《Forbidden Desire》 3 《Do You Come Home Tonight?》
Chapter Ten: Storm Overseas
1、False Socializing
In the upscale overseas business club, the dazzling crystal chandeliers made one's eyes dizzy. The air was filled with the scent of premium cigars and various rich perfumes, weaving into a sticky, decadent atmosphere.
On the long leather sofa, Jiang Yuhe sat among a group of foreign partners. His suit jacket was open, one large hand casually resting on the waist of a blonde bombshell beside him, his fingertips tapping along to the jazz music in the private room.
His handsome face wore an extremely practiced, nonchalant playboy smile as he effortlessly clinked glasses with those around him in fluent English.
He had been too busy. Since the short-selling crisis erupted, to stabilize the overseas funding chain that could collapse at any moment, he had buried himself in this high-intensity socializing almost every day. Women, fine wine, and interests were merely tools for him to put on a show.
Shen Ruian sat quietly on the single sofa at the outermost edge of the private room, holding several document folders.
Today she wore a somewhat conservative black dress, making her appear completely out of place in this lascivious room. Her long eyelashes lowered, she looked somewhat tiredly at the soda water in her glass that had long lost its bubbles.
These past few days, Jiang Yuhe rarely returned to the villa. Even when he did come back occasionally, it was only late at night to use her as a tool to vent his heavy pressure.
In bed, his alternating gentleness and roughness made Shen Ruian see through it more and more clearly—that was merely this man's instinctive habit of controlling women, without a trace of soul's weight.
"President Jiang, this is Jennifer who just arrived from New York. She's been admiring you for a long time." The partner, Director Fang across from them, joked. The bombshell beside him immediately clung tighter, almost pressing into Jiang Yuhe's embrace.
Jiang Yuhe chuckled lowly, took a sip of strong liquor, and didn't push her away. Those deep black eyes, amid the swirling smoke, casually glanced toward the corner of the private room. Seeing Shen Ruian's lowered head and submissive demeanor, a complex dark gleam flashed in his eyes, then he turned away and continued flirting with the bombshell beside him.
He was accustomed to being surrounded by women, and Shen Ruian was merely one of his many habits—not particularly special.
2、Rescue
The socializing went on until two in the morning. Jiang Yuhe had to go with several major shareholders to the inner corridor's secret meeting room to sign confidentiality agreements and couldn't bring his secretary inside.
"Wait for me outside." Jiang Yuhe stood up and said coldly to Shen Ruian, not even giving an extra glance, then walked into the depths of the inner corridor with his bodyguards.
Only Shen Ruian remained in the private room. Just as she was about to pack up the documents and step out into the corridor for some air, Director Fang—who had followed Jiang Yuhe inside but found an excuse to leave early—suddenly pushed the door open and walked in, reeking of alcohol.
"Secretary Shen, President Jiang went in for a meeting. It might take an hour or two, right?" Director Fang smiled greasily, his drunken eyes scanning back and forth over Shen Ruian's slender legs. As he spoke, he strode forward and reached out with his chubby large hand directly toward Shen Ruian's shoulder. "Sitting alone is boring. Why don't big brother keep you company for a few drinks?"
Shen Ruian's face turned pale. She didn't dare call for help loudly at first and could only retreat in panic, her voice trembling with restraint: "Director Fang, please show some respect… I'm President Jiang's secretary."
"Secretary? Isn't that just a woman who accompanies drinks? Jiang Yuhe was just hugging left and right inside. Do you think he really cares about you?" Director Fang sneered, suddenly pressing Shen Ruian onto the sofa, his body about to press down on her.
"Bang!"
Just as Shen Ruian desperately tried to resist, the private room door was suddenly kicked open from outside.
Pei Xiuyu, wearing a deep blue casual suit, strode in. The usually gentle and jade-like man, with his refined and handsome face, now rarely carried a layer of violent frost. He rushed forward in a few steps, grabbed Director Fang's collar, and landed a heavy punch that knocked the greasy man to the ground!
