Chapter 48
Chapter 48 Rose x Kiss
The air was silent for a moment. Ji Mingzhu blinked, “Jiang Ji… did you just kiss me?”
Their foreheads pressed together. Jiang Ji replied, “What do you think?”
Listen to that self-righteous, perfectly justified tone!
Who does she think she is to randomly kiss someone?
“...You took advantage of me!”
“You just bit my chin,” Jiang Ji retorted sharply.
“That’s not called a kiss,” Ji Mingzhu argued.
“Just a different spot,” Jiang Ji said, pausing for a moment, “You can kiss me back too.”
Ji Mingzhu twisted slightly in a symbolic gesture, but didn’t move further.
Kissing back and forth… what if it escalated to taking off clothes…
She didn’t trust Jiang Ji, nor herself.
“Do we really have to sleep like this for a night?” Somehow, in this position, Ji Mingzhu already felt numb even though it hadn’t lasted long.
Couldn’t she just wrap herself in her coat and lean against the window?
That might even be more comfortable.
But right now…
Curled up in his arms didn’t seem so bad either.
“This is best,” Jiang Ji said calmly, slowly, “Or we can switch.”
“Hmm?”
“You lie down, I sleep on top of you.”
“............”
Just imagining this scene made Ji Mingzhu feel indescribably flustered.
Jiang Ji wasn’t just a ‘white-cut-black’ type, he might also be a little ‘white-cut-yellow’. :)
She rolled her eyes at him secretly, then slipped half her head out from her coat collar and leaned over, pressing her nose against his like she was confronting him.
“Jiang Ji, what’s going on in your head?”
The young man before her looked at her for a moment, smiled, and said nothing.
Recently, Ji Mingzhu had seen Jiang Ji’s smile—probably the peak of his smiles since they met.
He leaned in and lightly bit her lips.
“This is easy to guess—it’s you.”
…
In the end, they decided to take turns lying down, leaning on each other, so they could switch who rested on whom.
But Jiang Ji was unwilling, and Ji Mingzhu had no way to persuade him.
Outside the window, snowflakes drifted down. The car glass was misted over with warm breath.
The rear seat ceiling had a small warm yellow light. Ji Mingzhu took advantage of it and idly drew with her finger.
Finally, she felt it wasn’t enough and wrote a line:
【Jiang Ji is a big pighead!】
Jiang Ji watched her quietly. Seeing Ji Mingzhu write this, he asked without a change of expression, “Do you love pighead that much?”
Ji Mingzhu didn’t even think, “Nope.”
Jiang Ji pulled out a small handkerchief from somewhere. “Then how did you embroider the pig on it?”
Ji Mingzhu looked closely—it was the birthday gift she had given him.
“You… still carry it with you?” Ji Mingzhu had originally intended to give it to him in person. After that incident, she was too lazy to plan small surprises anymore.
Otherwise, it would be like putting warmth against coldness—what people call—giving without return.
It might even seem ridiculous to some.
But after handing it to him, Jiang Ji actually kept it so close to him—how treasured it must be.
“Mm.” Jiang Ji nodded persistently, “You still haven’t answered me.”
“............”
How was she supposed to answer that?
Should she really say it was a sudden inspiration and she just printed a pig that symbolizes herself?
Saying out loud “that pig represents me” was harder than climbing to the sky.
And why didn’t Jiang Ji ask the chicken (Ji)?!
He was so smart, he couldn’t not guess, yet insisted she say it herself!
“I don’t want to answer you,” Ji Mingzhu muttered twice, then, as if recalling something, like a triumphant little cat, she reached out and patted his handsome face. “Speaking of which, I have a question for you too.”
Jiang Ji raised one brow, signaling her to go ahead.
“You now cling to me stubbornly…” Ji Mingzhu tilted her chin slightly, her tone proud and tsundere, “So why were you so mean to me before?”
“When was I mean to you?”
“That ‘no spark’ thing—was that what the dog said?”
Ji Mingzhu continued patting his face, and Jiang Ji grabbed her hand to stop her. “So that counts as being mean to you?”
