It seemed Lin Zhishui noticed Ning Shangyu’s gaze fall on the book in her hands.
Leaning against his chest, she curled her lips into a faint smile, even dragging out the end of her sentence lightly, “What are you staring at? Haven’t you ever seen a bedtime read?”
The next second, Ning Shangyu withdrew his gaze and let out a soft, ambiguous chuckle.
“I’ve seen it now.”
Before Lin Zhishui could flip the pages with a crisp sound—intentionally or not, letting him continue his deep study—Ning Shangyu’s long, strong arm pulled her close, and as he casually leaned down, he drew out a document from the edge of the coffee table.
What appeal did those densely packed data reports have compared to her?
Lin Zhishui’s gaze followed his fingers, and suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a name poking out from the pile of scattered documents—Qin Yi’an.
The Qin family’s project proposal had appeared in Ning Shangyu’s hands…
Realizing this with startling clarity, Lin Zhishui couldn’t help but tremble.
She asked, “Can you not collaborate with the Qin family?”
She might not understand the ways of business, but she knew the principle of not prying into what’s not yours.
She hadn’t intentionally tried to peek at the confidential content, merely asked openly.
Ning Shangyu lowered his eyes to look at her.
Backlit, his handsome and refined features appeared even more defined, his expression calm as a heartless capitalist.
“Why?”
Lin Zhishui lowered her lashes for a few seconds.
At first, when she came to the top of Taiping Mountain, she wanted to test Ning Shangyu’s attitude toward both families, simply because she didn’t want to see Mrs. Sheng Mingying run herself ragged over family business.
She, too, had a duty to ease her mother’s worries.
On top of that, with Qin Wanyin’s visit today—using her so-called admiration for Ning Shangyu as an excuse to demand she break off the engagement—it was nothing short of a blatant provocation, practically delivered right to her face.
Even if Lin Zhishui’s body was made of clay, there was still some earthiness within.
Since the other party had come to “declare war,” how could she possibly swallow her anger?
After five or six seconds,
Lin Zhishui quietly pulled her thoughts back to the present.
Under Ning Shangyu’s scrutinizing gaze, she said, “Because, I hate Qin Wanyin…”
Her words were clear and sharp, even the word “hate” pronounced with crystalline clarity.
And as naturally as ripples flowing across a lake, she shifted to another topic.
“Besides, my Lin family has worked in the field of medical technology for many years and is a leader in the industry. President Ning, whether in sentiment or in reason, who should you choose for a deep collaboration… What else do you need to consider?”
Ning Shangyu patiently listened to her self-recommendation, then instead smiled.
“As far as I know, the true leader in this field was your father. After he passed away eighteen years ago, your mother took over as Chairman of the company. She’s indeed an excellent businesswoman, but she hasn’t truly been able to lead the Lin family’s research team…”
Perhaps out of respect for his future mother-in-law.
Ning Shangyu left it at that.
But Lin Zhishui heard the deeper meaning.
The Lin family’s research team hadn’t produced another leader like her father in this field.
But even so, the precious research data her father left behind was enough to keep the Lin family’s foundation unshakable in Hong Kong for years.
Besides, didn’t Qin Yi’an’s research team also attract talent with high salaries?!
Who was really above whom?
Lin Zhishui whispered, “I get it… The Qin family, to compete for the upper hand, probably sold themselves cheap with this project proposal.”
Ning Shangyu tacitly agreed: “Miss Lin, I’m a businessman.”
Lin Zhishui was already pondering her next move, fully aware that Ning Shangyu was a classic profit-driven businessman.
If she wanted favorable treatment from him, she’d first have to let him sense the scent of profit.
But she wasn’t so desperate as to lower the Lin family’s price even more.
With a blink, she hid a bit of scheming, raising her hand as if to help smooth out an imaginary wrinkle on Ning Shangyu’s shirt.
Her fingertip and tone were both soft.
“But businessmen are flesh and blood too… Ning Shangyu, President Ning, are you really going to be so heartless to your future wife?”
Her fingertip mischievously traced two circles along the fabric of his arm; who could say who was really being handsy with whom.
Ning Shangyu looked down at the troublemaker in his arms and said quietly, “I’m not a foolish ruler.”
Lin Zhishui trembled.
To lure a lion and end in defeat…
How infuriating!
Why were his eyes filled only with a thirst for profit?
But after a second of annoyance, she quickly became even more self-assured.
“But I’m a beauty! Why shouldn’t you play the foolish ruler for me?”
Before her words finished,
Lin Zhishui tipped her head up, as if wanting him to witness firsthand this once-in-a-lifetime beauty.
