Falling into His Arms

The next day, sunlight slipped through the thin curtains, casting faint halos of light.

The phone on the bedside table beeped, waking Jiang Xiao from a drowsy state. She struggled to sit up, slapped the vibrating phone, and skillfully hung up using muscle memory.

Groggily opening her eyes, Jiang Xiao was stunned by the unfamiliar surroundings for a while until memories from yesterday flooded back like a tsunami. She remembered the mischief she had gotten herself into.

Jiang Xiao grabbed her hair with both hands and rubbed it in frustration, feeling speechless and wanting to hit someone. What a mess!

Last night, she had tried to call the system several times, trying to figure out what the word “but” meant, but to no avail. Like before, the system had hidden itself beautifully.

In a fit of frustration, Jiang Xia pounded the pillow a few times, but still felt unresolved anger. Just as she was about to kick the quilt with her feet, a knock suddenly came from outside the door.

No need to ask who it was.

Jiang Xiao calmed down, put on an official smile, and opened the bedroom door.

Zhou Qishen was dressed in a suit, apparently about to leave for work. After opening the door, he glanced up and down at Jiang Xiao’s messy hair and the empty lower half of her body. Without changing his expression, he raised an eyebrow, “I heard from Aunt Wang that you slept all day?”

From his words, Jiang Xia sensed something amiss, but was still puzzled, “Huh? Did I sleep that long? Isn’t it just morning?”

Sunlight had just started streaming through the curtains.

Zhou Qishen tapped his wrist watch and said, “It’s already four o’clock in the evening.”

He had gone to work in the morning and during his lunch break, he called the housekeeper. Upon learning that Jiang Xia hadn’t left her bedroom all day and didn’t respond to knocks on the door, he worried something had happened to her. He instructed the housekeeper to use the spare key to open the door, only to find out she had simply been sleeping deeply and hadn’t heard anything.

I felt a little relieved, but still left work early and rushed back home. I didn’t expect that she could really sleep and she slept until four in the evening.

Jiang Xiao belatedly realized that his neatly dressed appearance wasn’t because he was heading to work. He had clearly come back after finishing work.

And the sunlight streaming in wasn’t morning light but dusk.

No wonder she felt unusually tired. It was because she had slept too long.

Embarrassedly scratching her head, Jiang Xiao murmured, “Maybe I stayed up too late yesterday and tired myself out.”

At her words, Zhou Qishen’s eyes widened slightly. Leaning against the door frame, he tilted his head and leaned forward with a smile, “What does my wife want for a breakfast at 4 in the evening?”

The distance between them suddenly closed, his teasing tone and deep voice making her unconsciously hold her breath.

Jiang Xiao’s thick eyelashes trembled slightly as she hurriedly lowered her head, trying to hide the slight fluster in her clear dark eyes.

Not hearing a response, Zhou Qishen emphasized, his tone rising slowly, “Hmm?”

As he leaned forward, his handsome features seemed to enlarge before Jiang Xiao’s eyes, causing her to instinctively step back half a step.

She kept her head lowered, afraid that if she accidentally met his long, slender peach-blossom eyes, it would reveal her fleeting infatuation.

“Whatever.”

After hastily uttering these words, she slammed the door shut with a bang.

The door panel narrowly missed his nose, and Zhou Qishen instinctively closed his eyes in response.

When he opened them again, all he saw was pure white.

Just a door away, Jiang Xiao quickly walked into the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face twice and patting it hard to force herself awake.

However, the more she tried to wake up, the harder it became to shake that smiling face from her mind.

Staring at her flushed cheeks in the mirror, she felt extremely regretful. When would she ever cure herself of this bad habit of easily falling for handsome guys?

No, no, admiring handsome guys was a natural instinct for girls. If anyone was to blame, it should be Zhou Qishen for smiling so handsomely for no reason.

After calming down, Jiang Xiao quickly freshened up, dressed neatly, and leisurely walked into the living room.

The kitchen faucet was running, and she followed the sound. A woman in her forties was washing dishes. Hearing the movement, she turned her head with a gentle smile, “Miss Jiang, you’re awake? Come over and eat.”

Several dishes were laid out on the dining table, leaning towards light flavors. There were two servings of each dish, presenting a complete balance of color, fragrance, and taste.

Jiang Xiao glanced around but didn’t see that figure. “Where’s Zhou Qishen?”

“The master has gone to take a shower. He told you to eat first if you are hungry and not to wait for him.”

Jiang Xiao nodded, moving to sit down at the dining table, “May I ask how I should address you?”

