Falling After Marriage - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Lin Jin’s Uneasy Mind

Senyao Group.

CEO’s Office.

Lin Jin was leaning back in her executive chair, perusing a thick project file.

Recently, she had been busy training the little puppy, and company matters had been continuously postponed. Now, the files needing review were piled up on her desk, making her look overwhelmed.

In the silent space, only the sound of turning pages remained, occasionally accompanied by the scratch of a ballpoint pen pressing hard, indicating that the person seriously working was in a bad mood, even carrying a hint of suppressed anger.

Slap, the folder was aggressively thrown onto the desk. The angry person was likely dissatisfied with the proposal, or perhaps it was about something else.

She dialed her secretary’s number, her urgency mixed with a strong scent of gunpowder: “Coffee, don’t make me wait.”

Slap again, the desk phone receiver also failed to escape her vent of frustration.

Lin Jin leaned back against the chair again, closing her eyes for a brief rest. For some unknown reason, she felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

This anxiety came without warning, not only making her feel stifled but also preventing her from immediately identifying the cause.

She tried to dispel the sudden feeling of palpitations, but despite trying, she found no relief.

Fortunately, Secretary Zhou entered the room with the coffee, providing a small distraction.

“President Lin, your coffee.”

Lin Jin wearily rubbed the bridge of her nose. Without speaking, she waved her hand, signaling for her to leave.

Secretary Zhou hesitated by the desk but still took the liberty of showing concern: “President Lin, please inform me immediately if you’re not feeling well.”

Lin Jin half-lifted her dark, inscrutable eyes, glanced indifferently at the secretary, still not responding, but seemingly communicating don’t be nosy.

Secretary Zhou was accustomed to her boss’s unpredictable mood swings, so she withdrew from the office.

Lin Jin took a small sip of coffee and stood up, walking to the floor-to-ceiling window to stretch.

Her office attire was always sharp. The beige satin shirt was high-quality, neatly tucked into wide-legged black trousers, the only embellishment being a long designer belt.

The sun outside was intense, wrapping around her slender figure and giving off a soft glow.

She was oblivious to the state of the outside world, whether the scenery was good or bad. Her mind was focused solely on one person.

In just an instant, that person vividly came alive in her mind, completely naked, covered in old scars, and with the sleek muscle lines that delighted her.

Thinking deeper, only their intertwined pleasure remained.

Lin Jin savored the coffee while savoring Cheng Sangluo in the dark night.

That person in the night was so different—a strange wildness and madness, like a caged beast whose restrained emotions erupted violently.

Her appearance of unrestrained demanding didn’t seem greedy but rather seemed to convey loneliness. The roughness in her movements was more like a struggle.

Lin Jin’s brow furrowed deeply, as if she realized that Cheng Sangluo never truly enjoyed that pleasure, treating it like unavoidable homework, like monotonously completing a task.

Thus, the palpitations that had just subsided surged back with an overwhelming force.

Lin Jin put down her cup, picked up her phone, and dialed Cheng Sangluo’s number, all without the slightest hesitation.

Her panic was hidden in the ripples in her cup and transformed into a deep, slightly urgent breath as she waited for the call to connect.

However, the ringing tone was long, outlasting her breath, and longer than a century, ultimately becoming an unanswered busy signal.

This was the second time Lin Jin had called Cheng Sangluo, and the lack of an answer had the effect of “a stone stirring a thousand waves,” allowing the suspicious woman to conceive countless possibilities.

Knock, knock, knock—

The sudden knocking interrupted Lin Jin’s movement to redial.

She settled back into the executive chair, composed herself, and then responded: “Come in.”

The person who entered was Sheng He.

He walked up to Lin Jin and reported in a low voice: “I went to pick up the car from Miss Cheng’s place, and the result was as you guessed: the auto repair shop owner fired her.”

Lin Jin wasn’t concerned about Cheng Sangluo losing her job. She knew this would be the outcome when she instructed Sheng He to deal with the young men last night.

