Captivating Beauty 79p2

Chapter 79 p2

Xu Jinnan returned to her office and, finding a spare suit in the lounge, put on the jacket, the warmth of the fabric a welcome relief.

Her hands were still cold, her fingers slightly numb.

She sat at her desk, staring at the report in front of her, lost in thought…

After a long silence, she stood up, took the secondary differentiation report from her bag, walked over to the shredder, and after a moment of hesitation, fed the paper into the machine, watching as it was slowly devoured, the sound of the shredding a final, irrevocable act.

A wave of sadness washed over her.

Shen Shu was still afraid of Alphas; she couldn’t tell her the truth yet. But she wouldn’t back down either. It would be cowardly.

In Shen Shu’s eyes, she was still an Omega, a dysfunctional Omega.

Then she would simply remain an Omega, at least for now.

As for her sensitivity, the recent improvement suggested it wasn’t permanent, and she hadn’t had any strong reactions during her past two encounters with Shen Shu…

She knew it was wishful thinking, but she didn’t have a better solution. She didn’t want to fight with Shen Shu, didn’t want her to be upset.

Not at all.

Even if she couldn’t reveal the truth about her rut, she could still find a way to reassure Shen Shu, to let her know it wasn’t because she wasn’t interested.

She considered her options.

Just then, Viola knocked and entered, carrying a paper bag with a tea brand logo.

“CEO Xu, Miss Tong asked me to give you this ginger tea,” she said.

Tong Jia wouldn’t do something like this, so… it was from Shen Shu.

Xu Jinnan took out the cup of ginger tea, the paper lid hiding the color of the liquid, but the warm, spicy aroma filled the air. There was also a packet of cold medicine in the bag.

The warmth of the cup spread through her hands, melting away the lingering chill, the earlier sadness.

She took out her phone and messaged Tong Jia, confirming Shen Shu’s schedule.

Tong Jia: [CEO Xu, don’t get complacent. Just because she sent you ginger tea doesn’t mean she’s not angry anymore. Shu Shu is still upset.]

Tong Jia: [I’m starting to wonder what happened between you two. She’s not easy to appease this time.]

Xu Jinnan simply replied, “Mm.”

Just as she was about to turn off her phone, another notification popped up.

No PDA Allowed.

Cai Ying had changed the group name back two weeks ago.

Cai Ying: [@Xu Jinnan I have a contract to sign, but there’s a problem with the production value…] A few more sentences followed.

Xu Jinnan looked at the question, then replied: [Trying to get free advice?]

Cai Ying: […]

Cai Ying: [Master.]

Xu Jinnan could hear the reluctance in her tone. She had only called her “Master” willingly that one time, at the Cai residence.

Knowing Cai Ying’s tendency to argue, she didn’t mind.

Xu Jinnan: [Send me the contract.]

Cai Ying sent her the document, and Xu Jinnan skimmed through it.

[Tell me what you think the problem is.]

Five minutes later, Cai Ying sent a long, detailed message.

She had identified some of the key issues, which was impressive for a newcomer.

Xu Jinnan: [Not bad.]

Xu Jinnan: [The completion and payment clauses are closely related. You have to carefully review the completion clause. Also, completion is tied to delivery and warranty periods, so pay attention to the penalties for delays and defects.]

Xu Jinnan: [This is important. The delivery terms are vague, meaning you’ll be liable for any delays or breaches of contract.]

After a few minutes:

Cai Ying: [When will I be as amazing as you?!]

Xu Jinnan: [Ten years of rigorous training.]

Cai Ying: […]

Xu Jinnan took a sip of the ginger tea, her smile fading slightly. She felt restless, time moving too slowly.

Shen Shu wouldn’t be done with work for another two hours.

Her phone vibrated again.

A message from the group chat.

Cai Ying: [@Everyone There’s a new lounge bar. Who’s in?]

Cai Ying: [Raises hand emoji]

Tong Jia: [! Raises hand emoji]

Xu Jinnan: “…”

From discussing contracts to planning a night out in thirty seconds.

She almost envied Cai Ying’s carefree nature.

Cai Ying: [@Xu Jinnan @Shen Shu Come on! Join us!]

Xu Jinnan: [No.]

Shen Shu probably wouldn’t go either. Just as she was thinking this, Tong Jia sent a message: [Shu Shu’s not going. She needs to rest. She almost trended again this morning. We don’t want her getting any more negative publicity.]

Cai Ying: [Good point.]

Cai Ying: [@Tong Jia Sis! Looks like it’s just the two of us then! Crying emoji]

Tong Jia: [@Cai Ying Perfect! My little sis!]

Xu Jinnan: “…”

She closed the chat and leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples. Her head felt a little heavy.

She didn’t think much of it. An hour later, she felt drowsy and slightly lightheaded.

She had clearly caught a cold.

She made herself a cup of the cold medicine Shen Shu had given her and lay down on the sofa, quickly drifting off to sleep.

