Captivating Beauty 89

Chapter 89

Xu Jinnan held Shen Shu close, her voice a warm murmur against her ear, the heat of her breath brushing against the delicate jewelry dangling from Shen Shu’s earlobe.

She pressed Shen Shu against the wall, their bodies close.

Shen Shu, slightly taller, tilted her head down, her forehead resting against Xu Jinnan’s.

“We can’t…” she whispered, her voice breathless.

Remembering their last encounter, Xu Jinnan understood; Shen Shu had to be on stage soon.

Just then, a knock came at the door, and Tong Jia’s voice called out from outside.

Xu Jinnan released Shen Shu and locked the door.

“What are you doing?” Shen Shu asked, her voice slightly unsteady.

Xu Jinnan chuckled softly. “Afraid of what I might do?”

Shen Shu leaned in, her arms circling Xu Jinnan’s waist, her earlobes still flushed. “Not afraid. Just… no time,” she murmured.

Xu Jinnan: “…”

Her eyes darkened, a playful smile touching her lips. “Indeed,” she said, her voice husky, then led Shen Shu to a chair and knelt down in front of her, gently taking her ankle in her hand, her fingers tracing the smooth skin.

She handed Shen Shu the small, dark green velvet box. “Shu Shu, open it,” she said softly.

Shen Shu took the box and opened it, revealing a delicate silver anklet with five small diamonds, a single, larger diamond in the center, with a small “S” dangling beneath it.

“My birthday present?” she asked, her fingers tracing the diamonds, which sparkled like tiny stars.

Xu Jinnan took the anklet and fastened it around Shen Shu’s ankle, her movements gentle and precise, her expression serious.

She looked up at Shen Shu. “Do you like it?”

Shen Shu’s gaze shifted from the sparkling anklet to Xu Jinnan’s face. “I love it,” she replied, her eyes smiling.

Xu Jinnan, seeing the warmth in her eyes, gently squeezed her ankle, a playful caress that made Shen Shu’s eyelashes flutter, her body instinctively leaning closer, wanting to hold Xu Jinnan again.

But she was running out of time.

Xu Jinnan, sensing her urgency, smiled faintly, pulling Shen Shu up and gently pinching her earlobe. “Go on,” she whispered.

–

In the roadshow hall, the host introduced the director and the cast, who took their seats on the stage.

The audience, a mix of fans, reporters, and regular viewers, filled the hall, buzzing with excitement.

The lead actors, along with Xia Chun, who had her own dedicated fan base, were seated in the center, Shen Shu beside them, her posture straight and her expression calm.

To Xu Jinnan, watching from the audience, Shen Shu’s presence and charisma were equal to, if not greater than, the other actors’, despite her supporting role.

But the person beside her had a point; Shen Shu wasn’t one of the leads.

Just then, their eyes met across the room.

It was only for a brief moment, Shen Shu quickly looking away, but it was enough to make Xu Jinnan’s heart skip a beat.

Her phone vibrated.

Viola had sent a message about an urgent document that needed her signature, and a reminder about a dinner meeting later that evening with some potential investors.

She had come here on a whim and would have to leave soon, within the hour.

She wasn’t sure when Shen Shu would be done.

She glanced at the stage…

Shen Shu, having just answered a question from the host, glanced towards the seats where Xu Jinnan had been sitting, but she was gone. Since this was the first roadshow for Into the Dream, it was a longer event, scheduled to last for another forty minutes.

–

As Tong Jia and Shen Shu walked towards the resting area, Tong Jia, noticing Shen Shu’s distraction, asked, “Are you tired from standing for so long? We still have two more roadshows today.”

“I’m fine,” Shen Shu replied, shaking her head.

She opened the door to the resting room and saw Xu Jinnan sitting on a chair, her legs crossed, her laptop on her lap, typing away.

She suddenly realized her earlier disappointment had been because of Xu Jinnan’s absence. She had thought…

Tong Jia, seeing them, smiled knowingly, giving them some privacy. “Lock the door,” she said as she left.

As soon as Tong Jia was gone, Shen Shu closed and locked the door, leaning back against it.

“I thought you left,” she said.

Xu Jinnan, who had been working on an important document, closed her laptop and stood up, walking over to Shen Shu and gently cupping her face in her hands, then leaned in, her lips finding Shen Shu’s.

