Chapter 268

Chapter 268: Intimacy in the Bath Chutang lifted her eyes to look at Jiang Shixu, tilting her mouth slightly. "Fine, since you canceled your schedule tomorrow and came all the way back to explain, I'll forgive you. But..." Chutang paused for a moment. "But what?" "But you made me unhappy, and I'm very angry." Chutang said with a serious expression. "Gu Qiuhui has ill intentions. You need to fire her." The man answered without hesitation: "That's certain. I've already fired her, and she will pay the price for what she did tonight." Chutang said coldly again: "For the next half month, don't appear in front of me." "That won't work." Jiang Shixu refused outright. The man's voice was magnetic. "Half a month is too long. Without seeing you, every day feels like a year." "What does that have to do with me?" Chutang's expression was indifferent. "Pick another condition." "No bargaining." Chutang said with a cold face. "Alright, you should go back. I'm going to sleep." "Tangtang..." "Remember, it's half a month. If you don't keep your promise, I'll never talk to you again." ...... Half a month later. The Resort Villa. The entire villa was part of the Ruan family's estate. The scenery within the villa was picturesque all year round. Not only did it have complete infrastructure, but it also offered many leisure and entertainment activities, and its tourism industry was thriving. Besides the areas open to the public, the villa also had private areas closed to outsiders. For instance, the bath pool here was Ruan Chutang's private one. The bath pool was built in a quaint, antique courtyard, surrounded by verdant bamboo, with birds singing and flowers blooming—a truly pleasant view. Beneath the bamboo grove and wooden cabin, the bath water was crystal clear, with rose petals floating on the surface, offering a unique coolness in the scorching summer heat. The water in the pool was actively flowing. Both the inlet and outlet were open simultaneously. At this moment, it was eight o'clock in the evening. Chutang, completely unclothed, was bathing in the pool. Dim lights flickered among the greenery, and the bright moonlight gently illuminated this corner of the world. The woman's fair skin gleamed under the moonlight. Meanwhile, Jiang Shixu walked into the courtyard, strolled through the tranquil bamboo grove, and arrived at the edge of the bath pool. A visually striking scene came into view. Chutang was soaking in the pool, her black hair tied into a loose bun at the back of her head, with a few strands wet and clinging to the nape of her neck. Her fair shoulders and neck rose above the water, while everything below her shoulders was submerged. Chutang had her eyes closed, enjoying her moonlit bath. Soft instrumental music played nearby, melodious and pleasant to the ear. Jiang Shixu stood by the edge and watched for a while. Chutang suddenly opened her eyes and met his gaze. "Why are you here?" Chutang's brows furrowed slightly. She wasn't wearing any clothes and was bathing—how could this man just barge in like that? "The half month is up. I couldn't wait to see you." The man's voice was low and husky. "Can't you wait until I finish bathing and come out?" Chutang pursed her lips. "I can't wait." Jiang Shixu untied his bathrobe and stepped down the steps by the pool's edge, one by one, into the water. "What are you doing?" Chutang looked at him warily. "Bathing with you." Jiang Shixu walked toward Chutang. Chutang instinctively tried to flee, but he pulled her into his arms in one motion. Skin against skin. The man's body was burning hot, desire surging in his eyes, and a soft moan escaped Chutang's lips. It successfully stoked Jiang Shixu's lust to its peak. Jiang Shixu lowered his gaze, moonlight filling his eyes, tender as water. "The moonlight is beautiful tonight." Chutang pursed her lips and didn't respond. The next second, the man lowered his head and kissed her. Chutang turned her head to dodge, whispering, "Stop it. Yuanyuan and Xueluo are right next door. This courtyard is open-air and doesn't have good soundproofing." Hearing this, Jiang Shixu let out a low chuckle. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, and Chutang could clearly feel the slight tremor in his chest. She instinctively tried to step back, but Jiang Shixu wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her firmly against him. Their bodies pressed even closer. Chutang could feel the change in the man's body, and a blush crept up her cheeks, though it was hard to see in the night. Jiang Shixu leaned close to Chutang's ear, his voice low, magnetic, and utterly seductive: "What's there to be afraid of? Isn't this more exciting?" "You're crazy." Chutang reached out to push him but couldn't budge him. "It's fine. We'll just keep it quiet." The man spoke in a hoarse voice. Not giving Chutang a chance to speak, Jiang Shixu held her waist with one hand to keep her close, and with the other, he gripped her chin to stop her from turning away, then lowered his head and kissed her fiercely. Chutang's chin was held firmly by the man's large hand. This time, there was no avoiding it—she could only passively accept his kiss. Jiang Shixu was an excellent kisser. Chutang was completely immersed, her hands changing from pressing against his chest to push him away, to wrapping around his neck. Jiang Shixu simply lifted Chutang up, the two holding each other face-to-face as they kissed, the man's hands supporting her from beneath. Chutang's legs wrapped around Jiang Shixu's waist. At this position, he could just slide right in. Jiang Shixu let out a muffled groan and kissed her even more wantonly. He kept his word, controlling his force gently, and truly didn't make much of a commotion. A slight vibration carried a hint of delight, ripples spreading across the water's surface, without even a sound of splashing. ...... In the courtyard just one wall away. Chen Yuanyuan and Zhou Xueluo lay on lounge chairs, stargazing and chatting. Zhou Xueluo asked Chen Yuanyuan, "Yuanyuan, how are things between you and Brother Qin Yan lately?" "He's under a lot of pressure, he has to attend social engagements almost every day." Chen Yuanyuan's tone was a bit downcast. "Even though the revenue from his two companies is quite substantial, it's still hard to fill the huge hole left by the property division in my mom and Uncle Qin's divorce. After all, the company's assets are independent, so he can only receive dividends according to the company's bylaws, and what he actually gets in hand is far less than the revenue shown on the company's books." Zhou Xueluo said, "If there's anything you need me to speak up about, don't hesitate to ask." Chen Yuanyuan smiled. "Don't worry, I won't stand on ceremony with you." "What about you? How are things between you and Jiang Huai lately?" Chen Yuanyuan asked. Zhou Xueluo's expression dimmed, and her voice dropped as well. "Same as always, nothing's changed. He's still as cold as ice." Chen Yuanyuan felt a sense of frustration, as if her efforts were in vain. Seriously, Zhou Xueluo was such a beautiful and outstanding girl—how could she end up being a simp, throwing herself at someone who gave her the cold shoulder? And she'd been doing it for years. Chen Yuanyuan genuinely felt heartbroken for her. Chen Yuanyuan frowned slightly. "Haven't you met anyone new? Are you really going to hang yourself on Jiang Huai's tree for the rest of your life?" Speaking of someone new. A man's face surfaced in Zhou Xueluo's mind. Zhang Tingyi. That day on Shu Mingyue's cruise ship, they played the King's Game, and Zhou Xueluo chose Zhang Tingyi to confess to. It was just a game. Zhou Xueluo hadn't taken it to heart at all, but a few days later, Zhang Tingyi suddenly confessed to her. She was completely dumbfounded, and he actually said he'd liked her since the first time he saw her many years ago. Zhou Xueluo didn't accept. Not to mention that Jiang Huai still occupied her heart—even if she didn't have someone she liked, she still wouldn't have agreed. Although she and Zhang Tingyi had met long ago, it was only a brief encounter. The two of them truly got to know each other only after Zhang Tingyi returned to the country, on the day they had a meal at the garden restaurant. In Zhou Xueluo's eyes, Zhang Tingyi was just a stranger whose name she happened to know. Seeing Zhou Xueluo lost in thought, Chen Yuanyuan caught a whiff of gossip. Her eyes gleamed mischievously. "Something's going on? Spill it—who's this new man you've met? Do I know him?" Zhou Xueluo spoke up a bit shyly. "It's Zhang Tingyi. He confessed to me a few days ago." "Whoa? That's explosive?" Chen Yuanyuan was shocked. "The friend of Qin Yan's?" "Yeah." Zhou Xueluo nodded.