Under the light, her clear, beautiful eyes reflected his, revealing a kind of natural purity untouched by artifice.
She didn’t have a habit of calling herself a beauty, but ever since she was little, she’d gotten away with things on the strength of her looks…
With such experience, Lin Zhishui’s intent was clear—she wanted to soften Ning Shangyu’s capitalist heart.
And it seemed not entirely ineffective.
Ning Shangyu did pause for a moment, appreciating her up close, then smiled again, asking with interest, “You want me to be a foolish ruler? And what is the beauty offering in exchange? That body of yours that I could topple with a single finger?”
In just a couple of lines, the difference in skill was obvious.
Lin Zhishui realized, half a beat too late, that she wasn’t a match for Ning Shangyu in this area.
This man’s skillful methods weren’t limited to the negotiating table—he could easily captivate anyone, even in private.
“My heart isn’t so ruthless,” Ning Shangyu added.
At the same time, Lin Zhishui wondered if she’d accidentally said something that hit the mark.
The thought popped up and she couldn’t help but shift her posture slightly, not realizing that staying still would have been safest.
Any small movement could easily…
The next second, Ning Shangyu stared at her, his expression unchanged.
Lin Zhishui sucked in a breath, flustered.
“You’re scaring me like this.”
Though she tried to warn him, she couldn’t hide her panic.
Even the book in her arms slipped to the carpet.
No one paid it any mind. In the silent night, Ning Shangyu’s voice grew even lower, casual and lazy.
“This is enough to scare you? Miss Lin, you’re hard to please.”
“I’m hard to please? President Ning, you’re really wronging me.”
Lin Zhishui was indignant.
She ate little, slept a lot, never caused him trouble at home, even defended their marriage when love rivals came knocking, never letting anyone take him away.
And he said she was hard to please?
More importantly, how was she so easily frightened!?
Lin Zhishui’s competitive spirit flared.
She deliberately snuggled closer, ignoring the burning heat, her voice soft as she asked, “If I’m strong enough not to be scared by you… would you consider playing the foolish ruler just this once?”
Ning Shangyu was calm as ever: “I could.”
***
Forty minutes later.
Lin Zhishui had no competitive spirit left in her.
She didn’t want to be any kind of beauty who could bring down a nation.
It wasn’t as easy as it sounded; at this moment, all her bold words had been thoroughly taught back to her by Ning Shangyu.
All she could do was lie pitifully in the deep black blankets.
Ning Shangyu got up with practiced ease.
Lin Zhishui still had a few lucky thoughts running through her mind.
After that brief dizzy spell ended, she even discovered a few benefits from those jade pieces.
At the very least, when it came to mutual understanding between unmarried couples, switching to a hand with visible tendons, this delicate, pampered body that seemed unsuited for his vitality at least showed some gradual improvement in ability.
The master bedroom gradually grew quiet.
Lin Zhishui’s breathing evened out, like a healthy biological clock that grew sleepy at the right hour, and she soon drifted off.
Meanwhile, Ning Shangyu came out of the bathroom, hands freshly washed.
As he approached the bed, his gaze fell on Lin Zhishui’s sleeping face, her skin tinged with a faint flush, made even more luminous by the white light, giving her an almost breathtaking translucency.
It was as if the temperature in the air, or Ning Shangyu’s gaze, or even anything in the world, could easily melt her.
Ning Shangyu suppressed the emotions in his eyes, then opened a drawer, moving unhurriedly as he took out a box containing precious jade ornaments.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the moonlight mingled with the lamp glow, deepening his shadow, like the thick night looming over the bed.
***
Downstairs again.
Ning Shangyu first picked up Lin Zhishui’s treasured bedtime read—the Book of Chastity—which she had dropped without a care, and set it aside before opening the tablet on the coffee table.
His long fingers tapped the trackpad twice, and the spotless screen lit up.
Tonight, he had an online video conference with the head of the Rong Clan, Rong Jiali, who was also one of his closest friends from youth.
Ning Shangyu was always busy with work, rarely showing up even at private gatherings with his old friends.
Coincidentally, Rong Jiali was also someone who kept a low profile, his private movements so mysterious that he was impossible to track.
The two only kept frequent contact when joining forces, so to accommodate each other, they scheduled the meeting for late at night.
At this moment, Ning Shangyu was already running seriously late…
As soon as he saw the other person on screen, Rong Jiali, who had been waiting, immediately noticed the faint scratch on the side of Ning Shangyu’s pale neck. He couldn’t help but tease, half-seriously, half-jokingly, “President Ning, busy night?”
Ning Shangyu glanced at the time, his tone calm.
“What? Can’t wait half an hour, President Rong?”
