Limited-Time Attachment - Chapter 42

“How’s the situation?” Zhou Jibai asked.

The lobby of the private hospital was built to a standard no less than that of a five-star hotel. In one corner of the first floor lobby was a lounge area, where a set of brightly colored fabric sofas sat on a platform facing a one-way transparent glass curtain wall. Outside the window was the boundless night, with bustling traffic and the brilliant lights of the shopping mall opposite unfolding before her eyes.

Song Ming sat alone on the sofa, legs casually crossed, with a cup of flower tea delivered by a nurse sitting in front of her.

Her phone screen remained on the message page with Zhou Jibai. A corner of the river view at night hung in the position of the profile picture. Zhou Jibai was asking if things were going smoothly.

Looking at those simple words, Song Ming lightly propped up her forehead with her hand and typed out:

“Very smooth.”

After this message was sent, Zhou Jibai didn’t speak again. The brief conversation hung lonely on the chat page. Song Ming looked at it for a moment and, for some reason, found it a bit dull.

Thinking about it, it was probably because the night was lonely, a prime time to seek out some fun. Instead, she had to waste her time here for a Southeast Asian guy, no wonder it felt tedious.

Song Ming casually tossed her phone aside, leaned her neck against the edge of the sofa, and closed her eyes idly.

She wondered how Zhou Jibai’s ankle was doing now. Zhou Jibai had always been one to put on a brave front; making her bow her head was practically harder than forcing her to submit to someone…

Song Ming’s mind was wandering aimlessly when a flash of inspiration suddenly struck.

The flower tea the little nurse had brewed was still sitting there. Its heat had dissipated by half, turning from scalding to warm. Cream-colored petals bobbed in the clear tea. Song Ming sat up straight, her gray-green eyes staring at the floating petals, her expression unreadable.

Didn’t Zhou Jibai bow her head this time?

To hold back the Zhong family, those people who ate others without spitting out the bones and to escape that joke of an engagement.

The lounge area was silent for a moment. Suddenly, Song Ming let out a soft laugh. The smile was very soft, but the slight curve of her eyes made one’s heart tremble instinctively, feeling a vague sense of dread.

In the busy elevator hall, the sound of quiet conversation paused. A family member waiting in front of the elevator doors looked up and said, “The elevator is here.”

As if echoing that person’s words, the elevator let out a ‘ding.’

The doors opened, and Song Ming’s subordinate, who carried a cold and fierce aura, walked out.

This subordinate had been working for Song Ming for a long time and was an expert in negotiation tactics. In the hospital room just now, they had laid out in front of Chen Shengrong exactly how many resources Song Ming held that could squeeze his throat, as well as how much evidence regarding his mines, investments, and certain “unclean” business operations they had gathered in just a few days.

One by one, item by item, telling Chen Shengrong was enough to crush his psychological defenses.

With the goal achieved, the subordinate brought the document bag downstairs to report to Song Ming. From a distance, they saw their boss propping her chin on one hand, revealing a well-defined wrist under her sleeve, staring at the flower tea with a deeply meaningful smile.

…Most likely, someone was about to have a bad time again.

Crisp, heavy footsteps approached the lounge.

“Boss, it’s all settled,” the subordinate said, coming to a halt beside Song Ming and glancing at her profile.

Song Ming blinked, appearing as if she had just come back to her senses.

“Well done,” Song Ming responded in a good mood, leaning back into the sofa. She looked up at her cold-faced subordinate and smiled. “Did that Southeast Asian guy cave?”

“Yes,” the subordinate nodded. “He has promised to leave the country, give up on the marriage alliance with the Zhong family, and never participate in any business cooperation related to them again.”

Song Ming’s finger tapped lightly on her knee. She spoke: “No, he is to participate.”

The subordinate froze, not understanding why the boss was suddenly giving up the hard-won results.

“Go tell Chen Shengrong that I can provide what he wants.” Song Ming retracted her gaze and looked out the window.

The cars on the street were oblivious to what was happening inside the lounge, passing one after another by the seemingly ordinary deep blue glass curtain wall. Song Ming spoke nonchalantly: “Whether it’s new channels for his mining business or new orders for international cooperation, I can help. He only needs to do one thing.”

The subordinate was stunned for a moment. Song Ming curled her lips again, her gray-green eyes holding a dangerous, effortless smile: “Maintain the engagement with the Zhong family.”

The subordinate said in surprise: “What?”

“Except this time, how far the engagement proceeds, when to pressure the Zhongs, and what benefits to demand from Zhong Zhengcheng… will be decided by me.”

Song Ming watched the constant flow of car shadows outside and spoke with a smile.

