Chapter 45 "So this is how temperamental my little one is..."
Wen Jia woke up once in the middle of the night.
Just a few hours later, lactic acid from the intense exercise filled her entire body, and she felt like she was about to fall apart, with every bone screaming in pain.
He opened his eyes groggily and saw Xu Shaoting awake, gently stroking his back like he was coaxing a child to sleep.
"Why aren't you asleep?" she asked softly, her forehead pressed against his chest. "Aren't you tired?"
For the first half of the night, Xu Shaoting was in control. She had nowhere to escape or retreat. No matter which corner of the master bedroom she ran to, Xu Shaoting would catch her there and interrogate her about why she ran away. If she couldn't answer, he would continue, not wanting to stop.
In the end, she became the one who couldn't bear to part with him. But Xu Shaoting started acting like a beast, and an exceptionally patient one at that, asking her again and again, "Do you want it?" Wen Jia couldn't stand it anymore and shook her head, saying, "No."
At these moments, Xu Shaoting would chuckle softly, glance down at her, and say, "You clearly want it."
And then they came back again.
Wen Jia couldn't open her eyes either. She was carried to the bathroom in a half-dreaming, half-awake state. By the time the master bedroom returned to peace, she had already been coaxed into a deep sleep in his arms.
He hadn't closed his eyes all night, yet his expression showed no signs of fatigue; on the contrary, he was excited. He had never imagined that one day he would become addicted to such things. Throughout the past few years of his life, he had always been clear-headed, self-disciplined, and restrained. During his time living in America, the outgoing white girls made their intentions clear, but he remained completely unmoved. During his studies in England, some people coveted his status as heir and constantly offered him beautiful women, but he rejected them all.
He did experience self-pleasure, but it was merely dull and never to the point of addiction.
This was the first time he clearly realized that he was at risk of losing control of something.
It was also the first time he realized that it wasn't the things that made him unable to resist, but rather her.
Afterwards, the room was filled with the scent of their hormones. He couldn't sleep, but he couldn't bear to tease her anymore, so he got out of bed and did some work to distract himself.
It wasn't until an hour later that he returned to bed, soothing the person in his arms while reminiscing.
Until she woke up.
Wen Jia was clearly passive, but her strength had not fully recovered yet, and she weakly rested her head on his arm.
Seeing her like this, he felt both amused and heartbroken. He couldn't do anything about it, so he kissed her from her forehead to her collarbone, leaving hickeys everywhere, but he still couldn't get enough of her.
"Isn't this your first time? Why are you like this..." Wen Jia buried her head in his chest, hesitating to speak.
"What do you mean?" he asked with a smile.
"...You know it yourself."
Hsu Shao-ting answered her earnestly, "Isn't it because I'm too good at being with you—"
Wen Jia seemed to know what he was going to say. She gripped the corner of the blanket tightly, feeling inexplicably shy. She didn't listen and reached out to stop him from speaking.
But Xu Shaoting brushed him aside, "What? You don't dare to listen?"
He pulled the blanket over both of their heads, causing the sheets to billow in a high arc. She was restless inside, and in the large, dimly lit master bedroom, one could hear the woman's soft moans and the man's deep laughter.
...
Xu Shaoting was absent today.
The usually laid-back employees looked at the empty boardroom and felt no joy at being "far from the emperor's reach." Instead, they felt a sense of unease and bewilderment.
Yang Ruiming paced back and forth outside the office, frantically calling Xu Shaoting.
On the tenth call, the other side finally answered.
The man's tone was slightly impatient, "What is it?"
"Chairman Xu, there is a routine meeting today, in half an hour."
Xu Shaoting gave a lazy "hmm," his tone suggesting his mind wasn't on the phone at all. "You can drive it."
Regular meetings are trivial matters, business matters are important.
"I have to see Mark this afternoon; I need to sign a letter of intent with him today. Should I... cancel it...?"
Yang Ruiming couldn't understand what made him make such an unprecedented decision.
"Let's send him a gift at another time, so he can take a break from work on Christmas."
Yang Ruiming opened his mouth, held the phone up to his face to make sure he hadn't dialed the wrong number, and then muttered something to himself on the other end.
