secretly annoyed

secretly annoyed

The next morning, I slowly opened my eyes and even had the illusion that I was in the clear sky.

After a moment's thought, I realized that this was the effect of the huge floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the luxury apartment. There were no tall buildings around to block the view, and below me was Central Park covered in snow, a scene of serene beauty.

Such beautiful scenery is all built with money; I got tired of it after a while.

I heard a soft sound behind me. I turned around and saw a woman in a well-fitting, elegant black uniform emerge from the bathroom. She bowed slightly to me and said, "Young Master Xie instructed me to prepare what you need."

She must be the apartment's private housekeeper. I glanced down and saw that the dust bag in her hand contained a simple white shirt and jeans.

Xie Yong's aesthetic views were quite conservative compared to Ye Fenglin's.

I silently noted down the sign, intending to return the money to Xie Yong when I got back.

I went into the bathroom and found it was completely different from yesterday. There was a whole set of La Prairie skincare products: eye cream, serum, face cream, an electric toothbrush, and beauty devices...

Many paper bags contained unopened nightgowns, very sexy lace lingerie, and body lotion.

The bathroom overhead lights illuminated the bottles and jars, making them sparkle and shine. The paper bags were also exceptionally delicate, like works of art.

I only stayed here for one night, so I didn't need to use it. I just washed myself with warm water, dried myself, and changed my clothes.

Looking in the mirror, I subconsciously noticed the scattered red marks on my neck and collarbone.

Could it be an allergic reaction? I didn't think about it too much and buttoned up my shirt.

As I pushed open the door and went downstairs, a delicious aroma of food wafted towards me. I watched the housekeeper bustling about, and then I glanced furtively at the private elevator.

"Can you unlock it for me? I want to go home." I grabbed one of them and gestured with my hands. She looked at me in confusion, and after a moment of hesitation, she nodded slightly.

I was overjoyed and followed her to the elevator. She pressed her fingerprint, and before the elevator doors even opened, a slightly cold and arrogant voice rang out: "Where are you planning to go?"

I was taken aback. Unlike his usual style, Xie Yong was wearing a sleeveless sweatshirt and athletic shorts, all in black. His legs were straight and long, and the muscle lines on his shoulders and arms were sharp and excellent. He wore wristbands on his pale arms, and his hair was hanging down.

His appearance is quite different from the somewhat polite but assertive demeanor of Hepingli; he seems rather youthful.

My phone was dead, and he couldn't understand sign language, so I just stood there and didn't say anything.

Until Xie Yong walked up to me, he said, "Let's eat."

He glanced at the butler again, but didn't say anything. The butler was clearly frightened and trembling with fear.

I didn't want her to be blamed by Xie Yong because of my own actions, so I quietly walked to the dining table and sat down.

The breakfast on the table was plentiful and looked healthy and nutritious enough, ranging from whole wheat bread, vegetable salad, avocado, and fried eggs to cream soup and European-style bread.

I don't have much of an appetite.

I can only eat food made by Yu Xu himself.

Xie Yong picked up a piece of bread, spread peanut butter on it, and asked, "Do you know how much that butler's monthly salary is?"

I shook my head, picked up the warm water beside me, and took a small sip.

He smiled. "150,000. This amount of money means that besides listening to me and managing the household well, she also needs to understand what I want and what I don't want."

Me: "..." Actually, Xie Yong was also a descendant of a powerful and privileged family, just like Ye Fenglin. I should have realized that long ago. The arrogance in their bones made them lack compassion. From childhood to adulthood, they had always acted like a privileged class, looking down on everyone.

However, Xie Yong seemed to be more polite to outsiders, which led people to have some unwarranted misunderstandings.

I understand that this exquisite breakfast has nothing to do with me, and I am not someone who should be in their world.

"Don't you like it?" He looked up, a rare hint of confusion in his eyes.

Afraid that I would embarrass the housekeepers if I didn't eat, I picked up the milk closest to me and reluctantly fed myself some vegetable salad.

My phone had been charging for about ten minutes, and now the screen lit up. I immediately saw the message from the lawyer and, ignoring Xie Yong's strange look, quickly picked up my phone.

My lawyer asked me to go to the scene of the accident this morning to take another look. Surveillance footage is usually only kept for about five to seven days, and the time since the accident happened is approaching. He wants to collect evidence as soon as possible.

My heart raced. I glanced at the time; it was already past seven. I could meet him on Fifth Avenue soon when I got downstairs.

I took a bite of the fried egg, finished my milk, typed the message, and handed my phone to Xie Yong: "I have to go out."

"Do you have class?" he asked.

I wanted to explain, but I felt it was too much trouble, so I just nodded perfunctorily.

Xie Yong said, "I'll change my clothes and then take you there."

I quickly shook my head, the cursor on my phone flashing: "I'm going to be late, I'll take the subway myself, thank you."

He glanced at the food I was eating on the table, looking so serious, as if he were trying to figure out what I liked… How strange. I hurriedly grabbed my coat and told him several times that I was really going to be late before he finally let me go.

In the elevator, the lawyer messaged me. When he learned that I was in a luxury apartment in the West District, he told me to wait downstairs. He said his home was also in the area and he could give me a ride.

I waited at the door for a while, and a Mercedes that drove up from the street flashed its lights, so I quickly went over.

The lawyer inside the car was dressed smartly and was probably in his thirties. He had the air of a detached and aloof business elite. He wasn't exactly enthusiastic towards me, but he was certainly very professional and patient.