The subordinate paused, understanding Song Ming’s meaning: “Yes, I’ll get right on it.”

“Oh, right,” Song Ming turned halfway around, draping an arm over the back of the sofa. She held up a finger from a distance to signal her subordinate: “Remember to tell him to go demand an explanation from the Zhong family for what happened today.”

The subordinate met Song Ming’s eyes and nodded: “Understood.”

The clock hand slowly moved across the dial as the night grew heavier. The headlights of the McLaren swept past the exquisite greenery of the residential complex and stopped in front of the unit door.

Not long after, Zhou Jibai, sitting in the study, heard the heavy sound of the security door opening and closing.

Song Ming stood in the entryway, casually tugging at her sleeve. She was already tall with her forearms exposed, her limbs looked even more slender. Her neat short hair had been slightly tossed by the night wind, but she didn’t bother with it. Setting the thermal bag she was carrying onto a low cabinet, she leaned over to change her shoes.

The study door opened from the inside. Zhou Jibai, wearing a moon-white nightgown, appeared at the doorway. Her tea-colored curls were draped over her shoulders, her beautiful eyes seemed to hold the light of the lamps, and her soft, sweet lips were pursed, she was unhappy.

Song Ming turned her gaze away slightly and laughed self-deprecatingly. She didn’t know why she was so sensitive to Zhou Jibai’s moods; they had only been apart for a few hours, what could possibly be wrong?

“How’s your ankle?” Song Ming put down the thermal box and walked directly toward Zhou Jibai. “You were just injured less than half a day ago, can’t you just sit still for a bit?”

Zhou Jibai held onto the study door handle and stepped back slightly, blocking Song Ming’s hand as it reached out to her. Acting every bit the business partner, she went straight to business: “How is the Chen Shengrong matter?”

Song Ming’s hand was blocked. She quietly looked at the rebuffed hand and let out a soft laugh: “President Zhou, you seem to have asked this question before.”

Zhou Jibai froze, turned her eyes away, and whispered: “Just confirming if there’s any other progress.”

“Oh, I see,” Song Ming responded noncommittally. Since her hand was blocked, she simply rotated her wrist and brushed it against the back of Zhou Jibai’s hand. “None. I’ve already made that miner shut his mouth. How’s that?”

Zhou Jibai felt as if she’d been struck by an electric shock and pulled her hand back sharply: “You…”

“What’s wrong?” Song Ming smiled. “I only went out for a trip, has President Zhou already forgotten what we’re supposed to be performing in front of outsiders?”

Zhou Jibai’s full chest heaved slightly. She pursed her lips, her voice suppressed with a hint of anger: “You’d best always remember that you are acting.”

Song Ming frowned, her eyelashes drooping slightly. Silence fell between them for a moment.

“I really might not be able to remember,” Song Ming suddenly spoke, looking at Zhou Jibai with an unreasonable smile. “If one day I forget and decide to pursue President Zhou for real, what does President Zhou plan to do?”

Zhou Jibai was stunned. She snapped her head up to look at Song Ming. Her eyes, which usually drooped slightly with an air of endless charm, were wide now. Song Ming’s shadow was reflected in those light brown eyes, her expression was one of shock, like a startled kitten.

Song Ming hadn’t expected this reaction from Zhou Jibai. She paused, her original provocation becoming a bit difficult to maintain.

Zhou Jibai’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and the light in her eyes dimmed.

Song Ming: “I…”

Zhou Jibai lowered her eyes. In the blink of an eye, she recovered her cold and glamorous demeanor. She raised a hand to push Song Ming aside and walked toward the living room, her voice and posture showing no sign of abnormality: “What did you bring back?”

“Wait a minute, you…” Song Ming felt an inexplicable discomfort in her chest, wanting to stop Zhou Jibai.

“What do you want to say?” Zhou Jibai turned back.

The crystal chandelier hung directly above her. Under the light, Zhou Jibai’s skin appeared even more translucent. When she turned her head, her gaze was cold, her appearance arrogant and icy.

Song Ming was silent for a moment, the words she wanted to say suddenly getting stuck in her throat.

Zhou Jibai studied Song Ming for a moment, then suddenly raised a hand and beckoned to her: “Come here.”

Song Ming remained silent and didn’t move.

Under the light, Zhou Jibai’s expression was arrogant, yet her smile was a bit ambiguous. Song Ming suppressed the restlessness in her heart and resisted: “You aren’t planning to bite me again, are you?”

Zhou Jibai’s expression didn’t flicker. She continued to stand there, her voice very soft: “Then, are you going to kiss me or not?”