CHAPTER 276: 275"CAN’T SLEEP, COME BACK"_1

Zhou Luchen truly had a temper. She didn’t return, and he, being the proud and conceited person he was, didn’t come looking for her.

Zhuang Ming muttered quietly, "It’s a good thing you have money, otherwise you’d starve to death here." Shen Jing, however, sat working in the living room without saying a word.

It wasn’t until late on the fourth night that Shen Jing received a message from Zhou Luchen.

"Had enough fun? Calmed down enough now?"

Shen Jing typed a line and then quickly deleted it, pretending she hadn’t seen the message.

Zhou Luchen texted again, "You think I can’t see you’re typing?"

Like a little mouse caught by its tail, Shen Jing chuckled and put down her phone, then went to find a hairdryer.

Another message came from Zhou Luchen: "Are you blind, Shen Jing?"

He sent only those three messages, and no more. Zhou Luchen never pushed things beyond three attempts.

Young Master Zhou was angry. Shen Jing didn’t dare touch her phone, afraid he’d see she was typing again. She ran her fingers through her hair.

Zhuang Ming had mentioned the day before, "The sixth branch of the Zhou family has voluntarily sided with the Second Young Master. Whether you’re with him or not won’t affect them."

Voluntarily? As if there were so much free will. It was nothing more than choosing a sturdy tree on which to perch. To hold power was also to control hearts; that was Zhou Luchen for you.

Shen Jing merely responded with an "Oh," while Zhuang Ming naturally elaborated further.

She knew about the affairs of the Zhou family’s sixth branch. Zhou Luchen had recently been busy consolidating power within the Zhou family in Xiangshan. He was taking them one by one into a "little black room" for discussions. Most of them had previously worked with Zhou Zhengliang. After Zhou Luchen had them removed from United Bank, their loyalties still leaned towards Zhou Zhengliang. Fence-sitters who swayed with the wind needed to be dealt with decisively. Only when they were all of one mind could the family be considered harmonious. One ancestral hall, one ancestor; there was no room for two masters, not even between a biological father and son. Even if Zhou Zhengliang wanted to counter his only son, he couldn’t make the slightest impact.

Yes, for someone as distinguished as the Second Young Master of the Zhou family, these things weren’t difficult. With his shrewdness and skill at manipulating people, it was all too easy for him. No matter how much of a dissolute young master he appeared to be, when he handled serious matters, he aimed for nothing less than foolproof certainty and stability. He could always handle official business well, controlling the situation with an overwhelming advantage.

But Shen Jing herself wasn’t clear on what exactly she was angry about. She truly hadn’t figured out how to face him, or how to face this relationship that seemed destined for an unhappy ending.

For Shen Jing, Zhou Luchen’s romantic history was far from perfect. But that was just him; what could she do? He was good in so many ways, yet his philandering side would still flirt with other women. Then he’d turn around and coax her, deeply and obsessively claiming he only wanted her. The good came with the bad. Where could she ever hope for perfection? In the end, wasn’t he the man she had chosen in the first place?

After drying her hair, Shen Jing picked up her phone and typed, "Not sleeping? Are you trying to kill yourself?"

Half a minute later, Zhou Luchen replied, "Can’t sleep. Come back."

His tone was imperious. Shen Jing typed, "I’m busy tomorrow. I have meetings with several brokers. I’ll come back when I’m done."

Actually, Zhou Luchen never interfered with her work; on the contrary, he supported her in every way. For instance, if she needed to cross a river, Zhou Luchen would build a bridge. If she needed to cross a sea, Zhou Luchen would have a ship delivered to her. As for how to proceed, that was entirely up to her own capabilities. If she couldn’t manage, she might cry a little at most, and Zhou Luchen would once again arrange everything securely for her.

After a long wait, Zhou Luchen didn’t reply. Shen Jing could vividly imagine him at that moment: leaning against the headboard, smoking in frustration, his chest bare, covered by a white goose-down quilt.

But that wasn’t the case at all. Zhou Luchen was at a society dinner, attending to social obligations. Everyone else present was impeccably dressed in suits and ties. Only the president of United Bank had arrived in a slightly thin shirt, seemingly unprepared, yet he remained the magnate whom all the capitalists in the room vied to flatter. He wore no smile, merely leaning against a railing, watching tigers fight bloodily in an arena below.

Mr. Blaire stood beside him. "Are you ill? Your lips are quite red."

