Limited-Time Attachment - Chapter 25

Song Ming beckoned to a passing waiter.

The waiter, carrying an empty tray, paused in confusion before walking over. “President Song, do you need something?”

Song Ming signaled for him to lean in. Once his head was lowered, she whispered a few words.

After listening, the waiter looked at her in surprise. “President Song, this…”

Song Ming’s expression remained calm. “Just go.”

Zhou Jibai hadn’t expected this young girl to be exactly the same, not even bothering to hide her intentions.

“President Zhou, do you like frozen lakes? Or maybe rime ice? In a few days, it’ll start snowing in C Province. It’s a beautiful world of silver, and we can go skiing… Sister, would you like to come play?”

Xu Mingxuan followed Zhou Jibai, not even pretending to be subtle. She clutched her skirt, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on Zhou Jibai.

Zhou Jibai wandered aimlessly through the banquet hall with a glass of champagne, offering a gentle rejection: “I’ve been with women before. If you stay too close to me, I’m afraid people will misunderstand.”

“So,” Xu Mingxuan didn’t hesitate for a second. Her expression was as bright as her goose-yellow dress, and she spoke with eager anticipation, “Sister, that means you can like women, right?”

Zhou Jibai looked at Xu Mingxuan, feeling a bit out of touch with how kids these days operated.

“It’s uncertain whether President Zhou likes women,” a clear, laughing female voice drifted over from nearby, “but I like women.”

Zhou Jibai froze, her brow furrowing instantly.

The young Xu Mingxuan turned around to see a beautiful woman with strong mixed race features approaching. The woman was half a head taller than her and looked down slightly as she approached. A faint smile played on her lips, and while her expression seemed mild, she radiated an undeniable sense of arrogance.

Xu Mingxuan felt an instinctive surge of hostility.

Song Ming sized up the young girl, feeling as if she were witnessing a replay of the past. When she had first approached Zhou Jibai, she hadn’t been much older than Xu Mingxuan. However…

Song Ming smiled as she met Xu Mingxuan’s gaze, noting the girl’s inability to hide her thoughts.

This one seems much stupider.

“And you are…?” Xu Mingxuan asked with a frown.

“Song Ming.”

The former heir most likely to take Song Zhongtian’s place at the Song Fortune Group. Even after breaking away, she remained a formidable force, someone no one in their right mind would provoke.

Xu Mingxuan, having just arrived in A City, was unfamiliar with the past. Ignorance made her fearless.

Song Ming’s expression was like that of someone watching a kitten, one whose teeth hadn’t even finished growing, yet was already trying to claw the curtains. “Miss Xu says she likes women?”

Xu Mingxuan took a wary step back, her brow deepening.

Zhou Jibai reached her limit. She set her champagne glass aside and said, “Excuse me.”

As the two were about to pass each other, Song Ming reached out and grabbed Zhou Jibai’s wrist. She tilted her head toward her. “Where are you going?”

Zhou Jibai ignored her. Though her path was blocked, her gaze remained fixed on the exit. Song Ming studied her from the side. Today, Zhou Jibai wore slightly upturned eyeliner that perfectly complemented her naturally flirtatious eyes. The fiery red ribbons of her dress crossed over her pale back, pressing slightly into her skin in a way that made one’s heart itch.

The skin of the wrist in Song Ming’s palm was smooth and delicate, the bone structure slender. Song Ming felt a strange ache in her teeth and instinctively rubbed her thumb against the cold, white skin.

Zhou Jibai’s composure finally snapped. As if burned, she tried to jerk her wrist away but it didn’t budge.

Song Ming’s hand remained steady around her wrist. She didn’t move an inch as she stared into Zhou Jibai’s eyes. “What is it?”

Two steps away, Xu Mingxuan’s brow furrowed. Ignoring her internal unease, she lifted her skirt to march toward Zhou Jibai. “I don’t care who you are, how can you….”

“Mingxuan.”

A stern, middle-aged man called out, stopping her.

Xu Mingxuan turned back, stunned. “Dad?”

Led by Xu Mingxuan’s father, a group of three or five people stood a few paces away, eyeing Song Ming with guarded expressions.

Mr. Xu walked over with a frown and pulled his daughter behind him. “President Song, I’ve heard much about you. I didn’t expect to run into you at this party. A pleasant surprise.”

“Not at all. If you have the intention, Mr. Xu, we can meet anytime,” Song Ming said nonchalantly, finally releasing Zhou Jibai’s wrist. “There will be plenty of opportunities for cooperation in the future.”