A man who refuses to rest even during the Spring Festival may be out of his mind and will advise others to stop working.
Xu Shaoting's soul truly left his body.
He leaned against the headboard, talking on the phone while glancing down at the woman who had fled to the foot of the bed. He chuckled slowly, then reached out and wrapped his arm around her ankle, easily pulling her back to her original position.
What are these routine meetings, what are these Marks, what are these letters of intent?
He tossed his phone aside. Looking at the person beneath him, he asked, "Why are you running away?"
Wen Jia felt the aura emanating from him; he appeared languid, yet his presence was overwhelmingly intimidating.
She gripped the bedsheet tightly, trembling. "Aren't you going to the company today, Mr. Xu?"
"Chairman Xu?" Xu Shaoting's tone was tinged with dissatisfaction. "You've forgotten how to address me after just one night."
As he spoke, he gently untied the sash of her nightgown, his movements as slow and deliberate as if he were unwrapping a precious gift.
Should I help you remember?
Wen Jia closed her eyes, utterly terrified. She was still in pain and knew she couldn't withstand his onslaught, so she began to pitifully beg for mercy.
Xu Shaoting coaxed in a beastly manner, "I'll be gentle."
"..."
Outside the window, snow was falling in abundance, and the trees and rooftops were all covered in white. Inside the master bedroom, the fireplace was burning brightly, becoming the only warm color in this pristine white world.
...
Xu Shaoting was used to being a young master and had never served anyone before. However, he was always very patient with her. He would first comfort her gently, and when she had completely recovered, he would personally help her clean up.
Wen Jia was held in his arms the whole time, her feet never touching the ground. She just slept and was pampered by him. Occasionally, she would hum softly and give him a kiss to express her gratitude for his sincere "service awareness".
Since the end of the event, she had slept for three hours. When she woke up naturally, she saw Xu Shaoting sitting in a rocking chair on the balcony wearing a bathrobe, talking on the phone with someone.
A cigarette was held between his fingers, already half-burned.
She sat on the bed, blinking dazedly, and saw him casually bring the cigarette to his lips, take a drag, and exhale. The smoke was immediately torn and diluted by the cold wind, blending into the vast white background.
The snow continued to fall, and the fireplace made the room very warm.
He caught a glimpse of movement on the bed out of the corner of his eye, glanced into the bedroom, said something to the phone, and then hung up. But instead of coming in directly, he deliberately waited for the smell of smoke to dissipate before returning to his room.
Xu Shaoting stood by the bed with his arms crossed, staring at her. His expression showed a kind of languor and listlessness after the desire was satisfied, unlike his usual noble and self-possessed demeanor.
"woke up?"
His voice was also a bit hoarse; I don't know if it was from smoking or something else.
Wen Jia sat up, still wrapped in the blanket, and opened her arms to him, seemingly trying to vent her morning grumpiness.
Xu Shaoting smiled, leaned on her, sat back on the bed, and half-pulled her into his arms.
There was a bowl of steaming soup on the bed. He picked it up and said, "Try it."
"What kind of soup is this?" Wen Jia rubbed her eyes. "Is it a soup to prevent miscarriage, or a soup to abort it?"
"..."
Xu Shaoting paused for a moment.
“I’m wearing it, baby.”
"What kind of soup is this?" she asked softly.
"It's good for your health." He fed it to her.
Who did it?
"maid."
The servants at the Swiss villa were all Chinese, and she was a little wary. "What did you tell them?"
"...I said you were a little weak."
Do they know I'm a celebrity?
"Know."
Wen Jia wrapped her arms around his waist, buried her face in his chest, and let out a soft sob.
"Why are you shy now? Just now you were..." Xu Shaoting chuckled, deliberately leaving his words unfinished.
But he couldn't continue speaking, afraid that he would lose control before she did.
Wen Jia was fed by him and finished the whole bowl of soup, licking her lips with a lingering sense of satisfaction.
Were you asleep just now?
He shook his head. "No."
"Then what are you doing, smoking a cigarette after sex?"
"I'm on the phone with a friend who invited us to dinner."
"Swiss?"
