Jiang Nanshu didn’t feel like she had anything to talk about with Xu Xingwan.
However, out of respect for their past friendship, she still gave her a chance, “What do you want to talk about?”
Xu Xingwan seemed to have difficulty starting, as she had never even sought help from Bao Yan before, and suddenly asking Jiang Nanshu was a bit hard for her.
If things had gone smoothly, she should have been friends with Jiang Nanshu.
She let out a soft sigh, her eyes downcast before she slowly said, “I wish President Lu would show some mercy and spare the Bao Family, Bao Yan is really exhausted, he hasn’t done anything wrong, why should his business be suppressed…”
She didn’t understand why Bao Yan, who dealt in business fairly, should suffer such unwarranted calamities.
Jiang Nanshu glanced at Xu Xingwan.
Did she really understand Bao Yan’s ambition?
The business world is like a battlefield—victors advance and losers retreat.
If Lu Qingyan were the one at a disadvantage today, would anyone spare him?
According to Jiang Nanshu’s business intuition, they wouldn’t.
And they would cling to their prey until it breathes its last, devouring its flesh.
Jiang Nanshu chuckled lightly, “Instead of letting Bao Yan keep losing ground in this business war, you might as well advise him to be less greedy for profits and live in peace; maybe that way he could find a way out. His ambition is too great, seizing any opportunity to strike fatally; he shows no mercy, so why should you plead for him? If he truly loved you, he would have married you instead of making a business marriage with a well-connected lady and keeping you as a mistress.”
Yes.
Bao Yan had gotten married.
But the bride was not Xu Xingwan, but someone else.
She was trapped beside Bao Yan, playing the role of a disgraceful mistress.
Jiang Nanshu didn’t know whether Bao Yan had trapped Xu Xingwan or if she didn’t want to leave, but it didn’t matter.
Jiang Nanshu had always believed in letting go, helping others, and respecting their fates.
Xu Xingwan’s face turned slightly pale; her status had always been something she found difficult to speak about.
Bao Yan did love her.
But this love was cautious and conditional, preventing her from truly enjoying it.
The noble lady he had married was already pregnant.
And she was unwilling to bear his child.
A child born out of wedlock; she didn’t want her child to be criticized in the future.
“I’m sorry, I can’t help you.”
Jiang Nanshu spoke and then left.
Xu Xingwan stood there, disheveled.
She suddenly felt… Bao Yan was so filthy.
She didn’t want to be trapped by his side anymore.
…
On the way back, Jiang Nanshu asked Lu Qingyan which company he chose as a business partner.
Lu Qingyan glanced at her lightly, “Are you curious?”
Jiang Nanshu muttered, “A bit, Bao Yan is the most capable among them, I wanted to see how you would choose.”
Lu Qingyan narrowed his eyes slightly, then said, “Not him, nor President Wu, the remaining two companies are both viable for collaboration.”
How could Lu Qingyan, having finally ousted several competitors, give significant help to the Bao Family and help them make a comeback?
In business, one cannot afford to be sentimental.
Jiang Nanshu continued to return to the guestroom to sleep, locking the door as well.
Lu Qingyan stood at the door, holding a pillow, “What’s the meaning of locking the door?”
Through the door, Jiang Nanshu’s voice came, “You still haven’t told me who you’ve locked up, we’re not yet reconciled.”
Lu Qingyan, “…”
They had been fine for one day, wasn’t that reconciliation?
Lu Qingyan’s eyes darkened, and after a moment, he chuckled lightly, “Then in your heart, who do you think I have locked up?”
Jiang Nanshu was sitting on the bed scrolling through videos on her phone when she heard the words and involuntarily tightened her grip on the phone.
If this person had died,
Lu Qingyan would have been burdened with a life on his conscience.
Jiang Nanshu took a deep breath before she finally asked, “Who gave you those Buddha Beads?”
Jiang Nanshu and Lu Qingyan had never openly discussed Zhou Yanxu.
Even though he could hear her innermost thoughts and knew such a person existed,
As long as they didn’t explicitly address it, they would pretend it didn’t exist.
After a long while, Lu Qingyan finally spoke, his tone somewhat cold, “Who do you think gave them to me?”
“I hope you can tell me the truth!”
Suddenly, the door lock was twisted open.
The door was opened by Lu Qingyan.
Seeing Jiang Nanshu sitting on the bed, his chilliness transformed into tenderness, “Wife, if we are to talk, we need to have an in-depth face-to-face conversation, otherwise I can’t speak.”
Jiang Nanshu had not reacted yet when she saw him starting to undress, her cheeks blushing a rosy color, “You are so shameless, get out, say it or don’t.”
Lu Qingyan got onto the bed, and when he saw Jiang Nanshu trying to escape, he directly grabbed her ankle. His cool eyes and eyebrows suddenly bloomed like begonia flowers, his smile enchanting.
He took off the Buddha beads, revealing ugly crisscross scars on his wrist, then grabbed Jiang Nanshu’s hands and tied the beads around her.
Bending down close, his tone was unreadable, “Don’t struggle, otherwise if the beads break, there will never be another pair.”
Jiang Nanshu stopped moving.
These must be the beads sought to keep Lu Qingyan safe, the ones she saw him wearing in her dreams, she didn’t want them suddenly breaking because of her.
And Jiang Nanshu’s reaction pained Lu Qingyan’s heart.
She must have realized these were the Buddha beads that Zhou Yanxu always wore? That’s why she stopped struggling, to protect these beads, or did she think he had Zhou Yanxu imprisoned and thus complied to protect that person from harm?
The good mood he had maintained all night crumbled at that moment.
She always had a way, whether it was a word, a glance, or an unintended gesture, to drag him down to hell.
Lu Qingyan pulled down Jiang Nanshu’s hand, and when the cold beads touched her warm skin, she couldn’t help but hiss softly.
Her voice was fragile, “Lu Qingyan, gentle…”
She didn’t know how long it had been, but later on, he even stopped using a condom.
When will this man change his habit of resorting to bed when negotiations fail?
They didn’t even talk in bed!
When she woke up around noon, Jiang Nanshu finally awoke.
Even though Lu Qingyan had taken her to wash, she still felt uncomfortable.
Jiang Nanshu sighed deeply, genuinely fearing she might become pregnant now that they hadn’t taken any precautions.
She got dressed and, taking the opportunity while Lu Qingyan was not at home, sneaked into his room and rummaged through his closet.
She had previously placed a box of birth control pills in a bag there.
But when she found it, she discovered it had expired years ago.
Jiang Nanshu stared blankly at the box of pills.
Her thoughts were in chaos.
If… if she really was pregnant.
Jiang Nanshu thought she would still have the baby, love is an instinct, she would love her child and not be like her biological mother in two different worlds.
Thinking this, her aversion to the idea of pregnancy lessened.
To have a child who looked like her or like Lu Qingyan.
Would he then stop being mercurial and going insane all the time?
Just like last night, she had no idea what had set him off, his actions both fierce and intense.
It was terrifying, almost as if he wanted to tear her apart and devour her.
Jiang Nanshu stood up, preparing to find a place to discard the expired medication.
But then a shadow fell behind her, and the box of pills was snatched from her hands.