

So, they all subtly used watch-related topics to capture her attention.

Su Zan, observing from outside the circle, couldn’t help but chuckle.

What a mess.

Did his Sister Zhan look like someone knowledgeable enough to have an in-depth discussion with them? Couldn’t they see she was pretending to be mute because she couldn’t keep up with the depth of the topic?

He played with his lighter, squinting out the window.

The angle was excellent, allowing him to see the parking lot outside the cultural center at a glance.

________________________________________

The outdoor parking lot hidden in the deep alley was small, and the parking barrier at the entrance repeatedly went up and down.

Su Zan clicked his lighter, the blue flame going from bright to dim, then from dim to bright, repeatedly. After several times, a domineering beam of car headlights shone from the courtyard onto the courtyard wall.

He looked up and saw a business SUV parked squarely at the entrance of the cultural center.

He’s here, he’s here.

The cuckold catcher is here!

Su Zan extinguished his lighter, his eyes sparkling as he turned to look at Shen Qianzhan.

The young talents, who had been chatting with Shen Qianzhan for a long time but couldn’t even get her full name, finally realized they had hit a wall—fire couldn’t melt it, and knives couldn’t cut it.

So, the outer circle gradually began to disperse, leaving only Meng Wangzhou and a few persistently supportive gentlemen sitting around.

Noticing Su Zan’s urging gaze again, Shen Qianzhan checked her watch. Seizing the opportunity, she said goodbye to Meng Wangzhou: “I’ve learned a lot tonight, and it’s getting late. I don’t want to waste anyone’s time, so I’ll be leaving now.”

Meng Wangzhou was about to ask her to stay, but his peripheral vision caught a familiar figure. Before he could confirm, his body, sensing danger, began to tremble, feeling light-headed.

Shen Qianzhan felt her left shoulder sink as someone casually put an arm around her shoulder and sat down in the empty seat next to her.

The hand didn’t apply much force, yet she felt as if a huge rock had pressed down on her, instantly rendering her immobile.

A familiar numbness at the back of her neck, then Ji Qinghe released his hand, resting it on the back of her chair at a very intimate distance: “I just arrived, and you’re leaving, hmm?”

Shen Qianzhan’s teeth chattered with cold, feeling inexplicably guilty like a thief.

She stammered, looking at Ji Qinghe: “You... why are you here?”

Ji Qinghe smiled gently: “Afraid of me?”

He rested one hand on his crossed knees, his posture lazy and casual: “Did I ruin your fun?”

Shen Qianzhan intuitively felt Ji Qinghe’s danger.

He lived under the same roof as Meng Wangzhou; he wouldn’t be unaware that Meng Wangzhou was organizing an exchange event. From his tone, he likely knew the significance of this activity thoroughly.

One of the reasons Shen Qianzhan previously declined Meng Wangzhou was that participating in such a blind-date-like activity right under his nose felt too cheap. Regardless of whether Ji Qinghe would have an opinion, she herself was very resistant.

But now that she was caught red-handed, she felt awkward and also grimly glanced at Su Zan, who had been trying to minimize his presence ever since Ji Qinghe appeared.

This little traitor.

She rubbed her cold fingertips, trying to change the subject: “I was just about to leave. Is Mr. Ji staying to continue playing, or...?”

Ji Qinghe let out a cold laugh, his gaze coolly sweeping over Meng Wangzhou, who dared not even lift his head. He subtly adjusted his overcoat: “I’ll see you out for him.”

________________________________________

When Ji Qinghe said he’d see her out, he meant it with full sincerity.

His business car was parked at the exit, and Ming Jue had opened the back door for her, standing by the car.

Seeing this setup, Shen Qianzhan stopped dead in her tracks at the doorway.

Ji Qinghe saw she hadn’t followed, and slightly turned his head. His eyes were cold and bright, and when his gaze locked onto her, there was simply no room for refusal.

Shen Qianzhan asked, not understanding: “Mr. Ji is driving me?”

“Yes.” His brows furrowed slightly, with a hint of impatience: “Afraid to get in the car?”

Honestly, yes, afraid.

Shen Qianzhan stood still, looking around for Su Zan: “I came with Su Zan. I can just ride back in his car. No need to trouble Mr. Ji.”

Ji Qinghe seemed to smile, but it wasn’t a very friendly smile. It was as if his disguise had been stripped away, and his hidden nastiness was exposed in the darkness: “So afraid of me?”

Shen Qianzhan dared not reply, silently thinking: Don’t you have any self-awareness about how you look right now? How can I not be afraid?

As the atmosphere grew tense, Ming Jue glanced at the increasing number of cars behind them and reminded them: “Producer Shen, please get in the car? It’s getting congested behind us.” As soon as he finished speaking, honking sounds rang out, high and low, as if on cue.

Headlights from a vehicle shone a few inches in front of Shen Qianzhan, casting heavy shadows that were all the tree shadows behind Ji Qinghe.

Shen Qianzhan looked up at him.

His tie was slightly loose, but his shirt collar was still neat.

Under the dazzling high beams, he stood against the light, the sharpness of his features blurred by three parts, leaving only those eyes, deeper than the night, holding the frost and snow of winter.

Her knees softened from the beauty, and Shen Qianzhan resignedly got into the car.

The SUV’s back seat was spacious, and the cabin was filled with a faint, bitter-sweet cold tobacco scent.

