Falling into the Capital's Radiance - Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Shen Jingni had finished her porridge in the car, and as her stomach gradually warmed up, her discomfort began to fade.

Zhao Zonglan’s embrace was incredibly comfortable. By the time they arrived at Zijing Sandalwood Court, she was already dazed and on the verge of falling asleep.

Feeling lazy and unwilling to walk, she acted spoiled and nestled into his arms, letting him carry her into the bedroom.

As soon as they entered his bedroom, Shen Jingni remembered the crystal ball.

She felt a pang of guilt.

However, Zhao Zonglan maintained his usual cool and distant demeanor, and he hadn’t mentioned it once on the way back.

He probably didn’t care.

“Take a shower and go to bed first. I have some work to handle.”

Zhao Zonglan had an international online meeting to attend. It wasn’t particularly critical, but there were some disagreements between the group’s European president and the CFO that required his personal presence to make a final decision.

“Oh, okay.”

Still groggy with sleep, Shen Jingni nodded obediently.

Her voice was soft and sweet, her eyes hazy, and a faint pink flush dusted her cheeks. She looked incredibly well-behaved and soft.

Suddenly, Zhao Zonglan didn’t want to leave.

She was too adorable.

He wanted her.

On a sudden impulse, he pulled her back into his arms. He captured those moist lips, prying her teeth apart to kiss her deeply, alternating between soft sucks and gentle bites.

The heating in the room was high.

Shen Jingni was only wearing a light blue dress and white plush slippers on her bare feet. She wasn’t wearing socks, but she didn’t feel cold at all.

In fact, she felt a little hot.

Her cheeks burned from the heat of Zhao Zonglan’s breath.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, pressing her tightly against him. His grip was so heavy it felt as if he wanted to rub her into his very blood and bones.

After kissing her for a long time, as if finally quenching a thirst, he pressed against her lips and coaxed, “Accompany me during the meeting, okay?”

Without waiting for a response, he picked her up and walked toward the study.

Shen Jingni’s body was incredibly soft. Her slippers slipped off her feet and landed with a quiet thud on the carpet.

Zhao Zonglan didn’t turn on his camera for the online meeting.

He sat in the leather chair in front of the desk, leaning back in a relaxed posture. Two buttons of his well-pressed black shirt were casually undone, and his sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing mature, sexy muscle lines.

The man’s expression was indifferent, but his rich, cold voice was exceptionally charming when he spoke English-low and lazy.

Shen Jingni sat on his lap.

Even though she couldn’t understand what he was saying, his voice truly enchanted her.

Although Zhao Zonglan was the decision-maker for this meeting, he didn’t actually have much to say.

After a few brief sentences, the other executives took over the speaking.

He listened absentmindedly, occasionally looking down to kiss the person in his arms. Seeing her blushing and shy expression, he found it amusing; he didn’t even mute his microphone as he lingered in a deep kiss with her.

Shen Jingni felt he was being too much.

How could he bully her like this?

Refusing to be outdone, she reached out and placed her hand on his chest. Through the fabric of his shirt, she felt his pectoral muscles.

Her long nails lightly grazed his skin.

She was teasing him, leaving him hanging.

Zhao Zonglan’s eyes darkened. He bit her earlobe and whispered in a low, husky voice, “Continue.”

Was he turned on?

Shen Jingni didn’t want to make it easy for him.

In fact, she felt quite wicked and wanted him to make a fool of himself during the meeting.

“Gēge,” she whispered, her red lips pressed against the side of his neck. Her delicate, soft voice was enough to make anyone’s heart itch. “I want to feel your abs.”

It was lethal.

Zhao Zonglan, who had barely been maintaining his self-control, nearly lost it at that single word.

He felt like he was about to explode.

His breathing quickened as he sucked hard on her lips, pinning her into his embrace.

Shen Jingni felt it.

Her hand gradually moved down, lightly touching those tense abdominal muscles through his shirt.

Sometimes, Shen Jingni even envied herself.

She was eating quite well, indeed.

His voice was low and hoarse as he slowly enticed her. “You’re so good, Shen Jingni.”

