Zhou Xiulin’s gaze locked onto her. “Then I’ll trouble Assistant Jiang.”
Jiang Xiao hesitantly took the towel from his hand. She must have been swayed by his charm to say such words. She stood up and stood in front of him.
Zhou Xiulin sat upright on the sofa, slightly lowering his head to make it easier for her to work.
Jiang Xiao looked around with her eyes, finding no way to retreat. Slowly, she reached out her hands. It was her first time drying someone’s hair, and she initially seemed a bit clumsy. Her hands massaged his hair. She was used to seeing his short hair standing up, but now it was wet, making him appear more approachable.
Zhou Xiulin muttered, “Assistant Jiang, you’re making me dizzy with your movements.”
Jiang Xiao whispered, “I’m sorry. It’s my first time.” She paused for a moment and let her left hand rest on his neck, sliding over his earlobe. It felt like an electric current was running through her fingertips. Her right hand gently wiped his wet hair.
His hair was jet black, with a good texture, and slightly rough due to being wet.
After a while, Zhou Xiulin felt much more comfortable. Jiang Xiao’s movements became gentle, and he could feel the warmth radiating from her touch. “Jiang Xiao, are you feeling hot?”
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“Ls.”
“Zswa bydep yal polyvkdt.”
Kkydt Dkys: “…”
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Gqvla qkdyzzu qkdkpbkdt, Kkydt Dkys bwaaklezu vakle vs lpnyrl qasx vbkp yxcktwswp pkvwyvksd. “R’zz ts rwv vbl vsolz yoyu.”
Hbsw Dkwzkd tayccle bla byde. “Ls awpb. El byhld’v qkdkpble swa nsdhlapyvksd ulv.”
Kkydt Dkys czkdjle. “Ebyv?”
Zhou Xiulin tilted his head back, the light shining on his face. Faced with such a handsome face, she couldn’t remain indifferent. Her gaze swept over his eyebrows, eyes, nose, and finally his lips. Every detail was clear to her.
Zhou Xiulin met her gaze, his eyes slightly narrowed with a hint of a smile. “After you called Mo Yiheng, how did he respond?”
Jiang Xiao shook her head. “That person is very cunning. He neither agreed nor refused me.”
“Now you know, just because someone smiles at you doesn’t mean they will treat you well. So what do you plan to do?”
Jiang Xiao furrowed her brows and asked back, “Will ‘The Year of Eighteen’ terminate its contract with Zhao Xinran?”
Zhou Xiulin leaned back, his gaze fixed on her, a hidden smile in his eyes. “What’s your answer?”
“I don’t think they will. The role of the ‘Daughter’ was personally selected by Liang Yue. Xinran was chosen for a reason, apart from the influence of Huaxia. Among all the actresses who auditioned at the time, Xinran was the most suitable for that role. So, I think the recent reports are just false accusations by the media.”
Zhou Xiulin nodded. “And?”
“Mo Yiheng definitely won’t release a statement.”
“Oh,” he expressed his doubts.
“He’s a playboy, always surrounded by a myriad of women. How could he abandon the entire forest for Xinran? It was just a momentary infatuation, without much true emotion.” Towards the end, her tone carried a touch of melancholy, accompanied by an imperceptible sadness.
“You didn’t misjudge him. And what you’re doing is just to make Zhao Xinran see the truth.”
The two of them locked eyes, surprised by how well they understood each other’s thoughts.
Jiang Xiao sighed. “In fact, Xinran is very innocent herself. It’s just that her rapid success has momentarily led her astray. We often say ‘never forget your original intention,’ but as we walk along, sometimes we forget. I haven’t done much to help her. In this industry, she will encounter many such things in the future. It’s the price of fame.”
Zhou Xiulin had been looking up this whole time, gazing at her serene face. Gradually, his mouth curved upwards, his voice slightly deep, “As long as she understands your intentions, there is still hope.”
“Being a manager is not easy. There are so many things to worry about.”
Zhou Xiulin smiled and pulled her into his embrace.
“Hey! You—”
“To thank you for tonight’s ‘service,’ I can reveal some news to you.”
“What?” Jiang Xiao blushed slightly from his previous statement. Since they were already so close, she simply let him take the lead.
