Chapter 26

Chapter 26 Rose x Kiss

“Jiang Ji.”

“I’m here.”

Ji Mingzhu called him softly. While receiving his reply, she slowly closed her eyes.

Actually, at the moment of turbulence just now, she had been the one to grab Jiang Ji’s arm first, and then was naturally pulled into his embrace.

Smelling the familiar scent near her nose, her heart that had been suspended in midair finally settled down.

As if she had found a refuge, somewhere she could turn toward.

Everything that happened just now flashed by. At that critical moment when she thought the shaking would continue indefinitely, many thoughts crossed Ji Mingzhu’s mind.

Her eyes suddenly grew sore, her heart felt as if soaked in soft yet icy water. After shrinking, it could no longer swell again.

Luckily, luckily.

Luckily it was only for that instant, one that could be tolerated, allowing her to search for the faintness after time passed.

She sniffed lightly and stayed in his arms for a while. “Sorry… I just suddenly remembered some things.”

Actually, a long time ago, Ji Mingzhu didn’t believe in the turning of fortune, nor in religious refuge.

But later, after countless alternations of longing and nightmares, she understood that having a spiritual anchor was also another kind of remembrance.

She wasn’t afraid of flying, nor of traveling across vast heights, much less this small helicopter.

But at that instant, she imagined what her mother felt at the moment of the plane crash.

Would she have thought of her still in swaddling clothes? Would she have worried about their shared home?

Would she have regretted boarding that plane, falling into endless confusion and despair?

In the end, everything was flattened by the wreckage.

Ji Mingzhu had always been proud and elegant, bright and charming.

But rarely like now, her eyelids lowered, lashes casting faint shadows on her cheeks, her murmured voice scattered by the wind.

Jiang Ji didn’t speak, but the strength with which he held her did not change.

Suddenly, a surprised and excited voice burst beside their ears—

“surprise! charming girl!”

Ji Mingzhu opened her eyes in confusion, pulling herself out of her previous emotions.

The Turkish pilot looked at the two embracing in the rearview mirror, cheering in tone.

From his angle, Ji Mingzhu leaned in Jiang Ji’s arms; the two looked like social polar bears huddled tightly together.

And because of his clever little maneuver just now, the two had taken a substantial step.

“is amazing, right?”

Seeing the two hadn’t moved, the pilot’s voice turned proud as he explained the small turbulence just now in English.

This was a project he enjoyed, done under the premise of complete safety.

This clause had been listed in the agreement passengers signed before boarding.

In the past, people who took small helicopters for aerial views were mostly couples in love, or harmonious families.

And this unexpected little episode undoubtedly brought various changing emotions.

Doubt, disbelief, screaming madness, and after calming down, returning to peace.

In the end, most ended up hugging and crying.

The two clearly hadn’t expected this. After hearing the pilot’s explanation, Jiang Ji frowned coldly, about to speak, but was stopped by Ji Mingzhu.

Ji Mingzhu slowly moved out of Jiang Ji’s arms, smiled lightly, joked with the pilot, teased a bit, and let it pass.

This pilot also meant well. This fun project had been included in the earlier agreement; it was just that the two of them had been busy bickering at the time and hadn’t read it carefully.

Besides, she was fine now.

The helicopter soon returned to the starting point and landed at the base. Ji Mingzhu smiled and shook hands with the pilot.

The pilot warmly hugged her, then turned to Jiang Ji.

Jiang Ji only nodded slightly, with no intention of speaking with him.

The pilot didn’t mind and instead began enthusiastically praising Ji Mingzhu’s appearance, politely asking whether they could exchange contact information.

Not only that, the Turkish pilot said he was studying some local apps, planning to adapt to local customs and tour the beautiful mountains and rivers here in the future. If Ji Mingzhu had time, they could even have afternoon tea together.

It was obvious he was very interested in Ji Mingzhu and deeply impressed by her beauty.

Being asked for contact information wasn’t anything unusual for Ji Mingzhu.

In the past she wouldn’t agree, but today the pilot seemed very enthusiastic, and—if she later edited her vlog, for the text introduction expanding on the “helicopter” topic, she could also consult him.

Thinking this, Ji Mingzhu responded, “Okay, wait a moment.”

Her movement was actually to reach for her phone.

But she didn’t know where she had put it. She felt around left and right, but couldn’t find it.

Ji Mingzhu didn’t want to leave him waiting too long. She glanced around, and her gaze fell on the equipment bag in Jiang Ji’s hand.

