CHAPTER 23: CHAPTER 23: OUT OF CONTROL

Gradually, Su Lingzhi realized she had talked too much with James.

She stopped, declined James’s invitation for afternoon tea, and parted ways with him at the entrance of the art gallery.

As she waited for a car on the street, a Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of her.

When she saw Housekeeper Zhao come out of the driver’s door, Su Lingzhi paused, glancing at the tightly closed rear window.

"Miss Su, are you going home?"

Su Lingzhi nodded.

Housekeeper Zhao smiled politely and opened the rear door for her, "Just in time, sir said to give you a ride back."

Just faintly seeing the hem of a white garment, Su Lingzhi’s mind couldn’t help but recall that ambiguous kiss from the other night.

So her feet felt like they were filled with lead, unable to move.

Su Lingzhi barely managed to control her racing heart and bent down to get into the car.

"Yin... Li." Still not used to calling him so intimately by name, but when she met his gaze, she panicked a little and calmly asked, "Why are you here too?"

"Just passing by."

Su Lingzhi withdrew her gaze and fastened her seatbelt.

Though he was wearing a white shirt today, it couldn’t suppress his aura.

In the enclosed space, the atmosphere was oddly silent.

Su Lingzhi tried to find a topic, "Have you been to the art gallery nearby?"

"Once."

"There’s a new exhibition there recently, I thought it was quite interesting."

... The air suddenly went silent.

Su Lingzhi’s expression froze, and she stopped talking.

Only now did she realize, it seemed like there was no common topic between them.

And at a certain point, a deep, unique voice sounded beside her, "What were you just talking about?"

Su Lingzhi immediately realized he was asking about her and James.

"That’s a friend I just met last night. I happened to run into him at the art gallery today, and he took me to see the Midsummer jewelry collection their brand is exhibiting, and then we talked about diamonds."

"You like diamonds?"

Su Lingzhi thought for a moment and said, "As long as it’s reasonable, practical, and has a sense of design, I like it."

"What would you call reasonable?"

He singled out the word "reasonable" to ask her, and she was suddenly stumped, not knowing how to answer.

So she simply rambled off, "It’s getting dark, going home sounds reasonable."

Fu Yinli tried to find the logic in her words but couldn’t.

Seeming to understand something, he paused for a moment, his gaze landing on her soft, beautiful profile, "Teasing me?"

Su Lingzhi turned her head to look outside the window. Where he couldn’t see, her lips curled into a faint smile.

By the time she returned to the apartment, it was near dusk.

Standing in front of the balcony, Su Lingzhi watched his car drive away.

The sunset met the blue sky, painting the horizon with a gradient of clear color, making the air feel a bit more romantic.

Even though they didn’t have much in common, it didn’t stop her from liking him.

...

The next morning, Su Lingzhi was woken by a phone call.

"Miss Su, sir said there’s an issue with the suit."

It was Housekeeper Zhao’s voice.

Su Lingzhi, with sleepy eyes, softly asked, "What doesn’t fit?"

After a moment of contemplation, Housekeeper Zhao said, "Perhaps you should come and take a look yourself."

"Now?"

"Sir went out and will be back in the afternoon. Is 6 pm a suitable time for you?"

Bundled up in her quilt, Su Lingzhi, without thinking, said, "That’s fine."

"Then I’ll come to pick you up at that time."

"No need. I’ll make my way there myself."

After hanging up, Su Lingzhi glanced at the time, closed her eyes, and went back to sleep, only getting up at nine.

With the submission of her design draft, her schedule had become a bit more relaxed, so this weekend she was free from work obligations.

She spent a day shopping with Zhuang Xiaoxi, and after returning to the apartment and putting away her things, she immediately headed out again to Fu Yinli’s place.

Due to traffic, she was ten minutes late.

After explaining herself, she followed Housekeeper Zhao across the lawn and into the house, and eventually arrived on the third floor.

Housekeeper Zhao stopped at the door, "Sir is waiting for you inside."

Su Lingzhi gave Housekeeper Zhao a puzzled look, inexplicably starting to feel nervous.

As soon as she entered, the door was closed from the outside.

Warm crystal lighting illuminated the room, with several oil paintings on the walls giving it a vintage flair.

The room displayed various musical instruments, all polished spotless, and the man leaned against the grand black piano, dressed in the very shirt and trousers she had designed, exuding an elegant, noble demeanor.

"You’re here." Fu Yinli looked at her.

She slowly walked towards him, stopping an arm’s length away, and directly asked, "I heard, the suit has an issue."

"Yes." A deep voice came from him, he said, "It’s not perfect."

"Where?" Su Lingzhi’s gaze scanned him from head to toe and finally settled on his open collarbone.

"I want to wear it to dance with you."

Su Lingzhi, stunned, met his gaze again, her heart now out of rhythm, seeming to break the silence in the room.

"May I?" Fu Yinli asked.

"I..." Su Lingzhi gathered her courage and nodded, "Sure."

Fu Yinli’s lips curved slightly as he walked to the gramophone and played a romantic Viennese waltz.

Upon hearing the intro, Su Lingzhi’s expression changed slightly.

This was the song used at the graduation ball of Jing University. The whole class had learned it, but unfortunately, she hadn’t participated due to other commitments.

The gentlemanly hand extended, interrupting her thoughts.

Su Lingzhi accepted his invitation, placing her hand on his shoulder and following his lead in dance.

"Why this piece?" Su Lingzhi asked.

"I know you can."

"How do you know..." Su Lingzhi’s words were cut off as he led her into a spin at a rhythmic beat.

"Focus." A low, gentle voice sounded in her ear.

Su Lingzhi met his eyes.

The depths of the man’s pupils were filled with tenderness, a cool aura encompassing her within his domain, every motion of his awash with safety.

As the music played, her body gradually relaxed.

Even though they had held hands, he had embraced her, even kissed her, those events had all unfolded unexpectedly, unlike today’s intentional, yet perfectly rational physical engagement.

During the chorus, she released her hand, tilting her head back, entrusting all her weight to him.

Her slightly curled long hair made a circle in the air as he twirled her around in a lift.

Upon landing back and clinging to his shoulders, Su Lingzhi gazed at him, love streaming from her eyes.

The past stories about him, and the advice from Xiaoxi, all the concerns vanished into thin air.

Her right hand resting on his solid chest, she suddenly stood on tiptoe, leaning in to kiss his lips.