Xu Shaoting brushed a stray strand of hair from her head. "Well, it's the one I was talking about who I'm very close to. Are you willing? If not, I'll refuse."
"when?"
"tonight."
Wen Jia was staying at the villa, and since she had nothing else to do, she was happy to have a dinner party. She got out of bed, changed her clothes, and put on some light makeup.
At five o'clock sharp, the driver had the car ready.
Daniel's villa is situated on a tranquil lakeside, built against the mountainside. As soon as the car stopped in front of the gate, the owner greeted us with a smile.
Xu Shaoting hugged him first, and then introduced him to Wen Jia, "Daniel, my classmate in England, he's very enthusiastic."
Xu Shaoting was absolutely right. Wen Jia was almost frightened by Daniel's boldness, but fortunately, he used the last bit of his rationality to withdraw the cheek kiss and simply shook hands with Wen Jia.
Daniel's wife, Ruth, was a very outgoing white woman. She hugged Wen Jia, and although it was their first meeting, it felt like an old friend reuniting. The two kissed cheek to cheek affectionately and naturally, and then she led him into the villa.
In the center of the living room, a Christmas tree adorned with colorful balls and stars stands quietly, while soft string lights twinkle among the pine branches, making the gold and silver ribbons sparkle and feel warm.
Gifts were piled up under the tree, and the air was filled with the scent of pine, creating a tranquil and expectant atmosphere.
After chatting for a while in the living room, just as the maid finished preparing dinner, Daniel led them into the dining room.
The aroma of walnut pie and various cheeses and butters wafts up.
After they sat down, Daniel personally poured Wen Jia some red wine.
As he leaned back, he joked around, his tone full of unrestrained banter, "I never thought I'd actually see Evan's beautiful girlfriend one day."
Wen Jia smiled, picked up her wine glass, and took a small sip. "Why do you say that?"
"As his good brother, I often thought he wasn't interested in women."
Wen Jia nearly choked on her drink, leaning close to Xu Shaoting's ear, "Chairman Xu, we're both men, so how come you sound completely different to Daniel than to Zhou Jingcheng?"
Smelling the aroma of her wine and fruit, Xu Shaoting clinked his wine glass against hers. "Now do you know who to trust?"
Across from him, Daniel looked at the intimate man and woman in front of him and raised an eyebrow at Xu Shaoting, "Evan, don't tell me that the reason you refused to have dinner with me that day was because of her."
Wen Jia answered before Xu Shaoting could, "Which day?"
Xu Shaoting cleared his throat. "On the day of your event."
"Chairman Xu, how can you prioritize romance over friendship?"
Wen Jia assumed Daniel wouldn't understand, so she spoke without any hesitation.
Unexpectedly, Daniel caught it precisely, "Heavy, color, light, friend?" He imitated it in broken Chinese pronunciation.
Wen Jia glanced at him with a mixture of surprise and amusement, "Can you speak Chinese?"
“A… a little bit.” Daniel pinched his thumb and forefinger together, winked, and answered in a strange tone, “Evan taught me this word. That’s why I remember it so well.”
Wen Jia pursed her lips, deliberately drawing out the sound of her "oh," glanced at the man beside her, and then asked Daniel meaningfully, "Then tell me, is he the kind of person who values women over friends?"
Daniel poured drinks for all four of them, sat back down, stroked his chin, thought for a long time, and then said truthfully:
“Evan is definitely not.”
Then he laughed loudly, "But I must confess to you, during our college years, he was the most popular girl in our entire club."
Xu Shaoting paused in his drinking of red wine, and slightly raised his eyes.
The restaurant fell silent instantly.
They sat facing each other on the table.
Under the table, Daniel felt a warning from two toes.
One came from his wife beside him, and the other from the man opposite him.
Only Wen Jia calmly raised an eyebrow, "A club?"
For centuries, Britain's aristocratic class has extended from society to the campus. In those top universities, there is always a circle for the entertainment and socializing of the children of noble families. Cambridge University is no exception. These societies and clubs were once labeled by outsiders as traditional, privileged and exclusive, but they are also the top connections that are most sought after by children from ordinary families.
Some are born with an entry ticket, while others can only wait to be selected. But only those who truly want to join know that being selected is also a kind of honor.
