<\/p>\n\n\n\n
**Chapter 37: Pity the Jade**
When He Lingji arrived at the hotel, Qin Mang had just finished her shower.
The sheer nightgown accentuated her delicate and graceful figure, her snow-white skin shimmering as if reflecting light. A faint and captivating rose scent radiated from her body. She seemed surprised that He Lingji came over in the middle of the night.
Qin Mang stood at the door, gazing at the imposing figure outside the hallway. With her slender arm braced against the doorframe, she seemed unbothered, speaking coolly, \u201cWho is this grand Buddha?\u201d
\u201cTo visit my humble place in the middle of the night\u2026\u201d
\u201cYour Majesty, what a trouble.\u201d
She had just found her confidence.
The next second.
He Lingji, carrying a silver carry-on suitcase in one hand, wrapped his other arm around her slender waist, and without hesitation, he picked her up and carried her into the room. With a swift stretch of his long legs, he used his knee to close the door, making a loud \u2018bang.\u2019
Qin Mang was caught off guard, not even having time to resist. She was gently placed down.
\u201c\u2026\u201d
The large room was brightly lit, still glowing as brightly as daylight in the middle of the night. He Lingji wasn\u2019t fond of such glaring lights. He casually turned off a few of them.
\u201cNo, don\u2019t turn them off!\u201d
Qin Mang grabbed his wrist.
In the next moment, she was unprepared as he pushed her against the wall. The room, originally filled with the scent of roses, now felt cold due to the sudden intrusion of the man. Her snow-white shoulder pressed against his cold coat, making her involuntarily shiver.
\u201cYou\u2026\u201d
He Lingji lowered his gaze and saw the small red mole on the tip of her delicate nose, which he had noticed during the banquet. Following the rich scent on her body, his gaze first lingered on the alluring little red mole on her nose, before his lips moved down. He kissed her deeply. This mouth, so beautifully shaped, was made for kissing. He Lingji didn\u2019t want to hear her speak for now.
He rarely kissed her, especially not with such a suffocating and reckless kiss. It felt as if he wanted to drain all the air from her lungs.
Qin Mang\u2019s eyes quickly flushed with a thin layer of red. She was struggling to breathe. He Lingji\u2019s fingers gently pressed against the delicate back of her neck, firmly controlling her, almost as if holding a kitten.
\u201cAre you trying to kiss me to death?\u201d
Qin Mang barely managed to pull away from his lips, barely squeezing out six words.
After a long silence. She then heard the man chuckle lowly from his chest, his finger gently brushing over the corner of her lips before kissing her again, mumbling,
\u201cDon\u2019t worry, no one has ever died from kissing too much.\u201d
Qin Mang: \u201c\u2026\u201d
What does he mean by that? Does she have to die to prove this theory?
\u201cDon\u2019t think that using your charm will fool me.\u201d
\u201cLet go of me.\u201d
Qin Mang quickly regained her composure, resisting by pushing against him.
He Lingji effortlessly loosened his grip, casually pulling off his tie as he looked at her watery, shimmering eyes. He wanted to be angry. But those eyes, filled with affection, seemed more like a spoiled child than the cold and mocking gaze he had first encountered. He felt a sense of satisfaction.
\u201cAlright.\u201d
\u201cThen Madam He, shall we sit down and talk properly?\u201d
\u201cTalk about what?\u201d
\u201cOf course, why you\u2019re suddenly\u2026\u201d angry.
Before he finished his sentence, the brightly lit room suddenly plunged into darkness. The sudden darkness caused Qin Mang to panic. Everything around her was pitch black, not a single light visible. She froze, unable to move. All she could hear was the rapid thumping of her own heartbeat. Faster and faster.
He Lingji, noticing her unusual breathing, rarely showed patience and calmly reassured her, \u201cIt\u2019s just a power outage.\u201d
When he reached out to grab her hand.
\u201cSlap\u2014\u201d
Qin Mang slapped his hand away. \u201cDon\u2019t touch me.\u201d
In the next moment, she crouched on the floor, covering her ears and mumbling, \u201cDon\u2019t touch me, don\u2019t look at me\u2026\u201d
He Lingji\u2019s brows furrowed. He didn\u2019t mind the slight numbness in his hand. Instead, he tried to lift her off the ground.
At that moment.
The door made a \u2018ding\u2019 sound. A-Tong, holding the flashlight from her phone, hurriedly entered.
