"Forget it." Jing Meng sighed after a moment of thought, tossing her pen aside.
Even if she knew it was a trap, she had to dive in.
"I will look into Jing Hong's matter myself."
For some reason, Pei Shiyi's face suddenly flashed through her mind.
Thinking of him, Jing Meng sighed helplessly. She knew he had forbidden her from investigating Jing Hong's affairs for her own safety, but Jing Hong was her younger brother, after all. She couldn't just wash her hands of him.
Jing Meng picked up the pen she had discarded and began mapping out a timeline of yesterday's events.
"The bar..."
Her eyes lit up.
Back at the bar, she had noticed that the clothes Jing Hong was wearing looked like a uniform. Did that mean he worked there?
After carefully reviewing her memories, Jing Meng decided to try her luck at that bar. To ensure she didn't look out of place, she specifically selected a provocative outfit from her wardrobe.
"Waiter, a whiskey!"
Just as Jing Meng was squinting through the crowd of people swaying to the music, searching for the figure she most wanted to find, a familiar voice reached her ears. She turned instinctively.
Pei Shiyi?!
Cursing her luck, Jing Meng turned and fled.
She didn't stop until she reached a secluded corner, clutching her chest as she exhaled in relief. "That was close..."
"What was close?" A pleasant male voice suddenly rang out above her head.
Jing Meng kept her head down, gritting her teeth secretly as she forced a stiff smile. "What a coincidence, President Pei."
Pei Shiyi didn't respond, merely scanning her head to toe.
Jing Meng trembled involuntarily.
His current gaze was just like it had been when they first met cold to the point of heartlessness. She didn't even dare to meet his eyes.
Just as Jing Meng thought they were destined to remain in awkward silence, a coat carrying a lingering warmth was draped over her shoulders. The faint scent of cologne instantly enveloped her.
"Pei..."
Before she could speak, he pulled her toward the exit without allowing any room for argument. Jing Meng clutched the coat on her shoulders with one hand while he gripped her wrist tightly with the other, leaving her to stumble along after him as they left the bar.
It wasn't until he stuffed her into the car that Jing Meng belatedly realized something was wrong.
"You..."
"Drive!" Pei Shiyi ignored her struggle, still holding her hand as he gave the cold command.
The Rolls-Royce carved a perfect arc through the night.
"Let go of me, Pei Shiyi!" After struggling fruitlessly for a long time, her expression finally darkened.
Only then did Pei Shiyi release her, his ink-black eyes betraying no emotion.
"I told you, I will look into Jing Hong's matter." When he spoke, there was no interrogation in his voice; his tone was exactly the same as usual.
Jing Meng was momentarily stunned and slowly lowered her head.
"I know." Like a child who had done something wrong, she defended herself in a low voice. "I know the bar is dangerous, but Jing Hong is my younger brother. I can't just ignore him."
Pei Shiyi sighed helplessly and reached out to tidy her hair. "I didn't consider your feelings enough. I apologize."
His gentle yet helpless tone caused her wavering heart to sink further into the tenderness he offered. Jing Meng clutched his suit jacket a bit tighter and gave a quiet response.
The driver breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that the tension between the two had finally dissipated.
The Pei residence.
Pei Cheng watched the late-returning Pei Shiyi while rubbing his eyes and yawning. He sounded a bit resentful as he asked, "Why are you back so"
Before he could finish, he saw Jing Meng entering behind his father. The boy's eyes lit up, and he lunged forward...
Only to be caught by the scruff of his neck by his father.
Jing Meng couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the father and son.
"Mengmeng..." Pei Cheng looked at her piteously, seeing her laugh.
Jing Meng took him from Pei Shiyi's hands and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "Did Chengcheng miss me?"
"Yes!" Pei Cheng answered without a second thought. He wrapped his chubby little hands around her neck and nuzzled her affectionately. "I missed Mengmeng so much."
"That's enough cloying behavior from you two." Pei Shiyi showed a rare, visible smile as he pulled Pei Cheng out of Jing Meng's arms. "Go back to sleep."
Pei Cheng was speechless.
He wasn't fooled; he knew his father just wanted Mengmeng all to himself! With a resentful glance at Pei Shiyi, the boy returned to his room, looking back every three steps.
Jing Meng found his antics quite amusing.
"The bathtub is already filled with hot water. Go wash up first and get that..." He paused, his gaze sweeping over her clothes with a complex expression.
This time, Jing Meng was sharp enough to read his look.
Disdain...
She looked down at herself. What she had thought was an appropriate outfit earlier now seemed extremely revealing. The low V-neck design was obvious the moment she tilted her head, the well-tailored waist perfectly outlined her cleavage, and the hem of the dress featured a cheongsam-style slit that exposed her thighs as she moved.
Jing Meng was mortified.
How had she managed to walk out the door in this? She had even gone to a bar dressed so brazenly...
"No, this is..." Fearing that Pei Shiyi would misunderstand, Jing Meng tried to explain, but she found herself at a loss for words.
After all, she had picked out the clothes herself and worn them herself.
Pei Shiyi didn't press the issue, seemingly uninterested in the topic. He simply repeated the instruction for her to bathe and headed for the study.
Jing Meng stood in place and sighed at the ceiling. "When it rains, it pours!"
An hour later, in the study.
Pei Shiyi frowned as he reviewed the results of the day's investigation, his slender fingers tapping rhythmically against the desk.
Knock, knock!
"Come in!" he answered without looking up.
Jing Meng pushed the door open and walked in cautiously, giving him a sheepish smile. "Um... I wanted to ask, regarding Jing Hong..."
Pei Shiyi's gaze fell first on her still-damp hair.
It seemed she truly cared about this brother of hers.
He stood up and pulled her toward a chair to sit. Jing Meng complied, not knowing what he intended. Pei Shiyi took a hairdryer from a drawer and naturally began drying her hair for her.
Jing Meng was shocked.
She almost jumped up by reflex, but Pei Shiyi pressed his hands onto her shoulders and pushed her back down.
"Don't move. If you don't dry your hair, you'll catch a cold easily."
Feeling those large, warm hands moving through her hair sent a wave of goosebumps across her skin. Jing Meng quickly tried to stop him.
"I'll do it myself!"
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