Captivating Beauty 16

Chapter 16

“…”

Xu Jinnan had anticipated the risks of living under the same roof with someone as observant as Shen Shu, but being caught so quickly was unexpected.

She maintained her composure, her voice muffled by the tissue pressed against her nose. “Really? I always get nosebleeds after drinking it.”

Shen Shu watched her for a moment, then turned and left the room. Xu Jinnan heard the door open and close.

She smiled faintly. Good thing she’d thought fast.

Shen Shu wouldn’t normally bother explaining things to her. If Xu Jinnan hadn’t already learned a bit about her, she might have fallen for the trap.

Footsteps approached again. Shen Shu returned with an ice pack, wrapped it in a clean towel, and placed it on the counter.

“Use this.”

“Oh… thanks.”

Xu Jinnan was surprised.

She watched Shen Shu’s retreating figure, then picked up the ice pack and pressed it against her nose, catching her reflection in the mirror – her face smeared with blood.

“…”

This was rather embarrassing.

Xu Jinnan barely slept that night. In the morning, she heard a noise and opened her eyes, her gaze drawn to a pair of elegant ankles, long, straight trousers, a slender waist beneath a crisp white shirt, and dark hair tied neatly back.

Perhaps sensing her gaze, Shen Shu turned around, holding a document.

Xu Jinnan’s eyes widened slightly.

The perfectly ironed shirt, buttoned all the way up, strained slightly against Shen Shu’s figure as she moved. A black blazer hung over her arm, the contrast accentuating her striking features.

This was the full impact of the aloof, alluring protagonist.

“I’m going to work. Lock the door when you get up.”

“Mm.” Xu Jinnan’s voice was raspy from disuse, but her drowsiness vanished under the onslaught of beauty.

She was, after all, susceptible to a pretty face.

After Shen Shu left, Xu Jinnan called Professor Qin about the invigorating soup.

“You haven’t stabilized yet. How could you consume something so potent?”

I didn’t know it was that potent, Xu Jinnan thought.

“Miss Xu, you haven’t experienced your first rut yet. Consuming such things can disrupt your Alpha hormone levels.” Professor Qin warned, “Especially for secondary differentiators, the first rut is usually more intense. Hormonal imbalances at this stage can lead to complications. Even if you try to alleviate it through… intimacy, or marking, it could be risky for both you and your partner.”

Xu Jinnan: “…And if there’s no… alleviation?”

She had no one to be intimate with, no one to mark.

Professor Qin paused, thinking, Does the promiscuous Xu Jinnan ever lack for partners? Then he remembered how much she’d changed since getting married. “You mean, if Miss Shen isn’t around? It could be dangerous, but…” He explained that he was developing a specialized suppressant.

Xu Jinnan hung up.

She hoped she’d still be alive when he finished developing it.

Downstairs, Wei Wuqing and Chen Xiaxia’s mother were lecturing Chen Xiaxia about last night’s incident.

Chen Xiaxia hung her head. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

“You should be apologizing to more than just me,” Xu Jinnan said, brushing past them.

It was clear that Chen Xiaxia’s stunt last night wasn’t a first. Xu Jinnan remembered an incident where Wei Wuqing, unhappy with Shen Shu’s decisions at the company, had woken her up in the middle of the night to berate her.

Her cold demeanor was deliberate.

Shen Shu always yielded to them. Xu Jinnan wouldn’t let them think she was easy to manipulate. They shouldn’t think either of them could be bullied.

As Xu Jinnan headed out, Chen Xiaxia followed her to the door, but didn’t dare stop her, perhaps sensing her change of heart. She wrung her hands, tears streaming down her face.

“Jinnan-jie, I really didn’t mean to do it last night. I’ll call my cousin and apologize. Can you please help me? I’m desperate.”

Xu Jinnan glanced at her watch.

Chen Xiaxia, afraid she would refuse, quickly explained her situation. She was supposed to play a supporting role in a drama, but she’d just learned she’d been replaced. That’s why she’d barged into their room last night.

Xu Jinnan’s phone rang. She glanced at the number. “I’ll think about it.” She had important things to do today. Once in the car, she took the documents Zhou Pei handed her.