“Of course,” Ji Mingzhu said without a doubt. “Even my dad never treated me like that, you know?”
“Mm,” Jiang Ji actually responded, “Indeed.”
Ji Mingzhu found his calm, indifferent attitude a little unbelievable. “You’re not even going to explain?”
Jiang Ji kept holding her hand tightly, refusing her struggles or movements.
His expression was calm and collected, yet he sealed his lips, not saying a single word about the topic.
Ji Mingzhu waited for a long time but got no response from Jiang Ji. By then, talking from afternoon to evening and from evening to night, she was already drowsy.
Inside the car, because of their intermingled breaths, it gradually became warm.
Ji Mingzhu couldn’t resist for long and soon curled up and fell asleep.
Jiang Ji laid her down flat, letting her rest on his legs.
From this slightly lowered position, he could see her peaceful sleeping face.
Jiang Ji gazed for a while. In the deserted snow-filled car, he slowly said, “In time, you’ll understand.”
At this moment, though he admitted it, he was unwilling to speak it aloud.
Jiang Ji would never say that after that day when he accidentally encountered Ji Mingzhu and Jiang Mo, a certain emotion spread like vines, burning away all rationality, nearly driving him mad.
No one knew the abyss hidden beneath his calm expression.
Stroke by stroke, what finally manifested was the word “jealousy.”
He was about to go crazy with jealousy.
…
When Ji Mingzhu woke up again, she was already on the bed at the place they were staying.
From the car to the soft mattress, she was probably still half asleep, feeling nothing at all.
Last night had indeed been very long. Ji Mingzhu and Jiang Ji had been chatting off and on, and with her waking up occasionally, her sleep had been very light.
It wasn’t until the early hours that she truly fell asleep.
Ji Mingzhu stared at the chandelier on the ceiling, her stomach empty, her throat uncomfortable.
Then she moved slightly and realized there was a warm presence next to her, very close.
Ji Mingzhu half-lifted her eyelids and saw Jiang Ji’s face, peaceful in sleep.
Was he really, taking advantage of the situation, just muddled into her bed and ready to do slightly beastly things?
Thinking of this, Ji Mingzhu’s first reaction was to check her clothes.
Her coat was off, and she was still wearing yesterday’s inner outfit.
“Phew…” She let out a long breath, unable to tell if it was relief or a hint of regret.
Perhaps her rustling had disturbed him, because Jiang Ji slightly furrowed his brows.
Ji Mingzhu reached out to smooth the crease, but halfway, she stopped.
Thinking of the thigh he had generously offered yesterday, she abandoned her plan to tease him or play pranks, and instead went to the bathroom to freshen up.
When she returned, Jiang Ji was already awake.
He was propped up on one elbow, black hair slightly falling over his forehead, partially covering his eyes.
“You’re awake,” Ji Mingzhu said, tapping the floor a few times. “When did we get back?”
“I stayed nearby. When it was open, I just drove us back,” Jiang Ji, now fully clear-headed, said, his voice hoarse from just waking.
“I… walked up by myself, right?” Ji Mingzhu asked cautiously.
“No.” He denied it outright.
Jiang Ji’s calm gaze swept over her. “You’re like an octopus, clinging to me.”
“............”
She didn’t believe him!
“Mr. Jiang, there are consequences for lying,” Ji Mingzhu ‘helpfully’ reminded him.
“The landlady is witness,” Jiang Ji said, recalling the scene from the morning when he had carried Ji Mingzhu back. The old couple’s teasing, gossiping eyes probably assumed the two of them had been fooling around in the snow all night.
Ji Mingzhu hurriedly changed the subject. “I’m not talking about that. Go wash up.”
She leaned slightly forward, bending over to search around the tea table for the photography equipment.
She had no idea where Jiang Ji had put it.
She heard Jiang Ji make a sound from the bed but remained still.
Quite strange.
Curious, Ji Mingzhu looked up to check on him again and found Jiang Ji staring intently at her.
His gaze landed directly on her chest.
After washing up, Ji Mingzhu had changed into a loose top. Since it was indoors, she didn’t need to wear much.
