Chapter 121

Chapter 121: I'm Right Here, I'm Not Leaving Jiang Shixu sat in the corner, his thin lips pressed tightly together, his deep, dark eyes like an endless abyss. Chu Tang's voice trembled with heart-wrenching sorrow. "Jiang Shixu, you coward. Since you're here, why won't you dare to see me?" In an unnoticed corner, someone raised their phone and secretly captured the scene. Zhou Xueluo's heart ached seeing Chu Tang like this. "Tangtang, you're drunk. Let me take you back to rest, be good, okay?" Zhou Xueluo supported Chu Tang and pushed through the crowd to leave. Two male bodyguards from the Zhou family followed closely behind. ... When Zhou Yu received the video, Fu Yuanzhou was embracing a newly seduced beauty, flirting with her. The atmosphere in the private room was ambiguous, the smell of alcohol and smoke mixed with a faint, lingering air of decadence. Fu Yuanzhou held the woman's waist and kissed her, her gasping breaths growing increasingly urgent. Zhou Yu stood quietly in the corner, trying his best to make himself invisible, playing the part of a blind, deaf, and mute backdrop. When Fu Yuanzhou played, he played to his heart's content. It was two hours before it was over. The woman lay on the sofa, her clothes disheveled and breathing heavily. But Fu Yuanzhou was fully dressed. The man leaned back lazily on the sofa, pulled a cigarette from the pack, and lit it. Wisps of white smoke curled up, obscuring his refined, striking features. He exuded an air of wildness and untamed abandon. Seeing that Fu Yuanzhou was done, Zhou Yu finally stepped forward to report. The woman, reading the situation, picked up her clothes from the floor and exited the private room. "Brother Zhou, the shipment in California, Country A, has been successfully secured." The man gave a casual "Mm." "What about Country C?" "There's a problem on Pashan's end. When they were making contact with Jin Min, they ran into the cops. The deal was forced to stop, and the goods were seized, but no one got hurt." Fu Yuanzhou's brows darkened with menace. "A bunch of useless trash. You lost the goods and still have the nerve to come back?" Zhou Yu remained silent. "What's the current status of the project with Mersa in Country A?" Zhou Yu's Adam's apple bobbed as he answered nervously, "After the project was terminated, both our side and the Mersa Group suffered huge losses. The Jiang Group took the opportunity to acquire Mersa. The paperwork is already being processed." A loud crash. The long table in front of him was kicked over by Fu Yuanzhou. "Jiang Shixu, one day I'll make you pay back double!" Zhou Yu stood quietly to the side, reading the situation. Only when Fu Yuanzhou's anger had mostly subsided did he dare speak again: "Brother Zhou, there's new information about Ruan Chutang." Fu Yuanzhou's expression calmed slightly. "What?" Zhou Yu opened the video and handed the phone over. "Our people followed Ruan Chutang to a bar and captured this. She and Jiang Shixu really seem to have broken up." Fu Yuanzhou took the phone and glanced at it, contempt and disdain flashing in his eyes. The man let out a derisive snort, his tone mocking. "Ha, a foolish woman who believes in love." "What about her..." "No need to keep watching her. She's just a piece of clothing Jiang Shixu threw away—a worn-out shoe he's tired of. I need my manpower elsewhere. I don't have time to bother with her." "Understood, Brother Zhou." "Oh, Brother Zhou, Gu Zechuan called and said he'd like to meet with you." "Who?" Zhou Yu replied, "Ruan Chutang's ex-boyfriend." Fu Yuanzhou curled his lips, a look of contempt on his face as he spat out three words: "Don't know him." Zhou Yu explained, "Previously, Xu Jingxuan traded Jiang Shixu's whereabouts and inside information from the Jiang family for our investment. That investment was later given to the Gu Group. The Gu Group has developed very well since then and is now a major enterprise with a solid reputation domestically. The Gu Group still has value to us." Fu Yuanzhou's eyes flashed with disdain. "Someone that fool Xu Jingxuan found—what use could they be? Just another stupid dog." "So, Brother Zhou, will you see him?" "A dog that comes crawling to curry favor with me—when I'm in a good mood, I can take it out for a