Chapter Twelve: Attempting to Rekindle That Night

He Jingjing’s face instantly turned ashen.

Mai Xijun stared in shock and disbelief at the man before her, whose frivolous demeanor was tinged with rebellious arrogance.

Shen Yanlie glanced back at her with a slight smile, his eyes half-lidded, his voice neither loud nor soft. “Woman, where did you put my things?”

Mai Xijun was clearly taken aback; the confusion in her eyes and the furrow of her brow all filled the man’s vision. She was a beautiful woman, unlike others. No heavy makeup, yet her skin was smooth and delicate—so much so that, even standing this close, he could not see a single pore.

“What are you talking about?” Mai Xijun asked, bewildered. Shen Yanlie shrugged indifferently. It was easy to see she hadn’t recognized him at all.

Then it struck him: didn’t she suffer from night blindness? That night, she had just turned off the light when he barged in. Was it because she suddenly couldn’t adjust to the darkness that she failed to see him clearly? Or... was it deliberate?

He Jingjing frowned, observing the scene unfold before her. If her eyes weren’t playing tricks, if she hadn’t misjudged, this man was almost certainly the Chief Executive Officer of Eurasia Trade—and one of the official organizers of the jewelry exhibition.

Xue Lizan watched the two standing together in front of everyone in such an ambiguous posture, their voices intermingling, and a surge of inexplicable emotion rose in his heart.

“Hmph~” Shen Yanlie let out a soft snort, not mocking, not sarcastic, but more like an intimate grunt reflecting the closeness between them. The mischief in his eyes faded, replaced by a seriousness that was hard to define. “Woman, you did it on purpose?”

She frowned in deeper confusion, searching through her mind for any clue. She had no recollection of this man, yet being near him stirred a strange sense of familiarity—a fleeting image flashed through her mind, but she couldn’t grasp it. The confusion grew stronger, and she was certain: she did not know him.

His warm breath brushed her flawless, faintly cherry-hued cheek, carrying a subtle, pleasant scent mixed with a hint of tobacco.

Mai Xijun parted her lips to speak, but Shen Yanlie tightened his grip on her shoulder, forcibly turning her around, guiding her past the circular corridor and pulling her toward its end.

He Jingjing stood frozen, only regaining her senses after a long moment. “Xue Lizan, when did Mai Xijun become acquainted with someone like that?”

“…I don’t know,” Xue Lizan replied coolly, turning away to pour himself a glass of red wine and draining it in one go.

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In the VIP lounge, Mai Xijun was still mulling over everything in her mind, surveying her surroundings, when the man who had been gripping her wrist suddenly flung her onto the sofa.

What a violent man! Impeccably dressed in public, but loosen his tie in private and he becomes a different creature entirely!

The spacious lounge had everything one could expect: a clean, comfortable bed, LED television, all the amenities fit for an upper-class guest. This man was no ordinary person—seeing all this, Mai Xijun could only think of that one sentence.

“My things—where are they?” Shen Yanlie looked down at Mai Xijun’s tightly furrowed face, his question clear and unmistakable.

In that moment, Mai Xijun’s innate pride seemed to flare up, triggered by Shen Yanlie. “Young master, leader, benefactor! What exactly do I owe you?”

She retorted, not hiding her annoyance. He had just demanded something from her in the hall—did she owe anyone anything? How could her fate be so wretched...

“….” Shen Yanlie’s brows drew together slightly. Seeing Mai Xijun’s reluctance, he felt a brief blockage in the conversation, yet it seemed as if all her reactions fell within his expectations. Her every move appeared ordinary, predictable, nothing surprising.

Shen Yanlie bent down, hands in his pockets, drawing closer to Mai Xijun. She, in turn, leaned away warily, as if lately ruffians and scoundrels were running rampant...

Shen Yanlie’s lips curled ever so slightly as he fixed his gaze on her. Their eyes met, and he tried to evoke the memory of a night in Venice…