Mr. Xu offered a smile, though his expression was anything but pleasant.

Just a moment ago, a waiter had rushed over to tell him that President Song of Boshen wanted to meet his daughter. It took him a moment to realize which “President Song” it was.

The Xu family was well aware of Mingxuan’s preferences and had no intention of stopping her but if it involved Song Ming, it was an absolute “no.”

Furthermore… Mr. Xu’s gaze flickered between Song Ming and Zhou Jibai. He felt his daughter had just walked straight into a minefield.

“I look forward to future cooperation. However, we have other matters to attend to right now, so we cannot chat further,” Mr. Xu said, giving his daughter a gentle nudge.

“Dad, what are you doing…” Xu Mingxuan protested.

“Be quiet,” her father hissed, dragging her away.

Xu Mingxuan looked back every three steps, trying several times to return only to be held back by her father.

Zhou Jibai watched this farcical turn of events in silence. Her lowered lashes made her look somewhat lonely like a red rose blooming in a silent, snowy field.

“What exactly was your goal in doing that, President Song?”

Song Ming knew her actions hadn’t fooled her. She answered candidly, “The goal was to make my ex’s life difficult. You weren’t exactly soft-handed when you went after that celebrity either, were you, President Zhou?”

Zhou Jibai looked up calmly at Song Ming. “Follow me.”

She turned and led the way out of the banquet hall. Her red dress swayed against her thighs, accentuating her enticing curves.

Song Ming stared at her back for a moment before following.

On the third floor, there was a quiet, sun facing balcony. Flowering vines climbed the stone pillars by the wall, peeking through the semi-circular railing with small, vibrant blossoms.

“What did you want to say to me, President Zhou?”

The night was quiet. In the distance, the silhouettes of cars flashed by. The music from the orchestra drifted out faintly, like a lingering scent of perfume, subtly stirring the heart.

But some hearts should not be stirred. Being an ex was one thing, but this was an ex with ruthless methods who also harbored resentment. In such a situation, catching feelings was practically a death wish.

But Zhou Jibai truly was beautiful.

A heart that skipped a beat at first sight in their youth… spending so much time pursuing her… being devoted to one person for so long…

It was a pity it didn’t end well.

“Surely President Zhou isn’t unhappy just because I ruined a ‘good thing’ for you?” Song Ming approached her, a half-smile on her face.

“I should be asking you,” Zhou Jibai’s voice was soft, a faint smile on her lips. “By rushing to interfere with the girls who get close to me, could it be that President Song is still in love with me?”

“Me? Love who?” Song Ming’s eyes sharpened. “You think I’d be pining for an ex?”

Zhou Jibai met her gaze and laughed softly. “Perhaps not? But Miss Xu did remind me of the old President Song. When you first came to me, you were about the same age as her. Girls that age really are different, exceptionally sincere.”

“…It seems you like them young, President Zhou,” Song Ming braced a hand against the wall beside her, a hostile smile playing on her lips. “I wonder if I was sincere enough back then? Did I ever make you…”

Song Ming’s words cut off, the rest of the sentence crushed between their lips.

They were so close that when Zhou Jibai reached out to pull her in, Song Ming didn’t even have time to react. By the time she realized what was happening, warm lips were pressed against hers, and a tongue was tentatively testing her teeth.

It was a familiar taste, a familiar person.

Song Ming’s logic collapsed. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the kiss, her hand sliding onto the back she had been thinking about all night. Beneath those red ribbons lay the destination of her desires.

Amidst the familiar scent, Song Ming felt dazed. Being so intoxicated by a kiss… perhaps she really couldn’t let go?

Hiss!

A sharp sting on her lip snapped her back to reality. Song Ming pulled away abruptly, backing up two steps. In shock, she wiped the corner of her mouth with her thumb, there was blood on her fingertip.

Zhou Jibai was still slightly breathless, her chest heaving. When their eyes met, she immediately straightened her back, regaining her elegant, composed posture. “You were certainly focused.”

Song Ming didn’t answer. She looked at the blood on her left hand, feeling both angry and like laughing.

Zhou Jibai walked past her with an air of indifference, dropping a soft parting shot: “And you still say you don’t love me?”

Song Ming stood there for a long moment, the cold wind cooling her overheated brain.

She’d been played.

Song Ming’s tongue touched the wound on her lip. It stung sharply.