—

At 4 p.m., she woke up from a restless nap, her dreams filled with fragmented images of the Xu family home, the town of Qucheng, Xu Lian, even Li Laijia.

She felt exhausted, as if she had been sleepwalking.

Viola entered with a report, noticing her pale face. “CEO Xu, are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Xu Jinnan replied, shaking her head. The nap had helped slightly.

“The Xu Corporation has a meeting with the Y1 Project developers tomorrow,” Viola reported.

Xu Jinnan had only instructed her to monitor the Xu Corporation’s activities, not her ultimate goal, but Viola wasn’t stupid; she could see what Xu Jinnan was planning.

She didn’t have any strong opinions; she simply thought Xu Jinnan was worth following, a leader worth taking a risk for.

So, she was willing to gamble on her.

“Including the previous project, the Xu Corporation currently has three major projects underway,” Viola added.

Xu Jinnan nodded, everything proceeding according to plan.

She cleared her throat. “How is the Han family doing lately?” she asked, suddenly remembering.

“They’re competing fiercely with the Xu Corporation for the Y1 Project, but Mr. Han isn’t directly involved. He’s having his second daughter, Han Wenfang, handle it,” Viola replied. The outcome was predictable – she had lost.

It wasn’t surprising that Han Wenfang had lost to Xu Tao.

What was surprising was that Mr. Han had entrusted such a major project to her.

It seemed his health was truly declining.

“Han Wenfang is smart, but she doesn’t have Han Wenling’s ruthlessness,” Xu Jinnan concluded.

Since Han Wenling’s forced resignation, Han Wenfang had lost several deals.

The Han family must be getting desperate.

—

In a large, indoor swimming pool, a slender, pale figure emerged from the water, the surface shimmering with ripples.

Han Wenling pushed her wet hair back from her face, water droplets cascading down her body and onto the tiled floor.

She wrapped a towel around herself, her breath slightly ragged, and walked over to a chair, where her phone was vibrating insistently.

A single glance at the caller ID was enough to make her lose her appetite.

She answered the phone, her voice flat.

“Come back to the office tomorrow,” her father’s voice, raspy and weak, said.

Han Wenling’s expression remained unchanged. “You’re allowing me back now?”

“You have no one to blame but yourself,” he said, then coughed, his voice strained. “If you hadn’t caused so much trouble…”

Han Wenling’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t reply, her thoughts elsewhere.

“After you return, take over the Y1 Project and… think about… how to salvage it. It’s a major project, and if…”

“Dad, you’re just asking me to clean up Han Wenfang’s mess, aren’t you?” Han Wenling said coldly, tossing the towel aside.

“What are you talking about? You’re a Han, aren’t you?”

“You’ve already given Han Wenfang a seat on the board, started building alliances for her, paved the way for her succession, and now you want me back?”

“To be the emperor’s tutor?”

“You…” He coughed violently, seemingly shocked by her disrespectful words.

“Don’t get so worked up. I’m not in a hurry to come back,” Han Wenling said, then hung up before he could respond.

It was probably the first time she had spoken to her father like that.

Since the slap at the banquet, he had likely been planning this, using her mistake as an excuse to strip her of her power and hand it over to his precious younger daughter.

Once Han Wenfang’s position was secure, he would have Han Wenling back to do the dirty work.

Like two princes vying for the throne.

Once his favorite son ascended, he would give the other a meaningless title.

Han Wenling chuckled dryly. He hadn’t anticipated Han Wenfang’s incompetence, her inability to handle the pressure.

She had thought her hard work and dedication would earn her father’s trust, but it seemed he didn’t care about the Han Corporation as much as she had thought. His priority was his younger children, Han Wenfang and Han Hui.

Even knowing Han Wenfang was less capable, he still wanted to give her the company.

Then why should Han Wenling bother?

Why should she be their loyal dog?

She smiled coldly, walking upstairs to her room, tossing her phone onto the bed as she undressed.

Her phone lit up again.

She ignored it, then, changing her mind, picked it up.

A few work-related messages, and two about the Xu Corporation.

She scanned them, then, before replying, saw another message: [Miss Han, when are you coming back? Everyone misses you. We’re waiting for your return.]

She wrapped a towel around herself, feeling a chill.

[Not yet.]

Just as she was about to close the app, another message popped up, inviting her to a newly opened lounge bar by the river.

She had been cooped up in the villa for the past two weeks, barely leaving the house.

It wasn’t a deliberate act of seclusion, nor was she embarrassed about the slap at the banquet.

She simply hadn’t been in the mood.

She would sometimes find herself staring out the window, lost in thought, her mind blank, then, snapping out of it, realize she didn’t even recognize herself.

[Okay,] she replied.

Ignoring the other messages, she went to the bathroom, glancing at a bag of chrysanthemum tea on the table as she passed, a sudden tightness in her chest.

But she didn’t stop, deliberately ignoring it.

—

It was past 8 p.m.

