He Qing’s body pressed against him, leaving faint water stains and a lingering scent on his pajamas. The refreshing fragrance wafted into his nostrils.
Once He Qing steadied herself, Jin He quickly released her.
His brows were tightly furrowed, his lips pressed together. He picked up his cup and left the scene, passing He Qing without her even hearing him say thank you.
Only after Jin He went upstairs did He Qing withdraw her gaze.
Her innocent and helpless expression gradually turned composed, a hint of intrigue appearing in her eyes, even a smile gracing her lips.
“Such a chaste man?”
He Qing’s eyes held a slightly hazy allure. She smiled, took her water, and returned to her room.
Leaning on the bed, she savored the feeling of being held in Jin He’s arms—a feeling of openness and breadth, filled with a man’s warmth and clean scent.
Tonight’s encounter was a deliberate setup on her part, though Jin He had proven more of a gentleman than she had anticipated.
Jin He bore a strong resemblance to Jin Ye, both handsome, dashing, and charming.
Compared to Jin Ye, Jin He possessed more life experience, along with an innate绅士 (shēnshì - gentlemanly) demeanor and refined elegance. Jin Ye was more aloof, whereas Jin He exuded a feeling of magnanimity and tolerance. Though his face bore the traces of time, it only enhanced his mature masculine charm.
During her earlier investigation, He Qing had already found Jin He captivating. Now, she found him even more unique and interesting.
“The days ahead will be quite exciting, heh.”
A charming smile bloomed on He Qing’s face, a subconscious display honed by her training.
In the past, she had schemed to conquer Jin Ye. Her affection for him stemmed from an unknown source; perhaps it was because, as the favored eldest daughter of the Jiang family, no man had ever failed to adore her. Yet, Jin Ye’s gaze was fixed solely on Su Ding, which ignited her competitive spirit.
Thus, she had found ways to become close friends with Su Ding, to sow discord between them, and to proactively approach Jin Ye. However, she had underestimated him. Jin Ye had seen through her, even directly exposing her schemes, leaving her utterly humiliated.
He had even gone so far as to set a fire to burn her to death in an attempt to get rid of her!
Upon recalling this…
He Qing’s expression instantly turned cold!
She detested Jin Ye’s ruthlessness, his desire to eradicate all traces of her. Her face, ravaged by the inferno, had been disfigured. If it weren’t for Brother Gong rescuing her, performing plastic surgery, training her, and helping her seek revenge, she wouldn't know what to do.
Brother Gong was dead, and now she worked under Liang Min.
Liang Min hated Su Ding and Jin Ye because they had caused Brother Gong’s death. As for her, Jiang Jiayi, her objective was the Jin family.
How could she possibly contend with Jin Ye on her own? She had pondered this for a long time and finally devised a plan: she would destroy his family. If she couldn’t confront Jin Ye directly, she could target his father. There was a saying: if you can’t deal with someone, become their stepmother.
This was precisely He Qing’s intention.
Once she controlled Jin He, wouldn’t Jin Ye and the entire Jin family be at her beck and call?
Furthermore, Jin He was even more outstanding than she had imagined. Despite Zhao Qin’s excessive behavior, Jin He, being wealthy and handsome, tolerated Zhao Qin’s actions. This indicated that he valued loyalty. He Qing felt this mission was challenging, yet it also fueled her drive.
“Jin He, I hope you won’t disappoint me…”
He Qing whispered softly in her heart, a predatory gleam in her eyes.
Her first step now was to sow discord between Jin He and Zhao Qin, to turn them against each other, and to make Jin Ye preoccupied and overwhelmed.
As for Su Ding, she felt it was time to create some trouble for her as well.
She had heard that after Jin Ye went on a business trip, Su Ding had been shuttling between her shop and the film crew. Shao Lin should be giving birth soon. If Shao Lin were released, how would the two sides clash then?
Heh, how amusing.
Meanwhile, Jin He walked to the bedroom door, holding half a glass of water.
He hesitated for a long time, then gulped down the water, as if mustering his courage, before pushing the door open and entering.
The bedroom was dark. Zhao Qin lay on the bed, seemingly asleep.
Jin He placed the cup down. Using the faint light from his mobile phone, he quietly approached the bedside. Seeing the tear streaks still wet on Zhao Qin’s face, he let out a soft sigh.
Although Zhao Qin was no longer young, she was still beautiful. Her skin, while not as flawless as in her younger days, remained fair, tender, and smooth. Even as a grandmother, she possessed a youthful innocence that belied her age, a result of his pampering over the years. He truly loved her.
If Zhao Qin hadn’t harbored hostility towards Su Ding, their marriage wouldn’t have reached this point.
Jin He gently brushed aside her hair, then lifted a corner of the quilt and lay down. The moment he did, Zhao Qin wrapped her arms around him, burying her head in his chest.
For an old couple, such tender moments were a testament to their years of love.
Jin He stroked Zhao Qin’s hair. Just as he was about to fall asleep, Zhao Qin’s voice suddenly broke the silence, “Where did you go?”
“I… I didn’t do anything.” Jin He was taken aback.
Zhao Qin, however, tightly gripped his clothes, sniffing him intensely. Her attitude abruptly turned aggressive as she questioned, “There’s a woman’s scent on you. You say you did nothing?”
Jin He’s mind flashed back to the intimate scene in the living room. He collected himself and explained, “I was just getting water downstairs and saw He Qing.”
He instinctively concealed the fact that He Qing had fallen. If he told Zhao Qin, she would undoubtedly pry for details. Their relationship was already strained, and he didn’t want to create further complications.
“You saw He Qing, so why is there a fragrance on you?”
Zhao Qin, who had been happy about Jin He returning to sleep with her, was unable to bear the scent on him. Her already sensitive and fragile heart flared up, and she couldn’t help but question him.
“It must have been from passing by her. I don’t know.”
Jin He replied in a calm tone, “Qin, let’s not argue anymore. It’s late. Let’s just sleep.”
Zhao Qin heard Jin He’s words and saw the sincere look in his eyes. Rationally, she wished for the matter to end there, but her long-suppressed emotions, like a dam bursting, overwhelmed her. She couldn’t control herself and demanded more forcefully, “Will things really end just because we don’t argue? You’re always like this, never facing our problems head-on!”
“Zhao Qin, you want to keep arguing? Is it never going to end?”
Even Jin He’s patience was wearing thin. His expression darkened as he demanded, “I’ve come to reconcile. What more do you want from me? We’ve been married for decades. You’re still relentless. What exactly do you want?”
“What do I want? I want you to be devoted to me wholeheartedly!”
As Zhao Qin spoke, tears streamed down her face. She felt an unbearable ache in her heart. Why did no one understand her? Why?
“I’ve always been devoted to you. Don’t you know that?”
“I don’t know!”
Zhao Qin collapsed. After shouting this, she turned away to sleep.
Jin He’s face also turned ashen with anger. He panted heavily, and after a long while, he calmed down. He lifted the quilt, lay down, and closed his eyes.
From that night onward, their relationship deteriorated further.