But such clothing, in this posture, perfectly aligned circumstances, revealing much of her snowy white skin, the curves rising and falling, drawing the eye irresistibly.
It also made it easier for a certain “Jiang peeper” to cast ill-intentioned glances.
“Hey…!” Ji Mingzhu raised her hand to cover herself.
Jiang Ji withdrew his gaze and promptly lifted the blanket. “I’m going to the bathroom.”
Once Jiang Ji’s figure disappeared from view, Ji Mingzhu cupped her face.
She probably still looked quite proud there.
Moreover, Ji Mingzhu inexplicably felt that Jiang Ji’s gaze just now was different from usual.
Highly aggressive, his eyes so deep they seemed to drip water.
Yet when he looked at her like that, she didn’t feel disgusted.
She even… felt a bit expectant.
“Ah, this is killing me…” Ji Mingzhu rubbed her face, listening to the sound of water coming from inside, trying to hide her fluttering heartbeat.
…
Inside the bathroom, under the warm stream of water, Jiang Ji’s muscles tensed.
In truth, he hadn’t slept well all night.
That sudden arousal—he couldn’t let it touch her at all; even getting slightly close made him unbearably excited.
Only in the latter half of the night did it subside somewhat.
After coming back and catching up on sleep, in his dream, it was as if he was validating what he had casually said before… he was pressing down on her.
As his movements rose and fell, sweat dripped.
Even in the haze, the feeling was sweet.
Not to mention—when he woke up, he saw that soft figure again.
So the desire that hadn’t been released in reality grew wildly like weeds.
He was unbearably hard.
Jiang Ji thought of how she lazily called his name, or sweetly called him, or raised her tone in embarrassed anger…
After an unknown amount of time, the sound of water gradually faded, and the world became clear again.
This time, Jiang Ji stayed inside for a particularly long time; the water hadn’t stopped.
Spending a night outside must have made this usually cleanliness-loving person unbearable.
The more Ji Mingzhu thought about it, the more convinced she was.
She finished getting dressed outside. She had originally wanted to go with him to the town’s famous restaurant, but after waiting and waiting, he still didn’t come out.
When Jiang Ji finally came out, Ji Mingzhu looked at him suspiciously, her gaze scanning up and down like a radar.
“What were you doing in there, washing for so long?”
Didn’t he scrub off a layer of skin?!
Jiang Ji paused slightly. His expression showed nothing, but his earlobes turned red.
Ji Mingzhu didn’t miss it, but thought it was just from washing too long.
“Are you sure you want me to describe it in detail?”
Just when Ji Mingzhu thought he wouldn’t respond, he suddenly said this. His voice was different from his usual jade-like coldness, and also not like when he had just woken up.
Low and deep.
Without waiting for her reply, he continued, “After I went in, I first took off my shirt, then took off my pants, and then took off my—”
“…Stop!”
No need to be that detailed!
She had only asked on a whim—who knew he would answer so seriously.
But looking at Jiang Ji before her, certain things in her memory surfaced, floating clearly.
“Mr. Jiang.”
“Mm?”
“If the information I got is correct.” Ji Mingzhu looked at his half-wet black hair, “You should have booked a suite for yourself, right?”
“So—this is what you meant by having nowhere to stay?”
“............”
Near noon, inside a row house in the small Swiss town of Longjiang, on the second floor.
Through the window, one could see a man being driven out by a woman, like shooing ducks.
When the door closed and opened again, she even threw some luggage out.
In the peaceful small town, all kinds of trivial family matters played out every day.
…
The two stayed in Switzerland for nearly a week, visiting all the attractions, then returned home.
During those days, Jiang Ji accompanied Ji Mingzhu the entire time. She wasn’t reserved either, ordering Jiang Ji around constantly, and recorded quite a lot of videos and photos.
When they returned to the country, Ji Shaoyan personally came to pick them up.
After getting in the car, he said he wanted the two of them to go back to the Ji residence for a meal.
Strictly speaking, Ji Mingzhu and Jiang Ji had gone back to the Jiang residence before, but they had never gone to the Ji residence together.
