Chapter 159 Taking the Initiative

Shen Shuangmiao closed her eyes.

It's always the same.

Whenever she was in a good mood, or when she was touched by Zhu Jin, he would constantly remind her that she was about to leave.

The car slowly came to a stop at the Zhu family's house.

Zhu Jin did not immediately answer Shen Shuangmiao's question, but silently watched her collapse, clenching his fists.

Only after her crying subsided slightly did Zhu Jin slowly speak.

"And the Zhou family too."

Shen Shuangmiao raised her tearful eyes and looked at him blankly.

“Zhou Wu and her family’s businesses have expanded rapidly in recent years, but their foundation is unstable and they rely heavily on the Zhu family.”

Zhu Jin's tone turned cold and indifferent. "I've already made arrangements. Starting next week, all cooperation terms with the Zhou family will be revised, and their lifeline will be in your hands."

He looked at Shen Shuangmiao, his eyes sharp: "She dares not, nor is she capable of, harming you in the slightest."

Shen Shuangmiao was completely stunned.

She looked at the man in front of her.

Zhu Jin considered every detail for her and cleared away all the obstacles he could think of.

The more meticulous he was, the more Shen Shuangmiao felt that this matter was truly beyond redemption.

She slowly exhaled, looking at Zhu Jin's profile, which was calm to the point of being cold, and felt somewhat suffocated.

Shen Shuangmiao closed her eyes.

She stopped crying and questioning, and just slumped in her chair, as if her soul had been ripped away.

It turns out that the ultimate good can also be the cruelest farewell.

Zhu Jin looked at her distraught appearance, a deep pain flashing in his eyes.

He hastily pushed open the car door and said in a hoarse voice, "Get out of the car."

Zhu Jin got out of the car first, without waiting for her or offering her a hand, and walked straight to the gate.

He feared that if he lingered even a second longer, he would regret it under the desperate gaze in her eyes.

Sitting in the car, Shen Shuangmiao finally understood that she might not be able to keep him anymore.

She could only watch helplessly.

"Miss, it's time to get off," the driver reminded her.

Shen Shuang let out a breath, opened the car door, and got out.

After she returned, Zhu Jin had already gone into the study.

In the remaining few days, he still needed to take care of the Zhu family's company.

Zhu Jin had an unavoidable international video conference and lingered in his study for a long time.

Shen Shuangmiao sat alone in the empty dining room, staring at the dinner that the servants had carefully prepared, but had no appetite.

She got up and, as if possessed, walked to the liquor cabinet.

It displays various famous wines, which were Zhu Jin's previous collection.

Her gaze swept over the bottles of wine, finally settling on one that looked soft in color.

Shen Shuangmiao remembers this brand; the cider is non-alcoholic.

She took out a wine glass, opened the cap, and immediately smelled the sweet aroma of fruit.

Shen Shuangmiao, holding her cup, did not return to the dining room but walked to the window in the living room, looking at the deep night outside.

She closed her eyes, preparing to tilt her head back and drink it.

"What are you doing!"

The voice came from behind her, and then, her wrist tightened as the cup was snatched away.

Shen Shuangmiao turned around and saw Zhu Jin standing behind her at some point, his face more unpleasant than ever before.

He gripped her wrist tightly, his fingertips icy cold.

Zhu Jin took a break during the meeting and came out to check on her, but he didn't expect to see this scene.

Shen Shuangmiao was stunned for a moment when she saw his furious expression. Then, a mixture of pleasure and pain welled up inside her.

She tried to break free from Zhu Jin's grasp, but to no avail.

What am I going to do?

Shen Shuangmiao raised her face and gave a mocking smile. "Drinking, huh? Can't you see? Didn't President Zhu arrange everything? I even have the life and death of the Zhou Wu family in my hands. What's wrong with me having a drink?"

"Stop fooling around."

Zhu Jin stared at her, his eyes seeming to devour her. "You're pregnant, how can you drink alcohol?"

"The child?" Shen Shuangmiao laughed as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world, her voice trembling with tears. "Now you know how to care about the child? Didn't you not care? Didn't you not even want to know what he would wear or use after he was born? You were determined not to have him. Since you don't care, why do you care whether I drink or not?"

Zhu Jin opened his mouth, speechless. Looking at her excited yet pale face and the unfathomable despair in her eyes, he suddenly couldn't hold back anymore.

"I care!" Zhu Jin tightened his grip on her wrist. "How could I not care?!"

He suddenly pulled Shen Shuangmiao closer.

"Chen Shuangmiao, tell me, what can I do?"

Zhu Jin's voice trembled, "Losing you is like living in hell every day. I'm a bastard, I let you down. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I can't bear it!"

“What I can’t stand even more is that you’re only staying with me out of a sense of responsibility, because of the children, or out of pity. That’s not the outcome I want.”

He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, his eyes revealed undisguised sadness.

"I can't accept that you no longer love me, and that you only feel pity and burden for me. Living like that is more painful for me than death, do you understand?"

Zhu Jin's voice lowered, and he said in a desperate tone, "Yes, I'm selfish, I'm just that selfish! I'd rather use this method to make you remember me for the rest of your life, to remember how much this bastard loved you, to the point that even living became a burden for you, than to see you by my side but have long since forgotten me."

Shen Shuangmiao was stunned.

She stared blankly at Zhu Jin.

What he feared was not death, but that she would no longer love him.

Shen Shuangmiao opened her mouth, her voice terribly dry:

"This is non-alcoholic apple juice."

Zhu Jin's excitement froze on his face instantly.

A look of confusion flashed in his eyes, as if he hadn't understood what she was saying.

Looking at him like this, Shen Shuangmiao felt a mix of bitterness and unease, along with a strange and indescribable emotion.

She lowered her eyelashes and repeated softly, "I said, this is just non-alcoholic apple juice. Some varieties don't contain alcohol, as stated on the label."

Zhu Jin stared blankly down at the glass that had just been snatched from him, then at the opened bottle of wine on the wine cabinet. There was indeed a line of small print on the corner of the label indicating that it contained no alcohol.

He still held Shen Shuangmiao's wrist tightly, almost encircling her in his arms, looking down at her who was so close to him.

Shen Shuangmiao's face still had tear stains, and her eyes were red and moist.

The air was filled with the sweet aroma of apple juice.

Zhu Jin's throat bobbed, and he suddenly lowered his head and kissed her lips fiercely.

Shen Shuangmiao's mind went completely blank.

She should have pushed him away. This man who drove her to the brink of despair was too selfish and domineering.

But his words were still echoing in my ears.

Shen Shuangmiao closed her eyes as if possessed, and awkwardly responded to Zhu Jin.