Chapter 26 Accelerating Heartbeat (Part 2)

Chapter 26 Accelerating Heartbeat (Part 2)

Sheng Ai had Secretary Jiang contact Zhou Xia and rescheduled the afternoon tea to three-thirty in the afternoon.

He picked up the medicine and a cotton ball, dabbed it with some ointment, intending to help Sheng Xiyang treat the wound at the corner of his mouth, but paused for a moment, "If you mind..."

"I don't mind!" Sheng Xiyang immediately replied.

Sheng Ai looked at Sheng Xiyang for a while.

He gently applied the ointment to the corner of Sheng Xiyang's mouth.

Sheng Xiyang winced slightly from the pain.

Sheng Ai raised his eyes to look at Sheng Xiyang. He hadn't noticed before, but recently he often felt that Sheng Xiyang seemed to have become even more handsome, with clear and clean features, less of the rebelliousness he used to have, especially those bright, distinctively clear eyes that always seemed to peer into one's heart when they met his gaze.

Sheng Ai's eyes moved slightly, avoiding Sheng Xiyang's gaze, and focused on the corner of his mouth.

After applying the medicine, Sheng Ai wiped his hands lightly with a handkerchief and asked, "Still going for afternoon tea? If you don't want to go, I can have someone drive you home."

"Go," Sheng Xiyang stood up, "I have nothing to do at home anyway."

Sheng Ai did not say anything else.

Sheng Xiyang thought Sheng Ai was about to leave, so he stood there, watching him.

Instead, Sheng Ai walked over to the desk, turned his back, and began unbuttoning his shirt, apparently getting ready to change clothes.

For a moment, Sheng Xiyang was startled, unsure where to look.

He turned his face away, yet subconsciously glanced back.

The office curtains were drawn, and with his back turned, Sheng Ai changed out of his white shirt and picked up a black shirt already laid out beside him, putting it on.

At that moment, Sheng Xiyang saw Sheng Ai's back.

He had always thought Sheng Ai was a bit thin, but seeing his back revealed well-defined and attractive muscles—typical of someone who looks slim in clothes but muscular without them.

However, Sheng Ai quickly put on the black shirt.

Sheng Xiyang immediately averted his gaze.

Suddenly, he realized that earlier, Sheng Ai wasn't doing anything with Secretary Jiang; he was just preparing to change clothes and heard a fight outside, so he didn't have time to properly fix his attire before coming out.

So that was it...

Sheng Xiyang suddenly felt a bit better.

He rode in Sheng Ai's car to the Brilliant Hotel.

When they arrived, Zhou Xia was already there.

Sheng Ai approached Zhou Xia, putting aside the slightly cold demeanor he had shown when scolding Sheng Xiyang, and apologized, "Sorry, we're late."

Zhou Xia didn't seem to mind, smiling, "Even Ning Shaoshuai wouldn't dare stand me up; Mr. Sheng is the first one to make me wait."

"Sorry," Sheng Ai apologized again.

Sheng Xiyang silently took a seat beside them. Zhou Xia quickly noticed the wound at the corner of his mouth, "Oh, what happened? Did you two brothers fight again?"

"No," Sheng Xiyang immediately said, "I accidentally bumped into something."

Zhou Xia covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

As soon as the afternoon tea was served, Sheng Xiyang heard someone calling him. Turning around, he saw Cao Jing.

"Cao Little Master," Zhou Xia raised an eyebrow slightly.

Cao Jing ran over, "What a coincidence! I was getting bored. Want to play cards with me?" He paused, noticing Sheng Ai and feeling a bit intimidated, bowed slightly, "Good afternoon, Mr. Sheng."

Sitting in the sunlight, Sheng Ai slowly swirled his tea and said to Sheng Xiyang, "If you want to go, go ahead. You don't need to stay here with me."

Sheng Xiyang thought for a moment and decided to go with Cao Jing, sensing that Zhou Xia and Sheng Ai had something to discuss.

Cao Jing pulled Sheng Xiyang away, leading him upstairs while slinging an arm around his shoulder, "Is your brother dating Miss Zhou now?"

"What are you talking about?" Sheng Xiyang immediately replied, "They're just chatting, and it was Zhou Xia who invited my brother."

Cao Jing, however, said, "If your brother really ends up with Zhou Xia, it would be a good thing."

"Why?" Sheng Xiyang was taken aback.

Cao Jing glanced around, leaned close to Sheng Xiyang's ear, and whispered, "Don't you remember how the whole city almost knew about your brother and that little secretary?"

Sheng Xiyang's heart skipped a beat.

Why was this topic coming up again?

He felt uncomfortable hearing about it.

But Sheng Xiyang still wanted to know the truth, so he asked Cao Jing, "I didn't know... What exactly happened? Did my brother really like that little secretary?"

"Of course," Cao Jing widened his eyes, "Are you serious? Your brother even brought her home. Didn't you know?"

"Ah..." Sheng Xiyang was stunned again.

Of course, he didn't know—he hadn't traveled back in time yet.

Did Sheng Ai really have such a relationship?

Cao Jing put his hand on his shoulder and explained the details to him. Sheng Xiyang quickly understood the whole situation.

Sheng Ai must have truly liked his secretary back then. He was only twenty-one years old, a young and passionate age. Having just taken over Sheng's Trading Company, he had many things to handle. The young secretary was merely nineteen years old and reportedly had a delicate appearance, often helping Sheng Ai with various tasks.

Later, Sheng Ai fell in love.

For quite some time, they were inseparable. Sheng Ai seemed genuinely devoted; he took the young secretary shopping and bought him things. There were photos of them together, and they looked quite well-matched. Although the photos published in the newspapers were blurry, the tenderness in Sheng Ai's eyes was unmistakable.

However, the young secretary had only been after money.

Cao Jing said that the scandal likely originated from the secretary himself, who wanted both the money and to ruin Sheng Ai's reputation.

But it was quickly suppressed.

"He must have been so pitiful..." Sheng Xiyang frowned deeply after hearing the story, wishing he could find that secretary and beat him up, "Lost his brother and was deceived emotionally."

"Huh?" Cao Jing asked, "What lost brother?"

Sheng Xiyang almost slapped himself.

He stammered, "In the past, didn't I get lost? Now I'm found."

"Oh right," Cao Jing said, "But still, your brother... with all those socialites around, why did he like a man instead? How strange! This is a serious problem. My father scolded me several times for it, fearing I might like men too. He forbade me from playing with you. Do you remember?"

Sheng Xiyang: "..."

He replied, "What's wrong with liking men? It's not a mistake. Liking men or women is still liking someone. Your thinking is too outdated."

Cao Jing widened his eyes, "What nonsense are you talking about? You don't like men, do you?"

"I..." Sheng Xiyang was momentarily stunned.

Just then, they arrived at the second floor of the hotel, where they could see the first floor through the transparent glass. Sheng Xiyang glanced down and coincidentally saw Sheng Ai sitting at a table below, looking up slightly and meeting his gaze.

Strangely, Sheng Xiyang's heart started beating faster.

He quickly looked away and hurriedly told Cao Jing, "I was just saying it casually."

Cao Jing looked at him oddly.

...

On the first floor, Zhou Xia had been talking for a while but noticed Sheng Ai looking up at the second floor.

She turned around and looked up as well, seeing two figures gradually moving away until they disappeared from view.

When she turned back, she caught Sheng Ai withdrawing his gaze.

In that moment, she saw an indescribable emotion in his eyes.