"Director Fang, this street overseas isn't for you to lay hands on people." Pei Xiuyu's voice was low, carrying an undeniable underworld authority. Seeing it was the untouchable Young Pei, Director Fang scrambled out of the private room on hands and knees.
Pei Xiuyu took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He turned around and looked at Shen Ruian on the sofa, her clothes somewhat disheveled and trembling, a strong curiosity and throb surging again in the depths of his eyes.
He still hadn't realized this emotion himself. Just seeing her fragile appearance like a wounded puppy made his heart ache terribly.
He didn't overstep but extremely gently and considerately took off his own coat, lightly draped it over Shen Ruian, then slowly squatted down in front of her, meeting her eyes at the same level, and softly comforted her in a gentlemanly tone that could put one completely at ease:
"Don't be afraid, Ruian. With me here, no one can bully you again."
Shen Ruian stared blankly at the man before her. Every time she fell into the abyss, every time Jiang Yuhe neglected her and wasn't by her side, it was Pei Xiuyu who appeared in time to pull her back.
This pressure-free atmosphere that treated her as a living person to respect made Shen Ruian's originally tightly closed defenses loosen completely with each passing day of interaction.
3、Real-Life Bickering and NG
"Cut! Xu Mu'an, your action of hugging the sun just now was wrong! Too stiff! I want gentlemanly heartache, not hugging a piece of wood!" The director's helpless roar broke the atmosphere in the private room.
The lights on set brightened.
Sun (Shen Ruian) patted her chest, trying to pull herself out of the terrified emotions from nearly being assaulted. When she looked up and saw Xu Mu'an squatting in front of her, gazing at her with deep affection—especially seeing Xu Mu'an's baseball cap slightly crooked from using too much force, looking comical—
"Pfft…!"
Sun's rationality, which she had held back for a long time, was about to snap. She suddenly used the script to cover her face, holding back laughter, her body shaking uncontrollably:
"Director, sorry! I… seeing Xu Mu'an's face acting as the hero saving the beauty for me, I really want to laugh! We've known each other since we were kids—he was the one getting beaten by other kids, and I was the one stepping in. Now he's saving me… I need a bit of time, haha, official statement!"
"Damn, Sun, give me some face, okay!" Xu Mu'an also broke character in a second, laughing as he stood up and rubbed his slightly red ears, turning to the director with an awkward apology. "Sorry, Director, we're just too familiar. Just now looking at her eyes, all I could think of was her snatching my snacks as a kid. I almost couldn't hold it in either."
Meanwhile, Qin Che, sitting in the rest area nearby and watching the two of them act opposite each other in front of the camera all night, had a handsome face so dark it could drip ink. While elegantly swirling the iced Americano in his hand, he coldly watched the two laughing men and women.
The real-life jealousy and the damn possessiveness of the big boss were completely ignited at this moment by Xu Mu'an's "gentle care" for Sun in the scene. Qin Che put down his cup and strode over, naturally and dominantly placing one large hand on Sun's waist, pulling her toward his embrace, and sneered at Xu Mu'an:
"Mr. Xu, if your acting is only at kindergarten level, I don't mind having Lu Xiao find a more professional male second lead tomorrow."
Xu Mu'an raised an eyebrow, not afraid of him at all, smiling mischievously: "President Qin, this is called true feelings showing. If the big boss is jealous, just say so. Using investment amount to pressure people isn't interesting."
Sun looked at these two men who were completely at odds in private and bickered like kindergarteners whenever they met, helplessly rolling her eyes. She directly reached out and pinched Qin Che's abs hard:
"Qin Che, stop going crazy here. We're filming! Xu Mu'an, you too—stop laughing, adjust your state quickly, or the director will scold us again!"
After Sun's shout, both men finally restrained their tempers, but their eyes clashed in mid-air, still sparking.
4、Loss of Control
"《Do You Come Home Tonight?》 Scene Four, Action!"