Xu Jinnan had intended to finish her work early, but an unexpected emergency meeting had delayed her.

By the time it ended, it was past 10 p.m.

She felt exhausted, the cold she had caught worsening, her legs feeling slightly unsteady as she stepped into the elevator, her head light and dizzy.

She opened the apartment door. The living room lights were on, but Shen Shu’s bedroom door was closed.

She rubbed her eyes, then went to knock on Shen Shu’s door.

“I’m home,” she called out.

Shen Shu didn’t reply, and after waiting for a few seconds, Xu Jinnan went to take a shower, changing into a light purple silk pajama set.

She checked the time. 11 p.m. She wasn’t sure if Shen Shu was asleep, so she turned off the living room lights.

The apartment was plunged into darkness, but a faint light shone from under Shen Shu’s bedroom door.

She knocked again. “Shu Shu, can I come in?”

After a moment, just as she was about to knock again, Shen Shu’s voice, soft and calm, called out, “Come in.”

Xu Jinnan opened the door, relieved to find it unlocked, a sign that Shen Shu wasn’t truly ignoring her.

Shen Shu was sitting on the bed, reading a book, but Xu Jinnan didn’t pay attention to the title, her gaze fixed on Shen Shu.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, and Shen Shu closed the book, looking at her.

“What is it?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“Go ahead.”

“…”

She had spent the entire afternoon rehearsing this conversation, preparing her words, but now, facing Shen Shu’s direct gaze, she didn’t know where to begin.

Especially with such a sensitive topic.

After a moment of hesitation, she took the book from Shen Shu’s hand and placed it on the nightstand, then turned off the light.

With her vision obscured, her other senses heightened.

Shen Shu felt the mattress dip beside her, the warmth of Xu Jinnan’s body radiating outwards, the familiar, comforting scent of her pheromones filling the air.

She felt Xu Jinnan lean closer, but their bodies didn’t touch.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she felt a soft warmth on her lips.

Her breath hitched, and she instinctively raised her hand, her fingers lightly brushing against Xu Jinnan’s collarbone. “…What are you doing?”

“I need to tell you something,” Xu Jinnan murmured against her lips.

Shen Shu paused. “Go ahead.”

“Can I… lie down?”

“…”

Xu Jinnan lay down beside her, taking Shen Shu’s hand in hers. “Does your hand still hurt?” she asked.

“No, just a little tingling,” Shen Shu replied.

Then, Xu Jinnan began to explain.

“…Just because I’m fine now doesn’t mean I’ll always be fine. I’m worried about… my health, both physical and mental. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Shen Shu was silent for a long moment.

Xu Jinnan, her anxiety growing, said, “So, it’s not that I don’t want to… In fact…” She paused.

“In fact, what?” Shen Shu asked softly.

Xu Jinnan hesitated. “I want to,” she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. Very much.

Her face burned as she said the words, not out of embarrassment, but simply because she wasn’t used to discussing such things with Shen Shu.

She felt Shen Shu’s hand tighten around hers. She couldn’t tell Shen Shu about her sensitivity, about her ruts, because it would reveal her Alpha identity – and Shen Shu was still afraid of Alphas.

She would either have to wait until Shen Shu overcame her fear, or continue pretending to be an Omega.

And she didn’t want to keep pretending. Her concerns were genuine.

At least this way, Shen Shu wouldn’t feel rejected.

Shen Shu had considered this possibility yesterday, but hearing Xu Jinnan confirm it, she felt a surge of relief.

“If it wasn’t for last night, would you have ever told me?” she asked.

“I’m sorry,” Xu Jinnan replied.

It was only a half-truth.

She felt Shen Shu’s arm wrap around her waist, pulling her closer, and she instinctively raised her arm, letting Shen Shu rest her head on her chest.

Shen Shu’s heart felt heavy, knowing Xu Jinnan was hiding something, but hearing her confession had eased the burden slightly.

The silence had been unsettling, but this closeness, this quiet intimacy, was comforting.

Xu Jinnan’s hand gently stroked Shen Shu’s back. “Shu Shu?”

“What? Do I have to accept your apology?” Shen Shu asked, her voice soft, devoid of any coldness.

“…No,” Xu Jinnan replied, her voice slightly unsteady.

She had been prepared for rejection, for Shen Shu to be upset or even disgusted, but Shen Shu’s embrace only tightened.

“Don’t be angry,” she murmured, her voice slightly strained as Shen Shu’s arm tightened around her waist, the pressure almost painful.

“Xu Jinnan, you’re such an idiot,” Shen Shu whispered, her chin digging into Xu Jinnan’s chest, a playful yet slightly punishing gesture.

“You’re so oblivious.”

I don’t mind at all, Xu Jinnan thought, the slight pressure against her chest a comforting weight, a warmth spreading through her, filling the emptiness, a sensation so intense it was almost arousing.

She gently kissed Shen Shu’s forehead. “Should I prove it to you then? That I’m not an idiot?”