\u201cSis, are you alright?!\u201d
Not hearing Qin Mang\u2019s voice, but instead hearing a cold and chilling man\u2019s voice, \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with her?\u201d
A-Tong was startled. She shined her flashlight around and quickly realized that He Lingji was also there. Qin Mang was curled up in his arms. It seemed like she was having an episode again.
A-Tong anxiously said, \u201cDon\u2019t be afraid, don\u2019t be afraid, it\u2019s just a five-minute power outage. The electricity will come back on soon.\u201d
Then, taking advantage of the darkness, she couldn\u2019t see He Lingji clearly. Especially remembering that Qin Mang had been waking up scared every night recently, unable to sleep, and He Lingji, knowing this, didn\u2019t even bother to ask, let alone accompany her. Her courage grew a little:
\u201cMr. He, you\u2019ve gone too far this time.\u201d
\u201cSis is filming a suspense movie and developed claustrophobia, now she\u2019s still dealing with the aftermath. She can\u2019t sleep at night, and you didn\u2019t even care!\u201d
\u201cClaustrophobia? Can\u2019t sleep at night?\u201d
He Lingji, holding her in his arms, normally a walking furnace, was now as cold as ice. His low, clear voice carried a trace of hoarseness\u2014not a question, but with an indescribable emotion.
Qin Mang breathed in the familiar icy scent, which strangely gave her a sense of safety. Her slender fingers tightened around the collar of his shirt. For these past few days, this was what she had been longing for.
Qin Mang felt like a traveler in the desert, thirsting for something. Her mind was filled with He Lingji\u2019s scent, and she didn\u2019t even hear what he said.
\u201cYou didn\u2019t know or have you forgotten?\u201d
A-Tong, speaking more boldly as she went, said, \u201cI had Secretary Tao relay this to you a few days ago.\u201d
\u201cYou didn\u2019t know how much Sis has been hoping you would come and stay with her?\u201d
\u201cEvery day she\u2019s been disappointed, can\u2019t eat, can\u2019t drink, can\u2019t sleep, she\u2019s lost five pounds in just three or four days!\u201d
She had tried hard to lose weight for over a month, but hadn\u2019t lost as much as she had in the past few days. He Lingji had no idea.
The girl in his arms felt light, almost weightless. And her current state didn\u2019t seem fake.
The man, usually emotionless, had his gaze stirred in the dark, as though turbulent waves had suddenly appeared in his eyes.
\u201cDing.\u201d
A soft sound.
The lights suddenly turned back on.
Qin Mang slowly regained her composure. Her body, which had been freshly showered, began to sweat again. She sat up from He Lingji\u2019s embrace, her beautiful eyes calmly looking at A-Tong.
\u201cI\u2019m fine, you can go back and rest.\u201d
A-Tong looked at Qin Mang, then at He Lingji. When their gazes met, she quickly recoiled. When she left the room, her heart was still pounding. Holy crap, she had just done something big.
She had offended Mr. He with her words, yet he hadn\u2019t gotten angry! Could it be that he would punish her later? The more she thought about it, the more scared she became. She had really gotten bold! She could brag about this for a lifetime!
The spacious room was now left with just the two of them.
Qin Mang, as if nothing happened, passed by him and walked toward the bathroom. Her slender figure swayed gracefully, as though the pitiful girl curled up in his arms just moments ago was not the same person.
Qin Mang, being proud, didn\u2019t want to continue this topic, especially now that she realized she might have misunderstood He Lingji. But the small bit of happiness deep inside her heart couldn\u2019t help but spread. It wasn\u2019t that he didn\u2019t care for her. It was that someone had been secretly causing trouble.
\u201cWhere are you going?\u201d
Qin Mang, standing tall, responded confidently, \u201cI\u2019m going to take a shower.\u201d
\u201cWhy are you still standing there?\u201d
\u201cDon\u2019t you need to handle the incompetent secretary?\u201d
\u201cYour wife is sick, and you dared to ignore it and hide it from me.\u201d
He Lingji looked at her, her once bright and charming gaze returning. Then, suddenly\u2014he smiled very lightly. It was as though the ancient ice in a glacier was slowly melting. He said, \u201cAlright.\u201d
Before Qin Mang entered the bathroom, she heard He Lingji\u2019s calm voice:
\u201cSo, Madam He is\u2026 feeling wronged?\u201d
Qin Mang almost fell on the spot. But she didn\u2019t deny
it, turning around, \u201cYes, I\u2019m wronged!\u201d
\u201cYou must give me a reasonable explanation.\u201d
\u201cOr else, we\u2019re not done!\u201d
\u2026
He Lingji was efficient. He directly called Secretary Tao to rush over. Secretary Tao felt wronged:
\u201cI remember I was on a business trip, and I asked Lou Tingdai to tell you.\u201d
\u201cDidn\u2019t she say anything?\u201d
If she hadn\u2019t run into President He, why didn\u2019t Lou Tingdai say anything to her?