“I’m the auntie Mr. Zhou hired specifically to cook. Miss Jiang can call me Aunt Wang.” Aunt Wang had a kind appearance, dressed neatly and cleanly, speaking gently. She seemed easy to get along with, and the dishes she made were delicious. Jiang Xiao tried each dish and found that they were no less flavorful than those made by chefs outside.

After sleeping all day, Jiang Xiao was truly hungry and ended up eating more than usual, even having half a bowl of rice which was rare for her.

She ate slowly, savoring each bite to aid digestion.

Just as she was eating seriously, Zhou Qishen’s voice suddenly came from ahead, “After eating, come with me to do something.”

Jiang Xiao instinctively stopped eating and looked up.

Zhou Qishen leaned against the wall, looking like he had just finished showering. A towel was draped over his head, his damp hair still dripping water. He wore a black bathrobe, meticulously tied securely around his waist without revealing any inappropriate skin.

Jiang Xiao sighed inwardly; why was he dressed so tightly in her own home?

Not knowing how long he had been standing there, Jiang Xiao asked somewhat cautiously, “What are we going to do?”

“Attend a private banquet.”

Jiang Xiao stood still, realizing that he was asking her to accompany him as his companion?

Her heart sank instantly with a myriad of unwilling thoughts. Just as she was about to refuse, Zhou Qishen turned and walked towards the bedroom without further explanation.

Obviously, other than agreeing, he didn’t give her a second choice.

For a moment, Jiang Xiao felt like the food in her bowl was no longer appetizing.

Ten minutes later, Zhou Qishen came back well-dressed in a dark blue suit and appeared at the dining table.

“I’m not going! I haven’t washed my hair, haven’t put on makeup, and I don’t have a nice dress. I look terrible; I really won’t go,” Jiang Xiao resisted with a full face, attempting a final struggle.

Zhou Qishen’s hand holding the bowl paused, his gaze assessing her plain face. Because she hadn’t put on makeup and had stayed up late, dark circles had appeared under her eyes, making her look slightly weary. However, her inherent facial advantage was still there, absolutely not matching the ugly word she used.

After a few seconds of silence, he casually uttered a few words, “Not going? Not going is fine.”

Jiang Xiao’s eyes lit up, “Really?”

Zhou Qishen continued calmly, “I can find another woman.”

“… “

Jiang Xiao’s pretty face visibly deflated. This statement was truly a killer blow. As his wife, she couldn’t really let him go find another woman as his companion, right?

Perhaps seeing her attitude soften, Zhou Qishen comforted her gently, “You don’t have to stay too long. Just say hello and come back.”

Jiang Xiao felt hopeless; it seemed there was no second answer besides agreeing.

She reluctantly muttered, “You said it yourself; you can’t deceive me.”

With half reluctance and half coercion, after finishing her meal, Zhou Qishen took her out, heading straight to a high-end makeup shop.

In less than an hour, Jiang Xiao had been completely transformed.

She wore a black off-the-shoulder fishtail gown, styled elegantly with an updo and light makeup complemented by red lips. A diamond necklace shimmered brightly around her neck, with simple yet detailed touches highlighting all her advantages.

Of course, this was under the condition of ignoring her sour face throughout the process.

*

As night fell, Beijing’s bustling cityscape was a mesmerizing blend of extravagance and noise, like a symphony echoing through its streets and alleys.

In the luxurious banquet hall on the top floor of the city center, celebrities gathered under shimmering starlight.

The big shots made their entrance, inevitably causing a stir.

Jiang Xiao walked into the venue, her arm linked with the man beside her, enjoying the attention of the crowd around them. With a glance, she recognized familiar faces from the industry.

Having attended many such occasions, she knew well that these high-level banquets were battlegrounds of fame and fortune, where opportunities and dangers coexisted. A slight misstep could unintentionally offend someone, leading to irreparable consequences.

Therefore, even though the smile on her face was becoming stiff, she maintained her basic decorum.

Before long, a foreign man hurried over, greeting Zhou Qishen and leading him to a private viewing terrace on the second floor.

From their conversation, it seemed he was the host of this event.

Jiang Xiao carefully observed him and immediately felt unsettled. Unexpectedly, the man before her was the grandson of the founder of Omega, a top-tier watch brand globally, and also responsible for its operations in China.

While the brand had previously focused on the European and American markets, it had shifted towards the Chinese market in recent years due to changing consumer trends, urgently needing suitable spokespeople and brand ambassadors for promotion.