“These are film and television companies that have been struggling recently. Some are looking for buyers, others for investors. I’ve listed them in order of estimated market value.”

Xu Jinnan flipped through the documents and pulled one out from the bottom of the pile. “Let’s go to this one.”

Zhou Pei cautioned, “This is the least promising one, and the owner has a bad reputation in the industry.”

“Could it be worse than mine?”

“…” Fair point.

Zhou Pei didn’t argue.

The visit ended at three in the afternoon. Xu Jinnan wanted to ask Shen Shu when she would be home, but she realized she didn’t have her number.

She definitely wasn’t on her WeChat contact list either.

She told Zhou Pei to drive to the Shen residence. Shen Shu’s white BMW was already parked in the garage. A gardener was trimming the hedges, so Xu Jinnan went inside.

In the living room, Shen Shu was standing before Wei Wuqing. “Mr. Yang discovered Shen Jun embezzled company funds.”

“Don’t try to fool me with that Mr. Yang excuse. I know you’re close to him at the company.” Wei Wuqing continued, “Don’t you care about your brother at all? You’ve embarrassed him in front of all the shareholders. Are you happy now?”

“Shen Shu, you’re in the wrong here,” Chen Xiaxia’s mother chimed in.

“Anyone else could take the blame, but not Shen Jun. He’s going to inherit the company. How can he continue working there now?”

“The news has already spread throughout the company.” Shen Shu took a deep breath. “Even my father can’t suppress it. What can I do?”

“There’s a solution. If you still consider yourself part of the Shen family, you’ll take the blame. You’ll be suspended for a few months, and then it’ll all blow over.”

Shen Shu looked at them, her heart sinking despite her preparations.

Her fingers, clutching her bag, turned white, her voice trembling slightly. “What if I can’t do that?”

Wei Wuqing’s face hardened. “If you can’t do that, you don’t deserve to be part of this family! Have you forgotten everything we’ve done for you just because you have Xu Jinnan as your backer? Let’s be honest, you only married into the Xu family because of us.”

Chen Xiaxia’s mother added, “And Xiaxia went to you last night, begging for your help. How did you treat her? Not only did you send her away, but you also had that Xu heiress come out and yell at me. Shen Shu, you should be helping your family.”

After a long silence, Shen Shu let out a bitter laugh.

“I’ve never been good enough for you.”

Wei Wuqing was about to retort when she saw a tall figure emerge from the hallway. Her face contorted into a mixture of anger and a forced smile.

“Nannan, you’re back so early…”

Xu Jinnan walked over without a word, took Shen Shu’s bag, and grasped her wrist.

Shen Shu tried to pull away, but Xu Jinnan’s grip tightened.

Xu Jinnan’s voice was cold. “Mrs. Wei, you’re wrong about one thing. Without Shu Shu, the Shen family is nothing to me.”

Wei Wuqing’s face paled at the formal address. She was about to speak, but Xu Jinnan glanced at Chen Xiaxia’s nervous mother and said slowly, “I was going to help Chen Xiaxia, for Shu Shu’s sake. But now it seems I can’t.”

“Miss Xu, about that…”

Xu Jinnan turned and walked away, pulling Shen Shu along with her.

As they walked to the car, Xu Jinnan looked down at Shen Shu. All the color had drained from her face, her eyes slightly reddened.

Perhaps because Xu Jinnan was staring, Shen Shu turned her head away, pulling her hand free.

“You can go. I’m going back to the company.”

Xu Jinnan’s voice hardened. “What for? You don’t need to deal with this mess.”

“You don’t have to do this either, Xu Jinnan…” Shen Shu stopped mid-sentence.

Zhou Pei was still in the car; they couldn’t discuss their arrangement openly. But Xu Jinnan understood the unspoken words: they had an agreement; she shouldn’t interfere in Shen Shu’s family matters.

Shen Shu’s face was pale and expressionless, like a cold porcelain doll.

“Being kind to you isn’t unnecessary,” Xu Jinnan said softly, her harsh tone replaced by gentle concern.

Shen Shu’s eyelashes fluttered. She heard Xu Jinnan’s warm, clear voice. “Shu Shu, have you ever thought about pursuing something you truly love?”