74. A Gentle Ripple on a Spring Night
"Take it all off, let me see, Xueyan," Cheng Boyan said almost pleadingly. "Otherwise, I'll keep worrying."
Before Wen Xueyan could react, he had already raised his hand, first removing her soft cashmere cardigan, and then reaching straight for the buttons of her silk shirt inside, quickly unbuttoning one.
Cheng Boyan brought the two of them so close that they could clearly feel each other's breath.
When Wen Xueyan got home from get off work today, she only took off her coat and didn't change her clothes. She was still wearing the light oatmeal-colored cashmere knit sweater she wore to work during the day, with a silk shirt of the same color underneath.
She wore a well-tailored dark gray wool long skirt that accentuated her waistline, which was even more slender and supple than a year ago.
Apart from our brief meeting on the rooftop last time, it has been more than a year since we separated. More than 300 days and nights of separation are enough to create an invisible barrier between people who were once very close.
His directness left Wen Xueyan feeling flustered, her cheeks slightly flushed. It wasn't entirely embarrassment, but also a strange intimacy that had been diluted by time but intensified again by their sudden closeness.
"What are you worried about?" Wen Xueyan didn't push his hand away, but simply asked.
"I heard that Xi Mingyuan is quite special in that area, is that true?" Cheng Boyan's tone was tinged with pity.
"Who told you that?" Wen Xueyan took a step back.
She wondered how Cheng Boyan could know. Xi Mingyuan was always very private, and this matter involved his grandfather's trust in him and the distribution of shares. How did things about his sexual orientation, which were known only to a very few people, reach Cheng Boyan's ears?
He misinterpreted Wen Xueyan's retreat as a fact that the injuries were shocking and that she dared not show them to others.
The fleeting look of surprise and understanding on her face did not escape Cheng Boyan's notice.
This subtle change in expression was like pouring hot oil on the already agitated man.
"Let me see it! Xueyan, let me confirm it with my own eyes! If it's true, I won't let him get away with it." He took another step forward.
He gripped Wen Xueyan's waist with his left hand, while his right hand moved faster. His initial caution was replaced by heartache and anger.
When his slender fingers inevitably touched the skin on Wen Xueyan's neck, a subtle yet distinct tingling sensation, like an electric current, suddenly shot through her spine.
She wasn't sure if the feeling stemmed from lingering physical memories of him or simply from the reaction to contact after a long separation.
This feeling is a mixture of past affection and the estrangement and distance brought about by a year of separation.
“Bo Yan…” She instinctively wanted to back away, but his gaze froze her in place. In his eyes were worry, anxiety, and something she couldn’t understand, something akin to fear.
Wen Xueyan stopped avoiding him; deep down, she also longed for his touch.
Cheng Boyan didn't stop, quickly unbuttoning the buttons, one after another.
"Is he really like that..." Cheng Boyan's gaze followed his fingers as he unbuttoned her clothes, not daring to look into her eyes, as if the answer would burn him.
As her clothes were removed, her jade-like shoulders and smooth back were gradually revealed. Cheng Boyan controlled his heavy breathing and his physical instincts. He carefully examined her skin; it was smooth and flawless, without any marks.
“No…” His fingers gently traced her shoulder blade.
“He deliberately left us alone together. What does that mean? Could it be a trap? When will he be back?” He breathed a slight sigh of relief, then his fingertips quickly and carefully traced her skin, continuing to search for the imagined wounds.
Wen Xueyan trembled slightly as his fingertips traced her skin: "He said he'd be gone for at least two hours. Don't worry..."
Cheng Boyan did not respond, his entire focus was on his gaze. He looked very carefully; under the light, her skin was like the finest warm jade, delicate and radiant, and there were indeed no bruises or marks as he had imagined.
Cheng Boyan even gently brushed aside her long, flowing hair to examine the more discreet lines of her spine.
No.
There wasn't even the slightest scratch.
Then he looked at her wool skirt…
A tremendous sense of relief, mixed with absurdity, instantly overwhelmed his tense nerves.
Cheng Boyan's tense shoulders relaxed, and what followed was an even stronger impact.
A year has passed, and her figure seems more voluptuous than I remember, with graceful curves, like a pearl carefully polished by time, radiating a mature and soft glow.
Cheng Boyan's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
Almost instinctively, he raised his hand, with an irrepressible desire, and pulled Wen Xueyan tightly into his arms from behind, kissing her neck.
His hand couldn't help but cover that soft spot...
Wen Xueyan closed her eyes and felt him.
The air of a spring night always carries an ambiguous feeling, somewhere between cool and warm. The central air conditioning sends out even warm air, trying to simulate a mature summer, but it can't compete with the coolness that seeps in through the cracks in the window, a coolness that belongs to the season itself.
"I'm cold," Wen Xueyan said, even though the air conditioning was on, it was still springtime.
Cheng Boyan quickly withdrew his hand from her body, then picked up her clothes and carefully dressed her, buttoning them up one by one. He then picked up the cashmere cardigan from the ground and draped it over her shoulders.
"What exactly did you hear," she began, "about President Xi, and what rumors are circulating?"
Cheng Boyan sat down next to her.
