My Queen, My Rules - Chapter 66

Chapter 66

"Limit? Limit? Limit!"

"Is that even human language?!"

Ji Mingshu was very depressed. She wore a sullen expression the moment she left the party. On the way to the Junyi headquarters building with the driver, she peered out the window with stifled irritation.

Perhaps because tomorrow was New Year's Eve, the driver was in a relaxed mood; while waiting at a red light, he even chatted with her quite humorously.

Unfortunately, she didn't say a word from start to finish. Nobody knew what she was staring at so intensely outside the window. Her lips were pursed and drooping, adding a touch of cold, sharp beauty to her bright and lovely appearance.

The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror and, sensing the mood, wisely stopped talking.

The inside of the car fell into silence, but the little theater inside Ji Mingshu’s brain was bustling with activity—

That dog Cen Sen! Does she really look like the kind of woman who only cares about his money? Okay, maybe she was before, but now, isn't she clearly interested in the man himself?! Did he descend from a planet where the motto is "I'm blind and deaf, but I'm handsome and rich"? How could he possibly fail to see her intentions at all!!

He doesn't even need to use his brain: if she didn't like him, would she have so easily forgiven the unforgivable sin of being subjected to internet bullying just because of a tiny island?

If she didn't like him, would she risk a scolding from her father-in-law, brace herself, and storm into his study to deliver soup?

If she didn't like him, would she cooperate and let him toss her around all night? Even when exhausted to the point of death, she had to satisfy a man's pride by conveying the message of "Honey, you're really great" through her expression, actions, and words from every angle!

So angry! She was just so, so angry!!!

Upon arriving at Junyi, the angry Ji Mingshu put on her sunglasses with a cold, aloof air before slowly stepping out of the car.

She had attended a birthday party today, wearing a wine-red cocktail dress underneath and a high-fashion cream-colored coat over it. Her heels were bling-bling, sparkling from the toes up to the thin, high heels. Thin crystal-studded straps wound loosely around her slender foot bones, each step shimmering with tiny, scattered streams of light. Perhaps thanks to this ensemble, the thermal food container she carried also mysteriously exuded the aura of a limited-edition Hermes New Year collection.

Cen Sen was currently in a video call with Jiang Che.

Jiang Che caught a glimpse of the high-definition surveillance monitor beside him. He smiled, and with quite a bit of leisure, took a screenshot to send to their group chat before conveniently ending the call.

Jiang Che: [Image]

Jiang Che: [Stop chatting, stop chatting. Your wife is here to check on you.]

Zhao Yang: [Is that Xiaoshu? She looks that beautiful even on surveillance? Tsk tsk tsk!]

Shu Yang followed up with an ultimate sycophantic remark: [Exactly! Ji Mingshu! That is a woman who, even in temperatures of minus eight degrees, is written all over with luxury and nobility!]

Cen Sen didn't pay them much mind. He glanced at the monitor and dialed the internal extension to call Zhou Jiaheng down to receive her.

But the moment the line rang, he hung up, because Zhou Jiaheng had already appeared in the corner of the surveillance screen, tripping over himself to get there.

After making mistakes twice in a row, the assistant’s situational awareness had suddenly experienced a qualitative leap.

Knowing Ji Mingshu was coming to the office for a surprise visit, he had specifically instructed the driver to report to him at the third traffic light before reaching the building.

By the time Ji Mingshu stepped out of the car and headed inside, he was already at the entrance, respectfully awaiting the arrival of the President’s wife.

He accompanied her carefully, guiding the way with an expression of extreme reverence—so reverent it was almost fawning. "You’ve worked hard, Madam. Let me carry that for you. Please, this way, Madam."

The aloof Shushu didn't even give him half a glance, only offering an "Mm."

Stepping into the President’s private elevator, the aloof Shushu glanced at the lit-up button for the 68th floor and suddenly asked, "It’s New Year’s tomorrow. Zhou, aren't you going home?"

Zhou Jiaheng replied, "I am, I am. President Cen specially arranged a flight for me to go home early tomorrow morning."

He even smiled while explaining how considerate Cen Sen was toward his employees. "President Cen even prepared a carload of gifts for my parents and insisted I take them back. He said that since I didn't go home for the New Year for the past two years while we were in Australia, I should go back this time and spend quality time with them. All these gifts are his personal gesture."

