Chapter 39

Chapter 39 Rose x Kiss

Jiang Ji still didn’t speak; the office was deathly silent.

Just as Ji Mingzhu thought he would never open his mouth again in this lifetime, Jiang Ji, still tightly holding her hand, pulled her so that she leaned back against him.

In a whirl of motion, Ji Mingzhu almost directly bounced into a seated position on Jiang Ji’s thigh.

The intersection of their legs was separated by only two layers of fabric, the heat blazing like a fire on a parched prairie, crackling and climbing upward.

“Ji… Jiang Ji…”

Ji Mingzhu was completely dumbfounded.

Because she was leaning back, nestled against him, she couldn’t see his face or expression. She was tightly restrained, only able to feel the warm breath brushing her nape.

His thin lips grazed from Ji Mingzhu’s pale neck, barely touching, just brushing a couple of times.

Jiang Ji’s voice was deep enough to drip, “So according to what you said, I think you’re good-looking, so can I kiss you?”

The next second, before Ji Mingzhu could react, his cool thin lips gently nibbled at her earlobe, then he spoke again, “Returning it to you.”

Ji Mingzhu felt her entire body, including the vertebrae in her neck, go soft—completely tingling.

Jiang Ji’s last words were like a spell, directly opening the door to Ji Mingzhu’s short-circuited mind, pulling her out of stunned and silent endurance.

She jumped straight off his thigh and fled a few steps toward her office desk.

“Hey! Do you know a girl’s earlobes can’t be touched so easily?!” Ji Mingzhu raised both hands, hastily covering her earlobes, and only after a long pause managed to get the words out.

“Do you know a boy’s face can’t be touched so easily either?” Jiang Ji’s gaze locked onto her, “This time it’s your turn first.”

“Seeing something attractive… it’s human nature!”

Ji Mingzhu didn’t feel that she had kissed wrongly; brushing against Jiang Ji’s charm actually excited her.

“Human nature—” Jiang Ji repeated her words, then, thinking of something, his demeanor instantly turned stern, “Do you do this to others as well?”

Ji Mingzhu lifted her chin high, looking down on him, “You should feel honored that you’re the first.”

Then, she twisted her words a bit, snorted, “But I can’t guarantee you’re the last.”

When it comes to matters of love and relationships, money is enough; handsome young men flock automatically.

Besides… there are plenty of people chasing Ji Mingzhu!

At this moment, Jiang Ji no longer wore the earlier “grudging husband” gaze or questioning expression. He withdrew his gaze and began organizing the documents on his desk, voice calm, “Whether you’re the last one, you can try and see.”

…

By the time Jiang Group’s unified off-duty time came, Ji Mingzhu was still mulling over Jiang Ji’s last words.

What! Has the domineering CEO become addicted already?!

And… he even said she could try and see??!

As the two walked toward the elevator, Jiang Ji, seemingly unable to resist, looked at Ji Mingzhu and spoke first, “Why does your expression change so fast?”

Clearly, when making coffee she had been all flattering and obsequious; now she immediately turned into a noble, cold, aloof figure.

But only toward him—earlier, on the way past the assistant office, she still smiled like a blooming flower.

“Hmph, congratulations Jiang Ji, you finally realized it. I’m exactly the kind of person whose expression changes this quickly. Honestly, my temper is just like this—harsh and unpredictable.” Once in the elevator, Ji Mingzhu crossed her arms over her chest while he pressed the floor button.

She said it like that, but if Jiang Ji had dared to respond with “That’s true,” she would have immediately—right then and there—forced him!

Jiang Ji swiped his fingerprint, this time directing the elevator to the underground garage.

“That’s fine.” He slowly added, “I don’t think so.”

Ji Mingzhu felt her inner tension, which had been hovering, instantly dissipate at his words.

Why is this person suddenly so reasonable? The most infuriating thing… is that icy, beautiful face, perfectly matching her aesthetic from every 360-degree angle.

When the elevator reached the underground garage, Jiang Ji suggested, “Let’s eat out today.”

“Ah?” Ji Mingzhu followed him up. Jiang Ji’s legs were long, and his normal stride was faster than hers even in heels. She hurried to catch up, taking two quick steps. “Why are you suddenly being so nice to me?”