However, although Ji Shaoyan’s suggestion was good, Jiang Ji had spent so many days accompanying her in Switzerland. With his work-crazed engine-like state, he should have gone straight back to Jiang Corporation to handle matters.
“If you’re busy, just go back to the company,” Ji Mingzhu said, turning to look at Jiang Ji beside her.
Actually, she said this because she had just seen Uncle Lin waiting beside another car outside the arrivals hall at the airport.
“It’s fine, there are assistants at the company.”
“Oh—then when you stayed overnight at the company last time and were so busy, you didn’t have assistants by your side?”
Jiang Ji looked at her deeply and didn’t refute.
The one driving, Ji Shaoyan, took in their interaction and laughed.
After all, after this trip, the atmosphere between the two was completely different.
That kind of feeling was hard to describe in words.
The game and tension between a man and a woman sometimes existed in a glance, or an unintentional movement.
“This time, did you relax enough?” Ji Shaoyan didn’t miss any chance to tease his daughter.
Especially at a time like this.
Most importantly, in front of Jiang Ji.
“…Dad!” Ji Mingzhu quickly raised her voice to interrupt Ji Shaoyan.
Relaxing or not.
Wouldn’t that just prove she had been upset before!
After saying this, Ji Mingzhu turned to look at Jiang Ji beside her.
He seemed to understand, his fingers resting on his elegantly crossed legs.
Ji Mingzhu’s temper flared. She directly brushed his hand over, pulled it in front of her, and scratched his palm with her fingertips.
…
They soon arrived at the Ji residence.
Ji Shaoyan seemed to have prepared in advance. When they returned, Sister Li had already finished cooking.
However, Shu Yuhua was also there today.
But she seemed distracted, only giving a perfunctory greeting before falling silent, not knowing what she was thinking.
She wasn’t like before, deliberately approaching with a gentle smile and asking after them warmly.
Previously, every time, even though she clearly disliked Ji Mingzhu, she still insisted on acting like a loving mother.
So her unusual behavior today made Ji Mingzhu puzzled, but more than that, comfortable.
After all, if Shu Yuhua was unhappy, Ji Mingzhu was happy.
Because she really didn’t want to see this woman treating others falsely, acting like the mistress of the Ji residence, under the pretext of renovations, actually trying to erase all traces related to Ji Mingzhu’s biological mother.
Previously, Mother Ji—namely Qi Yan—had left behind a storage room. Shu Yuhua wanted to meddle with it and asked for the key, but didn’t succeed.
Of course, Ji Shaoyan would never agree.
Sometimes Ji Mingzhu couldn’t understand Ji Shaoyan’s attitude toward Shu Yuhua. Although he let her move in, most of the time he spent outside indulging in pleasure, and gossip in entertainment newspapers was everywhere.
From female celebrities to young models, everything.
Just this alone should be enough to make Shu Yuhua troubled.
—“Why aren’t you eating? What are you spacing out for?”
Ji Shaoyan’s words successfully pulled Ji Mingzhu back to her thoughts.
At the dining table just now, Ji Shaoyan had been discussing business matters with Jiang Ji. She had tried to pay attention.
But soon, Ji Mingzhu drifted off.
“I am eating.” Ji Mingzhu looked at the rice bowl piled like a small mountain and subconsciously glanced at Jiang Ji beside her.
He hadn’t eaten much himself, but had put plenty of food into her bowl.
“You said you’d join Ji Corporation after returning to the country. I’ve already arranged it. When are you coming to the company?”
Ji Shaoyan changed the topic too quickly, and Ji Mingzhu took a moment before realizing it referred to her previous suggestion.
She silently calculated the time and said, “How about the day after—”
However, Ji Mingzhu only spoke halfway before Jiang Ji interrupted and took over, “Uncle, she might not be able to go for now.”
“Oh?” Ji Shaoyan glanced at Ji Mingzhu. “How so?”
Jiang Ji spoke seriously, “The business coordinated on Jiang Corporation’s side is fixed. There are some matters she hasn’t finished handling.”
