Chu Shangluo stood still, staring at the two people opposite him as if he were frozen.

He felt a tightness in his chest, unable to breathe. He couldn’t bear the fact that, in such a critical moment, his secretary had not come to his rescue, but instead had recklessly saved someone else. And that someone was a person who could come and go freely from Ren Jiaoming’s house, who knew Ren Jiaoming’s past, and who had been blocking his financial interests for years—Wen Yan, the young master of the Wen family.

Chu Shangluo clenched his fist tighter. In comparison to such a life-and-death decision, Ren Jiaoming’s willingness to accompany him to meet Su Ran seemed insignificant, unimportant.

Jiang Jia, not quite believing that Chu Shangluo hadn’t pushed him away yet, lifted his head from Chu Shangluo’s chest. Seeing the unusually ugly expression on Chu Shangluo’s face, he was puzzled for a moment, then followed his gaze and soon understood what was going on.

He stood up straight and whispered into Chu Shangluo’s ear with added exaggeration: “Chu Shangluo, Ren Jiaoming likes Wen Yan.”

Chu Shangluo turned his gaze away, looking down at Jiang Jia’s cunning eyes, and pushed his face away with a hand. “Whether he likes someone or not, I’d rather hear him say it himself.”

After speaking, Chu Shangluo took a deep breath, exhaled, and repeated the action as if trying to expel the lingering frustration in his heart.

A moment later, Chu Shangluo regained his usual confident demeanor, tilting his chin slightly as he walked toward the two people.

Ren Jiaoming saw Chu Shangluo approaching, his gaze scanning him from head to toe. He spoke, “Are you alright?”

Chu Shangluo didn’t respond. In front of Wen Yan, he reached out and touched Ren Jiaoming’s face, brushing off a speck of dust near his eye. Just as Ren Jiaoming was about to recoil in disgust, Chu Shangluo withdrew his hand and spoke, “I’m fine. You can take Jiang Jia out. I have something to discuss with Young Master Wen.”

Ren Jiaoming could tell that Chu Shangluo wasn’t happy, so he didn’t say anything else. He turned and dragged the still-dazed Jiang Jia out of the room.

Once his people were gone, Chu Shangluo turned his attention to Wen Yan. Folding his arms, he sized him up and said, “I heard that Young Master Wen has a weak constitution. I never knew what the hidden illness was, but now I can see it’s your legs. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been unable to avoid a piece of falling concrete. Today, I’ve lent you my secretary for a moment, but next time, make sure you have some capable people around, because my secretary is not available for borrowing a second time.”

This statement was a direct insult to Wen Yan, who couldn’t even avoid a falling ceiling, while also subtly asserting his claim over Ren Jiaoming. Any other person would have been enraged, but Wen Yan continued to smile.

Wen Yan had always known that Chu Shangluo was difficult to deal with. In the past, he had set traps behind the scenes, but this was the first time they were truly facing off.

Chu Shangluo’s blatant hostility made Wen Yan feel very uncomfortable, but his tone remained gentle and polite. “Ruan Ge^[1]Ge or Gege means brother is a good person. He chose to save me in that dangerous moment, and I’m grateful to him. If I made Mr. Chu uncomfortable, I apologize.”

Chu Shangluo was never one to tolerate niceties like this. He slapped Wen Yan’s frail shoulder and spoke in a low voice, “No need to apologize. Ren Jiaoming is mine. If he saved you, it’s the same as me saving you. You owe me a favor, and one day, I’ll collect it.”

Wen Yan endured the sharp pain in his shoulder, watching Chu Shangluo’s carefree departure, and clenched his fists.

On the way back, Chu Shangluo had a dark expression on his face. He was the type of person who would show his displeasure openly, so the atmosphere in the car became unusually silent due to his bad mood. Chu Shangluo glanced at Ren Jiaoming and, seeing that he was acting as though nothing had happened, his anger grew even more. At this moment, he was extremely displeased, and, forcing down his rage, he asked, “Why didn’t my secretary save me?”

Ren Jiaoming glanced at him indifferently and replied, “You didn’t need saving. You could avoid it.”

