Falling into the Capital's Radiance - Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Tonight, Zhao Zonglan’s kisses seemed exceptionally patient.

His warm, large palms stroked her slender waist through the thin fabric of her nightgown. The intermittent, light touches sent numbing tingles through her that were almost enough to drive her mad.

Because of his height and his domineering posture, Shen Jingni was forced to tilt her head back. Her moist, red lips parted slightly as she endured his aggression.

A long, powerful finger pressed firmly against her waist.

Shen Jingni’s legs went weak.

She tried to push his hand away, but he only pressed harder, locking her firmly in his embrace. He was as hot as molten lava; even through their clothes, the heat was startling.

Zhao Zonglan carried her into the inner bedroom.

He unbuttoned his shirt with one hand, his eyes cast down, hiding his emotions. Only his searing kisses remained constant, moving from her lips to the side of her neck…

Shen Jingni had no room to escape.

Her eyes were misty and shimmering like rippling water. Each time she occasionally responded to him, it only earned her a deeper kiss.

“Zhao Zonglan, not without… that. We can’t.”

The last shred of her sanity forced a whimper from her throat.

Her hands pressed against his solid chest, her voice soft and sweet. There was a hint of pitiful stubbornness in the way she looked at him.

She was only twenty-two and not married; it wouldn’t be good if an “accident” happened. Moreover, her relationship with Zhao Zonglan was barely a partnership, lacking any emotional foundation. On matters of principle, she had to be clear.

Zhao Zonglan gazed at her for a few seconds, his dark pupils unreadable and obscure.

Suddenly, he lowered his head and bit her neck hard, as if venting his frustration.

“Shen Jingni,” he called out, his voice low and hoarse.

He began to torment her lips again with renewed intensity. Suppressed gasps escaped his throat, the veins on the back of his hands bulged, and even the corners of his eyes were flushed red.

“Are you trying to kill me?”

As the last word fell, Zhao Zonglan’s hand had already pinned her legs down.

She couldn’t move.

She only heard him say, “Don’t move. Be good.”

He sounded both fierce and full of desire.

***

It wasn’t until the middle of the night that Shen Jingni was finally released.

Zhao Zonglan had someone change the sheets, then carried her to the bathroom to bathe. She was half-asleep; though the tear tracks on her face hadn’t dried yet, she was too exhausted to care.

But Zhao Zonglan didn’t seem to want to let her fall asleep so easily.

He held her in his arms and nibbled on her earlobe, his breath scorching as he coaxed her to say what he wanted to hear.

For instance, the phrase: “Zhao Zonglan’s precious girlfriend.”

***

The next morning.

Song Yanting sent someone to request Zhao Zonglan’s presence, saying that guests from afar wanted to see him.

Seeing that his master had not yet risen, Chang An didn’t dare disturb him and could only wait at the door.

Shen Jingni hadn’t been sleeping well since dawn. Her stomach felt uncomfortable-a burning, aching sensation. She was awake now, leaning limply in Zhao Zonglan’s arms.

Her hand rested on the man’s well-defined abs. When her nails unconsciously grazed him, he immediately caught her hand.

“Behave.”

Zhao Zonglan’s voice carried the rasp of someone who had just woken up. His weary, lazy eyes slowly opened as he leaned down to kiss her lips.

They were soft and sweet.

It was a taste he couldn’t get enough of.

Shen Jingni felt unwell. After being entangled in his lingering kisses for a while, she turned her face away to dodge him.

“I want water.”

She ordered him about in a soft, delicate voice. Her beautiful eyes were misty and pitiful, making her look incredibly endearing.

Zhao Zonglan hadn’t intended to let her off, but considering he had indeed been a bit reckless last night-the little thing had cried for a long time under his bullying, and the skin on her legs was still red-he relented.

Fine, he had to get up anyway.

He might as well serve her some water.

Soon, Zhao Zonglan got out of bed, dressed, and went to the outer room.

Hearing movement inside, Chang An finally gathered the courage to knock and enter.

Seeing Zhao Zonglan about to reach for the kettle on the tea station, he hurried over. “Sir, let me do it.”

Zhao Zonglan’s expression was indifferent. He poured the water unhurriedly before lifting his gaze to look at him. “Speak.”

Chang An reported, “Young Master Song sent someone. He says Miss Yue Ling and Third Miss Rong have arrived, along with several local officials. He’s asking you to come over to discuss important matters.”

Important matters?

Zhao Zonglan could guess what they considered “important,” but he wasn’t very interested. He simply said, “Tell them to wait.”

After saying that, he turned back into the inner room with the glass of water.

Shen Jingni didn’t actually want to drink water that much; she just felt sick to her stomach and thought some warm water might help.

She took the cup from Zhao Zonglan and took two or three small, dainty sips before pushing his hand away. “I’m done.”

Zhao Zonglan’s handsome brows furrowed slightly.

She was the one who made a fuss about wanting water, yet she was also the one being difficult about drinking it.

Why was she so hard to please?

Shen Jingni saw that his hand holding the cup hadn’t moved and his expression looked a bit sour. Fearing she might make him angry, she lazily crawled up from the bed.

She wrapped her snow-white arms around the man’s neck and rubbed her cheek against the crook of his neck, her voice sweet and soft. “Zhao Zonglan, you’re so good to me.”

He really smelled wonderful.

And his abs felt good to touch.

Zhao Zonglan wrapped one arm around her waist before finally setting the cup down.

If she didn’t want to drink, then so be it; it wasn’t a big deal.

He kissed her cheek, his voice deep and husky. “Come with me to meet a few people, hmm?”

“No, I’m so sleepy,” Shen Jingni acted spoiled in his arms. “And my legs still hurt.”
She knew exactly how to handle him.