When they got off the helicopter just now, the bag containing the filming equipment had been taken by Jiang Ji.

Then Ji Mingzhu waved to him. “Jiang Ji, is my phone with you?”

From the start of the pilot’s enthusiastic flattery, Jiang Ji had stood aside with an indifferent expression.

As if he didn’t want to interrupt or join the conversation.

If it were snowing heavily right now, Jiang Ji could absolutely win the title of “coldest ice sculpture.”

Now, seeing Ji Mingzhu look over, he nodded. “Let’s go.”

Completely answering the wrong question.

As if that weren’t enough, he looked over coldly and reminded her lightly, “I still have company matters this afternoon.”

Ji Mingzhu figured this was probably urging her to hurry.

She didn’t delay, chatted with the pilot a couple more sentences, said “sorry,” then turned and walked toward Jiang Ji.

The two walked side by side on the road back to the winery. Ji Mingzhu plucked a dried reed by the roadside and played with it in her palm.

“Jiang Ji, earlier up there, thanks.”

“Mm.”

He responded, looking straight ahead, his cool profile half-hidden among the green hills and forests.

The road between the helicopter base and the winery was surrounded by mountains on both sides, the ground paved with cobblestone embankments.

“…So… where’s my phone?”

Walking along, she suddenly remembered again and simply stopped in place.

Before leaving, Ji Mingzhu had specifically checked the cabin area. The places she had been were ruled out one by one; logically, it shouldn’t be missing.

Could it be…

Lost?

If it were lost, that would be troublesome. It contained a lot of content and materials, and software filters piled up with a lot of money—each one important.

Reinstalling wouldn’t mean losing them since she had backups, but it would still be troublesome.

Ji Mingzhu lowered her head and muttered to herself, lamenting her bad luck.

At that moment, Jiang Ji also stopped, then turned to look back at her.

His figure was straight like a pine, almost blending with the rows of coniferous trees beside him.

When he turned slightly and frowned at her, his brows knit faintly, his facial lines sharp and clear.

“Your phone is with me.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Ji slipped his hand into his coat pocket.

When he took it out, the deep black glittering phone case, still sparkling faintly—

It was unmistakably her phone.

No.

So her phone had been with him the whole time since just now??

And it had merely been in his coat pocket, at a distance where a hand could reach in and take it.

Then why hadn’t he said anything when she asked earlier!

Not to mention she had searched for so long; if Jiang Ji had any awareness, she wouldn’t have fussed for that long.

Perhaps Ji Mingzhu’s gaze was too intense. When Jiang Ji looked at her, he gave a slight explanation. “Didn’t notice just now.”

“…………”

Then how did he notice the moment she stopped?

Was Jiang Ji some kind of radar, the kind that judged out of thin air.

…

The two had lunch at the winery. Logically, they should tidy up and head back to Yin City, but Ji Mingzhu had a small wish left unfulfilled.

“Jiang Ji, I heard the wine provided in this winery is all brewed by themselves.” While packing, she suddenly said this.

Jiang Ji lazily lifted his eyelids as a response.

He had long finished packing, now sitting on the chair, waiting for Ji Mingzhu.

“I checked some private internal reviews. They say the packaging is pretty, tastes good, and has a long shelf life—”

“Say what you want directly. No need to beat around the bush.”

Jiang Ji cut her off cleanly.

Since he said that, Ji Mingzhu didn’t hold back.

“Build some rapport with the owner. The cellar at Park Hyatt has a row that’s just empty and needs to be filled.”

Ji Mingzhu simply wanted to taste this wine that couldn’t easily be bought, to see if it was really as legendary as rumored.

What was that phrase—holding the pipa half-covered.

The more it was concealed, the more it aroused interest.

She just wanted to secure this hard-to-book wine.

It was said that even VIP guests only belonged to the hot spring resort’s clientele, not the seller’s target customers.

For someone like Jiang Ji who had shares and dividends, just moving a finger would be simple.

Sure enough, under her almost shameless coaxing, in the back seat of the return car sat an exquisite aluminum case laid with two layers of wine.

…

On the way back to Yin City, the road was blocked, and cars lined up in a long queue.

During the wait, Ji Mingzhu unscrewed the bottled water the hot spring winery had given them before leaving and took a gulp. With the traffic jam, she had been thirsty for a long time.

Besides bottled water and some snacks, the hotel butler had also delivered a pair of handmade cloth dolls at the end.

The clothes wrapped around them were made of silk, with an antique style, very delicate—one male and one female.

