Zhan Bei Jue looked up, squinted, and frowned. The high intensity, long hours of work made him look ferocious.
Before he could unleash his temper, Zhou Jinbei raised her hands in surrender. "I'm not here to disturb your work. I have something important to tell you!"
She obsequiously handed him her phone screen. "My sister-in-law sent this. She seems really upset. Take a look."
Jiang Nan Fang?
Zhan Bei Jue took the phone.
He heard she had been on a business trip these past few days, alone in another city. Drinking and swearing late at night, it seemed she had encountered difficulties.
Difficulties that could trouble her?
He returned the phone to Zhou Jinbei. "Ask her what's going on."
That day at Kangqiao Mountain Villa, unable to resist her pestering, Zhan Bei Jue had told her the truth of the matter in broad strokes.
Zhou Jinbei not only forgave Zhan Bei Jue now but also felt they were particularly pitiful, a pair of ill-fated lovers even with a child.
Her aunt, due to betrayal in her youth, had a particularly strong personality and found it very difficult to trust or like people.
Before she knew Jiang Nan Fang, she had already heard many bad things about her from her aunt.
The mother-in-law daughter-in-law issue had always been a major challenge. She hadn't encountered it herself, but the poor Jiang Nan Fang had.
To be kept apart from the person they loved during their prime years, alas!
Knowing Zhan Bei Jue missed Jiang Nan Fang, she deliberately sat in front of him and made a hands-free call. Soon, Jiang Nan Fang answered.
Her voice already carried a hint of intoxication.
"Sister Nan Fang, I saw your Moments. What's wrong? Where are you? You didn't even invite me when you were drinking."
Jiang Nan Fang chuckled with mixed emotions. "I wanted to invite you, but it's such a terrible place, I doubt you'd come even if I did."
"I'm in Jiangcheng now, and I'm very troubled. Can Zhan Bei Jue approve your leave?"
She feigned surprise. "You're in Jiangcheng? What are you doing there? A business trip?"
Jiang Nan Fang, with a belly full of pent-up frustration, rambled on to her.
When she spoke of being ignored day after day, and of a tire blowout on the highway, Zhan Bei Jue's fingers, resting on the desk, clenched tightly.
He missed her terribly. If she thought ten billion wasn't enough to give her a sense of security, he wished he could sell a few properties and give her more.
He didn't want her to work anymore, to suffer, or to face others' displeasure.
She clearly didn't have to go through this, so why insist on making herself so miserable?
In an unfamiliar place, what if something really happened?
He felt a pang of fear, missed her terribly, and longed to hold her.
Zhou Jinbei was still rambling on with empty words of comfort, but Zhan Bei Jue couldn't wait any longer.
He wanted to go see her, immediately, right now.
If he couldn't confirm she was alright with his own eyes, he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight!
With a few swift strokes of his pen on paper, Zhou Jinbei saw the white paper Zhan Bei Jue held up.
She was stunned for a moment, then obediently followed his instructions. "You already said you're in an unfamiliar place. Drink less by yourself."
"Which hotel are you staying at? Tell me the name and room number. I'm really worried something might happen to you."
Jiang Nan Fang smiled. "Why? Worried about me? Coming to see me overnight?"
"Overnight is impossible, but it's good to be prepared if I ask. "
After hanging up, Zhan Bei Jue grabbed his phone and car keys and stood up.
Zhou Jinbei looked at him. "I'll go with you."
"It's too far, and I'll be back tomorrow morning. It's not worth the trouble. Don't interfere."
"Who's interfering? You haven't slept well in days. I'm afraid something will happen to you."
"I'll drive for you. If necessary, we can switch. My sister-in-law's life is important, and so is yours. You can't..."
Alright, Zhan Bei Jue admitted, Zhou Jinbei's words at this moment were somewhat touching.
There wasn't much time, and the journey was long. There was no time for sentimentality. "Let's go. Keep your mouth shut and don't let anyone else know."
For the first leg of the journey, Zhou Jinbei drove. Zhan Bei Jue was exhausted and wanted to sleep.
But he couldn't sleep without scolding Wang Lang. Before sleeping, he still called him.
Wang Lang answered immediately, his voice laced with flattery. "President Zhan, you're not resting so late?"
Zhan Bei Jue's voice was as cold as ice. "My person in Jiangcheng is almost driven to tears by difficulties. How can I rest?"
Wang Lang was stunned and immediately understood. "President Zhan, this is not my fault. I didn't force Engineer Jiang to go on the business trip. She..."
"Knowing it's a tough nut to crack, you didn't accompany her, yet you say this. Fine, don't look for me for investments next time."
"..."
From Nancheng to Jiangcheng is over four hundred kilometers. There were fewer cars at night, and Zhou Jinbei was bold, driving at 140 km/h. They arrived in less than four hours.
Zhou Jinbei went to find another hotel. Zhan Bei Jue entered the place where Jiang Nan Fang was staying.
At the front desk, Zhan Bei Jue showed the marriage certificate he had prepared.
"My wife is not feeling well. She called me to pick her up. Please take me up as soon as possible."
The staff believed him, fearing that a customer might have an accident in the hotel, and quickly took him upstairs, swiped his card, and opened the door.
In the room, Jiang Nan Fang, dizzy from drinking, had just fallen asleep. She was dreaming.
In her dream, she finally met the damned President Tang. They were sitting in a conference room discussing cooperation. Jiang Nan Fang threw money out and, with a passionate acquisition speech, left him speechless, forcing him to kneel and submit.
As Jiang Nan Fang was feeling triumphant, Zhan Bei Jue arrived.
Like a madman, without a word, he hugged her and held her tightly.
"I'm sorry, wife, I'm sorry. I'm late. You've suffered. It's all my fault. Don't be sad anymore."
Jiang Nan Fang: "??"
"I know you've been wronged these past few days, and you've been wronged all along. I'll compensate you well from now on. Don't joke with your health. Don't drink anymore, I beg you."
How did he know she was drinking? How did he know she was wronged?
"I beg you?"
When did he become so good?
Her head was spinning, but it was true that being held by him felt really comfortable, even though he hadn't upheld his marital duties and had wronged her.
Since it was a dream, and she didn't need to use him, Jiang Nan Fang snuggled closer.
"You don't need me to teach you how to beg, do you? If you want me to listen to you, beg properly."
Zhan Bei Jue looked at her, her eyes closed, her face flushed, but her speech still relatively clear. He doubted how drunk she really was.
"...What are your instructions? How do you want me to beg?"
The scene in Jiang Nan Fang's dream was vivid. "Pick me up and kiss me. Only kiss me. If you dare to flirt with anyone else, I'll sew your mouth shut."
"..."
This is what you asked for yourself.
Zhan Bei Jue missed her every day and longed for an opportunity to kiss and hug her. Now he had finally succeeded.
However, afraid of scaring her, he lowered his head and gently touched her lips. "Is this okay?"
"No!"
Jiang Nan Fang was thirsty and anxious in her heart, frowning. "This isn't okay!"
Zhan Bei Jue observed her expression, guessing that she might miss him and desired something more. He became bolder.
"This?"
Jiang Nan Fang didn't speak, only shaking her head repeatedly.
Zhan Bei Jue became even bolder. "I know what to do now."