Chapter 138 I'm Going to Kyoto
The helicopter flew through the clouds, and the outline of the port city gradually blurred below.
Jiang Tingwan looked towards the Jinshan Building, feeling a little emotional. When she first came to this strange city, besides wanting to prove her ability, she also wanted to use work to numb the emptiness in her heart.
Today, Tingyue has established a firm foothold in this financial battlefield, and her mind has become more open without her realizing it.
Jiang Shixu sat opposite her, his eyes calmly sweeping over her slightly tired brows.
He said calmly: "People from the headquarters have arrived today, so you don't have to worry too much about this during this period."
"Yeah." Jiang Tingwan responded. She was not surprised by his arrangement.
Jiang Shixu has always been like this, acting decisively, without any mistakes, and without dragging his feet.
The distance between Hong Kong City and Kyoto is quite long, and she gradually felt sleepy. She supported her head with her eyelids slightly heavy.
Jiang Shixu's eyes fell on the Paraiba tourmaline bracelet on her wrist, which was shining with blue-green light. His eyes darkened a little. He silently reached out and gently unfastened the clasp of the bracelet.
Jiang Tingwan opened her eyes, and although she did not stop him, she looked at his actions with some confusion.
"It will be uncomfortable to wear it when sleeping." Jiang Shixu said in a flat tone, as if he was just stating a very ordinary fact.
She nodded without thinking much about it.
Jiang Shixu then signaled to his assistant to hand her a soft pillow so that she could lean on it more comfortably.
Soon, Jiang Tingwan fell into a deep sleep, with his breathing even and long.
Jiang Shixu stared at her sleeping face, and a rare hint of tenderness appeared between his cold brows.
However, when he looked at the priceless bracelet in his hand again, the warmth in his eyes gradually dissipated.
The assistant held his breath and dared not make a sound.
Jiang Shixu looked calm. He took out his phone and took a photo of the bracelet and sent it to another assistant with a concise note:
【Set one.】
No matter how valuable or unique this bracelet is, the assistant on the other end didn't dare to say a word, and just replied:
[Okay, Mr. Jiang.]
Then he turned off his phone and returned his gaze to the bracelet.
He raised his hand and signaled his assistant to open a crack in the helicopter door.
The whistling sound of the wind instantly filled the cabin, and the Pacific Ocean below was shimmering in the moonlight.
Without any hesitation, Jiang Shixu released his fingers.
The bracelet that Wen Nian had once worn on Jiang Tingwan's wrist fell from a height of ten thousand meters and eventually sank into the bottomless ocean.
Jiang Shixu withdrew his gaze and looked at Jiang Tingwan beside him.
Some things shouldn't stay with her.
The helicopter continued to fly towards Kyoto. Above the clouds, the moonlight was cold and pure.
Jiang Shixu leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest.
And in the deep sea below, that eerie blue-green light will eventually be swallowed by darkness.
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Wen Nian stood in the lounge of the highest casino in Haocheng, tapping the control panel with his fingertips. The surveillance images on the screen kept switching, but he could not find the person he wanted to see.
Song Zhi's abnormality in the past few days has been too obvious.
The man who had always been calm and composed was now like a wild beast out of control, frantically searching every corner near the port city.
Wen Nian was almost certain that Jiang Tingwan was no longer in his hands. Similarly, he was also certain that he did not know Jiang Tingwan's true identity.
"Interesting." He chuckled and took out his phone from his pocket. Fortunately, he had anticipated that she would suddenly disappear one day.
The reason why he couldn’t locate her before was probably because Song Zhi had set up a shielding device, but now that Jiang Tingwan has left, he naturally knows her location.
But the next second, he couldn't laugh anymore.
The positioning software on the screen is still running.
But the red dot representing Jiang Tingwan strangely stayed in the center of the Pacific Ocean and did not move for a whole week.
The corners of Wen Nian's mouth slowly tightened.
The bracelet he designed himself has an embedded micro locator that has long battery life and is waterproof.
unless......
"Bang!"
The phone hit the wall hard, and pieces flew everywhere.
There was violence in Wen Nian's grey eyes - how could his sister drift across the Pacific Ocean for a week?
"Check!" He grabbed his assistant by the collar, "Check all the ships and planes that passed through that area in the past three days, without missing a single one!"
