My Gorgeous Wife Relies on Her Beauty to Commit Crimes - Chapter 8

Shen Jin sat in a daze for a while.

She was a person with clear goals, rarely spending idle time lost in aimless thoughts when alone.

Her right hand rested on the book atop the small table, the thick, hardcover texture transmitting a solid sensation to her fingertips. Shen Jin absentmindedly rubbed the cover before lifting her gaze to the bouquet.

The vibrant pink blooms unfurled by her bedside, reminding her of someone.

In the next room, Xie Jing instinctively leaned back, her guilty conscience making her fear she had been discovered by Shen Jin.

The two of them locked eyes across the distance.

Shen Jin stood up to turn off the light, plunging the room into darkness. Xie Jing knew Shen Jin was going to sleep—her life was highly regimented, adhering to a strict schedule of waking and sleeping without variation. The only unpredictable element was perhaps Xie Jing herself.

Xie Jing closed her laptop, her expression shadowed. Subconsciously, she licked her lips, finding them chapped. Her eyes drifted to the water glass on her nightstand, and she reached for it. But as the rim touched her lips, she paused.

She thought of Shen Jin’s kindness.

Xie Jing lowered her gaze. For some reason, the glass in her hand felt unbearably heavy, as if she could barely hold it.

Suddenly no longer thirsty, she set the water aside and curled under the blankets, sinking into a deep sleep. Her dreams were chaotic, as if she had returned to her childhood, reluctantly sharing her candy with a beautiful older sister.

“Sister, why are you crying? Eat something sweet, and your heart won’t feel so bitter!”

Xie Jing wept sorrowfully in her dream. As a child, she had candy to share with others but now, she had nothing.

Morning arrived, and Shen Jin awoke to the delicate fragrance of sweetness. She opened her eyes to see roses blooming by her bedside. Sitting up, she glanced at them and couldn’t help but smile.

Beautiful things brought a day’s worth of good mood.

Shen Jin sat downstairs, maintaining her pleasant demeanor even as Shen Tuo slouched over, yawning lazily on his way to breakfast.

A blue folder lay beside her. She waited until Shen Tuo’s eyes were fully open before sliding it toward him. “This is the project your company will be launching. Familiarize yourself with it. After visiting Great-Grandfather today, report to the company.”

Shen Tuo’s yawn froze comically mid-stretch. His mouth hung open in surprise.

“Today?!”

He knew Shen Jin’s no-nonsense personality, if she said he was starting a company, she meant it. But he hadn’t expected her to act so swiftly, just one day after mentioning it.

Shen Tuo slumped into a chair, his expression sullen. “Do I have to go? I don’t know the first thing about management. What if I make a fool of myself?”

Shen Jin’s voice was firm. “I’ll assign you an assistant. As long as you don’t act recklessly and put in the effort to learn, you won’t mess up.”

Shen Tuo grumbled inwardly: So it’s still that puppet CEO arrangement!

Despite his complaints, he picked up the file and skimmed through it.

Men his age usually fell into one of two categories either idle playboys surrounded by women, or those beginning to take over family businesses. Though Shen Tuo had verbally resisted, deep down, he had no real desire to remain a good-for-nothing.

After a moment, he realized he didn’t understand a thing.

Cursing internally, he struggled to keep his face composed.

“I’ll go see Great-Grandfather first.”

“Mm. Give my regards to Old Guan.”

Shen Tuo grabbed an oil stick from the table and stuffed it into his mouth. Shen Jin stood to leave for work she had delayed her usual departure time just to speak with Shen Tuo.

Glancing at the wall clock, she then looked toward the staircase. Xie Jing hadn’t come downstairs. Shen Jin had already walked past the dining table but paused, turning back to address the bleary-eyed Shen Tuo.

“The doctor said Xie Jing needs rest. Don’t disturb her.”

“Oh.” Shen Tuo’s eyes rolled around.

Last night, because his friends were urging him urgently and Shen Jin said Xie Jing was tired, he didn’t go to see Xie Jing. If he didn’t visit his girlfriend today, Xie Jing might get angry.

He waved at Shen Jin, who left by car after going out. Shen Tuo casually grabbed a steamed bun and went upstairs.

Only when she heard the car start downstairs did Xie Jing pull the blanket off her face.