She must have realized I like it when she’s assertive, Shen Shu thought, the kiss deepening, her own hand moving to Xu Jinnan’s back, her fingers tracing the curve of her spine.

Xu Jinnan’s hand mirrored the gesture, her fingers gently caressing Shen Shu’s waist, the soft green fabric of her dress like spring grass.

The noise from the hallway, the excited chatter of the audience after the roadshow, masked the soft sounds coming from the resting room.

Xu Jinnan’s lips silenced Shen Shu’s soft moans.

–

Fifteen minutes later, Shen Shu leaned against Xu Jinnan, her breathing ragged, her body still trembling slightly. “You…” she murmured.

Xu Jinnan’s left arm held her close, her right hand resting on Shen Shu’s back, her voice husky. “What about me?”

Shen Shu didn’t reply, her heart still racing, her own desire lingering.

Xu Jinnan sighed softly. “Are you going home tonight?”

“Are you leaving?” Shen Shu asked, sensing her intention.

Xu Jinnan kissed her cheek. “Yes, I just came for a bit. Something came up at the office. Are you going home?” she asked again.

“I still have two more roadshows…”

“I see,” Xu Jinnan said, her voice laced with amusement. “Looks like I’ll have to get used to following my superstar wife around.”

Shen Shu, slightly disappointed by the interruption, poked Xu Jinnan’s arm playfully. “You’re busy too,” she retorted.

The light touch sent a shiver down Xu Jinnan’s spine, the unfulfilled desire a persistent ache.

Shen Shu’s legs, tired from standing for so long, felt slightly weak, and Xu Jinnan led her to a chair, grabbing a pack of wet wipes from the vanity table. “Need some help, Miss Shen?” she asked, her voice teasing.

Shen Shu’s face burned, and she glared at Xu Jinnan, taking the wipes, though Xu Jinnan found her glare more endearing than intimidating.

Xu Jinnan smiled faintly and took a wipe for herself.

–

The Into the Dream roadshow would last for three days, the schedule having been moved up after discussions with the Full Dress production team.

Shen Shu had four or five locations to visit.

Xu Jinnan was also busy, the “Show” live streaming app gaining popularity, and the three Xu Corporation projects demanding her attention.

She had contacted the Cai, Chen, and Han families a few days ago, offering them a share in the projects, the Xu Corporation retaining 50%. Han Wenfang had even approached her about it, but she had simply said she would consider it.

Having the Han family involved would be beneficial in the long run, but she needed to discuss it with Mr. Cai first.

Speaking of the Han family, Mr. Han, his health declining, had handed over the company to Han Wenfang, who, while intelligent and capable, lacked business acumen, her recent investment failures a clear indication of her shortcomings.

The Han Corporation was the culmination of generations of hard work, and Xu Jinnan didn’t think Mr. Han, despite his affection for Han Wenfang, would allow it to fail. Sooner or later, Han Wenling would be back in charge.

And Han Wenling, ambitious and ruthless, wouldn’t give up so easily.

Han Wenfang’s recent setbacks were likely orchestrated by her older sister.

While Shen Shu was on her three-day roadshow, Xu Jinnan was even busier, her own schedule packed with meetings and a business trip abroad to assess a potential investment in a new shopping mall, based on a foreign model.

–

The day after returning from her trip, Viola informed her that Shen Shu was trending online again.

She checked her phone.

Several hashtags were trending:

#TheShenShuEffect

#IntoTheDreamRoadshowUneditedPhotos

#ShenShuUneditedPhotos

Each one led to a collection of photos from Shen Shu’s roadshow appearances, her creamy skin glowing in a light green dress.

Holy shit, are these unedited?

My wife!!!

Sorry, Chun Chun, I’m briefly switching fandoms! Does this level of beauty even exist?

I just want to bury my face in her… chest.

Xu Jinnan: “…”

She scrolled through the comments, a chorus of thirsty fans, and rolled her eyes.

Her gaze lingered on that last comment – I just want to bury my face in her… chest.

She paused, a strange warmth spreading through her. Too bad I’m the only one who can do that.

Then, she remembered something.

The incident at the Shen family home, the one they had both silently agreed not to mention, waiting for the right time, for Shen Shu to be ready to confront her past.

She had assumed the trending topics would die down the next day, but they didn’t. In fact, Into the Dream‘s official account had released a new trailer. The previous one had focused mainly on the two female leads, even the scenes with Shen Shu and Xia Chun dominated by Xia Chun.

