Chapter 19 Baileys Hot Chocolate: Hormones and Breathing Sounds in a Sealed Space...
The next day.
Jiang Shiyu slowly opened his eyes, but what followed was a severe headache, as if someone had hit the back of his head twice with a blunt object.
His throat was still dry and bitter, and he could still feel the burning sensation from the alcohol, making his voice a little hoarse. Jiang Shiyu picked up the glass from the bedside table and drank a glass of warm water, which made his throat feel soothed and much more comfortable.
Jiang Shiyu rubbed his temples with his slender fingers and began to recall what had happened yesterday.
He drank quite a bit yesterday, and the last time he was sober was when Shen Cen patted him and called his name.
That voice was truly beautiful, as clear and bright as spring water; it was a voice I had only heard in my dreams for many years.
He got even more drunk.
And then what happened?
His mind was blank; last night's memories were like fragmented puzzle pieces, impossible to piece together into a complete picture. The only thing he was certain of was that he hadn't done anything out of line; he must have suppressed his emotions.
After all, Jiang Shiyu always thought he had good drinking manners, and that even when drunk, he would just lie there quietly.
Thinking of this, he felt much more at ease and got up to go to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face.
His hair had been washed and dried with a hairdryer, without any special styling, but the messy hair couldn't hide his outstanding features. He casually parted his hair in the middle, instantly making the contours of his face even more defined, giving him a carefree and relaxed handsomeness.
As Jiang Shiyu brushed his teeth, he looked at himself in the mirror, and several fragments suddenly surfaced in his mind.
He vaguely remembered that last night he held Shen Cen's hand and begged her not to leave.
The image flashed through his mind like a shooting star, and by the time he realized it, it was gone. He couldn't remember whether the scene was in a bar or at home.
No, it shouldn't be in a bar. If it were in a bar, how come he woke up in his own bed and changed into clean clothes?
It must be at home!
Where is Shen Cen going so late at night? Does he think he's annoying because he's drunk and wants to move back home?
Thinking of this, Jiang Shiyu quickly spat out the foam in his mouth, rinsed his mouth, and wiped his face clean.
Could Shen Cen really be gone?
He quickly left the room, only to find that Shen Cen was not in the living room on the second floor, where she usually sat reading.
He circled around to the door of Shen Cen's room and peered inside. The room was large, but sparsely furnished. The sheets were neatly laid out, showing no signs of having been slept in. However, Shen Cen had brought very few things, so Jiang Shiyu couldn't tell whether she had left or not based on that alone.
Without thinking too much, he went downstairs again, only to find the entire first floor quiet, with even the echo of his footsteps on the floor tiles being much louder than usual.
It seems like he lives alone.
Shen Cen is gone?
Jiang Shiyu panicked. He took out his phone and dialed Shen Cen's number.
The next second, the phone rang from the garden. Before Jiang Shiyu could find Shen Cen by following the ringtone, the call was answered.
"Hmm? You're awake?"
"Where are you?"
"At home."
Shen Cen answered the phone with one hand and carried two showerheads into the living room with the other. Today she was wearing a white dress with blue floral print, and her long black hair was tied up with a light green scrunchie, making her look lazy and casual.
However, the moment she saw Jiang Shiyu, she was reminded of the scene in the private room last night, where the man's lips brushed against the back of her neck, leaving one wet kiss mark after another. Her gaze shifted away unnaturally, trying her best not to make too much eye contact with the man in front of her.
"Are you feeling better today?" she asked.
Jiang Shiyu put down his phone, completely concealing his earlier anxiety. "I'm much better. Did you bring me back yesterday?"
"I asked He Yan for help." Shen Cen put the shower head back on the balcony.
Yesterday, she unlocked Jiang Shiyu's phone with his finger and dialed He Yan's number. Soon after, He Yan arrived at Siji and, together with her, took Jiang Shiyu home.
“Then my clothes…” Jiang Shiyu looked at his clean white t-shirt.
"He Yan also helped with the replacement!" Shen Cen said nervously, her voice rising slightly involuntarily.
Jiang Shiyu suddenly chuckled: "Why are you so nervous? Did you do something to me while I was drunk yesterday?"
His voice was so sweet and pleasant, just like when he whispered in her ear yesterday.
Shen Cen couldn't tell if he was joking or if he was trying to trick her into revealing something, so she didn't answer his question directly. Instead, she threw the question back at him:
"So, what do you want me to do?"
After a few seconds of silence, Jiang Shiyu finally spoke slowly, "What if I said, 'Hope'?"
Shen Cen hadn't expected Jiang Shiyu to be so direct, but judging from his appearance, he seemed to have no recollection of what happened yesterday, so he said, "Then I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."
Jiang Shiyu's eyes dimmed.
He dreamt yesterday that he was holding Shen Cen tightly in his arms. The feeling was incredibly real; he could even clearly feel her smooth, delicate skin and hear her heavy breathing from nervousness.
She was like a soft and delicious cake, tempting Jiang Shiyu to want nothing more than to devour her completely.
But it was just a dream.
-
In the afternoon, Shen Cen received good news from the department head.