They also warmly emphasized that this was the winery’s token of goodwill for the two of them—just accept it, and please come again.

Ji Mingzhu took both and lightly fiddled with them.

Later, she began to feel a bit tired.

She only felt that after going back, it was time to put yoga classes on the schedule.

“You said you had company matters this afternoon. Judging from the situation now, by the time we get back to Yin City it’ll already be evening. Are you sure you can make it?”

Jiang Ji casually rested one hand on the steering wheel, the other leaning by the car window, his gaze extended forward.

From Ji Mingzhu’s angle, he looked young, noble, and lazy.

“If I can’t make it, if there’s no time, then I won’t go.”

His voice was slow, very light, drifting in the air and quickly dissipating.

“…President Jiang.” Ji Mingzhu paused, finally finding a suitable word. “You really are carefree.”

Listen, listen—what kind of indifferent tone was that.

As if he were talking about something insignificant, brushed away lightly.

Since he wouldn’t go if he couldn’t make it, then the tone he used in the morning urging her to leave—like if she delayed even a little, half of Jiang Group would suffer losses.

Where Jiang Ji couldn’t see, Ji Mingzhu grabbed the male cloth doll and tugged at it hard.

The journey stopped and started along the way. By the time dusk fell and the remaining glow was sent off, the car slowly drove into the underground parking garage beneath Park Hyatt, welcomed by the ink-dark night.

Ji Mingzhu got out, walked to the side, and watched Jiang Ji step out. He neatly opened the back seat, leaned in, and reached to take the two-layered wine case.

While waiting for Jiang Ji, she casually scrolled on her phone.

Because it was the last day of the weekend, her homepage was lively.

Ji Mingzhu followed many bloggers. Normally she scrolled through new fashion items, funny posts, all kinds of types and fields.

At that moment, the notification bar pushed across the entire Weibo network popped up with a buzz.

It was a promoted new message occupying a prime position.

【Zhao Lan’s livestream, the strongest interview collection in history—the first batch of “Financial Storm Figures” revealed, everything tonight at eight, see you there~】

The comments below were already piling up, clearly full of curiosity and anticipation.

——No matter what, I’m still looking forward to it. Will Jiang Group really be there?

——If there is, I’ll follow this blogger for life!

——A bit excited, will it be the mysterious young master of the Jiang family?

——Trust Lan, she’s a rich beauty from north Yin City, heard her grandpa is Old Zhao, must have dealings with the Jiang family~

——The one above, if it’s Old Zhao from Yin City, not necessarily. Look how the Zhao family has flopped. Would Jiang Group even care? [laugh-cry]

——Why argue, we’ll know at eight tonight. If yes, everyone’s happy; if not, then the blogger is very… emmmm

Netizens were discussing heatedly, the topic quite popular. Perhaps because it was tonight, the traffic was still rising.

Touching those two names, Ji Mingzhu’s fingertip paused slightly.

She suddenly remembered the matter she hadn’t been able to continue asking earlier when Jiang Ji interrupted.

If this interview really involved Zhao Lan and Jiang Group,

then in later related searches, the two might gradually become linked.

Then…

Ji Mingzhu’s gaze accurately landed on him.

He was undoubtedly charming—cool, restrained, and extremely sexually attractive.

At that moment, Jiang Ji straightened from the front of the car, his superior figure revealed in the dim underground garage.

Occasionally, beams from the direct lights shone over, a few falling on him before shifting away.

When there were no car sounds in the underground garage, that lonely silence cast a somewhat desolate clarity over him, giving him an air of natural poise.

As their gazes met in midair, Ji Mingzhu finally asked, “Jiang Ji, what is your relationship with Zhao Lan?”

Author’s note: 【Mini Theater】:

Speaking of the topic of cold restraint—

One late night, someone made a comeback again and again.

Ji Ji: Still restrained?

Zhu Zhu: I was wrong again. [flushed face]

Twenty-five characters get a red envelope! Wuwuwu Congcong loves everyone! Thanks to the little angels who threw irrigated nutrient solution during 2020-02-06 05:30:34~2020-02-07 01:44:32~

Thanks to the little angel who threw a rocket launcher: 40994203 1;

Thanks to the little angels who threw mines: 21mio 2;

Thanks to the little angels who irrigated nutrient solution: Kujo Jotaro’s Dolphin 10 bottles; Zui 5 bottles; Wutong Qiao Tree, Fenggu Buwei 3 bottles; 21246194, niko, Jingjingjingjing 1 bottle;

Thank you very much for everyone’s support, I will continue to work hard!