“I beg you to let me go…”

“Beg? If begging works, your family wouldn’t go bankrupt!” The man harshly grabbed her hair with a cold sneer. “This old man has been waiting in his room for so long, but it turns out you fucking ran away. Ruining this old man’s fun cannot be simply resolved by eighty-thousand yuan. You want your freedom back? Then asked the people around you. All the people who can come to Zi Jing Cheng are not lacking money. Try and see who will be willing to buy you? The price I’m offering isn’t high, ten times! How about it? Eight-hundred thousand yuan!”

Ling Xuaner wailed in despair, but her sharp cries only caused the crowd to point fingers at her as they whispered amongst themselves. None of them stepped forward.

The sound of her cries caused Ji Nuan’s body to tremble. The visions of her past life she had tried her best to repress flashed through her mind continuously, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Her heart felt as though it was about to jump out of her throat; she suppressed the feeling, unable to stop herself from turning her head back. She was about to push aside the crowd to shout that she would buy, wasn’t it only just eight-hundred thousand yuan? She will buy!

“I’ll buy.”

Suddenly, someone spoke up. However, the voice did not come from Ji Nuan!

It was Qin Siting.

Hearing these two words, Ling Xuaner raised her disheveled face up in disbelief. The instant she saw that it was Qin Siting, she burst into tears. Her cries were filled with sorrow and despair, but at the same time, it seemed like she had finally found a shred of hope. This complicated sorrow was difficult to describe.

At the same instant when Qin Siting spoke up, Shi Niange’s eyes moved straight to him and something appeared to have slowly broken in her eyes.

Yet, from start to finish, Qin Siting did not offer her a single glance. He coldly said, “I’ll buy her, aren’t you letting her go?”

The people who frequented Zi Jing Cheng Club were all people with status in the high society. The Qin family was one of the four large families in Hai Cheng. They naturally had heard of him before.

The man grabbing onto Ling Xuaner’s hair recognized that it was Qin Siting. He had to swallow back the curses he was about to deliver and asked in suspicion, “Young Master Qin, are you sure you want to buy her?”

“I won’t repeat my words.” Qin Siting’s gaze was gloomy and cold.

The man could only let go. The moment she regained her freedom, Ling Xuaner ran stumbling toward Qin Siting and threw herself forward. Qin Siting expressionless avoided her outstretched hand. He did not touch her and kept a distance from her, but he threw his coat toward the half-naked Ling Xuaner.

Ling Xuaner trembled from head to toe. She did not dare to initiate contact with him again but frantically wrapped the coat around herself. She then carefully hid behind him, instinctively seeking his protection.

The crowd began whispering, discussing if this Ling Xuaner was the one who was previously engaged with this Qin’s family’s young master. They did not expect that even though the engagement did not go through, this Young Master Qin would still offer her a helping hand after so many years.

Shi Niange was always watching Qin Siting. Even when Ling Xuaner ran behind him, her gaze remained fixed in his direction.

Yet, Qin Siting never once returned her gaze.

—-

The crowd gradually dispersed. This farce had also finally ended. Ji Nuan realized that Shi Niange had left without her notice.

“When did Miss Shi leave?”

“The earlier scene is enough to send a thousand cuts into her heart. If she still didn’t leave, is she supposed to stand here and wait for us to offer her some insincere comfort?” Nan Heng remained by the side, unhurriedly playing with a bronze-colored cigarette lighter.

As he spoke, he glanced at Ji Nuan. “Your expression really seems poor. Those who don’t know might think the one who was thrown onto the ground and bullied earlier wasn’t that Miss Ling, but you.”

Mo Jingshen’s gaze remained on Ji Nuan’s eyes. “Still uncomfortable?”

He had noticed that Ji Nuan’s expression earlier was out of the ordinary. The emotions that had flashed past her eyes did not escape his attention.

Ji Nuan shook her head, indicating she was fine. She then glared at Nan Heng whose words kept hitting her sore spots. “I simply couldn’t watch any longer. Those who can be here are all wealthy people. A simple meal for them could cost up to several tens of thousands of yuan. It was a situation where a life could be saved, but no one chose to step out.”

Nan Heng spread out his hands. “The business world is a world where people are taken advantage of. The people in this sort of high-class places are all influential figures. They all know well who cannot be touched. She is only the young lady of a bankrupt corporation. The Ling family are also gradually declining because of their pursuit of revenge, so their enemies are not little. Who would try to offend their enemies for this useless young lady?”

Ji Nuan lips curved as she smiled mildly. “You sure are great at looking for a suitable reason for your own cold-blooded heart.”

Nan Heng raised his brows, smiling mockingly. “When did Miss Ji become such a ‘hates evil as one does her enemy,’ person?”