Guangyi Technology selected her proposal from the three submitted proposals and decided to hire her as the historical consultant and planner for "Huaxia Fengyun". In a few days, someone from Guangyi will contact her to formally sign the contract.
Zhou Mingrui and Chen Shili also received the news immediately and sent her their blessings.
Chen Shili was initially disappointed when she learned that she had not been selected, but after reading Shen Cen's proposal, she was completely convinced and admired Shen Cen's ingenuity.
Shen Cen shared this good news with Jiang Shiyu.
"Shall we go out and celebrate tonight?" Jiang Shiyu suggested.
Shen Cen hesitated for a moment before saying, "Okay... but there's one condition."
"Hmm?" Jiang Shiyu raised his eyes and asked with interest, "Any other requirements? Tell me."
I don't drink alcohol.
If she were to relive last night's events, she wasn't sure if she could control herself.
“Okay.” Jiang Shiyu immediately agreed, then realized something and asked, “What happened yesterday? Why are you reacting so strongly to the mention of alcohol now?”
Shen Cen looked away guiltily, then came up with a seemingly reasonable excuse: "You're really heavy, I don't want to drag you home again."
However, this is also true. Jiang Shiyu is over 1.8 meters tall with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Because he has been working out for many years, he has a tall and strong physique, but not as exaggerated as an athlete. He looks very pleasing to the eye.
Shen Cen was very slender, and she could only barely move Jiang Shiyu a little bit when she pulled him with both hands.
His arms are almost twice as thick as hers!
-
For dinner, Jiang Shiyu chose a home-style restaurant.
The restaurant was on the fifth floor of a commercial building, and it looked quite ordinary from the outside. Shen Cen didn't know why he had chosen this place; perhaps it was because the food was good.
However, when the proprietress came to the table and asked them what they wanted to order, Shen Cen immediately understood why Jiang Shiyu had chosen this place.
The proprietress spoke with a pure southern Beijing accent.
Jingnan Town is located in the suburbs of Jingjia, close to a neighboring province. Due to geographical influence, the people there speak with a slightly different accent than those in the urban area of Jingjia; their speech is softer.
"Xiao Yu, it's been a long time since I've seen you. Is this your girlfriend?" The proprietress seemed to know Jiang Shiyu very well and asked kindly.
Jiang Shiyu also greeted the proprietress and introduced Shen Cen to her: "Auntie, we are already married."
"You got married?! Oh my, I haven't been back to Jingnan in so long, I had no idea about this. Your grandma must be overjoyed."
As she spoke, the proprietress looked at Chen Cen, her eyes filled with undisguised affection: "This girl is so beautiful, tall and fair-skinned, Xiao Yu, you'd better treat her well!"
Shen Cen smiled shyly, and Jiang Shiyu nodded with a smile as well: "Don't worry, Auntie, we're very much in love."
Upon hearing the word "affectionate," Shen Cen's mind inexplicably drifted back to the events of the previous night, recalling those intoxicating kisses and the enclosed space filled with the mingling of hormones and breaths.
Her face suddenly turned red again.
When Jiang Shiyu pushed the menu in front of her, she came to her senses. The proprietress had already gone to the next table to greet customers.
"Take a look, are there any childhood memories here?"
Jiang Shiyu noticed the change in her expression: "Is it too hot?"
"It's okay, some ice water will do." She took a sip of the kumquat lemonade in her glass and then took the menu.
She quickly flipped through a few pages and saw many local specialties of Jingnan Town. Jingnan Town has a well-developed aquaculture industry, and its river shrimp, fish, and crabs are especially delicious. When she was a child, several neighboring families had fishponds and crab ponds, and they would send a lot to Shen Cen's family every year. After moving to the city, Shen Cen rarely ate them anymore.
After ordering two dishes according to her own taste, she put the menu back in front of Jiang Shiyu: "You order two too."
Jiang Shiyu pushed it back: "I have trouble making a choice, you decide for me."
Shen Cen had no choice but to order two more dishes. During the order, he asked Jiang Shiyu if he could accept them. Jiang Shiyu said he would eat anything.
Shen Cen noticed that ever since Jiang Shiyu learned that she grew up in Jingnan Town and missed her old life, he always took her to try some of Jingnan's special delicacies.
She didn't know if Jiang Shiyu had brought her here specifically to try it, or if he himself missed that taste.
-
After dinner, the two prepared to go home. The first floor of this commercial complex was filled with gold and silver jewelry. As Jiang Shiyu passed by a jewelry store, he suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?"
Shen Cen thought Jiang Shiyu had seen an acquaintance, but when she looked inside, she found it empty. She wondered if it was because the store was famous for its high prices, with a wedding ring costing hundreds of thousands or even millions, so few people dared to set foot there.
Jiang Shiyu looked at Shen Cen's right hand, which was fair and delicate with pink knuckles. Such a beautiful hand deserved some embellishment.
He pretended to speak on a whim, as if it were a casual remark:
"Do you think we're missing a pair of rings?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: President Jiang unintentionally [shy] actually wanted to buy his wife a ring a long time ago.
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