This was the result of her careful calculation. The goal of overturning the job Cheng Sangluo cherished was simply to ensure that when the stubborn person was at her wit’s end, she would know to come back to her.

But at this moment, she was more concerned about something else: “Did you not encounter her at the auto repair shop?”

“No, Miss Cheng had already left some time before I arrived.”

“Then what are you standing here for? Go find her!”

The breakwater at Quanshan Peninsula was as wide as a car, a dead-end road extending into the sea. The towering rocks on both sides were lifted there by past typhoons, and over time, it earned this name.

Fishermen liked to fish near the dead end, so there were a few people scattered along the way.

Cheng Sangluo joined the activity, renting fishing gear and a small stool from a small vendor on the shore, and haggling for a straw hat and a bucket.

She had leisure time, so she walked all the way to the end.

To fish for sea fish, she used a multi-hook rig, thinking she could perhaps accidentally catch a few.

After casting the line, she sat steadily on the small stool and waited. After all, fishing was about enjoying the peace.

The setting sun scorched her skin, but luckily the wind from the sea was strong and cool.

Cheng Sangluo sat blankly, lost in thought. Initially, she thought about taking the fish she caught back to the landlord. Later, her mind drifted further, thinking about being unemployed.

She propped her chin in her hand, pondering: Which step went wrong?

In fact, it wasn’t hard for her to deduce. A little thought about the details was enough to figure out why.

‘I want to play with them~’

Lin Jin’s baseless comment from last night, lightly whispered into her ear, solved the problem, didn’t it?

That crude tactic was something the madwoman seemed to use over and over again.

Cheng Sangluo sneered, remarkably calm about the result of her deduction.

If it were before, she would have cursed. Now, she just numbly accepted the facts.

What could she do? Go beat the madwoman up, or run to her house and cause a scene?

She couldn’t do anything but swallow her broken teeth.

Cheng Sangluo focused her attention and noticed the fishing rod moving slightly. She quickly looked at the float—it seemed a fish had taken the bait.

She swiftly grabbed the rod, reeling the line in and out, and then yanked hard. Three slimy fish, sparkling on the multi-hook rig, traced a beautiful arc in the air.

“Wow, a good catch~”

The clear sigh was accompanied by scattered clapping.

Cheng Sangluo, busy removing the fish from the hook, turned her head towards the sound and saw Shu Guan approaching elegantly. She grinned: “Miss Shu, I thought you would be busy for much longer.”

Shu Guan was wearing a figure-flattering A-line skirt, walking with a precise gait. She looked somewhat like she was walking a runway on the solitary breakwater.

She held her hands behind her back, clutching a bottle of ice-cold mineral water.

When she got closer, she gently pressed the water bottle against Cheng Sangluo’s face, asking with concern: “Are you hot?”

“It’s alright.” Cheng Sangluo felt the coolness on her face. The sensation was comforting, so she rubbed her face against it comfortably before taking the mineral water. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Shu Guan’s smile was gentle, making even the whistling wind seem mild.

“How many did you catch?” She squatted down curiously, smoothly sweeping the hem of her skirt behind her legs.

Even in this posture, the gentle woman maintained her elegant upright posture.

“Just these three. Not even enough to stick between your teeth.” Cheng Sangluo took a big gulp of water and started talking enthusiastically: “These fish taste best when deep-fried. The bones come out crispy and they’re especially flavorful, good as a side dish for drinks.”

She squatted down too, and casually placed her straw hat on Shu Guan’s head. “You’re so pale, it wouldn’t look good if you got sunburned.”

Shu Guan enjoyed this kind of care, subtle details that went unspoken, like cracked, dry soil meeting a gentle rain.

She adjusted the straw hat on her head and asked with a smile: “What about you?”

“Me?” Cheng Sangluo pointed at herself, then quickly baited her hook. “My skin tone clearly shows I’m not afraid of the sun. I’m as dark as if I’ve been marinated.”