“What if I hadn’t avoided it and got crushed to death?” Chu Shangluo retorted angrily.

Ren Jiaoming answered calmly, “There’s no such scenario.”

Chu Shangluo took a deep breath. Originally, he had been asking out of frustration, but now he was even angrier. “Secretary Ren, you may not talk much, but your verbal skills are quite good. Now, answer me honestly—do you like Wen Yan?”

Ren Jiaoming calmly warned, “You’re crossing a line.”

“Bang—” Chu Shangluo punched the car door in frustration. Facing Ren Jiaoming’s indifference and constant reminders of boundaries, he felt powerless, unable to vent his anger. The four bodyguards in the backseat gasped, but Jiang Jia, on the other hand, was thrilled and almost wanted to jump up. The more they argued, the better—if Ren Jiaoming lost hope, he might have a chance!

The rest of the ride was silent. Ren Jiaoming’s face remained like a frozen mask, while Chu Shangluo lit a cigarette, puffing one after another until the car was filled with the smell of smoke. Jiang Jia began coughing uncontrollably, and the other four bodyguards who do not smoke also had a hard time but didn’t dare to cough. Ren Jiaoming, however, remained unfazed. Though he hated the smell of smoke more than anyone else in the car, he was the best at hiding his emotions.

Chu Shangluo tried to calm his anger through smoking, but the more he smoked, the more agitated he became. His hand that held the cigarette trembled slightly. It shook so much that a spark fell, burning his finger. In fury, he opened the car window and threw the burning cigarette out, feeling the sting in his skin, though it was nothing compared to the pain in his heart.

When the car arrived at the Chu Corporation parking lot and stopped, Chu Shangluo angrily opened the door and got out. Ren Jiaoming’s lips pressed tightly together, his eyes fixed on Chu Shangluo’s departing back.

Jiang Jia, seeing Ren Jiaoming’s cold stare in the rearview mirror, hesitated to reach for his shoulder but quickly withdrew his hand, laughing nervously, “Ren Jiaoming, you really know how to make people mad. Hold on tight. When Chu Shangluo gets tired of it and stops caring about you, he’ll be mine!”

After saying that, Jiang Jia happily got out of the car to chase after Chu Shangluo.

Ren Jiaoming’s eyes, sharp as knives, followed Jiang Jia, who was sticking to Chu Shangluo, and then suddenly, he opened the car door. The cold wind rushed in, and the smoke cleared, along with his brief moment of impulsiveness. His expression returned to the usual calm, controlled demeanor.

As soon as Chu Shangluo returned to his office, he had everyone kicked out, including Lin Zhi and the annoying Jiang Jia, who had been following him around.

He sat in silence for a long time, until the anger in his heart finally subsided. However, once the anger settled, the lingering pain in his chest became even harder to bear. He rubbed his brow, opened the drawer, and inside was a delicate wooden box. He opened the box, revealing a half piece of red jade. The jade pendant was shaped like half of a vivid phoenix, with the word “Ruan” inscribed on it. This was something he had asked Lin Zhi to retrieve from the old house on his way to meet Su Ran earlier today. He had originally planned to give it to Ren Jiaoming upon his return, hoping to gain a bit of Ren Jiaoming’s sincerity. But now… things had turned out like this.

Chu Shangluo tightly gripped the jade pendant. The office was silent, and it wasn’t until much later that he realized Ren Jiaoming hadn’t returned yet. The sky was already dark, and Ren Jiaoming still hadn’t come back to the company, which was unusual. Chu Shangluo thought about going out to look for him but hesitated out of pride. After some internal struggle, he finally put on his coat.

As he passed by Ren Jiaoming’s desk, he saw the computer screen still on. Just as he was about to shut it off, he noticed a document left open. He clicked on it, and a resignation letter appeared. Although there was no stated reason, the name “Ren Jiaoming” at the top of the letter stung Chu Shangluo’s eyes. His fists clenched so tightly they turned white. He needed to find Ren Jiaoming and get to the bottom of this—what the hell did it mean?

