Chapter 2 Jiang Shixu Extra
After leaving the cruise ship, Jiang Tingwan almost fled back to her villa.
The door slammed shut, and she slowly slid down to the floor with her back against the door, her heart beating so fast it seemed like it was going to burst out of her chest.
How could this happen? How could this happen? How could this happen?
She rubbed her hair vigorously, her thoughts racing.
That's Jiang Shixu...
He has been perfect in everything from study to work since he was a child. He is the Jiang family leader who is feared by the business world and the elder brother who is always calm and self-controlled.
how so?
She covered her messy head and closed her eyes tightly, but as soon as she closed her eyes, the memory of last night came to her: his hot palm clasping her waist, his low and hoarse "open your mouth", and the dark look in his eyes when he took away her hand that was blocking her chest and said "don't bear it"...
“Ahhh——” Jiang Tingwan threw herself on the bed and pounded the pillow frantically, as if this could drive those images out of her mind.
She had never been so at a loss.
I used to think Xie Duo and Lu Zhaoye were crazy, but compared to Jiang Shixu's calm and indifferent madness, they were nothing!
What made her regret even more was that the arrangement on the top floor of the cruise ship was for only the two of them, and she had made the arrangement herself.
She originally wanted to avoid other men, but ended up shooting herself in the foot.
With trembling fingers, she dialed Zhou Luoyao's number.
Now that things have come to this, she really needs someone to give her some guidance.
"If I say that I have a friend..." Jiang Tingwan made up a lame lie incoherently, "her...non-blood-related brother suddenly confessed his love...what should I do? Of course, since I'm her friend, I will ask for her."
"What? Jiang Shixu?" Zhou Luoyao's scream almost broke the receiver, "He confessed to you?"
How did she get in touch with Jiang Shixu directly?
"I told you he's my friend!" Jiang Tingwan, who was always dignified, almost jumped up, "Keep your voice down!"
Isn’t this glorious?!
There was a sudden suspicious crashing sound from the other end of the line.
"Okay, okay." Zhou Luoyao spoke again in an eerily calm tone: "Ahem... In response to this situation, um, this, that..."
"Which one? What do you mean by this or that one?" Jiang Tingwan frowned slightly, "Are you sick?"
"Ahem, ah, it's just..." Zhou Luoyao paused for a moment, then spoke quickly, "I suggest that your friend shouldn't be so excited. After all, your... friend's brother may have already..."
"How can this not be exciting?!" Jiang Tingwan couldn't help but interrupt.
Who can't help being excited?
"Then does your...friend reject her brother?" Zhou Luoyao asked tentatively.
Jiang Tingwan was silent for two seconds, then said, "It seems to be okay..."
It's just that this matter happened too suddenly, and she had never imagined such a development before.
"Then if she doesn't object, she can try to accept it..."
"Accept?" Jiang Tingwan's pupils shrank slightly. "He's the brother I grew up with. How can..."
"Just listen to me... Let relationships take their natural course..." Zhou Luoyao's voice became weaker and weaker, "Um... I'm hanging up first!"
The call ended abruptly.
Jiang Tingwan stared at the phone and didn't notice the familiar cough in the background when the call ended.
On the other side of the city, Zhou Luoyao looked at the man on the sofa with a fake smile: "Mr. Jiang... You know me, I always tell the truth. Did I say the right thing just now?"
Jiang Shixu put down the teacup slowly, his eyes dim and unclear: "What did she say?"
"She said she doesn't reject you." Zhou Luoyao swallowed, "It just means she can't accept it for the time being! Just give her some time..."
Outside the window, dusk gradually enveloped the city.
Jiang Shixu looked towards the direction of the villa, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the rim of the cup - it didn't matter, he had been waiting for so many years anyway.
As long as she doesn't reject him.
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Jiang Tingwan sat on the single sofa in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the edge of the phone.
Zhou Luoyao's words before leaving were still echoing in her mind -
Try to accept him...
