Chapter 559: Return to Wanghai
Translator: _Min_Editor: Caron_
Night in Wanghai was as illuminating as an ocean of stars. The shadow of the reinforced concrete was as gloomy as a dark forest.
A long time ago, Jiang Chen thought this place was all there was to the world. He would fight here for a 50-square-meter apartment and a steady job. But right now, as he glanced down from the plane above, he felt this was all so trivial.
He had two purposes for returning to Wanghai. One was to discuss the virtual reality online retailer pilot project, the other was to fulfill a promise.
When he sent Zhang Yapin on his way to UA, he also boarded a plane and headed to Wanghai with Liu Haotian's company.
Ayesha wasn't with him. To prevent the assassins hidden in the dark from attacking Xia Shiyu, Jiang Chen chose to leave her with Xia Shiyu.
Before Xia Shiyu left for Xin, she still needed to return to Xiangjiang to tie some loose ends. The CEO handover still required one week of time and she still needed some personal time to make sure everything was in order. Because she was an only child, she planned to bring her parents to Xin to make it easier to take care of the two elders. It would require her to return to her hometown and first bring the two elders in Xiangjiang.
Jiang Chen raised both his hands in support of Xia Shiyu bringing her parents along. His parents lived a great life in Xin with a mansion, boat, and servants, but the downside was that they never really saw their relatives and friends, so they were quite lonely. Since Xia Shiyu's parents were close to his parents, they could visit each other and at least form a table of Majong.
Ayesha disagreed with his decision to not bring her along. The attack did happen at a hotel and she was obviously worried about Jiang Chen being alone, but he used one sentence to convince her.
"If they really choose me as a target, that's the worst decision they'll make."
In terms of personal combat abilities, only a few in the world could beat him. The reason why he chose to go alone was also to trick the snake into coming out of hiding.
Ayesha had to follow his orders. But she still insisted on moving the Ghost Agent waiting for orders in Hua close to him to prevent any unsuspected situations from occurring.
When they got off the plane, Jiang Chen's ride went from a Hongqi L9 to a Benz. The person responsible for delegate reception didn't speak much with the two of them as he handed them the key before leaving.
Before he left Hua, his identity was considered a foreign delegate, so he would be accompanied by people from the Concierge Department. But because this was the Wang family's territory, before Wang Dehai made his stance clear, the local concierge couldn't be overly friendly to Jiang Chen.
Compared to the arrangements in Shangjin, Wanghai's attitude toward Jiang Chen wasn't like he was receiving a President of a multinational company at all.
"I hope you don't mind. Since you did trick him into Coro Island's investment project, it's understandable for the Wang family to have a little attitude," Liu Haotian explained to Jiang Chen after he sat into the driver's seat.
"Of course I don't mind, as long as they don't come to make trouble," Jiang Chen said nonchalantly.
"Even the number one official won't go against the Liu and Zhou family simultaneously, let alone the Wang family. So you don't have to worry - they know the extent they can go. But you have to be careful and avoid letting them get any material to blackmail you with."
Jiang Chen looked at Liu Haotian in surprise and smiled.
"Oh? You already know?"
Jiang Chen was referring to the agreement between Future Group and the Zhou family regarding nutrient supply.
"Of course," Liu Haotian answered concisely.
It was already late into the night. Jiang Chen rejected Liu Haotian's hotel arrangements and instead, he inputted a location on the GPS and asked him to take him there.
The car quickly arrived in a wealthy area. In the apocalypse, past Sujiang was Jiang Chen's Camp 27. But in the modern world, there was only a small mansion that belonged to him there.
Before he left Wanghai, he gave the key to this place to Liu Yao. A house couldn't be left unattended without people living inside because even the most beautiful mansion would become a haunted house. Since he had no close friends in Hua nor did he lack the money, he gave it to his mistress.
Jiang Chen's identity information was still registered at security at the gate. He pressed his thumb before security allowed him access.
The car arrived in front of the mansion. Liu Haotian saw the light was still on and looked at Jiang Chen.
"Someone is inside?"
Jiang Chen didn't answer his question. He unbuckled his seatbelt and looked at him without a change in expression.
"Pick me up tomorrow at 9. Since your travel is paid for, I won't arrange your accommodations."
Liu Haotian understood Jiang Chen's true meaning as he smirked. Without saying anything, he left.
Jiang Chen took a deep breath in front of the door. Just as he was about to press the alarm, he saw the light in the bathroom on the second floor and an evil smile appeared on his face. Whenever he thought about Liu Yao's 36D curvature, his couldn't control his urge to "prank" her.
It was ten o'clock at night.
Just like her usual nighttime routine, Liu Yao took a rose-scented bath after exercising.
As a celebrity rising in popularity and as the mistress of Future Group's President, she took extra care of herself. She knew everything she possessed today was all because of that man. If that man lost interest in her, she would have nothing.
Liu Yao washed away the sweat on her body, stared at the water droplets rolling down her tender skin and relaxed. The white mist from the bathtub fogged up her vision and allowed her thoughts to gradually rise with the mist.
Among the rose petals, the water reflected a stunning face. The face that made countless women jealous and countless men smitten was mixed with a hint of melancholy.
She recollected the week of vacation on Coro Island with Jiang Chen and her face began to turn red.
Although she was just a mistress, the feeling of "giving up above cloud nine" every time Jiang Chen gave it to her made her hooked to him like drugs. It made her sometimes wonder if she wasn't a mistress—
Liu Yao forcefully shook her wet hair and snapped back from her unrealistic thoughts. She stared at the rose petals in the bathtub and scorned herself.