walk." ... Zhou Xueluo safely delivered Chu Tang home and gave a few instructions to the live-in housekeeper before leaving with peace of mind. Chu Tang lay in bed muttering nonsense. Zhang Caixia had just gone to the kitchen to prepare a hangover soup when the doorbell rang. Opening the door, Zhang Caixia was slightly taken aback. "President Jiang, why are you here?" "How is she?" "Miss Ruan drank too much. I was just about to make her a hangover soup." Jiang Shixu opened his wallet and pulled out some cash. "Stay out tonight. I'll take care of her here." The housekeeper Zhang Caixia took the bills. "Alright then. President Jiang, please wait a moment. I'll pack a few things quickly." The housekeeper stepped aside to let Jiang Shixu in. The man walked in carrying the scent of alcohol and cold air, his gaze drifting as he swept his eyes around the room, calmly assessing the apartment. Ruan Shaodong treated Chutang fairly well—this place was decent enough. Zhang Caixia brought a cup of hot tea and placed it on the coffee table in the living room. "President Jiang, please sit and rest for a moment. I'll be ready soon." "Where is her room?" Zhang Caixia pointed toward the direction of Chu Tang's bedroom. "Miss Ruan's room is the first one on the left." Jiang Shixu didn't bother to rest, lifting his foot and heading toward Chu Tang's room. The door wasn't locked from the inside. Jiang Shixu opened it and walked in, just in time to hear the girl talking in her sleep. "Shixu, Jiang Shixu..." "Why don't you want me... wuwuwuwu..." Hearing the faint sobbing, Jiang Shixu's heart suddenly ached. He strode to the bedside in a few steps. Chu Tang was still murmuring fragmented dream words. "Jiang Shixu is a bad guy... I don't want you... go away..." The man lowered his gaze, his eyelashes trembling slightly. He reached out and gently brushed Chu Tang's face, wiping away the girl's tears, his tone as tender as an unfathomable pool of spring water. "Mm, I'm the big bad guy." The girl in her sleep seemed to sense Jiang Shixu's presence, instinctively shifting closer to him. "Shixu-gege..." The emotions of the dreamer fluctuated wildly—one moment like a bristling lion, cursing and telling Jiang Shixu to get lost, the next like a clingy little kitten, gently nuzzling her face against Jiang Shixu's hand. "Shixu-gege, don't go, don't leave me behind. Tangtang is very good..." Jiang Shixu's heart nearly melted. "I'm right here. I'm not going." The man's brows and eyes were soft, the love and tenderness in his gaze nearly overflowing. The warmth of her soft touch spread through his palm as the girl's face gently rubbed against his hand again and again. A long-lost sense of happiness surged through his heart, as if it had been stolen. Jiang Shixu's sweetness was tinged with bitterness. He sat by the bed, greedily gazing at Chu Tang for a long while, unable to look his fill no matter how much he watched. Zhang Caixia had finished tidying up and was about to say goodbye to Jiang Shixu before leaving. As she reached the doorway, she caught a glimpse of this scene through the crack in the door. She didn't make a sound to disturb them and quietly left. Jiang Shixu couldn't resist leaning down to press a kiss on Chu Tang's flushed cheek. A reverent kiss, devoid of any lust. The girl seemed to sense it, letting out a soft grunt before suddenly reaching up to wrap her arms around Jiang Shixu's neck, murmuring, "Shixu-gege..." The trailing tone rose, carrying a soft, coquettish sweetness. Jiang Shixu's spine stiffened abruptly, a tingling numbness spreading through his entire body in an instant. The man's dense kisses fell upon Chu Tang's brow, cheeks, rosy lips, and collarbone. Trailing downward, he kissed over her collarbone and the hollow of her neck. That night, Jiang Shixu stayed. Chu Tang was dead drunk, completely unconscious. He carried her to the bathroom and bathed her, the girl remaining in a drunken haze the entire time, never once sobering up. After the bath, he gently laid her back on the bed and tucked the blanket around her. He then sat in the chair, watching the girl's sleeping face, his brows and eyes filled with tender affection. As dawn just began to break, the man rose, took one last look at the deeply sleeping girl, and then turned to leave.