After last night, the skin on her legs was nearly raw. The redness likely wouldn’t fade for several days.

Zhao Zonglan didn’t say anything more.

He tucked her back into the covers and leaned over to kiss her for a long time before putting on his coat and heading out.

–

This wasn’t Zhao Yueling’s first time at the Hot Spring Villa.

She loved to have fun, so she naturally never missed out on a good place to enjoy herself. This time, she had even gone as far as bringing a ski instructor along.

While the group was waiting for Zhao Zonglan, she heard Xie Chengsui mention a certain Miss Shen. She was quite curious, but to her surprise, Zhao Zonglan hadn’t brought the woman with him.

Sixth Miss Zhao was instantly disappointed. “Fifth Brother, where is your Miss Shen?”

Zhao Zonglan raised a hand to decline a cigarette offered by an official, then glanced at her sideways. “Didn’t you go to London?”

“I’m not going there.”

Zhao Yueling curled her lip. “Let those two spend a happy, harmonious Christmas together as a couple.”

She didn’t actually share a deep bond with her father, who was far away in England. From childhood to adulthood, the number of times they had met was pitifully few. While her situation wasn’t exactly like Fifth Brother’s, she had certainly never felt any paternal love.

Zhao Zonglan didn’t care to say more.

Just as he sat down, Rong Zaiyi entered with her assistant.

She wore a light purple velvet qipao with pearl buttons at the collar and exquisite embroidery. Half an inch of white mink fur peeked from her cuffs. Her long hair was gathered into a low bun, and her face was lightly dusted with makeup; she truly looked like a refined lady stepped out of an ancient painting.

She was like a winter plum blossom-gentle yet resilient.

Many said that the third daughter of the Rong Family was not only well-born but also possessed a brilliant mind and extraordinary talent. Even in the business world, her performance was second to none.

Even the old matriarch of the Zhao Family had always been full of praise for her.

While waiting for Zhao Zonglan earlier, she had been working in the room next door.

Rong Zaiyi looked at Zhao Zonglan in the seat of honor, a gentle smile gracing her lips. Fearing he might overthink things, she casually mentioned, “I ran into Yue Ling at the foot of the mountain. I could hardly believe it when I saw her; it’s rare for her to be up this early.”

Zhao Zonglan loathed calculation and manipulation above all else, especially from those close to him.

Zhao Yueling was the same age as her, and since they usually got along well, they could joke around together.

Zhao Zonglan picked up the tea on the table and took a sip. He didn’t look up, nor did he speak.

Beside him, Xie Chengsui was only there to keep them company today. He took the cigarette out of his mouth and spoke in a lazy, nonchalant voice, “It’s not that she got up early; she probably pulled an all-nighter.”

Everyone knew Zhao Yueling loved to play-play with men, specifically-and having an irregular sleep schedule was a common occurrence for her.

The habitually indulgent Xie Chengsui was often the same way.

“Third Cousin truly understands me.” With that, Zhao Yueling let out a yawn. “I’m just a person of leisure, so I won’t stay here and disturb you all. I’m going for a stroll.”

Song Yanting found a maid to accompany her and lead the way.

Rong Zaiyi began discussing the new project with the officials.

It was a cultural tourism investment project spanning two provinces. There were policy subsidies, but the investment amount was massive, and they needed someone to take the lead.

Although the Rong Family was optimistic about it, Rong Zaiyi was cautious by nature and unwilling to shoulder the risk alone.

Jingyao Capital had the necessary strength.

To Zhao Zonglan, it was nothing more than a drop in the bucket.

Rong Zaiyi understood Zhao Zonglan well. He was incredibly picky, whether it came to business or people. Therefore, when she heard Xie Chengsui mention Miss Shen, she hadn’t taken it to heart.

How could he possibly take a genuine interest in someone so quickly?

Even she had spent a very, very long time just to manage to stand before him and discuss business.

But it was only that-standing before Zhao Zonglan, and nothing more.

Zhao Zonglan wasn’t particularly interested in the project. He simply smoked with a listless expression, only asking after a long silence, “What’s the initial investment?”

The official opposite him spoke up hurriedly, “Fifty billion. We have already jointly planned over a dozen world-class scenic spots. As long as the promotion is in place, we expect annual visitor traffic to exceed a hundred million. Current policies can even directly draw international traffic…”

Before he could finish, Zhao Zonglan’s private phone rang.

He offered a brief, cool apology and stood up to take the call.

The tea room fell silent instantly.

Shen Jingni’s soft, delicate voice came from the other end, carrying a hint of a sob.

“Zhao Zonglan, my stomach hurts.”

It was truly unbearable. In this unfamiliar villa, she could only turn to Zhao Zonglan for help; she wasn’t trying to disturb him on purpose.

Zhao Zonglan’s brow furrowed deeply, and his tone involuntarily softened. “I’ll have a doctor come over. Wait for me.”

Although Rong Zaiyi couldn’t hear what the person on the phone was saying, she had never seen Zhao Zonglan act with such tenderness. Her originally calm heart suddenly surged with panic.

Zhao Zonglan hung up and turned to Song Yanting. “She’s not feeling well. I’m going to check on her.”

Song Yanting nodded. “The villa only has Western doctors. I’ll have someone find a Chinese medicine practitioner as well. If you need anything else, just ask.”

“Mm.”

Zhao Zonglan took the coat Chang An handed him, looked at the crowd, and said with refined courtesy, “Excuse me,” before striding away.

Rong Zaiyi stared blankly at his retreating back.

Her fingertips trembled slightly, and she accidentally knocked over the teacup on the table. The dark brown tea spilled out, instantly soaking the project proposal in front of her. The black ink blurred and bled across the damp paper.

It was as if the entire grand blueprint of the project had been washed away by that single cup of tea.