My Queen, My Rules - 66
Billion
Limit. Limit. Limit!
Is that even something a human says?!
Ji Mingshu was fuming. She stepped out of the party with a thunderous expression. On the drive to Junyi Group headquarters, she sat by the window in sullen silence, staring out at the passing streets.
With Lunar New Year's Eve just one day away, the driver was in unusually good spirits. While waiting at red lights, he even cracked a few jokes and tried to make conversation.
Unfortunately, Ji Mingshu didn't respond once. She kept her eyes fixed outside, no one knew what she was looking at. Her lips were pressed into a downturned line, adding a cool, untouchable edge to her radiant beauty.
The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror and wisely decided to keep quiet.
Silence settled over the car, but a chaotic internal monologue was raging in Ji Mingshu's mind:
Cen Sen, you dog man! Did she look like the kind of woman who only wants him for his money? Okay, fine, maybe she used to be, but now she wants him too! Is he from the planet "I'm Blind to Feelings But Handsome and Rich"? How can he not see something so obvious?!
He doesn't even stop to think! If she didn't like him, who would forgive the unforgivable sin of being cyberbullied just for a measly little island?!
If she didn't like him, who would march into the study with soup, risking a lecture from her father-in-law?!
If she didn't like him, who would let him keep her up all night, end up comole8 exhausted, and still spend every expression, every movement, every word trying to reassure his fragile male ego with, "Honey, you're amazing"?
I'm furious! I am absolutely furious!
By the time they arrived at Junyi, the furious Ji Mingshu calmly put on her sunglasses before stepping out of the car.
She wore a burgundy cocktail dress under her custom-made ivory couture coat for the birthday party. Her high heels glittered from toe to stiletto, delicate crystal straps winding elegantly around her slender ankles, her every step scattered shimmering flecks of light. Somehow, thanks to the outfit, even the insulated soup container she carried looked like a limited-edition Hermès New Year release.
At that moment, Cen Sen was on a video call with Jiang Che.
Jiang Che, spotting the high-definition surveillance feed displayed on the monitor beside Cen Sen, chuckled, took a screenshot, tossed it into their group chat, then promptly ended the call.
Jiang Che: [Image]
Jiang Che: [Not talking anymore, the madam is here for a surprise inspection.]
Zhao Yang: [That's Xiao Shu? She looks that gorgeous even on security cameras? Damn.]
Shu Yang immediately piled on with the ultimate compliment: [Indeed! Ji Mingshu! A woman who, even in minus eight degree weather, is the very embodiment of sophistication and refinement!]
Cen Sen ignored them. He glanced at the monitor and pressed the intercom to have Zhou Jiaheng go downstairs and receive her.
The phone had barely rung once before he hung up again. Because Zhou Jiaheng had already appeared in the corner of the surveillance footage, hurrying toward the entrance.
After making two major blunders in a row, the chief assistant had undergone a qualitative awakening.
The moment he learned Ji Mingshu was coming to visit the office, he'd instructed the driver to notify him when they were still three traffic lights away.
So by the time Ji Mingshu stepped inside the building, he was already standing at the entrance, respectfully waiting to welcome the president's wife.
He carefully walked beside her, guiding her through the lobby with almost excessive politeness. "Mrs. Cen, you've had a long trip. Let me carry that for you. This way, please."
The icy Ji Mingshu didn't even spare him half a glance. She merely replied with a curt, "Mm."
Inside the private elevator to the executive floor, she glanced at the illuminated 68 button and suddenly asked, "It's New Year's tomorrow. Assistant Zhou, aren't you going home?"
"I am, I am. President Cen arranged a flight for me. I'm leaving first thing tomorrow morning."
He smiled, sharing with her how considerate Cen Sen was of his employees. "President Cen even prepared a carload of gifts for my parents and insisted I bring them back. He said I'd missed New Year with my family while I was in Australia these past two years, so this time I should spend it properly with my parents. He said the gifts were just a small gesture from him."
"President Cen also gave me a full seven days off. He even arranged my New Year's Eve dinner, told me to eat at Junyi Huazhang in my hometown, and if any relatives or friends visit, they can all stay at the hotel free of charge..."
