After Trying To Pursue The Cold, Elegant Beauty. I Ended Up Being Flirted With Instead - Chapter 48

She was very much not herself.

Upon hearing Xin Tiantian’s words, Wen Zhu suddenly fell silent.

She simply lowered her eyes and slowly began to flex her wrists.

Outside the tent, there was only the weak light of the campsite, and the night wind blew, bringing the coolness of the forest.

A series of faint, crisp “click” sounds came from her joints, sounding especially clear in the momentary silence.

Xin Tiantian’s heart skipped a beat at the sound, and she instinctively took half a step back.

“W-what are you going to do?”

Wen Zhu lifted her eyes, her pupils filled with a bottomless chill, “I told you to leave. If you don’t go now, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

She looked at Xin Tiantian, the corner of her lips curving into an extremely faint arc, “You should know my level of Muay Thai.”

How could Xin Tiantian not know?

She knew it all too well!

The Muay Thai and Ju-Jitsu classes they took as children were together.

In those years, the person she resented the most was Wen Zhu.

Not only did Wen Zhu have the favoritism of her cousin Pei Xiubai, but she was also always first in her studies, learned everything astonishingly fast, and possessed a beautiful face that everyone couldn’t help but praise.

Even in Ju-Jitsu, which Xin Tiantian prided herself on, Wen Zhu surpassed her far too quickly.

If they were to truly fight, ten of her wouldn’t be a match for Wen Zhu.

Xin Tiantian looked at Wen Zhu, who seemed genuinely ready to strike, and felt a mix of fear and resentment.

“Wen Zhu, you ungrateful wretch! You have no conscience!”

She shrieked, “You grew up in our Pei family, and now you dare to lay a hand on me! How dare you, I’m only asking for this tiny little thing, and you won’t agree. Aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to sleep at night?”

Wen Zhu grabbed her collar in one swift motion.

The force was so great that Xin Tiantian’s breath hitched instantly.

“You said it yourself, I grew up in the Pei family.”

Wen Zhu leaned in closer, her voice dangerously low, carrying a chilling ruthlessness.

“Are you a member of the Pei family?”

“I’m telling you one last time, I’ve already left the Pei family, and I don’t owe the Pei family anything.”

“If you don’t leave now, I will really throw you into the mountain to feed the wolves.”

The suffocating feeling of her collar being tightly grasped around her neck completely terrified Xin Tiantian.

The old Wen Zhu always smiled when she saw her, gently calling her “Tiantian.”

Whatever she wanted, Wen Zhu would find a way to get it for her.

She had never seen such a terrifying Wen Zhu.

Xin Tiantian’s legs instantly turned to jelly, and her voice became tearful, “Okay, okay, I’ll go, I’ll go right now! Don’t throw me to the wolves!”

“Stay away from Li Zhiyun, stay away from me, do you hear?”

Xin Tiantian dared not refuse, sobbing, “I hear you, I hear you with both ears!”

Only then did Wen Zhu let go.

She watched Xin Tiantian scramble away, confirming that the other person’s figure had completely disappeared from their tent area before turning back into the tent.

In truth, her ankle was still hurting.

If they had actually fought, she wouldn’t have lasted many moves.

But scaring a spoiled little girl like Xin Tiantian was more than enough.

Xin Tiantian was scared out of her wits and ran wildly.

When she got back to her tent, she rushed up to a companion and snatched the other person’s phone.

Relying on the memory etched in her mind, she dialed that familiar number.

The call was quickly connected.

“Hello?”

A familiar yet cold voice came from the other end of the line.

Xin Tiantian’s tears instantly burst forth, and she cried out.

“Cousin! Wen, Wen Zhu, she bullied me!”

On the other side, the atmosphere in the office was extremely tense.

“President Pei, Miss Wen… truly has had no consumption records recently.”

The young assistant’s voice across the sofa was trembling uncontrollably.

Pei Xiubai’s knuckles were white, “So, you’re saying she’s just vanished into thin air?”

No travel records.