In the secret meeting room in the inner corridor, the long negotiation table was covered with thick confidentiality agreements. Jiang Yuhe was lighting a cigarette, reviewing terms one by one with several core overseas major shareholders. This was a major situation determining the life and death of the overseas holding company—he couldn't spare a moment.
At that moment, the phone on the table vibrated. Jiang Yuhe raised an eyebrow through the exhaled smoke and opened the message.
It was from Pei Xiuyu: [Ruian was almost assaulted just now. I saved her and took her home first.]
The second he read the words, Jiang Yuhe's fingers gripping the cigarette tightened abruptly. That usually cold and indifferent heart actually clenched uncontrollably. That damn possessiveness and protective instinct surged wildly in his chest, but the signing occasion before him involved hundreds of millions in restructuring funds—he couldn't leave.
Jiang Yuhe took a deep drag of his cigarette, gritted his teeth, and replied with a dark expression: [Take good care of her. I'm not going back tonight.]
In the overseas villa. Pei Xiuyu put away his phone, looked at Shen Ruian beside him whose face was still somewhat pale, and chose to hide Jiang Yuhe's reply. He didn't want this insecure and fragile woman to suffer the secondary harm of being neglected by that man after just experiencing fear.
Pei Xiuyu took off his jacket, walked to the bar, and gently asked: "Ruian, would you like a drink?"
Shen Ruian sat tightly hugging her knees in the corner of the sofa, as if needing something to numb the fright from earlier, and nodded lightly.
Pei Xiuyu opened a bottle of local sweet white wine, took two wine glasses, and slowly sat on the sofa opposite her. Under Pei Xiuyu's gentle, jade-like, pressure-free gentlemanly guidance, Shen Ruian's originally tense and insecure defenses gradually came down.
The two chatted from overseas weather to funny stories from the orphanage. The relaxed atmosphere grew thicker, and laughter and conversation continuously echoed in the living room.
Shen Ruian rarely had the feeling of being respected as a normal person. She happily drank nonstop. Once her tense nerves relaxed, the alcohol hit her extremely fast. Before she knew it, her little face was completely flushed, and she gradually became drunk…
"Ruian, you're drunk." Pei Xiuyu looked at her hazy eyes, shook his head helplessly, and stood up to help her back to her room to rest.
However, the drunk Shen Ruian seemed like a different person. Her usual humility and endurance disappeared, replaced by a charm she herself wasn't even aware of. Her body went soft, half-leaning against Pei Xiuyu, those water-soaked black eyes staring straight at him. One small hand subconsciously grabbed Pei Xiuyu's shirt collar, coquettishly saying: "You… don't go…"
Pei Xiuyu froze completely. His refined and handsome face showed his Adam's apple rolling violently. Ever since his ex-girlfriend cheated on him years ago, he had long given up on women. But in this instant, the charm before him and the throb in his heart collided fiercely, stiffening his hands.
"You're drunk. I'll take you back to your room to sleep." Pei Xiuyu forcefully suppressed his heavy breathing, trying to keep distance.
Shen Ruian refused to let go, burying her face in his neck, murmuring with heavy drunkenness and coquettishness: "I haven't showered yet… dirty… so dirty today…"
Hearing the word "dirty," Pei Xiuyu's rationality snapped with a "crack." He looked down at the woman in his arms, her face full of drunkenness and silly smiling. Usually in front of Jiang Yuhe she was like an obedient, enduring little dog—only beside someone she trusted extremely would she smile so unguardedly.
"You're forcing me, miss…" Pei Xiuyu laughed self-mockingly, his voice already hoarse beyond recognition. "No matter how much I avoid women, with you like this, who could hold back?"
He stopped holding back, scooped Shen Ruian up in his arms, and strode into the master bedroom's bathroom.
Pei Xiuyu carefully placed the soft, drunk Shen Ruian into the white porcelain bathtub, took a deep breath and tried to turn around: "Shower. I'm leaving. Call me if you need anything."
"Don't go…" Shen Ruian curled up in the empty bathtub, her wet eyes seductive, grabbing his warm hand tightly, looking up at him with a flushed face. "Let's… together…"