CHAPTER 56

The last time they spoke on the phone was over three months ago.

It had been nearly half a year since they last met.

Xiaoyuan noticed Wei Zhuang's gaze on her, and as she looked down, she saw the shawl being offered to her.

The brown and black shawl looked very soft and warm, resting on her pale wrist.

As she glanced a little further, she noticed Wei Zhuang's delicate pinky finger adorned with a gold signet ring.

"Put it on." Wei Zhuang said.

Xiaoyuan accepted it, shaking out the shawl and draping it over her shoulders, feeling as if she were being enveloped by a soft, fragrant cloud. Her ears felt slightly warm. "...Thank you, President Wei."

Assistant Gao stood beside them, unable to look directly at them for fear of her mouth breaking into a grin. She slightly turned her face, her eyes still fixed on the two.

She didn't know much about Wei Zhuang's early romantic history. Having been by her side for nearly ten years, she had never seen anyone particularly special in her life. A few years ago, some incredibly influential people had pursued her—politicians, top business figures, both domestic and international—but nothing ever came of it. Moreover, Wei Zhuang maintained a remarkably simple and private personal life, making it hard to imagine that in the hedonistic worlds of entertainment and finance, she had no scandals.

Assistant Gao felt like a mere butterfly fluttering in a flower-filled world compared to her boss.

Later on, she speculated that perhaps her boss had some form of emotional barrier or was naturally cold. 

Although there had been some "casual partners" over the years, with confidentiality contracts signed one after another, the moment her boss had glanced at them, her interest faded.

What a waste! There was no need for such charity!

Assistant Gao often sighed in frustration!

But tonight, she was witnessing her boss "flirting" up close—did her boss even realize she was flirting?

She heard her boss say, "Get in the car."

Assistant Gao glanced over, Xiaoyuan's heels today were relatively high, making her only slightly shorter than Wei Zhuang. The two naturally moved closer together, not holding hands, yet there seemed to be an invisible connection as they got into the car.

Tonight, her big boss wasn't in a large vehicle, so Assistant Gao felt awkward about following them inside. For a moment, she found herself torn between two choices.

Getting closer might let her eavesdrop on the gossip, but it could also risk her job.

Both drivers were in their cars waiting for instructions, and the two bodyguards stood watch in separate directions. At that moment, Assistant Gao even felt a bit out of place.

With no options, she had to create her own opportunity.

Assistant Gao maintained a composed facade, moving discreetly as she approached the car.

The two inside the car remained oblivious to everything happening outside.

Xiaoyuan was sitting next to Wei Zhuang for the first time, separated by nearly half a year without seeing each other. It felt a bit strange, as if nothing had become unfamiliar, yet there was also no familiarity.

The six months seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye, and the two of them remained in their original positions.

Xiaoyuan thought to herself that if she had said she would give way, she should take the initiative and say, "President Wei, I've thought about it, and I agree to renew the contract."

There were only the two of them in the car, with the warmth enveloping them, their breath blending in the air.

The tassels on Xiaoyuan's dress brushed against Wei Zhuang's trousers, emitting a faint glow in the dim environment.

"Have you made up your mind?"

Wei Zhuang asked.

She always had the effect of turning a question into a statement. If these words came from the mouth of another superior, it might sound arrogant, but when she said it, it was a gentle and light inquiry.

"Mm, I've made up my mind. Can it be the same as before? I don't need you to give me any resources, gifts, or pocket money."

"I can't force you to do something you don't like."

"Okay."

"Time?"

"...You decide."

Assistant Gao was close enough to hear almost everything, feeling both excited and emotional. There was something inexplicably off about the situation, yet that slight discord felt particularly fitting for them.

'What a beautiful time, a long night, and you're just talking about this?'

'How do these two manage to make such an unromantic topic sound so romantic?'

She couldn't help but smile, but suddenly startled when she realized her boss's gaze had already seen her through the car window.

Assistant Gao composed herself quickly as Wei Zhuang rolled down the window slightly. "Alex, have the contract ready."

"Okay."

"Have Lao Wang take you home."

"...Thank you, President Wei."

The window went up.

Assistant Gao paused for a moment, she could no longer "create" conditions and had to walk to the other car, obediently heading home. It was fine, there would be other opportunities, and as long as she kept her position, there was no fear of missing out.

The car fell silent again.

Once the contract was mentioned, Xiaoyuan found herself at a loss for words.

She was good at acting, her social skills had improved a lot compared to before, but in front of Wei Zhuang, she always felt nervous and out of sorts involuntarily.

