My Queen, My Rules - 66

Card limit! Card limit! Card limit!

Was that even human language?!

Ji Mingshu was fuming. She stepped out of the party looking thoroughly displeased. During the drive to the Junyi headquarters, she sat in sullen silence, staring out the window.

Perhaps because tomorrow was New Year's Eve, the driver was in a relaxed mood. Waiting at a red light, he tried making a few humorous remarks.

Unfortunately, she remained completely silent, fixated on who-knows-what outside the window, her lips pressed into a downturned line, adding a touch of cold elegance to her radiant beauty.

The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror and wisely said no more.

Silence fell inside the car, but a lively internal monologue was raging in Ji Mingshu's mind:

That dog, Cen Sen! 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 “Blind and Clueless but Handsome and Rich”? Can he really not see her feelings at all?!

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 brave the risk of being scolded by her father-in-law to barge into his study with soup?!

If she didn't like him, who would put up with him keeping her up all night?! Half-dead with exhaustion, she even had to convey, through expression, movement, and language, the implicit message of “Husband, you're really, really amazing” just to satisfy his male ego!

So angry! She was absolutely furious!!!

Arriving at Junyi, the furious Ji Mingshu aloofly put on her sunglasses before slowly getting out of the car.

She wore a burgundy cocktail dress under her custom-made beige coat for the party. Her high heels sparkled from toe to slender heel. Delicate crystal straps crisscrossed her slender ankles, catching the light with every step. Perhaps thanks to this outfit, the insulated lunchbox she carried somehow acquired the aura of a Hermès New Year’s limited edition.

---

Cen Sen was on a video call with Jiang Che.

Jiang Che, spotting the high-definition surveillance feed on a screen beside Cen Sen, chuckled, took a screenshot, sent it to the group chat, and promptly ended the call.

Jiang Che: [Image]

Jiang Che: [Can't talk now, the madam is here for a surprise inspection.]

Zhao Yang: [Is that Xiao Shu? She looks this good even on surveillance? Tsk tsk tsk!]

Shu Yang seized the moment for some extreme flattery: [Indeed! Ji Mingshu! A woman who, even in sub-zero temperatures, is the very embodiment of sophistication and refinement!]

Cen Sen ignored them, glanced at the surveillance feed, and picked up the intercom to have Zhou Jiaheng go down to receive her.

But he hung up after one ring, because Zhou Jiaheng had already come scampering eagerly into the corner of the surveillance frame.

After his two recent blunders, Zhou Jiaheng's awareness as a chief assistant had undergone a qualitative leap.

Knowing Ji Mingshu was coming to the office, he had specifically instructed the driver to notify him three traffic lights away from the company.

By the time Ji Mingshu got out of the car and walked in, he was already at the entrance, awaiting the arrival of the CEO's wife with great ceremony.

He carefully escorted Ji Mingshu, his expression exceptionally reverent, almost obsequious. “Madam, you’ve had a long journey. Let me carry that for you. This way, please.”

The aloof Shushu didn't grant him half a glance, merely uttering an “Mmm.”

Inside the private elevator to the CEO's office, Aloof Shushu glanced at the lit button for the 68th floor and suddenly asked, “It’s New Year’s Eve tomorrow, Assistant Zhou. Aren’t you going home?”

Zhou Jiaheng: “I am, I am! President Cen specially arranged a flight for me. I leave first thing tomorrow.”

He smiled, sharing with her how considerate Cen Sen was of his employees. “President Cen even prepared a carload of gifts for my parents, insisting I take them back. He said that since I didn’t go home for the New Year the last two years in Australia, I should spend quality time with them this time, and that these gifts are his heartfelt appreciation.”

“President Cen also gave me a full seven days off. He even thought about my New Year’s Eve dinner—told me to go eat at the Junyi Huazhang Hotel in my hometown, and said any relatives or friends visiting could just stay at the hotel...”

The more Zhou Jiaheng rambled, the more stifled Ji Mingshu felt.

