Volume One, Chapter 11: The Kiss Is About to Fall

Jin Yao had once given Shen Chaowu a sapphire necklace.

But it was a fake.

The night he gifted it to her, it ended up in the trash.

As for how Shen Chaowu discovered Jin Yao had given her a counterfeit—well, in the British auction, the real sapphire necklace had been bought by Zhou Jingdu, the fearsome crown prince of the Zhou family.

Her second brother was, this time, the perfect fool.

Shen Hanchuan regretted his loose tongue; he truly couldn’t come up with thirty million! He was always generous, a prodigal son, and after handing over half his shares to Shen Chaowu, his resources were depleted. To produce another thirty million, he’d have to sell more shares.

He was utterly vexed. “That Jin Yao, what’s he doing giving such an expensive necklace for no reason?”

Could Shen Chaowu handle it!?

If it were for Ayao, Ayao would certainly have declined sensibly.

Shen Hanchuan increasingly felt his sister had grown wrong. If only Victoria were by his side…

His eyes brightened, and he quickly logged into WeChat.

Midway through typing a message in the chatbox, he deleted it.

Victoria had just been hospitalized by her brother, and her spirits must be low; he shouldn’t trouble her with such trivial matters…

But.

He missed her…

After a moment’s hesitation, he typed: [Victoria, could you talk to me? [emoji]﹏[emoji] I’m so troubled~~]

[……]

No one replied.

Past Memories of Hanchuan: [Lately, my home feels haunted, nothing goes smoothly, especially my sister—it's as if she's possessed by something wicked, utterly disobedient!]

[Tomorrow I’ll invite a master to exorcise the evil from our house!]

[……]

Still, silence on the other end.

[Her necklace is gone, and now she wants me to compensate her! Thirty million! ([emoji]﹏[emoji])]

[By the way, Victoria, you need money while you’re in the hospital. I’ll transfer another hundred thousand yuan to you~~]

At that moment, a few words slowly appeared in the chatbox.

Shen Hanchuan’s eyes lit up.

Victoria replied! And instantly!

What did this mean?

It meant Victoria cared about him!

A simple “thank you” left Shen Hanchuan so giddy he lost all sense of direction.

The goddess accepted his transfer, and Shen Hanchuan was satisfied.

Thinking of how his sister had become so petty, he suppressed the curve of his lips, his eyes full of anger and dissatisfaction.

He would never have guessed—

The goddess he yearned for, dreamed of meeting, was the very Shen Chaowu he resented to his core!

“……”

Elsewhere, a man stood before a floor-to-ceiling window, his suit impeccably tailored, his figure flawless, features exquisite and cold—a king surveying the world with disdain.

“Mr. Jin.”

With her cup of coffee finished, Shen Chaowu finally spoke. “Have you considered my offer?”

Jin Yao turned, his deep, obsidian eyes fixed on the girl, his mind filled with tantalizing visions—her cherry lips vivid and tempting, so soft he wanted to bite.

The more unattainable, the more he craved.

He took a deep breath, calming his wild heartbeat, and approached the sofa. “If I heard you right, you want to sell all your fifteen percent shares in Shen Corporation to me?”

“Are you short of money?”

Jin Yao frowned. “I can give you whatever you need. How much?”

Even if Shen Chaowu weren’t his fiancée, for the sake of their childhood together, he wouldn’t abandon her.

Besides…he had other intentions toward her now.

His large, slender hand braced against the back of the sofa, leaning in close, his strong arms encircling Shen Chaowu, his gaze fiercely locking her in place.

Jin Yao pressed his lips together, his voice low and commanding, “A woman of mine need never worry about money.”

Shen Chaowu: “……”

A true, domineering declaration.

But she really only wanted to find some fool to take her shares!

Shares were nothing but a virtual concept; she lacked business acumen, spent freely, and would rather have cash in hand for peace of mind.

Wasn’t it delightful to be a wealthy woman with a bit of money?

Shen Chaowu was clear-headed.

She lowered her pale, beautiful eyelids, lashes thick and trembling, scratching at Jin Yao’s heart; her wet, soft gaze was pitiful, like a stray cat lost in a rainy night.

Luring him, tempting him.

Shen Chaowu was a radiant and noble cat, her fur snow-white, head held high in proud elegance, beautiful but distant.

Jiang Yao, by contrast, was born fragile, like a homeless kitten eliciting sympathy.

Now, Jin Yao felt Shen Chaowu was even more intoxicating than Jiang Yao.

His eyes darkened.

His Adam’s apple rolled as he leaned in, thin lips near her cheek.

His breath, uniquely masculine, warmed her neck as his voice, magnetic and husky, carried a trace of desire. “I haven’t broken our agreement by exercising my fiancé’s privileges a bit early—is that so wrong?”

Desire wrapped around him, Jin Yao’s restraint strained to the limit.

He was convinced—

Today, Shen Chaowu came to his office deliberately to seduce him.

Selling shares was just a pretext.

A pampered heiress like her had no real concept of money and didn’t understand that fifteen percent of Shen Corporation was a fortune.

The kiss was about to fall.

Shen Chaowu’s brow twitched.

To her, being kissed by Jin Yao was more revolting than being licked by a pig!

“Wait, wait—”

“Jin Yao, I’ve been having a skin reaction lately, and I wouldn’t want you to catch it.” Shen Chaowu lied with open eyes. “We should keep a safe distance.”

Jin Yao stared at her flawless skin, skeptical. “Allergic?”

Not a single blemish in sight.

Shen Chaowu nodded earnestly. “I wouldn’t lie to you. I accidentally ate seafood this morning—you know I’m allergic.”

She wasn’t lying.

Jiang Yao loved seafood, and Shen Hanchuan, worried about Jiang Yao’s thinness, made sure the table was filled with it.

No one ever considered Shen Chaowu’s allergy.

Jin Yao mused, his tone heavy. “Your brothers know about your allergy. If I recall, when your parents were alive, there was never any seafood at your table.”

“Is it because of the orphan living in your house?”

Jin Yao was sharp, immediately piecing it together.

Shen Chaowu pinched her fingertips, her faint smile fading, lips pressed straight.

Her heart felt soaked in sourness, bitter.

She took a deep breath and lifted her chin, lips bright and curved, speaking lightly. “It’s only seafood. It won’t kill me.”

She had no intention of complaining to Jin Yao.

Deep down, Shen Chaowu believed Jin Yao wouldn’t help her, just like her three brothers who had abandoned her, steadfastly supporting Jiang Yao.

She, on the other hand, could be discarded any time.

Like a weed, neither here nor there.

Jin Yao frowned, a cold, indifferent heart stirred by a pebble thrown in its depths, rippling faintly.

He didn’t like this feeling.

His cool fingers gently tapped her brow. “I don’t like seeing you with that self-mocking expression. Shen Chaowu, you’ve always been the proudest little princess of Haicheng.”

“Anything that makes you uncomfortable—eliminate it.”

Jin Yao’s gaze flickered. “It’s that simple.”

“So—”