She glanced at Xie Jiangsheng, unable to help herself, her ears turning red as she softly said, "Mr. Xie, you don't have to always tease me."
Xie Jiangsheng let out a low chuckle and blurted out, "What if I told you, I like you."
Upon hearing this, not only did Shen Yue freeze, but Xie Jiangsheng himself was also taken aback.
Yet, he felt no regret. He was indeed very interested in Shen Yue; after all, who wouldn't want to possess someone so pure and innocent?
It was a pity though…
But it didn't matter.
A faint smile played on Xie Jiangsheng's lips, his peach blossom eyes behind his glasses giving an impression of deep affection.
Shen Yue lowered her head, her slender white fingers fidgeting with the hem of her clothes, nervous and uneasy. Her neck was long and delicate, her profile soft and beautiful. "Mr. Xie, please stop joking."
She still refused to believe him.
This was understandable, considering how his attitude had been far from good before, even revealing his malicious and harsh side, leaving a particularly strong impression.
Xie Jiangsheng was not one to press his advantage, nor did he show any impatience. His voice was deep and magnetic, "I never joke."
Shen Yue became even more nervous, her mind a mess.
"Shen Yue, look at me."
The man's voice remained as assured as ever.
Shen Yue paused, then finally looked up, her gaze meeting a pair of deep eyes.
He looked at her, his eyes filled with a smile.
Shen Yue couldn't help but ask, "Why?"
Xie Jiangsheng cupped her face and gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "What if I told you that six months ago, we shared a relationship beyond that of mere acquaintances, but separated due to a misunderstanding? Would you believe me?"
He had beautified that sordid affair, reducing it to a simple misunderstanding.
He relied on Shen Yue's ignorance and forgetfulness, coaxing her into willingly stepping into a trap she had fallen into half a year prior.
Shen Yue gazed into his eyes, her heart beginning to beat erratically. The man before her was so handsome, so full of charm.
If Shen Yue were to fall in love with such a man before her amnesia, she wouldn't be surprised at all.
She was shy, her long lashes fluttering twice as she raised her eyes to gaze at the man before her. Her dark pupils were so clear they seemed to be a bottomless well.
She was like a tempted white bird.
With innocent curiosity, she asked,
"Mr. Xie, do you really like me?" Her voice was soft, like a feather tickling her ear, bringing a subtle, unbearable itch.
She paused, then continued, "Before my amnesia, Mr. Xie and I were a couple, right?"
"Mr. Xie." She heard him softly call her name in a gentle tone, asking in another way, confirming once more, "Do you still like me now?"
Xie Jiangsheng could see the prey about to fall into the trap. By rights, he should have coaxed her gently and pushed a little further. But for some reason, his throat felt dry.
Looking into those utterly pure eyes, he seemed to see his own ugly desires reflected there.
That woman knew nothing yet, and she softly called out again.
"Mr. Xie?"
In that moment, Xie Jiangsheng felt his heart beat wildly, as if a trace of warmth was flowing into his limbs.
Just being looked at by those eyes felt like being deeply loved.
Everyone around him who approached him almost always had an agenda: money, power, or merely his superficial appearance.
Not one person truly liked the ugly, almost twisted truth hidden beneath his refined exterior.
The woman before him, however, gave him the feeling that no matter what he did wrong, she would unconditionally and tenderly forgive him.
And still, deeply love him.
In that instant, his perpetually cold heart was completely occupied by fervent, burning emotions, leaving no room for anything else.
He felt as though he were immersed in a jar of honey, only sweetness and no bitterness.
He raised a hand, carefully tucking the stray strands of hair from her cheek behind her ear. His movements were gentle, his eyes filled with an inexpressible tenderness.
Then, the next moment, he slowly lowered his head.
The distance between them was very close, Shen Yue could even feel the rhythm of his chest rising and falling, and his warmth.
Shen Yue involuntarily held her breath.
He kissed her, lightly as if just a fleeting touch, yet slowly deepening the pressure, kissing them both into a state of utter disarray.
The wind gently blew, making the maple leaves sway. Not only the leaves were in turmoil, but Xie Jiangsheng's heart was too.
After a while, just as Shen Yue was about to gasp for air, the man finally released her. His thin lips brushed past her earlobe, his exhaled breath caressing her skin, making it feel both hot and itchy.
His deep voice continued to echo in her ear.
"This is my answer."
Shen Yue froze, her face flushing crimson all the way to her neck. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in the hollow of his neck.
—
Luo Kai searched inside and outside the shop for a long time but couldn't find her slender figure.
It wasn't until five minutes before work that Shen Yue rushed back.
Luo Kai's eyes lit up, and just as he was about to approach, Shen Yue, looking hurried, passed him by and headed towards the changing room.
About two or three minutes later, Shen Yue emerged after changing into her work uniform. She tidied her slightly messy hair; her face was pale, now showing a faint blush, her eyes faintly flushed with a seductive glow, and her full lips were slightly swollen.
Luo Kai, who had been walking over to inquire, froze entirely upon seeing Shen Yue's appearance.
He stood stiffly, like a silent sculpture. The moment Shen Yue turned, she saw Luo Kai standing there foolishly, his eyes cast down, lost in thought.
She walked over, her fair, slender fingers waving in front of Luo Kai. As he startled and looked up, she asked, "What's wrong? What are you thinking about so intently?"
"Nothing, nothing," he replied, his eyes darting around nervously, as if hiding something.
As it was almost time to start work, Shen Yue was about to tell Luo Kai to return to his post when she heard him stammering.
"You, where, where did you just go?"
Shen Yue blinked uncomfortably, a faint smile appearing on her lips, as if shy. "Nowhere, I just went for a walk. It's time to start work, I'll head over now."
"Okay…"
Luo Kai outwardly lowered his head, but his rough, long fingers hanging by his side subtly tightened, as if suppressing a deep malice.
〖She's lying.〗
〖Her mouth is swollen, swollen from being kissed by another man.〗
〖Let me, I'll help you.〗
Luo Kai went to the restroom and calmly took out a bottle of pills from his pocket, poured out two white capsules, and swallowed them.
The malicious, dark voice in his mind finally disappeared. He looked up at his reflection in the mirror.
Completely unremarkable.
What right did someone like him have to like Shen Yue?
Luo Kai felt a sudden pang in his heart.