For heaven's sake, who wanted to hear this!

She thought Zhou Jiaheng, serving a ‘tiger’ that was Cen Sen, would surely share her sentiments and join her in bitching about the slave-driver Cen who didn't even take New Year's off. She never expected this guy to be so easily bought off with small favors, overflowing with gratitude towards Cen Sen!

So spineless! So disappointing! Such an unprincipled little slick-talker was unworthy of being a friend of Ji-shi Shushu!

She was about to signal Zhou Jiaheng to immediately cease his blabbering when, the very next second, he suddenly mentioned how hard Cen Sen had been working these past few days to mitigate the losses suffered from his early return.

Ji Mingshu paused, then asked, “That… how much was the loss?”

Zhou Jiaheng slammed on the brakes, his face showing a hint of hesitation. But under Ji Mingshu's persistent questioning, and since this wasn't exactly a trade secret, he paused for a moment before tentatively holding up one finger.

“One hundred million?”

“…Dollars?”

Zhou Jiaheng held up his other hand, forming a zero.

“…One billion?”

Zhou Jiaheng, eyes fixed on his nose, said rapidly, “The total for the twelve-phase investment is one billion. Dollars.”

Ji Mingshu fell silent.

Although she was somewhat numb to monetary figures and knew Cen Sen's net worth far exceeded that amount, she also understood that one billion dollars was a very, very significant sum for a personal investment.

The fury she'd been nurturing on the way over was instantly extinguished by this bucket of cold water worth one billion dollars. Simultaneously, a feeling of guilt slowly grew in her heart. If it weren't for her, this investment wouldn't have been lost.

“Madam, we’re here.”

The elevator reached the top floor. Seeing her lost in thought, Zhou Jiaheng held the door and reminded her.

Walking into the CEO's office, Ji Mingshu felt light-headed. That sense of guilt grew stronger the closer she got to Cen Sen.

Reaching his desk, she lowered her eyelashes, silently opened the insulated lunchbox, and said softly, “I brought you some chicken soup. Have some to warm up. This place has long queues—everyone says they use genuine ingredients.”

Cen Sen was silent for a moment.

Earlier, when he'd asked on WeChat if she'd tried to buy something exceeding her card limit, she'd clearly been angry, accusing him of thinking she was too materialistic.

And judging by her demeanor on the surveillance frame just now, she didn't seem like someone coming to deliver soup and show concern, but more like someone planning to throw the hot soup in his face and settle accounts.

He took off his glasses and scooped a small spoonful from the bowl she had pushed in front of him.

Hmm, the taste was normal.

He looked up at Ji Mingshu. “Sit.”

But Ji Mingshu lingered by his desk, fiddling with the lunchbox lid, hesitating and unwilling to move.

The inside of the lid had condensation. Ji Mingshu, playing with the outer rim, didn't pay much attention, and the water inside dripped all over the floor.

After a moment, she put the lid down and shifted her feet slightly, just about to say something, when she unexpectedly lost her footing. This was immediately followed by a difficult ninety-eight-and-a-half-degree spin to the side, accompanied by the custom-made little red dress billowing in the wind and her elegant hair flying freely through the air—

She landed perfectly in Cen Sen's lap : )

Cen Sen, one hand still holding the spoon, didn't move a muscle, only feeling a sudden weight on his legs. In contrast, Ji Mingshu was much more proactive; the moment she landed, her arms automatically looped around his neck.

"..."

"...?!"

Ji Mingshu was dazed, her mind blank for about four or five seconds before processing what had just happened.

Belatedly meeting Cen Sen's calm gaze, she distinctly saw within that calmness a multitude of emotions: ‘Didn’t expect you to be so forward,’ ‘Well done, a very unique method of throwing yourself at me,’ ‘Since you’ve made it so blatant, I’ll reluctantly accept.’

No! It wasn't on purpose! A ghost must have possessed her just now! Only with supernatural help could she have executed that series of difficult moves so smoothly, naturally, and flawlessly!

Thinking this, Ji Mingshu instinctively let go.

