Limited-Time Attachment - Chapter 39

Song Ming sat with her legs crossed, her denim outfit creating a sharp contrast against the restaurant’s ambiance. Her short hair brushed against her jawline, and when she turned her head, her neck appeared slender and elegant.

The edges of her washed-blue jeans were rolled up, paired with black ankle boots. Her oversized denim jacket hung open, revealing a crew-neck inner shirt. Standing there with one hand in her pocket and the other adjusting her thin-framed sunglasses, Song Ming stared at Chen Shengrong in the distance. she looked young, arrogant, and defiant.

She and Zhou Jibai had entered the restaurant one after the other. The interval wasn’t long, so she had heard every word uttered by those two “things,” Chen Shengrong and Zhong Hexuan.

“Return to the family?” Song Ming recalled Chen Shengrong’s words and sneered inwardly. Return to whose family?

I’ve already blown up your pathetic little mine. Go back to your banana grove and sleep in a cave.

“I can’t think of a single reason to return to the family.”

At the dining table, Zhou Jibai looked directly at Chen Shengrong, her tone flat.

Chen Shengrong froze, his expression darkening instantly.

“Sister, what are you saying?” Zhong Hexuan glanced at Chen Shengrong. Seeing the man’s expression, he quickly tried to smooth things over. “Mr. Chen and you are close to a happy occasion…”

“I was wondering why I couldn’t find you anywhere?” A woman’s voice cut through Zhong Hexuan’s words. A young woman dressed in blue denim walked over, placing a hand on Zhou Jibai’s shoulder. She subtly pulled her into her protective circle, her tone slightly aggrieved. “You told me you were going out to clear your head, but you’re actually here having dinner with a man?”

Zhong Hexuan was stunned. This person looked incredibly familiar, but he couldn’t place her for a moment.

Noticing Zhong Hexuan’s suspicious and uncertain gaze, Song Ming curled her lips and lowered her sunglasses again. “Hi.”

Zhou Jibai frowned and quietly nudged Song Ming’s leg under the table.

But it was too late. Song Ming’s appearance was already strikingly unforgettable, and then there were those rare gray-green eyes…

Zhong Hexuan took a step back, standing up in shock. “Song Ming?!”

He didn’t even notice that he had knocked his heavy chair back quite a distance.

“It’s me.” Song Ming simply raised her hand to grip the frames and took off her sunglasses, fully revealing a face that was exceptionally beautiful but immediately evoked words like “sharp” and “arrogant.”

While the three of them were in a commotion, Chen Shengrong sat opposite them, watching coldly.

Song Ming unhurriedly folded her sunglasses and shot a glance at Chen Shengrong.

“You… what is going on with the two of you?!” A startled Zhong Hexuan lost his composure. Ignoring everything else, he pointed at Song Ming and Zhou Jibai and demanded loudly.

Song Ming frowned and gave him a cold look. “Who do you think you’re pointing at?”

Zhong Hexuan faltered, his finger instinctively curling back.

Only then did Song Ming withdraw her gaze. The hand resting on Zhou Jibai’s shoulder moved up, gently stroking Zhou Jibai’s cheek with a familiar and intimate gesture.

“As you can see,” Song Ming said candidly, “I’ve come to pester your sister.”

Zhou Jibai’s hand tightened instantly, her nails leaving marks in her palm.

The turn of events was so sudden that Zhong Hexuan was speechless. “You, you, you…”

“Excuse me,” Chen Shengrong suddenly spoke, his gaze dark as it landed on Song Ming. “Can someone introduce the situation to me? Miss, you’re holding my fiancée, may I ask who you are?”

Song Ming narrowed her eyes slightly. Her playful intent vanished, replaced by a slow-rising anger. “Fiancée?”

Zhong Hexuan suddenly remembered Chen Shengrong’s presence. His head throbbed; he realized the situation couldn’t get any worse.

Zhou Jibai looked up and glanced at Chen Shengrong.

“Is there a problem?” Chen Shengrong met Zhou Jibai’s gaze calmly before looking back at her. “We have been seeing each other for a while, and I have already received Chairman Zhong’s approval. Miss Jibai is undoubtedly my fiancée.”

Zhou Jibai’s chest heaved. She pursed her lips tightly, her eyes flashing with irritation as she looked at Chen Shengrong.

Watching the angry Zhou Jibai, Chen Shengrong felt a strange sense of pleasure.

“Don’t look.” Song Ming raised a hand to block Zhou Jibai’s view, shielding her from Chen Shengrong’s gaze as if separating her from something filthy.