Even sending President He a message on her phone would\u2019ve prevented such a long delay. It nearly caused a rift between him and his wife.
Lou Tingdai?
Qin Mang had just come out of the bathroom when a figure appeared in her mind.
She raised an eyebrow and glanced at him. \u201cThat pretty new secretary you brought to the charity dinner last night as your date?\u201d
\u201cShe\u2019s the Director of the Technical Department,\u201d He Lingji said flatly, his tone no different than when he\u2019d mentioned Secretary Cong earlier. He emphasized, \u201cI didn\u2019t bring a date. I brought Secretary Cong.\u201d
Secretary Cong was also present and quickly raised her hand to swear, \u201cI just went to the car to grab something and asked Director Lou to help follow President He and make small talk.\u201d
\u201cIt was less than ten minutes!\u201d
\u201cI came right back!\u201d
\u201cAlright then.\u201d
Qin Mang recalled the scene from the previous night. Lou Tingdai had indeed been one step behind He Lingji the entire time, but she still wasn\u2019t satisfied.
Just one step?
She suddenly thought of something.
Qin Mang spoke as if idly chatting, but her tone was quite domineering: \u201cThat outfit you wore yesterday\u2014from head to toe\u2014throw it all out.\u201d
He Lingji casually agreed.
These trivial matters\u2014if Qin Mang cared about them\u2014he would never go against her wishes.
After all, between employees and his wife…
He Lingji knew clearly who mattered more.
As for Lou Tingdai, He Lingji would not rely solely on Tao Qin\u2019s one-sided story.
\u201cHave Director Lou come over. You two can confront each other face to face.\u201d
Tao Qin was more than happy to oblige.
She knew she couldn\u2019t escape her own negligence.
But Lou Tingdai shouldn\u2019t think she could get away with this either\u2014especially since Tao Qin really wanted to know the truth.
Secretary Cong checked the time.
4 a.m.
\u201cDirector Lou is probably already asleep.\u201d
\u201cWake her,\u201d He Lingji said curtly.
Qin Mang sat at her dressing table, calmly applying a facial mask and smoothing the lifted edges.
The thin, translucent sheet looked like a veil of mist, softening the sharp beauty of her face. Under the warm yellow light, her lips were slightly pursed\u2014stunningly beautiful.
But her words were sharp: \u201cPresident He, why so heartless this time?\u201d
Secretary Cong heard everything clearly.
Not daring to eavesdrop further on her boss\u2019s private conversation, she quickly responded, \u201cYes, I\u2019ll go notify her now.\u201d
Then she dragged Tao Qin toward the living room.
Not forgetting to scold her along the way.
Such a basic mistake\u2014how could she make it?
He Lingji stood behind Qin Mang, gazing at her beautiful face reflected in the mirror.
He slowly leaned down and placed a kiss on the pronounced butterfly-shaped bones of her back. \u201cI only care about you.\u201d
\u201cStill not enough.\u201d
Qin Mang: \u201c\u2026\u201d
This scoundrel was getting better at coaxing her.
Her previously pressed red lips curled up slightly without her realizing.
She gave a small hum, a little haughty. \u201cI\u2019m not going to praise you.\u201d
\u201cThat\u2019s just the basic standard for a married man.\u201d
\u201cYes, Mrs. He.\u201d
Though Lou Tingdai was still in Beicheng, she had long gone to bed.
Suddenly summoned by He Lingji in the middle of the night, she didn\u2019t seem to have had time to tidy up. Her usually neat long hair now fell loosely over her shoulders, giving her less of an intellectual vibe and more of a mature charm.
But her calm and elegant smile remained the same\u2014gentle, poised, and quiet.
She was the kind of person who made others feel comfortable.
Otherwise, Tao Qin wouldn\u2019t have trusted her as a friend back then.
When Tao Qin confronted her about not passing on the message…
Lou Tingdai looked surprised, as if she hadn\u2019t expected such an accusation.