“Miss Bai told me that you were a soldier, a very impressive soldier.”

“Oh, it’s nothing that impressive.” Cheng Sangluo couldn’t handle compliments, becoming easily embarrassed after just a few words.

She cast her line out again and nudged Shu Guan: “Don’t keep squatting, sit down.”

Shu Guan complied, gracefully sitting on the small stool, and started a new topic: “I’ve noticed you’re a foodie.”

“Am I?” Cheng Sangluo adjusted the fishing rod, smiling at her: “Actually, I’m not picky. As long as it fills my stomach, it’s fine.”

“But your eyes light up when you talk about food.” Shu Guan tilted her head, as if searching for something in her memory. After a moment, she concluded: “Last time on the yacht, you ate a large piece of watermelon in one bite.”

“You remember clearly.”

Cheng Sangluo also followed the memory, but what she recalled wasn’t the watermelon, but the person who was pinching the watermelon and feeding it to her.

Her expression became unnatural, as if she didn’t want to think about it. She subtly shook her head, seemingly trying to shake that person out of her memory.

Shu Guan noticed her preoccupation and changed the topic: “Give me your hand.”

“Hmm?” Cheng Sangluo was puzzled but offered her hand. “What’s wrong?”

“As a return gift for your straw hat and small stool.” Shu Guan took a tube of sunscreen from her purse and squeezed a large glob onto her palm. “Although it’s a bit late, put some on. I don’t want you to peel.”

“Thank you.” Cheng Sangluo thanked her softly, but she wasn’t used to others’ kindness.

She felt like a lone wolf abandoned by society. Not being loved or cared for was the norm. The sudden concern that she might get sunburned gave her an indescribable feeling.

This feeling was not repulsion or dislike, just simple awkwardness.

Shu Guan saw that she applied the sunscreen carelessly, so she grabbed her firm arm and rubbed it on vigorously. “You have to rub it in evenly. Be careful not to end up like a zebra.”

“Have you ever seen a zebra this dark?” Cheng Sangluo laughed heartily, then saw the float moving again and exclaimed: “Fish! There’s a fish!”

Dusk was the romance left by day for the night. The setting sun shone on the sea, and the shimmering waves were a dazzling golden hue.

Cheng Sangluo carried half a bucket of her catch, following behind Shu Guan.

The reserved restaurant was on a local fisherman’s raft, selling only the freshest catches of the day.

Cheng Sangluo had originally intended to give her fish to the landlord, but fearing they would spoil in the heat, she handed them over to the owner’s wife to prepare.

Shu Guan chose a private room. Since this trip was specifically to eat oysters, she ordered oysters prepared in different ways.

She handed the menu to Cheng Sangluo, asking: “Besides oysters, is there anything else you’d like to eat?”

Cheng Sangluo waved her hand: “You’ve already ordered a lot. That’s enough.”

“I’m usually busy with work. Since we rarely get to come here, we should eat until we’re satisfied.”

Cheng Sangluo, being headstrong, laid down the ground rules first: “Don’t rush to pay the bill later. I’m treating today.”

“Alright.” Shu Guan agreed verbally, so as not to spoil the other person’s meal.

In fact, she had already prepaid the meal when Cheng Sangluo went to find the owner’s wife.

“Then take a look, is there anything else you want to eat.”

Shu Guan teased: “Didn’t you say it was enough? Aren’t you afraid I’ll eat you into poverty?”

“I got paid today.” Cheng Sangluo took out the cash Brother Yuan had settled today from her pocket, and then laughed openly at herself: “I got fired today, hahahaha.”

She didn’t know why she was sharing this with someone she barely knew. It might be because Shu Guan naturally possessed an affinity that gradually dissolved the feeling of unfamiliarity.

Shu Guan poured hot tea to sterilize the bowls and chopsticks. Hearing that Cheng Sangluo was unemployed, she didn’t ask why, but raised an eyebrow and said understandingly: “No wonder you traveled so far to see the scenery. You came to clear your head.”

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