Lin Shiyi reined in her emotions and greeted Zhao Heng warmly: "Mrs. Fu!"
Hearing her voice, Zhao Heng finally noticed her!
"Assistant Lin, why are you here too?"
Zhao Heng still held Lin Shiyi's working ability in high regard.
Over the years, she had worked tirelessly for the Fu family, handling numerous matters.
Her only grievance was that Lin Shiyi was too strikingly attractive, standing out conspicuously even among a crowd of secretaries.
Having such a great beauty by her son's side was undeniably somewhat risky, though she hadn't paid much attention to it in the past.
Yet now, if she wanted to play matchmaker between Fu Xiubei and Li Ge, she could no longer allow Lin Shiyi to remain by Fu Xiubei's side.
Opening the door, she found that inside, besides a comfortable double bed, there was also a natural hot spring.
It seemed to be a thoughtful design by the resort, enclosing the spring's source within the room so that guests could enjoy a soak whenever and wherever they pleased.
Seeing that there was only one room and merely a single bed, Qin Wei's face instantly flushed red.
Had she known, she wouldn't have come here, but since it was a warm invitation from her eldest sister, it was hard to decline.
She couldn't very well ask for two separate rooms in front of so many relatives and friends, or the ruse would be exposed.
How were they supposed to sleep tonight?!
Lin Chudong tossed his luggage aside, flopped directly onto the bed, and let out a couple of comfortable shouts.
Qin Wei glared at him. "Your clothes are so filthy, and you're lying on the bed? Go lie on your side!"
Lin Chudong chuckled and shifted to the side; it seemed Qin Wei was prepared to share a bed with him tonight.
Still, it was no big deal—it wasn't like they had never slept together before.
He had wanted to make a teasing remark, but seeing Qin Wei's frosty expression, he thought better of it and kept quiet.
Qin Wei, on the other hand, found the warm, clean hot spring rather appealing.
Had it been one of those large public pools outside where lots of people soaked together, she truly wouldn't have wanted to step in.
She went to the bathroom to change into a swimsuit, then stepped directly into the small hot spring pool.
Qin Wei's swimsuit was very conservative, yet extremely form-fitting, perfectly displaying her wonderful figure and giving Lin Chudong a real feast for the eyes.
Sitting in the warm hot spring pool, Qin Wei felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation.
She was simply too busy with work, and it was indeed a long time since she had last unwound.
*Splash.*
Qin Wei opened her eyes to see Lin Chudong, wearing swim trunks and bare-chested, stepping into the hot spring as well.
"What are you doing? Who told you to come in?!"
The hot spring pool wasn't large at all, accommodating at most four people soaking simultaneously; the moment Lin Chudong entered, the atmosphere instantly turned somewhat ambiguous.
"Taking a dip," Lin Chudong replied.
Qin Wei said crossly, "Couldn't you wait until I finished?"
Lin Chudong smiled. "What's there to worry about? It's not like I'm not wearing clothes."
With that, Lin Chudong grabbed a white towel, draped it directly over his face, rested both hands on the edge of the pool, and leaned his head back.
Qin Wei had wanted to say something more, but seeing that he had already covered his face with the towel, she swallowed the words back.
The room was only so big, and Qin Wei had nowhere else to cast her gaze, so every now and then she glanced at the muscles on his body.
Anyway, since this guy had his face covered with a towel, he probably couldn't see what she was doing.
This jerk didn't look like much when he was dressed, but once he took his clothes off, the muscle lines on his body were actually this prominent.
Could it be that he worked out regularly?
She had known him for several days, yet she didn't seem to recall ever seeing him exercise.
Just as Qin Wei was unabashedly staring at his upper body, Lin Chudong suddenly spoke.
"Weiwei, if you keep staring at me like that, I'm going to blush."
Qin Wei's face instantly burned bright red, and she hurriedly averted her gaze.
"What nonsense are you talking about? When did I look at you?!"
Her heart was pounding like a startled fawn; with a towel over his face, how on earth could he tell she was peeking?
Lin Chudong smiled and removed the towel.
His gaze roamed uninhibitedly over Qin Wei's body.
"The night is long, and sleep is nowhere to be found."
"Weiwei, how about we do something?"
On their bridal night, Qin Xue and Li Bo were not in a rush to attend to official business either.
Having sorted out their work matters, both husband and wife were in high spirits.
"Xiaoxue, what kind of person is your brother-in-law?"
Qin Xue shook her head. "I have no idea either. I've never heard Weiwei mention him, and this is the first time I've met him."
"My getting into the International Research Institute this time is entirely thanks to him. We must definitely maintain a good relationship with him in the future."
