Chapter 41 "Is this how you keep your distance from your ex-wife..."

"I like……"

Qiao Shu's eyes sparkled, but when they touched his facial features, they dimmed again. "I like myself."

No one is more lovable than herself.

Yu Zeheng looked at her face, flushed and radiant with alcohol. Beneath her expressionless exterior, his heart was suddenly gripped by excitement, only to calmly return to its place.

"Boss Yu is here."

Chu Tian saw him on the dance floor, and she and her friends came over to say hello.

Yu Zeheng responded politely, congratulating the people around her on the opening of the new store.

The other person scratched his head and praised him as the senior in this industry. The Yu family's entertainment business was thriving, with many private clubs, but their bars also had a great reputation, and they had frequented them quite a bit.

As they spoke, Qiao Shu listened quietly, a dull smile on his face.

"Xiao Shu, how much did you drink?" Chu Tian tilted her head and looked at Qiao Shu.

Qiao Shu glanced back at the empty wine glass, then, as she turned back, she had to brace herself on the table. She slid weakly across the edge of the table, and as she swayed, an arm wrapped around her shoulder and helped her straighten up. She was weak, so she simply leaned against his chest: "It's not much, just supporting Ali's opening."

Seeing her like this, her friend knew she was drunk: "You can't drink anymore. My shop isn't going to grow legs and run away. Come again next time."

Qiao Shu blinked: "Too long-winded."

"Boss Yu, I'm entrusting Xiao Shu to you now."

After saying goodbye, my friend tactfully left.

Qiao Shu was still leaning against Yu Zeheng's chest. She groped for her arm to wrap around his neck, her movements clumsy. Her forehead bumped into his chin, and she winced in pain. She looked up and accused him first: "You bumped into me, apologize."

Yu Zeheng used his other hand to support her waist to prevent her from falling.

He lowered his eyelids, his voice icy: "I won't apologize to a drunkard."

Of course, I wouldn't try to reason with an alcoholic.

Qiao Shu let out a disdainful snort.

Yu Zeheng tightened his grip on her waist and said patiently, "If you're not finished playing, keep playing. Once you're done, go back."

Qiao Shu didn't really want to go back. Once she was back, it would just be the two of them alone. She didn't have much self-control to begin with, and she would always be seduced by him without realizing it. Every night they shared a bed, things never stopped.

Excessive indulgence impaired her thinking.

Qiao Shu let go of his arm and sat back in her own seat, not only to keep her distance from him, but also to chat and laugh with her other friends. Yu Zeheng didn't respond and sat beside her like a cold-faced bodyguard, with an aura that kept strangers at bay, waiting for the young lady to have her fill of fun before escorting her back.

But the bodyguard would defy her and take the wine glass from her hand when she picked it up.

Qiao Shu frowned and glared at him, but he remained unmoved.

Feeling annoyed, she deliberately went against Yu Zeheng. The more he forbade her to do something, the more she insisted on doing it. He forbade her to drink, so she went to the bar to order a new one. But before she could even touch it, a pair of hands snatched it away, and she tilted her head back and drank it all in one gulp. She gritted her teeth and headed towards the dance floor, but there was always a wall blocking her way, watching her with a sinister gaze. All her good mood vanished.

"I'm going back."

It was already late at night outside the bar, and all the other shops on the street had long since closed, leaving only a few men and women standing there chatting and laughing.

As soon as she stepped outside, Qiao Shu was slapped in the face by a blast of cold air, making her face tense up. Yu Zeheng was behind her, and he put on her forgotten coat with a rather ungentle touch, while holding her bag in one hand.

With some rough movements, she bumped into his chest.

Qiao Shu felt warmth and instinctively moved closer. Her undulating curves pressed against his hard chest. She exhaled a puff of white mist, and her gaze fell upon his prominent Adam's apple.

She let him put her coat on, her fingers curiously touching his Adam's apple.

Qiao Shu's Adam's apple bobbed immediately. She chuckled and heard a low voice from above her head: "Stop fooling around, behave yourself."

