pjbooks Chapter 26 I couldn't resist!
Chapter 26 I couldn't resist!
Chapter 26 I couldn't resist!
The two looked at each other and smiled, then drank it all in one gulp.
Dinner was sumptuous. Foie gras, black truffle soup, lobster pasta, and Wellington steak—each dish was exquisite and impeccably delicious.
The two ate and chatted, talking about projects, life, and their past.
Shen Jiayi said she majored in marketing in college, worked at Google for three years after graduation, and then started her own business. The company grew from three people to more than thirty, and its annual revenue increased from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions.
"Sounds smooth sailing, right?" she said with a smile. "Actually, we almost went bankrupt several times. At the worst point, the company account only had eight thousand dollars left, not even enough to pay next month's salaries. I hid in the office and cried all night, then wiped away my tears and went to see clients the next day."
"And then?"
"Later, that client signed the contract and prepaid 300,000 yuan." Shen Jiayi raised her glass. "From then on, I knew that crying wouldn't solve anything. Only by moving forward could I survive."
Chen Mo looked at her, feeling a strange mix of emotions.
This woman was stronger, but also more vulnerable, than he had imagined. Her strength came from enduring so much hardship, and so did her vulnerability.
"And you?" Shen Jiayi looked at him. "You're twenty-five, drive a Porsche, live in a luxury riverside mansion, and can casually pull out ten million to invest. Where did you get your money?"
Chen Mo was silent for a moment, then said, "If you ask me where I got the money, I can't give you a specific answer. But if you ask me why I want to make money, I can tell you."
Why?
"Because I've been poor." Chen Mo's voice was calm, but every word was like a nail driven into the air. "Because I've been looked down upon for being poor. Because I've been told that I can't see a future with you."
Shen Jiayi's expression changed. She put down her wine glass and looked at him intently.
"Your girlfriend?"
"Ex-girlfriend," Chen Mo corrected, "the one who just had appendicitis surgery yesterday and is lying in the hospital."
"You went to take care of her?"
"Um."
"You still like her?"
Chen Mo was silent for a few seconds: "I don't know. But I know we can't go back."
Shen Jiayi nodded and didn't ask any further questions.
She's a smart woman; she knows when to ask questions and when not to.
Halfway through dinner, Shen Jiayi suddenly took off her high heels. The movement was very light; with a flick of her toe, the black stiletto landed silently on the carpet. She didn't seem to think anything of it, continuing to raise her glass to Chen Mo and chat about the details of Fashion Week.
But Chen Mo's gaze had already been drawn to the pair of legs under the table.
The hem of the black velvet skirt swayed gently at mid-thigh, below which were a pair of straight, long legs encased in black stockings. The stockings were of excellent quality, not cheap and shiny, but matte and delicate, clinging to her legs like a second skin, gleaming faintly in the candlelight.
Her legs were exceptionally shapely. Her thighs were full and rounded, her calves slender and long, and her kneecaps were small and delicate. The lines from her thighs to her calves flowed smoothly, like the body of a cello. Her ankles were astonishingly slender, and the beautiful arch of her feet extended all the way to her toes.
She had one foot on the carpet, but the other foot was swinging restlessly, her toe occasionally tapping Chen Mo's calf.
At first, Chen Mo thought it was an accident.
The second time, he was certain it was intentional.
He looked up at Shen Jiayi.
Shen Jiayi was holding a wine glass, her gaze drifting to the river view outside the window, her expression indifferent as if nothing had happened. But there was a very subtle curve at the corner of her mouth, as if she were secretly smiling, or as if she were expecting something.
Chen Mo did not dodge.
He didn't say anything.
He simply moved his chair forward half an inch, making it easier for Shen Jiayi's toes to touch him. Then he picked up his wine glass, took a slow sip, and gazed at the river outside the window, his expression even more indifferent than Shen Jiayi's.
The two maintained a delicate balance. On the surface, they were discussing the guest list and media placement plans for Fashion Week, but under the table, Shen Jiayi's feet had gone from lightly touching to almost imperceptible rubbing.
Her toes slowly moved up his calf, paused at his knee for a moment, and then slid inward.
Chen Mo's breathing quickened.
He put down his wine glass and looked at Shen Jiayi.
Shen Jiayi was also looking at him.
Their eyes met in the candlelight, like two electric currents colliding in the air, producing a silent crackling sound.
"President Shen," Chen Mo's voice was a few decibels lower than usual, "Are you testing my limits?"
"Call me Jiayi." Shen Jiayi's voice was languid and husky, like a cat's paw gently gliding across silk. "Besides, I'm not testing your limits. I'm testing my charm."
"What were the test results?"
Shen Jiayi did not answer.
She simply pulled her foot back, put her heels back on, stood up, and picked up her handbag.
"I'm going to the restroom," she said, gently brushing her fingers across Chen Mo's shoulder as she passed by. "Wait for me."
Chen Mo sat in the chair, watching her walk towards the restroom. The black velvet dress hugged her body, highlighting her slender waist and rounded hips. Her gait was graceful and elegant, each step resonating with his heartbeat.
He picked up his glass and drank it all in one gulp.
Then he took out his phone and sent Lin Shiyu a message: "I won't be going home tonight. I have something to take care of."
After sending the message, Lin Shiyu replied instantly: "Okay. Be careful."
There were only four words, but Chen Mo could feel the disappointment on the other side of the screen.
He didn't reply, put his phone on silent, and put it in his pocket.
Five minutes later, Shen Jiayi returned.
She sat down opposite him, but only for a moment before standing up, walking over to Chen Mo, and sitting down next to him.
The distance between the two people, which was once the width of a table, has become less than ten centimeters.
She could smell his faint perfume, and he could smell the scent of her shampoo. Their arms were almost touching, and with each breath they could feel the warmth of each other's bodies.
"Chen Mo," Shen Jiayi turned to look at him, "do you know that you've been flirting with me all night?"
"Me?" Chen Mo raised an eyebrow. "You were the one who kicked me first."
Shen Jiayi laughed, a wide laugh, and the two crow's feet at the corners of her eyes reappeared, giving her an indescribable charm in the candlelight.
"Yes, I started it with my foot," she admitted frankly. "Because I couldn't help myself."
"Can't help what?"
"I can't help but want to get closer to you." Her voice lowered, her eyes becoming soft and dreamy. "From the first moment I saw you at the bar last night, I felt you were different. Later, when I saw you again at the banquet, you had changed your clothes, and your whole demeanor had changed, like a piece of polished jade, warm and dazzling."
Her fingers gently landed on the back of Chen Mo's hand, her fingertips slightly cool and damp.
"When I first saw you today, my heart skipped a beat," she continued, her voice growing softer. "Chen Mo, it's been a long time since my heart has raced for a man. I thought I was past that age, but you've shown me I haven't."