“‘The Year of Eighteen’ has no intention of terminating Zhao Xinran’s contract.”
Jiang Xiao: “…I guessed that.”
“You were just speculating, but this news I’m giving you is one hundred percent true and reliable.”
Jiang Xiao opened her mouth, “Zhao Director is your friend, so of course, you can…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Zhou Xiulin’s next action stunned her.
Zhou Xiulin’s ear was pressed against her abdomen! “Does Little Bean Sprout have any recent movements?”
Jiang Xiao: “…Only 11 weeks.”
Zhou Xiulin carefully supported her waist with both hands. “It’s indeed Little Bean Sprout.”
“The doctor said that at 11 weeks, the baby starts growing hair.”
Zhou Xiulin smirked, his lips curling up. “Little Sprout’s hair is definitely not something to worry about. With the great hair his father and mother have, he won’t fall short in that department.”
He was truly confident.
Jiang Xiao remained noncommittal.
Zhou Xiulin slowly stood up, his hands moving from her waist to her shoulders. “I’ll be on a business trip tomorrow and will be back in three days. You can consult Jiang Qin for company matters and Mom or Aunt Liu for home matters.”
Jiang Xiao whispered, “I know, you can rest assured.”
Zhou Xiulin sighed lightly. “Is there anything you want to say to me?”
Jiang Xiao pursed her lips. “Mr. Zhou, I wish you all the best…”
Zhou Xiulin didn’t let her continue speaking and directly kissed her lips, no longer holding back. This was what he had wanted to do all night.
In their relationship, one person always had to take the initiative, and it certainly wouldn’t be Jiang Xiao. That could only be him.
In her panic, Jiang Xiao grabbed his vest. “Ouch—”
Zhou Xiulin paused his movements slightly, his nose touching hers as he chuckled lightly. “Why haven’t you learned yet?”
Jiang Xiao’s eyes became moist. Of course, she wouldn’t have any experience with this.
Zhou Xiulin’s kiss descended once again, and their breathing gradually grew erratic. His hands couldn’t help but explore beneath her clothing, his hot fingertips gliding over her skin, causing Jiang Xiao to stiffen.
“Zhou—Zhou Xiulin—” she called out, “No—”
Zhou Xiulin made a sound, his voice noticeably different from usual.
Jiang Xiao forced her eyes open, struggling to stay alert.
“No—” Jiang Xiao grabbed his hand, and in broken words, she said, “Little Bean Sprout, Little Bean Sprout—”
Zhou Xiulin’s kisses moved to her neck, carrying a faint lotus fragrance. The body wash she used smelled so good, he couldn’t help but savor it. Jiang Xiao kept squirming, ticklish from his actions.
“Zhou Xiulin, the doctor said we can’t do that!” She suddenly yelled, afraid that if things continued like this, the scene from that night would repeat itself.
Zhou Xiulin’s kisses slid down to her neck. “Jiang Xiao—” he called out her name in a deep voice, tinged with tenderness.
Blushing, Jiang Xiao said, “The doctor said so!”
Zhou Xiulin hugged her. “Hmm, I know.”
Jiang Xiao felt embarrassed. “Just endure it a bit longer.”
Zhou Xiulin glanced at her, unexpectedly exuding a touch of sexiness. He caressed her head and raised an eyebrow, teasingly saying, “When do you plan to let me exercise my husband’s rights? Angela1 her English name—”
Jiang Xiao’s cheeks turned bright red, unable to hide her astonishment. “Later, I thought Angela wasn’t a suitable name for me. Also, it’s getting late, and Little Bean Sprout is tired. I’m going to bed, and you should sleep early too.” She walked towards the door but stopped, her face filled with conflict.
“Zhou Xiulin, if you can’t sleep, you can recite the Heart Sutra.” Her voice softly floated into his ears.
Zhou Xiulin watched her enter the room and couldn’t help but shake his head. He got up and went to the kitchen, poured a glass of water, and drank it all at once.
Jiang Xiao closed the door, her heart pounding. She pressed her ear against the door, listening to the sounds outside, left and right, unsure.
“Little Sprout, your dad is quite pitiful, all because of you.”