"What am I doing?" Qiao Shu asked, her hand sneaking out of her coat to pull at the shirt under her sweater, her cold hand touching a small patch of warm skin.

"It's so warm."

Qiao Shu sighed softly. She looked up at his expression and, with a sudden surge of malice, slid her whole hand inside.

As he tried to move upwards, his entire hand was grabbed through his clothes. Yu Zeheng frowned, his face looking quite unpleasant, especially his restless hand, which, even after being grabbed, still playfully pinched with his fingers.

"Qiao Shu".

"Um?"

Yu Zeheng held her waist, lowered his head, and kissed her lips. A sudden and fierce kiss pried open her lips and teeth, conquering her. His soft tongue scraped across her lip cavity. She subconsciously wanted to swallow, but he hooked her tongue and stirred it. She could even clearly hear the sound of water.

Then came the jeers and jeers from the onlookers.

The handsome man and beautiful woman were eye-catching from the start. I had noticed this couple long ago. Watching the man impatiently dressing the woman, like he was catching his playful girlfriend in the middle of the night, was a feast for the eyes.

Qiao Shu's cheeks burned, and she was breathless from the kiss.

Yu Zeheng asked her, "Can we go back now?"

The sound seemed more like it couldn't continue.

Qiao Shu's chest heaved violently, and she pulled her hand out of his clothes. Yu Zeheng was not the kind of man who was aloof and self-restrained; he was shameless and didn't care about other people's opinions. He could do the most shameless things.

A muffled groan escaped her throat, and ignoring the stares of those around her, she got into the car first.

In the car, Qiao Shu stayed still. The alcohol fermented in her body, making her feel a heat emanating from within. She closed her eyes, feeling dizzy and her throat felt like it was on fire, dry and unbearable, and she wanted to swallow something.

The car was parked in the yard. Aunt Chu and the other aunties had already gone to bed, and only the lights were on.

The noise from entering woke up Xiaoxi, who was sleeping in her little bed. She stood up, and after recognizing Qiaoshu, she ran over to greet him.

"Xiao Xi, my sweet baby."

Xiao Xi snuggled into her arms and scurried around. She hadn't seen her for days and was excited and happy. She kept rubbing her head against her chin and making whimpering sounds, like she was being coquettish or accusing her.

Yu Zeheng stood behind her, straightening her wildly kicking high heels and hanging up her bag.

The harmonious scene of motherly love and filial piety did not move him. A few minutes later, he took Xiao Xi from her arms and put her back in the doghouse: "Go to sleep."

"Go take a shower."

"..."

The arrangements for both the person and the dog were made perfectly clear.

After leaving the bar and being away from the environment, Qiao Shu could smell the alcohol on herself. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, tied up her long hair, and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

Qiao Shu took a hot shower and then walked out in a daze.

Before she could even see the bedroom furnishings clearly, Yu Zeheng pressed down on her like a wall. She lifted her eyelashes, and the kiss was already upon her, hotter than the kiss in the bar, grinding against her lips, threatening to burn her heart. She trembled.

The nightgown she had just put on was stripped off again, her arms were pushed up, and the straps wrapped around her fingertips before falling to the floor like feathers.

Both of them had just taken a shower and their bodies were still damp.

Qiao Shu had her arms around his neck, with a cold wall behind her and a scorching hot surface in front of her. The contrast between the hot and cold made her shiver. Instinctively, she pressed herself against him, and the closer she got, the more she felt his hands behind her trying to meld her into them.

Her lips were still blocked, and the next second she was lifted into the air again.

Yu Zeheng's gaze was like the darkness itself, extremely aggressive, possessing every inch of skin he swept over.

He gripped her leg with his large hand, his fingertips sinking into the soft flesh, the veins on the back of his hand standing out in stark contrast to her pale skin.

Qiao Shu felt completely insecure, unable to touch the ground, and could only tighten her grip. She could hear his low breathing as she was forcibly opened by external force.

This process is repeated.