No spending records.

She was like a drop of water merging into the ocean, disappearing without a trace.

“I…”

Pei Xiubai didn’t wait for her to finish; the suppressed anger in her chest could no longer be contained, and she slammed the ornament on the coffee table onto the floor.

“Useless!” she growled, the veins on her forehead throbbing.

The office door was gently pushed open a crack.

Jiang Xinxin peeked her head in, and seeing the mess on the floor, alarm flashed across her face.

She then quickly walked in and offered gentle comfort, “President Pei, please don’t be angry, it’s not worth getting worked up over such a small matter.”

Pei Xiubai’s chest heaved violently, her eyes bloodshot.

She pointed at the young assistant: “Get out!”

The assistant looked frightened, and her eyes reddened.

Jiang Xinxin quickly turned to the flustered assistant and said softly, “President Pei has been in a bad mood lately, she’s not blaming you, you should go back first.”

The assistant looked immensely grateful to Jiang Xinxin, nodding repeatedly, and fled as if she had been granted an amnesty.

After the assistant left, Jiang Xinxin took out a delicate thermos box and carefully placed it in front of Pei Xiubai.

“President Pei, I made you some rock sugar snow pear soup to soothe your throat. Please don’t be angry anymore.”

A sweet, rich aroma wafted into her nostrils.

Pei Xiubai was irritated and was about to say she wouldn’t drink it.

But when she turned her head, she saw the glaring red, swollen blister on Jiang Xinxin’s fair hand.

The words caught in her throat.

She sighed and reached out to grasp Jiang Xinxin’s hand, “Why did you bother doing this yourself? You could have just let the housekeeper do it.”

Jiang Xinxin shook her head, “I know President Pei loves this the most, so I wanted to try making it myself. Something self-made definitely has a different meaning…”

She lowered her eyes, her voice soft and gentle.

“I spent the whole afternoon brewing it, just wanting you to try it and see if it’s good.”

Hearing that she had spent so much effort, the last bit of Pei Xiubai’s irritation vanished.

She looked slightly helpless, yet somewhat dotingly, and tapped Jiang Xinxin’s nose.

“Alright, I’ll try it.”

Jiang Xinxin immediately beamed, opened the thermos box, and poured a bowl of soup to hand over.

Pei Xiubai took it and took a sip.

The soup was sweet, the snow fungus was stewed until soft, and the sweetness was just right.

But for some reason, she was momentarily distracted.

It seemed… it was still not as good as the one Wen Zhu made.

Wen Zhu’s always carried a warm feeling.

“How is it?” Jiang Xinxin looked at her with anticipation.

Pei Xiubai was only distracted for a moment before quickly snapping back.

She put down the bowl, “It’s acceptable.”

The smile on Jiang Xinxin’s face deepened, and she was about to say something more.

An urgent phone call rang it was Pei Xiubai’s private cell phone.

Jiang Xinxin glanced at the screen.

Caller ID:

Xin Tiantian.

Jiang Xinxin recognized the name; it was President Pei’s arrogant and spoiled little cousin, Miss Xin.

She quietly breathed a sigh of relief and sat silently on the side, not speaking.

The call connected.

Pei Xiubai’s expression, which had just softened, instantly clouded over again, likely due to whatever the person on the other end said.

“Where are you now?”

Jiang Xinxin’s heart plummeted abruptly.

A strong sense of unease unexpectedly overwhelmed her.

Sure enough, in the next second, Pei Xiubai’s aura suddenly turned icy cold.

“I’ll go over right now!”

Her voice was laced with an icy chill, “Help me keep a close eye on her, don’t let her leave that place!”

The phone was abruptly hung up.

Pei Xiubai almost immediately dialed the young assistant’s number again.

“Book me a flight to Anshi immediately, the fastest one!”

The young assistant on the other end was stunned by the sudden command and subconsciously asked a question.

“President Pei, how many tickets should I buy?”

Pei Xiubai roared back angrily.

“How many do you think?!”