At those social gatherings, whether Xu Shaoting was invited passively or attended voluntarily, he was never short of female companions. Slender, voluptuous, intellectual, lively, blondes, and elegant ladies with dark hair.
After the dignified party came absurd affairs between men and women. A girl with a free-spirited personality and a hot figure wanted to sit in his lap, but he remained unmoved.
It seems that just dancing with them once had exhausted all his interest.
Daniel awkwardly touched his face, feeling the pressure from his wife and friend, and then said, "But I can swear to you, Evan is the most..."
He racked his brains and awkwardly squeezed out a few words: "Sit, chaos, no, heart."
Wen Jia smiled broadly and corrected him, word by word, "Remain unmoved even with a woman in your lap."
Daniel laughed loudly, "Now, I've learned it."
While drinking, Wen Jia turned to Xu Shaoting and whispered, "Chairman Xu, can I believe what he said?"
The hand encircling her waist slowly tightened. "You have to believe me."
The four of them enjoyed the meal immensely. Daniel, celebrating the most important holiday of the year, welcomed his best friend. Perhaps it was his joy that caused his words to flow like an unstoppable faucet, each one caught by Wen Jia. The two felt an instant connection, like Bo Ya meeting Zi Qi, a meeting that felt like a long-awaited reunion.
However, the topic always revolved around Hsu Shao-ting.
Wen Jia would sometimes beat around the bush, asking how many girls liked him during his university years, and other times she would subtly inquire about his reactions to those girls.
Daniel told everything without any regard for his family or friends. Occasionally, he would embellish the story, and whenever this happened, he would feel two rather strong pressure points on his calves. After a meal, his calves would probably have two bruises out of nowhere.
After finishing their meal, Daniel stood up and said mysteriously to Wen Jia, "I have something to give you."
He strolled out of the restaurant, and when he came back in, he had an extra book in his hand, which he handed to her.
This was the first time Wen Jia had ever heard a foreigner speak so earnestly. “I’ve kept this for a long time. You can look at it again when you get back. This is something I decided to give to Evan’s future partner many years ago. You know, before today, I almost thought I would keep it for the rest of my life. Fortunately, I gave it away today.”
Wen Jia accepted it with a faint smile, stroking the cover of the book, which was made of thick cowhide and had been carefully preserved. Over the years, there was not a trace of wear and tear.
She actually listened to Daniel and obediently waited until they returned to the villa before opening the book.
After taking a shower, she leaned against the headboard with the photo album on her lap, turning the pages one by one.
The photos were all taken from a third-person perspective, with Hsu Shao-ting at the center of the composition in every frame, but only in a few photos did he look directly at the camera.
One of the photos shows him sitting in an office chair with a desk behind him. His long legs are casually spread apart, giving off a relaxed and carefree vibe.
Years ago, he still had a handsome face, neat short hair, and wore a pair of silver-rimmed glasses. Behind the lenses, his eyes were calm. He held a fountain pen in his hand, not playing with it, but holding it steadily with his slender fingers, as if he had control over it.
Rather than a chairman or heir, he is more like a young and insightful professor or lecturer, the kind of person whose pen could turn into a pointer at any time.
Through the plastic wrap, Wen Jia gently stroked the man's face with her thumb, revealing a side of him she had never seen before—an innate depth and elegance, yet with an added air of spiritedness.
The sound of water in the bathroom stopped, and Xu Shaoting stepped out wrapped in a bath towel. Wen Jia looked up from the photo album, superimposing the person in front of her with the person in the photo. She smiled and shook her head, "You've changed a lot."
Xu Shaoting lifted the corner of the blanket, lay down, pulled the woman into his arms, and kissed her hair. "What's changed?"
“I always feel that there is still a bit of a boyishness in your photos. I don’t know why, even though your appearance hasn’t changed much.” She looked up and observed him for a while, then looked at him from a few years ago. “Maybe it’s because when I met you you were already very…manly, so I feel that you have changed a lot.”
Xu Shaoting found it amusing and couldn't help but chuckle, "What does 'very manly' mean? Honey, you don't look like a man in the photo?"
