Chapter 8
Liang Shi woke up for the second time in Li Junqian's bedroom, feeling soreness and numbness in her arms. She fell asleep sitting on the edge of the bed.
Looking back on last night, Li Junqian really had excellent drinking manners. After I helped him take off his coat and cover him with a blanket, he fell asleep quietly.
I was thinking of keeping watch for a while to see if he would vomit or something, but I didn't expect it to get light so quickly.
"woke up?"
Liang Shi looked up and saw the man leaning against the bed using a tablet. Had he been awake for a while? And just been watching her by the bedside without waking her up?
Why didn't you wake me up when you were awake?
"I didn't want to wake you, so I wanted you to sleep a little longer. I was drunk last night, thank you for taking care of me."
Liang Shi stood up and stretched his arms and neck a couple of times: "No need to thank me, don't overthink it. I was too tired yesterday and accidentally fell asleep. If there's nothing else, I'll head back now."
After she finished speaking, she left the room filled with Li Junqian's presence. She ran to the balcony, looked at the Bund, and breathed in the cool morning air.
Someone draped a blanket over her from behind. Liang Shi didn't turn around to look: "Take me to see Uncle Li sometime. I miss him a lot."
Li Junqian paused for a moment before replying, "Okay. Let me know when you want to go."
"Next week."
"Okay. Would you like breakfast? I'll make it."
Liang Shi glanced at her watch; it was just past eight. She was very hungry, but she didn't want to stay any longer.
"No, I want to go back and catch up on my sleep. It's a rare weekend."
"There are guest rooms here. Why don't you go and get some sleep? I'll call you when I've made breakfast."
Liang Shi: "..."
Can't this person tell that she doesn't want to stay for breakfast?
"Be good, little one."
Liang Shi prided herself on being a stubborn woman, and all the female employees in the office treated her with utmost respect. Even though she was quite assertive in front of Li Junqian, he couldn't resist her gentle approach. She was incredibly frustrated.
Perhaps out of some expectation and unwillingness in his heart, Liang Shi went to the guest room and lay down for a while.
She vaguely remembered having a dream, a dream about the boy in white from before. When she suddenly woke up, she heard Li Junqian calling her from the living room to have breakfast.
Liang Shi didn't care how good Li Junqian's breakfast was; she stuffed everything on the plate into her mouth, then grabbed her bag and left. If she stayed another second, she'd probably be dreaming about him for as long as she slept tonight.
As she was putting on her shoes, Li Junqian called out to her from half a meter away: "There's a charity cocktail party tonight, and I need a female companion. Xiao Shi, would you like to come with me?"
"You big idiot!" Liang Shi immediately refused, "Mr. Li, what kind of female companion do you want? I'm socially awkward and can't handle this kind of situation."
As she gripped the doorknob, she heard the man behind her laugh and say, "Socially anxious? Why did I see you chatting so happily with those strangers last night?"
Liang Shidun stood there, then smiled and said, "I had a very pleasant chat with Young Master Cha yesterday, didn't I? Young Master Cha is a friend, and having friends around makes me less socially awkward."
"Aren't we friends?"
Liang Shi: "..."
Oh, so her previous reasoning falls apart?! Damn Li Junqian!
Fine, what's wrong with attending a cocktail party? She's practically a newcomer to Fanning, maybe she can make some connections that will be helpful to her?
"Alright, Mr. Li, the people you attended at the party must all be elites, right? If there are any elite men, I hope you can introduce me to some. Oh, by the way, I don't have a formal dress. If possible, I hope you can personally help me choose one and deliver it to my home. Mr. Li must have seen countless women, so you should be able to tell at a glance what I'm wearing, right? Then I'll look forward to Mr. Li's judgment."
Li Junqian's smile deepened as he watched her speak a string of words.
Liang Shi took a bath at home, put on a face mask, and watched TV while doing her makeup. At five o'clock, the doorbell rang. Just as Li Junqian had said on WeChat, someone had specially delivered a dress and shoes to her.
A bright green strapless fishtail dress and a pair of black strappy sandals—when Liang Shi saw this outfit, he couldn't help but admire Li Junqian's sharp eye, realizing she was indeed someone who frequented the fashion world.