The evening sky over Beijing had darkened to a deep shade of ink. Chu Shangluo, filled with anger, walked into the parking lot and immediately spotted Ren Jiaoming standing by his car. Just as he was about to approach, he noticed Wen Yan standing next to him. Chu Shangluo suddenly stopped in his tracks. The two didn’t see him and continued talking.

Wen Yan’s voice carried a hint of coldness, “Ruan Ge, after you take the jade pendant, come to my side. There’s no need to stay at Chu’s. Chu Shangluo is evil, cruel, and unscrupulous.” Chu Shangluo didn’t hear the rest of what Wen Yan said. He didn’t dare listen to Ren Jiaoming’s response; the resignation letter was the best answer he could get.

Chu Shangluo wasn’t afraid of anything—he could face anything. But when it came to Ren Jiaoming, time and time again, he couldn’t bring himself to step forward.

When Ren Jiaoming returned to the office, it was pitch dark inside, with an air of tension and decay. He turned on the lights and saw Chu Shangluo sitting on the couch, his face dark and brooding.

After a moment of silence, Ren Jiaoming spoke, “I saved Wen Yan today because I saw you dodge the attack.”

Chu Shangluo sneered. It had only been a few seconds, and he didn’t believe Ren Jiaoming had been able to see him dodge. His eyes were cold. “Ren Jiaoming, I brought the jade pendant, half of a phoenix, right?”

Ren Jiaoming sensed that Chu Shangluo was in a very bad mood. He hesitated before answering, “Yes.”

Chu Shangluo walked over to Ren Jiaoming, the scent of tobacco hanging in the air. He placed a hand on Ren Jiaoming’s shoulder, his lips curving into a smirk. “If you want the jade pendant, then sleep with me.”

Ren Jiaoming frowned. “Do you know what you’re saying?”

Chu Shangluo looked into Ren Jiaoming’s eyes, seeing the rejection there. Of course, he knew what he was saying. He also knew that the bond between them was too weak, and a simple contract wasn’t enough. To strengthen the bond, he needed to use more forceful means. “Of course I know what I’m saying. I’m threatening you.”

He reached his hand into Ren Jiaoming’s clothes, feeling the cool skin beneath. In the next moment, his hand was forcefully yanked out, and his body was pressed against the wall by Ren Jiaoming.

Chu Shangluo’s arm felt like it was being broken as Ren Jiaoming gripped it tightly. He struggled desperately, “Let go of me, you bastard!”

Ren Jiaoming coldly stared at him. No one had ever dared to threaten him like this before, and his grip tightened. Chu Shangluo’s face turned pale from the pain. Ren Jiaoming pressed one hand down on him while the other searched Chu Shangluo’s pockets, finding nothing. How could someone as cunning as Chu Shangluo have the thing Ren Jiaoming wanted on him? Then he heard Chu shangluo’s voice, “I’ve hidden the jade pendant. If you want it, if you want to find your brother, there’s only one way—sleep with me.”

The next moment, Chu Shangluo’s arm was twisted painfully again. He gritted his teeth, trying to suppress any sound of pain.

Ren Jiaoming’s face remained cold. “Chu Shangluo, don’t provoke me. It won’t be good for you.”

“Fine,” Chu Shangluo’s heart felt like it was being pierced with needles, but he still stubbornly retorted, “So, will you agree?”

Ren Jiaoming had never felt such intense anger before. Chu Shangluo was the person who most affected his emotions. It made him despise him, but for the jade pendant, he had no choice but to endure it.

The two of them remained locked in this stalemate. Even with Ren Jiaoming pressing him against the wall, Chu Shangluo was still trying to force Ren Jiaoming to submit. After a long while, Chu Shangluo felt the hand that was gripping him loosen. He turned his head, meeting Ren Jiaoming’s pitch-black eyes.

Compared to before, Ren Jiaoming now truly resembled an ice beauty. The coldness emanating from him was enough to chill one to the bone. Even the beautiful, seductive teardrop mole at the corner of his eye seemed to have lost its color.

“I agree,” Ren Jiaoming’s indifferent response made Chu Shangluo realize that something had broken. But if it had broken, so be it. Chu Shangluo had always been this kind of person—the type willing to do anything to get what he wanted.