Late at night, in the neighboring bedroom.
Zhou Xiulin’s phone lit up, displaying his private number that only his loved ones knew. He unlocked it and discovered a message sent by Jiang Xiao, a long paragraph containing the Heart Sutra.
Zhou Xiulin rubbed his temples, his forehead tinged with a bitter feeling, as he let out a long breath in the summer night.
After all, he wasn’t a monk.
The next day, Zhou Xiulin set off early for City B. When Jiang Xiao woke up, she realized that the corners of her mouth were slightly swollen.
At the company, Tina asked, “Jiang Xiao, did you get an infection? Your lips are a bit swollen.”
Jiang Xiao nervously replied yes and made herself a cup of chrysanthemum tea.
In the afternoon, Zhao Xinran came to Huaxia Building to find Jiang Xiao.
The two sat in the company’s lounge area, and Zhao Xinran looked much better. “I’ll be reporting to the ‘The Year of Eighteen’ drama crew next week.”
“Congratulations. Clear skies after rain.”
Zhao Xinran let out a sigh. “Thank you, Jiang Xiao.”
“I didn’t do much.”
“But you made me understand a lot of things.” Zhao Xinran took a sip of water. “If you continue in this line of work, I believe that in two or three years, you’ll definitely become a top-tier manager. However, it’s also great to be with CEO Zhou.”
Jiang Xiao smiled and took a bite of the cake, lowering her head. The mousse tasted pure and not at all greasy.
Zhao Xinran looked envious. She never touched high-calorie foods like cake to maintain her figure. She weighed only 86 catties (approximately 47 kg) and still considered herself fat. “Jiang Xiao, as Zhou’s assistant now, can you at least control yourself a bit? Your face has gotten rounder.”
Jiang Xiao responded, “…In times of prosperity, one should enjoy oneself.”
While the two were talking, a figure stormed in through the door.
Zhao Xinran was facing the entrance and saw everything clearly. “Oh, Princess Zhou is here. Huh…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Zhou Yanyan had already approached their table with big strides.
“Jiang Xiao, what do you mean?” Zhou Yanyan’s face was filled with anger, and her eyes glimmered with a hateful grudge.
Jiang Xiao was bewildered. “What’s wrong?”
Zhou Yanyan gritted her teeth. “Why can’t you stand to see me doing well? Why am I not suitable to be the female lead in ‘The Year of Eighteen’?”
Jiang Xiao stood up. “I just expressed my opinion.”
Zhou Yanyan glared at her. “But my brother listened to your opinion?”
Jiang Xiao replied, “That’s not my concern. I don’t have decision-making power.”
“It’s not your concern?” Zhou Yanyan sneered. “Everyone else supports me, and you’re the only one opposing. You say it’s not your concern?”
Zhao Xinran, who was nearby, saw Zhou Yanyan’s emotional state and quickly intervened. “Yanyan, we’re in the company. Many people are watching. Let’s talk calmly.”
Zhou Yanyan turned back and gave her a cold glance. “Please leave. This is between her and me.”
Jiang Xiao stood up. “Zhou Yanyan, if you’re going crazy, I don’t have time to accompany you. Xinran, let’s go.”
Zhao Xinran didn’t expect Zhou Yanyan’s temper to be so terrifying. The nickname “Princess Zhou” was indeed well-deserved.
Zhou Yanyan wouldn’t let her off easily. “Don’t leave. Explain yourself clearly. What do you still want to do? Are you here to seek revenge on me? Because back then, I swapped your pen, causing you to perform poorly in the exam. Are you here to retaliate?”
“No!” Jiang Xiao didn’t want to get entangled with her and lifted her leg to leave.
Zhou Yanyan forcefully grabbed her hand, exerting a strong force. Jiang Xiao stumbled, and her body collided straight into the corner of the table.
Zhao Xinran was also startled and quickly supported her. “Where did you hit?”
Jiang Xiao’s face instantly turned pale, covered in dense sweat. A sharp pain radiated from her lower back. She gritted her teeth and said, “Help me make a call to Assistant Jiang. I’m feeling a bit uncomfortable in my stomach.”
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Is she crazy or what ?