Limited-Time Attachment - Chapter 37

The phone connected, it was the Southeast Asian businessman inviting Zhou Jibai to dinner.

Presumably, because several previous solo invitations to Zhou Jibai had failed, this time the Southeast Asian man had also brought along Zhou Jibai’s paternal half-brother, Zhong Hexuan.

This was the “Little Director Zhong” who had been sent off to handle international trade.

Song Ming sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, taking in every word of the conversation between Zhou Jibai and the Southeast Asian man. The man used the excuse of wanting to “talk business” with Zhou Jibai. Zhou Jibai hesitated, not agreeing immediately.

If Zhong Hexuan were present, whatever happened during dinner, even the most trivial matter, would quickly reach Lin Zhenmian’s ears, and then be relayed by Lin Zhenmian to Zhong Zhengcheng. After being embellished like that, there was no telling what the story would turn into.

Better to… just refuse.

“Who are you on the phone with?”

A clear, pleasant voice rang out nearby, the tone intimate and carrying a hint of a smile. To someone unaware of the situation, the voice suggested its owner shared a very deep relationship with Zhou Jibai.

Zhou Jibai froze, turning her head in surprise to look at Song Ming.

On the other end of the line, the Southeast Asian man predictably asked, “Miss Jibai, is there someone with you?”

Song Ming met Zhou Jibai’s gaze with a smile, showing no regret for boldly inserting her voice into the call.

“It’s…” Zhou Jibai looked at Song Ming, seemingly a bit annoyed, and said in a suppressed voice, “It’s a friend of mine.”

Song Ming arched an eyebrow.

“Then, would you do me the honor of joining us for dinner tonight?”

Across the distance and the airwaves, the Southeast Asian man was perfectly polite.

Zhou Jibai frowned at Song Ming. She didn’t like the timing, but since Song Ming’s voice had already been exposed, rather than letting the risk increase, it was better to go with the flow.

“I’ll be there,” Zhou Jibai said, taking a deep breath.

The Southeast Asian man seemed very happy. Having achieved his goal, he still wouldn’t hang up, rambling on about a great many things. Zhou Jibai responded occasionally, her expression cold and indifferent.

Once the call ended, Zhou Jibai immediately turned to Song Ming, frowning. “What are you doing?”

“Acting,” Song Ming said, raising her arm to rest her elbow on the back of the sofa, propping up her head and smiling. “Isn’t this a good opportunity? To let me perform my ‘entanglement and coercion’ toward you.”

Zhou Jibai’s beautiful brow remained furrowed. Because of her anger, her eyes, usually so lively, seemed to shimmer with a hint of moisture, looking even more like rippling water. “Zhong Hexuan will be there. I’m afraid before we even walk out of the restaurant, Zhong… my father will receive a call from him.”

Song Ming didn’t miss Zhou Jibai’s momentary pause. She instinctively wanted to ask about it, but the thought flashed through her mind and quickly slipped away.

…Better not to speak.

Song Ming propped up her head and gave a nonchalant smile. “The reason I’m the one sitting here is exactly because Chairman Zhong can’t do anything about me, isn’t it?”

What if he knows?

Zhou Jibai gave Song Ming a long look. “Since we’ve decided to go, get up and get ready now. There isn’t much time until dinner.”

The pearlescent, soft hem of her dress flowed, and her emerald earring pendants swayed. The woman, looking gentle and elegant, prepared to leave after speaking.

Song Ming’s gaze swept over the curves that flashed briefly before being covered by the dress. She reached out and grasped Zhou Jibai’s slender wrist, casually complaining, “That gentleman is quite lacking in grace, inviting someone so close to the actual time.”

But the moment she pulled Zhou Jibai, both the one reaching out and the one being held froze.

They both remembered that back when they were together, this was a gesture Song Ming often made, usually in the morning, nestled in the fluffy blankets, shamelessly pulling back the Zhou Jibai who was preparing to leave the bedside.

A strange, both familiar and foreign sensation surged. A spark of electricity seemed to flicker where their skin touched.

Song Ming was the first to let go.

For a moment, the room was so quiet it made one’s heart race. Zhou Jibai paused, turned slightly, and looked down at Song Ming, asking softly, “CEO Song, you won’t get so deep into the act that you start believing it yourself, will you?”