Qiao Shu simply closed her eyes. Since she couldn't see, her other senses became more acute. She could hear and feel the warm tears welling up in her eyes. She buried her head and rubbed them all against Yu Zeheng's neck.

The voice, too, seemed to have been fermented with alcohol, sweet and intoxicating, floating in the air.

He was probably a little angry, but when she hugged him, it was as if she only had him, and that anger vanished without a trace.

Qiao Shu felt uncomfortable when he was close to her, but also reluctant when he left. She was like the unpredictable weather, or perhaps she was just a little greedy, craving warmth and being embraced.

When exactly did things start to change?

From the kiss on the rainy day to that suggestion from their bed partner in the meeting room, they have now deviated from the original script.

Yu Zeheng didn't go straight back to bed. Instead, he sat down on the sofa with her in his arms. She was forced to be taller than him, looking down at him while also having to accept his looking up at her.

Qiao Shu rested her hands on his shoulders, her jet-black hair cascading down her back, her eyes misty and her lips bright red; she resembled a seductive sea siren from legend.

"Yu Zeheng".

She pulled at her lips, breathing heavily, her voice several times hesitant and unsteady: "Is this how you keep your distance from your ex-wife?"

Yu Zeheng grabbed her hands with one hand and twisted them behind her back, his gaze dark: "Negative distance doesn't count as distance?"

That's utterly despicable.

Qiao Shu seemed to have the upper hand, but Yu Zeheng had plenty of strength in his waist, and holding her was easier than doing squats.

Qiao Shu's breathing became more and more rapid. She realized his scheming, broke free of his hand, and slapped him across the face: "Behave yourself."

The slap wasn't very forceful; to Yu Zeheng, it felt more like a caress than a pat.

He leaned back on the sofa, tilting his head back. His jawline was sharp and clean. He raised his eyebrows and smiled arrogantly: "Don't hurt your hand."

"..."

Qiao Shu exhaled, sweat beading on her neck, her skin gleaming. Every line of her skin was the result of being favored. Her face flushed red, and she raised her hand to slap her again: "You pervert!"

I've never seen anyone be happy about being beaten.

"What do you think?" Yu Zeheng asked her in return.

Before Qiao Shu could answer, Yu Zeheng sat up straight and leaned back to kiss her. Their breaths mingled like a ball of yarn, and while kissing, they tensed their legs and waist. She was speechless and could do nothing but breathe.

He's like a dog, wanting to bite everything, with just the right amount of force, his teeth brushing against the tender white skin and the high, straight bridge of his nose, always pressing down and leaving a large red mark.

Qiao Shu was bitten by him, and she slapped him with her hand. Her hand hurt, but she found that not only could she not stop him, but he became even more aggressive.

Neuropathy.

Yu Zeheng tilted his head back to breathe again, his lips glistening with tears.

Qiao Shu was already quite smitten. She bit her lip and exhaled, "I don't like it."

"I like."

Their eyes met, each with its own stubbornness.

Qiao Shu was exhausted after one night, and even her dreams were restless. Yu Zeheng's face kept appearing in her mind, his domineering grip on her chin, forcing her to look at him, and only him.

—

At the end of the month, Qiao Shu accompanied the old man to the hospital for a follow-up examination.

Accompanying them were his sister-in-law, Chen Yi, and their caregiver. Chen Yi had stopped working after getting married to take care of the family and Qiao Yan.

While the old man was undergoing his examination, Qiao Shu and Chen Yi waited outside. Chen Yi looked a little tired, picked up her bag, and sat down on a chair. Seeing that she hadn't slept well, Qiao Shu casually asked if something was wrong with Qiao Yan.

"He's fine. He was talking about coming to visit you just a few days ago, full of energy." Chen Yi brushed a stray hair behind her ear and smiled. "The younger one is obedient, but the older one is a real handful."

"Did your older brother make you angry?" Qiao Shu asked.