[It's impossible…]
Intoxicated in an unrealistic dream would only hurt herself. She knew the only reason he accepted her wasn't because of love but because her presence happened to fill the regrets of his past carried in his heart.
She couldn't pass the boundary and turn this emotion from intimacy to a hindrance. If she really wanted him to give her a righteous name, it would cause trouble for him, and of course, he wouldn't give in. And that would mean she would no longer be a mistress.
Perhaps Future Technology's CEO, Xia Shiyu, would be his future wife. Or perhaps the exotic girl who always followed him would be… her name was Ayesha or something. Liu Yao heard him mentioning her during their video chat.
[But regardless, I won't be one of the candidates.]
Her glowing skin, smooth as jade, weaved through the water surface covered in petals. Liu Yao splashed the milky bath water on her face and combed her black hair mixed with petals to the back of her head.
"Splash—"
She stood up and dragged a bath towel to cover up her attractive figure. Her gorgeous feet stepped out of the bathtub onto the cold floor.
She walked in front of a mirror. Just as she was about to pick up the hair dryer, she suddenly heard something that resembled a heavy object hitting the ground in the living room.
Her hand holding the dryer stopped in midair and Liu Yao held her breath.
It was quite frightening to hear a weird sound living in a massive house alone. She was certain she heard something drop on the floor in the living room.
[Could it be a thief?]
Liu Yao's heart suddenly flinched and her face turned pale white. But she soon rejected the possibility - no thief could get into the community with such a high level of security.
But if it wasn't a thief, who was it?
She gulped, put down the dryer, sneakily moved to the door, and put her ear against the door although she thought she was being too suspicious with an action like this.
She held her breath and listened for a while without hearing any other sounds.
"Was I just hearing things? I must be too tired lately…"
Liu Yao was relieved and gently leaned against the door.
Because of the popularity of her movie, her popularity increased as well.
Not only did more movies come her way, but she even received invitations from label companies. She sang in movies and her pure but melodious voice received countless positive comments on the web, so some label companies thought to ask her to release an album. Because of the recording sessions, she had been tired every day. Perhaps she was so exhausted that she was now hearing things…
Liu Yao comforted herself.
But just as she felt relieved, she suddenly heard music outside the door.
This sudden music scared Liu Yao to death, but her face quickly turned red because she realized that the music was her new ringtone.
Who's calling?
As she thought to herself, Liu Yao took another towel and wrapped her hair.
When she put her hand on the doorknob, Liu Yao gently bit her red lips. She already convinced herself that the sound from the living room was just an illusion, but she still felt anxious when it came time to leave the bathroom.
She took a deep breath, turned the doorknob, and peeked out the door.
After confirming there was nothing outside, her ears burned for acting so over-the-top.
Her right hand squeezed her towel in front of her chest and she ran to her room with her wet feet.
She picked up the phone from her table…
She was stunned.
There had been no phone call. When she unlocked her screen, she discovered it was a music player playing. What just rang wasn't her ringtone but music downloaded to her phone.
Intense fear began to overwhelm her.
There was someone else in the room.
Someone opened her phone!
To lure her here!
With lips trembling, Liu Yao's face was deathly white. She didn't even dare to turn her head as she was afraid to see a strange face. Her naked feet moved back while shaking. She couldn't even find the courage to run back.
Suddenly, the lights turned off.
Liu Yao screamed and turned around to run. But before she ran two steps, she smashed into a firm chest.
The man in black hugged her, threw her onto the bed, and jumped to cover her mouth. His strong muscles were like rocks - regardless of how her graceful hands punched him, it was futile.
With his free left hand, the man pulled open her white towel.
Just then, that man screamed out in agony.
When Liu Yao heard his scream, she stopped.
The scream sounded familiar.
The man let her go, removed his comical mask, and rolled his eyes at her.
"Biting me when you see me - are you a dog?"
Tears began to flow out of her eyes. With the help of the moonlight, Jiang Chen started to lose his collected cool.
"Eh? Don't cry, I came to give you a surprise. Ahem, of course, it was my bad to scare you. I'm sorry…"
Liu Yao's intense reaction was something he expected. But to be honest, when he saw her reaction, Jiang Chen felt an odd happiness. Of course, he reflected upon himself. Although she was his mistress, and although it was just a prank, when he thought about it carefully, it was over the line to do something like this to a woman living alone.
"Pervert!" Liu Yao threw the towel on her head onto Jiang Chen's head in embarrassment.
The aroma of rose engulfed his nose and made Jiang Chen's mind bewildered.
He removed the towel on his head and awkwardly touched his nose.
"Sorry, I did…"
"Do you want to continue?"
"Eh?"
Without sitting up on the bed, Liu Yao gently bit her lips and her face reflected a hint of attractive shyness. The petals between her hair and the dim moonlight scattered in the room made her attractive figure glow even more.
"What... just… Don't make me say it." Liu Yao, with her hair messy, pouted and looked away.
Jiang Chen felt a lower abdominal heat turning on as his breathing turned heavy.
He threw the towel to the ground and didn't forget to put on the comical black mask.
Liu Yao's screams reverberated in the room again. While she was fending off the attacker with her graceful fists, the dark room became lively again…
Either she was a great actress or because the reunion made her especially impassioned, Liu Yao's acting was impeccable.
The moon was covered by an embarrassed cloud, unable to directly shine on the intimacy of the room.