Chapter 34

Lin Jin, restless and unsettled [Revised]

Senyao Group.

The CEO's office.

Lin Jin leaned back in his executive chair, flipping through a thick project document.

She's been busy training her dog lately, and has been putting off work. Now, her desk is piled high with documents that need to be reviewed, leaving her looking completely overwhelmed.

The space was silent except for the sound of pages turning and the occasional scribbles of a pen. You could tell that the person working diligently was in a bad mood, even a little angry.

With a thud, the folder was thrown roughly onto the table. The angry person was probably dissatisfied with the plan, or perhaps it was something else.

She dialed her secretary's number, her urging laced with a strong sense of tension: "Coffee, don't keep me waiting."

With another snap, the landline receiver also slammed shut, this person's venting of anger finding its way in.

Lin Jin leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes for a short rest, and for some reason, felt a sudden unease.

This feeling of unease came on inexplicably, making one feel suffocated and unable to pinpoint the cause.

She tried to dispel the sudden palpitation, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get any relief.

Fortunately, Secretary Zhou entered with coffee, which slightly diverted some of the attention.

"Mr. Lin, here's your coffee."

Lin Jin rubbed the bridge of her nose wearily, without saying a word, and waved for her to leave.

Secretary Zhou hesitated for a moment before standing in front of the table, but still took the liberty of showing concern: "President Lin, if you are feeling unwell, please let me know in time."

Lin Jin raised her dark, unfathomable eyes and glanced indifferently at her secretary, still not saying a word, but it seemed as if she was saying, "Don't meddle in other people's business."

Secretary Zhou, used to her boss's unpredictable moods, slipped out of the office.

Lin Jin took a small sip of coffee, then stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window to relax.

Her office attire is always sharp and professional. Her beige satin shirt is very high-quality and neatly tucked into her black wide-leg trousers. The only embellishment is a long, designer belt.

The sunlight outside the window was bright, enveloping her slender figure and giving her a soft glow.

She paid no attention to what the outside world was like, whether the scenery was good or bad; all she could think about was that one person.

In a mere instant, that person came vividly to life in her mind, naked, covered in old scars, with the delicate lines of skin that pleased her.

Thinking about it more deeply, all that remains is the intertwined pleasure.

Lin Jin sipped her coffee, also savoring the image of Cheng Sangluo in the darkness.

How different that person was at night—unfamiliar wildness and madness, like a caged beast in shackles, with uncontrollable and violent emotions.

The way she made excessive demands didn't seem greedy, but rather conveyed loneliness; the roughness in her limbs seemed more like a struggle.

Lin Jin frowned deeply, as if she realized that Cheng Sangluo had not enjoyed the happiness at all, but was doing homework helplessly, completing a task in a boring way.

And so, the palpitations that had just subsided surged back with overwhelming force.

Lin Jin put down her cup, picked up her phone, and dialed Cheng Sangluo's number without the slightest hesitation.

Her panic was hidden in the ripples in the cup, and it also transformed into her deep, slightly rapid breathing as she waited for the call to connect.

The dial tone on the receiver was very long, lasting longer than a breath, longer than a century, and finally it became a busy signal that ended without any resolution.

This was the second time Lin Jin had called Cheng Sangluo, but no one answered, which caused a huge stir, leading the suspicious woman to imagine countless possibilities.

'Knock knock knock—'

The sudden knocking interrupted Lin Jin's attempt to dial the phone again.

She sat back in her office chair, composed herself, and then said, "Come in."

The person who pushed open the door was Sheng He.

He walked to Lin Jin's side and reported in a low voice: "I went to Miss Cheng's place to pick up the car, and as you guessed, the owner of that auto repair shop fired her."

Lin Jin didn't care about Cheng Sangluo's unemployment. She knew this would be the outcome when she asked Sheng He to deal with those young people last night.

This was the result of her shrewd calculations. By overturning Cheng Sangluo's cherished livelihood, she only hoped that the stubborn person would know to turn back to her when he was desperate.

But at this moment, she was more concerned about something else: "Didn't you run into her at the auto repair shop?"

"No, when I went there, Miss Cheng had already left for a while."

"Then what are you standing here for? Go find it!"