Emboldened, she began to stir up trouble without any restraint.

The corners of Zhao Zonglan’s eyes were flushed red, and the veins on his arms and neck bulged from the sheer effort of restraint, while the little kitten in his arms continued her mischief.
“Mhm.”

A low groan escaped his throat.

It wasn’t loud, but it was damn sexy.

A triumphant smile curled the corners of Shen Jingni’s lips, and she became even more reckless.

Before the string of reason could snap completely, Zhao Zonglan caught her hand in a firm grip.

He spoke a few curt words to the executives on the video call and then cut the connection.

Oh well, the fun was over.

Shen Jingni tried to climb off his lap, but Zhao Zonglan locked her firmly in his embrace.

“I’m tired. I want to sleep.”

She feigned an innocent, pitiful look, trying to escape.

But how could Zhao Zonglan let her go?

He lifted her up and sat her on the desk. His well-defined fingers unbuckled his metal belt buckle, his eyes surging with dark desire. “Be good. I’ll show you some love here first.”

“You’re the one who started this fire.”

Shen Jingni had originally thought that Zhao Zonglan didn’t care about that crystal ball.

Until now.

He carried her from the study to the bathroom, the sofa, the floor-to-ceiling window, and finally to the bed…

He was terrifying tonight.

Her eyes were red from crying, and her voice was hoarse. “Sob… no… don’t… Gege…”

Zhao Zonglan seemed to have lost his temper, becoming increasingly fierce.

“Why did you smash my gift, Shen Jingni? Who gave you the nerve, hm?”

By now, Shen Jingni’s mind was a complete blank. She didn’t remember anything about a gift; she only cried and begged for mercy. “Please, Gege…”

Zhao Zonglan’s eyes were bloodshot, his gaze dark and gloomy. He didn’t let her off.

“Take it.”

He wanted to teach her a lesson.

This was the consequence of being naughty.

He really was going to kill her.

It wasn’t until dawn, after Shen Jingni had cried in his arms once more, that it finally came to an end.

Zhao Zonglan ordered someone to change the sheets and the sofa.

He took a quick shower and carried the sleeping Shen Jingni to the guest room to rest.

Shen Jingni didn’t wake up until evening.

When she woke, she curled up under the covers, not wanting to move an inch.

Last night’s Zhao Zonglan was so terrifying, so fierce.

Regarding the crystal ball, she had indeed been a bit impulsive, but ultimately, it wasn’t her fault.

Wasn’t he the one who provoked her first?

Shen Jingni never wasted energy on self-blame.

So, she chose to take her anger out on Zhao Zonglan again.

She would just pretend to be asleep later and ignore him. She’d make him coax her, make him beg.

Last night’s meeting had been abruptly halted by Zhao Zonglan.

Although the group executives were confused, no one could ever fathom Chairman Zhao’s thoughts, and no one dared to object. They could only get back online today to continue the discussion.

They called it a discussion, but it was really just a clash between the radicals and the conservatives.

After making a few quick decisions, Zhao Zonglan ended the meeting.

When he returned to the room, he saw the little kitten on the bed pretending to sleep.

The blanket covered her head completely, though it twitched every now and then.

Zhao Zonglan leaned quietly against the doorframe.

He lit a cigarette, watching the small bundle on the bed with composed interest. In less than two minutes, her round head popped out from under the covers.

Shen Jingni glared at him huffily, her lips pouting as she accused him of being cold-hearted. “Why didn’t you come over to coax me to eat?”

“You were so mean last night.”

Her eyes were watery, and her voice was still a bit raspy. Her porcelain neck was covered in marks he had left behind.

She looked pitiful, but it only made him want to bully her more.

Zhao Zonglan’s throat tightened.

He took a deep drag of his cigarette before walking over. He pinched her slightly puffed cheek and said in a deep voice, “How do you want me to coax you?”

Shen Jingni’s glass-like eyes darted around as she said coquettishly, “I’m so tired and hungry. I can’t even lift my hands.”

“Can Gege feed me?”

He seemed to deliberately misinterpret her meaning. “I just fed you this morning. Didn’t you say you were stuffed?”

Shen Jingni: “…”