“It’s just…” Wen Jia carefully chose her words, “very manly, very mature and steady.”
She looked down at him in the photo again.
At that time, he was probably not old enough to wear a suit. He wore a dark knitted cardigan with the crisp edges of a shirt showing through the collar and cuffs, exuding a calm yet sharp demeanor.
The desk full of documents and the dual-screen computer behind him framed him within a certain order.
"This photo was taken when I first entered the school."
"Did Daniel take this picture for you?"
"Yes, all the photos that don't feature him were taken by him. He said that if he weren't a businessman, he might have become a photographer."
"I thought you didn't like taking pictures."
"I don't really like it, but I'll let people close to me take pictures."
"Isn't this photo album very precious?"
“It is very precious,” Xu Shaoting hugged her tightly, his breath warming her earlobe, “so he chose to give it to you.”
“You are probably the only person besides him and me who has seen these photos.”
She turned the page and saw a group photo. He stood in the middle of the crowd, not smiling, just standing quietly. He had a strong presence and, among all the white faces, he had the absolute advantage in terms of appearance, temperament, and physique.
It is eye-catching and bright.
Wen Jia looked through the pages one by one; they were all photos of him from his university days, arranged chronologically. The last one was taken in front of Tower Bridge in London, where he looked at the camera with a faint smile on his lips.
She nodded emphatically. "Yes, this picture looks a lot like you now."
Wen Jia carefully closed the cover, looked up, and gently touched his chin. "No wonder so many girls used to pursue you."
There was a hint of jealousy in her tone that she herself was unaware of.
Xu Shaoting lightly pecked her lips and deliberately asked, "Is this a compliment, or are you jealous?"
She snorted, "You're quite good at controlling your desires. If I were you, surrounded by so many beautiful white women every day, I probably wouldn't have been able to resist."
He listened to her increasingly sarcastic words and suddenly smiled, "There is no desire at all," and then added casually, "to them."
Wen Jia mimicked his speech, "Reason?"
There is no reason.
“No wonder Daniel said he thought you weren’t interested in women. He was being too lenient by not saying you had erectile dysfunction.”
He deliberately breathed into her ear, "Don't you know best whether I have erectile dysfunction or not?"
Upon hearing this, she bit her lip and looked away.
Xu Shaoting smiled faintly, took the photo album from her hands, and placed it on the bedside table. "In exchange, shouldn't you show me your old photos too?"
“I’ve had almost no privacy since my debut,” she said with a helpless smile. “You can find almost all of my photos online.”
"So I want to see things that the general public hasn't seen before."
Wen Jia always managed to steer the conversation in these tender moments:
"You've seen everything that the general public hasn't seen..."
“Hmm, I’d like to see more,” Xu Shaoting said, unusually refraining from teasing her, “like photos from when I was little.”
His request was very timely.
Since Wen Jia separated from He Lingyi, the latter's daily entertainment activities consist of going shopping outside and looking through her daughter's old belongings at home.
She has a large storage box filled with Wen Jia's childhood clothes, pencil case, dictionary, and several photo albums. When she misses Wen Jia, she flips through them and takes a picture of an interesting one and sends it to Wen Jia.
Wen Jia complied with his wish and opened her phone's photo album. She had a special place where she kept photos from her childhood.
She didn't know where to begin, so she randomly picked a picture and waved it in front of him.
“This photo was taken when I was one year old and had to choose my first birthday presents,” she said, pointing to herself in the photo. “Of all the things, I only picked up a camera. My mom said that no one could take it away from me.”
She smiled, her natural smile appearing gentle and serene. "If Daniel and I hadn't chosen our current professions, perhaps I would be in the same industry as him."
Xu Shaoting gazed tenderly at the little girl in the photo. Her face was round and chubby, and her eyes were bright, just like now. Her baby fat showed no signs of fading, and her arms were like lotus roots, segmented in shape.
He tilted his head and kissed her cheek deeply. "Why have you gotten so thin?"
"You're criticizing me for being fat when I was little."
"Whether you're fat or thin, I'll like you; I won't discriminate."
Wen Jia continued after receiving a satisfactory answer, "I started to become very thin in first grade. At that time, my mother sent me to dance class, where I would dance for half a day at a time. I also didn't like to eat. I don't know if it has anything to do with that."