She hung up the phone and quickly walked to the computer in the study, sitting down.

The light from the computer screen reflected on her face, making her expression terrifyingly grim.

Jiang Xinxin looked at the bowl of rock sugar snow pear soup on the table, which had only been sipped once and then set aside.

The soup was already cold.

She took out her phone and opened a chat window.

[Xiao Lin, are you home yet?]

The message was sent.

On the other side, the assistant, Xiao Lin, was struggling with the booking page.

President Pei had roared at her on the phone, asking how many tickets to book.

How dare she say it!

Her phone vibrated, she opened it, and her eyes welled up when she saw the message from Miss Jiang.

[President Pei is just in a bad mood, don’t take it to heart.]

Miss Jiang was still the gentle one.

Xiao Lin was instantly filled with gratitude.

Only such a gentle person was fit to be their boss’s wife.

Just then, she also realized something.

That’s right, Miss Jiang was the one President Pei cared about the most. How could President Pei go to Anshi without taking her?

It must be two tickets!

Xiao Lin had an epiphany and immediately placed the order.

The next morning, in the departure lounge, Pei Xiubai stared at Jiang Xinxin, who appeared with a suitcase, and was stunned.

“Why are you here too?”

Jiang Xinxin had a bright and expectant smile on her face, “Didn’t you ask Xiao Lin to book a ticket for me too, President Pei?”

She excitedly shook her arm, “I’ve always wanted to go to the largest ski resort in the west in Anshi! I finally get my wish this time. President Pei, thank you, I’m really very happy!”

Looking at her face, which was full of excitement and radiance, Pei Xiubai swallowed the words she was about to say, telling her to go back.

Forget it.

She thought, although Qingqing was reluctant to see Xinxin.

But she just needed to make sure Xinxin didn’t show up in front of Wen Zhu.

Except…

Pei Xiubai coldly glared at the trembling young assistant behind her.

She couldn’t even handle this small task well!

Why couldn’t she be like Wen Zhu, who always knew what she was thinking?

As this thought emerged, Pei Xiubai’s desire to catch Wen Zhu and bring her back intensified.

Without Wen Zhu, she felt that nothing in her life was going smoothly.

Anshi City.

The club’s camping team building event was nearing its end.

By the returning bus, Zang Ying suddenly pulled Li Zhiyun aside.

She shoved a beautifully made travel brochure and two tickets into Li Zhiyun’s hand.

“This is from Zhishu for you.”

Zang Ying lowered her voice and whispered, “She said you should seize the opportunity.”

“We’ll go back first, you two go and have your date.”

Li Zhiyun lowered her eyes and took a look.

They were tickets to a ski resort.

Zang Ying leaned in closer, mimicking Li Zhishu’s tone, “Zhishu told me to tell you not to be a bachelor for life.”

Li Zhiyun felt a little helpless.

She realized that her sister seemed to highly distrust her ability to pursue her love interest.

Seeing no reaction from her for a long time, Zang Ying nudged her with her hand, “What are you spacing out for? Go quickly!”

Li Zhiyun glanced at her but still accepted the brochure and the tickets.

She turned and walked towards Wen Zhu, who was helping everyone pack up nearby.

Wen Zhu felt someone approaching, and when she looked up, she saw Li Zhiyun.

Her cheeks felt inexplicably hot.

The scene from the tent last night involuntarily flooded her mind.

After Li Zhiyun finished massaging her ankle last night, she immediately wrapped herself in her sleeping bag like a silkworm cocoon, leaving only her head exposed.

“Miss Li, don’t worry, I’m a very proper sleeper, I definitely won’t move around,” she guaranteed solemnly.

Li Zhiyun seemed very curious about her form, staring at her up and down for a long time, then couldn’t help but pinch her cheek.

Only then did she say, “I won’t lay a hand on you.”

Wen Zhu was shouting internally at the time.

I’m afraid that I will lay a hand on you!

Fortunately, Li Zhiyun didn’t say anything more and just quietly slept on the other side.

