The bag in Bai Ying’s hands had already been taken by Jiang Mocheng, a subtle move that even Shen Jin couldn’t help but react to, his jaw tensing and his expression turning cold.

Men naturally understand their own kind better, and Shen Jin was all too clear about the other’s intentions. Out of consideration for her presence, Shen Jin merely watched coldly as Jiang Mocheng held the delicate lady’s handbag, which was completely out of sync with his own pure black suit style.

Bai Ying looked bewildered, but inside she was furiously cursing.

What was with these two men, not playing by the rules at all, completely shattering all her plans?

She hadn’t expected Shen Jin to appear behind her so unexpectedly, nor had she expected him to say such meaningful words. And she certainly hadn’t expected Jiang Mocheng to rush back like a police dog catching a scent. Wasn’t he busy? How could he have returned so quickly!

Madness!

Jiang Mocheng turned his head to look at Bai Ying, whose face had turned somewhat pale. Their eyes met, and she visibly flinched—unsure whether she was panicking because of Shen Jin’s arrival or because he had discovered her identity.

He stood by her side, lazily shifting his gaze away from the hand that Shen Jin had almost used to touch her hair, and asked nonchalantly, “Is President Shen here on a business trip?”

“My business shouldn’t concern President Jiang.”

Jiang Mocheng spoke lightly, “If you’re not here for my girlfriend, then indeed, it has nothing to do with me.”

All three of them were actually well aware of the current situation.

With every sentence Bai Ying heard, her breathing lightened. Her fingers curled slightly. She really wanted to disappear from this scene, but caught between these two men, with each word they said, they would glance at her, seemingly very concerned about her reaction, leaving her no chance to be distracted. They clearly didn’t want her to just watch; they wanted her to join in…

To onlookers, Bai Ying, caught in the middle, seemed to be on the verge of collapse, fragile and helpless.

Zhao Minghai sat in the car, honestly watching the scene unfold, sighing with pity and inwardly cursing Jiang for not being a decent person.

“Bai Ying.”

Shen Jin called her as usual.

This call suddenly made the atmosphere, which had been superficially calm, turn cold.

“Who is President Shen calling?”

Jiang Mocheng raised his eyelids, the polite smile from before gradually fading, and Bai Ying, who was close to him, immediately felt the chilling pressure emanating from him.

This left her speechless and deeply confused.

It was clear that he had deceived her, and now that his identity had been exposed, he acted as if nothing had happened. Why did he look so displeased, as if he were the wronged party catching a cheater?

Shen Jin ignored Jiang Mocheng as if he were air, reaching out to Bai Ying as he had when they first met, gently saying, “Come home with me.”

Bai Ying was silent, thinking back to that time.

In just one year, it felt like many years had passed, and their roles had reversed. A year ago, she was the one afraid he wouldn’t reach out. Now, at this moment, a year later, he was the one afraid she wouldn’t respond.

The longer she remained silent, the uglier the two men’s expressions became.

In Jiang Mocheng’s view, she was struggling. He didn’t understand why, given their current relationship, she shouldn’t hesitate even for a second.

And in Shen Jin’s view, given her intelligence, she shouldn’t be unclear about the current situation, nor should she hesitate.

“Shen Jin.”

She replied softly, “You know, I haven’t had a home for a long time.”

Bai Ying didn’t want to stand on the street and watch others fight.

How these two men fought behind the scenes was none of her concern, but if they made a scene in front of her, whom should she help?

She looked tired, “It was wrong of me to leave without telling you.

I thought you would understand my decision when you saw the letter I left behind, I… I probably won’t return to the Shen family again.”

A letter? What letter?

Jiang Mocheng stared intently at Bai Ying.

Shen Jin knew this was not the place to talk. He masked his complex emotions and said pointedly, “Bai Ying, I’ve already told you, that place will always be your home. I won’t stop you from living the life you want, but one thing is for sure, you need to be safe.”

“That’s also why I came to pick you up.”

Bai Ying seemed to want to say she was safe, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she unavoidably met Jiang Mocheng’s gaze. She froze, silent as a deflated balloon.

After all, even the most foolish and slow-witted person would understand everything upon hearing the name “President Jiang.”

“It’s okay not to leave today.”

Seeing her silence, Shen Jin naturally did not want to force her and took a step back.

He looked at Jiang Mocheng indifferently, “President Jiang, since I’m here, the people you’ve planted in the hotel should also be withdrawn, right? Why go to such lengths, wasting manpower and resources?”

Bai Ying looked incredulously at Jiang Mocheng, her expression transitioning from confusion to shock.

Jiang Mocheng, however, avoided her gaze.

The angrier he was, the calmer he appeared, “Stretching your hand so long, aren’t you afraid it’ll be chopped off one day?”

The threat was implicit, and Shen Jin’s expression turned stern, “President Jiang has already come to my Shen family for re-employment, which is indeed worrying. Is President Jiang’s financial situation so dire that he was polite to me just a few days ago?”

Bai Ying turned to Shen Jin in surprise, witnessing his mean side for the first time. He had taught her not to expose people’s weaknesses or hit them in the face, yet what was he doing now?

Jiang Mocheng said nonchalantly, “That money could be just right for your right-hand man, Vice President Zhong’s hospitalization. If it’s not enough, shall I donate some more?”

Bai Ying paused.

Vice President Zhong must be Zhong Wen Hui. Was Zhong Wenhui hospitalized? It sounded like there was something she didn’t know, perhaps Zhong Wenhui was the cause of this whole series of events?

Shen Jin said calmly, “It’s indeed a surprise for Wen Hui. The vase he broke is worth President Jiang’s anger, personally making this trip.”

Jiang Mocheng was indifferent to such sarcasm, “I hope this matter won’t cause President Shen to break another one of his ribs.”