“Just because I came to be your personal secretary. You think you can enslave me in the future, so your excitement can’t be hidden, right?” Ji Mingzhu increasingly felt this must be it.

“You are a secretary.” Jiang Ji remotely unlocked the car from a distance, then frowned at her, slowing his pace slightly. “But do you have a personal…?”

“Isn’t today enough for being personal?” Ji Mingzhu thought of that earlobe kiss, feeling a tingling sensation at her ear again.

But… indeed, she had been the first to take advantage.

“Wait… you’re not thinking of that kind of…??”

Ji Mingzhu’s face showed confusion, then she gasped. She hadn’t expected someone as cool and aloof as Jiang Ji to like that style as well.

The “personal” he mentioned… could it be the kind without clothes…?

Ji Mingzhu’s mind immediately filled with all kinds of entanglements, all kinds of twisting, Jiang Ji leaning near her ear, his low, deep voice teasing.

“What kind?” Jiang Ji opened the car door for her, interrupting her imagination.

“Nothing.” She cleared her throat, cupped her face, didn’t even look at him, and slid straight into the car.

…

Not long after getting in, Ji Mingzhu turned off her phone’s Do Not Disturb mode.

The buzzing immediately surged in, nonstop.

It had to be said: her messages were too many.

Ji Mingzhu had spent the afternoon sleeping, then was busy grinding and brewing coffee herself, leaving her no time to check her phone.

She opened it and saw that the “Pig Chicken Breeding Kingdom” group was still at the top.

Probably because there were so many messages, its popularity had been pushed to the very top.

Ji Mingzhu clicked in and found it was entirely Xiao Yi and Lian Tang having a wild time.

Lian Tang: Hahaha, so explosive.

Lian Tang: Want to see a live broadcast!

Xiao Yi: Internal info, guaranteed.

Xiao Yi: These two… really, secretly naughty and interesting!

All this “explosive,” “internal info,” and “secretly naughty.”

Ji Mingzhu was completely bewildered, feeling totally at a loss.

She roughly scrolled up through the chat records and fixed her eyes on a post from Xiao Yi.

Looking at the source of the post, it seemed to be from the internal Jiang Group forum he had posted to before.

The title was suggestive:

【Who could today! Today, went to report to the top-floor office with the department head, directly caught Jiang Ji and his fiancée in an affair! Sorry admin, I didn’t gossip during work hours, and the post contains no bad or pornographic content, please don’t delete!】

She clicked in and found countless replies. The responses were so enthusiastic, so different from the normally serious, upright Jiang Group employees.

Could it be that people who are usually serious suppress themselves?

Now they were releasing their nature.

The original poster vividly added everything they saw and heard in the main post on the first floor. Maybe a bit of personal flair, in any case it came across slightly risqué.

Finally, a summary:

【OP: In short, I think Jiang Ji really spoils her, even deliberately explained a bit, but who doesn’t know that fiancée slept so long, no idea what she was busy with to be that tired (stop here because this is purely my personal speculation, admin please ignore this!) But—really beautiful, I didn’t dare look too long, just a quick glance. In the end, I want to say, beautiful people can sleep as long as they want! No problem!】

The following comments kept up with the topic.

—Even saw the front face! Eh, but no photos. How could us diligent junior staff ever get to the top floor?

——Wait, the person from the Market Research Department talking, is that the OP’s tone? I can’t even tell who it is!

——To be honest, going straight into the top-floor office like that was so bold.

——So jealous, perfectly matched, I’ve been at Jiang Group for so long and still haven’t seen Jiang Ji in person!

——Miss Ji’s the eldest daughter of the Ji family, being jealous doesn’t help. I just can’t imagine Jiang Ji’s normally cold expression when sparks fly with a beautiful young lady.

Whether sparks flew or not, I don’t know.

But there were definitely various kisses.

Ji Mingzhu after reading the post: ………

Those employees aside, at least Xiao Yi is technically “General Xiao,” and yet he’s this idle every day?!

Lian Tang: A sudden little spy!

Xiao Yi: Damn, you finally showed up.

Ji Mingzhu: Xiao Yi.

