Falling into the Capital's Radiance - Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Shen Jingni was having the time of her life tonight, snapping photos as she watched the display.

About ten minutes later, the drones shifted their formation again, spelling out “Merry Christmas.”

Finally, they dissolved into a sky full of shimmering gold, ushering in a magnificent, grand fireworks show.

Having had her fill of the spectacle, Shen Jingni finally started eating her porridge at Wen Shuyi’s reminder.

“Sister Wen, your Mr. Song is truly generous. I can’t believe he brought in so many drones.”

Deploying over ten thousand drones wasn’t something just anyone could do. The difficulty of controlling them was immense; even with money, it wasn’t a guaranteed feat.

It was clear that Song Yanting was an excellent host.

This trip was definitely worth it.

Wen Shuyi rested her chin on one hand and furrowed her brows. “Yanting didn’t arrange this.”

“Huh?”

Wen Shuyi looked at her and said, emphasizing every word, “It was Mr. Zhao.”

Shen Jingni’s hand, holding a white porcelain spoon, suddenly froze. Then, as if realizing something, a beautiful curve formed at the corners of her mouth.

She suddenly felt that the porridge Wen Shuyi had made was indeed very soothing for the stomach.

A wave of warmth spread through her entire chest along with it.

After eleven o’clock, Song Yanting arranged for people to hand out small Christmas gifts to everyone.

The ladies’ gifts were mostly high-end skincare products or jewelry, varying from person to person, but everyone received a piece of gold engraved with “Merry Christmas.”

The men’s gifts were more straightforward: a limited-edition S.T. Dupont lighter-a collector’s item that was priceless and nearly impossible to find on the market.

Chu You felt that this trip had been incredibly worthwhile.

She touched the gold and sighed, “This gift is worth several months of my salary. Boss, if there’s ever another good thing like this in the future, you have to think of me first.”

She hoped her boss would become filthy rich and not forget her.

Shen Jingni laughed and scolded her for being so easily impressed. “This is just the beginning.”

“Just wait, this young lady will take you to the pinnacle of life.”

She had grand ambitions, and now that she had Zhao Zonglan backing her up, she spoke with much more confidence.

According to custom, one should eat apples on Christmas Eve.

It symbolized safety and peace for the coming year.

The servants sliced the apples, arranged them on platters, and brought them out.

Shen Jingni ate a piece. Seeing that it was getting late, she looked around, instinctively searching for Zhao Zonglan.

Tang Shu had been in online meetings all day and had only just found the time to come over.

A problem had arisen with the shipping routes in the Netherlands, and he couldn’t resolve it on his own, so he had come to seek Zhao Zonglan’s guidance and help.

International matters were incredibly complex, and he didn’t have much experience in this area, making it a massive headache to handle.

When he arrived, he happened to see the female companion beside Xie Chengsui feeding him an apple.

The two were flirting shamelessly. Although he was used to seeing such things, at this moment, on a holiday like this, Tang Shu still felt personally offended.

After all, he was a single dog.

Zhao Zonglan was standing by the railing smoking. His broad back was partially hidden in the darkness, and the cherry of his cigarette glowed faintly.

“Fifth Brother.”

Tang Shu called out, his tone a bit heavy.

Only then did Zhao Zonglan turn around, his eyes calm as he looked at him. “Is it very troublesome?”

“Yeah.”

Tang Shu lit a cigarette for himself. “Several cargo ships are detained at the Port of Rotterdam. The customs found that the invoice codes don’t match the actual goods. It was negligence by the people below. After an investigation, it turns out the freight forwarder is at fault.”

“The demurrage and storage fees aren’t the problem-that’s just throwing money at it. But the important thing is that this incident will affect the Tang Family’s reputation in the European market. The loss from that would be far more than just a little bit.”

Zhao Zonglan flicked the ash with his finger, his expression cold and aloof. “If you want to work the European line, this is an inevitable problem. It’s also a warning from the other side.”
“If you want to gain a foothold in Western Europe, you have to change your strategy…”

Tang Shu had full confidence in Zhao Zonglan, so he listened intently to his advice.

