Captivating Beauty 90

Chapter 90

Into the Dream was in the midst of its promotional tour. Typically, the main cast would visit major cities for roadshows, while supporting actors would cover smaller cities.

However, due to Shen Shu’s popularity, she was joining the main cast for all the roadshows.

Her schedule was packed, with roadshows, script readings for her new drama, and several other scripts waiting for her review.

She had told Xu Jinnan she hadn’t expected to have so many opportunities so soon.

Xu Jinnan had replied with a common, yet always reassuring, saying: All that glitters is not gold, but gold always shines.

While Shen Shu was busy with her promotional tour, Xu Jinnan wasn’t idle either.

She was abroad, assessing a potential investment in a shopping mall, so she and Shen Shu could only communicate in the mornings and evenings, their schedules otherwise misaligned.

Time flew by, and it was already December when Xu Jinnan prepared to return home.

She messaged Shen Shu while it was still daylight outside; the time difference meant it was already evening in China.

But she received no reply, not from Shen Shu, nor from Tong Jia.

Viola was wrong, she thought. Being busy is one thing, but being busy in different time zones is worse. Not only can you not see each other, but you also can’t even contact each other.

The distance, the lack of communication, made her feel strangely disconnected, as if Shen Shu wasn’t even real.

She hadn’t been able to reach Shen Shu by phone, and the anxiety lingered as she headed towards the airport.

Fortunately, Xinxin, seeing her message in the group chat, reassured her, even sending a photo of Shen Shu on set.

Shen Shu was standing with Xia Chun in the Full Dress studio, talking to the director.

After Xia Chun’s provocative behavior in her office, Xu Jinnan hadn’t had a good impression of her, but Shen Shu had said it was over, so she had decided to let it go.

But seeing them together still bothered her, and as she sat in the VIP lounge at the airport, sipping her drink, the image of Shen Shu and Xia Chun flashed through her mind.

She realized it wasn’t just jealousy; it was a deeper, more possessive feeling.

Even if it wasn’t Xia Chun, there would be other women, other actresses, other people Shen Shu would be spending time with.

The thought of Shen Shu’s increasingly demanding schedule, the constant interactions with other people in the entertainment industry, made her feel a strange ache in her chest, a hollowness that seemed to amplify the sour taste of her lemon-flavored drink.

She stared at the half-lemon image on the bottle, thinking, Perhaps I should do something more… memorable, like that video call.

She wanted to see that look in Shen Shu’s eyes again, the one that said she was completely captivated.

To do something special, something Shen Shu would never do with anyone else.

Something that would connect them, even when they were apart.

The thought alone made her feel a warmth spreading through her, her palms and fingertips tingling.

—

Meanwhile, Shen Shu had finished filming for the day.

She had several unread messages from Xu Jinnan, the last one a simple, yet heartfelt:

[Missing you.]

A smile touched her lips, her eyelashes fluttering as she lowered her gaze, the air around her filled with a sweet, almost intoxicating fragrance.

Too bad she wasn’t in North City.

Xu Jinnan’s flight would be landing in six hours.

She blinked, her eyes dry, then remembered that night, their video call.

The soft, yellow light of the hotel bathroom had illuminated Xu Jinnan’s face as she stood in front of the camera, the top two buttons of her white shirt undone, a rare glimpse of bare skin beneath.

She had paused as she reached for the third button, her heart pounding.

“What?” Shen Shu had asked, amused.

Xu Jinnan had walked closer to the camera, bending down slightly, her lips curving into a playful smile. “You really want to see more?”

“Yes,” Shen Shu had replied.

Xu Jinnan’s expression had faltered, then, after a moment, she had said, her voice husky, “That wouldn’t be fair, would it? Just me?” Shen Shu could hear the playful challenge in her voice, the way she always turned the tables, responding to Shen Shu’s teasing with her own.

“Then what do you suggest?” Shen Shu had asked.

Xu Jinnan’s eyes had sparkled. “Together,” she had whispered, then, after Shen Shu’s silence, had added, “You’re sneaky.”

She had smiled faintly, straightening up, knowing Shen Shu wouldn’t dare. “Come on, jiejie,” she had said, her voice a husky whisper.

Shen Shu’s body had flushed at her words, her skin tingling.

She loved these moments with Xu Jinnan, the way she called her “jiejie,” her tone playful and suggestive, her eyes sparkling with amusement, the words sending shivers down Shen Shu’s spine.

Even when they were apart, she enjoyed this… connection.

She didn’t know if anyone else felt this way.

But Xu Jinnan seemed to enjoy it too. While it had started as a playful tease, Shen Shu could sense a genuine desire beneath the surface.

The steam from the shower had fogged the camera lens, obscuring the details, but Xu Jinnan had been wearing her shirt and trousers, the contrast between their two worlds, the stark difference between day and night, somehow amplified by the shared intimacy of the moment.

