Jin Fengchen's gaze became stagnant for a brief moment then he opened his thin lips to say, "Give me the invitation. I'll attend the banquet tonight.""Sure thing, Brother.""How nice, I can go out and fool around tonight," Jin Fengyao thought on the other end of the line. He couldn't get any happier.After hanging up the phone, Jin Fengchen gave Jiang Sese a call.Jiang Sese stayed home after returning from the hospital, spending the day indoors listlessly.The phone that she placed on the table rang. She hesitated for a moment before answering it."Have you eaten?"The baritone, magnetic voice coming from the other side put her into a momentary spell. She shook herself out of it and replied, "Yeah.""I have something to do tonight, so I'll be a little late coming over.""It's all right, do what you need to."His reporting his plans to her made it seem like something was going on between them. Such a thought inevitably occurred to her."Mhm."The corner of Jin Fengchen's m
A little later in the night, the doorbell rang just as Jiang Sese was freshly out of the shower and putting on her skincare products.She paused for a moment. "Who could it be at this hour?"She stood up and opened the door in confusion, only to find Jin Fengchen standing at the entrance. He was dressed in a black suit designed for what appeared to be a formal event. He must be getting back from a banquet.Somewhat stupefied, she asked, "Why did you still come over when it's already so late?"She let him in as she poured him a glass of water and asked, "Did something happen?"Jin Fengchen sat on the couch, looking the woman in front of him up and down with pursed lips.Jiang Sese was in her nightclothes, seemingly fresh of the shower. Her damp hair was scattered behind her fair neck. The air carried the faint scent of shampoo. She was looking at him, confusion filling her limpid eyes.Perhaps it was the alcohol that he drank at the banquet; perhaps it was something else. He felt
Jiang Sese's expression became dismal at the sight of the people outside. "Why are you here?" she demanded darkly.Even a child could see that these people darkening her door with their sudden appearance was not good.Jiang Nuannuan glared at her and made her demand in a most imperious tone."You will tell Jin Fengchen to remove all the sanctions on the enterprises belonging to us Jiangs and the Lans."Whenever she thought of how Lan Sichen had been behaving toward her yesterday, she could have sworn that she would tear Jiang Sese to bits with her bare hands. "If only she didn't exist! The Jins would already be our partners and there would never have been so much trouble!""What makes you think you can give me orders?" Jiang Sese scoffed.Jin Fengchen must have ordered something to go against the Jiangs or the Lans. Otherwise, these people would not have come so early in the morning. That Jin Fengchen would readily come to her defense really touched her."He is just forever stan
With a knowing look at her daughter, Shen Shulan indicated that she should remain quiet.Jiang Zhen was boiling with anger, and it would not do well for them if Jiang Nuannuan were to muddle things further with her quick temper. She was only afraid that Jiang Zhen would give in to Jiang Sese's demands and drive them both away from the family. Things could never be worse than that.Jiang Nuannuan could only pout her lips in dissatisfaction. But she knew full well her mother's intention and swallowed whatever snappy retorts she had in mind and said nothing.Jiang Zhen shot a final, seething glare at Jiang Nuannuan before he reached for his phone. He needed to call Lan Sichen and discuss their next course of action....Jiang Sese was nevertheless left in a sour mood after the three had left. But she was not at all sad nor sullen for having such a father. Her tough childhood had steeled her enough to feel unconcerned by how the Jiangs had treated her.But the debacle at the doorstep
Su Qingyin shook off her bewilderment and smiled. "What brings you here, Miss Jiang? I hope you're well now. That incident that day was really ghastly! It's fortunate that you're fine. I was even thinking of paying you a visit!""Ah, thank you for your concern, Miss Su," Jiang Sese replied. "I'm fine now. I am here today to propose a collaboration with President Jin.""I see!" Su Qingyin said, nodding with feigned approval.With Jiang Sese's background and identity still heretofore uncertain, she could not help feeling suspicious. "Is she really involved with Jin Fengchen solely because of work?"The two women were still talking when Jin Fengchen slipped a folder into Jiang Sese's hand."These are basically the improvements that you can work on. Make the changes.""Understood, President Jin. I'll head back right away to perform the alterations," she said, tucking the folder away while nodding. She was about to head for the door when Jin Fengchen's voice came from behind his desk.
Jiang Sese was still reeling with bashfulness when she slammed her door shut.Leaning heavily on the door, she panted hard, her heart still galloping violently. At long last, she sighed. "What am I doing?" She groaned, grimacing at her losing control just from a simple sentence of Xiaobao.She had a long draft of water and then undressed before she went for a shower. It was only when the powerful jet of warm water hit her skin that she felt her anxiety draining away with the suds, and her body and soul were reinvigorated and refreshed.She paused, her mind wandering back to the Jiangs. She brooded under the still-running warm water of the shower. "They will never give up. At least not yet. God knows what other plots they are hatching now." It would not be long before they came back again with more trouble and turmoil."Oh, God! It's tiresome dealing with these people!"She exited the bathroom and blow-dried her hair. Then she went to her computer and posted an ad. She needed a new
"I'm sorry. I guess my well-being is no concern of yours."Jiang Sese turned brusquely and left.She knew very well that "a cornered rat will bite a cat"—the Jiangs and Lans would never look kindly upon her behavior today. And she could bet that reprisals upon her decision to not help them would surely be answered with ugly reprisals from them. Still, their threats were not enough to force her to plead to Jin Fengchen for them.She could not afford to add fuel to the fire of their egotistical narcissism, lest it grow even stronger.Lan Sichen stood quietly, watching Jiang Sese's back retreating further and further away with a hateful and venomous stare....Jiang Sese decided that perhaps she should just go home. The chance encounter with Lan Sichen had done enough to deflate her enthusiasm and she no longer had any interest to meet any other real estate agents today.She was walking past the sliding doors of a shopping mall entrance when she saw a familiar figure.It was Jin F
Jiang Sese did not expect any visitors tonight and the sudden rapping on the door got her attention.She opened it, and before she knew it, a little figure bounded through the threshold and gave her legs a flying hug.Jiang Sese briskly bent down to catch hold of him, and to her surprise, it was Xiaobao, with Jin Fengchen looming just behind."Aunt Sese!"Unlike his demeanor in the evening, Xiaobao looked considerably elated as Jiang Sese bent down to carry the little child in her arms.She looked at them both, awestruck and confused. They should be home by now. The father and son pair were the last persons she had expected to see tonight."Xiaobao is here with a present for you, Aunt Sese!""Really?!" she exclaimed, sounding genuinely astounded. She carried Xiaobao into the house while Jin Fengchen walked inside after her, closing the door behind his back.Jiang Sese lowered Xiaobao to the sofa and asked brightly, "So, what present have you brought for Aunt Sese today?"Xiaob