Ji Mingzhu at the side: “............”
Why had she never heard of this clause before!
And although the tasks Jiang Ji assigned her increased day by day—she completed the daily ones seriously and efficiently.
At the very least, she never left the day’s tasks unfinished. After all, she graduated in finance from an overseas university; her ability wasn’t weak.
What did he mean she hadn’t finished handling them???
At this moment, Ji Shaoyan nodded as if understanding, “I see. That works too.”
Being inexplicably decided for, and having her direction determined by others, Ji Mingzhu was stunned.
Yet even so, she poked at the food in her bowl and didn’t refute.
This vague feeling carried a bit of willing compromise.
But Jiang Ji chased her all the way to Switzerland, only speaking with words while acting quietly.
Up to now, he hadn’t made any suggestive indication.
Could it be… they were really going to play some office play.
…
After dinner, Shu Yuhua went upstairs first because she felt unwell.
Ji Shaoyan received a call, then, in rare enthusiasm, insisted on dragging Jiang Ji to play Go in the living room, not knowing how many rounds they played.
Ji Mingzhu lay on the sofa beside them, bored, cracking sunflower seeds.
Without any surprise, Jiang Ji would probably stay overnight here tonight.
A bit later, Ji Shaoyan went to the study.
Ji Mingzhu and Jiang Ji went upstairs together. When she was about to reach her room, she waved casually at him and pointed to the door not far away. “I’m going back to my room first.”
“Together.”
“…Ah?”
Faster than her confusion was Jiang Ji’s stride.
He followed closely behind her.
“Why are you following me?” Ji Mingzhu noticed and simply stopped, turning to look at him. “Sister Li already prepared your room.”
This wasn’t the Jiang residence, and there wasn’t a carefree Lin Manxi either.
Sister Li had long since efficiently tidied up a guest room!
Jiang Ji stepped forward in two strides, pressing her back inch by inch toward the wall behind.
Ji Mingzhu staggered, completely startled by Jiang Ji’s sudden domineering-CEO mode.
Until there was nowhere to retreat, Jiang Ji braced one hand on the wall, trapping Ji Mingzhu in his arms.
“This isn’t very fair,” he said slowly. “At the Jiang residence you slept in my room. At the Ji residence I sleep back—then it’s even.”
“.........”
Is that how fairness is calculated?
Ji Mingzhu felt his face had grown thicker and thicker.
Or maybe it had simply fallen off entirely.
“Jiang Ji,” Ji Mingzhu looked at him, “do you know there’s something in this world called face?”
She smiled lazily, tugging his cheek with her hand, pretending to be surprised. “Oh my… you actually still have it.”
Jiang Ji let her act as she pleased, his gaze quiet.
Suddenly, he lowered his head and lightly pecked her lips.
Ji Mingzhu stiffened her neck. She didn’t even know how many times these days he had intentionally or unintentionally kissed her.
Touching without a title is taking advantage of a girl!
“Once is enough… but second and third time… are you a woodpecker? Addicted or something!”
…Why!
She didn’t want to suffer a loss either!
Thinking this, Ji Mingzhu immediately puckered her lips and forcefully pecked back.
But she missed the direction and used too much force. Her lips brushed along his cheek, then slid downward to his neck.
This position made it even easier for Jiang Ji to pin her to the wall. He pressed over, directly leaning beside her ear. In this posture, Ji Mingzhu only felt her ear burning.
“But you’re wrong,” he continued, burying himself, breathing in the rose fragrance between her hair and neck, “the first time you think of is far from the first time I kissed you.”
Author’s Note:
[Small Theater]:
Ji Ji: The kind of “pent-up” you think isn’t my kind.
Zhu Zhu: Huh? Then what kind?
Two hours later—
Ji Ji: Understand now?
Zhu Zhu: qaq
[Double update combined]!!! Isn’t President Jiang awesome today!!!!
Thanks to the little angels who cast overlord tickets or irrigated nutrient solution for me during 2020-02-25 11:19:43~2020-02-26 06:13:45~
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Thank you all very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!