Before getting in the car, I paused, even subconsciously feeling that someone was watching me. I looked up at the apartment, but the glass reflected light, making it impossible to see anything clearly. I even felt a little paranoid, so I simply closed the car door.

After walking around the street, he crossed his arms and calmly said to me, "There's nothing to see. We didn't capture any footage of this street from that day."

I suddenly remembered the parking lot and quickly gestured to him. He thought for a moment, then made a phone call to someone. I waited anxiously, but his answer still disappointed me greatly.

“There were several cars parked there that night, but the dashcam footage had all been erased.” He adjusted his glasses. “Honestly, I’m starting to regret taking on this case. This car accident was clearly targeted at Young Master Jiang; it was a premeditated crime.”

The frequency of my chest vibrations started to increase.

"However, not many people outside know about Young Master Jiang's car accident yet. At least his new energy vehicle launch event was not postponed. Maybe it was a conspiracy by his brother against him. Everyone knows that the relationship between the two brothers was very bad after the Jiang family and the Jiang family separated."

My fingers were trembling, but the lawyer didn't notice. He looked at my pale face and his tone became a little more patient. "I think you might be right. If we can get Young Master Xie Yong to testify for Yu Xu in court, no matter who is behind this, they will at least restrain themselves when they see the Xie family stepping in."

"Then, what should we do next?" I felt as if I had fallen into darkness, realizing that Yu Xu was a sacrifice in this struggle among the children of the powerful.

Who exactly wants to kill Jiang Mingzhuo? Could it be someone who likes Lin Zhi'en?

I couldn't help but start to let my mind wander, and even thought that this was Jiang Zhao's style.

He has always been cruel and ruthless. If it were to get Lin Zhi'en, I believe he would stop at nothing and even harm his own brother.

“Although the dashcam footage doesn’t show anything, I’m not completely desperate,” the lawyer reassured me. “Of course, you should also try your best to persuade Young Master Xie Yong to appear in court.”

My heart skipped a beat, and a wave of immense sadness and loss washed over me.

Persuading Xie Yong was extremely difficult.

Perhaps I really need to keep getting closer to him, at least to make him like me, so that he will willingly agree to testify for Yu Xu.

Doing this feels like stealing something that originally belonged to the female lead, which makes me very uneasy.

I felt ashamed, as if chains were tightly strangling my throat, making it difficult to even breathe, and I tried to hold back the tears welling up in my eyes.

A handkerchief embroidered with gold thread was handed to me.

Perhaps because the lawyer liked to smoke, his handkerchief had a very faint smell of smoke, but at that moment I felt like a barefoot person shivering in the snow, and I was extremely grateful for even this little bit of warmth.

He said, "Ms. Jiang, I've seen countless family members of those involved in similar situations as you. Crying won't solve anything."

He patiently stayed with me for a while, then drove me back to school.

In the evening, Lu Qixi was still with her parents, so I went to the store to cover her shift. My phone hadn't been charged much all day, and the battery was constantly warning me of low charge. I didn't care, especially since a stranger had been calling and adding me as a friend repeatedly, which annoyed me a lot.

I'm preparing gift boxes for IC's clients. In a few days, there will be a private jewelry dinner, specially invited to a very small number of top-tier wealthy clients. In addition to exquisite gifts, there will also be handwritten invitations.

I tied the iconic gray and white gift box with a black bow. There weren't many customers in the store tonight, and most people had taken the day off. I lowered my head and focused on writing the invitation. A moment later, a shadow fell over the store.

"Xiao Fu, I'm not feeling well today... There's a guest over there." The woman in front of me looked rather unwell. She was wearing a tight-fitting pencil skirt and high heels, and her face was very pale. I quickly nodded and told her to go back and rest.

I quickly walked to the other person's side, and to my surprise, it was Xie Yong!

His eyes were deep and his gaze sharp. Even without speaking, he exuded a faint sharpness and a natural sense of oppression. My eyelashes trembled slightly, and I bit my lower lip, silently following beside him.

"Any recommendations?" he asked, as if he really didn't know me.

I didn't say anything. Private shopping meant I had to be responsible for choosing things for him. I led him into a private room, asked him to rest on the sofa, and brought him juice and desserts. I moved a little closer, took out a measuring tape, and indicated that I was going to measure his size.

Xie Yong suddenly smiled, his deep black eyes fixed on me. He had broad, straight shoulders, was tall and imposing, and had an excellent physique. He exuded an innate confidence that seemed to be in complete control. I bent down slightly, and when I reached below my abdomen, I suddenly blushed and realized why he had just smiled.

I paused for a moment, but still took his measurements through the thin fabric. The pants were indeed surprisingly heavy.

After finishing all this, Xie Yong leaned back on the sofa, took a glass of juice and drank it. He asked me, "Where did you go this morning?"

I tucked the hair behind my ear, looked up at him, and he looked down. His long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles took a cigarette from the pack, his posture holding the cigarette quite assertive.

Seeing that I didn't speak, Xie Yong simply put one hand around my waist and lifted me up. His long legs gently pressed against mine, and he leisurely continued to ask me, "Do you know that you have a very unpleasant smell of smoke on you, like it was left by a man?"

I opened my eyes wide in surprise. Xie Yong curved his lips into a smile. He was so pale that when he clenched his back teeth, the veins on his neck were clearly visible, giving him an unusual appearance.

“If you want to pursue me, you’ll have to be patient, and,” suddenly, his eyes sharpened and became arrogant, and his lips pursed slightly, “I hate people who are fickle when pursuing me. If you’re interested in me, you’d better put all your attention on me.”