"President Cen even gave me a full seven days off. He even thought through my New Year’s Eve dinner, telling me to go to the Junyi Huazhang in our hometown; if any relatives or friends come over, they can just stay directly at the hotel…"

The more Zhou Jiaheng chattered, the more stifled Ji Mingshu felt.

Please, who wants to hear this!

She had thought that since Zhou Jiaheng served the monarch like he was serving a tiger, he would surely be on the same page as her, ready to complain about the "Cen the Skin-Flayer" who didn't even give people time off for the New Year. She never expected that this guy would be so easily bought by small favors, singing Cen Sen’s praises with such gratitude!

Too spineless, too disappointing! Such a spineless little hanger-on didn't deserve to be a friend of Ji-family-Shushu!

She was about to signal Zhou Jiaheng to stop yapping immediately, but the next second, he brought up how hard Cen Sen had been working these past few days to make up for the losses incurred by his early return to the country.

Ji Mingshu paused, then suddenly asked, "That… how much was lost?"

Zhou Jiaheng braked his tongue just in time, a look of slight embarrassment appearing on his face. But Ji Mingshu kept pressing, and since it wasn't exactly a trade secret, Zhou Jiaheng hesitated for a moment before tentatively holding up one finger.

"One hundred million?"

"…Dollars?"

Zhou Jiaheng held up his other hand and made a zero.

"……One billion?"

Zhou Jiaheng kept his eyes on his own nose, practicing introspection, and said quickly, "The twelve phases of investment combined add up to one billion. US dollars."

Ji Mingshu went silent.

Although she was somewhat numb to monetary figures and knew Cen Sen’s net worth was far beyond this amount, she understood that one billion US dollars was a very, very significant amount for a single personal investment.

The flames of anger she had brewed on the way here were "whoosh"-ed away instantly by this bucket of ice water worth one billion US dollars. At the same time, a feeling called guilt began to grow in the bottom of her heart. If it hadn't been for her, this investment wouldn't have been lost.

"Madam, we’re here."

The elevator reached the top floor. Seeing her dazed for a long moment, Zhou Jiaheng pressed the elevator button to remind her.

Walking all the way to the President’s office, Ji Mingshu felt light and airy, that sense of guilt becoming even more intense the closer she got to Cen Sen.

Reaching his desk, she lowered her eyelashes, silently opened the thermal container, and whispered, "I packed some chicken soup for you. Drink some to warm yourself up. There was a huge line at this shop; everyone says they use real ingredients."

Cen Sen went quiet.

Earlier, when he asked on WeChat if the items she wanted to buy exceeded her supplementary card’s limit, she had been clearly angry, even accusing him of thinking of her as too materialistic.

Furthermore, judging by her momentum on the surveillance monitor just moments ago, she didn't look like she was here to deliver soup out of concern; she looked more like she was here to splash the hot soup in his face and settle a score.

He took off his glasses and scooped a small spoonful from the bowl Ji Mingshu had pushed in front of him.

Mm, the taste is quite normal.

He raised his eyes and looked at Ji Mingshu. "Sit."

But Ji Mingshu hovered by the edge of his desk, fiddling with the lid of the food container, twisting and turning, refusing to move.

The inner side of the container lid had condensation on it. Ji Mingshu, fiddling with the outer rim, didn't pay much attention, and the water inside just dripped and dropped all over the floor.

After a while, she put down the lid and took a small step, just about to say something to Cen Sen, when she unexpectedly slipped. Following a high-difficulty, 98.5-degree side-spin accompanied by her haute-couture red dress fluttering in the wind and her elegant hair dancing wildly in the air—

She fell perfectly into Cen Sen’s lap. :)

Cen Sen still held the spoon in one hand, not moving a muscle, save for the sudden feeling of weight on his lap. In contrast, Ji Mingshu was much more proactive; the moment she landed, she automatically draped her arms around his neck.

"..."

"…?!?"

Ji Mingshu was stunned. Her brain probably went blank for four or five seconds before she realized what had just happened.

Retrospectively, she met Cen Sen’s calm eyes. She clearly saw a variety of emotions within his composure: "I didn't expect you to be so proactive," "Very well, your method of throwing yourself into my arms is quite unique," "Since you’ve done it so blatantly, I’ll reluctantly accept."