Every word this Southeast Asian mine owner spoke stomped right on Song Ming’s nerves. In her fury, she became exceptionally cold, her tone turned lazy. “You know, not everyone is meant for marriage. Some people think they are only a step away, only to have an accident get there first. Like sudden death, or…”

Song Ming paused, her eyes sweeping over Chen Shengrong with contempt before she let out a soft laugh. “…impotence?”

Chen Shengrong’s expression changed instantly. His previous composure evaporated. No one likes being threatened and mocked with such thinly veiled insults.

“It’s hard to imagine such words coming from an educated woman of the civilized world,” Chen Shengrong said with a heavy face.

“Boring.” Song Ming almost laughed out loud. This response was as pathetic and ridiculous as a missionary trying to preach to a butcher to put down his knife.

Song Ming, who always followed through on her threats, felt a wave of boredom. She didn’t want to listen to the mine owner’s weak, sticky nonsense anymore. After a moment, she leaned down toward Zhou Jibai and said pitifully, “I made soup for you at home. Won’t you come back and try it?”

After speaking, Song Ming arched an eyebrow, asking Zhou Jibai if she wanted to leave now.

Zhou Jibai hadn’t expected Song Ming to remember her “obsessive pursuer” persona at a time like this. She played the part well. With a complex and hesitant expression, Zhou Jibai prepared to stand up and leave with her.

“Wait!” Chen Shengrong suddenly stood up to stop them. “Did I not mention that the matter between Miss Jibai and me has her father’s approval? Who gave you permission to take her away?”

Song Ming’s footsteps stopped. The anger that had been dampened by Chen Shengrong’s stupidity flared up again.

“Has anyone ever told you that your tone is nauseating?” Song Ming turned halfway, her gray-green eyes darker and deeper than ever. “If you really think bringing up Zhong Zhengcheng is useful, why don’t you try having him come here himself? Let’s see if he can take her away from me.”

Before Chen Shengrong could react, Zhong Hexuan panicked. “Song Ming! Don’t go too far!”

Song Ming’s eyes shifted to Zhong Hexuan. “Are you planning to challenge me?”

Zhong Hexuan stiffened, also burning with anger. He gritted his teeth and said, “All you have left is Boshen. What else do you have to rely on? Why are you so arrogant?”

“Oh,” Song Ming reacted indifferently, only narrowing her eyes slightly as she noted Zhong Hexuan’s moment of death-seeking. “So, you want to find out?”

“Song Ming.” Zhou Jibai reached out and tugged on Song Ming’s sleeve.

Song Ming paused, her anger subsiding slightly as she looked down at Zhou Jibai.

“Let’s go,” Zhou Jibai said, looking up at Song Ming. Her tone was calm and soothing. “I find it too boring here.”

Realizing she had lost control for a moment, Song Ming closed her eyes and softened her voice. “Okay, let’s go.”

Zhou Jibai stood up, her elegant back about to leave their sight. Chen Shengrong, who had intended to wait and see, felt his pupils contract. He suddenly rushed forward and grabbed Zhou Jibai’s arm. “You’re not allowed to leave!”

Before Zhou Jibai could even react, Song Ming had already turned around with a frown. Her slender hand moved faster than the eye could see, grabbing Chen Shengrong’s forearm and twisting it outward.

Chen Shengrong felt a sharp pain in his arm. Before a scream could escape his throat, he took a knee to the face, stifling any sound.

Bright red blood flowed out. The employees, who had been restrained by the manager from taking photos or interfering, finally couldn’t help but gasp.

Shouts of “call the police” and “call an ambulance” escaped from the crowd.

Song Ming stood coldly beside Chen Shengrong, taking out a handkerchief to wipe her hands. She knew exactly how hard she had hit him, at most, he would have a minor fracture, nothing serious. She would just follow the mediation process once the ambulance arrived.

The only regret was that this idiot Chen Shengrong was too reckless. Despite being warned many times, he still dared to provoke her then and there, forcing her to act personally. She didn’t even have time to find a cleaner way to handle it…

“Go.” Zhou Jibai suddenly grabbed Song Ming’s hand.

“What?” Song Ming was startled.

“Quick, let’s go.” A hint of resistance pressed in Zhou Jibai’s eyes as she pulled Song Ming and began to run.

Song Ming instinctively followed, only finding a moment to glance back. Zhong Hexuan was frozen in place. As for Chen Shengrong, people were rushing to give him first aid. The restaurant manager looked at the fleeing Zhou Jibai and Song Ming in shock, but despite being close, he didn’t dare reach out to stop them.

As they brushed past, Song Ming exchanged a look with the manager.

