Chapter 215

Chapter 215: I've Been Standing in Place Waiting for You to Turn Around Jiang Shixu carried over three more cardboard boxes and set them on the table in front of Chu Tang. Chu Tang stared in disbelief. "There's still this much? Aren't there only two cases? That's five boxes of materials already." The corners of Jiang Shixu's lips curved slightly, amusement shining in his eyes. He said softly, "These three boxes don't contain case materials. Open them and see." Chu Tang shot him a suspicious look, then leaned forward to open the boxes. The boxes still had tape and shipping labels on them—they looked like deliveries. Jiang Shixu thoughtfully handed her a small knife. "Deliveries?" Chu Tang was puzzled. "What's inside?" "Just open them and you'll see." Chu Tang opened one box and saw a box of exquisite craftsmanship inside. The box bore the logo of a luxury brand, and Chu Tang understood immediately. She opened it, and sure enough, inside was a white handbag. "What's this supposed to mean?" Chu Tang turned to look at Jiang Shixu. "A gift for you." Jiang Shixu's eyes were filled with a smile. "Today is May twentieth—young couples all love celebrating 520. If others have it, our Tangtang should have it too." "..." Chu Tang was speechless for a moment. "We're not a couple. You don't need to give me gifts." Jiang Shixu stood before her with his hands in his pockets, a smile at the corner of his lips. "When you're pursuing a girl, gifts are even more necessary. I don't want to try to win you over with empty hands." Chu Tang was silent for a beat, then let out a soft, shallow sigh. "Jiang Shixu, we can't go back to how things were." Chu Tang's expression was extremely serious as she looked into Jiang Shixu's eyes and said quietly, "So much has happened. We've both walked too far. There's no going back." The window wasn't closed, and the wind blew past the orchids on the windowsill, their faint fragrance carried on the evening heat, drifting through the room. The fluorescent light overhead was bright as daylight. Jiang Shixu stood in front of Chu Tang, casting a shadow over her. The man lowered his gaze, fixing it on Chu Tang, and said in a low, husky voice, "I haven't walked far at all. I've been standing in place, waiting for you to turn around." Chu Tang kept her eyes lowered, refusing to look at him, her head bent in silence. Jiang Shixu watched her quietly for a moment, then took two steps closer to her. Slowly and deliberately, he bent down in front of her, bracing his hands on either side of her, his eyes looking straight into hers so she had nowhere to look away. The man's gaze was deep and burning with affection, his voice low and magnetic. "Tangtang, let's make up, hmm?" Chu Tang's eyes darted away, her voice so low it was almost inaudible: "Jiang Shixu, don't do this." The sheer curtains were lifted by the wind, then drifted gently back down. The fragrance of orchids floated in the air. The atmosphere was charged with intimacy. "Do what?" The man's voice was sultry and magnetic. Chu Tang's breath caught, her heartbeat falling out of rhythm. She turned her face away and said stiffly, "Don't you already have Shu Mingyue? Why come looking for me to make up?" "Shu Mingyue?" Jiang Shixu's gaze was deep. "What does she have to do with anything? She's just an outsider." Jiang Shixu drew Chu Tang into his embrace, his voice incredibly gentle and seductive: "Tangtang, make up with me." Chu Tang's heart raced, her thoughts beginning to waver. Just then, her phone rang. The ringtone pulled her wandering thoughts back to reality. "Sorry, I need to take this call." Chu Tang pushed Jiang Shixu away and picked up her phone. It was Ruan Shaodong calling. Chu Tang made a "shh" gesture at Jiang Shixu. After being pushed away, the man's eyes held an unreadable emotion. He stood up, looking down at the girl sitting on the sofa on the phone. She looked very much like she was hiding something. Chu Tang answered the call, afraid that Jiang Shixu might suddenly make a sound, and shot him a warning look. The man curled his lips, a faint smile playing at the corner of his mouth as he glanced at her sideways. Ruan Shaodong's voice came through the phone: "Tangtang, weren't you supposed to arrive at the airport at six-thirty? Why aren't you home yet? Old Chen said you didn't get in his car—said you had something to do and left with a friend. Are you coming home for dinner tonight?" Chu Tang replied, "Dad, a friend asked me to represent him in two cases. I went to discuss the cases with him. We just finished, and I'm heading home for dinner now." Ruan Shaodong said, "Alright, I'll have your aunt wait for you at home for dinner." "Okay." After hanging up, Chu Tang let out a breath of relief. That was close. She'd almost lost her composure. How could Jiang Shixu be so good at flirting? The man's intrigued gaze landed on Chu Tang, a smile curving at his lips as he teased, "Little Tangtang is all grown up, and her parents still keep such a tight leash? It's only seven o'clock and they're already calling you home for dinner." Chu Tang ignored his joke and said seriously, "I'm heading back now. Have these sent to my law firm tomorrow." The man's expression was indifferent. He watched Chu Tang in silence for a moment without responding. Chu Tang stood up and walked out. Jiang Shixu watched her retreating figure leave. The spacious room was left in cold solitude. ... The next morning, Chu Tang went to work at the law firm. The moment she stepped into her office, she saw five conspicuous cardboard boxes on the floor. The two large boxes were the case materials she'd seen in Jiang Shixu's lounge yesterday. The other three looked familiar too. They were the 520 gifts he had sent her yesterday. One of them had already been opened—a beautiful white matte crocodile leather handbag. Chu Tang furrowed her brows slightly. Before leaving yesterday, she had asked Jiang Shixu to deliver the items to the law firm, referring to those two boxes of case files—not the gifts he had bought. Chu Tang called Jiang Shixu. He picked up quickly. "What's wrong, Tangtang?" Chu Tang got straight to the point: "Take the gifts back. I really don't need them." His voice was cold. "I never take back gifts I've given. If you don't like them, just throw them away." "..." Chu Tang was speechless. She knew quality when she saw it—that bag was worth at least a million. Throw it away? Even with money to burn, you couldn't just waste it like that. Chu Tang said, "I'll have someone send them back to you." "Don't bother." Jiang Shixu's voice was low. "Even if you send them back, I can't use them. I'd only end up throwing them away." Chu Tang wanted to say, give one to Shu Mingyue, one to Li Lanxi, and the last one to whoever you please. But she felt that would sound too sour. Saying it would make it seem like she cared too much. The words reached her lips, but Chu Tang held them back. She only said, "Don't send me gifts anymore. Even if you have money, you shouldn't waste it like this." "How can a gift for you be considered waste?" Chu Tang said flatly, "I don't want them." "Fine." Jiang Shixu said. "Then tell me what you want, and I'll get it for you directly." Chu Tang sighed. "Jiang Shixu, don't play dumb. You know what I mean. I don't want anything." There was silence on the other end. "That's it. Bye." Chu Tang hung up. In the end, Chu Tang still didn't send the three bags back. At over a million each, if Jiang Shixu threw them all away, it would truly be a waste of heaven's gifts. Chu Tang put the bags away, casually storing them in the storage cabinet at the law firm.