She couldn't resort to her acting tricks, as Wei Zhuang had previously expressed her dislike for that.

So what should she do now?

What could she possibly say?

Xiaoyuan lowered her head, the gray-white light from the garage leaked in through the car window, not dulling her vivid colors. Her bare arms, slender and straight legs that the shawl and tasseled dress didn't cover, made her look like a bellflower bathed in milk, with a faint shimmer.

After a while, Wei Zhuang realized her thoughts had just been interrupted.

Her fingers paused slightly in the air before tapping softly.

In this intentional yet unintentional silence, she said, "To my place?" This time, her tone seemed to rise slightly at the end, as if seeking agreement.

Xiaoyuan had been staring at her knees for too long, missing the opportunity to see Wei Zhuang's expression as she spoke. She nodded.

They didn't talk again as the car started moving, taking them toward Wei Zhuang's home.

In the quiet vehicle, Xiaoyuan's eyelids grew heavier. Her schedule had been packed from late October until now, with not a single day of rest. Now that things had slowed down, she really wanted to take a break.

As she drifted off to sleep, it felt like she heard a distant rumble of thunder.

Oh, the weather forecast mentioned thunderstorms for tomorrow.

Rain...

She fell asleep as if it were a skill of an actor or star to catch up on sleep wherever possible.

Leaning against the back of the chair with her eyes closed, she was already asleep. As the car bumped along, she slid closer to Wei Zhuang unconsciously.

Wei Zhuang's gaze shifted toward her.

She was half leaning against her knee, about to slide off if not for a rescue.

Wei Zhuang straightened up, placing her left hand on Xiaoyuan's shoulder nearest to her knee and wrapping her right arm around her shoulder.

Xiaoyuan's shawl slipped down, exposing a large expanse of snow-white skin on her back, shimmering like a pearl in the air.

Wei Zhuang's hand rested on the shawl, pulling it up to cover her shoulder.

Her long hair was styled in a floral braid at the back of her head, adorned with a few small daisy hairpins, which made one feel a sudden urge to touch them.

The car's heating was sufficient, creating a peaceful atmosphere, while the glass of the window emitted a faint dripping sound.

Thunder rumbled softly in the distance, and the rain long forecasted finally began its prelude.

The tassels on her dress lightly brushed against her legs, like rainwater seeping into the fabric and touching her skin.

When Xiaoyuan woke up, the car had already stopped. She felt like she hadn't slept for long, just a brief nap, and suddenly felt something wasn't quite right.

Slowly realizing, she found she had used Wei Zhuang's thigh as a pillow.

There was warmth against her back, which explained why she had actually fallen asleep for a bit. Her heart began to race, she didn't know whether to turn and look at Wei Zhuang.

"Awake?"

Wei Zhuang's voice came to her ears.

"Mm." Xiaoyuan still didn't turn around or get up, she simply replied softly.

"Your phone is ringing."

Xiaoyuan hurriedly got up, almost tumbling into Wei Zhuang's arms. She froze for a moment, quickly sitting up and frantically searching for her handbag. It was Wei Zhuang who handed it to her, the small silver bag was vibrating incessantly, desperately trying to get attention.

She finally managed to answer the call, and Cai Juan's voice burst through the line, "Yuan'er, Yuan'er, oh my gosh, your dress, shoes, jewelry!"

"Oh..."

"They need to be returned, you have to return them to the brands tomorrow."

"But tomorrow hasn't arrived yet."

"Who would have thought you'd be staying out overnight tonight?"

"..." Xiaoyuan felt her face heat up.

"Alright, all these outfits are designer brands, a whole set from Chanel, bracelet, earrings, and ring totaling over a million, and the dress and shoes are from Ralph & Russo's haute couture..."

"They'll need to be dry cleaned before you return them..."

Xiaoyuan chuckled lightly, "So I have to return my handbag too?"

"Oh, that one is yours, it's not too expensive, so you don't have to return it."

"How come I don't remember having this handbag?"

"Haha, it's fine. Your dress looks great, it's trending online, and the official account claimed it right away. Who knows, maybe Feiyi will sign you for an endorsement while the iron is hot."

"I see." Xiaoyuan didn't want the call to go on for too long, discussing too much business. "I'll hang up now." She put the phone back in her handbag before turning to Wei Zhuang.

"I'm done with the call," Xiaoyuan obediently said, "I was in a rush earlier..." In her eagerness to see her, she had forgotten to change her clothes.

Wei Zhuang nodded slightly but didn't say anything as the driver opened the car door for them. The two of them walked into the elevator together.

