Chapter 758: Hand-raising gold-inlaid shoes

Lin Yuan closed his eyes, his heart feeling both warm and sore.

He could clearly feel the earnestness and gentleness of the girl behind him; each press, each strike was filled with sincerity, without a hint of perfunctoriness.

The warm sensation seeped through the fabric into his skin, soothing his muscles and bones, also warming his desolate, weary heart. But such extreme tenderness was too precious, making him feel reluctant.

After a long silence, Lin Yuan's voice, hoarse yet warm, spoke softly:

"Lingxue, no need."

He slightly turned his body, wanting to rise to avoid this extreme tenderness, his eyes full of pity.

"I'm not tired, just a little travel weariness; why must you go to such trouble to attend to me? Rest now, I can't bear it."

Mu Lingxue, however, lightly pressed his shoulder, not letting him rise; her fingertips continued to gently knead his stiff shoulder blades, her brows and eyes curved, radiating a gentle smile, her tone carrying a hint of stubborn softness.

"Don't move. I know you put on a tough front, looking spirited, but in truth your whole body is weary from fatigue. Usually you insist on doing everything yourself, with no one to rely on; since I'm here today, let me attend to you properly."

Her voice was soft and drawn-out, falling upon his ears, so gentle that one could not refuse. Lin Yuan's heart softened; all his words of refusal lodged in his throat, unable to speak, he could only obediently relax his body and let her proceed.

As the night deepened, the indoor candlelight flickered, warm glow spreading, gently casting their silhouettes.

The clear warm water reflected the flickering candlelight, shimmering with tiny ripples, warmth spreading.

Mu Lingxue knelt before the couch, her posture meek and devout, lifting Lin Yuan's pant leg with her hand, her movement extremely gentle, fearing to disturb him in the slightest.

A cool evening breeze brushed past, Lin Yuan's heart jolted; he hurriedly tried to pull his foot back, speaking again to stop her: "Really, no need, Lingxue; I can do it myself, you don't have to go to such trouble."

Mu Lingxue, however, lifted her gaze to him, her eyes brimming with sincere affection, giving a light smile, gentle yet resolute.

"Others treat you as their duty; I treat you wholeheartedly, without any reluctance. You toil for the road ahead, labor for worldly affairs, enduring wind and frost; I only wish to ease your fatigue, so you may rest tonight without worry."

As her words fell, she gave Lin Yuan no chance to refuse, gently grasping his ankle and slowly placing it into the warm water.

Lin Yuan quietly felt this tenderness unique to him; his heart melted completely, all his fatigue, anxiety, and toil dissipating under her gentle care.

He no longer refused…

The night was tender, the moment just right, the room filled with lingering affection, endless.

This truly…

Flowers bright, moon dim, shrouded in light mist; tonight is good to go to my lover's side.

Scraping socks, stepping on fragrant stairs, hand-raising gold-inlaid shoes.

Seeing each other at the south side of the painting hall, always leaning close, trembling.

The servant finds it hard to come out; teach the lord to pity freely.

……

This night, the lamp light was gentle.

Lin Yuan lay face-up on the soft bedding, the sheets carrying a faint, elegant fragrance, the unique scent of Mu Lingxue.

The recent sudden intimacy and soft words still lingered by his ears and in his heart, leaving his mind dazed, unable to calm for a long while.

Mu Lingxue's tone returned to its earlier seriousness, she softly instructed:

"You must be careful in the underground forces; absolutely do not reveal your identity—once exposed, the consequences are unimaginable; be sure to keep it in mind."

Lin Yuan looked at her serious expression, a hint of softness appearing on his weary face.

Lin Yuan slowly nodded, his tone firm as he replied: "I understand; you also stay safe."

Lin Yuan, because of last night's fatigue, slept until noon.

By the time he hastily packed up and rushed to the Su Group, he was already far past working hours.

Without a doubt, he was late again.

Lin Yuan had just entered the company when Su Monong's assistant called out to him.

Ning Xue informed him that Su Monong was already waiting in her office.

Ning Xue's tone carried a hint of gravity; obviously Su Monong had already learned of his tardiness.