“I’m newly married, after all. Being stood up for half an hour without reason—I can’t help being impatient.”
Rong Jiali raised a glass of water, the understated silver ring on his ring finger catching the light, making his features appear even more refined, his thin lips curling into a faint smile.
“President Ning, you seem to have two different faces, before and after marriage.”
Among their circle of childhood friends, Ning Shangyu was the one most obsessed with power, never swayed by any worldly romance.
Even with his special constitution.
His lofty family background and stunning looks meant that even without suppressing drugs, he could have countless admirers willing to offer themselves.
Rong Jiali never imagined that Ning Shangyu would one day rush into a marriage.
But, not one to pry into others’ private affairs, Rong Jiali was about to let the subject drop after his tease.
The next second, Ning Shangyu said casually, “However many faces I have, it’s still not as impressive as President Rong’s unwavering ‘devoted husband’ face. I could learn from you.”
Clearly, he was alluding to how Rong Jiali, ever since his marriage, arranged both work and personal life entirely around his wife, Lu Xi.
Because of this, Rong Jiali was often teased in their circle for his “wife-first” principles—no one could surpass him.
After some friendly banter, Ning Shangyu didn’t waste any more of their time. Tonight’s meeting didn’t include their elite teams—clearly, it wasn’t a strict session.
The new investment project hadn’t officially launched, and the two were selecting talents with strong abilities for the new core team.
The initial candidate list was still subject to change.
Near midnight, Rong Jiali leaned against the sofa, the blue leather looking just like the deep sea.
The calm atmosphere of the dark room seemed to seep out from the always-lit screen.
On the other side, Ning Shangyu twirled a metal pen between his long fingers, marking a couple of names on the list.
“This is the final list.”
His word was final.
In the world of fame and fortune, Ning Shangyu was a born negotiator, always adept at managing people.
Rong Jiali had no objections to the adjustments, nodded solemnly, and just as the call was about to end, Ning Shangyu stood up from the sofa.
His gaze happened to fall on an ordinary-looking book on the armrest.
After reading the title, his eyes paused for half a second.
Ning Shangyu calmly ended the video call, then walked to the pantry and downed a glass of cold water.
As he was about to go upstairs to rest, his phone vibrated unexpectedly in his suit pocket.
He’d only taken a few steps up the stairs before stopping to check.
Under the dazzling light, he saw a new message from Rong Jiali, who had just finished their conversation ten minutes ago—a friendly invitation: [Shangyu, you’ve really changed. Looks like we’ll have more and more in common in the future. Have you gained any insights from your Book of Chastity? Need my help for reference?]
Ning Shangyu: [What, are you a model of male virtue now?]
***
A dreamless night.
The next morning, Lin Zhishui woke up with her fair brows relaxed, her whole person like a flawless piece of rare jade, so pampered and fragrant she seemed nearly translucent.
When she got up, she noticed she was wearing it again, but her mind was focused on how Ning Shangyu had already accepted her beauty’s favor last night—which meant it was time for him to fulfill his promise as a foolish ruler.
After washing up and changing into a long silk dress that reached her ankles, she stepped out of the master bedroom, light-footed.
Like a daily routine, Lin Zhishui checked Ning Shangyu’s schedule—she knew he hadn’t gone out this morning, but had instead set the meeting for the new project at the top of Taiping Mountain.
As her dress hem fluttered over the last stair, before she could call out, she saw that in the spacious, bright living room, Qin Wanyin—who had been shown the door just yesterday—had returned as if nothing had happened.
She was still wearing a professional skirt suit, paired with pearl earrings that swayed gently in her hair, their glow lending her a soft, gentle aura instead of a sharp, businesslike one.
She held a coffee cup in her right hand, chatting happily with several men in suits.
From time to time, her eyes flickered with intent as she glanced at Ning Shangyu, seated in the main seat.
Lin Zhishui narrowed her eyes, thinking: the “Yin” in Qin Wanyin’s name was quite fitting.
It called to mind a line of poetry that matched her personality: “The beauty by the clear river, sighs bitterly through the night.”
Bitterness came to her lips so easily, yet she claimed not to know how to conduct herself.
Wasn’t she doing just fine?
After standing for a moment, Lin Zhishui shuffled over in her slippers, making no effort to hide her footsteps.
The crowd glanced over curiously as she suddenly appeared.
Lin Zhishui ignored them and walked straight to Ning Shangyu, tilting her head expressionlessly.
Framed by the natural light, the two red moles at the corner of her eyes were as striking as the sun outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
After scrutinizing Ning Shangyu from head to toe, making sure even a strand of hair was as neat as ever, she finally murmured a few words between her lips and teeth, “Remember to uphold male virtue.”