Ji Mingzhu: I want to ask, how did you get into Jiang Group’s internal private forum?

Xiao Yi: ?

Xiao Yi: I thought you were going to ask something else.

Xiao Yi: It’s simple. I previously invested in the AI robot project with Jiang Ji, having an account isn’t too much, right?

Ji Mingzhu: You’re really more nosy than a woman!

Xiao Yi: That’s slander!

Xiao Yi: Let my ex-girlfriends tell me if I’m feminine or not.

Lian Tang: Like a butterfly, I recently saw your scandal online again, seems like a male third party.

Lian Tang: So embarrassing, don’t say you know me if you go out!

Xiao Yi: Misunderstanding. Angela wanted to return to me, I rejected her.

Xiao Yi: How is your brother embarrassing?

Lian Tang: Don’t listen, don’t listen, turtle chanting scripture.jpg

Xiao Yi: Lian Da Tang, you brat! Give back the shop I just sent you!

Ji Mingzhu saw these two still spamming and immediately got a headache.

She sent out this message directly:

Ji Mingzhu: Top socialite of Yin City, Lian Tang, my cousin recently tried to meet you several times, and you didn’t go. He even asked me. I told him you’re free, don’t pretend you didn’t see it.

As soon as she sent this, Lian Tang exploded.

Lian Tang: You betrayed me!

Only Xiao Yi stayed silent for a moment, then sent:

Xiao Yi: Which cousin of yours?

Ji Mingzhu: Oh, my eldest cousin, Shen Qing, the one who previously came to Yin City for work.

After this, Xiao Yi and Lian Tang didn’t speak again.

The group returned to complete silence.

Ji Mingzhu smiled… very good! She finally saw Xiao Yi embarrassed!

“What are you laughing at?” Probably because Ji Mingzhu was laughing too happily, it caught the attention of Jiang Ji, who was driving.

Ji Mingzhu exited the group chat and looked at him. “Jiang Ji, did you see the group? Your judgment seems to be wrong.”

After helping her, he still miscalculated.

The employees weren’t stupid either.

“How so?”

“I mean your employees are particularly brazen, I don’t know who they learned it from. That post they made in the forum—it reads like a serialized novel.” Ji Mingzhu held her hand out, waving it in front of his eyes. “Do you realize what happened today has already spread?”

“What’s there to fear.” Jiang Ji turned his head to look at her. “It’s not a rumor.”

……

When the car arrived at a familiar place, Ji Mingzhu looked at the glaring sign and was clearly surprised.

“Why did you bring me to this one?”

This was the restaurant Ji Mingzhu had pestered Ji Shaoyan to take her to before, located by the Yin River, legendary for being extremely hard to get a reservation at.

Jiang Ji parked the car neatly. “I heard you like the food here.”

“I see.” Ji Mingzhu nodded, no wonder.

That “I heard” was probably something he got from her father.

Sometimes Ji Mingzhu also wondered, speaking just from satisfaction—how satisfied must Ji Shaoyan be with Jiang Ji? With his usually high standards, he must have been willing to hand over everything concerning her to Jiang Ji.

“I was thinking, this place is mostly for couples, and you brought me here.” Ji Mingzhu pushed the car door open. “Your dad told you, didn’t he?”

Jiang Ji paused briefly, then nodded lightly.

Although Ji Mingzhu fully believed this, thinking everything was arranged by Ji Shaoyan,

—but when they were seated, Ji Mingzhu realized something.

Something seemed a bit off.

Off because…

This wasn’t the usual private room Ji Shaoyan would take her to.

The place Jiang Ji brought her to was similar in layout and size, but looking at Yin City from this vantage point, it was on a different side, offering a relatively opposite view.

Ji Mingzhu propped half her face with one hand, looking down at the Yin River outside, eavesdropping as Jiang Ji and the chef discussed the dishes.

His voice, like his appearance, had a clarity like spring water trickling over pebbles. Very clear. But because he often dealt with people with a cold face, his words were economical, and at first, it might seem imposing and his tone heavy.

But that wasn’t really the case.

Like now, when he spoke, his French was fluent and smooth. He lowered his gaze slightly to look at the menu, his clear fingertips lightly tapping it.