Lin Yuan took a deep breath and pushed open Su Monong's office door.

The greeting he received……was Su Monong's slightly stern gaze.

"How are you late again?" Su Monong spoke first, her tone carrying obvious reproach.

"This isn't your first time being late; do you still have any regard for company rules?"

Lin Yuan hurriedly explained, "Sorry, Director Su… my car broke down on the way today. It won't happen again."

Su Monong looked at his apologetic demeanor, her tone easing slightly.

But she still carried dissatisfaction:

After a moment, Su Monong slowly opened her eyes, looking at Lin Yuan's head, and softly asked:

"Are my feet attractive?"

Lin Yuan's motion paused; he subconsciously glanced at her jade feet and replied softly:

"Good… good-looking."

"Good-looking?" Su Monong's tone instantly turned a bit colder, a flash of jealousy in her eyes.

Su Monong's tone……carried a hint of questioning,

"Good-looking, then are you still fooling around with other women outside?? Isn't my company enough for you?"

Lin Yuan's heart jolted; he hurriedly shook his head, his tone urgent as he defended:

"I haven't, General Manager Su; I haven't been fooling around with other women."

Su Monong suddenly lifted her foot, her jade sole lightly pressing against Lin Yuan's neck.

Her foot's force was not strong, yet it carried a clear sense of pressure.

Su Monong she leaned in close to Lin Yuan, her tone ambiguous and tinged with a bit of jealousy, she softly asked:

"Last night downstairs at the company, who was the girl driving the limited-edition Ferrari sports car?"

Lin Yuan's whole body stiffened; he froze instantly.

After a moment, Lin Yuan finally realized, a flash of understanding crossing his eyes……

It turned out Su Monong had seen Qin Bore last night; she was jealous.

Lin Yuan hurried to explain, his tone sincere, afraid Su Monong would misunderstand:

"She's called Qin Bore, just my landlord; I really am just ordinary friends with her, no other relationship, last night we just happened to run into each other."

Su Monong watched Lin Yuan's flustered explanation, the jealousy in her eyes not diminishing in the slightest.

Su Monong's tone instantly turned cold, carrying an obvious question:

"Ordinary friends?"

She leaned slightly forward, her jade foot still pressing against Lin Yuan's neck, the force increasing a bit more.

In Su Monong's tone lay dissatisfaction and questioning:

"Ordinary friends—would they grab your collar? Would they be that intimate with you?? I can see clearly, her attitude toward you is not that of ordinary friends."

Lin Yuan's heart tightened, and he hurriedly waved his hands to explain:

"Really just ordinary friends, General Manager Su—don't misunderstand. Last night she sought me out just to invite me for a meal, nothing else; that bit of intimacy was merely a misunderstanding."

Su Monong raised her eyebrows, clearly not believing his explanation, and pressed on:

"Out of the blue, why would she invite you to a meal? There's no such thing as a free lunch—don't think I'm so easy to fool."

Lin Yuan was at a loss for words, not knowing how to explain for a moment……

He couldn't tell Su Monong about his involvement in the Underground Jianghu or that Qin Bore's true identity was the Phoenix God.

Once leaked, not only would he be in danger, but it could also implicate Su Monong.

In a panic, Lin Yuan could only come up with an excuse, trying to keep his tone natural:

"She's feeling unwell and needs my help; knowing I know a bit of traditional Chinese medicine, she wanted me to give her a TCM treatment, so she invited me to a meal as thanks."

Su Monong stared at Lin Yuan's eyes for a long time, trying to see any flaw in his face……

But Lin Yuan's gaze was steady, showing no trace of panic.

His earlier panic hadn't fully faded, and even his eyes darted about.

Before Lin Yuan could speak, Su Monong suddenly stepped forward.

She grabbed Lin Yuan's collar with force, pulling him hard toward her.

The distance between them instantly closed.

He opened his mouth, but didn't know how to explain……

He couldn't tell Su Monong about Mu Lingxue's existence, nor could he reveal his own undercover identity; once leaked, the consequences would be unthinkable.