In truth, she had woken up very early and had been observing Shen Jin through the computer. Shen Jin hadn’t touched anything in the safe. The intelligence she received claimed there was something in the safe that could affect Shen Jin even the entire Shen Group’s operations but clearly, Shen Jin had no intention of opening the safe recently.

Xie Jing thought about creating an opportunity to make Shen Jin open it.

It was getting late. Just as she got up, she heard knocking at the door, Shen Tuo, biting into a steamed bun, rapping on the door repeatedly.

“My mom’s gone. Are you coming with me to see my great-grandfather today?”

Of course she was going.

Xie Jing limped to the door.

After a night’s sleep, her foot had indeed swollen.

Shen Tuo’s gaze dropped to her ankle, swollen as high as a steamed bun, and he was startled. “How did it get this bad? Can you even walk?”

“It’s fine.” Xie Jing stared intently at Shen Tuo. “When are we leaving? I’ll get ready.”

“You still want to go like this?” Shen Tuo hesitated. “You don’t have to visit my great-grandfather. Just rest at home today. I can go alone.”

Shen Tuo scratched his head. Xie Jing curved her lips into a sweet smile. “Brother Shen, don’t you need me today? What about Luo Hong? Doesn’t your great-grandfather want you to marry her?”

Shen Tuo realized she had a point.

If there was anyone who adored Luo Hong the most, it was definitely his great-grandfather.

Having watched them grow up, his great-grandfather was especially keen on pairing Shen Tuo with Luo Hong, and Luo Hong knew exactly how to charm him.

Shen Tuo shrugged. “If you’re sure, then let’s get ready and go. I’ll wait downstairs. We’ll make it just in time for lunch.”

Xie Jing smiled and slammed the door shut.

Shen Tuo knew women took forever to get ready, so he changed his clothes and sprawled on the living room sofa to play games.

Xie Jing was quick.

Shen Tuo’s great-grandfather, Old Guan, was also part of their plan, a crucial piece in bringing down the Shen Group.

According to the Shen Group’s publicly disclosed financial reports, the shares of the deceased Shen couple were divided among three people: Shen Jin, Shen Tuo, and Old Guan. Among them, Old Guan held the most authority in the group and the largest share. Back then, Shen Jin had secured his position as CEO largely due to Old Guan’s support.

Thinking about meeting this legendary figure of the Shen Group, Xie Jing’s heartbeat quickened, and a flush crept onto her face.

If she destroyed the Shen Group right in front of him, the life’s work of his daughter she wondered what expression the old man would wear.

When Shen Tuo heard Xie Jing coming downstairs, he at least had the decency to help her, then whistled at her outfit.

“You look so sweet today!” Shen Tuo marveled.

The reason he had fallen for Xie Jing in the first place was because of how she looked at the museum wearing a white sweater with a brown tweed skirt and a British-style knitted hat, exuding a quiet, refined elegance unlike any of his previous girlfriends. She seemed like the epitome of innocence, pure and wholesome.

Shen Tuo had never been with a woman like that before, so naturally, he was drawn in and pursued her.

The two maintained an ambiguous relationship, traveling across several countries on Europe’s painfully slow trains before Xie Jing finally accepted Shen Tuo’s pursuit.

Shen Tuo reminisced about those early days, his gaze lingering on Xie Jing with sticky intensity. Xie Jingxin inwardly frowned, wondering what nonsense this fool was thinking about now. She linked arms with Shen Tuo and lowered her eyes, avoiding further eye contact as she murmured softly, “Let’s go.”

The housekeeper had already prepared gifts for Old Guan and packed them into the car trunk. Shen Tuo preferred driving himself, so he took Xie Jing to visit his grandfather.

At the company, Shen Jin had just finished a meeting when she received news from home:

“Young Master has taken Miss Xie to visit the Old Master.”

Her pen unconsciously scratched a messy line across the contract. Setting down the pen, she rubbed her temples, feeling weary, and called her secretary to reprint the marked contract.

While waiting, she stared blankly at the office plants.

What exactly was Xie Jing trying to do? Her behavior was so abnormal.

Shen Jin felt some regret about having previously agreed to Shen Tuo’s marriage proposal.

They were completely unsuited for each other.

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