My Queen, My Rules - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The moment Ji Mingshu spoke those words, a dead silence once again enveloped the car, and the atmosphere in the back seat grew even more subtle.

The driver hardly dared to breathe as he dropped Gu Kaiyang off at Xingang International, before turning the car around and heading toward Mingshui Manor in the northern part of the city.

Tonight, the night sky had been thoroughly washed by the rain, appearing exceptionally pure and jet-black. The Bentley sped along the elevated highway, and all the way there, neither Ji Mingshu nor Cen Sen said another word.

Villa 13 of Mingshui Manor was Ji Mingshu and Cen Sen's marital home, where the two had lived since their wedding.

When they pushed open the door, they were greeted by tidy furniture and bright ceiling lights. Even the wooden partition at the entrance was entirely free of dust.

Cen Sen scanned the area. "You haven't been living here lately?" Although phrased as a question, his tone made it a statement.

"That's right. I've been out keeping a young sugar baby."

Ji Mingshu leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, her voice relaxed and slightly airy.

Cen Sen’s gaze remained perfectly calm.

Ji Mingshu amusedly curled one corner of her lips, tilting her head slightly as she looked up at him, refusing to back down.

Some people just loved to put on an act. Even if she so much as ate a blade of grass in this country, countless eyes would report it back to him, yet he still deliberately asked if she had been staying home.

Two years without seeing each other, and he didn't even find such polite pleasantries redundant and laughable.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds. In the end, it was Cen Sen who averted his eyes first. He had never liked lingering on meaningless topics, especially with his wife, whose brain was frequently short-circuited by diamonds.

Perhaps because the house had been devoid of human presence for too long, it felt cold despite the automatic thermostat being on.

Cen Sen unbuttoned his shirt as he headed up to the second floor. Watching him from afar, Ji Mingshu kicked off her high heels and let out a soft scoff.

Although the couple shared a lukewarm relationship, they had not slept in separate rooms after marriage. The master bedroom on the second floor was spacious, with another door inside leading to an even larger walk-in closet.

When Ji Mingshu entered the bedroom, Cen Sen happened to push open the door to the walk-in closet—

Wardrobes lined all four walls, while a watch display and a jewelry counter occupied the center. As the spotlights turned on, the glass display cases shone with brilliant luster.

Cen Sen stood at the entrance of the walk-in closet with his hands in his pockets, remaining still for a long while.

Ji Mingshu didn't walk toward him either, standing instead before the full-length mirror in the bedroom to untie the straps of her evening gown.

"Mingshu."

"Hmm?" She glanced at him through the mirror.

"Tidy this up."

Cen Sen turned halfway, clearing most of the doorway. He pulled off his tie, wrinkling his collar slightly, which caused his brows to furrow in tandem.

Only then did Ji Mingshu notice that the walk-in closet floor was cluttered with shopping bags and gift boxes, leaving absolutely no place to step.

Slightly surprised, she stepped forward to pick up a bag near the door and rummaged through it, finally remembering. "They're probably gifts sent by various brands. I didn't realize there were so many."

After Cen Sen left for Australia, she spent most of her time traveling abroad, and even when she returned to the capital, she stayed at her downtown apartment.

The address registered with the major brands was Mingshui Manor. She had been too lazy to change it, so the gifts kept getting delivered here.

The housekeeper had actually called to ask her how to handle these items. She had been busy with something else at the time and casually told her to just leave them in the walk-in closet, never expecting they would pile up to this extent.

"This really is a bit much. My bad, let me tidy it up."

Ji Mingshu said she was sorry, but from her hair down to her toes, there wasn't a shred of actual apology to be seen, let alone any intention of cleaning.

She even enthusiastically unwrapped a shawl, inspecting it thoughtfully as she said, "This shawl is far too thick. If I ever go to Antarctica, I could bring it along to wrap around a penguin."

"..."

Years of restraint had caused Cen Sen to forget how to roll his eyes. His expression remained blank, and his voice shifted from its initial patient warmth to something cold and indifferent. "Tidy your things. I need to get my pajamas."