She didn't tell him that her personality also began to develop around that time. She was determined to do what she loved to the extreme. In dance class, she worked harder than all her peers and always performed the best.
When doing shoulder openings, back stretches, and splits, even if the little one is in so much pain that tears are about to fall, they will force themselves to hold them back, pouting and remaining silent.
Her only hope outside of her tedious schoolwork was to practice dancing by herself in the crowded living room as soon as school was over.
"This is a picture of me playing the piano when I was twelve years old." She turned to the next picture.
Xu Shaoting described her with his eyes. At around ten years old, she had already blossomed into a beautiful young woman, her slender fingers lightly caressing the piano keys, her eyes already displaying the liveliness and focus of a young girl.
“When I was little, pianos were expensive, and piano lessons were expensive too, but I loved it, and my mom gritted her teeth and made me learn for five years.”
"It's just that I've never had a piano of my own," she said, a childhood regret that now seemed to bring her a sense of relief. "Maybe it's because my house is too small to fit it, or maybe it's because I wouldn't have time to play it even if I bought one, and I'd be afraid it would just gather dust."
Stubbornly and proudly, she refused to mention the price that truly prevented her from owning a piano.
"When I was little, if I had an itch to draw, I would draw piano keys on my notebook and pretend it was a real piano. I would play it on the notebook. I always deliberately used a pencil to draw them. Do you know why?"
"Why?"
"Because it was drawn with a pencil, the marks would become blurry after being played for a long time, looking grayish, and my fingers would also look grayish with marks, which gave me a great sense of accomplishment, pretending that I had really touched the piano keys," she laughed at her childhood self, "Wasn't that silly?"
She deceived herself with this insignificant sense of existence, and even though the piece of paper could not produce piano sounds, she still played it with great relish.
“No, so you’ve known how to please yourself since you were little,” he kissed her again, as a reward. “I should praise you.”
When I was little, I always felt like I wanted so many things but couldn't get them. Now that I'm older, I realize they're not all that great.
"for example?"
Wen Jia looked up and leaned on his shoulder, feeling very secure. Her mind was filled with thoughts. "When I was little, I also wanted diamonds, lots and lots of diamonds. When I played with Barbie dolls, I would always collect the diamond jewelry from the dolls, which was actually just a bunch of small plastic pieces." She smiled and said it casually.
Realizing something, she asked again, "Do you know what a Barbie doll is?"
"...My sister told me about it."
Wen Jia nodded, relieved that she hadn't been wasting her breath.
"Actually, my first diamond was the one you bought for me, that pink diamond."
"It's an honor."
Why don't you ask why I didn't buy it for myself when I grew up?
Xu Shaoting followed her lead, "Why?"
"Because I'm always afraid that once I actually possess something, all those fantasies about childhood will be gone."
Like a bubble, it's too thin and fragile; it will burst if you poke it with your hand.
"Then I delivered it to the wrong address."
"No, no, no, no," Wen Jia immediately stopped him. "After you gave it to me, I realized that I really liked it. Whether it was the plastic from when I was a child or a real diamond, I liked it."
Xu Shaoting gently opened her hand, "If you like it, why don't you wear it?"
Wen Jia pursed her lips, forgetting even to breathe.
She would never tell him that she had already thrown the ring into the safe and locked it away.
She blinked, speaking vaguely, "Because...because I like it so much...that's why I have to take good care of it."
"Where is it stored?" he asked gently, yet his tone sounded almost accusatory.
Wen Jia stammered, "Um... under the pillow."
“Absolutely not,” he said calmly, having seen through her. “It seems that ever since you found out about me and Shen Zhiyun, I haven’t seen you wear it again.”
"Am I right, Miss Wen?"
"No, no!" she quickly retorted.
"Wait a minute? If I don't say anything, are you planning to never wear it?"
"I'm afraid that if I wear it for too long, it will get old and I'll feel bad about it."
"I'll buy you a new one, what are you afraid of?" Xu Shaoting ignored her panic, turned off the bedside lamp, pulled her into the covers, and chuckled softly.
"So your baby has such a temper?"
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