Ji Nuan did not reply, but her mood was clearly affected.

Nan Heng sneered as he returned to the private room. “What sort of trouble was this, my fucking birthday isn’t even over, and such a prime-time melodramatic television drama has already played out. Let Old Qin deal with his own problems. Don’t they say women will become happy the moment they eat cake? Miss Ji, let’s go. We’ll return to the private room for cake.”

Ji Nuan: “…”

He sure was generous.

Mo Jingshen did not look at Nan Heng, lowering his eyes to look at Ji Nuan instead. “Do you want to go home or have the cake?”

“Let’s have the cake. Although Miss Shi has already left, she took the time to buy the cake. It’ll be a waste if we don’t have it.”

For the sake of a few slices of cake, Ji Nuan tugged on Mo Jingshen’s arm to return to the private room. Initially, she thought she could have the cake cut by the Nan Heng who was the birthday boy, but he threw the knife to her. “If you want to eat it, cut it yourself. I don’t have any interest in sweet things.”

Seeing that Mo Jingshen also did not have any intention of eating, Ji Nuan cut several slices for herself. Her fingers accidentally dipped into the cream, and she placed it into her mouth for a taste.

It was very sweet.

It was peach flavored; there was even the sensation of peach wine on her tongue.

—-

Nan Heng and Mo Jingshen began discussing business.

Occasionally, a waiter would enter to bring more alcohol in. He also brought more fruit juice for Ji Nuan.

Ji Nuan did not have any dinner tonight, so the 10-inch double-layered cake was almost half-eaten by her. She also drank three to four glasses of fruit juice.

Even when they ended, Shi Niange did not return. Qin Siting’s whereabouts were even more unknown.

They were about to leave the private room. Ji Nuan stood to follow, but the moment she did so, she ended up leaning against Mo Jingshen. Her footsteps were weak, and her face was slightly red. Her eyes were also blurred as she lazily leaned against his shoulder.

Mo Jingshen saw her tipsy state and held her waist, wary that she would accidentally fall. His cold, handsome brows knitted. He did not expect she would become tipsy so easily.

“Is she drunk?” Nan Heng was just about to step out. He turned back for a look.

Ji Nuan shook her head and then raised her hand to wave at them casually. “No, I’ve been drinking fruit juice. I haven’t touched any alcohol.”

Nan Heng snorted. “In a place like Zi Jing Cheng, there’s no such thing as pure fruit juice. The so-called fruit juice they serve contains a low percentage of alcohol. It’s probably around six to ten percent. You won’t be able to taste it. But if you can become drunk just like this, Miss Ji, exactly how poor is your tolerance?”

Ji Nuan glanced toward Mo Jingshen somewhat dazedly. “Is that so?”

Mo Jingshen did not speak. As he supported her, his cold gaze shifted to the remaining half of the cake on the coffee table.

Nan Heng appeared to have thought of something. He first glanced at Ji Nuan’s tipsy state before shifting his eyes onto the cake. He walked over and cut a slice for himself. After taking a bite, he resisted the sweet taste and forced himself to swallow.

He then turned back to look at the person by the door, sneering. “There’s fruit wine in here. The percentage is not low. If she had it with the fruit juice, it’s not surprising that she’s drunk.”

Ji Nuan worked hard to open her eyes, raising her brows to say, “Ah, I’ve recalled. Hai Cheng has an especially unique cake store. Their queue is always long. Apparently, they often use delicately fermented, high-end fruit wine in their cream. No wonder the taste is so different, it’s delicious…”

She then giggled as she pressed her face into Mo Jingshen’s shoulders to whisper, “I want to have it again… I’ll have it when it’s my birthday… I still want to have this cake…”

After a thousand calculations and careful planning, she still became drunk from the cake.

Mo Jingshen held her firmly, pressing her by his side as he coldly said, “With your tolerance, you better stay away from that cake shop in the future.”

“No, I want to have it for my birthday.” Ji Nuan raised her dazed eyes and stretched out a finger, giggling at him. “I want to have it again. It doesn’t have to be double-layered, just a single layer, all right? I won’t have so much…”

Mo Jingshen did not reply. She then pressed against his arm, hugging him with both hands. “Please… It’s just for my birthday… I’ll only have it on my birthday…”

Mo Jingshen was forced to bend down slightly because of the way she tightly held his neck. He glanced at the drunk woman and sighed, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. “All right.”

Nan Heng rubbed his brows, crossing his arms and leaning against the ornamental pillar in the private room.

After knowing Mo Jingshen for so many years, he had never seen him treat someone with so much gentleness and patience.

Feng Ling entered through the door. “Mr. Mo, I’ll send you and Mrs. Mo home.”