But Cen Sen had already put down the spoon, and both his arms were now around her waist.

“W-wait!”

“I didn’t mean to… the floor was too… too slippery! I didn’t do it on purpose!”

Cen Sen's gaze had already dropped to the area below her collarbone. He merely uttered an unconcerned “Mmm,” and promised, “I’ll have the flooring replaced after the New Year.”

Clearly not taking her explanation seriously.

Ji Mingshu's face turned an involuntary red. Seeing the indecent look in Cen Sen's eyes, her embarrassment somehow slowly evolved towards an ‘in for a penny, in for a pound’ mentality.

When she felt Cen Sen's hands begin to stroke her waist suggestively, she simply decided to go for broke, openly hugging him and snuggling into his embrace.

Cen Sen was clearly affected, but she whispered about the serious matter: “I overheard Grandpa and Dad talking in the study the other day… that because you came back early from Paris, Cen Yang intercepted a project investment from you... I’m sorry...”

The dark intensity in Cen Sen's eyes faded slightly.

Ji Mingshu continued, her voice small and guilty, “Maybe… we shouldn’t buy the island for now. Places where you can see the aurora are all in the Arctic Circle. It must be freezing—we wouldn’t go more than a few times a year, and the maintenance fees would be really high.”

“And… I can buy fewer things from now on. Also, that ring you gave me last time—I haven’t had a chance to wear it. How about I give it back to you as compensation?”

“It’s pocket change. I’m not so poor I need my wife to sell her jewelry.” He ruffled Ji Mingshu's hair. The weariness on him seemed to suddenly lighten.

Having preserved both her island and her ring, Ji Mingshu felt a bit happy. After all, she was only saying it as a token gesture and didn't actually want to sell them.

Sitting on Cen Sen's lap, she fidgeted restlessly. Somehow, she started asking about Cen Yang again, even offering a small explanation for him in a low voice, “Actually, Cen Yang had it rough too... It’s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go the other way around. You know what I mean? All these years, he must have found it really hard to accept...”

Cen Sen, of course, understood. He could even empathize with why Cen Yang, after all these years, was still unable to let go.

There were actually some matters concerning the Cen family that weren't for outsiders to know. Even someone as close as Ji Mingshu wasn't aware, and he didn't want her to be.

Being forever happy and simple was better than carrying the burdens of the past.

Just like he didn't want to tell her the truth behind the malicious editing incident, to shatter the positive image of the “Brother Cen Yang” who had once given her warmth in her childhood.

However, not shattering that image didn't mean he could allow Ji Mingshu to keep mentioning another man in front of him.

Just as Ji Mingshu was about to say more, Cen Sen suddenly sealed her lips with a gentle kiss.

She was, unfortunately, easily swayed. Within seconds, she was lost in the gentleness. What awaited her was that very gentleness turning fierce the next moment, deeply invading, conquering, and plundering.

She struggled back and forth in Cen Sen's lap, truly getting kissed breathless, whimpering as she tried to speak.

But Cen Sen gave her no opportunity. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him press a button on the desktop touch panel. The button glowed faintly, with what looked like a diagonal slash on it—the “Do Not Disturb” sign?

She didn't have time to ponder it deeply, because as the kiss ended, Cen Sen picked her up and placed her on an empty corner of the desk.

The desk was much colder and harder than Cen Sen's lap, not very comfortable to sit on.

Watching Cen Sen casually wipe his lower lip with his thumb, Ji Mingshu instinctively leaned back. But Cen Sen leaned in accordingly, placing his hands on either side of her.

His eyes were deep black, clear and focused as he gazed at her. He casually loosened his collar, his Adam's apple moving slightly, faintly revealing his collarbone. Ji Mingshu suddenly felt that… this man was incredibly seductive.

The air was quiet, their eyes locked unavoidably. Ji Mingshu's ears turned red. She cautiously asked in a small voice, “Are we… are we going to have office play?”

---

← Previous | Table of Contents | Next →

0