Luo Jingshu managed to stop his tears, and sometimes Xiao Cheng found it strange that Luo Jingshu, who wasn’t particularly fragile, cried so easily.
However, when he cried, he didn’t look bad; instead, he seemed to have a few more vulnerable qualities than usual. Every time Xiao Cheng saw his eyes redden, he immediately felt his heart soften.
Luo Jingshu really had him wrapped around his finger.
He wiped away Luo Jingshu’s tears and turned to see a little girl sitting on a bench, curiously watching them.
Xiao Cheng suddenly felt a bit embarrassed; he wasn’t used to showing intimate gestures in front of others.
But Luo Jingshu was quick to act, grabbing Xiao Cheng’s hand and slipping it into his own pocket.
Their fingers were intertwined in the pocket of Luo Jingshu’s clothes. Xiao Cheng felt the warmth from their fingers and, after a brief struggle, let Luo Jingshu pull him along as they walked slowly forward.
The fireworks had finished, and the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder. The square was mostly filled with couples, many of whom were bolder than they were. Xiao Cheng and Luo Jingshu blended in without standing out.
Because there were so many people today, there were also many vendors around the square selling small items, like little bouquets or various fruit snacks.
They had only walked a short distance when they encountered a flower-selling auntie.
She glanced at Xiao Cheng and Luo Jingshu and immediately smiled at Xiao Cheng, saying, “Handsome guy, why not buy a bouquet for your boyfriend?”
Xiao Cheng was taken aback, then couldn’t help but chuckle, covering his mouth as he laughed.
Seeing that they didn’t immediately refuse, the auntie became even more enthusiastic, showering Xiao Cheng with several blessings.
“Oh, look at how well-matched you two are! You must be able to last long and love each other until old age. Just buy a bouquet for your boyfriend as a testament to your love.”
Xiao Cheng was quite happy, but he wasn’t sure if Luo Jingshu liked such little things. Just as he was about to turn and ask, he felt a tug on his sleeve.
Turning to look, he saw Luo Jingshu winking at him, his lips slightly parted as he playfully said in a soft voice, “Husband, just buy me a bouquet, okay?”
Xiao Cheng?!!
He suddenly felt dizzy, as if he had drunk fake wine, his expression completely out of control as he laughed foolishly. He quickly fished out his phone to make the payment.
“Buy! Buy a big one!”
The auntie was grinning from ear to ear as she hurriedly handed the bouquet to Luo Jingshu.
Luo Jingshu held the bouquet, laughing as he discreetly glanced at a couple not far away.
The girl was tugging at her boyfriend’s sleeve, constantly acting cute and calling him “husband,” trying to get him to buy her a gift.
Luo Jingshu learned this and found it very effective.
Even after the flower-selling auntie left, Xiao Cheng was still in a daze.
His ears were so red they seemed about to bleed, and he deliberately avoided Luo Jingshu’s gaze, pretending not to care about what Luo Jingshu had just said.
Luo Jingshu was utterly smitten; how could there be such a cute boy like Brother Cheng, and he was his boyfriend?
He hooked his arm around Xiao Cheng’s shoulder and whispered, “Thank you, husband. You’re so nice.”
Xiao Cheng finally couldn’t take it anymore, blushing as he pushed Luo Jingshu’s face away, “Alright, stop being so mushy.”
He didn’t know who had heard him call out “husband” and quickly pulled out money.
Luo Jingshu couldn’t help but chuckle but still gave Xiao Cheng a bit of dignity, “Okay, I won’t say it anymore.”
The two held hands and slowly walked forward, with Luo Jingshu still holding the bouquet. Although the surroundings were lively, the atmosphere between them was quiet and warm.
After wandering through the night market, Xiao Cheng bought a bunch of things and returned to the hotel with a big bag and a small bag.
Tomorrow, they will return to City S together. Luo Jingshu had a tight schedule at school, and Xiao Cheng was also in the second semester of his freshman year.
Xiao Cheng went to wash up first, and then Luo Jingshu took a bag into the bathroom, but he didn’t come out for a long time.
Xiao Cheng called out to him, and after getting a response, he felt relieved. He was worried that Luo Jingshu might fall asleep there.
With his boyfriend not around, Xiao Cheng felt bored and simply lay on the bed playing with his phone. He was chatting with a friend when suddenly his phone pushed a new message.
When Xiao Cheng saw the name on the screen, he was taken aback. It was Jiang Ying.
He quickly opened Weibo and clicked on today’s trending topics.
The fifth trending topic was a news article he had just seen, and Xiao Cheng took a deep breath before clicking on the entry.