Chen Yi casually complained, "He only makes me angry when he's around. I don't know what he's been busy with lately, I never see him. He told me today that he was going to accompany Grandpa to the check-up, but then he said he had something to do and couldn't come. He's over thirty years old, and he's still so unreliable."

Qiao Shu could only act as a peacemaker: "Maybe something really is going on at the company. It's the end of the year, and he's got a lot on his plate."

“I know he has his own difficulties... Never mind, let’s not talk about him.”

Qiao Shu's gaze fell on the bag in her hand, a style from a few years ago: "Sister-in-law, don't you use that bag your brother gave you for your birthday anymore? I saw you carrying it around like a treasure a while ago. Did your brother make you angry, and he even banished the bag to the cold palace?"

Chen Yi clutched her bag tightly, her expression a little unnatural: "Yes, it's the same as getting tired of it after a while."

Qiao Kaiyu borrowed money everywhere, but Chen Yi couldn't get any money either. The family's expenses were always high, and she was in dire straits. Since she couldn't get any money from Qiao Kaiyu, she had to sell some bags and jewelry to make ends meet.

The circle is only so big. No matter how careful and low-key Chen Yi is, rumors will still reach Qiao Shu's ears.

Given the current situation, it's uncertain how long Qiao Kaiyu can hold out.

After Qiao Zhenkai finished his examination, he was wheeled out by the nurse. The examinations were all routine, including blood tests and a brain CT scan.

"Mr. Qiao is recovering quite well, even better than expected," the attending physician said after reviewing the brain CT scan, adding that many indicators have returned to normal levels.

Chen Yi said, "Grandpa can already remember some things. Does that mean he might remember everything that happened in the past two years?"

The attending physician said, "That's a possibility."

Grandpa Joe placed his hand on the blanket and interrupted the doctor: "Whether he remembers or not is no longer important. What's important is whether the situation will continue to worsen."

Chen Yi nodded in agreement.

The test results were good, and Chen Yi went out to call her aunt to reassure them.

Qiao Shu pushed the old man out and helped him into the car. The driver and caregiver were already able to take good care of the old man. She spread out the blanket and covered his legs, even carefully twisting the edges.

After watching her finish, Qiao Zhenkai said, "I have something for you to do."

"Please speak."

“You did a good job with CN last time. I also promised before that I would hand over your mother’s company to you. Shengyu is a listed company, and I am not comfortable handing it over to you. If you can handle this matter, I will have no more concerns.”

Qiao Shu was taken aback: "What do you need me to do?"

Qiao Zhenkai said slowly and deliberately, "As early as two years ago, when you married Zeheng, the Qiao and Yu families had plans for cooperation in many areas. However, I have recently observed that many aspects have not been implemented or developed in the past two years, and some are at a standstill. You can do some of these things. I will have someone give you the information so you can take a good look at it."

That familiar feeling is back.

Qiao Shu has heard similar things many times in her life, and she has eaten many cakes, and once naively believed them to be true.

In the past, she would wait for these promises to be fulfilled one by one; now, she will go and get what she deserves herself.

"Isn't this a bit inappropriate? This has always been done by my eldest brother. I'm just afraid he'll overthink it," she said softly.

Qiao Zhenkai's face was expressionless: "If he had the ability, I wouldn't need to worry about it. Since he can't do it, it's better to leave it to someone who is capable."

The old man always meant what he said, and so the matter was settled. The person who had the most objections was Qiao Kaiyu. He went to the old man, but was scolded and left looking humiliated.

Qiao Kaiyu personally delivered the documents, still feeling uneasy: "Little sister, what do you think the old man meant by this?"

Qiao Shu rested her chin on her hands, feeling utterly overwhelmed. She sighed listlessly, "How would I know? Did my older brother do something to upset Grandpa recently, and he found out?"

Qiao Kaiyu's expression changed drastically, and he felt it was impossible; otherwise, he would have cursed them together a few days ago.

“Grandpa is angry with you now, and it’s affecting me. What am I supposed to do with all this?” Qiao Shu sighed again. “Why don’t you go and apologize to Grandpa, big brother?”