The more Zhou Jiaheng rambled, the more suffocated Ji Mingshu felt.
Seriously? Who wants to hear any of this?!
She'd assumed working under Cen Sen must be like serving a tiger. Surely Zhou Jiaheng would sympathize with her and complain about that capitalist who made people work through the holidays.
Who could have guessed the man would become this grateful over a few little perks, practically ready to shed tears of appreciation?
So spineless! So disappointing! Such an unprincipled little slick-talker was unworthy to be friends with Ji-shi Shushu!
She was just about to stop him from talking when Zhou Jiaheng casually mentioned how hard Cen Sen had been working these past few days to make up for the losses caused by returning early from Paris.
Ji Mingshu paused. "...How much did he lose?"
Realizing he'd said too much, Zhou Jiaheng immediately hesitated. Still, under Ji Mingshu's persistent questioning, and since this wasn't exactly a trade secret, he paused for a moment before reluctantly holding up one finger.
"One hundred million?"
"...US dollars?"
Zhou Jiaheng slowly lifted his other hand and formed a zero.
"...One billion?"
Keeping his eyes firmly lowered, Zhou Jiaheng answered as quickly as possible. "The investments across all twelve phases totaled one billion US dollars."
Ji Mingshu fell silent.
Money had always felt a little abstract to her, and she knew Cen Sen's fortune was worth far more than that. Even so, she understood perfectly well that a personal investment of one billion US dollars was an enormous sum.
All the anger she'd been nurturing on the way over instantly extinguished by this bucket of cold water worth a billion dollars. In its place, guilt slowly crept into her heart. If it hadn't been for her, he never would have lost that investment.
"Madam, we're here."
The elevator reached the executive floor. Seeing her standing there in a daze, Zhou Jiaheng held the door open and gently reminded her.
By the time she walked into the president's office, Ji Mingshu still felt absentminded. And with every step that brought her closer to Cen Sen, the guilt only grew heavier.
Stopping beside his desk, she lowered her lashes, quietly opened the insulated container, and said in a small voice, "I packed you some chicken soup. Have a little while it's still warm. This place always has people lining up. Everyone says they use real ingredients."
Cen Sen was silent.
Earlier on WeChat, when he'd asked she'd tried to buy something exceeding her card limit, she'd clearly been furious, accusing him of seeing her as nothing but a materialistic woman.
Judging from the security footage just now, she'd looked less like someone bringing soup and more like someone ready to throw it in his face.
He removed his glasses and scooped up a spoonful from the bowl she'd placed in front of him.
It tasted perfectly normal.
Looking up at her, he said, "Sit."
But Ji Mingshu lingered beside his desk, fidgeting with the lid of the soup container instead of moving.
Condensation had collected on the inside of the lid. As she absentmindedly toyed with the dry outer rim, she never noticed the water dripping steadily onto the floor.
After a long moment, she finally set the lid down and shifted her feet, preparing to say something.
Instead, her foot slipped without warning.
In the next instant, she executed what could only be described as a ninety-eight-and-a-half-degree sideways spin, her expensive little red dress flaring dramatically in the air while her long hair streamed behind her.
Then she landed.
Perfectly.
Right in Cen Sen's lap. :)
One of Cen Sen's hands was still holding the soup spoon. He hadn't moved an inch, simply felt a sudden weight settle onto his legs.
Ji Mingshu, on the other hand, reacted with remarkable initiative. The instant she landed, both arms instinctively wrapped around his neck.
"..."
"...?!"
Her mind went completely blank. It took four or five seconds before she finally realized what had just happened.
When she finally looked into Cen Sen's calm eyes, she somehow managed to read an entire string of unspoken thoughts: ‘Didn’t expect you to be so proactive,’ ‘Well done, interesting way to throw yourself at me,’ ‘Since you're being so straightforward about it... I suppose I'll graciously accept.’
No! I didn't do that on purpose! There must have been a ghost possessing me! That's the only explanation for pulling off something that difficult so smoothly, naturally, and flawlessly!