[Jiang Ying with Underage]
This was a post from a marketing account with over two hundred thousand followers, claiming to have received a submission stating that Jiang Ying, the current CEO of Jiang Group, had committed sexual assault against a fifteen-year-old girl. The actions described were appalling, and it was alleged that he had threatened the girl and her family to prevent them from reporting the incident.
The marketing account had outlined a timeline and even published the submitter’s Weibo name and avatar.
Xiao Cheng knew that Luo Jingshu had some evidence regarding Jiang Ying’s crimes. Both Xiao Yu and Bai Yiheng were aware of it too, but at the time, they had said they couldn’t disclose much. Xiao Cheng only knew that such evidence existed but wasn’t clear on the specifics.
Seeing this marketing account’s post, he immediately realized this was likely what Luo Jingshu had referred to.
To be honest, Xiao Cheng didn’t doubt the authenticity of the claims; Jiang Ying was entirely capable of such actions.
Whether in this life or the original story, his behavior had crossed legal boundaries. However, Jiang Ying had powerful backing, and someone had been cleaning up his image, allowing him to evade justice.
Xiao Cheng felt that the timing was a bit too early; it didn’t seem to match what they had initially agreed upon.
As he pondered this, he opened the comments section to see the netizens’ reactions.
[Jiang Ying?! I’m shocked; he doesn’t look like that kind of person.]
[Come on, he’s a typical domineering CEO, handsome and wealthy. Why would he do something like this?]
[With Jiang Ying’s status, what woman wouldn’t he be able to have? He just has to beckon, and a bunch of women would rush to him. There’s no need to force anyone!]
Xiao Cheng couldn’t help but frown. As he continued scrolling, he found that the comments were relatively calm, but there were still many people insulting the girl, saying she was just after money and had gone crazy, claiming she must have thrown herself at Jiang Ying and was now trying to smear his name.
The insults were particularly harsh, as if they had witnessed the events firsthand.
A surge of anger rose in Xiao Cheng’s heart. To ordinary netizens, this incident didn’t seem to have a clear conclusion.
Before the matter was fully clarified, using such harsh language to insult a girl and making definitive claims was infuriating.
It was also because Jiang Ying’s public relations were usually so well-handled, combined with his good looks, that most netizens found it hard to believe he could do something like this.
After looking for a while, Xiao Cheng’s eyes turned red with anger, and he simply tossed his phone aside, no longer wanting to look.
Luo Jingshu was still in the bathroom and hadn’t come out. Xiao Cheng decided to knock on the door, “Jingshu? Are you done washing up?”
Luo Jingshu’s voice came from inside, sounding a bit breathless, “Almost.”
Xiao Cheng sensed something was off. “What are you doing in there?”
Luo Jingshu opened the door, “Come in.”
Just as Xiao Cheng reached out to push the door open, a hand suddenly shot out from inside, grabbing his wrist and pulling him in.
Xiao Cheng was caught off guard and nearly fell, but thankfully, Luo Jingshu caught him, preventing him from hitting the ground.
Xiao Cheng was already angry, and just as he was about to scold Luo Jingshu, he looked up and met his gaze, suddenly wide-eyed and speechless.
Luo Jingshu was wearing a white shirt, the buttons not properly fastened, exposing his collarbone to the air.
The shirt was short, barely covering the tops of his thighs, revealing two long, straight legs that were as pale as if they could glow.
He was also wearing a collar around his neck with a small bell that jingled as he moved, and a metal chain attached to it, the other end held in Luo Jingshu’s hand.
His hair was half-wet, and the moisture gave his eyes a sultry look, with slightly reddened eyelids and lips glistening with an inexplicable sheen.
That beautiful face was simply enchanting, as if it could steal one’s soul with just a glance.
Xiao Cheng’s face turned completely red, and he forgot what he had intended to say, just staring at Luo Jingshu for a long moment before finally managing to say, “You…”
Xiao Cheng realized his voice had gone hoarse.
He swallowed hard, “Why are you dressed like this?”
“Doesn’t brother like it?” Luo Jingshu handed him the leather strap connected to the metal chain.
“You liked it when I sent you that video last time, right?”
Xiao Cheng felt his hidden thoughts exposed and turned beet red, staring at Luo Jingshu.
This person was too mischievous!
Luo Jingshu playfully jingled the bell at his neck, the sound echoing crisply in the bathroom.
“Brother Cheng likes it.”
Luo Jingshu’s tone was certain, and then he leaned closer, getting even nearer to Xiao Cheng. “Happy Valentine’s Day, husband.”
Xiao Cheng was absolutely thrilled with this Valentine’s Day gift!