“There’s no need. The Yu Garden is not far from here,” Mo Jingshen indifferently replied. “Nan Heng also drank quite some alcohol. Send him back.”

Feng Ling’s expression did not change, but she was silent for several seconds before replying, “All right, Mr. Mo.”

—-

Mo Jingshen brought Ji Nuan to the car. She was not heavily drunk, but she sat lazily in the car and then pressed her head against the car window.

She realized Mo Jingshen was the one driving and not Feng Ling. Ji Nuan narrowed her eyes to look at the handsome man gripping the steering wheel and shifted in her seat to lean toward him.

“Sit properly, I’m driving.” Mo Jingshen was about to push her back.

However, Ji Nuan hugged his elbow, leaning close to his side. She pressed her face in his neck to softly whisper, “Is my tolerance really that poor?”

Mo Jingshen glanced at her; the answer could be seen without speaking.

Whether her tolerance was poor or not, just based on her current state, was there a need for him to say more?

Ji Nuan saw his expression and opened her mouth to bite down on his neck. She could not bear to use too much force, but her tongue accidentally rubbed against his skin. She backed off only after several seconds, but the man suddenly removed one hand from the steering wheel and held her waist to press her down.

His low and husky voice landed by her ear. “You’re becoming braver; you dare to seduce me on the car, en?”

Seeing the man’s heavy and distant eyes, Ji Nuan narrowed her eyes and smiled at him. She leaned close to his ears to whisper, “Why wouldn’t I?”

Mo Jingshen’s brows moved. The car gradually slowed down, leaning against the side of the road as it slowly moved. He pressed a kiss on her lips, watching her with heavy and dark eyes. He was about to kiss her again.

However, Ji Nuan suddenly said, “Too bad, my great-aunt has arrived again~.”

The man who was about to kiss her suddenly faltered. His eyes intensely focused on her for a long time. Just as Ji Nuan, who was radiant with delight, was about to laugh at him, he abruptly pressed a harsh kiss on her lips. He brought the car to a stop, punishing the little woman who dared to be smug with him because of her period. He only let her off when she finally began whimpering to be released.

Finally, he pressed two more heavy and deep kisses on her reddened lips, softly saying, “I’ve yet to satisfy the request previously made at the Wan Li Xing Chen Hotel. Isn’t this a great opportunity?”

Ji Nuan borrowed the strength of the alcohol and stared at this man who appeared to wish to press her down on the car for a good lesson without blushing or breathing. All of a sudden, she raised her hands and pressed them on the sides of his face. She squeezed with force, shifting the shape of his handsome face before breaking into a giggle. She pursed her lips and leaned up to kiss him with a smacking sound.

The man’s gaze gradually became darker and heavier, but she was unaware of this as she continued holding his face as she said, “Then you have to agree to a request of mine.”

She knew to negotiate conditions even when she was drunk like this?

Mo Jingshen gazed at her. “En?”

Her bright and beautiful eyes stared at Mo Jingshen’s ink-black ones with some drunkenness. “Previously, for the sake of my future inheritance of Ji Corporation, Dad signed me up for the relevant business management courses in T City, but I never went and dragged it on for at least two or three years.”

Mo Jingshen understood the meaning of her words; his gaze became heavier. “You want to go now?”

Ji Nuan nodded. “The school is at T University. The professor in charge of T University’s business course is extremely well known. Locally, there are many famous corporate managers who were once his students. So, I’m looking forward to it…”

The little woman’s attitude when negotiating with him was soft. Accompanied by her tipsy state, her voice was even more gentle and sweet.

Mo Jingshen pinched her bright red face. “I’ll consider it. We’ll talk about it when you’re clear-minded tomorrow.”

Ji Nuan giggled. She suddenly reached out to embrace his neck. “All right…”

Mo Jingshen glanced at the streetlights outside the car and tugged her elbows away. He helped her to sit properly and began driving once more.

Before they arrived back at the Yu Garden, Ji Nuan fell asleep.

Mo Jingshen glanced at this woman who was previously negotiating terms with him but had already fallen asleep. The anger drove him into smiling.

He really could not let her touch even a drop of alcohol.

——

The car stopped on the Yu Garden’s parking stop.

Mo Jingshen got out first. He went around the car and opened the door to carry out the little woman dead to the world.

The parking spot was not well lit. The light only illuminated half of the man’s body, causing one to feel as though they were hallucinating.

Ji Nuan opened her eyes in a daze, stretching her hands out toward him. In his arms, she hugged his neck and buried her face in it.

Feeling that this woman was especially reliant on him tonight, Mo Jingshen’s brows moved slightly. He lowered his gaze to look at her. “What’s wrong? Not sleeping anymore?”