Lin Yuan hurriedly responded in a flustered manner:

"Well, of course! It's really just me reselling it—how could it have been taken away by someone else auditing the accounts?"

The panic in Lin Yuan's voice…… couldn't be hidden.

His voice even trembled a little, fearing that if Su Monong pressed further, his lie would be exposed.

Su Monong stared at him for a long time; seeing that although he was flustered, he never let slip a word, nor did she find any flaw.

She knew…… that pressing further wouldn't yield any answer.

So, she could only let him go for now.

Su Monong released her grip on Lin Yuan's collar, her tone carrying a hint of playful annoyance:

"Stinky man, you pass this time—I'll let you off once."

Before Lin Yuan could catch his breath, Su Monong continued:

"However, this compensation isn't enough—tonight you must come to my place to cook dinner for me, and continue…… making it up to me."

Su Monong's tone carried an irresistible force, and in her eyes lurked a hint of ambiguous anticipation.

Upon hearing that, Lin Yuan's legs almost gave out……

Last night he had been tormented by Mu Lingxue all night……

This morning he had again been drained of energy by Su Monong's so-called 'treatment'.

By now he was utterly exhausted, in no condition to endure further torment.

Yet seeing Su Monong's unyielding gaze, he ultimately dared not retort.

Lin Yuan could only steel himself, nodding slightly and replying in a low voice:

"Okay, I understand—I'll definitely come over tonight."

Having received a satisfactory answer, Su Monong eased her expression and waved a hand:

"Alright, go on—work hard and don't space out again."

Lin Yuan felt as if pardoned, quickly nodded, turned and hurried out of Su Monong's office……

As he left, his steps felt a bit unsteady.

After Lin Yuan left, the office instantly fell silent.

The smile on Su Monong's face gradually faded, her beautiful eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

A flicker of coldness and inquiry flashed in the depths of her eyes……

She never believed Lin Yuan's explanation; that woman called Qin Bore was certainly not simple.

Su Monong picked up the phone on the desk and quickly dialed a number.

Once the call connected, Su Monong's tone instantly turned forceful and icy, she commanded:

"Ning Xue, use the company's highest authority to help me investigate a woman named Qin Bore—I want all her information, including her identity, background, and relationships; no detail may be omitted, the sooner the better."

Leaving Su Monong's CEO office, Lin Yuan's back had already broken out in a thin layer of sweat, his tense nerves unable to relax.

The earlier jealous questioning, the jade foot pressing against his neck, the close-range pressure—all still lingered in his heart, leaving his emotions in turmoil.

Though the lie had barely gotten by, he knew deep down that Su Monong was naturally suspicious and would not easily believe his explanation; further trouble was likely ahead.

Thinking again that he still had to go to Su Monong's place tonight to keep his appointment and make amends, recalling how Mu Lingxue had gently entangled him for most of last night, and this morning he'd just gone through another tense standoff, he felt utterly weak and limp, his steps light as if walking on clouds.

He raised a hand to rub his aching brow, dispelling the fatigue and panic in his eyes, then hurried toward the elevator entrance of the office area.

It was midday on a workday, the hallway bustling with people coming and going, hurried steps, and no one noticed the undercurrents of the confrontation he had just experienced.

Lin Yuan pressed the down button; the elevator doors opened promptly, he lowered his head and stepped inside, just about to press the floor button when a clear, sweet, gentle female voice suddenly sounded from behind him.

"Lin Yuan? What a coincidence, are you also just heading down?"

Hearing the voice, Lin Yuan turned his head and saw her standing at the elevator doorway holding a document, her features delicate and gentle, a neat professional suit enhancing her clean, tender aura, a faint smile on her lips.

Lin Yuan gave a slight nod, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and forced a faint smile: "Mm, just heading down."

Seeing this, Sun Weiwei stepped into the elevator, pressed the button for her floor, and the doors slowly closed, shutting out the hallway's light and clamor.

The cramped elevator space instantly became quiet and sealed, the air faintly scented with Sun Weiwei's gardenia fragrance, fresh and pleasant, slightly easing Lin Yuan's agitation.