“On the day of the baby’s one-month celebration, Qiao Qianyue came to me,” he said calmly. “She said that she had dated President Xi for a month and originally planned to get married, but she found that President Xi had a preference for… whips. She said she saw several whips hanging in President Xi’s bedroom.”
After saying that, Cheng Boyan looked around again, but there wasn't a single one.
Wen Xueyan's cheeks flushed instantly: "I understand. That President Xi wanted to reject Qiao Qianyue and make her back down. Besides, Qiao Qianyue was too embarrassed to tell all her relatives and elders about this strange reason."
At that moment, Cheng Boyan's cell phone rang in his suit pocket, and the screen displayed "Secretary Qiao".
Cheng Boyan answered the phone.
"Mr. Cheng, here's the latest update on the Hongjing acquisition." Secretary Qiao's voice came through the receiver. "The other party is asking for a further three percent increase in the acquisition price. Also, the legal department discovered a previously undisclosed guarantee contract."
Cheng Boyan's gaze swept over Wen Xueyan's serene profile, his tone calm: "Tell them that three percentage points is impossible. As for that guarantee contract..." He paused slightly, "Have the legal department assess the worst-case repayment risk; I need to see the specific data tomorrow."
"Understood. Also, the marketing director wants to see you tomorrow about the Jingsong project, what do you think..." Qiao Lanyue continued.
"Schedule for ten o'clock." Cheng Boyan said decisively, "Give him forty minutes. Have him come with the latest market analysis report and at least two actionable plans." He was always precise in his time management, demonstrating the efficient and pragmatic style of a leader.
"There's one more detail," Secretary Qiao added, "The special assistant to the general manager of Hongjing Company hinted that if you could personally attend next week's negotiations..."
"No need," Cheng Boyan interrupted. "The M&A team will handle it according to the original plan. At the negotiating table, the one who reveals their hand too early is always at a disadvantage."
The call had barely ended when another call came in. Cheng Boyan glanced at the number, and as he pressed the answer button, his tone softened slightly: "President Li."
"Mr. Cheng, I apologize for bothering you." The other party's voice was warm. "I heard that your company's new project is progressing smoothly. Our bank recently launched a financing program. Would you do me the honor of joining us for lunch tomorrow?"
"Thank you for your kind offer," Cheng Boyan said calmly. "However, the financing plan for this project has already been finalized. How about this: you have your team send the plan to Secretary Qiao, and if a suitable project comes along, we can discuss it in more detail."
He easily took control of the situation, neither making promises lightly nor leaving room for the other party, striking the perfect balance.
Wen Xueyan listened quietly to him, watching his profile as he immersed himself in the business world, his features cold and focused.
At this moment, he seemed like a completely different person from the man who had just carefully buttoned her clothes and immediately suppressed his emotions when she said "I'm cold." Yet, they were strangely fused together in the same person.
At this moment, Wen Xueyan asked, "How is Lan Yue's recovery going? Did she have a child later?"
Cheng Boyan put his phone back in his pocket, his tone gentle: "She and Fang Xiyi have been married for almost a year, and their relationship is very harmonious. However, I heard they're not planning to have children yet; he wants Lanyue to rest and recuperate for a while longer."
His gaze deepened. "After all, the miscarriage at that time caused her great physical and mental harm."
At this point, Cheng Boyan's expression suddenly turned serious. He grasped Wen Xueyan's hand: "Speaking of this, I have to admit that if you hadn't married Xi Mingyuan, Xu Junxian might very well have targeted you too. Just thinking about that possibility terrifies me. I will do everything in my power to protect you, but sometimes it's impossible to guard against everything."
Wen Xueyan gently squeezed his hand back: "Xi Mingyuan and I can't get a divorce this year. Can you promise me that no matter what happens in the future, you won't try to start a business war with Xi Mingyuan and acquire Shiming Group out of jealousy?"
Cheng Boyan frowned slightly, but a faint smile played on his lips: "What, you're protecting other men in front of me, aren't you afraid I'll get jealous?"
He then replied in a serious tone, "I can really agree to that, after all, he indirectly saved you. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to swallow this. Also, you just said that Xi Mingyuan has special qualities in that area, what exactly is the situation?"
Wen Xueyan didn't answer directly, but instead asked, "Did you feel that when Xi Mingyuan invited you over tonight, he specifically asked you to hold the baby? Also, how did you feel when the baby's little hand grabbed your tie?"
Welcome all readers and fans to leave comments and vote! Thank you for your support.
You've been updating so early these past two days! So happy!
Thank you for your message! I'm always thrilled to see it!
I'm going to wait until it's finished before reading it. I secretly read a chapter today.
Thank you for your message and flowers! I'm so touched! It's so heartwarming.
Waiting for the next chapter! President Cheng will find out who his baby's father is in the next chapter, right?
Okay, okay, thank you for your message.
Waiting for more updates! I'm already looking forward to the interactions between the baby and his/her dad! ( )
Okay^_^ Thank you for your comment! This is the second time I've seen your comment!^_^ Comments are welcome; they motivate me.
Hahaha, I get so excited every day when I see your updates!!!
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