So far, besides the acclaimed actor Ji Changzheng securing the endorsement, Jiang Xiao hadn’t heard of any other celebrities landing similar roles. Her own team had made little progress in this regard.

Despite knowing that with her qualifications, landing an endorsement deal was still a stretch, the opportunity was right in front of her. How could she not seize it? Even if not as the spokesperson, being an ambassador would suffice.

Jiang Xiao was eager to try, but the man was engrossed in conversation with Zhou Qishen and left her no opening.

After finishing two glasses of fruit wine, unable to continue their conversation, Jiang Xiao lifted a third glass to her lips, only to have it ruthlessly taken away.

Zhou Qishen gently wiped the back of her hand with his fingertips, gesturing for a waiter to replace her drink with water, and kindly reminded her, “This wine is strong. Best not to drink more.”

Jiang Xiao didn’t want to risk getting drunk at such an event and nodded obediently.

“Who’s this?” Paul’s gaze appraised Jiang Xiao. From the beginning, he had noticed her beautiful and mysterious Eastern face, which seemed oddly familiar. He thought he might have seen her name on a list of artists sent to him by his subordinates, but he couldn’t be sure.

Paul took the initiative to ask, and Jiang Xiao, unwilling to miss the opportunity, gathered her courage to strike up a conversation. “Hello, Mr. Paul. My name is Jiang Xiao, an actress. I’ve sent my resume to you before, do you remember?” she said in English.

Paul’s confirmation affirmed his initial guess. While Jiang Xiao was attractive, she didn’t have any standout works to qualify as his top choice for selecting a spokesperson.

However…

Paul’s peripheral vision caught Zhou Qishen nearby, adding another layer of consideration.

To break into the Chinese market, Zhou’s Group was indispensable. Jiang Xiao being Zhou Qishen’s companion, did it imply an obscure attempt to facilitate cooperation? If Zhou Qishen did have such intentions, Paul wouldn’t mind a bit of indirect collaboration.

But since Zhou Qishen hadn’t made his stance clear, Paul decided to wait and see, maintaining a smile as he said, “Of course I remember,” in English.

Jiang Xiao handed him her business card, expressing her strong desire to collaborate. “If you have any interest in working together, Mr. Paul, please feel free to call me or my team anytime,” she said in English.

Stopping there, Jiang Xiao didn’t press further. She had only met Paul in the glow of Zhou Qishen’s presence. Pushing for a definitive answer would only backfire if she didn’t know her boundaries.

Of course, cooperation would be ideal, but failure to secure it wouldn’t be catastrophic.

Her approach also earned Paul’s favor; he appreciated the tact of a smart person.

After a while, Jiang Xiao excused herself to the restroom and shared the good news with Liang Cheng.

[Just Jiang Zi]: Hehehe, guess who I met?

[Your Social Sister Liang]: If you have something to say, say it quickly. If you have to fart, fart quickly.

[Just Jiang Zi]: Paul! I talked to him for a while.

[Your Social Sister Liang]: My dear, did you manage to secure the endorsement?

[Just Jiang Zi]: …Not yet, but there’s hope.

[Your Social Sister Liang]: Goodbye.

Liang Cheng changed her attitude faster than turning the pages of a book. She was calling her baby one second, but when she heard that she didn’t get the endorsement, she returned to her true nature the next second and quickly ended the conversation.

Jiang Xiao turned off her screen, clicking her tongue twice. “What a heartless woman.”

Exiting the restroom, at the end of the hallway, Jiang Xiao unexpectedly saw a familiar pair.

Their looks and stature were outstanding, dressed in elegant attire, akin to a perfect couple that demanded attention.

A day later, encountering Zhou Wenting and Lin Qianyu again, Jiang Xiao’s heart was somewhat conflicted. Fortunately, they didn’t glance in her direction, so they didn’t notice her.

Encountering the male and female leads wasn’t exactly fortunate because their presence together was sure to cause some plot-driving “accidents.”

In order to avoid getting into trouble, Jiang Xiao made a prompt decision and wanted to return to the observation deck as soon as possible, but at this moment, two people in the distance suddenly moved.

Zhou Wenting bent down, gently kissing Lin Qianyu’s forehead. She blushed shyly, burying her head in his chest.

Seeing this scene, Jiang Xiao’s brow furrowed tighter. Her desire to leave intensified. However, as soon as she turned around, she accidentally collided with a solid chest. The impact staggered her, causing her to stumble backward.

The man she accidentally bumped into instinctively reached out, grabbing her arm to steady her swaying figure.

Jiang Xiao was about to apologize when she heard a familiar yet unfamiliar whisper from above.