Chapter 248
Chapter 248
‘There was no other way.’ Zhong Ning pressed pause, and the rose obediently settled down, once again lying there silently like an inanimate object. ‘However, good things should be saved for the most critical moment. No spoilers, right?’
‘Go, sit on the desk.’
When Zhong Ning took that item out, Xie Shiqing already knew what she was about to face.
But when the moment truly arrived, she still found it hard to accept.
Going to bed was one thing; being treated like this in such a public setting was another matter entirely.
Xie Shiqing hesitated and stood there in silence, not moving.
‘I’m in a very good mood right now, little darling. Don’t make me unhappy.’ Zhong Ning smiled and kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘Be good.’
She kindly reminded her, ‘You’ve already piqued my interest. Don’t think about running away or resisting. I have my own little tricks too.’
‘You don’t want things to develop to that point, do you? It would be rather unsightly.’
‘Sit.’
Xie Shiqing pressed her lips tightly together, compressing her full lips into a thin line. She placed a hand on the desk, shuffled a step backward, rose onto her toes, and sat down.
The surface of the desk was so cold, yet it was nowhere near as cold as when her skirt was lifted, the final layer of fabric pulled down, and the air conditioner’s chill blew against her skin.
Goosebumps rose along her thighs. Zhong Ning let out a soft laugh and rested her palm there, warm like a small piece of burning charcoal.
‘Cold? It’ll be over soon.’
Her lilting tone carried an indescribable delight, like a schoolchild heading out for a field trip with a backpack already slung over her shoulders.
Tearing open a packet of disinfectant wipes, Zhong Ning carefully cleaned her hands first, then took out a fresh care wipe. ‘Lift your skirt yourself, and put your shoes on properly. No taking shoes off randomly in the office.’
Xie Shiqing’s face was as pale as paper. Her movements were stiff and slow, like a doll that had been wound up but never oiled.
Zhong Ning did not urge her, simply waiting, her gaze falling upon the most private place, staring without the slightest attempt to hide it.
Moving slowly only prolonged the torment. Xie Shiqing drew a deep breath, gathered her skirt, held it up against her elbows, then kicked off her shoes and raised her right foot, placing it on the smooth, icy wooden desk.
Her toes curled slightly from the cold, like pale pink pomegranate seeds.
The wipe touched her skin, freezing to an alarming degree. Xie Shiqing recoiled, only to hear Zhong Ning’s smiling voice.
‘No dodging.’
【】It was a celebration banquet. Golden champagne swirled within tall stemmed glasses, rising bubbles bursting one by one, reflecting brilliant lights like scattered flecks of gold.
Zhong Ning casually tapped a finger against the glass, the corner of her lips lifting slightly as guests approached to congratulate her on successfully acquiring Xie Corporation’s entertainment division. Her smile was languid and arrogant.
‘Congratulations, President Zhong, on expanding your fortune again. Why the long face? Not happy?’ Fu Nanshuang walked over, lightly bumping her shoulder.
‘A bit bored.’ Zhong Ning swirled her glass, a trace of fatigue in her eyes. ‘It was too easy. I thought Xie Corporation would be a tough bone to chew, at least enough to give me some challenge. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. They didn’t even last a few months.’
‘How dull.’
Fu Nanshuang rolled her eyes.
Who could possibly be as blessed with luck as you? Xie Corporation had originally been an industry leader, yet from the moment Zhong Ning decided to acquire it, it began to decline, its misfortune so extreme that people wondered whether it had offended something it never should have.
The key point was that Zhong Ning had not even made a move yet.
From childhood to adulthood, whatever this person wanted had always come effortlessly, as though she carried the favor of the entire world. There had never been anything she could not obtain.
Fu Nanshuang curled her lips. ‘If you’re bored, then go suffer a bit for love. Or keep a few little lovers. Just stop calling me in the middle of the night.’
‘I still need a nightlife, okay? Go date, date a hundred of them.’
Zhong Ning shot her a look of disdain. ‘Aren’t you bored? What’s so interesting about girlfriends?’
‘How is it not interesting?’ Fu Nanshuang beckoned a server over and exchanged her glass. ‘Watching someone go against their nature just to please you, shaping her into the form you like, seeing her change from wary to dependent, then finally casting her aside.’
‘Whether it’s dragging someone lofty down into the dust or lifting someone as insignificant as an insect up to the heavens, isn’t it all fascinating?’
‘Observing humans, studying human nature — how entertaining.’
Zhong Ning scoffed. ‘I’ve acquired too many companies. Haven’t they all fallen into the dust just the same?’
That unwillingness, that resentment, those tearful, undignified displays — what was there to see?
Zhong Ning held a celebration banquet after every acquisition, but such things were only interesting the first time. After that, they became tiresome.
With the host distracted, the banquet soon ended in haste.
Absentmindedly, she walked her dog, releasing the leash in the villa district and letting Pine Mushroom roam freely.
The evening breeze scattered the lingering scent of alcohol from her body. With her hands in her pockets, Zhong Ning wandered aimlessly, pondering what amusements she had yet to try.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of someone stumbling and falling.
Chapter 84 — Extra Story One
The weakness in her legs came from the recent loss of strength. Zhong Ning steadily caught her, an arm wrapped around her slender waist. ‘This won’t do. Anyone would notice something’s wrong with you.’
‘Stand properly. Straighten up.’
Xie Shiqing shut her eyes tightly. Using the embrace as cover, she quickly adjusted her expression. When they parted, her pale face bore only a faint blush, like a touch of pink upon peach blossoms, strikingly alluring.
She bit her lower lip, the corners of her eyes tinged red, delicate and pitiful.
‘Are you alright?’ Zhong Ning asked, sounding concerned.
Yet no matter how gentle her tone, it could not conceal the underlying command in her words, leaving no room for refusal.