Qin Xue nodded in deep agreement. "Let's go take a look; they might need something. Since it's rare that we're hosting them, we mustn't neglect them in any way."Li Bo nodded, and the couple walked toward Qin Wei's room.
As they reached the doorway, Qin Xue suddenly pulled Li Bo back.
"Shh..."
Stepping a little closer quietly, they could hear the sound of Qin Wei's voice coming from inside the room, sounding exceptionally clear in the dead of night.
Qin Xue chuckled softly. "Let's go. It looks like they're busy."
Li Bo was usually a serious man who rarely smiled, but this time he couldn't help teasing.
"Aren't we the ones getting married? How come they're the ones starting their wedding night?"
Qin Xue retorted with a huff, "Didn't you hear what Weiwei said? They've already made it official a long time ago."
...
Inside the room, Qin Wei was lying facedown on the bed.
Lin Chudong stood beside her, pressing down hard on her back with both hands.
Qin Wei felt a mixture of pain and pleasure, wincing and baring her teeth.
"Gentler!"
Lin Chudong replied, "Massages are supposed to hurt. If it's too gentle, what's the point?"
Qin Wei couldn't speak properly at the moment; every time she tried to talk, this guy would press down harder.
As a result, the sounds she made were unbearably embarrassing.
Clearly it was just a massage, but it sounded like something entirely different. If anyone heard this, they would definitely misunderstand.
This jerk—he was probably doing it on purpose.
Still, she had to admit, his massage technique was truly top-notch.
Qin Wei suffered from heavy work stress, and her back, shoulders, and neck were in terrible shape.
Usually, she rarely got massages.
Male masseurs inevitably took advantage of you, while female masseurs lacked sufficient strength.
However, Lin Chudong's technique was so precise that every single finger landed right on her pressure points.
When it was over, Qin Wei felt incomparably refreshed and relaxed all over.
If she could get this every day, it really would be quite wonderful.
However, Qin Wei was too embarrassed to ask for it every day. It was just that tonight they happened to be sharing a room with nothing to do, and Lin Chudong had offered it himself.
Lying lazily facedown on the bed, Qin Wei felt as though she was about to fall asleep.
"Do you want a foot massage too?"
Qin Wei murmured an assent, sticking both feet out from under the edge of the bed so he could fiddle with them.
Lin Chudong sat at the head of the bed, wrapping both hands around Qin Wei's dainty feet.
Qin Wei's little feet were smaller than the palm of a hand, white with a rosy tint, and extremely cute.
Held in his palm, they felt like a piece of soft jade—crystal clear, smooth, and tender.
Lin Chudong stroked and gently kneaded them as he held them, and before long, Qin Wei fell asleep.
The next morning, when Qin Wei opened her eyes, she found herself curled up in Lin Chudong's arms.
She bolted awake in a panic, almost crying out.
Fortunately, her clothes were still intact, and Lin Chudong's hands hadn't wandered anywhere inappropriate.
Glancing at their positions on the bed, Lin Chudong was lying all the way at the very edge. She must have squirmed over toward him on her own and snuggled into his arms.
Lin Chudong opened his eyes and said,
"Awake?"
Qin Wei looked at him coldly. "What did you do last night?"
Lin Chudong was taken aback. "I didn't do anything. After I finished massaging your feet, you fell asleep, and then I went to sleep too."
Qin Wei glared at him and quickly pulled her feet back.
"You touched my feet? Who told you you could touch my feet?"
Lin Chudong felt wronged. "I asked you yesterday if you wanted a foot massage, and you were the one who said it was fine."
Qin Wei bit her lip, her cheeks flushing slightly.
This jerk—how could he sneakily touch her feet while she was asleep?
Her feet were a very sensitive area for her; there was no way she was going to let some man just touch them at will!
"You didn't touch anywhere else, did you?"
Lin Chudong was speechless. "You're asking me that like I'm some kind of scoundrel."
"Besides, even if I really did touch you, I wouldn't admit it anyway."
"You..." Qin Wei was so angry she almost cursed.
She could only blame herself for sleeping so soundly last night that she didn't know a thing. Even if this fellow really had taken advantage of her, she wouldn't be able to remember it.
She still couldn't let her guard down around him in the future; this jerk was a total pervert at heart.
Yesterday he claimed he was just giving her a massage, but his hands hadn't been very honest in practice, and in the end, just as she was nodding off, he actually offered to massage her feet.
Who knew how long he had spent stroking her feet last night?
At that thought, Qin Wei's face flushed even redder.
Seeing Qin Wei staring at him as if he were a wolf, Lin Chudong was utterly speechless.
Nowadays, people easily misunderstood you no matter what you did.
He had just played with her feet for a little bit; did she really need to give him that look?
