A Twisted Love Affair
Chapter 20: High-end Bureau, Zhou Luchen_1

Chapter 20: High-end Bureau, Zhou Luchen_1

Zhou Luchen returned late that night.

After her shower, Shen Jing discovered the hairdryer she’d set out was broken. Her hair still damp, she was on the balcony watering flowers with a spray bottle.

She already knew Zhou Luchen was returning; she had clearly seen his car pull into the courtyard from the balcony.

As soon as Zhou Luchen stepped into the room, he leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window, watching Shen Jing tend to her flowers.

Her damp hair was loosely coiled with a rose hairpin, a few tendrils at her temples still glistening with drops of water. As she bent to clear away dead leaves, the small, blood-red rose hairpin in her hair caught his eye, strikingly vivid.

"I thought Young Master Zhou would be staying at a hotel," she said.

"The hygiene standards aren’t up to par," Zhou Luchen replied.

A bright smile spread across Shen Jing’s face. "Are you very particular about cleanliness?" she asked.

An unfamiliar term.

Zhou Luchen took out a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and leaned back lazily. He watched Shen Jing meticulously water each potted plant from left to right. She’s quite impartial with her watering, isn’t she?

CLACK. The cigarette pack landed on the table.

Shen Jing picked up the cigarette pack to examine it: Supreme of the World, Zunshang edition—the kind that cost 16,000 yuan a carton.

Potent, so strong it stung the throat.

He smoked two packs a day, burning through an ordinary person’s half-month salary.

He smiled easily. "Want to try?"

"No way." Shen Jing put down the carton. "I’m just curious about you."

Zhou Luchen leaned down gracefully, his gaze faintly on Shen Jing. At such close proximity, she was enveloped in the decadent, rich, and smooth scent of Nicotine mingling with his low, husky voice.

"Curious about what?" he asked nonchalantly. "Ask me, and I’ll tell you."

With him breathing so close, Shen Jing’s fingers tightened on the spray nozzle.

"Are the cigarettes... good?"

Zhou Luchen arched an eyebrow. "Not at all."

Teased by him, she blushed and, feigning composure, turned away.

Sharing the room, the profound quiet of the night filled every corner with a thick, palpable tension.

Zhou Luchen held the cigarette between his lips, took a drag, and inhaled deeply. As he slowly exhaled, a wisp of smoke unintentionally drifted past Shen Jing’s bare nape, sending a shiver down her spine.

She felt a prickle of unease all over and searched for something to say. "Is everything settled?"

Zhou Luchen flicked his ash. "Done."

He was remarkably efficient.

That groom is a fool, Shen Jing mused. Why try to negotiate with an international banker who commanded capital markets? He wouldn’t even need to use his usual business tactics. Let alone dealing with common thugs and ruffians.

Unsure what else to ask, Shen Jing turned to go back into the room.

Instantly, a strong hand snaked around her waist. He was powerful, and his grip tightened easily, pinching her flesh through the loose white bathrobe.

Shen Jing let out a series of startled gasps. Perhaps it was because he was so domineering and enjoyed teasing her like this.

Looking up, she saw Zhou Luchen’s smile was faint indeed, never quite reaching his eyes.

His gaze lingered on Shen Jing’s thin lips, a playful glint in his eyes. "The bite marks have healed."

Shen Jing muttered softly, "You practically gnawed them raw."

Gnawed?

Zhou Luchen pulled her into his embrace by the waist, his palm cupping the back of her head as he lowered his to kiss her. His movements were slow, deliberate, and openly familiar. This kind of gentleness was dangerously alluring, making it easy to surrender.

With a forceful, almost aggressive tug, he ripped open the tie of her bathrobe and carelessly flung it downstairs.

Shen Jing knew perfectly well this wasn’t affection; this intimacy wasn’t love. It was merely a man indulging his primal instincts in a moment of leisure.

His kisses were deceptively gentle, coaxing a response from her. Without realizing it, Shen Jing closed her eyes and kissed him back.

Until the doorbell rang. That must be the owner with the hairdryer, Shen Jing thought.

Lost in a daze of tangled emotions, Shen Jing suddenly snapped back to reality and moved past Zhou Luchen to open the door.

The owner said politely, "If you have any other issues, please let me know. Enjoy your stay."

"Good night."

Shen Jing took the hairdryer and, keeping her back to Zhou Luchen, began to dry her hair. Only when he went to shower did Shen Jing finally release a small sigh of relief.