*

The breakwater on Quanshan Peninsula is about the width of a car. It is a dead-end road that extends into the middle of the sea. The huge rocks on both sides were blown down by typhoons in the past, and that's how it got its name.

The anglers like to sea fish near the dead-end road, so there are only a few people along the way.

Cheng Sangluo joined in the fun, renting fishing gear and a small stool from a small vendor on the shore, and also haggling over the price to buy a straw hat and a bucket.

She had the leisure to walk all the way to the end.

She used a multi-hook rig to fish in the sea, hoping to catch a few fish by sheer luck.

After casting her line, she sat on a small stool and waited patiently. After all, the point of fishing is to enjoy some peace and quiet.

The setting sun was scorching our skin, but thankfully the sea breeze was strong and refreshing.

Cheng Sangluo sat there blankly, initially thinking about taking the fish he caught back to the landlord, but then his thoughts drifted away to his unemployment.

She rested her chin on her hand, pondering which part of the process had gone wrong.

Actually, this kind of thing is not difficult for her to figure out. With a little thought and consideration of the details, she can figure out why.

I want to play with them~

Lin Jin's seemingly random remark last night, lightly brushed into my ears, and the problem was easily solved, wasn't it?

That clumsy method, that crazy woman really does it every time.

Cheng Sangluo scoffed lightly, remaining quite calm about the result of her deduction.

In the past, she would have cursed and swore, but now she just numbly accepts the facts.

What can we do? Beat up the crazy woman, or go to her house and cause a scene?

There was nothing I could do but swallow my pride and bear it.

Cheng Sangluo snapped out of his daze and noticed the fishing rod was moving slightly. He quickly looked at the float and it seemed that a fish had taken the bait.

She hurriedly retrieved the fishing rod, wiggling the line back and forth, and finally gave it a sharp jerk. Three mudskippers, glistening with light, were hooked on the multi-hook rig, tracing a beautiful arc in the sky.

"Wow, not bad at all!"

The clear, cold sigh was accompanied by scattered clapping sounds.

Cheng Sangluo was busy removing the fish from the hook when she turned her head to look at the sound. She saw Shu Wan approaching gracefully and grinned, "Miss Shu, I thought you would be busy for a long time."

Shu Wan wore an A-line skirt that accentuated her figure, and walked with perfect straight steps. Standing on the lonely, windswept embankment, she looked somewhat like she was walking a fashion show.

She stood with her hands behind her back, holding a bottle of chilled mineral water in her hand.

As she approached, she gently pressed the water bottle against Cheng Sangluo's face, asking with concern, "Are you hot?"

"It's alright." Cheng Sangluo felt the coolness on her face; the touch was so comfortable that she rubbed it against her cheek for a moment before accepting the mineral water. "Thank you."

"You're too kind." Shu Wan's gentle smile made even the howling wind feel warm.

"How many did you catch?" she asked curiously, squatting down and casually brushing the hem of her skirt behind her legs.

Even in this posture, the gentle and graceful woman maintains an elegant upright posture.

"These three aren't even enough to fill a tooth gap." Cheng Sangluo took a big gulp of water and began to introduce the fish incessantly: "This kind of fish tastes best when it's deep-fried. The bones become crispy after frying, and it tastes especially delicious, making it a perfect snack with drinks."

She squatted down and casually placed her straw hat on Shu Wan's head, saying, "You're so fair-skinned, it won't look good if you get tanned."

Shu Wan enjoyed this kind of care, which was conveyed in the unspoken details, like parched and cracked soil receiving a gentle rain.

She adjusted her straw hat and asked with a smile, "What are you going to do?"

“Me?” Cheng Sangluo pointed to herself, then busied herself with baiting the fish. “You can tell from my skin tone that I’m not afraid of the sun. I’m so dark, like I’ve been marinated.”

"I've heard Miss Bai say that you were a soldier, a very capable one."

"Well, it's not a matter of being amazing or not." Cheng Sangluo couldn't stand being praised and would get embarrassed after saying just a few words.

She cast her fishing rod again and gestured towards Shu Wan with her chin: "Don't just squat, sit down."

