My Queen, My Rules - Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Thirty seconds later, Ji Mingshu hurriedly slipped into her high heels and headed out, barely managing to maintain the shred of elegance she had left after removing her makeup.

She pressed the buttons for all four elevators and stood there waiting like a fool, silently longing for the private top-floor elevator of the Bai Cui Tian Hua residence.

Thirty seconds passed—no elevator.

One minute passed—still no elevator.

So slow! What a piece of trash building, TVT!

After one minute and eighteen seconds, an elevator finally opened.

Ji Mingshu swept inside like a gust of wind, incidentally pushing out Gu Kaiyang, who was still fiddling with her phone.

Gu Kaiyang was stunned as she was shoved out of the elevator. Was that Ji Mingshu just now? Holy shit, I don’t even have my keycard! This girl is acting like she’s rushing to her own funeral!

Speaking of which, Ji Mingshu’s mood was not much different from going to a funeral.

She was riddled with anxiety and a strange, inexplicable sense of guilt. The crucial point was that she had no idea when Cen Sen had arrived or what he and Cen Yang had talked about downstairs. And the most, most, most crucial point was—Cen Yang had hugged her when he dropped her off, and what if Cen Sen had seen it?

Ji Mingshu’s heart pounded like a drum. After a moment, however, she realized something didn't feel right—

That dog of a man had invested in Li Wenyin’s movie with such righteous indignation, so why was it such a big deal for her to meet up with Cen Yang? What was wrong with an old friend sharing a hug?

Cen Sen had already done everything from the first day to the fourteenth day of the lunar month; she, Ji Mingshu, had only just stuck her little toes out to step on the edge of the fifteenth—what did she have to feel guilty about!

Right, exactly. That’s it.

Thinking this, Ji Mingshu’s back straightened instinctively.

She even reflected on the situation: this was probably the side effect of having too strong a sense of morality. Not good, very bad—it was self-destructive and only benefited that man, Cen.

The Star Harbor International building was always busy. Although she had finally boarded the elevator, it stopped every two or three floors on the way down. With people constantly getting on and off, it took a full five minutes to descend from the thirty-third floor to the lobby.

It was snowing outside; the temperature was low, and the wind was bitter.

Ji Mingshu wrapped her windbreaker tighter and walked to the intersection to cross the street. Mingling with the crowd, she hurried over, only to realize too late that Cen Yang and his white Mercedes were gone. All that remained was Cen Sen, hands buried in his overcoat pockets, leaning against the door of his Maybach with a faint, detached gaze, looking every bit the judge presiding over a trial.

This was truly a case of "hell is empty, and Cen Sen is on the road."

Ji Mingshu asked subconsciously, "What about Cen Yang? He left?"

"He left."

Cen Sen’s reply was brief; his voice sounded as if it had been chilled in the snow—cold and detached.

Ji Mingshu’s little sparrow heart couldn't help but tremble. She stiffened for a moment before biting the bullet and stammering, "Then, what... what did you two talk about just now?"

"What do you think?"

Cen Sen lowered his eyes to look at her.

Ji Mingshu opened her mouth, but was completely unable to speak.

After a long while, she tried a different approach: "When did you get here?"

Cen Sen: "Six-thirty."

……?

She had only just left at six-thirty, which meant that from the moment she walked out the door until Cen Yang dropped her off, he had seen everything.

Ji Mingshu’s first instinct was to explain herself, but as the words reached her lips, she remembered her internal monologue while descending in the elevator... Explain what? What was there to explain? Why on earth should she explain herself to this dog of a man, Cen Sen!

In the span of just three or four seconds, Ji Mingshu’s attitude underwent a complete transformation. She straightened her back, poked Cen Sen in the chest with her finger, and declared triumphantly, "Please note that we are currently in a state of pending divorce! You were bold enough to invest in Li Wenyin’s movie, so what’s the big deal about me having a meal and a hug with Cen Yang! I haven't even put you on trial yet; don't you dare think you can put me on trial here!"

Cen Sen’s gaze remained quiet. He said nothing, but suddenly gripped the finger she was poking his chest with, then took her hand and tucked it naturally into his overcoat pocket.

???

Ji Mingshu’s brain blanked.

