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In a split second, Jiang Dai was at a loss as to which of the most tender heartstrings he had delicately strummed.
With a subtle lift of her chin, she grazed the corner of his mouth with her lips — a quick, instinctive move that held a hint of mystery, devoid of any obvious intimacy.
However, her actions had ignited the flames within Huo Rongshen, seizing control in response to her daring move……
When Jiang Dai dragged him downstairs, all that was in her mind was to thwart any chance of inappropriate behavior from him. In the well-lit lounge, she planned to change his dressings as she was adamant that nothing would occur in the open, regardless of the distance between them.
Little did she know, the unexpected was about to unfold……
In the whirlwind of the moment, Jiang Dai felt the magnetic pull of his embrace, the electrifying sensation of his kisses, and the enticing pressure against her on the sofa.
Just as she was about to intervene and put a stop to the escalating intensity of the kiss, a series of awkward coughs reverberated from the nearby vicinity.
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“Gblx, yblx.”
Fwarakpl akrrzle vbaswtb Kkydt Pyk yde Tws Ssdtpbld, vblka lulp pdyrrkdt vs vbl wdlmrlnvle pswde. Uywtbv sqq twyae, Kkydt Pyk kdpvkdnvkhlzu pbklzele bla nblpv.
Ckys Kkdul pvsse yv y ekpvydnl, cwv pvkzz bye y nzlya hklo sq lhlauvbkdt yaswde. Tl yrrlyale psxlobyv zspv, qasgld kd wdnlavykdvu ycswv oblal vs qkm bkp tygl.
Ylydobkzl, Kkydt Pyk’p xkde oyp y nbysvkn xlpp. Rd fwpv vos eyup, bla alzyvksdpbkr okvb Tws Ssdtpbld bye vyjld sqq yv oyar prlle……
Gv vbkp fwdnvwal, pbl bye ulv vs oayr bla blye yaswde vbkp xyvvla, ps kv oyp ds pwarakpl vbyv pbl bye dsv kdqsaxle ydu sq bla qakldep.
Gp qsa zypv dktbv, kv oyp sdzu ewl vs bla ldnswdvla okvb Nkydt Kkdtnbl yv vbl ldvaydnl vbyv pbl bye caklqzu xldvksdle kv.
Tsolhla…… Ckys Kkdul eke dsv lmrlnv bla alzyvksdpbkr okvb Tws Ssdtpbld vs vyjl pwnb yd wdlmrlnvle vwad.
Wsa Kkydt Pyk, Ckys Kkdul oyp sdl sq bla clpv qakldep, obs oyp sd rya okvb Jyk Hbk. Mbaswtb vbl aszzlansypvla sq uswvb, vblu bye clld xsal vbyd qakldep; vblu olal nsdqkeydvlp yde kdplryayczl nsxrydksdp.
Ever since discovering Qiao Jinye’s feelings, she had been treading carefully, mindful of the uncharted territories of their relationship.
Despite her clear stance against romance, Qiao Jinye remained enigmatic and maintained their original relationship. Never crossing boundaries, yet never hinting at giving up in his pursuit.
To think that Qiao Jinye would walk right into this moment……
At this juncture, Jiang Dai could swear she felt her entire body was about to turn the most vivid shade of red as embarrassment surged through her. All of a sudden, it hit her like a ton of bricks as she was not in her bedroom, but smack dab in the middle of the living room on the first floor!
Frantically adjusting her hair, she sighed in relief that Huo Rongshen had kept things decent. Despite the close call, her outfit remained well-intact. Setting aside the intimate details, it was not much of a big deal in the grand scheme of adulting……
Qiao Jinye’s gaze remained fixed on the floor, avoiding any direct contact with Jiang Dai’s.
It was not that he could not, but rather it was simply a matter of not daring to do so.
Caught in a magnetic pull he could not explain, his gaze veered toward Jiang Dai’s neck. There, prominent red marks left by the man scattered across her fair and sexy collarbone evoked a sense of suggestiveness.
Qiao Jinye felt a surge of conflicting emotions. Muttering a hushed apology, he swiftly turned and made a hasty exit.
After taking just two steps, a sudden jolt of realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. In an instant, he remembered the very reason he stood there and set the cake box on a nearby surface. After a brief, charged pause, he swiftly resumed his stride toward the foyer.
At the same time, Jiang Dai also caught sight of that cake box containing a red velvet mulberry dessert that went viral recently. The very same treat that she had enjoyed in her office days ago, courtesy of her thoughtful secretary. However, the portion was tiny, leaving her yearning for more.
Mid-bite into her delectable cake, Qiao Jinye sent her a message, and she could not resist taking this chance to gush about the cake’s heavenly taste. Half-jokingly, she even expressed her willingness to gain a few extra pounds just to relish in more slices, especially since her secretary had only prepared a single slice for her. With the portion being so small, she reckoned that she could easily finish the entire cake by herself!
At that moment, she casually uttered those words, not giving them much thought afterward.
Little did she know, Qiao Jinye not only remembered her comment but had also gone ahead and purchased the entire cake.
If she remembered correctly, her secretary mentioned the immense popularity of this trendy bakery. Their renowned red velvet cake was in such high demand that all customers were required not only to place an advance order but also to wait in line and pick up their order at the bakery. Being tardy would render their reservations futile, as the bakery prioritized those in the queue……
As Jiang Dai crunched the minutes, a pressing question lingered — Would Qiao Jinye really go all the way to stand in the line at the bakery?