Bai Ying could not find the words to speak.

She blinked.

Who broke whose rib? She subconsciously looked at Shen Jin’s long, clean hands, hardly believing he would actually resort to violence unless she heard it herself.

She had heard rumors about Shen Jin’s past, how he forcefully took over all the connections and business from the previous boss, and was said to be ruthless and heartless.

But when she came to his side, he had already begun to cultivate his character, always treating everyone with restraint and calm, even politely to the waitstaff who accidentally bumped into him.

To those unaware of the inside story, he seemed like a refined and gentle scholar.

Not good!

She felt as if her own ribs were starting to ache.

Jiang Mocheng was always attentive to the subtle expressions on her face, and when she took a step back, he couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

It was just a broken rib, what was this coward afraid of?

But at the same time, a bitterness rose in his heart that he couldn’t control.

Did she think Shen Jin was a good person?

She stepped back, and Shen Jin subconsciously moved forward. Jiang Mocheng suddenly grasped her hand as if he had anticipated Shen Jin’s actions and intentions, pulling her behind him, forbidding anyone to pry, and not allowing Shen Jin’s hand to touch her again. He said coldly, “Try touching her again.”

Shen Jin looked at the clasped hands, his gaze sharp as a knife, “Let her go.”

But she did not struggle at all.

Bo Ying, feeling Shen Jin’s icy stare, came back to her senses, almost wishing she could bite Jiang Mocheng to death. Just a second ago, she was seriously listening to their back-and-forth, trying to analyze more information, when he suddenly reached out to hold her hand—her body liked him more than her consciousness did.

Her hand was familiar with his temperature, his palm lines; he held it, and if it weren’t for her quick reaction, separating her consciousness from her body, she might have ended up interlocking fingers with him.

She immediately tried to break free.

Jiang Mocheng’s hand was like it was welded to hers, impossible to shake off.

She didn’t understand how he could go crazy without any warning.

However, she realized this was a good opportunity, finally breaking the current stalemate. So, at the moment when Shen Jin’s face darkened and he was about to approach, she hurriedly cried out in panic, “Shen Jin!”

It was like a blockage, but also like a cry for help out of fear.

As soon as she spoke, the two men, both tense as drawn bows, froze at the same time.

Jiang Mocheng gripped her hand even tighter, veins bulging as if he was holding back.

Bai Ying’s wrist was pressed against his watch, uncomfortably pinched.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. I’m really tired…” She said, weary and bewildered.

Bo Ying was unwilling to face the confrontation between the two men.

She couldn’t just stand there helplessly like a log, which would seem foolish, nor could she let them stop fighting with tears in her eyes and hands and feet in disarray, which would seem stupid—this wasn’t a choice between two options, she didn’t want to choose either, naturally, avoidance was best.

“Let me go.”

She looked at Jiang Mocheng, her eyes devoid of the affection they held before, only estrangement.

Jiang Mocheng stared at her with a heavy gaze.

This time, she easily broke free from his grasp, didn’t turn her head back, and quickly walked into the hotel.

Her pace was too fast, as if she was desperately fleeing from wolves and tigers behind her.

She hurried through the revolving door; the outside was always a few degrees colder than the inside. She didn’t know if it was a physiological reaction or if the temperature was too low, but her hand trembled slightly as she pressed the elevator button.

Once in the elevator, the moment the doors closed, she leaned against the cool wall, feeling somewhat suffocated, unable to breathe freely. She reached out and gently pulled off the scarf she had been wearing all day.

In the mirrored wall, her fair neck and exposed collarbone bore several kiss marks of varying depths.

The deepest one was surrounded by a faint, almost invisible ring of teeth marks.

How things developed didn’t matter; she only cared about the outcome.

…

Next to the fountain pool, two cars stood silently facing off.

Without Shen Jin’s order, Zhao Minghai didn’t dare to get out of the car.

They had come out in a hurry; Shen Jin wasn’t willing to wait even a minute after receiving the message, so the number of people he brought was extremely limited, and they were not necessarily at an advantage.

It wasn’t until her figure was no longer visible that Jiang Mocheng withdrew his gaze, “You can’t enter here, and you can’t take her away either, take your people and leave early.”

After Bai Ying left, Shen Jin completely removed his gentle mask, as if he had heard a very funny joke, he laughed briefly, “Aren’t you curious how I found Ning City so quickly under your strict guard?”

In Shen Jin’s view, Jiang Mocheng was still too green.

So, after learning about Zhong Wenhui’s situation, he rashly sneaked into the Shen residence.

Youth often also means foolish impulsiveness, unable to see the current situation clearly.

Perhaps Shen Jin also didn’t realize that his eyes hid obscurity and repression that he himself didn’t know about, “What happened yesterday, I think President Jiang, you know better than me.

Bai ying is timid and can’t withstand those things; she knows all my numbers by heart, no matter the issue, big or small, I have her come to me.”

“She’s afraid I’ll be distracted while working, usually, she only sends me text messages.”

Shen Jin smiled: “But, yesterday I received a phone call.”

This sentence made Jiang Mocheng’s face change abruptly.

Shen Jin put away the smile on his face and said expressionlessly, “What, President Jiang, are you surprised?”

He looked up at the hotel building.

The fully booked building had only a few lit windows.

Shen Jin’s rising anger was easily soothed, as long as she knew who to find when she encountered danger, when she was scared.

The sky gradually darkened.

The usually bustling hotel entrance had only a few cars parked, and Jiang Mocheng stood like a towering, cold mountain peak.

When Shen Jin had calmed his mood, his face wearing his usual gentle and appropriate expression, he heard Jiang Mocheng, who had been silent for a long time, speak almost calmly and indifferently, “So what—”

He tugged at the corner of his lips, “She still left you and chose me.”