Shen Qing walked over and sat down, casually placing the towel on the sofa armrest. She gathered her slightly damp long hair to one side of her neck, leaned forward, picked up a skewer of charred meat, and took a bite.
"It's cold, it doesn't taste as good anymore," she muttered.
Cheng Zhiwen poured her a glass of wine and handed it to her. She took it, clinked glasses with him, and took a small sip.
The spiciness instantly melted in my mouth and spread all the way to my stomach.
Shen Qing frowned and gritted his teeth: "This is foreign liquor, not red wine!"
She picked up the bottle and looked at it—good heavens, it was over 50 degrees Celsius!
"Are you trying to get me drunk?" She filled Cheng Zhiwen's glass to the brim. "Drink it!"
Cheng Zhiwen laughed and downed it in one gulp.
Shen Qing leaned back against the sofa armrest, the rim of the cup to her lips, watching him make a good show with a smile.
Fifty degrees Celsius would definitely kill you!
He remained completely calm and showed no signs of drunkenness.
Shen Qing snorted, took a small sip of wine, and said, "You're in Shanghai, you must have to entertain clients often, right? Is that why you have such a high alcohol tolerance?"
Cheng Zhiwen closed her eyes and nodded, her delicate lips curving into a beautiful arc: "It's alright."
He downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, placed the glass on the coffee table, leaned back, reached out with his right hand, found Shen Qing's feet tucked up on the sofa, and pulled them onto his lap.
Shen Qing was startled and tried to pull her foot back, but he wouldn't let her and pressed it even tighter.
The man's dry, warm palms first covered the instep of her feet, then slowly moved to her slightly cool toes, gently rubbing them until they were red and moist.
Shen Qing felt a little embarrassed and bit her lower lip. The spasm-like sensation spread from her toes to her heart and all the way to her brain.
Her mind exploded like fireworks, a few seconds of brilliance followed by the darkness of the night.
Just as she kept reminding herself, he already had a wife in mind.
Shen Qing pulled her foot back.
He turned his head to look at her and asked softly, "What? Don't you like it?"
"I have a question for you."
"you say."
Shen Qing took a big gulp of wine to bolster her courage, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, "Are you and that Miss Liu getting married? Will you arrange for me to leave early?"
His hand, which had been swirling the wine glass, suddenly stopped. The orange-red liquid in the glass ceased to ripple, becoming completely still, just like his calm expression.
"I will not marry her, and you do not need to leave in advance."
"If you're not going to marry her, why did you get engaged to her in the first place?" Shen Qing thought of the original owner of this body. "You've already ruined the marriage of a second woman."
Cheng Zhiwen took a sip of wine, her gaze fixed on the sky outside the window, as if she were paying tribute to someone in heaven.
“This is different.” He slammed his wine glass down on the coffee table, turned his head, and beckoned with his finger.
Without thinking much, Shen Qing got up from the sofa and leaned towards him.
He pulled her into his arms, gently kissed the top of her head, and whispered, "I have never loved anyone else, and I have no intention of marrying Miss Liu. Don't overthink it, just stay here peacefully."
Shen Qing nodded hesitantly.
The man's chest moved slightly. He sat up straight, found a more comfortable position, and pulled her into his arms again.
He lowered his head, captured her lips with his own, and after a few lingering kisses, brought them to the crook of her neck. He took a deep breath and whispered, "I will do everything in my power to help you overturn your case, to help you become Shen Qing again, and to reclaim everything you have in Jiangzhou!"
She ran her fingers through his thick, black hair and asked, bewildered, "And what about you?"
"I will continue to strive for my ideals, and when I achieve them, I will definitely come to Jiangzhou to pick you up."
Shen Qing cried, hugging him and sobbing uncontrollably, crying like a helpless child.
...
After that day, Shen Qing became much quieter, and her relationship with Cheng Zhiwen became closer.
She knew very well that they didn't have much time left, so she stayed with Cheng Zhiwen day and night.
We read and chat together during the day, and sleep in each other's arms at night.
Cheng Zhiwen almost lost control several times, but she managed to hold back at the last moment.
Shen Qing knew why he was worried, and she was also confused about what he was worried about.
Although she is now living with him at the Cheng residence, she is still an unregistered resident. Zhu Shining's identity is just a facade, and if someone deliberately investigates, it will immediately expose his true colors.
If she were to become pregnant now, it would be a very difficult thing for both her and Cheng Zhiwen to control, let alone having a child. How would she possibly overturn the case and reclaim everything in Jiangzhou while carrying a child?
As for Cheng Zhiwen, he has ideals to realize, and he cannot stay in the Cheng family to take care of the children.
Shen Qing would not agree to handing the child over to the Cheng family to raise.
Therefore, even if Cheng Zhiwen's body was impulsive, he was able to prioritize reason and stop at the last moment.
Shen Qing admired him even more for not being controlled by desires.
The month passed peacefully like this. One day, Shen Qing was reading in her room when Zi Yan rushed in and said, "Miss Zhu, soldiers have come and say they are looking for the Second Young Master."
"Soldiers?"
Shen Qing was startled and stood up: "Did they say what they wanted to see the second young master for?"
Zi Yan's face was grim: "I heard it's about the young master's death, and there's a lead."
Shen Qing put down her book, picked up her cloak and put it on: "Where is the Second Young Master?"
She rushed out the door, and a gust of wind swept in her face. She coughed heavily for a while, then sat down, clutching her chest.
Ziyan hurriedly helped her up: "Second Young Master went with them, don't worry, he will definitely..."
Shen Qing had no idea what happened next.
She fainted.
When I woke up again, it was pitch black outside the window, and I had no idea what time it was.
Cheng Zhiwen held her hand, sat on the edge of the bed, and pondered something with deep eyes.
Shen Qing moved her hand and asked weakly, "You're back? Are you alright?"
Cheng Zhiwen snapped out of her daze, bent down and hugged her, saying affectionately, "I'm fine. The doctor said your health has deteriorated again recently. You finally managed to recover, but it's gotten worse this time."
Shen Qing sighed, her slender hand emerging from under the covers and outstretched to him: "Give it to me."
"What?"
Shen Qing glanced at him, then stretched out her hand: "Anything else?"
Cheng Zhiwen thought for a few seconds, then reached into his suit's inner pocket, pulled out a stack of banknotes, and placed them in her hand.
Shen Qing was both amused and exasperated: "I meant traditional Chinese medicine!"
Cheng Zhiwen then realized what was happening and quickly asked Ziyan to bring in the brewed Chinese medicine.
After Shen Qing finished the whole bowl, he felt much better.
She tried to sit up, and Cheng Zhiwen quickly helped her put on a lumbar support.
She looked at Cheng Zhiwen intently: "I know you were taken away by the soldiers. What happened?"
Cheng Zhiwen smiled and said, "Isn't your case still unresolved? You've asked me to provide clues."
Shen Qing knew he was lying.
Providing clues won't attract so many soldiers to arrest people; only criminals or suspects will have soldiers dispatched to take them away.
But if Cheng Zhiwen is a suspect, why was he allowed to go home?
Does this mean that everything will be fine once I can go home?
Thinking of this, Shen Qing's tense heart relaxed a little.
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