How could she try to accept it? That was Jiang Shixu.
The brother she had looked up to since childhood, the one who had the final say in the Jiang family, was also the man who kissed her until her legs went limp on the terrace of the cruise ship that night.
But...what if I don't accept it?
Does she have to say to Jiang Shixu "let's keep our distance"?
Just imagining that scene, Jiang Tingwan felt a tightness in her chest. She couldn't say such words to someone who had silently devoted himself to her since she was a child...
Besides, Jiang Shixu has always been alone, if she does the same.
She shook her head and had to admit that she couldn't bear to treat him like that.
She sighed. How could it turn out like this? This was even more painful than killing her.
Suddenly, her phone vibrated, and a call popped up on the screen from her Cambridge tutor, Dr. Wilkins, a humorous and capable woman who had helped her countless times while studying abroad.
"Dear, can you come back and give a speech at the school anniversary next week?" Dr. Wilkins' voice was full of energy. "You are the most suitable person to talk about the breakthrough of women in the financial field."
Jiang Tingwan paused for a moment and then agreed.
Now is a good opportunity to be alone. Leaving for a while and thinking in a different environment may be the best choice.
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The next day, she started packing her luggage, planning to leave early.
But when night fell, the phone screen lit up again - it was Jiang Shixu's message.
【Use the family plane. Already arranged.】
These ten short words made Jiang Tingwan's finger hover above the screen.
She had originally planned to travel with several alumni and did not intend to use her family's private jet.
But now that Jiang Shixu arranged it this way, did he think that she was deliberately distancing herself from him...?
Taking a deep breath, she replied: [Brother, I just want to go with my classmates, I don’t have any other intentions.]
Almost instantly, a dialog box displays "The other party is typing."
[Yes, I know.]
The three cold words were completely different from the Jiang Shixu who whispered "Be good and be obedient" in her ear that night.
Jiang Tingwan stared at the screen and inevitably recalled those scenes.
She shook her head, shaking off the inappropriate memories.
never mind……
Since he said so, let's go by private plane.
She finally replied with an "OK" and threw the phone aside.
Outside the window, the night in Kyoto was as dark as ink, but her thoughts were even more chaotic than the night.
The plane will take off early tomorrow morning, and the flight of more than ten hours will allow her to sort out many things.
But...how should I face the man for whom the line between family and love has been blurred.
It's true, it's a mess...
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After landing in the UK, Jiang Tingwan put away her luggage and went back to her alma mater to hang out when she had nothing to do.
The sunlight poured through the stained glass of the library. She stood in front of the bookshelf in the corner where she used to sit most often, and her fingertips brushed over the yellowed spines of the books.
"Jiang!"
A familiar voice came from behind. Emma, who was in the same department as me, ran over in surprise, "It's really you!"
Jiang Tingwan looked back. Emma was her former classmate. She was lively and outgoing, very interesting. She always took the initiative to talk to her and often cared about her.
She originally felt lonely when she was studying abroad alone, but this little sunshine made her more cheerful and her life more fun.
Jiang Tingwan curled the corners of her lips slightly and put down the book in her hand.
They bought two cups of coffee and sat on a bench by the lawn to chat.
Jiang Tingwan looked at the Gothic spires in the distance and said softly, "Thanks to you for always accompanying me back then, otherwise I would have been even more lonely."
Emma blushed suddenly: "Actually..." She stirred the coffee spoon, "someone asked me to stay with you for a while."
Was it arranged by someone?
Jiang Tingwan's fingers froze on the rim of the cup.
"He was an Asian man in a suit, but his expression was very cold. His assistant gave me a generous reward..." Emma recalled, "He even made a list of your favorite coffee flavors and asked me about your recent situation every week."
She rubbed her head sheepishly. "Actually, if it was someone else, I probably wouldn't agree either. But I think he knows you very well and doesn't have any bad intentions..."