Zhou Luchen tossed some food to the tigers in the pit and continued to watch the two beasts tear at each other. "No."

There was no smell of alcohol on Zhou Luchen; he hadn’t touched a drink since he arrived.

Mr. Blaire said earnestly, "Take care of your health. You always get home so late."

Zhou Luchen didn’t respond, his attention fixed on which tiger would win.

Sometimes, Zhou Luchen’s silent, unreadable demeanor was particularly awe-inspiring, making people keep a respectful distance. Mr. Blaire knew this wasn’t the time to disturb his quiet. After a careful farewell, he took his champagne glass and returned to the main hall.

At the society event, items were being auctioned for charity. Zhou Luchen asked his proxy bidder, "What’s available?"

Proxy Bidder Number 20 replied, "Jewelry, jade artifacts, personal effects of the late British Queen, and an inconspicuous bear figurine, starting at only 200,000."

Seeing nothing Shen Jing would like, Zhou Luchen lost all interest in what was being auctioned.

Mr. Blaire, however, was generous. He bought two emerald rings for his wife and even put them on her fingers himself. When the sizes weren’t right, he had someone take them to be adjusted.

His wife sighed a little. "We’re such an old married couple, and you’re still giving me rings."

Mr. Blaire indulged her, "Money’s no object. I’ve always felt the ring I bought when I married you wasn’t big enough."

Every word reached Zhou Luchen’s ears. Suddenly, he remembered a night when Shen Jing had driven to the entrance of the traditional courtyard residence, called him to say thank you, and then asked a final question.

’Zhou Luchen, do you ever think about... about marrying me?’

After that, Shen Jing had become a different person, acting particularly indifferent.

In the hunting arena, the fight between the tigers had concluded. Both were severely injured. What a tasteless game someone had devised.

Zhou Luchen got his car keys from the doorman and drove away from the banquet.

That night, at the auction, an exquisitely carved Pink Crystal Bear was bought at a high price by Proxy Bidder Number 20. The transaction was private. Proxy Bidder Number 20 was known for driving up prices at major high-end auctions, and no one knew the identity of the mysterious buyer, who had never appeared in person. Some even speculated that the person behind Proxy Bidder Number 20 buying the bear at such a high price must have intended it as a gift for their daughter.

「The Pink Crystal Bear was delivered overnight to Beverly Manor.」

Shen Jing knew without even needing to open the large box that it was another of the United Bank president’s ’tricks’ for spoiling a girl: spending lavishly.

Staff members opened the box and inspected the bear to ensure it hadn’t been damaged during transit.

And so, the Pink Crystal Bear was presented before Shen Jing.

How on earth did Zhou Luchen know she harbored such an overflowing, girlish heart? And a Pink Crystal Bear at that—exceptionally large and so beautiful it perfectly struck her fancy.

"Put it in the living room," she instructed.

After the staff had positioned it and left Beverly, it seemed to confirm the rumors: the mysterious buyer had indeed bought it for his daughter. And his daughter was quite the cherished treasure, delicately perched at the top of the stairs, admiring it.

「Later」

Zhou Luchen began returning to the manor later and later; sometimes, he wouldn’t come back at all. When Shen Jing wasn’t there, he consistently kept the air conditioning at a frigid 17 degrees Celsius.

After he sent Shen Jing the Pink Crystal Bear, she started using more and more emoticons in their chats. Zhou Luchen genuinely couldn’t understand what they meant; to him, they just looked like she was trying to be cute.

She was always keeping him hanging. Zhou Luchen felt somewhat weary and typed, "Does it cost money to send text messages?"

Finally, Shen Jing made a video call. She was sitting in a coffee shop, a rare sight in her professional attire, discussing a collaboration with some brokers.

"Zhou Luchen, I wasn’t lying, see? I really am working."

Just as Zhou Luchen was about to speak, he pressed his lips together tightly. Unable to suppress an itch in his chest, he couldn’t help but cough a couple of times.

Shen Jing was about to end the call when she noticed his lips. They were too vividly red against his handsome face. As they parted and closed, they looked extraordinarily sensual, yet the color was unnaturally deep.

"Why are your lips so strikingly red? Have you been drinking during the day?"

Zhou Luchen replied in a low voice, "Haven’t had anything. I’m in a meeting."

Only then did Shen Jing realize he was in a conference room and had paused the meeting to take her video call.