Chapter 79

He was still wearing the same suit he had on outside the hot pot restaurant.

Illuminated by the light from the phone in her hand, his features were sharp, his natural coldness and indifference exuding an air of mystery.

She paused on his face for two seconds before changing her shoes and walking toward the sofa.

Because she couldn't see the path clearly and the flashlight's reach was limited, Shu Xia didn't know what her left foot had stepped on, and she fell backward.

"Ah!"

Qiao Muting happened to be following right behind, and upon hearing the exclamation, he instinctively took a long stride forward, his long arms firmly catching the woman as she fell backward into his embrace.

The two were pressed very close together.

Shu Xia's face was almost completely pressed against the man's chest.

Even through the fabric of his shirt and suit, she could feel the muscle definition beneath the cloth, and the sound of his powerful heartbeat thumping into her ears.

Her mind went somewhat blank.

When Qiao Muting regained his senses, his entire back and arms had stiffened; his arm happened to be pressed against a soft part of the woman, and the slight warmth of her skin traveled accurately through several layers of clothing, causing his entire arm to go numb in an instant.

And the hand that caught her was clamped perfectly around her slender waist.

A waist so thin it seemed it could be held with two hands.

The light in the room was very dim.

But when their eyes met, it felt as if they could see into each other's eyes.

Qiao Muting's gaze was dark, and as if possessed, his head slowly lowered.

Just as his lips were about to descend, Shu Xia's phone suddenly rang.

In the silent villa, the phone's ringtone was exceptionally deafening.

It dragged their wandering reason back.

Qiao Muting glanced at Shu Xia's phone, where the three characters "Fu Chenyan" were flashing, and he immediately released Shu Xia and tugged at his tie.

"Your phone is ringing." His voice was a few degrees deeper.

When Shu Xia saw it was Fu Chenyan, she tapped to hang up.

After she had beaten him up in the parking lot just now, Fu Chenyan still hadn't given up?

"Not answering?" Qiao Muting took long strides around Shu Xia and sat down on the sofa in the dark.

"What?" Shu Xia was a bit distracted and hadn't heard what Qiao Muting said.

Moreover, his voice sounded a bit cold and heavy.

Thinking of their contact just now, was he... about to kiss her?

Impossible.

Don't overthink it.

"Fu Chenyan's call, not answering?" Qiao Muting felt a blockage in his chest, unable to describe the feeling, and when he asked again, his tone was colder than before.

Just as Shu Xia was about to speak, the phone rang again.

It was still Fu Chenyan.

She hung up once more.

As soon as she hung up, another call came in.

Shu Xia was just about to add Fu Chenyan to her blacklist when she saw the caller was Shu Chen, so she said to Qiao Muting, "I'll take this call first."

She walked toward the stairs while answering the phone; it was even darker on the stairs, so she walked very carefully.

"Xia Xia, is what they're saying online true? Did Fu Chenyan not cheat?" Shu Chen asked urgently.

"Wait a moment, Second Brother, I'll talk to you later," Shu Xia said.

Qiao Muting, on the sofa, watched Shu Xia go upstairs, his cold brows arching.

Did she believe the Lin Family's denial and think Fu Chenyan hadn't cheated?

It looked like she still had lingering feelings for Fu Chenyan.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so absent-minded and seemingly reluctant when she hung up the phone just now.