Shu Wan responded, gracefully turning to sit on the small stool, and started the conversation: "I've discovered that you're a foodie."

"Really?" Cheng Sangluo fiddled with the fishing rod, smiled at her, and said, "Actually, I'm not picky about food. As long as I can fill my stomach, I'm fine with it."

“But your eyes light up when you talk about food.” Shu Wan tilted her head, as if searching for something in her memory. After thinking for a while, she concluded, “Last time you ate watermelon on the yacht, you ate a big piece in one bite.”

"You remember it so clearly."

Cheng Sangluo also tried to recall the past, but what came to mind was not the watermelon, but the person who had put the watermelon into her mouth.

Her expression became unnatural, as if she didn't want to think about it anymore. She shook her head slightly, as if trying to shake that person out of her memory.

Shu Wan noticed that she was preoccupied, so she changed the subject: "Give me your hand."

"Huh?" Cheng Sangluo asked, puzzled, but still extended her hand. "What's wrong?"

"Consider it a return gift for your straw hat and little stool." Shu Wan took out a tube of sunscreen from her bag and squeezed a large amount into her palm. "Although it's a bit late, please apply it. I don't want you to get sunburned and peel."

"Thank you," Cheng Sangluo said softly, but she wasn't used to other people's kindness.

She felt like a lone wolf abandoned by society, where being unloved and uncared for was the norm. Suddenly, when someone cared about whether she would get sunburned, she felt a strange, indescribable feeling.

This feeling isn't resistance or dislike; it's simply a sense of unease.

Seeing that she had applied sunscreen haphazardly, Shu Wan grabbed her strong arm and vigorously rubbed it on, saying, "Make sure you apply it evenly, or you'll get a zebra tan."

"Have you ever seen such a black zebra?" Cheng Sangluo laughed heartily, then, seeing the float moving again, exclaimed, "Fish! There's a fish!"

......

Dusk is the romance that day leaves for night; the afterglow of the setting sun spills onto the sea, its shimmering waves a dazzling golden light.

Cheng Sangluo carried half a bucket of harvest, following behind Shu Wan.

The restaurant we booked was located on a local fisherman's raft, and it sold freshly caught fish.

Cheng Sangluo originally intended to give the fish she caught to the landlord, but fearing they would spoil in the heat, she asked the landlady to help her process them.

Shu Wan chose a private room, and since she came specifically to eat oysters, she ordered oysters prepared in different ways.

She handed the menu to Cheng Sangluo and asked, "Besides oysters, is there anything else you'd like to eat?"

Cheng Sangluo waved her hand: "You've already ordered a lot of dishes, that's enough."

"I'm usually busy with work, so it's rare for me to come here. I want to eat to my heart's content."

Cheng Sangluo was assertive and made it clear beforehand: "Don't rush to pay the bill later, it's on me today."

"Okay," Shu Wan agreed verbally, so as not to make the person in front of her unhappy during the meal.

In fact, she had already paid the meal fee in advance while Cheng Sangluo went to find the landlady.

"Then see if there's anything else you'd like to eat."

Shu Wan joked, "Didn't you say you'd had enough? Aren't you afraid I'll eat you out of house and home?"

"I got paid today." Cheng Sangluo took out the money Yuan Ge settled for the day from her pocket, and then laughed at herself loudly: "I'm unemployed today, hahahaha."

She didn't know what had gotten into her, why she was talking about this with someone she wasn't very familiar with. Maybe it was because Shu Wan was naturally friendly, and she unconsciously wore away the feeling of unfamiliarity.

Shu Wan poured hot tea and rinsed the bowls and chopsticks. Upon hearing that Cheng Sangluo had lost her job, she didn't ask why, but instead raised an eyebrow and said knowingly, "No wonder you came all this way to see the scenery. So you came here to relax."

—A side note—

Since many readers don't read author's notes, I can only explain it here.

Chapters 21-34 have been completely revised.

The revised chapter titles will include "[Revised]".

If you've already read the previous version of Little Angel, you can reread chapters 21-34.

Because all the content has been completely replaced, involving new storylines, new characters, and important elements.

[Author's Note]

It wasn't easy. I stayed up for three days straight, working through the night to revise 56,400 files. I've been dead for a while now.