Falling into the Capital's Radiance - Chapter 39

Chapter 39

It was near the end of the month, with only two days left until New Year’s Day.

Shen Jingni had prepared New Year’s red envelopes and small gifts for all her employees.

Xu Ningwan was a native of Jingshi. Her father, Shen Jingni’s maternal grandfather, had been born a farmer. After he passed away, he chose to return to his roots and was buried in the countryside.

January 2nd was the anniversary of his death.

Every year, the Shen Family would go to sweep his grave and pay their respects.

To clear her schedule, Shen Jingni had been quite busy these past two days.

Zhao Zonglan was busy as well.

He had flown to Germany and only returned this afternoon.

As she was getting ready to leave work in the evening, Chu You rushed into the office in a panic. “Boss, look at this video on Douyin. I just forwarded it to you.”

Shen Jingni clicked the link.

The account name was Luo Xi.

The video featured several young, beautiful women wearing New Chinese-style qipaos, showcasing them one by one for the camera while a voiceover provided commentary.

“This time, we used modified New Chinese-style qipaos made from Suzhou’s intangible cultural heritage, handmade Song Brocade. The texture is soft, and the patterns are exquisite and elegant. The luster of these silk threads perfectly displays the texture of the silk-luxurious without being gaudy…”

Shen Jingni was stunned.

Because this Song Brocade appeared to be the exact batch she had been looking for; the colors and patterns were identical to those in the original auction catalog.

She clicked on the comment section, where someone was questioning the authenticity of the fabric.

[Where can you even buy this much genuine handmade Song Brocade nowadays? It’s an intangible cultural heritage and extremely rare. Did the blogger manage to invite a heritage successor? Stop trying to fool people who don’t know any better.]

Someone retorted: [I don’t know about others, but Luo Xi really does have that kind of influence. Her surname is Zhao, after all. Is there anything a member of the Zhao Family can’t get done?]

Zhao Luoxi.

In other words, the batch of Song Brocade that Zhao Siyuan had bought was given to Zhao Luoxi.

Zhao Luoxi was the National Style Ambassador and a scion of the Zhao Family…

Chu You stood by her side, anxious. “Boss, is this the batch of Song Brocade we wanted? If it is, what do we do? We have to deliver the goods after the New Year.”

Shen Jingni didn’t know what to do either.

Zhao Zonglan clearly knew how much she wanted that Song Brocade.

Even if he didn’t want to take away something his junior loved, he should have at least told her.

And here she was, foolishly waiting for him to help her get the Song Brocade back.

Shen Jingni felt incredibly frustrated.

As a little princess who had grown up in a bed of roses, she wasn’t good at suppressing her emotions.

She always spoke her mind; she laughed when she was happy and threw a fit when she was angry, and there was always someone there to coax her.

Moreover, the source of her frustration wasn’t just the Song Brocade.

The Song Brocade was, at most, the fuse between them.

Shen Jingni drove to Zijing Sandalwood Court.

When Chang An saw her, he informed her warmly, “Miss Shen, Sir is currently in a meeting in the study. It won’t be over for another half hour.”

“Mhm, I’ll wait for him in the bedroom.”

She dropped those words and headed upstairs with a cold face.

Having been by Zhao Zonglan’s side for a long time, Chang An possessed a keen sense of observation. Accustomed to reading people’s expressions, he could tell that Miss Shen was very angry right now.

The reason Shen Jingni didn’t wait for him in the living room was that she was afraid it would look bad if they started arguing later. After all, no one wanted others to see them throwing a tantrum during a fight.

But she really didn’t like Zhao Zonglan’s bedroom.

It was large and spacious, but it was all decorated in cool tones, just like the man himself.

In the outer room of the bedroom stood a tall, solid wood storage cabinet with glass doors. A few books were scattered inside, and the Christmas crystal ball she had given him was placed on the middle shelf.

It seemed this storage cabinet hadn’t been here the last time she came.
Zijing Sandalwood Court was so large that there was no need to deliberately place a cabinet in the bedroom. If one really wanted to store things, a storage room next door would suffice.

Shen Jingni was in no mood to worry about such things now.

She even found that crystal ball an eyesore.

When Zhao Zonglan entered, he saw her staring blankly at the storage cabinet.

Hearing the door open, she turned her head, but the look in her eyes was fierce.

Shen Jingni walked up to him, tilting her chin up to question him. “Zhao Zonglan, why didn’t you tell me that the batch of Song Brocade had already been cut and made into clothes?”

“Is it that hard to say a single word to me?”

Chang An had mentioned earlier that she seemed angry, so Zhao Zonglan had ended his meeting early to come over.

But he hadn’t expected it to be because of this.

His tone was flat, his gaze calm. “Since I promised, I will give it to you, but it still needs some time.”

The weaving process for the intangible cultural heritage Song Brocade is complex and requires a long-term investment of time.

“I don’t want it.”

This was the first time Shen Jingni had ever spoken to him with such backbone.

She spoke with conviction, her attitude resolute. “I won’t trouble Mr. Zhao regarding the Song Brocade anymore. I can afford the liquidated damages.”

Zhao Zonglan felt the girl was being quite unreasonable.

He had clearly agreed to help her resolve the issue, yet she was still throwing such a tantrum.

She was deliberately trying to provoke him.

And yet, he found his emotions stirred by just a few words from her.

Zhao Zonglan pulled her into his arms, his eyes darkening slightly. “Tell me, what kind of temper are you throwing now?”

“Now?”

Shen Jingni was about to explode with rage.

The frustration she had suppressed in her heart for the past few days erupted completely.

Fearless, she looked at him resentfully. “Is that all I am in your eyes? An unreasonable, money-grubbing, lustful brat?”

“Fine, I’m immature and senseless.”

“So, Mr. Zhao, your so-called ‘girlfriend’ candidate should be a gentle, considerate, and understanding lady from a prestigious family-not me.”

This inexplicable, messy relationship should have ended long ago.

Zhao Zonglan’s expression grew increasingly grim, and the grip on her shoulders suddenly tightened. “Shen Jingni, don’t say things like that to anger me.”

“Why not?”

Enduring the pain, she glared at him with reddened eyes. “Are you the only one allowed to get angry, snap at me, and bite me whenever you feel like it?”

“Zhao Zonglan, you’re really detestable sometimes.”

Detestable, was he?

The fury in the depths of Zhao Zonglan’s eyes intensified. The pressure radiating from him was terrifyingly low, and the veins on the hand holding her bulged from restraint; he didn’t want to hurt her.

He could only pin her tightly in his arms, lower his head, and ruthlessly kiss that infuriating little mouth.

Shen Jingni struggled in his embrace. “Let go of me, mmm…”

In her anger, she bit him.

A metallic taste spread through his mouth. He only knit his brows, the corners of his eyes flushed crimson, as he pressed her against the cold wall and kissed her even harder.

Her tongue and lips felt numb and painful.

Tears began to fall uncontrollably again.

Unlike before, this time Shen Jingni stubbornly remained silent.

Zhao Zonglan couldn’t stand to see her cry.

He regained a shred of sanity. A bead of bright red blood seeped from the lip she had bitten, and he cruelly tasted it, his voice raspy and dangerous. “Little brat, sweet?”

Shen Jingni turned her face away, refusing to look at him, her tone cold. “If you’re going to do it, hurry up. I need to go home.”

With the corners of his eyes bloodshot and his face clouded with gloom, Zhao Zonglan stared down at her, his gaze burning and obsessive.

After a long silence, he finally let go and turned to leave.

Otherwise, he really wouldn’t be able to stop himself.

He might really lose control and kill this disobedient little brat.