She changed her clothes and went downstairs. Right at the entrance of the residential complex was Li Junqian's Bentley.
Liang Shi was very curious to know exactly how many cars this man had bought, as if he were buying toy cars without any restraint.
Li Junqian very gentlemanly opened the car door for her and sat in the back seat with her.
"You have great taste; I really like the clothes and shoes."
"My pleasure."
Liang Shi silently rated the man's outfit tonight. This man was wearing a silver suit with a light pink tie, looking incredibly flashy. He probably wanted to hunt for women again? Ha.
What should I be aware of at this party?
"Just follow me."
Alright, Liang Shi knows his limits. He's just saying this because it's his usual practice to bring a female companion.
However, she hadn't expected that this charity gala would be so respectable, attended by prominent figures from Shanghai. She followed Li Junqian in toasting and socializing, and Liang Shi inwardly admired this man; no matter who he met or what the conversation was like, he could always blend in perfectly.
He knew everything about finance and stocks. If she hadn't known he studied perfumery, she would have been in awe of him. And at this moment, she truly was in awe.
Perhaps afraid of revealing her emotions, Liang Shi quietly told Li Junqian that she was hungry and going to find something to eat. The man raised an eyebrow, indicating that she could leave.
Liang Shi was indeed hungry. Having spent a long time in France, he had developed a sweet tooth and was enjoying a slice of cheesecake when a strange man approached him.
She glanced at him; he was tall and handsome. But not as handsome as Li Junqian.
"Is the cake delicious?" the man smiled, pointing to the cake in her hand.
Liang Shi knew the man was trying to pick her up. Although she wanted to roll her eyes and leave, she analyzed the situation. The man's suit was bespoke and expensive, and he was wearing a watch worth over a million yuan. He was definitely a nouveau riche in Shanghai.
Neither of them are easy to mess with.
"If you want to know if it tastes good, sir, you can try it yourself."
Fang Tong chuckled, grabbed a plate, got himself a piece of cake, and took a small bite.
"This is indeed very nice. May I ask, ma'am, if we could exchange business cards and get to know each other?"
Liang Shi didn't stand on ceremony. He took out the business card he had recently printed from his bag and handed it over, taking his own as well.
Fang Tong. General Manager of Southern Entertainment?
Tsk, another entertainment company. These days, running an entertainment company is really profitable?
So, this man is probably similar to Cha Zhengyu. Or rather, the two of them definitely know each other.
"Ms. Liang looks beautiful today. No wonder, you're the director of a fashion company. The charity auction hasn't started yet. Would you do me the honor of joining me for a drink on the terrace?"
Liang Shi put down her plate and glanced at Li Junqian. She noticed that the man was also looking at her, but a beautiful woman in purple was standing next to him. They were talking about something, and the woman was laughing happily.
Tsk, this man is definitely here to hook up with women! Out of sight, out of mind!
"Okay, then could you please get me a glass of champagne?"
There weren't many people on the terrace, and it was quite cold, so Liang Shi immediately regretted her decision. However, Fang Tong was very considerate; he somehow produced an LV scarf and gave it to her as a shawl.
As they chatted, Liang Shi realized that Fang Tong was different from Cha Zhengyu; this man was clearly more tactful and didn't show his emotions.
However, if we're talking about someone who doesn't show their emotions, Li Junqian is the best; she's never really understood him.
"Xiao Shi, come here."
Just as she was laughing heartily at Fang Tong's skiing and falling in Hokkaido, she heard someone calling her from not far away.
Who else could call her "Little Shi"?
Liang Shi also knew his limits, after all, she was someone he had trained.
"Mr. Fang, I'm sorry, I have to go now. Here's your scarf back, thank you."
Fang Tong and Li Junqian exchanged a smile, but the man's expression seemed hostile towards him. Being in the fashion world, how could he not recognize Fan Ning's Li Junqian? They'd bumped into each other at celebrity gatherings many times and even chatted. However, never before had the man's face been so serious.