At this juncture, her emotions swirled like a storm, caring little about Huo Rongshen’s state. Without a second thought, she sprang to her feet and dashed after him.
Standing at an impressive 1.9 meters, Qiao Jinye effortlessly lengthened his stride with legs that seemed to stretch for miles. Racing to keep up, Jiang Dai found herself breaking into a jog, determined to bridge the distance between them.
“Ah Ye, slow down!” she called out as he effortlessly covered ground, leaving the foyer far behind.
Qiao Jinye halted in his tracks but refused to turn around.
Jiang Dai swiftly darted forward and grabbed his arm. “Woah, slow down! What’s the hurry?”
Right now, Qiao Jinye turned pale with shock, but in all cases, unable to conceal his overwhelming emotions.
From the heartthrob of a boy band to a Triple Crown film emperor, he had gracefully pirouetted through the entertainment industry. Gone were the days of his inexperienced naivety; he was now a seasoned artist who had left his schoolboy self in the rearview mirror.
However, tonight’s challenge hit him hard, and no matter how he tried to adapt, control still slipped through his fingers like sand.
After a moment of silence, he mustered the courage to admit, “I think it no longer feels right for me to casually drop by your place in the future.”
Jiang Dai stood there, her poker face betraying nothing. Yet, she could discern the rollercoaster of emotions in Qiao Jinye. The air crackled with unspoken tension, and a sense of unease clung to her like a shadow.
After all, this was…… her best friend.
In a split second, a sea of thoughts swirled within Jiang Dai, urging her to explain, share, and even encourage him to pursue love. Yet, in that very moment, all words failed her, for no words seemed appropriate.
Only after ages did four words quietly emit from her throat. “I’m sorry, Ah Ye.”
Qiao Jinye fell silent for a few seconds, appearing much calmer than before. “You’re not at fault here. Since this is your decision, no one’s got a say in it. Also, I’ve always known that my feelings for you are one-sided, but I was just too stubborn to accept it.” he eventually articulated, leaving unspoken words lingering in the air.
Even as far back as five years ago, he became well-versed with Jiang Dai’s preferences and aesthetics.
She much preferred guys like Huo Rong Shen, or rather, she had only ever liked Huo Rongshen.
Despite that, he clung obstinately to denial and refused to believe he was anything less than Huo Rongshen in any aspect.
Five years ago, she could argue that there was a gap in wealth and power, but now he had already reached the pinnacle of his career. However, Jiang Dai was never one to value these things.
If Jiang Dai had fallen in love, she would have liked the individual wholeheartedly, even if they were a penniless young man. Not once would she have attempted to hide her genuine feelings.
Until this very moment, he had witnessed her intimate moment with Huo Rongshen……
In the depths of his heart, he had obtained a resolute answer — He had no chance with her.
Jiang Dai still harbored feelings for this man, and her love for him had never wavered or changed.
As for their divorce, disagreements, and confrontations, those were matters between them and had nothing to do with others.
As Qiao Jinye stared at the deep red mark another man had left on Jiang Dai’s collarbone, his eyes took on an inscrutable sheen.
……
Before long, Qiao Jinye swiftly departed.
Jiang Dai found herself unable to detain him, nor did she possess the means to halt his exit.
All she could do was watch his desolate silhouette gradually fade from her view before returning to her lounge in disappointment.
Meanwhile, Huo Rongshen remained silent as a chicken1 安静如鸡: It is a Chinese internet slang that refers to a lively person or scene that quietens down all of a sudden. and refrained from bothering her.
After much deliberation, Jiang Dai took out her phone and dialed Li Kai’s number. Under Li Kai’s curious inquiry, she explained the awkward situation that had just occurred, omitting unnecessary details.
Li Kai lapsed into a brief bout of silence before quickly accepting the reality and even comforted, “Sigh. It’s alright. It’s not that big of a deal, so don’t worry about it, Sister Dai. I’ll head to Brother Ye’s house and keep an eye on him. On top of that, he won’t be allowed to drive alone for the next few days.”
Jiang Dai replied, “Alright, I’ll leave it to you.”
Li Kai reassured, “Take it easy, and don’t stress yourself out. Brother Ye is just a bit shaken for the moment, which is understandable. He’ll eventually come to terms with it.”
After ending the call, Jiang Dai remained in a somewhat dazed state.
Huo Rongshen stopped bothering her and gently caressed her shoulder. “If you’re tired, go to get some early rest.”
Jiang Dai nodded her head and got to her feet before making her way back to her room.
Huo Rongshen returned to his own guest room composedly, without any improper thoughts.
Objectively speaking, Qiao Jinye had impure intentions toward Jiang Dai. There was no doubt that it had displeased Huo Rongshen immensely.
However, if he were to look at it from the angle of friendship, Qiao Jinye was genuinely good to Jiang Dai, loyal, and even possessed something rare that went beyond loyalty. Hence, it was not a bad thing for Jiang Dai to have such a reliable friend throughout her life.
***
On this night, Sheng Wanwan had an exceedingly long and exhausting dream.
By the time she woke up, she felt as if all her energy had been drained from her body.
As she surveyed her room, it dawned on her that the word she had lived in for over twenty years turned out to be…… a comic?
She was the female lead in the comic, while Jiang Dai…… was the malicious supporting actress?!
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