The fountain on the lawn was gurgling, but Jiang Tingwan seemed to hear the sound of blood hitting his eardrums.
This description...
Who else could it be other than Jiang Shixu?
Those "chance encounters", those just-right cares, even the porridge that suddenly appeared at the door of the dormitory when she caught a cold...
"I thought he was your boyfriend." Emma laughed, "He was also the one who gave me the bouquet at the graduation ceremony—"
"Bluebells shipped in by air." Jiang Tingwan replied mechanically, "You said it's a specialty of your hometown."
It turns out that this was also arranged by Jiang Shixu?
Emma smiled and lowered her head: "He insisted that I send it personally..."
It turned out that he had been watching her, but everything was too hidden and she never noticed.
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The lights on the podium were bright. As soon as Jiang Tingwan finished her speech, a bouquet of bluebells was handed to her.
The lavender petals were still covered with morning dew, and they glowed with a soft pearly luster under the light.
But this time, as she held the bouquet, her mood was different from before.
She unconsciously ran her fingertips over the ribbon. Like last time, there was no signed card, but she knew who it was.
He probably didn't expect her to find out.
Jiang Tingwan lowered her head and sniffed the fragrance of the flowers, feeling a strange ripple in her heart.
But...between them.
Not to mention whether she could accept such a relationship, just thinking about the reactions of her father, mother, and Mr. Huo gave her a headache.
"Forget it, let's go back home first." She whispered to herself.
Escape is not a solution after all.
What's more, she has announced that she will retreat behind the scenes of Tingyue and return to Jiang's to assist Jiang Shixu. The two of them are together day and night, and there is no way to avoid each other.
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Two months of peace allowed Jiang Tingwan to relax a little.
During this period, Jiang Shixu may have given her space on purpose, or perhaps because he was busy with political affairs, the two had very little interaction.
Until the Qingming family dinner.
It was rare for Huo Yunshu to come back from the United States, and it was rare for the family of four to sit at the table.
During the Qingming Festival, the meals on the table are all light.
Jiang Tingwan picked up a piece of steamed sea bass with chopsticks. As soon as she put the tender fish meat in her mouth, she suddenly felt nauseous in her stomach.
She was shocked. No way...
But she didn't show it on her face. She just endured the discomfort and finished the meal. Then she left the table with an excuse and hurried to the bathroom.
The person in the mirror looked pale. Jiang Tingwan turned on the faucet and the cold water washed over his wrists.
Memories of that night emerged uncontrollably - the moonlit terrace, Jiang Shixu's hot palms, and...
His large hands turned her vagina over and over.
She shook her head violently, trying to shake off the images.
Impossible, she remembered that Jiang Shixu had clearly taken measures, how could it be...
"uncomfortable?"
A deep voice sounded behind him, and Jiang Tingwan froze.
Jiang Shixu stood at the door at some point, his furrowed brows reflected in the mirror.
They hadn't met like this for over a month, and he seemed very busy, but she didn't dare to look at him for too long.
She subconsciously wanted to avoid it, but the moment she turned around she felt nauseous again.
Although he didn't spit it out in the end, his appearance was exposed.
Jiang Tingwan became more and more frightened, thinking absentmindedly, if it was really...
So isn't she just entangled with Jiang Shixu, her own brother, but is she also pregnant before marriage?
Jiang Shixu obviously realized that something was wrong.
His eyes suddenly darkened, and he took a step forward, holding her trembling shoulders with one hand, and gently patting her back with the other hand to help her breathe smoothly, and said in a deep voice: "Wait for the doctor to come."
"No!" Jiang Tingwan heard this, raised her eyes and grabbed his wrist.
If the family doctor came, Jiang's father and Huo Yunshu would find out...
"Don't be afraid, I'm your personal doctor." Jiang Shixu interrupted her in a low voice.
At this time, Jiang Tingwan looked into his eyes, still so calm, as if no matter what happened, he would be able to solve it.