After breakfast, Qin Wei and Lin Chudong said goodbye to the eldest sister and the others, and left the resort.When they returned to the company, Qin Wei said, "Be careful these past couple of days. That fellow Tian Long is not someone to mess with. I heard he keeps quite a few thugs under his command. If you have nothing to do, just stay down in the security office."
Qin Wei did not assign Lin Chudong any work; she simply had him stay in the security room. If anyone really came looking for trouble, at least the security guards could help him out.
"I had no idea you cared about me so much."
Qin Wei let out a hum.
"I couldn't care less about you."
"We're still in the middle of our contract period, and you're my fake boyfriend right now. If you get beaten up until your face is bruised and swollen, it reflects poorly on me, too."
Lin Chudong smiled. "Don't worry, there's no one in this world who can hurt your man."
Qin Wei curled her lip. "Would it kill you not to brag?"
A few seconds later, it suddenly dawned on her. "Whose man are you? Have you no shame?"
...
Leaving Lin Chudong behind in the security room, Qin Wei walked into the elevator with a frosty expression.
Lin Chudong was utterly speechless.
He had only said he was her man—was that really any reason to get mad?
Stuck in the security room, the security guards all stared at him with baffled expressions.
"Brother, President Qin told you to stay in here. Are you a new guard, too?"
Lin Chudong pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and said indifferently, "You could say I'm your boss's wife."
...
After bantering with the security guards for a bit, Su Momo suddenly sent him a WeChat message.
"I found the case file."
"Where are you now? I'll bring it over to you."
Lin Chudong was delighted. Su Momo's work efficiency was really quite fast.
He sent her an address, and Su Momo hurried right over.
Recalling that intimate encounter with Su Momo in the archives room the other day, the sensation was truly lingering.
He wondered if a woman so naturally gifted had ever been slept with by a man.
Judging by her demeanor, her temper didn't seem great; she probably had some endocrine disorders and irregular periods, and desperately needed a man to help regulate things.
Faster than expected, within five minutes, Su Momo had arrived at the company entrance.
Tight-fitting jeans, a brown leather jacket, and a high ponytail displayed Su Momo's capable and dashing temperament to the fullest.
Even though her clothes were quite loose, they could hardly conceal her breathtaking figure.
The moment she stepped out of the car, she instantly drew the sideways glances of everyone around.
He wondered what kind of man could conquer a woman like this.
If you could keep one like this at home every day and play with her from time to time, you'd be dying of sheer happiness.
Lin Chudong walked out and met Su Momo at the entrance.
"Get in the car first, I have something to tell you."
Once inside Su Momo's car, she immediately pulled out a file.
Just as Lin Chudong reached out to take it, Su Momo pulled the file back just as fast.
"As an exchange, you said you'd help out, right?"
Lin Chudong nodded.
"What case needs help?"
Su Momo said, "It's a pretty tricky one. Read the file first."
Lin Chudong hurriedly unsealed the file envelope and saw the case file from when his parents plunged off the cliff all those years ago.
The contents inside were almost identical to what Li Yueyao had described.
The elderly couple had been mountain climbing and accidentally fell.
Later, Li Yueyao called the police, but when the Law Enforcement Team arrived, they failed to find the bodies of the two elders.
The spot where they fell from the mountain was completely uninhabited, about one kilometer away from the coastline.
Not a single footprint was visible on the entire beach, nor were the bodies of the two people to be found.
In the end, they could only conclude that the bodies of the two had been washed away by the sea.
Although this matter was utterly absurd, it seemed there was no other explanation.
Lin Chudong looked at some of the photos on the case file and furrowed his brows tightly.
This whole business was truly bizarre. Unless his parents possessed the ability to scale walls like flying figures, it simply defied explanation.
Just at that moment, not far from Su Momo's car, six burly men were staring right at them.
"That's the kid Young Master Tian was talking about, right?"
"That's him. I've already compared the photos. It's him!"
"Brother Hu, why don't you sit this one out? You have a criminal record; it won't be good if you get nabbed by the Law Enforcement Team."
"If I don't get my hands dirty, how can I have the face to take Young Master Tian's money? Alright, enough nonsense, let's move."
Each of them held an iron pipe in their hands and instantly surrounded Su Momo's car.
Su Momo's expression shifted slightly. "Lin Chudong, did you offend someone?"
Lin Chudong raised his eyes very casually and said indifferently, "I suppose so."
"You're a Law Enforcement Team captain, so you've got to protect me."
Su Momo let out a hum. "Don't worry, dealing with these petty thugs is a walk in the park."
Lin Chudong didn't care in the least; his eyes remained fixed on the case file as he replied perfunctorily, "Then I'll leave them to you."