While Shen Shu had already gained some popularity, her image had been controversial, and the producers had been hesitant to feature her prominently.

But in the new trailer, Shen Shu’s scenes were much longer, including several key scenes with Xia Chun.

The production quality was excellent, the cinematography capturing the nuances of their performances, and the trailer quickly went viral.

The hashtag #ShenShuNightingale trended within two hours, even surpassing Xia Chun and the official account.

Subscriptions for Into the Dream skyrocketed, and Xinxin and the other staff members at Sacred Heart Pictures were celebrating.

Tong Jia sent a message in the group chat.

[While this is exciting, let’s wait until the drama airs before celebrating.] While they were confident, they also knew Shen Shu was under pressure, and Tong Jia wanted to manage expectations, to avoid disappointment if the drama didn’t perform as well as they hoped.

The entertainment industry was unpredictable, and this was an important project for Shen Shu, a newcomer. She wanted to protect her.

Xu Jinnan smiled faintly.

“CEO Xu, what are you smiling about?” Viola asked suddenly.

“Tong Jia has changed. She’s become more reliable,” Xu Jinnan replied.

Viola nodded. “Miss Tong is very capable.”

Xu Jinnan paused, glancing at her. “It’s rare for you to praise someone…” Since joining the company, Viola had been all business, efficient and focused, her standards high, both for herself and for others.

Her praise was usually a form of encouragement, a social nicety.

Genuine compliments were rare.

There was something different about her today.

Viola simply smiled, not replying.

“Are you interested in her?” Xu Jinnan asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Viola met her gaze, her expression open and honest. “Yes,” she replied.

“Any progress?”

“I’m about to ask for her WeChat.”

“…?” Xu Jinnan was surprised. “You haven’t even exchanged WeChat contacts yet?”

Viola nodded, coughing slightly. “If you have a chance, CEO Xu, perhaps you could… introduce us?”

Xu Jinnan: “…Seriously?”

She was surprised; Viola was usually so confident and assertive. She hadn’t expected her to be so shy.

“It’s just that I’ve been so busy with work, I don’t have much time for a relationship. I don’t want to waste her time,” Viola explained. Was she subtly complaining about her workload?

“Then why change your mind now?” Xu Jinnan asked.

Viola smiled. “Because she seems busy too. Two negatives make a positive, right? And with you and Miss Shen both busy, it’s… convenient.”

Xu Jinnan: “…”

Convenient?

How was it convenient?

Seeing each other only through video calls, no kissing, no hugging, no touching…

She didn’t try to dissuade Viola, who seemed like a good match for Tong Jia, personality-wise.

-That evening, she told Shen Shu about it during their video call.

Shen Shu, wearing her strawberry pajamas, was also in a hotel room, though thousands of miles away.

It was night for Xu Jinnan, morning for Shen Shu.

“I found an excuse to give Viola Tong Jia’s WeChat,” Xu Jinnan said, her gaze lingering on Shen Shu’s sleepy face. “Tired?”

“Yes, we’re nearing the end of filming for Full Dress, and I have magazine shoots, meetings with directors, new scripts to read…” Shen Shu replied, yawning. “Tong Jia deserves some happiness after that breakup.”

Xu Jinnan agreed.

Seeing Shen Shu yawn again, she said, “I’ll let you go then. Get some rest.”

“No,” Shen Shu said, opening her eyes slightly. “I have to get up soon.”

“But you’re so tired. It’s not good for you.”

“And you?” Shen Shu asked.

“I’m fine,” Xu Jinnan replied. “I’ll take a shower, then read some reports before going to bed.” This last part was meant for Shen Shu.

“Then go take your shower.”

“Should I hang up?”

“Up to you.”

“…?”

“Whether you hang up or not,” Shen Shu clarified, a playful glint in her eyes.

Xu Jinnan, realizing what she was doing, smiled faintly. “Did Tong Jia teach you that?”

“Can’t I come up with these things myself?” Shen Shu retorted.

Xu Jinnan paused, a smile playing on her lips, then stood up and went to the bathroom, unbuttoning the top button of her shirt as she went.

Her voice, a soft murmur, echoed from the bathroom.

“Jiejie.”

“Yes?”

“Do you want to watch, or just listen?”