She nodded, but felt the warmth coming through the clothes on her back, and then she realized that she was still leaning in his arms.
The familiar scent of fir wrapped around her, soothing her unconsciously out of habit.
"Tingwan."
It was Huo Yunshu's voice.
Jiang Tingwan stood up instantly and left Jiang Shixu's arms.
She pretended to be calm and adjusted her collar, while Jiang Shixu took a step back with an expressionless face.
Huo Yunshu's eyes swept between the two of them, finally stopping at Jiang Tingwan's pale face, and slowly said: "You look so bad, did you catch a cold?"
Jiang Tingwan breathed a sigh of relief, it seemed that her mother had not seen what happened just now.
"Yeah." Jiang Tingwan nodded weakly, "Maybe it's because I've been flying back and forth abroad recently, and the climate has changed too quickly."
Huo Yunshu nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
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Jiang Shixu received a call from his assistant and hurriedly got up and left.
Jiang Tingwan and Huo Yunshu prepared to return to the bedroom.
She walked beside Huo Yunshu, but heard her suddenly ask: "When did Shixu and you happen?"
Jiang Tingwan's breathing stagnated. What did that mean?
Could it be that I was just seen...
"Mother, we..." Her fingers curled up slightly, her chest began to beat, and she didn't know how to start for a moment.
It must be very difficult to accept that your adopted daughter and your biological son are suddenly together.
What's more, the original purpose of training her was to represent the Jiang family in marriage, but now it has turned out like this.
"What are you so nervous about?" Huo Yunshu's voice came, but his expression did not change.
She interrupted Jiang Tingwan, her tone unexpectedly calm, "Did he force you?"
Jiang Tingwan was stunned. This was the first thing she cared about?
Looking up and meeting Huo Yunshu's gaze, she finally shook her head slightly.
"That's fine." Huo Yunshu lowered his eyes, his tone relaxed a little: "Where are you at now?"
"......" Why is it different from what I expected?
But this question still left Jiang Tingwan speechless.
How was she going to say…that they were just brother and sister for now?
"Forget it." Seeing that she didn't answer, Huo Yunshu sighed and patted her shoulder gently: "As I said, just choose what you like."
Her eyes became distant, "Don't think too much, or you will know the pain only after you lose it."
"Besides, since Shixu has done this, it probably has paved the way for you."
Jiang Tingwan didn't say anything. Jiang Shixu's work style was more meticulous than hers. Perhaps as long as she agreed, he would take care of all the other issues.
But she couldn't make a decision yet.
Others can get rid of it easily, but Jiang Shixu can't.
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Jiang Tingwan leaned against the head of the bed, her fingertips unconsciously tugging at the corner of the quilt, and her heart finally settled down - fortunately it was just a false alarm.
She shook her head, not daring to imagine what would happen if she really got pregnant.
Jiang Shixu stood by the window, accompanying her silently.
The rain slid down the glass, making his profile look particularly cold.
He watched in silence as the doctor packed up the medicine box.
After the personal doctor left, the room fell silent.
Jiang Shixu didn't plan to do anything else. Her private doctor concluded that she had gastrointestinal problems due to overwork and mental stress.
The spirit was tense... He still had such an effect on her.
Jiang Shixu lowered his eyes, turned around and prepared to leave.
"elder brother."
Jiang Tingwan suddenly grabbed the corner of his clothes and spoke softly.
Jiang Shixu turned around and met her complicated gaze.
When she was checking just now, she kept thinking about Huo Yunshu's words in her mind.
Maybe Jiang Shixu had already paved the way for her...
Choose your favorite...
Do you like it? Jiang Tingwan wasn't sure.
But as Huo Yunshu said, you will only know the pain when you lose something.
But she couldn't even do the most basic thing of giving up. Even now, she had never thought of severing all ties with Jiang Shixu.
She simply couldn't give up...