Su Momo was somewhat speechless, a wave of inward disdain rising in her heart.
This man had zero sense of responsibility. Even though she was a Law Enforcement Team captain, in a situation like this, shouldn't he be stepping up to shield a woman?
And this guy? He naturally hid inside the car—he was way too cowardly!
Cowards were precisely what Su Momo despised most.
The man she would look for in the future didn't necessarily have to be extremely handsome, but he had to be brave.
She couldn't speak for others, but Lin Chudong definitely didn't meet her standards.
Pushing the door open, Su Momo stepped outside, and several iron pipes immediately came swinging down.
Bang, bang, bang.
Lin Chudong lifted his eyelids for a quick glance.
Su Momo's martial arts skills were decent. Fighting six people alone, although a bit strenuous, she wasn't going to get hurt.
After one look, Lin Chudong paid her no further mind and lowered his head to continue studying the case file.
This file was virtually identical to what Li Yueyao had told him, but he still felt something was amiss—Li Yueyao must have omitted certain details.
Qiao Ruoxing wore a light blue cheongsam, her temperament outstanding, the corners of her lips curved in a smile, and her gaze gentle.
Her smile was as vibrant and moving as ever, except that it wasn't directed at him.
Gu Jingyan clenched his fists, and before Lin Shu could even get out of the car, he followed after him.
"Tianjun."
Hearing the voice, Song Tianjun paused and turned his head to see Gu Jingyan walking toward him with a tight face. Though he was calling out to him, his gaze remained fixed entirely on Qiao Ruoxing.
When Qiao Ruoxing saw Gu Jingyan, she frowned, but with Song Tianjun present, she merely pressed her lips together and kept silent.
"President Gu, what a coincidence. Are you here to eat, too?"
Song Tianjun's smile was faint, and his form of address shifted from "Jingyan" to President Gu, instantly creating a sense of aloof distance.
Gu Jingyan pressed his lips together and said in a low voice, "I'm here having a meal with a client. And President Song is...?"
Song Tianjun's hand hovered loosely around Qiao Ruoxing's waist as he curved his lips and said, "I'm having a meal with Miss Qiao."
Gu Jingyan...
He stared at the hand Song Tianjun had placed on Qiao Ruoxing's waist, wishing he could rip that greasy paw away right this second.
He lowered his tone. "Since when did President Song get so familiar with my wife?"
The corners of Qiao Ruoxing's eyes twitched. Whose wife are you?
Weren't her words harsh enough yesterday? When did Gu Jingyan develop such thick skin?
Song Tianjun smiled faintly. "President Gu, if I recall correctly, you and Miss Qiao are already divorced. Calling her 'wife, wife' like that somewhat harms a young lady's reputation. Miss Qiao is my artist now, and I certainly don't want her getting tangled up in bizarre scandals before she even becomes famous, which would affect my ability to make money."
Gu Jingyan's gaze darkened. "You signed her?"
This question was clearly directed at Qiao Ruoxing.
Qiao Ruoxing glanced at him indifferently. "I walked away with nothing and am right in need of money. President Song made a high offer, so what's wrong with me signing with him?"
Gu Jingyan was choked up for a moment and frowned. "If you want to act, I can find resources for you. You don't need to sign with others and be at their mercy."
"And if I sign with you, I wouldn't be at your mercy?" Qiao Ruoxing said coldly. "Or does President Gu have a penchant for keeping actresses in captivity, first boosting Miss Yao and now coming to boost his ex-wife? If I sign with you, would I have to be at President Gu's beck and call twenty-four hours a day to please you?"
Gu Jingyan frowned. "Why are you comparing yourself to her? You're different from her. Getting resources for you, I am—" completely willing.
"Of course we're different," Qiao Ruoxing tugged at the corner of her mouth, cutting him off. "After all, even when President Gu's former mother-in-law passed away, President Gu still had the mood to accompany Miss Yao at the airport to put on a loving display. As an ex-wife who left with nothing, what qualifications do I have to compare with her?"
Gu Jingyan frowned, failing to grasp what airport love display Qiao Ruoxing was talking about, but that didn't stop him from hearing the anger and resentment in her voice.
Just as he was about to open his mouth to explain, Song Tianjun chimed in, "No wonder President Gu has been paying such close attention to Miss Yao's affairs—so she's the apple of your eye. Since President Gu has a new flame, stop pestering our artist. Our little artist isn't like Miss Yao; she doesn't like taking the hype route."
Gu Jingyan's brow twitched violently. "Song Tianjun, stop fanning the flames here! This is a private matter between the two of us, and it's not your turn to butt in!"
"What private matters do you still have left to discuss with me?"