The elevator descended smoothly, but after only two seconds the car jolted violently and jammed mid‑air.

"Clang—"

A deep, muffled boom rang out, the elevator lights instantly went out, plunging them into pitch‑black darkness where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

The mechanical sounds ceased abruptly; the elevator was stuck fast between floors, neither going up nor down, completely dead.

The sudden change came without warning, and the confined darkness instantly enveloped both of them.

Sun Weiwei, already timid, was instantly terrified by the elevator malfunction, her whole body stiffening, her heart clenching, and she let out an involuntary soft gasp.

Darkness robbed her of all sight; unknown fear swept over her, her mind went blank, and she instinctively lunged forward, locking her arms tightly around Lin Yuan's waist in front of her.

Her soft, warm body pressed tightly against his back, her hair lightly brushing his spine, carrying a faint fragrance.

Sun Weiwei's body trembled uncontrollably; her warm breath, filtered through thin clothing, lightly brushed his skin, accompanied by panicked, shallow breaths.

The sudden intimate contact made Lin Yuan shudder, his tense body instantly going rigid.

The ongoing series of ambiguous entanglements had not yet subsided; now, in this cramped, pitch‑black space, holding Sun Weiwei so closely stirred a complex flutter in his heart.

"I‑I'm scared to death…" Sun Weiwei's voice trembled, soft and broken, full of lingering fright; she clung tighter, her cheeks pressed hard against his back, not daring to loosen her grip: "How did the elevator suddenly break down… It's so dark in here."

Darkness completely surrounded them; no outside sound could be heard, only the intertwined breaths of the two, magnified in the tiny space and unusually clear.

Lin Yuan could clearly feel the trembling of the person in his arms—not feigned, but fear rising from within.

He suppressed the subtle ambiguity in his heart, gathered his thoughts, softened his tone, and whispered reassurance: "Don't be afraid, it's just an elevator malfunction; there's no danger, someone should find and fix it soon."

His low, warm voice was especially calming in the silent darkness.

Yet Sun Weiwei remained filled with dread; she had always feared confined darkness since childhood, now trapped in mid‑air she felt utterly unsafe, relying solely on Lin Yuan's upright, steady presence before her, which gave her a sense of strength and was her only support.

She dared not let go, still clutching his waist tightly, her body slightly curled, her soft voice tinged with grievance: "I've never been in a situation like this; it's terrifying…… I'm most afraid of the dark."

Lin Yuan shifted his body slightly, moving gently, trying to minimize any motion lest it worsen her fear.

In the cramped elevator, the two clung to each other with not a gap between them.

He could clearly feel the soft touch against his back, and the girl's thumping, slightly hurried heartbeat, intertwining with his own chaotic pulse; an ambiguous atmosphere quietly spread, gradually filling the enclosed space.

He raised his hand and lightly placed his palm on the back of her hand that was wrapped around his waist, the warmth from his palm slowly transmitting, a gentle reassurance: "It's fine, I'm here, you don't need to be afraid."

His cool, dry palm met her warm, soft hand; Sun Weiwei's body twitched slightly, her fear easing a little, replaced by an indescribable mix of shyness and flutter.

In the darkness, unable to see each other's expressions, their senses became sharper, amplifying every touch and heartbeat.

She could clearly feel Lin Yuan's steady heartbeat through the thin fabric, calm and strong, instantly soothing much of her panic.

Without realizing it, her tense body gradually relaxed, though she still didn't want to release the embrace, reluctant to give up this rare sense of stability.

The intense fear, in this quiet darkness while they held each other, slowly transformed, giving rise to threads of ambiguous feeling.

Lin Yuan's heart was a tangle of emotions: the lingering intimacy with Mu Lingxue from last night, the jealous standoff with Su Monong just before, and now this unexpected entrapment with Sun Weiwei in the elevator, holding each other closely.

In just one day, several entanglements wound around his mind, leaving his emotions in turmoil.

In the pitch‑black elevator, time seemed to stretch infinitely; the two stood still in embrace, breaths intertwined, every inch filled with a quietly spreading tenderness and ambiguity, waiting silently for rescue.