Song Ming blinked and laughed heartlessly. “If that really happened, shouldn’t CEO Zhou be the one worried?”

Zhou Jibai remained silent.

Song Ming looked her directly in the eye with a smile. “After all, I have ‘no heart’ and am very ‘fickle.’ I won’t truly love anyone.”

“I didn’t realize CEO Song held such a grudge,” Zhou Jibai said softly.

“Hardly,” Song Ming said, lowering her crossed legs and sitting up straight, her back to Zhou Jibai. “I just occasionally remember a sentence or two my ex said.”

Song Ming’s car was parked downstairs. Zhou Jibai stopped by the car, and the two of them entered the passenger and driver seats respectively.

The appointed restaurant was in the center of City A, not far from Zhou Jibai’s residence.

“Italian food?” Song Ming glanced at the location.

“Yes,” Zhou Jibai said.

Song Ming sneered and shook her head, starting the car.

They had known each other for a while now, if things had followed a normal trajectory, as people who were once marriage partners meant to live together, that man actually didn’t know that Zhou Jibai disliked Italian food.

The two didn’t speak again. In the quiet sound of driving, there was only the rush of wind as they passed other vehicles and the occasional blare of a horn.

“How much did you look into Chen Shengrong?” Zhou Jibai suddenly asked.

Song Ming was currently merging to overtake and didn’t remember the name immediately, responding casually, “Who?”

“Chen Shengrong,” Zhou Jibai turned her head, looking at Song Ming quietly. “The Southeast Asian man.”

Song Ming was silent for a moment. She couldn’t very well say she had already started sabotaging him before she even moved into Zhou Jibai’s house. As for how much she checked, she had naturally looked into everything thoroughly.

“…Within the scope of what a business partner should know,” Song Ming answered carefully.

Hearing this answer, Zhou Jibai had no reaction. She watched Song Ming quietly for a while, then suddenly laughed. “Is that so?”

Song Ming said nothing.

Zhou Jibai braced herself against the edge of the seat, leaning in close to Song Ming. “Did you really only check what a business partner should know?”

The distance she leaned in was very delicate. Through the thin layer of clothing, Song Ming could feel Zhou Jibai’s warmth, not to mention the alluring sweetness of her perfume.

Zhou Jibai tilted her face slightly, her eyes seemingly only able to hold Song Ming, her expression focused and tempting.

Song Ming kept one hand on the steering wheel, remaining silent in a standoff with Zhou Jibai for a long while. Finally unable to take it, she pressed her tongue against her cheek. “CEO Zhou, our speed is currently nearing ninety.”

Zhou Jibai paused, blinked, and finally agreed to withdraw her gaze. She lingered by Song Ming’s side for a moment before slowly sitting back into the passenger seat.

Only then did the tension in Song Ming’s arms relax slightly.

“Chen Shengrong is a local from Southeast Asia. He owns two rare mines with stable production; he primarily deals in the ore business. Besides that, he’s involved in some investments, mostly concentrated in restaurants and entertainment venues in Southeast Asia,” Zhou Jibai explained calmly.

“In the mining business? Doesn’t that suit Zhong Hexuan’s interests perfectly?” Song Ming lightly tapped the brakes to yield to a car ahead.

Although the Zhong family also did international trade, they hadn’t touched mining. Since they had chosen such a person this time, they must have some ideas about the mining business.

…It had to be said, that old man Zhong Zhengcheng was indeed very calculating.

The Jiaxin company that Zhou Jibai built from the ground up was given to Zhong Xingzhou. The international trade sector that Zhou Jibai had worked on abroad for two years to turn from loss to profit was handed to Zhong Hexuan. Even in the end, when arranging for Zhou Jibai to be sent far away where she couldn’t be seen, he still wanted to use her to gain a mine.

He really wasn’t afraid of retaliation.

Zhou Jibai didn’t answer, which was effectively a silent confirmation.

Regarding work, the two were always very in sync, they could understand each other’s thoughts with just a hint. It was nothing like their relationship, where they always had to keep guessing.

Song Ming thought about how both Zhong Zhengcheng and Zhong Hexuan would profit from this matter, so they must have been pressuring Zhou Jibai during this time. Outsiders might not know the situation, but would the Zhong family themselves really not know Zhou Jibai’s preferences and past?

Song Ming gripped the steering wheel, suddenly feeling her hands itch for a fight.