The chef beside him listened respectfully, occasionally giving suggestions.

Ji Mingzhu watched for a moment, then her gaze returned to the window.

In fact, Ji Mingzhu had always known Jiang Ji was the type who stood out in any crowd, a real heartthrob.

Since middle school, as he grew tall and upright, he had already been striking in any crowd. Back then, the line of admirers could stretch from inside the school to outside.

Yet he paid no attention to anyone, doing what he needed to do, letting no one disturb his mind.

By high school, the Jiang family brought back Jiang Mo; the boy had shed the awkwardness of middle school, his temperament settled. Though still calm, to Ji Mingzhu, there was now a subtle hint of solitude about him.

His face grew even more refined, and even with a neutral expression, the suitors that came after were countless.

Ji Mingzhu had once been curious about everything about him, thinking she could understand his thoughts a little.

After all, often a person’s mind can’t be hidden.

But she seemed to have overthought it.

What Jiang Ji showed and what he truly felt were not the same—they were even opposite.

Someone this cold probably had a heart as cold as his demeanor.

But if one said he was a bad person, that wouldn’t be right either.

Jiang Ji wasn’t a bad man, just…

Ji Mingzhu didn’t know why she suddenly felt a vague melancholy. She drew her gaze back from the small boat on the river and looked directly across.

Thinking so much, it’s better to just eat.

Anyway… today was another day of mercilessly teasing Jiang Ji!

By now, Jiang Ji had finished ordering. Before leaving, the chef gave Ji Mingzhu a particularly meaningful look.

Once the chef had stepped outside, Ji Mingzhu touched her face. “Why did he smile at me like that just now?”

“Not sure.” Jiang Ji wiped his hands. “I ordered two set meals and added an extra dessert for you.”

“Mm.” Ji Mingzhu nodded. She still trusted Jiang Ji—he had a perfect sense of her taste.

The two chatted casually for a while. On the side, an electronic screen showed that the kitchen was still preparing.

Night fell, and colored lights lit up around the city towers.

The Yin River Bridge stretched like a bright silver galaxy, with boats glimmering below.

In such a night scene, Ji Mingzhu had no time to enjoy the beauty.

“Jiang Ji, did you order some rare, diamond-studded set? Why is it taking so long?” Ji Mingzhu reached a foot under the table and mischievously nudged him.

Jiang Ji let her playfully tease him. “Don’t know, wait a bit longer.”

Unconsciously, they had already been waiting for a long time.

Usually, when Ji Mingzhu came here with Ji Shaoyan, it never took this long.

Even if the meal was lengthy, it was only because the dishes were served slowly.

To reach the main courses, the appetizers and starters should have already been brought.

After hearing Jiang Ji, Ji Mingzhu stopped fussing and, bored, scrolled through Weibo.

During this pause, the restaurant lights dimmed.

Only the candlelight and aroma oils quietly burned.

Ji Mingzhu gasped and looked up at Jiang Ji across the table. “What’s happening?”

Jiang Ji genuinely looked surprised this time, shaking his head in confusion.

As the lights fell, the restaurant door slowly opened.

The chef pushed in the food cart.

Once he had placed each dish on the table, he snapped his fingers, and the lights brightened as if it were daytime.

Ji Mingzhu: “............”

What a flashy display.

The assistant following the chef chimed in:

“You two may start enjoying your meal—this is your exclusive wonderful night~”

Before leaving, the chef scattered a few rose petals over the already-arranged dishes.

Ji Mingzhu looked closely.

The petals formed English letters.

【happy night~】

Author’s note: 【Mini Scene】

Long, long afterward, when talking about the acquisition of this restaurant—

Ji Mingzhu spoke nonstop.

Piggy: Jiang Ji, why aren’t you saying anything!

Rooster: Conserving energy.

Piggy: ?

Rooster: Soon it will be our happy night.

Piggy: ………

Here it comes, this chapter—twenty-five words, one hundred red envelopes! Thanks to all the little angels who voted or watered the story between 2020-02-17 23:58:26 and 2020-02-18 23:51:47~

Thanks to the little angel who sent a grenade: Qiè 1;

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Thank you all very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!