"I was working on a merger case for the past few days, working seventy-two hours straight without sleep. I came back this morning and rested for a few hours. I originally wanted to pick you up for dinner and a movie tonight. You had already eaten, but I haven't eaten a thing since this morning."

His gaze remained calm, and his voice held no inflection—as flat as if he were giving a conference report—but Ji Mingshu somehow heard a hint of grievance in the schedule.

And the key point was that he had actually come to pick her up for dinner and a movie at six-thirty. The momentum she had just worked up to shout at him instantly dissipated, replaced by a sudden, intense feeling of regret and guilt.

After a long silence, she lowered her lashes and muttered softly, "Actually, I... I didn't really get full at that French restaurant."

After a moment of contemplation, Cen Sen said, "Then let’s go get dinner."

He casually brushed the snowflakes off Ji Mingshu’s windbreaker and held her hand as he walked her to the passenger seat.

The car door opened, and Ji Mingshu sat down sluggishly. Just as she was about to reach for the seatbelt, Cen Sen leaned over before her and fastened it for her.

During those few seconds it took to buckle the belt, they were very close. Ji Mingshu could smell the faint scent of cold fir trees on him, and she could see six-petaled snowflakes silently melting on the tips of his short hair.

For some reason, Ji Mingshu’s heart stirred, and she suddenly wanted to kiss him.

He had been standing out in the cold for so long; his lips must be chilly now, like jelly taken straight out of a refrigerator.

Just then, Cen Sen turned to look at her.

The moment their eyes met, Ji Mingshu leaned back against the seat with a reserved expression, but every cell in her body was screaming: Woo woo woo, kiss me, kiss me, hurry up and kiss me! If you kiss me, I won’t make you kneel and beg for forgiveness!!!

Unfortunately, after three seconds of eye contact, Cen Sen unromantically straightened his body and pulled the car door shut from the other side, as if that smooth maneuver of tucking her hand into his pocket had been the work of a nearby ghost who couldn't bear to watch and had possessed him to help out.

"..."

Heh, looks like he still prefers kneeling to ask for forgiveness :)

Just as Ji Mingshu was harboring these chaotic, adorable thoughts, she received a call from Gu Kaiyang.

She said "Hello," then spoke with a straight face: "I’m a bit hungry, so I’m going out to grab a bite before heading back. What’s up? Are you still working overtime without dinner? Do you want me to bring you something?"

"No, no need. Nothing. I just... I dialed the wrong number. Yeah, wrong number."

Gu Kaiyang hung up quickly and decisively. Looking at the silhouette of the Maybach speeding away, she stood on the side of the road for a long time, unable to snap out of it.

The cold wind whistled. It wasn't until a little flower girl called her "Big Sister" that she finally recovered from her drifting thoughts.

She quickly bought a bunch of flowers and called Jiang Chun. "Where are you?"

Jiang Chun was eating and replied vaguely, "Tang Zhizhou and I are having hot pot over at Biqiao."

Gu Kaiyang: "Are you going back to the apartment to sleep tonight?"

Jiang Chun blushed, swallowed a piece of beef, took a sip of cola, and whispered into the phone: "What nonsense are you talking about? Tang Zhizhou and I are very innocent! Of course, I’m going home to sleep! Besides, my dad calls to check in at midnight every day!"

Gu Kaiyang had no interest in her sex life. "Then let me crash at your place for the night. You keep eating; I’ll wait for you at the cafe downstairs. Ji Mingshu took her husband and left, but she took my keycard with her!"

Jiang Chun: "Then why don't you have her send it to you?"

Gu Kaiyang: "Is your brain stuffed with hot pot base? This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to send away the 'God of Plagues'—why would I go out of my way to disturb them? Even if I freeze to death under the overpass tonight, I am absolutely not calling Ji Mingshu another time!"

Jiang Chun: "..."

That’s just insane.

On Christmas Eve, the city center was filled with a festive atmosphere. Christmas songs were playing everywhere, and the plazas and roadsides were covered with Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes. A thin layer of snow had already accumulated on the ground, and by the looks of it, it would keep falling for quite a while.