Luo Jingshu was especially accommodating today, occasionally saying a few words to tease and coax Xiao Cheng, half-persuading him to express all his thoughts.
Xiao Cheng thought that since he had already been exposed, he might as well be bold and made several requests.
For example, he wanted Luo Jingshu to kneel at his feet, or to show certain expressions.
The usually serious Xiao Cheng had also learned to be a bit naughty.
Luo Jingshu complied with each request, obediently acting like Xiao Cheng’s personal doll. In the end, he lay on Xiao Cheng’s lap, softly barking like a dog, “Woof!”
Xiao Cheng covered his nose, fearing he might get a nosebleed; that would be too embarrassing!
How could Luo Jingshu be so good at this!
He was practically dancing on his kinks.
He had completely grasped Xiao Cheng’s little preferences.
Once Xiao Cheng was finally satisfied, Luo Jingshu licked his lips and said, “Husband, are you satisfied now? Shouldn’t it be my turn next?”
Xiao Cheng felt dizzy, obediently following Luo Jingshu’s lead. He lay down when told, and despite his reluctance, he found himself half-heartedly agreeing to whatever Luo Jingshu suggested, especially when he used his charm.
That night, both of them were very pleased.
The next day, Xiao Cheng didn’t wake up until around ten-thirty in the morning, roused by his hunger.
He felt a warm body pressed against his back, and as he reached for his phone, he realized it was already late morning.
Not wanting to wake Luo Jingshu, he turned onto his side to play with his phone.
As soon as he unlocked the screen, he was met with photos from last night, and he felt embarrassed all over again.
He quietly exited the photo gallery and opened Weibo instead.
Last night had been so intense that he had forgotten to ask Luo Jingshu for clarification on the situation. He wondered how things had developed overnight.
When he clicked on the trending topics again, he was startled to see the name of his own family company.
What is going on now?
He clicked in to find out, and it all became clear.
Jiang Ying’s company had released a clarification statement on their official Weibo account last night, subtly implying that the Xiao family was behind the smear campaign against him.
[Business competition should be conducted legally; any attempts to spread rumors or smear others are unacceptable.]
The statement specifically mentioned business competition.
Just a few days ago, Jiang Ying had declared war on the Xiao family during an interview, and the public hadn’t forgotten about it so quickly.
As expected, once the clarification was released, people began to recall Jiang Ying’s previous declaration against the Xiao family.
[I knew Jiang Ying wasn’t that kind of person. The Xiao family is being so petty; is this their way of retaliating because they can’t win?]
[This tactic is so low; it seems the Xiao family is really finished this time.]
Jiang Ying had responded within the crucial two-hour window, maintaining an air of innocence and confidence, which led many netizens to believe him and turn their anger toward the Xiao family.
Xiao Cheng was feeling increasingly frustrated when suddenly, a hand reached out from behind him and covered his phone screen.
Luo Jingshu’s voice came softly from beside him, still laced with sleepiness, “Don’t look.”
“Let him be arrogant for a while longer.”
Xiao Cheng bit his lip, his irritation still simmering. “Do you have any solid evidence?”
Luo Jingshu tightened his embrace around Xiao Cheng’s waist. “Yes.”
“The girl is being well protected, so don’t worry. The one who should be anxious now is Jiang Ying.”
It was the girl who had been harmed.
Xiao Cheng let out a sigh of relief. He was worried that Jiang Ying might retaliate against her out of desperation, but since Luo Jingshu had everything under control, he decided to wait and see.
Meanwhile, at the headquarters of Jiang Group, in the president’s office.
Jiang Ying smashed a coffee cup, shards scattering everywhere. He was still seething, his fist pounding on the desk in frustration.
“Useless trash! Can’t you find a single person?”
Standing across from him was his loyal secretary, who had handled many of Jiang Ying’s shady dealings, including the incident with the girl.
“Mr. Jiang, we destroyed all the evidence at the time. Don’t worry.”
The secretary was sweating profusely, knowing the gravity of the situation. They couldn’t find the girl, and denying everything was their only option.
Jiang Ying was furious enough to spit blood.
They couldn’t locate her, the marketing account refused to delete the post, and the Xiao family wasn’t even answering their phones.
Normally, he wouldn’t be worried, but with two projects at critical stages, he couldn’t afford any slip-ups.
As Jiang Ying’s frustration reached a boiling point, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
That’s right, Jiang Zihe had a good relationship with Xiao Cheng; perhaps he could use him…
Jiang Ying narrowed his eyes, calming himself before dialing Jiang Zihe’s number.
“Hello, Zihe…”