"Arrange a plane." His voice was as cold as ice. "I'm going to Kyoto."
The assistant nodded tremblingly and was about to leave when the casino manager rushed in in a panic: "Master! People from the tax, fire, and health bureaus are all here, and they want to conduct a comprehensive inspection!"
Wen Nian narrowed his eyes. Who would dare to investigate their casino like this?
This is no coincidence.
He turned and looked out the French window——
The night in Haocheng was still full of decadence and extravagance, but in the dark it seemed as if there were an invisible hand that was precisely controlling his lifeline.
The manager said with a sad face: "Boss Wen said... that this time he will let you handle the inspection personally..."
Wen Nian's fist smashed into the tempered glass, and cracks spread like a spider web.
He should have thought of it earlier - who else could be the one making him unable to move forward except the man who Jiang Tingwan was not repelled by?
Jiang time series.
The name rolled over his teeth, carrying with it an unshakable aura.
Wen Nian suddenly chuckled and picked up a usable mobile phone chip from the broken glass.
The dim light on the screen reflected his smile——
Jiang Tingwan could push him away.
But others can't.
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When the helicopter landed on the Jiang family's private helipad, light snow was already falling in Kyoto.
In the darkness of the night, snowflakes glowed faintly under the searchlight and melted as soon as they hit the ground.
As soon as Jiang Tingwan stepped out of the cabin, cold wind wrapped in snow particles blew in her face, and she subconsciously shrank her neck.
Jiang Shixu took the cashmere coat handed to her by the assistant and draped it over her shoulders naturally.
"Raise your hands."
His voice was still cold, but his movements were incredibly delicate.
Jiang Tingwan obediently stretched out her hand and let him tidy up her coat, then watched him bend down to tie her scarf.
When the warm cashmere touched her chin, she exhaled a puff of white mist. After the mist dissipated, what came into view was Jiang Shixu's rare gentle expression——
His eyelashes drooped, and his slender fingers wrapped the scarf around twice before gently tucking it into his collar, smoothing out even the smallest wrinkles.
Such tenderness made Jiang Tingwan's heart skip a beat.
She also took another scarf from her assistant and stood on tiptoe to tie it for Jiang Shixu.
Jiang Shixu cooperated by lowering his head slightly, allowing her fingertips to brush across his chin.
The warmth of her palms still remained on the scarf.
The black cashmere made Jiang Shixu's jawline look even sharper. He lowered his eyes and looked at the serious expression of the person in front of him, his Adam's apple rolling almost imperceptibly.
"Okay." She smiled and took a step back, but didn't notice his eyes at the moment.
——Will she do the same for Shen Guan or Lu Zhaoye?
The thought flashed through my mind.
Jiang Shixu's eyes dimmed slightly, and he raised his hand to brush away the snow in her hair: "Get in the car."
The limousine slid silently up to him.
The car window reflected two people standing side by side, one tall and one short, both wrapped in the same black scarf, and the white mist they exhaled spread on the glass and then dissipated.
Two lights in Jiang's house were finally lit tonight.
"Father is still in Switzerland for a meeting." Jiang Shixu took off his coat and took her to the restaurant. "No need to wait for him."
In the restaurant, the crystal chandelier casts warm light over the long table.
Tonight there was no butler standing by, no complicated meal order, only a few steaming home-cooked dishes.
Jiang Shixu had his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows and was peeling a shrimp.
"elder brother."
Jiang Tingwan suddenly interrupted him.
She looked at the shrimp oil on Jiang Shixu's fingertips and the shrimp shells piled up like a mountain in front of him, and her heart couldn't help but be touched.
For the past six months, the other end of this long table has always been empty. Did he also eat every meal alone in silence like he does now?
"I will move Tingyue's headquarters to Kyoto."
Jiang Shixu paused while peeling shrimp.
The shrimp shells made a slight crisp sound on his fingertips. He looked up at her, but didn't ask why. In the end, he only answered with one word:
"good."
The girl who wanted to stay away from Kyoto half a year ago now takes the initiative to say that she wants to come back.
Jiang Shixu suppressed the emotions surging in his eyes and put another shrimp into her bowl.