"What mistakes have I made that I need to admit? You think I haven't been scolded enough? You can just brush this off. Grandpa didn't know you were divorced, but you didn't? The Yu family must be out of their minds to continue cooperating with us."

I'm dizzy.

What constitutes being dizzy?

—

The aroma of baking cookies wafts through the air at night in South Bay.

The aroma tempted Xiao Xi, who stayed close to Qiao Shu. She took the freshly baked cookies out of the oven, removed her oven mitts, and patted Xiao Xi's head: "Why do you want to eat everything?"

The chef tasted a piece and said, "It's baked just right. You asked for less sweetness, and the sweetness is just right. It's not greasy at all."

The cookies were placed on a plate, along with a pot of black tea. Qiao Shu, carrying the plate, knocked on the study door: "Try them, I baked them myself."

The cookies and tea were pushed in front of him at the same time. He looked up and saw the dimples on her lips.

"Speak, what is it?" Yu Zeheng leaned back.

After that night, their relationship was still pretty good. They couldn't be all lovey-dovey in bed and then turn on each other coldly after getting out of bed. Their bodies were more familiar with each other than their hearts. Neither of them were very restrained, and they were even more frequent than when they first got married.

Qiao Shu smiled and said, "You guessed it all. That's why I say you're incredibly smart. You're so good-looking, and you're so insightful. It's truly rare to see someone as good-looking as you."

It was less of a compliment and more of an irony, yet there was genuine sincerity in his eyes.

Yu Zeheng tapped his finger on the table: "Get to the point."

"I want to work with you."

Qiao Shu blinked her eyelashes as she spoke of the project between Zhongcheng and Bocheng that had stalled halfway through. With a hint of regret, she mentioned how much benefit Bocheng would have received if the project had continued.

"It sounds like Bocheng got a lot of benefits," Yu Zeheng commented casually after listening.

Qiao Shu smiled and said, "Do you have time tomorrow? I'd like to come to your company to discuss this in more detail."

Yu Zeheng changed the subject: "But I don't want to take such a big advantage."

"..."

Yu Zeheng leaned forward, put two fingers together, and pushed the plate outward. He bluntly stated that those interrupted projects were entirely due to Bocheng facilitating Zhongcheng's development.

"How could that be? This is a win-win situation."

Qiao Shu stood up, squeezed into his arms, and sat on his lap: "We can discuss the specific details later. It's a win-win situation if everyone makes a profit."

Yu Zeheng patted her buttocks, seemingly unmoved by her words: "Get down."

Qiao Shu looked down at him and said, "No, unless you promise to give me a chance to persuade you. Tomorrow in your office, I'll give you a new plan."

The closer she got, the more Yu Zeheng leaned back, as if trying his best to widen the distance between them. Finally, he simply tilted his head back, his neck and shoulders taut, his shoulders broad, and his thin lips pursed, looking somewhat sexy.

Qiao Shu took a cookie, put it in her mouth, and lowered her head to offer it to his lips. He stared into her eyes, his long eyelashes fluttered, and finally he opened his mouth and took a bite of the cookie.

The sweet taste of the cookies melted between her lips and teeth. She stuck out her tongue and licked his lips, tasting the lingering flavor.

"Isn't it sweet?"

Yu Zeheng slowly refused to swallow any more, his lips still wet from her licking. His voice was low and husky: "What is this, a bribe?"

"No, I just want to kiss you." Qiao Shu smiled slightly, a peculiar glint in her eyes. "Besides, don't you think you're not into that kind of thing?"

She remembered that a while ago a man told her that he wasn't one of those men, not the kind of man she would flock to with a smile and a flick of her finger; he wasn't buying it.

Yu Zeheng stared into her eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing heavily.

Qiao Shu's fingers slid across his chest, almost imperceptibly, before finally touching his chest: "Why don't you tell me, which one do you like?"

-----------------------

Author's Note: I love this wicked, wicked woman!

50 red envelopes~