The warmth of their bodies, the shared pleasure, had been a silent comfort, a connection that transcended distance.

They had both been captivated.

Like standing on the shore, watching the waves crash against the sand, a soothing rhythm, a sense of peace washing over her, all worries and anxieties forgotten.

Shen Shu, her thoughts returning to the present, said to Tong Jia, “Let’s stop in North City on our way to Lincheng tomorrow night.”

Tong Jia, scrolling through Weibo, looked up. “We can, but it’s a tight schedule. Won’t you be tired?” She noticed the sparkle in Shen Shu’s eyes, the sudden burst of energy replacing her earlier weariness.

Tong Jia: “…”

Shen Shu’s smile faded slightly. “It’s fine. My wife is coming home today. I want to see her,” she said calmly.

Tong Jia: “…?”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re becoming just like her, flaunting your love in front of me. You two are disgusting.”

Shen Shu’s voice was light and playful. “Then you better hurry up and find someone.”

“Hurry up and do what?” Tong Jia asked, then, realizing what Shen Shu meant, leaned closer, a knowing smile on her face. “Just seeing each other? Nothing else?”

“Something else,” Shen Shu replied.

“…Holy shit!” Tong Jia exclaimed.

She and Xinxin often exchanged suggestive jokes, but Shen Shu rarely participated, her comments, when she did, always surprisingly… direct.

And with her usual calm demeanor, it was always a surprise.

But Shen Shu wasn’t usually this bold, only around Xu Jinnan.

“Dinner,” she clarified.

“Oh, I believe you,” Tong Jia said dryly, glancing at Shen Shu’s earlobes. “Shu Shu, you say ‘dinner,’ but your ears are so red. Are you blushing? Or are you just cold? Don’t tell me you haven’t been thinking about anything… else after all this time apart.”

Shen Shu: “…”

—

Xu Jinnan had slept well last night, a deep, restful sleep.

She used to be able to fall asleep anywhere, anytime, but lately, she couldn’t sleep well unless she was at Xingcheng International, a strange dependence on the place, on Shen Shu’s presence.

She left the bedroom, the apartment quiet, the only sound the gentle breeze from the balcony and the distant hum of traffic.

She tidied up, then went to water the plants on the balcony, remembering Shen Shu’s instructions not to overwater them.

She still wasn’t good with plants, her clumsy attempts often resulting in broken leaves and fallen petals, earning her a disapproving look from Shen Shu, who would then take over the watering duties.

So, she had become more careful, discreetly disposing of any evidence of her… horticultural mishaps.

She found their little game of cat and mouse rather amusing.

After tidying up, she left for the office.

She had a meeting with the representatives from the three construction projects that morning, then, after a quick lunch and a short meeting with the marketing team, she returned to her office to review some documents and remotely manage the Xu Corporation’s affairs. It wasn’t until she finished that she realized…

She had almost forgotten about her pheromone blocker injection!

The alarm had gone off during the meeting, and she had dismissed it, assuming she would remember.

She quickly administered the injection, a wave of relief washing over her.

This was her eleventh dose.

After ten doses, she could switch to every other day, but she couldn’t miss a dose, or risk a pheromone rebound, which could trigger a severe rut, as Professor Qin had warned her.

She reset the alarm on her phone, reminding herself to be more vigilant.

Just then, her phone vibrated. It was Li Lan.

Remembering Lu Yun’s listening device, she went to the small lounge and closed the door.

During the recent renovations, she had added extra soundproofing to the walls, just in case.

She had tested it; unless she was shouting, no one outside could hear her.

She sat down in the massage chair and answered the phone.

“Has Li Laijia contacted you?” Li Lan asked.

“No, either Xu Lian is keeping a close watch on her, or she’s still hesitant,” Xu Jinnan replied. She had asked Chen Yue to investigate Li Laijia, who had married Xu Lian six months after her divorce and had been with her for almost ten years. She must know a lot about the Xu family’s secrets.

Li Lan, having also investigated Li Laijia’s background, said, “I’ve sent someone to approach her, to test the waters.”

“Be prepared for failure, though. There were a few other names on that photo with Lu Yun,” Xu Jinnan said.

“We’re still looking into them. Those names have probably been changed multiple times. The Xu family has been operating in secrecy for years; they’re good at covering their tracks,” Li Lan replied.

“So, we haven’t made any progress?”

“Not exactly,” Li Lan said. “I’m calling to tell you your plan worked.”

While the Xu family seemed relatively unaffected by the loss of Xu Tao’s financial support, Xu Lian was starting to panic. Li Lan had one of her agents working undercover as a waiter at the KTV Xu Lian frequented.

After a few drinks, Xu Lian had started ranting about Xu Jinnan, Lu Yun, and even Xu Tao.

While she hadn’t revealed anything specific, the other patrons’ conversations had been more informative.

Xu Lian was known for her extravagant spending habits and her gambling addiction.

