Chapter 16: Leaning Into His Arms 

Jiang Jinnian pressed down on her shoulders, patiently coaxing her, “Nanzhi, you’re drunk. I’m taking you home.” 

Shen Nanzhi stopped retreating. 

She lifted her head and looked at him a few more times. 

This time, she didn’t dodge. Instead, she obediently let him wrap his arm around her waist and lift her into his embrace.

Shen Nanzhi was naturally well-behaved, and now, with her drunken eyes glistening with moisture, she looked even more obedient. 

Jiang Jinnian lowered his gaze to the girl nestled quietly in his arms. The deep darkness in his eyes softened with warmth. Tightening his hold around her, he didn’t linger. Tilting his head slightly, he told Gu Wenchuan, “We’ll head back first,” before carrying Shen Nanzhi out of the private room. 

Gu Wenchuan looked at the well-mannered girl in Jiang Jinnian’s arms, then turned to his own rebellious, unruly sister. Rubbing his temples, he let out a long sigh. 

“Gu Qinghe, look at Nanzhi—so obedient, so worry-free.” 

… 

Outside, the rain poured even harder. 

The sky was pitch-dark, heavy clouds looming overhead as if brewing an even greater storm. 

The moment they stepped out of the bar, a wave of damp, icy air mixed with rain swept over them. 

Shen Nanzhi shivered instinctively in Jiang Jinnian’s arms. 

Before he could shield her, she had already curled herself deeper into his embrace instinctively. 

Jiang Jinnian’s grip tightened slightly. He lowered his gaze to look at her. 

Waiting outside, Zhou Lin quickly stepped forward, raising an umbrella over Jiang Jinnian and Shen Nanzhi’s heads.

The driver, Xiao Zhang, had already opened the car door in advance. Jiang Jinnian carried Shen Nanzhi down the steps and into the vehicle. 

Once inside, Zhou Lin closed the umbrella and took his seat in the front passenger seat. He turned slightly, glancing toward Jiang Jinnian in the back. 

“President Jiang, I just checked the weather forecast. The rain will get even heavier in about half an hour. Are we heading back to Miss Shen’s apartment?” 

Jiang Jinnian replied, “To Yushan Residence.” 

Hearing the name, Zhou Lin paused for a moment but wasn’t particularly surprised. 

Yushan Residence was the marital home personally chosen by Jiang Jinnian. Although Xiao Zhang, the driver, had never been there, he knew its exact location. 

Upon hearing the destination, he quickly turned the steering wheel and took a turn eastward at the traffic light. 

The car moved smoothly along the neon-lit highway. Throughout the journey, Shen Nanzhi remained quiet. 

It wasn’t until they were just two intersections away from Yushan Residence that the girl, who had been obedient all this time, furrowed her brows and began shifting restlessly in her seat.

Jiang Jinnian held her waist, his deep, calm gaze fixed on the increasingly restless girl in his arms. “What do you want to do?” 

Her brows furrowed even more, and her fingers pressed against his arm, the tips turning pale as if she were uncomfortable. 

“…It’s so stuffy.” 

She ordered him, “Open the window for me.” 

Jiang Jinnian looked at her for a moment. Seeing that she wouldn’t settle down without the window open, he wrapped one arm around her and lowered the car window on his side just a little. 

At the same time, the moment the window dropped, he shifted his body slightly, shielding her entirely from the cold wind rushing in from outside. 

Only the fresh air, stripped of its icy dampness, circulated gently inside the car. 

The driver soon pulled into the underground garage of Yushan Residence. 

Zhou Lin got out to open the car door, and Jiang Jinnian carried Shen Nanzhi into the grand hall, heading straight for the bedroom on the third floor. 

Outside, thunder rumbled. A thick bolt of lightning slashed across the pitch-black night sky with overwhelming force, followed by a deafening roar of thunder. 

Shen Nanzhi’s eyelashes trembled slightly. The continuous sound of thunder outside made her body tense. Stiffly, she lifted a hand and caught hold of Jiang Jinnian just as he placed her on the bed and was about to leave. 

“…Brother Jinnian…”

Jiang Jinnian halted his movement and turned back to look at her. 

“You recognize me now?” 

Shen Nanzhi wasn’t exactly sober. 

It was just her instinctive fear of thunder and lightning that made her cling tightly to Jiang Jinnian’s arm, unwilling to let go.