Jiang Tingwan lowered her head to eat, her eyelashes casting tiny shadows under the light.
She now realizes that some ties cannot be severed just by wanting to.
The relationship between them has long been like the stitches on a scarf, with every stitch sewn into their blood.
Jiang Shixu always stood behind her, silently tolerating all her willfulness, and now——
There was no questioning, no doubting, just like when she wanted to go to Hong Kong City, he just silently prepared everything and told her, "Go."
The snow falls silently outside the window, and the warmth in the restaurant grows.
Jiang Shixu peeled another shrimp and put it directly into her bowl.
"Brother." Jiang Tingwan suddenly said, "Accompany me to see the snow tomorrow."
Jiang Shixu paused while wiping his hands: "Hmm."
It was just a simple word, but it made Jiang Tingwan smile so hard that her eyes curved.
She knew that tomorrow there would be two rows of footprints left in the snow in Kyoto.
Just like many years ago, when she was lost and her brother held her hand and walked through the courtyard.
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In the early morning light, the Wanchun Pavilion in Jingshan has not yet been opened to the public, and the entire mountain is shrouded in the quiet snow.
This is the commanding height of Kyoto's central axis. Looking down, the golden tiles and red walls of the Forbidden City appear even more magnificent against the white snow.
The Jiang family's car drove silently into the inner passage, and the guard respectfully let it pass when he saw the license plate.
Jiang Tingwan slowly got out of the car. Her light pink cheongsam outlined her slender waist. The fabric was embroidered with dark patterns of broken branches of plum blossoms, which were faintly visible when she walked. The white fox fur cape she wore hung down to her ankles, and the fluffy fur around her collar made her skin look like snow.
She tied her long hair up loosely with a white jade hairpin inserted diagonally between them, exuding a sense of elegance in her simplicity.
Jiang Shixu was wearing a dark Zhongshan suit, with a few snowflakes falling on his shoulders, making his figure look as tall and straight as a pine tree.
The two of them climbed up the stairs, and the wooden steps creaked slightly.
As soon as I arrived at the pavilion, I saw the Bai brothers and sisters already enjoying the scenery.
Bai Che greeted them with a smile and ran to take photos for his female companion, leaving Bai Lu alone. She was wearing a moon-white dress with a light grey coat, and her temperament was gentle.
"What a coincidence." Bai Lu smiled and nodded.
Jiang Tingwan and Jiang Shixu also took their seats.
The tea master was about to step forward, but Jiang Tingwan gently raised her hand: "Let me do it."
She also learned tea art before she went abroad, but she rarely practiced it herself.
She was in a good mood today. She remembered that Bai Lu and Jiang Shixu seemed to get along well before, so she might as well make tea and let them chat.
On the rosewood tea table, the celadon tea set is as glossy as jade.
Jiang Tingwan rolled up her sleeves and picked up the teapot. Her slender hands moved smoothly - warming the cup, adding tea, and pouring water, each step was extremely elegant.
Bai Lu was so engrossed in watching that she couldn't help but exclaim: "Miss Jiang's tea art is even more pleasing to the eye than that of a professional tea master."
"I learned it when I was a child, but I haven't practiced it for a long time." Jiang Tingwan smiled and pushed the teacup in front of her.
But what she didn't expect was that Bai Lu didn't stop after she started talking, and actually started chatting with her.
The two talked about movies and art. Bai Lu talked about how she gave up the family business to choose the career of director, with tenderness and determination in her eyes.
Jiang Tingwan was a little surprised that this soft-spoken woman in front of her could be so decisive and efficient on the set.
"I might be different when I'm working than I am now." Bai Lu pursed her lips and smiled.
"I understand." Jiang Tingwan nodded in understanding. Just as she was about to add more tea for Jiang Shixu, she saw him looking at her with a serious gaze.
Their eyes met, and Jiang Tingwan remembered that Jiang Shixu had not spoken a word.
She was about to change the subject, but she didn't expect Bai Lu to see her, chuckled, and stood up to say goodbye: "I suddenly remembered that I have a meeting, so I'll leave first."
At this moment, there were only the brother and sister left in the pavilion.
In the aroma of tea, Jiang Tingwan picked up the teacup and took a sip: "Brother, why don't you speak?"