After hesitating for a few seconds, she appeared confused. \u201cTao-jie, have you been under a lot of pressure lately? Maybe your memory\u2019s a little fuzzy?\u201d
\u201cYou did mention Madam\u2019s insomnia to me, but you never asked me to tell President He.\u201d
\u201cBesides, passing on messages is a secretary\u2019s job\u2014it\u2019s not within my duties.\u201d
\u201cYou said you were heading to the meeting room\u2026\u201d
Tao Qin exploded, trying to recall the conversation.
Suddenly, she realized\u2014
Lou Tingdai had never actually agreed to pass on the message. Every word had been a trap!
But Tao Qin wasn\u2019t a fool. After working with He Lingji for so many years, she quickly realized she\u2019d been used as a pawn.
After all, as a secretary, she had no rivalry with Lou Tingdai. There was no reason for her to be dragged down.
So\u2014
She suddenly understood.
Tao Qin said mockingly, \u201cYou\u2019ve been snatching work from us secretaries more than once, just to show your face in front of President He. Do you think we\u2019re blind to your little schemes?\u201d
Little schemes?
As a fellow woman, Qin Mang understood.
Her gaze landed on Lou Tingdai\u2019s loose black hair, and her red lips curved into a teasing smile.
Compared to Tao Qin\u2019s agitation, Lou Tingdai remained calm. Even when being insulted to her face, she kept her composure. \u201cI have a clear conscience. Everything I\u2019ve done has been part of my duties.\u201d
\u201cTao-jie, I understand how you feel, but you shouldn\u2019t throw accusations without proof.\u201d
The entire time, she didn\u2019t look at He Lingji even once.
As if none of what Tao Qin said had any hidden meaning. She radiated an air of righteousness, making others think Tao Qin was just desperate and lashing out unfairly.
No evidence.
Tao Qin glared at her, fuming.
Lou Tingdai\u2019s face stayed serene.
The contrast only made Tao Qin look even more unstable.
The room was tense for a moment.
Leaning back on the sofa, Qin Mang yawned after watching the whole scene. Her beautiful eyes grew misty with drowsiness. She slowly clapped her hands. \u201cThank you both for putting on a great show before bedtime. This is the first time I\u2019ve felt sleepy in days.\u201d
Who was acting?
It was obvious.
He Lingji rested his long fingers casually behind her, his gaze on the faint blush at the corners of her eyes.
Seeing she was truly tired\u2014
He ended the farce. \u201cTao Qin was grossly negligent. She is demoted to assistant secretary, relieved of her current position, and will forfeit one year\u2019s bonus. Let this be a warning.\u201d
As for Lou Tingdai\u2014
He Lingji didn\u2019t even glance at her. While toying with Qin Mang\u2019s delicate fingers, he said calmly, \u201cIf Director Lou has work matters, do not bypass the proper channels to the CEO\u2019s office.\u201d
He paused. \u201cCoordinate with Assistant Tao first, and then report accordingly.\u201d
Lou Tingdai\u2019s previously calm expression finally cracked.
\u2026
\u201cHe Lingji, you\u2019re so bad.\u201d
You knew those two had just torn into each other, and now you\u2019re making them work together?
He Lingji\u2019s cool voice was like frost. \u201cStandard punishment.\u201d
After the chaos of the night\u2014
Qin Mang was indeed exhausted, but her mind had finally relaxed. She placed her hand on He Lingji\u2019s arm for support and stood up, walking back to the room. Her newly changed blue nightgown trailed along the floor, adding to her lazy elegance.
She looked even more languid.
\u201cSleep, sleep.\u201d
\u201cSo sleepy.\u201d
Tonight\u2019s drama\u2014
It was a good show.
But if it had taken place during the day, she would\u2019ve enjoyed it even more.
Qin Mang lay in the warm, cozy bed.
Her fingers gripped the corner of the man\u2019s robe beside her. Her eyelids felt heavy, sleep coming fast.
It was the only time in days that she closed her eyes and wasn\u2019t swallowed by that dark swamp\u2014wasn\u2019t haunted by those strange, dangerous eyes or voices.
A few minutes later\u2014
In a soft, hazy voice, she asked, \u201cIf Secretary Tao had told you, would you have left work and come to me?\u201d
He Lingji\u2019s cold, deep eyes rippled slightly.
Would he?
Qin Mang, half-asleep, heard a single word whispered beside her ear.
The answer was\u2014
Yes.<\/p>","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-3673","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3673"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3673\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3674,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3673\/revisions\/3674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=3673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}