"Xiaoshi? Ha, that sounds quite affectionate. It sounds like there's a story behind it." Fang Tong watched their retreating figures and immediately took out her phone to send a message to Cha Zhengyu.
The main venue for the charity auction was on the third floor, and many people had already entered. Liang Shi, wearing high heels, couldn't keep up with Li Junqian and secretly cursed the man, thinking that having long legs was no big deal!
Before she could speak, the man in front of her stopped, bent his elbow, and gave her space: "Come here, take my arm."
Perhaps he thought she was too slow? Liang Shi took his arm and could clearly feel the strength in the man's arm; he must work out regularly.
"Fang Tong is a good friend of Cha Zhengyu. Stay away from them."
Tsk, Liang Shi didn't like hearing that. He's meddling way too much!
"Why? I think Mr. Fang is a very nice person. At least he is very considerate. He even offered to drape a shawl over my shoulders on such a cold day."
The implication is that, in such cold weather, he prepared a strapless dress for her but not a warm vest!
Liang Shi looked up at him. The man's brows were furrowed, but after she finished speaking, his expression returned to normal: "I'm sorry, it was my oversight. It won't happen again."
The word "next time?" nearly caused Liang Shi to miss a step.
Once seated, Liang Shi noticed the man next to her was chatting with the man on the other side, unbuttoning his shirt as they talked. She wondered if this man was going to…
Sure enough, she felt a warm sensation on her shoulder: "You...you don't need to do this, there's air conditioning here."
Li Junqian pressed down on the clothes on her shoulders: "Don't move, keep it on."
Liang Shi wasn't being coy; compared to having a cold, accepting a man's kindness seemed more practical. To be honest, those four words from Li Junqian just now actually had a domineering feel to them? She must be mistaken!
There weren't many items at this auction, but there were definitely a few treasures. For example, the pair of pink diamond earrings that were just brought to the stage.
When Li Junqian glanced at Liang Shi, he saw the woman staring at the earrings on the stage, her eyes practically shining. He chuckled and raised his sign, calling out a number.
These earrings are quite old and expensive, especially since this man's first bid was double the starting price! He's really rich and capricious!
However, what she was more concerned about was why this man was taking pictures of those earrings. Could it be that he wanted to give them to that woman in purple? As she thought about it, Liang Shi's mood soured.
Most of the customers were wealthy businessmen and their wives. The pink diamond earrings were particularly popular, with the price being bid up and down. Meanwhile, the man beside her remained calmly raising his bidding paddle.
Ha, she'll go find out who that woman in purple is! Is she really that charming? Making Li Junqian spend so much money to win her smile!
What Li Junqian wanted would naturally not end up in someone else's pocket. Although the final price was outrageous, it shouldn't be a big deal for Li Junqian.
Liang Shi joked with him, "Spending so much money, you might as well buy a Ferrari."
At the same time, the man next to her said, "Do you like it? I'll put it on you later."
Liang Shi: "..."
This man took a picture of her earring!?
"you……"
The man next to her looked at her and laughed, "Little money-grubber."
Liang Shi blushed instantly and turned her head to the other side: "I didn't say I liked it, don't misunderstand me! I just said this earring isn't worth spending so much money on. It's too expensive, you should give it to someone else!"
As she finished speaking, she caught a glimpse of the man next to her handing her his phone. On the screen was a photo. Tsk, had she really looked at those pink diamond earrings with that kind of gaze?! Even she herself thought she hadn't made a mistake calling him a little money-grubber…
Wait, the problem is...
"You took a picture of me without my permission?"
The woman stared at him with her big eyes; she was quite cute. Li Junqian put his phone away: "I thought you liked her, so I took the liberty of making the decision. If I misunderstood, I apologize. I'll see who else would be suitable..."
Upon hearing that the man was having second thoughts, Liang Shi panicked and patted his arm, saying, "Who...who said they don't like it? Then thank you, Mr. Li, who's rich and powerful!"
Looking at Li Junqian's doting expression, Fang Tong was truly surprised to see him like this. Although he was universally acknowledged as a refined gentleman, he was never the type to spend money so lavishly to win a woman's favor! Something was fishy.