Panicking, Ji Mingshu immediately let go.
Unfortunately, Cen Sen had already put down the spoon. Both of his arms were now wrapped securely around her waist.
"W... Wait!"
“I didn’t mean to… the floor was too… too slippery! I really didn’t do it on purpose!”
Cen Sen's gaze had already dropped to the area below her collarbone. He merely gave a casual nod. "Mm. We'll replace the flooring after the New Year."
Obviously not believing a single explanation she'd said.
Ji Mingshu's face immediately turned red. Seeing the unmistakable look in his eyes, her embarrassment slowly transformed into a reckless sort of resignation.
When she felt his hands begin to stroke her waist with suggestive intimacy, she gave up resisting altogether. If he was going to misunderstand anyway, then she might as well openly wrap her arms around him and snuggle into his embrace.
Desire flickered in Cen Sen's eyes.
Before anything could happen, she hurriedly whispered, "A few days ago I overheard Grandpa and Dad talking in the study. They said that because you came back early from Paris, Cen Yang intercepted a project investment from you... I’m sorry...”
The darkness in Cen Sen's eyes softened ever so slightly.
She continued quietly, "Maybe... don't buy that island for now. Places where you can see the aurora are all inside the Arctic Circle. It must be freezing there. We wouldn’t go more than a few times a year, and the maintenance costs must be really high."
"And... I can buy fewer things from now on. The ring you gave me before... I hardly ever get the chance to wear it anyway. Maybe I should give it back to make up for the loss?"
"It's just money." He rubbed her head gently, the weariness on him seemed to suddenly lighten."I'm not so poor that I'd need my wife to sell her jewelry."
Having preserved both her island and her ring, Ji Mingshu brightened immediately. After all, she was only saying it as a token gesture. She'd never truly wanted to.
Still sitting on his lap, she idly swung her legs before bringing up Cen Yang again, even defending him in a quiet voice. "Actually... Cen Yang hasn't had it easy either. You know... it's easy to grow used to luxury, but hard to go back to living without it. Something like that. You understand, right? After all these years, he must still have some regrets he can't let go of..."
Of course Cen Sen understood. More than understood, in fact, he knew exactly why Cen Yang still couldn't let go after all these years.
There were also certain secrets about the Cen family that could never be shared with outsiders. Even someone as close to him as Ji Mingshu knew nothing about them, and he intended to keep it that way.
Living happily in simple ignorance was far better than carrying the weight of the past.
Just as he had no intention of telling her the truth behind the malicious editing incident and destroying the positive image of “Brother Cen Yang” who had once given her warmth in her childhood.
Still. Choosing not to destroy that image didn't mean he was willing to sit there while his wife kept talking about another man.
Ji Mingshu was about to continue when Cen Sen suddenly captured her lips in a gentle kiss.
She was, unfortunately, easily swayed. Within seconds, she had completely melted into that tenderness. And the moment she surrendered, that gentle kiss abruptly deepened, turning fierce enough to conquer every remaining defense.
Still sitting in his lap, she squirmed helplessly, struggling for breath as a muffled whimper escaped her throat.
Cen Sen gave her no chance to speak. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught him pressing a button on the touch panel embedded in the desk. The icon glowed faintly, there seemed to be a diagonal slash across it.
Do Not Disturb?
She had no time to ponder further, because as the kiss ended, Cen Sen stood, lifting her effortlessly into his arms and set her down on the empty corner of his desk.
The desktop was far colder and much harder than his lap, not a comfortable place to sit.
Watching him casually wipe his lower lip with the pad of his thumb, Ji Mingshu instinctively leaned backward. But Cen Sen leaned closer accordingly, bracing both hands on either side of her.
His eyes were dark and impossibly clear as they rested on her. He loosened his collar with effortless ease. His Adam's apple shifted, exposing the faint line of his collarbone.
For one dizzying moment, Ji Mingshu could think of only one thing.
This man is unbelievably sexy.
The office fell silent, their eyes locked unavoidably. With her ears burning red, Ji Mingshu asked timidly, "...A-Are we... doing office play?”
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