She had been using a significant portion of the money Xu Tao sent her to pay off her debts, and now, with the payments cut off, she was desperate.

Li Lan’s agent had overheard a conversation mentioning a man named Liu Yong, who had business dealings with the Xu family.

With Xu Lian’s debts piling up, Liu Yong had also become increasingly impatient, demanding payment in kind.

They suspected he was the middleman they had been looking for.

“It’s like a supply chain. Someone provides the… product, someone connects the buyer and seller, and someone handles the sales,” Xu Jinnan said, her voice cold. “To them, those children are just commodities.”

“Liu Yong runs an underground gambling den. My people tried reporting him, but nothing happened. I suspect he has connections within the local Special Ward, so we have to be careful,” Li Lan said, her own voice equally cold.

They had to wait for the right opportunity.

“These secrets will come to light eventually. Just like lies, one lie leads to another, the interest compounding, until the whole thing collapses. They have too many secrets, too many people involved. Sooner or later, there will be a slip-up… It’s just a matter of time,” Li Lan said.

Xu Jinnan hung up, sitting up in the massage chair, her mind replaying Li Lan’s words.

One lie leads to another, the interest compounding, until the whole thing collapses.

She looked out the window, touching her scent gland.

Her sensitivity had subsided since she started using the pheromone blockers, the occasional tingling now faint and manageable.

A wave of sadness washed over her. No matter her reasons, she was still lying to Shen Shu about her Alpha identity, a secret that weighed heavily on her heart.

She didn’t want to lie to Shen Shu.

But she also didn’t want Shen Shu to be afraid of her.

She admitted it was selfish.

She leaned her head against her hand, her fingers tangled in her hair, remembering a quote: The beginning of love is a beautiful beginning, but it’s also the beginning of self-doubt. You become sensitive, hesitant, timid, cowardly, insecure, even cruel and greedy.

—

Xu Jinnan had a dinner meeting with Mr. Cai and Mr. Chen that evening.

Despite her attempts to avoid it, she still ended up having a few drinks.

By the fifth glass, she felt a familiar warmth spreading through her, her head spinning slightly.

She rubbed her temples, trying to maintain her composure. “Are you alright?” Mr. Cai asked, noticing her pale face.

“Just need some fresh air,” she mumbled, suppressing a wave of nausea, and excused herself, hurrying to the restroom.

As soon as she was inside, she retched, but nothing came up.

Her phone rang, and she stumbled out of the stall, leaning against the cool tile wall for support, her legs feeling unsteady.

She could barely hold her phone.

Just as she stepped out of the restroom, Viola hurried over. “Did you have too much to drink? Are you alright?”

“Not alright,” Xu Jinnan mumbled, her head spinning.

“You didn’t have to drink so much. Mr. Cai and Mr. Chen wouldn’t have minded,” Viola said.

Xu Jinnan knew that. Even without their personal connection, considering she had given them a share in those three major projects, they wouldn’t have pressured her.

But she hadn’t even had that much to drink.

Her tolerance seemed to have decreased; five glasses shouldn’t have affected her this much.

She felt her consciousness fading, her mind clouded.

She mumbled something to Viola, asking her to make her excuses, but she wasn’t sure if she had made any sense.

Her black Porsche was parked outside the restaurant.

A few minutes later, a van pulled up behind it, and a pair of nude-colored heels, a delicate silver anklet adorning a slender ankle, then a white lace dress, emerged.

Shen Shu opened the back door of the Porsche and smelled the strong scent of alcohol.

Xu Jinnan, wearing a sweater and jeans, her face pressed against the window, her breathing heavy, was asleep.

Shen Shu got in and nudged her. “Xu Jinnan.”

Xu Jinnan shrugged, trying to shake off the unwelcome disturbance.

Shen Shu, seeing this, sat closer, gently pulling Xu Jinnan’s arm and turning her face towards her.

“Did she drink a lot?” she asked Viola, who had also gotten into the car, followed by Tong Jia.

Viola glanced at Tong Jia. “It seems so. I was helping CEO Xu with some documents and was about to come get you when she called. I didn’t see how much she drank,” she replied.

“Mm…”

Xu Jinnan’s eyes fluttered open, her brow furrowed, her gaze initially annoyed, then softening as she saw Shen Shu.

“Wifey?” she murmured, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she nuzzled against Shen Shu’s neck. “You’re back.”

Tong Jia, glancing back at them, said, “Aww, she’s so cute when she’s drunk.”

Xu Jinnan, seemingly oblivious to everything else, looked up at Shen Shu for a moment, then, closing her eyes, collapsed against her, her head resting on Shen Shu’s chest.

Shen Shu let out a soft moan as Xu Jinnan’s weight landed on her.

“I’m going to suffocate in Jiejie’s… embrace,” Xu Jinnan mumbled.

Shen Shu: “…”

Tong Jia: “…”

Viola: “…”