Meanwhile, Shen Jingni checked the time. It was almost midnight. She figured she should head over to find Zhao Zonglan and remind him to eat some apple.

Otherwise, Christmas Eve would be over.

A man like him certainly wouldn’t believe in such superstitions.

But as the saying goes, it’s better to believe just in case; one should always maintain a sense of reverence. Considering Zhao Zonglan had mobilized so many drones for her, she felt she had to urge him along.

Having found a solution to his problem from Zhao Zonglan, Tang Shu glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late. I need to get back and keep handling this. Thanks, Fifth Brother.”

Zhao Zonglan nodded.

Just as Tang Shu was about to leave, he saw Shen Jingni jogging over. She was holding a small white porcelain plate with several slices of apple on it.

“Sister-in-law,” he greeted her.

Shen Jingni gave him a smile. “Are you two finished talking?”

“We’re done. Please, go ahead, Sister-in-law.”

Tang Shu felt he was likely intruding on Fifth Brother and his wife’s private time. Back in college, young couples loved celebrating these kinds of holidays.

He suddenly felt a twinge of guilt.

“Oh, okay,” Shen Jingni replied. She hurried over to Zhao Zonglan, holding a piece of apple in one hand and lifting it to his lips. “Eat some apple.”

Tang Shu froze for a second upon hearing this, then quickly hurried his pace to leave.

The stench of romance was in the air.

*Ugh, stop killing the single dogs! Can someone please do something about this?*

To think he had actually felt guilty a moment ago.

Zhao Zonglan looked at her with a deep, dark gaze, but didn’t move.

Shen Jingni urged him again, “Hurry up, Christmas Eve is almost over.”

“Open up, open up. Say ‘ah’~”

She seemed genuinely anxious, her brow furrowed tight. She even made a demonstration movement to signal him to open his mouth, much like she was coaxing Tangtang to eat.

She looked both ridiculous and adorable.

Zhao Zonglan didn’t believe in these things. Gods, Buddhas, or the Lord-they were nothing more than ethereal concepts used by believers to soothe their souls. If there really were a Santa Claus or a God in this world, there wouldn’t be so many miserable people.

The little creature in front of him was simple-minded to the point of being silly, getting so worked up just to make him eat a piece of apple.

Yet, this silly appearance was also quite lovely. Especially her eyes-bright and dazzling like stars fallen to earth, silently drawing him in.

Zhao Zonglan lowered his eyes to stare at her slender fingers and the piece of fruit at her fingertips. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, his gaze unreadable.

After a moment, he slowly leaned down and took the apple into his mouth. His thin lips brushed against her fair fingers, leaving a tingle of wet heat in their wake.

“Is it sweet?” Shen Jingni’s fingertips trembled slightly as she watched him expectantly, like a child waiting to be praised. “I picked it out specifically for you.”

Zhao Zonglan didn’t say a word.

Instead, his large hand clamped around her waist, pulling her tightly into his embrace. His lips descended aggressively, capturing hers.

Shen Jingni lost her grip on the plate, and it hit the ground with a loud *clatter*.

Under the dim light, the man’s tall frame completely enveloped her slender body. Their shadows overlapped on the ground. In the quiet air, the only sounds were the soft friction of their lips and teeth and the girl’s uncontrollable whimpers.

“Mmph… Zhao Zonglan, be gentle… don’t bite.”

He forcefully pried her teeth apart, his tongue-carrying the sweet scent of apple-tangling with hers in a reckless invasion. He suddenly exerted more pressure.

Shen Jingni let out a soft moan as her tongue stung from the intensity. His kiss was fierce and full of desire; his abdominal muscles were taut, and his burning breath felt as if it would melt her.

He was answering her question with his actions.

This was the first time in nearly thirty years that Zhao Zonglan had eaten an apple on Christmas Eve.

Was it sweet?

The answer was a resounding yes.