Chapter 12: Running Away After the Kiss

Gu Yan turned her back to Xu Yuan and opened the box.

That lustrous white pearl earring lay quietly on the black velvet lining, its luster warm and gentle.

Gu Yan's fingertips curled slightly.

His deep voice seemed to ring in her ears again, and she seemed to feel that scorching temperature and force on her lips once more.

Heat spread across her cheeks uncontrollably.

With a "snap," she closed the lid, her movements somewhat hurried.

"Take it." She shoved the box back into Xu Yuan's hand directly, her voice carrying obvious shyness and annoyance, "I'm going to sleep."

After saying this, she practically pushed Xu Yuan out gently and closed the bedroom door.

Leaning her back against the cold door panel, Gu Yan took a few deep breaths; the delicate texture of the velvet box seemed to still linger on her palms.

She walked back to the bedside and threw herself into the soft bedding.

She closed her eyes.

In the darkness, the images were even clearer.

The reflective glass on the second floor of the auction house, the wine glass he handed her in the private box, the hand he wrapped around her waist in the hallway, and...

That scorching kiss that carried the scent of whiskey.

Tossing and turning, she couldn't fall asleep no matter what.

It felt as if a restless cat was tucked inside her heart, its claws scratching gently.

She sat up in frustration and raked her slightly damp long hair. Her gaze inadvertently swept over the sketchbook spread out on the small round table by the bed.

Something seemed to flash through her mind.

She jumped out of bed barefoot, grabbed a pencil, and began to sketch rapidly on the blank page. The lines were messy, attempting to capture that fleeting thought.

After a few strokes, she threw the pencil down in frustration again.

It wasn't right.

She had the feeling, but couldn't grasp the concrete form.

Gu Yan stared at those meaningless lines on the paper and bit her lower lip.

Could it be...

She stood up abruptly, grabbed a coat to throw over her bathrobe, and without even changing her shoes, she pulled open the bedroom door while wearing her soft indoor slippers.

The hallway was empty, with only the wall lamps casting a quiet halo of light.

"Miss?" Xu Yuan, who was just about to return to her room, looked at her in surprise.

"I'm going out for a moment." Gu Yan's tone was crisp, and she walked straight toward the elevator.

"It's so late, where are you going?" Xu Yuan hurried to follow.

Gu Yan pressed the up button.

The young woman reflected in the metal door, with her slightly wavy long hair loose, a bare face, and wearing only a coat over her bathrobe, still could not hide her beauty.

"To find someone." She stared at the jumping floor numbers, her tone heavy.

The elevator door opened, and she stepped inside.

That Lin Wei... it seems she was actually right for once.

The elevator ascended, the numbers jumping quietly. 6... 7... 8, with a soft "ding," the door slid open.

The air that rushed to meet her seemed different, heavier and quieter. The top-floor VIP cabins of the cruise ship were reserved for the most distinguished guests.

Gu Yan wrapped her coat tighter and arrived in front of a pair of dark wooden doors, room number 8001.

The very center of the entire floor, the position with the best view.

She stood still, took a deep breath, and raised her hand.

Her knuckles knocked on the door, the sound appearing exceptionally clear in the silent hallway.

There was no response.

After waiting a few seconds, she knocked again, with a slightly heavier force.

It remained completely silent.

Gu Yan furrowed her brows and was just about to knock again when a gentle female voice came from behind her side, "This miss?"

She turned around; it was a cruise ship staff member.

The staff member was stunned for a moment; she had seen many guests, but never one like this, unadorned yet still bewitchingly beautiful.

"May I ask, do you need help?" She collected her thoughts and asked.

"I'm looking for the person staying in this room." Gu Yan lifted her chin and pointed to 8001.

The manager glanced at the door plate, her smile unchanged, "I'm very sorry, Miss, there are currently no guests checked into this suite."

"Not checked in?" Gu Yan was taken aback, "Doesn't Shen Yanhui live here?"

She had asked around; this was the place.

"Mr. Shen had matters to attend to and has already left in advance."

Left... in advance?

Gu Yan thought of the helicopter roaring through the sky, and there was nothing she didn't understand.

"I see." She heard her own voice ring out, sounding a bit dry.

The manager bowed slightly, "If you have any other needs, you can press the bell to call for service at any time."

"Thank you." Gu Yan nodded.

The manager turned and left, and the hallway returned to silence.

Gu Yan stared expressionlessly at the gold-stamped 8001 door plate, getting angrier the more she thought about it, and couldn't help but kick the door panel, although it looked like it had no lethality at all.

"Scumbag."

She ran away right after kissing him.

She didn't even stay on the boat.