No! She didn't mean to! She must have been possessed by a ghost to have completed that series of high-difficulty maneuvers so naturally and flawlessly!

Thinking of this, Ji Mingshu subconsciously loosened her grip.

But Cen Sen had already set down his spoon, both hands already wrapped around her waist.

"Wait… wait a minute!"

"I didn't… the floor was too… too slippery, I didn't mean to!"

Cen Sen’s gaze had already fallen to the area below her collarbone, and he just responded with an unconcerned "Mm," before adding, "I’ll change the floor after the New Year."

Clearly, he wasn't taking her explanation seriously at all.

Ji Mingshu blushed indignantly. Seeing Cen Sen’s gaze darken with desire, the shyness in her heart somehow evolved toward a "let it all go to ruin" mentality.

Sensing Cen Sen’s hand beginning to stroke her ambiguously, she simply went all in, openly hugging him and shrinking into his embrace.

Cen Sen was moved, and she whispered about business again: "I heard Grandpa and Dad talking in the study a few days ago—about how you came back from Paris early, and as a result, Cen Yang snatched a project investment away from you. I’m sorry…"

The dark shadows in Cen Sen’s eyes receded slightly.

Ji Mingshu then said in a small, guilty voice: "Otherwise, let’s not buy that island first. Places where you can see the aurora are all in the Arctic Circle; it must be extremely cold, and we can’t go there many times a year anyway. The maintenance costs must be very high."

"Also, I can buy fewer things in the future. And that ring you gave me last time—I haven't had a chance to wear it. How about I compensate you with that?"

"Small change. I’m not so poor that I need my wife to sell her jewelry." He ruffled Ji Mingshu’s hair, and the exhaustion on him seemed to lighten suddenly.

Having saved the island and the ring, Ji Mingshu felt a little happy—after all, she was only offering; she didn't actually want to sell them.

Sitting on Cen Sen’s lap, she fidgeted, somehow asking more about Cen Yang, and even whispering an excuse for him. "Actually, Cen Yang has it pretty tough too. It’s just… it’s easy to go from frugal to extravagant, but hard to go from extravagant back to frugal. That’s what it means, you know? He must have had some regrets all these years…"

Cen Sen understood, of course; he even deeply understood why Cen Yang remained unable to let go after all these years.

Actually, there were some things regarding the Cen family that were not fit to be told to outsiders. Ji Mingshu, being a close relative, didn't know the full story, and he didn't want her to know.

To be forever happy and simple is far better than to bear the weight of the past while moving forward.

Just as he didn't want to tell her the truth about the malicious editing incident, he didn't want to destroy the beautiful image of the "Brother Cen Yang" who had provided her with warmth during her childhood.

However, not destroying it didn't mean he would allow Ji Mingshu to keep mentioning other men in front of him.

Ji Mingshu wanted to say more, but Cen Sen suddenly sealed her lips with a gentle kiss.

She was spineless, and within seconds, she was lost in this gentleness. What awaited her next was the moment this seemingly gentle kiss suddenly turned fierce, invading her territory deeply.

She struggled back and forth in his arms, truly unable to catch her breath, whimpering as she tried to make a sound.

But Cen Sen didn't give her a single chance. From the corner of her eye, she even caught a glimpse of Cen Sen pressing a button on the desk’s touch panel. The button glowed faintly, and it had a diagonal line across it—did it mean "Do Not Disturb"?

She had no time to think deeply, because as the kiss ended, Cen Sen picked her up and placed her on an empty corner of his desk.

The desk was far colder and harder than Cen Sen’s thigh, and it wasn't very comfortable to sit on.

Seeing Cen Sen nonchalantly wipe his lower lip with his thumb, Ji Mingshu subconsciously leaned back. But Cen Sen leaned in, bracing his hands on either side of her.

His pupils were dark and deep, gazing at her with clarity. He loosened his collar casually, his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and his collarbones were faintly visible. Ji Mingshu suddenly felt… this man was incredibly seductive.

The air went quiet; eye contact was unavoidable. Ji Mingshu’s ears turned red, and she asked cautiously, "Are we… are we doing an office play?”