Chapter Twenty-Six: Seen Every Inch

It was only after almost everyone had left the company that Mai Xijun slowly emerged from her office. She couldn’t help but wonder if she ought to call an ambulance. Damn it! When it rains, it pours—misfortune never comes alone.

Gritting her teeth, one hand pressed to her waist and the other feeling along the wall, she made her way to the elevator. As the doors closed, she finally let out a stifled groan. Just then, her phone rang. Fumbling in her pocket, she pulled it out—an unfamiliar number.

“Hello, why aren’t you down here yet?!” A deep, magnetic, yet menacing voice came through the receiver, vibrating in her ear. What was going on today? Which lunatic was calling her now? Oh, her aching waist…

“I’m giving you ten minutes. Hurry up!” The sharp, chilling voice demanded, then hung up before she could say a word.

Still, it was oddly coincidental—the person he was waiting for hadn’t shown up yet, and she, too, hadn’t left the company? With a rueful sigh, Mai Xijun slipped the phone back in her pocket. One misstep, and regrets would last a lifetime! She’d probably be out of commission for days, even sleeping would require caution.

Step by painstaking step, she descended the stairs. Passing through the lobby, aside from a few preoccupied receptionists, no one cast her any strange looks. She exhaled in relief. The security guard at the entrance shot her a peculiar glance, then quickly resumed his stoic post. Such were the unwritten rules of the workplace—see nothing, say nothing.

Almost unconsciously, she glanced toward the front of the building, and to her surprise, a stretch Rolls-Royce was parked there in silence. What a coincidence! As she pondered, her feet carried her in the opposite direction from the car. Who could say if this was mere chance or the start of a scam? If the former, turning away would only be embarrassing; if the latter…her life was at stake. She had no money, and now, barely half her life left.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?” A deep male voice snapped her attention back. She wasn’t moving fast, but when she turned and saw the man, she gritted her teeth against the pain and broke into a desperate run.

What was happening? Shen Yanlie frowned, his long legs quickly closing the distance between them.

Why hadn’t she realized that the caller just now was him? He was like a persistent shadow! Wasn’t it just a one-night stand? Even if she was grateful to him for buying her ring at such a high price, why couldn’t that be the end of it? Why must he keep entangling himself in her life?

She’d thought they would never meet again; apart from the exhibition, there was no reason for their paths to cross. Yet here he was, standing before her once more. What was this, fate’s cruel joke?

And still, he was just as handsome, exuding that commanding aura that seemed to envelop him at all times, making it nearly impossible for her to look away.

He suddenly grabbed her arm and, with a powerful tug, pulled her into his embrace. The pain in her waist flared, sharp as a knife, but Mai Xijun clenched her jaw. “Do you always have to make your entrances like such a jerk?!”

He’d seen all her humiliations: being dumped, her best friend flaunting her ex, her drunken embarrassments. And now, when she hadn’t even drunk cold water, she’d managed to wrench her back. What more did he want?

Tell me, Shen Yanlie, why is it that when I’m dressed elegantly and look my best, I never run into you, but when I’m at my worst, you appear like some knight in shining armor, descending from the heavens?

“The day I stop being a jerk will be your heaven or your hell,” he replied coldly.

Without another word, Shen Yanlie bent down and lifted Mai Xijun into his arms. His tone was as icy as ever, but his embrace was unmistakably warm.

She gasped in pain, but resigned herself. Right now, every step hurt to the bone, and no one was coming to her aid. Letting him carry her saved her some effort.

She surrendered—she had no choice.

* * *

“What happened to your back?” Shen Yanlie’s voice was cold as he questioned her, seeing Mai Xijun sitting motionless in his lap. From the moment she stepped out of the company, he had noticed. Even after getting into the car, he didn’t let her go, but let her sit on his knee, gazing at her intently.

Mai Xijun felt awkward, clicking her tongue in embarrassment. His hand had been resting at her waist the entire time.

Noticing her discomfort as they passed a group of people, Shen Yanlie reached out, closed the curtain, and sealed them off from the world.

“Did you need something?” she asked coolly. He hadn’t summoned her out of idle boredom—that was a woman’s instinct. Besides, there really shouldn’t be anything between them now, should there? Yet, by asking, she unwittingly admitted there was something. Her cheeks reddened.

“Yes. Come with me to a banquet tomorrow night,” Shen Yanlie replied, and then, without warning, lifted her shirt as if to inspect her injury. Mai Xijun slapped his hand away with a crisp smack.

“Keep your hands to yourself!” she snapped, though her voice was softer than she intended—one had to bow their head under the eaves.

To her surprise, Shen Yanlie actually laughed, the sound vibrating through her, making her unable to look away. When he smiled, he was truly captivating.

“I’ve seen every inch of you—what’s left to hide, your back?” He deliberately pinched her chin, making her meet his eyes.

Mai Xijun pouted, tongue-tied and unable to retort. The curtain shielded them visually, but not from sound; the people outside could surely hear everything. It was mortifying…

His arrogant, unruly gaze pinned her in place, just as it had the first time they met. Her face flushed pink, radiant as cherry blossoms. The thunder of her heart echoed in both their ears.

“Scoundrel!” Mai Xijun’s face was burning, which only made her look more adorable in Shen Yanlie’s eyes. “And… I can’t go to the banquet with you. I have plans tomorrow night. You’ll have to find someone else.”