After the party ended and he got into the car, Liang Shi returned the suit jacket to him, saying, "I'm so sorry that Mr. Li had to wear a shirt to social events all night!"
Li Junqian seemed to have drunk quite a bit. He leaned back in his chair and pressed his temples with his hand: "We're not home yet. Wear this on, don't catch a cold."
Unexpectedly, Li Junqian escorted her upstairs. She politely declined, but the man still followed her.
I promised to put an earring on you, and I can't go back on my word.
Liang Shi was taken aback. Was he acting drunk and disorderly?
“I have hands, I can put it on myself.”
Auction staff were waiting at her door. Liang Shi opened the door and waited for Li Junqian and the other person to sign the papers.
As the person left, he even smiled and wished them both a pleasant life.
This blessing at this late hour sounds so... awkward!
But wait, how did Li Junqian know exactly where she lived? And he even had something delivered over?
Before she could ask any questions, Li Junqian pulled her to her sofa.
"Hey, you..."
"Don't move, let me put it on you."
Liang Shizhen froze, feeling the warmth of his fingers on her ear and the coldness of the diamond earring. Her heart was pounding. Especially when he whispered in her ear, she felt like she was about to explode from his warm breath.
She suspected he did it on purpose!
"Alright, go look in the mirror?"
The two finally put some distance between them. There was a full-length mirror in the living room, and Liang Shi quickly went over. She wasn't looking at the earrings at all; she was looking at the man in the mirror who was walking closer and closer to her!
"Xiao Shi, this suits you very well. I'm sorry, I didn't think things through today and you caught a cold."
Li Junqian was that kind of person, gentle enough to make people fall in love, but Liang Shi knew that this gentleness would never belong to her, so she pretended to be aloof: "Thank you for the gift, Mr. Li."
Suddenly, she saw that Li Junqian's eyes in the mirror had become somewhat sharp.
“When I was little, I told you to call me Karsten.”
Even his voice was two octaves lower; it seems he really drank too much.
"Karsten, it's getting late, you should go home."
Li Junqian glanced at his watch; it was indeed getting late. He decided not to disturb her any longer. As he was leaving, he looked at the woman seeing him off at the door and said, "Stay away from Fang Tong and Cha Zhengyu, understand?"
He had barely finished speaking when Liang Shi's phone rang. The contact name was clearly displayed, leaving Liang Shi feeling awkward.
"When did you two become so close?"
Liang Shi thought to herself, "When did he become such a busybody? Does he ever think of her when he's chatting and laughing with other women? Of course not, so what right does he have to interfere in her social life?"
"With my looks, it's not surprising that I have suitors, right? Besides, I don't see anything wrong with Fang Tong's character. On the contrary, he's very considerate and thoughtful. He'd be a good boyfriend choice... um..."
Liang Shi only wanted to provoke him, but he didn't expect the provocation to have such a serious effect!
She never imagined that Li Junqian could be so savage, kissing her so hard she could barely breathe!
"Ugh...it hurts..."
Realizing his outburst, Li Junqian quickly released Liang Shi. He hadn't expected to do something so outrageous and cursed himself inwardly, but he had genuinely been angry. He had meant well for her.
Li Junqian frowned: "Xiao Shi, I'm sorry, I just..."
"Li Junqian, get out of here!"
That night, Liang Shi couldn't sleep. If the last kiss was driven by the game, what about this one?
Li Junqian is clearly a man of principle, how could he be so impulsive?
He said she was his sister, but in reality, he did such an outrageous thing!
So, could it be that Li Junqian likes her?
When Liang Shi thought of this possibility, he tossed and turned in bed, feeling that his idea was too unrealistic.
On the other side, Li Junqian remained standing under the shower. He himself couldn't understand why he would kiss Liang Shi again.
What do subconscious actions signify?
Do you like it?
He was genuinely annoyed to see her chatting and laughing so happily with others. He was especially angry when she wouldn't listen to his advice; Fang Tong and Cha Zhengyu were both playboys, and she still wouldn't listen to reason!
So, is this what liking someone means?
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