Although it was a holiday, the only places still open near midnight were Japanese restaurants and hot pot joints; everything else—noodle shops and barbecue spots—had mediocre environments. On top of that, Cen Sen didn't like Japanese food, so their only remaining choice was hot pot.

This hot pot restaurant provided excellent service; even in the middle of the night, the staff remained energetic, offering towels and handing out Christmas hats while wishing everyone "Merry Christmas."

Ji Mingshu had the appetite of a bird. After the big dinner in the evening, she couldn't eat much now, so she just ordered a few vegetables and handed the tablet to Cen Sen.

Cen Sen didn't order much either. After placing the order and handing the tablet to the waiter, he looked at Ji Mingshu’s bare legs under the table: "Are you cold?"

Ji Mingshu: "It’s fine."

If she couldn't even handle this little bit of cold, what kind of beautiful, moving socialite could she be?

In reality, wearing a sweater dress with a windbreaker was her everyday winter style. It was just that she had been in such a rush when leaving, she hadn't even had time to change into boots; she had just run out in a pair of high heels, and her feet really were a bit cold now.

Hearing this, Cen Sen prepared to take off his overcoat, but a waiter suddenly appeared at the table as if by magic, holding a blanket with a beaming smile: "Miss, please take care to stay warm in the winter. Here is a blanket for you."

"Oh... thank you."

It was Ji Mingshu’s first time there, and she was slightly surprised by the attentive service, accepting it with a smile.

Cen Sen looked up at the waiter.

The waiter was completely oblivious and asked impeccably: "Sir, do you need one as well?"

"...No need."

Cen Sen felt that perhaps it had been too long since he’d eaten hot pot; he hadn't known that semi-self-service restaurants like these were already providing such high-level service.

Ji Mingshu was the type of woman who was troublesome when out and about. When eating hot pot, she wouldn't mix her own dipping sauce, wouldn't pour her own water, and would never peel any food with shells herself.

Yet, for such a troublesome woman, Cen Sen wasn't able to help her with a single thing the entire time; the omnipotent waiters were there the very first second to assist.

When they left, Ji Mingshu even praised the service attitude of the shop, saying it wasn't any worse than those Japanese and French restaurants that cost thousands per person.

Cen Sen didn't speak. He just crumpled the receipt in his hand and tossed it into the trash can without mercy.

The waiter stood at the door seeing them off, a bit confused as to what exactly the male customer had been dissatisfied with. The service had been so attentive the whole way through, yet as he left, his entire face screamed, "I will absolutely never come to your shop a second time." The catering industry was just too hard.

It was very late by the time they finished eating. The West Gate of the shopping mall, which had been open earlier, was now closed, with only one elevator from the cinema still operating.

As they walked toward the cinema, Cen Sen suddenly asked: "Do you want to watch a movie?"

"Huh? A movie? Sure, I guess."

Ji Mingshu’s heart was bubbling with pink bubbles, but on the surface, she responded with practiced reluctance.

The only movies still showing this late were a certain romance film premiering that day, which had three screenings between midnight and six in the morning.

The midnight screening had a large audience, but by the time they got to the 2:00 AM screening, it was completely empty.

The cinema hall was dim, and the romance film’s pacing was slow. Seeing that there was no one else around, Ji Mingshu began to mutter incessantly about the movie’s plot as they watched.

When she saw the male lead misunderstand that the female lead had slept with the second male lead, she couldn't help but complain: "This is too cliché! Do the investors have too much money to burn or something? Why do they invest in every movie? This man’s brain must be full of holes. The female lead is so obviously into him, yet he still misunderstands? Is he an idiot? He’s stupid beyond belief."

Cen Sen said nothing, though he agreed in his heart—he really was stupid beyond belief.

Cen Yang had told him a lot tonight. He hadn't listened much, and he didn't care much, but there was one sentence he had heard clearly and remembered well: "Xiaoshu likes you now, but that doesn't mean she will like you forever."

Now, like you.

His gaze toward the screen softened inexplicably, and the corners of his lips lifted in a very faint smile.

Ji Mingshu was so angry at the plot that she turned her head, only to see Cen Sen smiling, and her mind was filled with question marks.

Is this man a pervert? The female lead is suffering so much, and he can still laugh? Does he have any humanity at all?