"If we are together," she met Jiang Shixu's gaze and spoke slowly, her voice was very soft, but every word was clear, "what about other things?"
Her voice was very soft, but it made Jiang Shixu pause.
He never intended to force her to make a decision, and if she wanted to escape, he would give her enough time.
Even if this is a wait with no end in sight.
But he didn't know about the conversation between her and Huo Yunshu just now, and he didn't expect that she would take the initiative to raise such a question at this moment -
Especially after just having a false alarm.
He knew what other things Jiang Tingwan was talking about.
Their parents, their grandfather, other families' opinions of them, and their careers...
According to the original plan, she was just standing by his side as a younger sister, helping him in both the political and business circles. And he should have chosen a suitable lady from an aristocratic family to marry, paving a smooth path for his political career.
Jiang Shixu knelt on one knee in front of her, looked her in the eyes, and said, "I will confess to my father, mother, and grandfather."
His voice was steady. "All responsibility lies with me."
"As for the outside world—" He paused, "All the Jiang shares under my name will be transferred to you, regardless of whether they are divided in the end."
Jiang Tingwan's pupils shrank slightly.
She knew exactly what this meant.
If their relationship was made public, public opinion would inevitably be unfavorable to her. Jiang Shixu's transfer of shares to her was tantamount to announcing to everyone that he had taken the initiative to fall in love with his sister and was willing to pay any price for it.
This is not only a proof of love, but also a way out for her - even if they separate in the future, she will have enough bargaining chips.
"Then you..." Jiang Tingwan's voice became softer and softer, and her throat felt a little dry.
She wanted to ask, what about you?
Your political future, social status, the network of contacts you have built up over the years...what would you do if they were separated?
This was originally a straight and wide road, but if they were together, there would definitely be many bumps on it.
But Jiang Shixu didn't let her finish her words.
His hand came to the back of her head, his fingers running through her hair.
"Wanwan." At this moment, his eyes were deeper than ever: "None of that matters."
"I never need to rely on the outside world for what I want to achieve."
His thumb stroked her earlobe. Even though his expression remained the same as usual, Jiang Tingwan could read the undercurrents beneath it.
"There is only one thing I am unsure of."
"What?" Jiang Tingwan asked softly.
Jiang Shixu lowered his head and chuckled, which was rare: "You."
This smile was not pleasant, but contained a bit of bitterness, self-mockery, and helplessness.
He has complete control over family background and career.
But she.
He was never sure that she would accept him.
Jiang Shixu grabbed the back of her head.
This kiss came suddenly, but was extremely sobering.
Jiang Tingwan didn't push him away - when Jiang Shixu was willing to give up everything for her, would her avoidance really be useful?
People can avoid meeting each other, but what about the heart?
What's more, she didn't find a solution from beginning to end.
She simply couldn't distance herself from him completely because she couldn't bear to leave Jiang Shixu alone.
In the past, she wanted to be a younger sister and accompany her brother who was always alone.
But now, it seems that she can no longer stay with him in this capacity.
She didn't choose to push away in the end.
Jiang Shixu's lips and tongue were so forceful that they could not be refused, as if he wanted to vent all the years of restraint at once.
Jiang Tingwan was kissed so hard that her whole body went limp. She murmured in a trance: "Brother..."
The man bit her lower lip as punishment and spoke in a hoarse voice:
"Don't call me brother."
"Then...what should I call it..." She asked softly with a disordered breath and sobs.
Jiang Shixu's breath sprayed hotly on her ears.
Jiang Tingwan's pupils shrank slightly. This...
But he, who had always been gentle, suddenly used strength.
She could only bite her lower lip tightly and respond obediently to his request.
"Be good." A darker tide suddenly surged in Jiang Shixu's eyes.
The two words rolled between lips and teeth, like a brand new beginning.
Outside the window, the sound of the Qingming rain gradually subsided, and their shadows overlapped on the wall, and they could no longer be distinguished from each other.
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