The relationships in A-City were deeply intertwined. This restaurant didn’t belong to Song Ming, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have influence. Since she was going to act out a scene with Zhou Jibai to resolve the trouble of the marriage alliance, she had naturally made full preparations. Ensuring the environmental conditions were stable was part of that.

When she was in the car and saw the name of the restaurant, she knew who to call. While Zhou Jibai had entered first, Song Ming had already spoken to the owner and the manager, arranging everything.

Otherwise, someone would have stepped in to mediate the atmosphere long ago when Zhong Hexuan stood up so abruptly, not to mention the fact that no new customers had entered the restaurant since Song Ming sat down at the corner table.

Under normal circumstances, how could this place be so quiet?

The manager caught Song Ming’s look and sensibly turned his gaze away, pretending he had seen nothing as he blended back into the crowd.

Song Ming withdrew her gaze. Though she didn’t fully understand why, she continued to run with Zhou Jibai.

The tea colored curls bounced before her eyes. Zhou Jibai seemed truly anxious, pulling Song Ming along. In her memory, this was the first time Zhou Jibai had lost her composure like this. Usually, let alone running, “haste” was a state that never appeared on her… especially since she was wearing high heels.

“Stop running.” Song Ming pulled Zhou Jibai back. By now, they had reached a garden path outside the restaurant. Song Ming looked down at Zhou Jibai’s ankle. “Why are you running so fast? If there’s an emergency, can’t you just say so?”

“Didn’t you hear the staff say they were calling the police?” Zhou Jibai frowned, slightly out of breath, her expression urgent.

“Hmm? What about it?” Song Ming’s tone was calm as her gaze swept over Zhou Jibai.

The running seemed to have brought Zhou Jibai to life. Usually, she was as quiet as a rose in the snow, or a faint speck of red on a cliff, an elusive, gorgeous elegance. But now, her pale face held a natural flush. Her lack of physical stamina left her no room for posturing, her red lips were slightly parted as she panted, and the light in her eyes was bright… very full of life. It inadvertently stirred some memories for Song Ming that were better left unsaid.

“If the police come, you’ll be in trouble. Chen Shengrong is a foreign national, things won’t be settled easily. Dealing with it will involve a lot of unnecessary…”

Zhou Jibai’s voice trailed off halfway.

Song Ming let out a soft laugh. “…I am also a foreign national.”

With both parties being foreign nationals, it was actually easier to handle, the general tendency was mediation. Of course, Chen Shengrong might not be willing. If he insisted against mediation, then things would indeed be troublesome. However, since Song Ming dared to lay a hand on him, she was confident she could make him shut up.

Zhou Jibai was silent for a long time before speaking. “…Chen Shengrong, his business in Southeast Asia isn’t entirely clean.”

Song Ming curled her lips. It seemed her ex-girlfriend had also investigated Chen Shengrong quite thoroughly.

“I know,” Song Ming said.

Zhou Jibai went quiet for a moment, then coldly looked up. “Didn’t you say you only checked within the scope a business partner should know?”

Song Ming avoided her gaze. There was no specific limit for such things.

Zhou Jibai stared at Song Ming for a while, suddenly finding it dull. “Fine. Since you know what you’re doing, I won’t interfere anymore.”

“Wait.” Song Ming held Zhou Jibai back, her gaze falling once more on her ankle.

“What are you doing?” Zhou Jibai looked at her.

Song Ming hesitated with lowered eyes until Zhou Jibai shifted uncomfortably. Then, she reached out, took the sunglasses hanging from the edge of her jacket pocket, and placed them on Zhou Jibai’s face.

Zhou Jibai was stunned. “What are you doing?”

Song Ming didn’t answer. She placed one hand around Zhou Jibai’s back and shoulders, picking her up.

Fair, well-proportioned legs folded up, beautiful thin high heels dangled in the air, and the swollen ankle was exposed to both their views.

“Let’s go back and put some medicine on it,” Song Ming said, stepping toward the parking lot. “Stop worrying about those meaningless things.”

“Are you crazy? It’s still a mess in the restaurant upstairs.” Zhou Jibai really couldn’t understand Song Ming’s inability to prioritize. She frowned and patted Song Ming’s shoulder. “Put me down. I can walk. I don’t need you to carry me.”

“Stop moving.” Song Ming gave her a gentle lift.

Zhou Jibai was very light; in Song Ming’s arms, she felt no heavier than a large piece of camera equipment. She was easy to carry.

With Song Ming’s movement, Zhou Jibai felt a small moment of weightlessness. Startled, her eyes widened, and as she fell back into Song Ming’s embrace, she instinctively grabbed her collar and fell silent.

“Don’t worry,” Song Ming said casually. “Consider this my way of paying you back for telling me about Chen Shengrong. We’re still even.”