Jiang Shixu took the teapot from her hand, and their fingertips touched each other inadvertently: "It seems you are having a good time chatting."
Jiang Tingwan chuckled and tapped the edge of the tea table with her fingertips: "Didn't my brother often have dinner with Miss Bai before? Today, it seems like I am more familiar with her."
"She can get along well with everyone." Jiang Shixu understood the temptation in her words. Hearing this, his expression did not change. He just said lightly: "She is someone worth making friends with."
This reaction was too calm, and Jiang Tingwan knew that he had no other intentions towards Bai Lu.
She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
Jiang Shixu is a man who is neither as outgoing as Lu Zhaoye, nor as smiling but dagger-inducing as Chen Guan. It is hard to imagine who he would fall in love with.
"Although my mother is in the United States," she said half-jokingly, "it's time for my brother to think about his lifelong affairs."
She hopes that there will always be someone by Jiang Shixu's side.
Jiang Shixu's deep gaze lingered on her face for a moment, and he said in a low voice, "Don't worry."
Seeing him like this, Jiang Tingwan stopped asking questions.
The pavilion was silent for a moment, with only the rustling sound of snow falling on the branches.
Jiang Shixu glanced at her empty wrist: "Why don't you wear that bracelet?"
He was referring to the green jade twist bracelet he gave her when he first returned to China. It was still in her jewelry cabinet.
That's 200 million. Even though the jewelry she wears on important occasions is very expensive, she is still not used to wearing them in daily life.
Jiang Tingwan stroked his wrist and smiled: "It's too expensive, I'm afraid it will get damaged."
"Don't worry about that."
Jiang Shixu turned his head slightly and raised his hand to signal, and the assistant immediately brought a rosewood box.
The moment the lid of the box was opened, the morning light poured in - a complete set of violet jade jewelry lay quietly on the inky velvet.
The bracelet is a rare wide version of the lucky bracelet. It is a dreamy lavender purple all over, with a lot of water, and a hazy glow flowing under the reflection of the snow.
The main stone of the necklace is a teardrop-shaped purple jadeite, surrounded by diamond stars, and the chain body is woven into a twined pattern with extremely fine platinum wire.
The earrings are two small purple jade gourds, which emit a faint iridescence as they sway.
A set of purple jadeite of this quality and exquisite workmanship is probably rare to see even at an auction.
"this..."
Jiang Tingwan touched the pendant with her fingertips, and the cold jade quickly took on her body temperature.
Jiang Shixu has taken out the necklace: "Turn around."
She turned her back obediently and felt his fingertips brush the back of her neck.
The hair was gently parted, and the cool platinum chain touched the skin.
Jiang Shixu's movements were light, but carried an irresistible tone. After fastening the buckle for her, he conveniently pinned a few strands of scattered hair back to the side of the hairpin.
The assistant handed over a gilded handheld mirror at the right time.
The woman in the mirror was wearing a pink dress, the purple jade around her neck was like morning dew, and the gourd pendant on her ear trembled with her breathing.
Jiang Shixu finally put the purple jade bracelet on her. The warm jade touched her pulse, as if they could feel each other's heartbeat.
"Don't worry about bumps." He loosened his hand, his voice calmer than emerald, "If the old doesn't go, the new won't come."
The most amazing thing is this pair of bracelets, which make Jiang Tingwan's wrists look as white as snow. Her every move is shrouded in purple mist, making her look like a fairy in a painting.
"Brother, you have a good eye." Jiang Tingwan stroked Zi Fei and suddenly remembered something, "But this set of jewelry..."
"This is new material from the Burmese public auction." Jiang Shixu adjusted her hairpin, "I thought it would suit you."
He spoke lightly, but it was clear that he was personally paying attention to the designer polishing it.
But he actually had the second half of the sentence in his mind.
These are just for her.
Although Jiang Shixu did not say it out loud, the overlapping figures in the mirror had already told it all.
The noise of tourists could be heard in the distance, and the morning sun finally jumped out of the sea of clouds, casting a golden edge on the two people standing hand in hand.
When going down the mountain, Jiang Tingwan's cloak swept across the snow on the steps, and the purple lily of the valley swayed gently by her ears.
Jiang Shixu, who was walking in front, turned around and stretched out his hand: "The road is slippery."