Shen Qianzhan sniffed. Seeing Ji Qinghe walk around the back of the car and get in from the other side, she continued to maintain her aloof and noble persona, quiet as a chicken, for the evening.

Ming Jue quietly asked her for the address, adjusted the navigation, and the car exited the parking lot, quickly merging into traffic.

________________________________________

The night was deep, and there were noticeably fewer cars on the road.

After stopping and going through several intersections, Ming Jue glanced in the rearview mirror and, with a somewhat strange tone, reminded the two in the back seat: “There seems to be a car following us.”

Shen Qianzhan turned back, leaning over the seat to identify the car’s make and license plate.

After seeing the license plate number, she both inwardly muttered that Su Zan still had some conscience and grumbled, “If I didn’t know I was broke, Su Zan would probably misunderstand that Mr. Ji was kidnapping and extorting me.”

Ji Qinghe remained calm, completely unmoved.

He didn’t care about the unknown car following them, nor did he care about the sarcasm in her words.

The atmosphere in the car was bizarre, like sharing a ride with a stranger, filled with a distinct coldness.

Shen Qianzhan simply decided to stop talking and began playing mute.

________________________________________

Forty minutes later, the car arrived at the complex’s garage, and Shen Qianzhan got out.

After opening the car door, she tentatively extended one foot. Noticing Ji Qinghe as steady as a mountain, with no intention of getting out, she finally felt at ease to step onto solid ground and close the car door.

The car stopped at the entrance of the apartment building. Shen Qianzhan turned around, about to thank Mr. Ji and Assistant Ming for their benevolent act of sending a lonely, single girl home, like Lei Feng.

Ji Qinghe got out of the car, instructing Ming Jue to wait for him there.

With his hands in his pockets, shrouded in the night, he walked into the building first.

Shen Qianzhan was dumbfounded.

Her mind, unusually, went blank. She stood still for several seconds, then, reacting, hurried to catch up.

The floor she lived on was large, and the one-unit-per-floor design made the basement level’s layout very complex.

She listened for Ji Qinghe’s footsteps, and just as she reached the side door of the fire exit, her wrist was suddenly gripped. After a dizzying, unexpected whirl, she was pressed against the wall by Ji Qinghe, who held her wrist.

And this man, with a slight, wicked smile on his lips, carried himself with an elegant demeanor like a gentle breeze and bright moon, yet he held her firmly trapped between himself and the wall.

Shen Qianzhan only had time to feel the momentary chill and pain as her back hit the wall. When she regained her senses, his hand on her wrist loosened, then he gripped it, leaning down.

Half of the light in her field of vision was instantly blocked by him. Ji Qinghe stopped a mere breath away from her.

Shen Qianzhan’s breath hitched. The tingling sensation caused by his closeness spread from her heart to her body, completely softening her.

She quietly held her breath, not daring to move, like prey whose fate was clutched by a predator, feigning death, only daring to breathe in tiny gasps.

Ji Qinghe sniffed lightly, then asked, “Whose perfume is that, hmm?”

His voice was deep, like a clear spring echoing in a well shaft.

Shen Qianzhan’s ears burned, killed by his magnetic voice, and a surge of illicit desire rushed out.

She trembled, trying her best to remain calm: “I advise you, stay away from me.”

Ji Qinghe looked at her, his gaze a half-smile, as if seducing her, completely igniting her restless lust.

She threatened: “Be careful you don’t sleep until your legs go numb and you can’t go home.”

Ji Qinghe stared at her without blinking and asked, “Serious?”

Shen Qianzhan, having just made a bold statement, instantly felt guilty: “Fake.” She twisted her wrist, signaling him to let go first: “Let’s talk properly. If someone sees us like this, I’ll have to sell my apartment before I even pay off my mortgage, won’t I?”

Ji Qinghe lowered his gaze, his eyes falling on her lips. His fiery gaze was almost tangible, and she instantly shut up.

Although she knew perfectly well that Ji Qinghe was only trying to scare her, she couldn’t take advantage of her fearlessness and challenge his bottom line. This dog man would truly bite if pushed too far.

“Is someone living next door?” he asked.

Shen Qianzhan, fearing he might have malicious thoughts, quickly nodded: “Yes, occupied.”

Ji Qinghe chuckled softly, deliberately teasing her: “It doesn’t have to be next door. This apartment complex was probably completed less than two years ago, so there should be plenty of empty units.”

Shen Qianzhan saw his expression didn’t look like he was joking and immediately bristled: “Ji Qinghe, I advise you not to even think about it.”

Ji Qinghe’s gaze moved up from her lips to her eyes, meeting hers: “Scared?” He chuckled softly, his voice deep and low, as if shrouded in a cold mist: “Tonight, I was also terrified.”

His words were pointed, inexplicably infuriating her. She narrowed her eyes, her tone instantly plummeting into an ice cellar, emitting a chilling coldness: “What do you mean by that?”

Shen Qianzhan, unless willing, once her self-defense mode was activated, would unleash poisoned arrows, each one hitting its mark.

Ji Qinghe, however, seemed completely unconcerned by her bristling defensiveness. He lowered his head, his eyes deep and dark.

He lowered his voice, warning her: “If you want to distance yourself from me, don’t break the rules right under my nose. I’m very possessive. Try getting other men’s scent on you again?”