That night, the room, with its single two-meter-wide bed, was dimly lit, the atmosphere heavy.

Shen Jing hesitated. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t shared a bed before, she thought, finally climbing in. She kept as far away from Zhou Luchen as possible. Just have to make sure nothing happens.

She wondered if he was asleep; the white duvet lay perfectly still.

The night was deep. Suddenly, the cry of a cat came from outside the window.

Shen Jing shivered and anxiously burrowed under the covers.

Finally, the man beside her spoke. "Afraid of cats?"

Shen Jing was silent for a moment. "It’s a past trauma."

She wasn’t afraid of cats per se; it was a past trauma. Many years ago, when she and her mother left the Shen Family, they had taken a British Shorthair kitten with them. Feng Jian, complaining the kitten was noisy and expensive to feed, had thrown it from the second-floor window in a fit of rage. She had come home from school just in time to witness it. The kitten, clearly in extreme pain, had staggered to its feet. She clearly remembered rushing it to a pet store, but she didn’t have enough money. The owner insisted an adult be present. When she turned back after trying to get help, the kitten was gone. She searched the streets and alleys, but it was nowhere to be found.

Now, the sound of a cat meowing triggered that trauma.

MEOW...

The cat outside cried again.

She tensed her legs.

It’s probably the B&B owner’s cat, she guessed. It must have followed us and not gone back.

She shifted slightly closer to Zhou Luchen. Sensing her unease, he gave a tug, pulling her completely into his embrace.

It felt like a solid shelter. Shen Jing didn’t resist; he seemed to draw out every bit of her deeply buried need for security. She hugged his firm waist even tighter, pressing herself against his chest.

Zhou Luchen, energized by this, flipped her onto her back beneath him.

He looked down at her, his expression slightly cool. "What are you after?"

Shen Jing traced circles on his muscular chest with her finger.

"I’m after Zhou Luchen. Will that do?"

Zhou Luchen’s hand moved downwards, decisively stripping away her bathrobe.

...

「Dawn broke.」

Chen Yao had long finished breakfast and had been idling in the yard for some time. Glancing at his watch, he saw it was already lunchtime, yet the pair upstairs still hadn’t emerged by noon.

Chen Yao ate alone, feeling like a king.

Last night, a cat had inexplicably appeared at his window and kept meowing. Intrigued, Chen Yao had played with it all night.

Maybe I’ll buy one to keep when I get back. That was fun, he thought.

He leisurely picked up his phone and sent a WeChat message: [Aren’t you hungry, Young Master Zhou?]

Young Master Zhou didn’t reply.

Chen Yao lit a cigarette, tossing his lighter aside.

Not much entertainment here anyway. Well then, time to head out and see the mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and monkeys in the trees.

A scenic spot is a scenic spot, after all.

It’s incredibly cool here.

At a temple, Chen Yao asked which God of Wealth was enshrined there.

"It’s for those praying for children," the tour guide replied.

Chen Yao scoffed and turned to head back down the mountain.

「When he returned,」

The two had finally surfaced.

Young Master Zhou was in the courtyard, making tea on the sofa. He sat with his long legs stretched out, exuding an air of detached superiority.

Shen Jing, looking rather foolish, was meticulously checking the front and back garden gates for any cat-sized holes.

They both look remarkably presentable, Chen Yao observed.

Chen Yao sat at the tea table, toying with a cup. "Didn’t sleep last night? You’re up awfully late."

Zhou Luchen elegantly handled the teapot. "Didn’t sleep."

Chen Yao, knowing full well, pressed, "Oh? The air’s so fresh here, and you still couldn’t sleep? Trouble with unfamiliar beds?"

He raised his teacup, his gaze subtly drifting towards the slender figure behind the flowerbeds. "A cat was making a racket all night."

Chen Yao didn’t let on that it was the cat he’d been teasing. He feigned understanding and continued to sip his tea.

After a long pause, Zhou Luchen said, "Let’s find another place to stay."

This is the best place around, Chen Yao thought with some difficulty.

By evening, Zhou Luchen had returned to Shanghai for work, leaving the other two behind. He departed abruptly, without so much as a word.

Shen Jing’s hair tie was missing.

The weather was hot, and when they went mountain climbing to see the monkeys, she liked to wear her hair in a ponytail.

She asked Chen Yao for his phone and dialed the number saved as ’Second Master’. The call connected.

Shen Jing’s tone was accusatory, as if looking for a fight. "I only have one hair tie. Did you happen to pocket it and take it with you?"