Ji Mingshu looked up and stared at him for a few seconds before suddenly breaking into a smile. "Impatient before we even hit three sentences. Your patience is truly lacking, Mr. Cen."

Her hand dropped, letting the shawl drape over her bare ankles. In the next second, she extended the tip of her foot, sliding it slowly up his ankle joint and lightly brushing against the inner side of his calf.

It looked like seduction, but it felt more like a provocation.

Cen Sen gave her a deep look before abruptly changing the subject. "If you can't even wait until after a shower, you can just say so plainly."

The smile on her lips vanished instantly. She turned around, kicked aside the gifts scattered all over the floor, pulled a set of men's pajamas out of the wardrobe, crumpled them into a ball, and threw them into Cen Sen's arms as if throwing away non-recyclable trash.

Having caught the clothes, Cen Sen was no longer in a hurry to shower.

He pondered for a moment before speaking up, "Mingshu, do you have some sort of dissatisfaction with me? Let's talk."

In the blink of an eye, he returned to his calm and gentle composure. He wasn't wearing his glasses today; otherwise, he would look even more like a benevolent young professor trying to guide an underachieving student.

Ji Mingshu mocked, "I couldn't tell that Mr. Cen respected my opinion this much."

Three days ago, Ji Mingshu had seen a social media post from Zhao Yang.

That post contained only four words—Welcoming him back—accompanied by a photo of a private lounge at a club. The picture featured Jiang Che and Chen Xingyu, but in a dark corner, Cen Sen's platinum watch had accidentally slipped into the frame.

That platinum watch was a wedding gift from the elders of the Cen family. Cen Sen's watch dial featured the Little Prince, while hers featured a rose—a one-of-a-kind custom piece from Van Cleef & Arpels.

In other words, he had been back in the country for at least three days.

Three days, without making a single phone call or sending a single text, heading straight to the entertainment district to indulge in a life of luxury and debauchery with his fair-weather friends.

If she didn't already know his extensive relationship history and exactly how he behaved in bed, she felt she would truly have to ponder whether she had accidentally fallen into a marriage trap with a closeted gay man, becoming a beard overnight.

After listening to Ji Mingshu's accusations, Cen Sen finally understood why she had been nitpicking everything he did tonight.

He thought about it and said, "I assumed that given our relationship, you wouldn't have any interest in my itinerary. However, if you are interested, I can have my assistant send you a daily report from now on."

"..."

Who wants your itinerary? Do you think everyone under the sun is your mother, needing to watch whether you can walk on your own without getting lost? And why did those words sound so grating, almost like an act of charity?

Ji Mingshu felt entirely out of sorts. The urge to point at his nose and swear was right at the tip of her tongue, but remembering something, she silently chanted don't get angry, don't get angry in her heart while forcing herself to close her eyes and calm down.

Ji Mingshu was naturally blessed with beautiful, fair skin, and her base makeup for the gala had been applied very lightly. Standing beneath the hallway light at this moment, her crimson lips were pressed into a straight line, making her entire face look exceptionally bright and clear.

Having known her for nearly twenty years, Cen Sen had never thought much of her spoiled socialite demeanor, but he had never denied that she had been a striking beauty with bright eyes and elegant teeth since childhood—the kind of beauty that stunned at first glance.

A beautiful woman always finds it easier to soften a man's heart. Seeing her so angry that steam was practically rising from her head, Cen Sen uncharacteristically took a step back on his own initiative. "Fine, let's consider it my fault this time."

"Consider? What do you mean 'consider'? It is your fault!"

The anger Ji Mingshu had just suppressed was instantly reignited by his typical straight-man concession of "I just don't want to argue with you."

Their marriage was fundamentally a choice to maximize the mutual interests of both families. Although the match wasn't particularly ideal for either of them, children born into such families possessed an inherent awareness from the moment they understood the world that their marriages would hardly be within their own control. After all, one couldn't accept the privileges of wealth while turning around to demand the pursuit of romance and absolute freedom.

When it came to getting married, both Ji Mingshu and Cen Sen had displayed exceptional cooperation, and they had reached a consensus very early on regarding the concept of "showing affection in public."