The inside of the tent was truly uncomfortable to sleep in, and the air was a bit thin.

She probably rolled over in her sleep.

So in the morning, Wen Zhu woke up in a warm embrace.

She groggily opened her eyes, and the first thing that came into view was a section of Li Zhiyun’s sharp, smooth jawline.

The worst case scenario had happened!!!

She had clearly wrapped herself up like a silkworm cocoon to avoid this very situation.

Wen Zhu was plastered against Li Zhiyun.

She could clearly feel the steady, slow rise and fall of the other person’s chest.

Her gaze traveled up from the perfect jawline, landing on Li Zhiyun’s fair and delicate skin, where not a single pore was visible.

It was like a piece of high-quality cold jade, giving off a slight cool sheen.

The entire morning, Wen Zhu had been distracted.

As soon as she closed her eyes, her mind was full of Li Zhiyun’s cool and ethereal face.

Chess genius, ice beauty.

If she kissed her, would her lips also be cool?

Or would they be surprisingly gentle and soft?

Wen Zhu’s cheeks started to burn again.

Something was wrong.

She was very much not herself.

She looked at Li Zhiyun, who was walking towards her, took a deep breath, and then raised her hand and slapped herself.

It wasn’t a hard slap.

But the stinging pain on her cheek instantly sobered her up a lot.

Li Zhiyun, who was walking over: “…”

What was she doing?

Wen Zhu was immediately more alert, and her gaze nervously fell on the tickets in Li Zhiyun’s hand.

“Is this… going to the ski resort?”

Seeing the undisguised anticipation on Wen Zhu’s face, Li Zhiyun nodded.

It had been two years since Wen Zhu last went skiing.

That was during a business negotiation with a client in Russia.

“My sister bought them,” Li Zhiyun said, “The car is waiting outside, let’s go.”

As the two walked towards the outside of the campsite, they saw Xin Tiantian standing at the exit, seemingly waiting for them.

As soon as she saw the two, Xin Tiantian immediately approached them, a fawning smile on her face.

“Qingqing-jie.”

Her gaze couldn’t help but glance at Li Zhiyun.

Li Zhiyun was also very beautiful today, truly aligning with her aesthetic preferences.

Why wasn’t such a wonderful woman hers!

Wen Zhu saw her undisguised look and said coldly, “Have you forgotten what I told you last night?”

Xin Tiantian’s heart trembled with fear, but she immediately said ingratiatingly, “Everything before was my fault, Qingqing-jie, I’ve corrected it. Just give me a chance to make amends, okay?”

“Just let me go play with you, I’ll pay for everything today!”

“No need,” Wen Zhu said.

Xin Tiantian’s apologies were never sincere anyway.

There was no need for such fake apologies.

After speaking, she proactively took Li Zhiyun’s hand and walked past Xin Tiantian.

Li Zhiyun was also stunned to see Wen Zhu proactively hold her hand.

Xin Tiantian was even more dumbfounded.

Wen Zhu actually held someone else’s hand.

Could it be that she really didn’t want her own cousin anymore?

Seeing the two walk far away, Xin Tiantian immediately ran after them.

She watched them get into a globally limited edition Bugatti Veyron, and her teeth ground with hatred.

Well, it turned out she had latched onto another high-status person.

She got into her own car and instructed the driver in front, “Follow the car in front.”

Li Zhiyun noticed Xin Tiantian’s car following them and asked, “Should we lose her?”

Wen Zhu gripped the steering wheel tightly.

After a long time, she said, “No need.”

She knew that Xin Tiantian following them was most likely at Pei Xiubai’s instruction.

She could shake the person off this time, but what about next time?

And the time after that? Could they succeed every time?

Besides.

“I don’t need to hide,” Wen Zhu said softly.

She hadn’t done anything wrong.

The two drove all the way to Anshi’s largest ski resort.

After confirming that the two had entered, Xin Tiantian took out her phone and sent a location pin.

She typed a line of text.

“Cousin, Qingqing-jie is here.”