She put her hand into his palm and felt a burning sensation.
The morning light gilded his features and blurred the indescribable emotions in his eyes.
He gave away more than just jewelry.
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After receiving Bai Che's call, Shen Guan went to Wanchun Pavilion in Jingshan.
The morning light after the snow was dazzling. Although he had reached his destination, his body seemed to be nailed to the spot, unable to take another step forward.
The snow shines through the eaves, reflecting the scene in Wanchun Pavilion clearly.
Jiang Shixu was lowering his head to put the purple jade necklace on Jiang Tingwan. His slender fingers brushed the hair on the back of her neck, his movements were gentle but undeniable, as if he was completing some secret ritual.
Jiang Tingwan had her back to him, her light pink cheongsam outlining her slender waistline, and her snow-white fox fur cape draped over the stone bench.
She tilted her head slightly, and the purple jade gourd pendant on her ear swayed with her movement, emitting a dreamy glow in the morning light.
Shen Guan narrowed his eyes.
He was all too familiar with this behavior—
He himself had sent carefully selected jewelry to Jiang Tingwan countless times under various pretexts.
When a man gives jewelry to a woman, it is never simple.
Especially when each piece of jewellery was priceless and clearly custom-made for her.
But Jiang Shixu did something even better——
He recognized that set of purple jade.
Three months ago, at a public auction in Myanmar, a rare violet rough stone was sold at a sky-high price and was eventually taken away anonymously by the Jiang family.
Now it seems that Jiang Shixu had clearly planned this all along.
From selecting materials to designing, and then to putting it on her personally at this moment... every step reveals a silent possessiveness.
Chen Guan suddenly thought of every piece of jewelry that Jiang Shixu had bought at auctions at high prices over the years.
Most of them are styles for young girls. Who will wear them in the end?
He grew up in a complicated family environment, and his ability to understand people's hearts has long been ingrained in his bones.
He used to think that Jiang Shixu's feelings for Jiang Tingwan were just ordinary brother-sister feelings. After all, the man in power in the Jiang family had always been restrained and never showed any sign of overstepping the mark.
But at this moment, he suddenly realized that he was completely wrong.
How could a brother have such an almost paranoid possessiveness towards his sister?
It was clearly a man quietly marking his territory.
"Chen Guan?" Bai Che's voice on the phone brought him back to reality, "How is it, did you see anyone?"
Chen Guan's eyes did not move, and the corners of his lips could no longer raise that usual gentle smile. He just said lightly: "I suddenly remembered that I have a document to deal with."
In the pavilion, Jiang Tingwan was looking at her newly-worn purple jade earrings in the mirror. The dreamy purple color made her skin look like snow, and her eyes moved when she smiled, which was breathtakingly beautiful.
Jiang Shixu sat beside her, his eyes fixed on her, that look of deep observation was all too familiar -
It's the look a man has when he looks at his beloved.
Chen Guan thought of Jiang Tingwan's unguarded trust when she mentioned Jiang Shixu, and how she always accepted her brother's gifts calmly, but felt guilty about her efforts for him.
He thought again of the dressing room after the banquet.
After Jiang Tingwan was drugged, it was Jiang Shixu who took her away. The next day, when she refuted him, his expression was calm and righteous, and there was no emotion other than brother and sister in his eyes.
Maybe she really didn't notice.
But what about Jiang Shixu?
This man who was decisive in the business world lived with her under the same roof every day, watching her smile, accompanying her in her sorrow, and wearing the jewelry he had personally selected for her...
The cold wind blew the broken snow across his cheeks, and Shen Guan clenched his fists.
Jiang Tingwan can follow her heart and reject him, or she can avoid Lu Zhaoye.
But if one day, she found out that the brother who had protected her since she was a child actually had such thoughts about her——
How should she face it?
How will the Jiang family treat her?
What will be Jiang Shixu’s attitude at that time?
The contemplation is unimaginable.
He finally took a deep breath, and instead of moving forward, he turned and left.
A series of deep footprints were left on the snow, which were soon covered by new snowflakes.
He knew he had to do something.
His fingertips slid across the phone screen, deleting the invitation message that was originally intended to be sent to Jiang Tingwan, and instead called his assistant.
He would never watch her get into trouble.
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