"You returned to the country without a word, accompanied Su Cheng to a gala where I was present, bid on a necklace for her, and didn't even notify me in advance. Whose face were you trying to slap? Did you want to tell the whole world that I am not close with you?!"

Ji Mingshu’s voice grew louder with each sentence, clearly trying to make up for her lack of physical height with sheer volume.

Cen Sen pinched the bridge of his nose, looking as though he found her too noisy, and his explanation remained detached. "I had lunch with Director Pei this afternoon. It wasn't convenient for him to attend, so I was merely helping out. Su Cheng is already in her forties; surely no one would think that my accompanying her is a slap to your face. Furthermore, I had no idea you would be attending this gala."

Ji Mingshu translated it simply in her mind—Oh, who knew you would be there? I don't pay attention to you anyway. Who are you?

This was probably the single trait Ji Mingshu detested most about Cen Sen. He never placed anyone or anything in his eyes, always remaining rational and calm—or rather, utterly indifferent.

She was a vibrant soul accustomed to being surrounded by luxury and adored by crowds, making it most difficult for her to tolerate neglect that didn't place her at the center of the world.

The topic ended up leading nowhere. While taking a shower, Ji Mingshu closed her eyes and thought: if she could end this widow-like marriage, she would be willing to go without an intimate life for five years.

After spending a full two hours in the bathroom, Ji Mingshu finally emerged at a sluggish pace.

As fastidious as she was, her daily skincare routine morning and night was something she never skipped.

Before moving to Australia, Cen Sen had lived with her for a period and was well-acquainted with her habits. Without a doubt, she was the extreme type of perfectionist who would force herself to put on a full face of makeup even right before fainting from anemia—beautiful and superficial.

Right now, Ji Mingshu had changed into a smog-blue silk slip nightdress, leaving her arms and calves exposed. Her body was perfectly proportioned, slender to just the right degree.

Her long, glossy black curls were loose and soft after being blow-dried. As she walked forward barefoot, the randomly draped ends of her hair swayed along with the hem of her dress, carrying the lingering mist from the bathroom. It revealed a touch of allure amidst her innocence.

Cen Sen caught a glimpse. Perhaps because this vase was simply too pleasing to the eye, after less than two seconds, he stole another glance.

"What are you looking at?"

Cen Sen let out a soft laugh but didn't respond.

Ji Mingshu didn't know what she was guarding against, but she kept her eyes fixed on him as she sat down at the edge of the bed, lifting her legs up one by one. Seeing that he made no move, she finally pulled up the soft duvet and lay down, wrapping herself up so tightly that only her beautiful and lovely head remained exposed.

Ji Mingshu said, "Turn off the light. I want to sleep."

Cen Sen didn't say much either, turning off the floor lamp as requested.

In the darkness, the breathing of the two individuals followed one after the other, and before long, synchronized into the exact same frequency, quiet and orderly.

Having not shared a bed with anyone for two years, Ji Mingshu felt a little unaccustomed, tossing and turning from left to right, always feeling that something wasn't quite right.

Cen Sen, on the other hand, was very disciplined, remaining still once he lay flat.

A faint, woody fragrance lingered in the air, resembling fir—the scent of fir on a cloudy day.

Just as she was drifting off to sleep in a daze, Ji Mingshu suddenly perceived a very close, invasive presence. By the time she opened her eyes, Cen Sen had already leaned over, his arms bracing against her waist, enveloping her beneath him.

The light at night was dim, allowing her to faintly discern the deep, sharp lines of Cen Sen's jaw. Lower down, his Adam's apple rolled imperceptibly. Higher up, within his quiet, jet-black pupils, desire was churning.

Having been away from intimacy for a long time, Ji Mingshu’s reaction was somewhat slow, and it wasn't until she was caressed to the point where her shoulder strap slipped down that a bit of sensation finally rushed over her.

Outside the window, the moonlight was like water, swaying clearly and cleanly, temporarily leaving the unpleasantness from before bed stranded on the riverbank.