Xiaoyuan recognized this place, it was where she had first come to meet Wei Zhuang.

A private elevator for a single household, layers of security and codes, a luxurious night view—this was a place that many people worked their whole lives to afford.

However, Xiaoyuan thought that the house she rented with her brother and Cai Juan was also quite nice. In the future, when they had the financial means, they could buy a place of their own and live together again.

A house is just a house, the people you live with are what's precious.

The silver-gray elevator doors opened, Xiaoyuan turned to look at Wei Zhuang, while Wei Zhuang gazed straight ahead, like a slow-motion scene from a movie.

As they entered the room, Xiaoyuan went to the bedroom she had stayed in before and opened the wardrobe, looking for a large leather bag.

She took off her high heels, then removed her rings and bracelets. When she went to take off her earrings, she struggled a bit, and the diamonds embedded in them grazed her ear, making her hiss in pain.

"I'll do it." Wei Zhuang had entered at some point, standing in front of her. She reached up to brush a strand of hair from Xiaoyuan's ear, her cool fingers pinching her earlobe before quickly removing one earring.

Xiaoyuan wasn't wearing high heels, making her almost half a head shorter, her figure completely enveloped by her.

As her gaze shifted slightly upward, she saw the lower half of Wei Zhuang's face—her slightly glossy lips, elegant nose, and flawless, cool-white skin. Wei Zhuang tilted her head slightly to remove the other earring, letting her hair brush against Xiaoyuan's face.

Xiaoyuan was bewildered and dazed, unable to react.

"Should I undo your hair?" Wei Zhuang murmured softly, her long lashes fluttering, her gaze shifting towards Xiaoyuan, who forgot to respond.

Wei Zhuang was already undoing her hair, removing her hairpins and clips, allowing her long hair to cascade down smoothly, covering her delicate neck.

There was a moment of silence where the only sound was the faint breathing of the two.

"Your hair has grown a bit." Wei Zhuang remarked from above her head.

"Mm..."

Xiaoyuan thought about how they hadn't seen each other for almost six months. After filming "Zui Xiaoyao," Cai Juan had bought her skincare and hair treatments, making her go to the salon two or three times a week.

From such a close distance, it shouldn't be inappropriate, right?

She's been praised as beautiful and attractive on the hot search rankings.

'I wonder what Wei Zhuang thinks...'

Her mind was filled with jumbled thoughts. Suddenly feeling itchy on her neck, Wei Zhuang lifted a strand of her hair, passing by her slender fingertips.

Being too close, Wei Zhuang's cool and slightly lowered voice seemed to be buried in her ear, igniting a tingling sensation and a rush of heat. She said, "Should I undo your dress as well?"

Without waiting for her response, Wei Zhuang's hand reached around, gathering her long hair, and reached the zipper of her dress.

Instead of immediately unzipping it, she lowered her gaze to look at Xiaoyuan. Her clear and bright eyes flickered, betraying her nervous heartbeat.

Even the tiny tea-colored freckle on her nose seemed tense, as Wei Zhuang's face was now just inches away, her nose almost a centimeter closer, ready to soothe her.

Outside, the thunder kept rumbling, and the rain had been falling for a while—not too heavy, but not light either. The cool air seeped in like mist, making the once bright light in the room become hazy.

Shadows on the carpet intertwined, as if they were kissing.

No one spoke.

Xiaoyuan slightly bit her lip, the skin at her neck appearing as if it had been soaked in milk, with a delicate tremor just below the surface.

Wei Zhuang's fingertips lightly brushed over her slightly sweaty collarbones as she whispered, "Still afraid it tickles?"

"..." Xiaoyuan's face turned red, and she turned her head away.

This felt like flirting.

She finally understood.

Yet it didn't feel entirely like that, although there were confusing undercurrents in Wei Zhuang's gaze, it remained clear and gentle.

She knew she was attractive. Since school, many people have pursued her, and she understood the way men looked at her, as for women...

That year, because of the film "Xiao Wen," she went abroad for the first time, to the romantic and open Cannes in France. When women approached her, she initially didn't quite understand until she recognized the bold and straightforward teasing in their gazes.

But she couldn't quite discern Wei Zhuang's intentions.

Yet, she felt a warmth rising from within her, a flutter she had never experienced before.

In the next moment, Wei Zhuang turned her back to her, catching Xiaoyuan off guard, and before she could steady herself, she was embraced.

Wei Zhuang's long hair was swept to one side, and the layers of her tassel dress flowed like silver waves, tightly enveloping her, outlining her body as it was slowly caressed inch by inch by the woman behind her.

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