And to think she... to think she had eagerly run up to find him!

If she ever takes the initiative to find him again, she's a puppy!

——

The helicopter landed at the South City Club; it was already late at night.

Before the rotors had completely stopped spinning, the cabin door was already open. Shen Yanhui stepped out, the night wind whipping up the hem of his black overcoat. Chang Su followed closely behind, carrying a black document case in his hand.

The interior of the club was brightly lit, yet eerily quiet. Waiters in uniform stood by the walls with their heads bowed, not daring to breathe.

The debauchery was replaced by a deathly silence, as if a storm were about to break.

Outside the door of the largest private room at the end of the corridor, several cold-faced men in black stood guard; seeing Shen Yanhui, they immediately bowed and stepped aside.

The door was pushed open, and the room was filled with swirling smoke.

The two sides of the long table were clearly divided.

On one side was the only son of the Shen Family Third Branch, Shen Ke. At this moment, his face was pale, there was sweat on his forehead, and his eyes were darting around.

Behind him stood several young family members with equally panicked expressions.

On the other side were several unfamiliar men, dressed elegantly, with cold and heavy auras.

The leader was a middle-aged man around fifty, wearing his hair in a meticulous slicked-back style, turning a string of agarwood beads in his hand, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

Shen Yanhui walked in and swept his gaze across them indifferently.

All sound vanished instantly, and all eyes focused on him.

Shen Ke flinched and ducked to the side.

Shen Yanhui did not look at him, walking straight to the empty head seat, taking off his overcoat, which Chang Su took silently. He sat down, crossed his legs, and tapped his fingers lightly on the solid wood tabletop.

"Who fired the shot?"

The middle-aged man leading the other side narrowed his eyes, sizing up this overly young but imposing head of the Shen Family, "Mr. Shen?"

"Boss Han." Shen Yanhui raised his eyes, accurately calling out the other party's name.

Boss Han's hand, which was turning the beads, paused slightly.

"It was my men... an accidental discharge," Shen Ke hurriedly spoke up, his voice weak, "but Boss Han's men made the first move, they..."

"Did I ask you?" Shen Yanhui interrupted him, his voice still steady, yet it made Shen Ke fall silent instantly, his face turning another shade of white.

A young man behind Boss Han couldn't help but sneer: "Accidental discharge? Young Master Shen's marksmanship is quite accurate; he crippled one of my brother's hands directly! This matter..."

"Chang Su." Shen Yanhui spoke.

Chang Su immediately stepped forward, placed the black document case on the table, and opened it.

Inside were several documents and a stack of photos.

Shen Yanhui pushed the top document toward Boss Han.

"The land in the South City New District, at Lingang," he said, "The Shen Family is withdrawing. The development rights belong to you."

"Furthermore," Shen Yanhui continued, his fingertips tapping on the stack of photos.

The photos scattered. They were from several different scenes, somewhat blurry, but one could recognize Boss Han's capable subordinates conducting some not-so-legal "transactions."

Boss Han's expression darkened.

"Tonight's incident is the Shen Family's fault." Shen Yanhui looked at him, his gaze deep and calm, "The Shen Family will take full responsibility for this hand."

"Does Boss Han think," he leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table, fingers interlaced, "that this explanation carries enough weight?"

The private room was silent.

Boss Han stared at Shen Yanhui, the speed of his bead-turning slowing down.

Finally, he pulled out a smile that wasn't very pleasant, "Mr. Shen, you are straightforward. Since you have spoken, I cannot refuse to give you this face."

What the other party gave was tangible profit, as well as a clear warning.

By settling the matter, everyone had a way out. If they insisted on making a scene, no one would come out clean.

Boss Han took his men and left the private room in silence, just as they had arrived.

The door closed.

Only the Shen Family members remained in the room.

Shen Ke's legs went weak, and he almost collapsed into his seat.

Shen Yanhui didn't look at him, picked up the overcoat draped over the back of the chair, and put it on in a leisurely manner.

"Yanhui..."

Shen Yanhui fastened the last button before raising his eyes to look at him.

"Starting tomorrow, you don't need to worry about the south side anymore. Return to the Old Mansion Ancestral Hall and clear your mind."

Shen Ke's face turned deathly pale: "Yanhui! I am your brother! How can you..."

"The Ancestral Hall or a hand, choose for yourself." Impatience appeared in Shen Yanhui's brows as he stood up and walked toward the door.

A flash of humiliation crossed Shen Ke's face, and he said bitterly: "Shen Yanhui, you are truly heartless. Then again, someone who could even lay a hand on his own biological father..."

"Third Young Master, watch your words." Chang Su interrupted him.

But Shen Yanhui had already left.