Chapter 6

Chapter 6

*

Seeing Jin Mo clench her jaw and stay silent, Yin Jihong got even more mischievous: "Momo, don't tell me you started running your mouth first, and that's why they got that idea about me?"

Jin Mo: "..."

When she didn't speak, he took it as tacit agreement: "Hmm? I never thought you were this kind of Momo..."

Jin Mo was this close to losing it. She held it together until the elevator hit the ground floor, then practically bolted out like she was escaping.

Behind her, Yin Jihong burst out laughing.

Uncle Li, the security guard out front, saw her and said hi, then chuckled and pointed at Yin Jihong behind her: "Director Yin's sure in a good mood today!"

Jin Mo was equal parts annoyed and embarrassed: "Uncle Li, why'd you let him up again?"

Their building's security was notoriously strict—supposedly so tight that not even a bird could get in. Plus, this year management had cracked down hard, requiring multiple layers of visitor screening, so it was nearly impossible for just anyone to get upstairs.

But for some reason, those rules might as well not have existed for Yin Jihong. He could always just waltz right in like it was nothing.

"How could I ever dare to stop Director Yin!" Uncle Li said cheerfully. "You have no idea how good he is to our security team—slipping us red envelopes and packs of cigarettes, and on holidays he even sends people over with pastries and toys for the kids. He's just so thoughtful, you know?"

Jin Mo had always known he was a smooth operator when it came to people, but she never expected him to have "bought off" even her coworkers so completely.

"But honestly, we're all just riding on your coattails." Uncle Li shifted the conversation. "Every time he shows up, it's to bring you something."

Jin Mo's heart gave a little lurch. Seeing Yin Jihong about to walk up to them, she couldn't help asking Uncle Li: "...He comes in person to bring me things?"

Usually, Yin Jihong would often send afternoon tea and milk tea to her office, just like today. But he almost never came up himself—he was always buried in work, after all, and Jin Mo had always figured he just had his assistant handle it.

"You bet," Uncle Li nodded. "He comes in person every single time. It's like he can't relax unless he handles everything for you himself."

Right as he finished speaking, Yin Jihong walked over and smiled at Uncle Li: "Uncle Li, you giving me a hard time again?"

"Not at all—I can't sing your praises enough." Uncle Li laughed. "Director Yin, thanks, and happy New Year."

Thanks to Uncle Li's distraction, Jin Mo—who'd been so mortified she wanted to disappear off the face of the earth—finally managed to pull herself together a bit.

She looked up at Yin Jihong beside her. The setting sun cast a warm golden glow across his sharp jawline. She spoke quietly, her voice still a little shaky from embarrassment: "...You still haven't answered my question."

At that, Yin Jihong's lips slowly curved up. A hint of lazy tenderness flickered in his eyes as he turned to look at her: "Today's Little New Year. On Little New Year, you spend it with family—no matter how much work you've got, it takes a backseat."

Jin Mo blinked, caught off guard: "Are we heading to your place to celebrate today?"

"Not today." Yin Jihong opened the door of his bright blue Bugatti. "Today, it's just you and me."

Jin Mo slid into the car and looked up at him, sounding a little hesitant: "But I didn't tell my family about this yesterday..."

"Don't worry." Yin Jihong held the car door, sounding totally sure of himself. "I called Aunt Jiang this morning and told her you wouldn't be home for dinner tonight. I told her you've helped me out so much at the Publicity Department that I wanted to treat you to a nice meal for Little New Year as a thank-you."

There was nothing remotely suspicious about that excuse. Even if Jin Ping asked, it would hold up as a perfectly good reason.

Things at home had been tense lately, and Jin Mo had been dying for an excuse not to go back. She was incredibly grateful to him.

Catching the gratitude in her eyes, Yin Jihong immediately smirked and puffed up like a peacock: "I charmed your coworkers, got you off work early, and now you get to hide out at my place and stuff your face—aren't you happy?"

Jin Mo nodded like crazy.

Yin Jihong settled into the driver's seat and turned to look at her: "Since you're so happy, don't you think you should show a little gratitude?"

Jin Mo replied seriously: "Of course. What do you want?"

"Does your Brother Ji seem like the kind of guy who'd shake you down or get greedy?" He started the engine, a grin spreading across his face. "...Well, actually, I am. Once we get home, I'll slowly tell you what I want."

-

The apartment Yin Jihong lived in was a penthouse suite in S City's most luxurious high-end development.

Jin Mo had a key to the place and often came over to hang out. But every time she visited, she was still awestruck by the breathtaking panoramic night view of S City visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

He stood at the highest point of the city, overlooking it all, with all of S City seemingly lying dormant beneath his feet.

Jin Mo had never dreamed that the "big meal" Yin Jihong mentioned would turn out to be a feast in the truest sense of the word.

When they reached the living room, the long marble dining table was already laden with platters of exquisite dishes.

Two chefs in professional attire stood by the table, cooking steaks on the spot. The aroma wafting through the air was enough to make anyone's mouth water.

Yin Jihong took Jin Mo's bag and gestured for her to wash her hands: "Come eat once you're done—it won't taste as good if it gets cold."

When Jin Mo returned to the table, Yin Jihong had gone to the bedroom to change into his pajamas. Her gaze landed on the name tags on the chefs' chests, and her eyes widened instantly: "You two aren't... from LA DV, are you?"

"That's right." Both chefs smiled and nodded at her.

LA DV was the most famous Western restaurant in S City. Reservations had to be made at least three months in advance and were still nearly impossible to secure, and the prices were jaw-droppingly expensive. Jin Mo had been there a few times with Yin Jihong, but she never expected him to have the head chefs come to his home.

"Director Yin said he couldn't be bothered to go all the way to the restaurant, so he asked us to cook here."

"He said the steak, lobster linguine, and scallops you love wouldn't taste as good if delivered—they had to be prepared fresh on-site."

Yin Jihong strolled out lazily, buttoning his pajama shirt, and saw Jin Mo staring at him with eager eyes, her hands gripping the knife and fork with barely contained impatience.

He was amused by the sight and gestured toward the table: "Go ahead and eat. Why are you being so polite with me?"

"Shouldn't we at least clink glasses first?" She took the wine bottle from one of the chefs and walked over to pour him a glass. "Thank you for treating me to such a delicious feast."

Yin Jihong pulled out his chair and sat down, his gaze resting on her lovely profile illuminated by the warm living room lights, a tender smile he couldn't hide shimmering in his eyes.

After pouring his drink, she was about to return to her seat when she heard him call out: "Momo."

Jin Mo turned around: "Hmm?"

"Eat plenty later." He looked at her with a half-smile. "You'll need the energy to repay me."

Judging by his tone, Jin Mo was utterly confused—she had a feeling that the "repayment" he mentioned sounded suspiciously like manual labor.

It was the New Year, after all. Surely he wasn't planning to drag her into cleaning the entire Yin Corporation office building?

The two LA DV chefs, even outside their restaurant kitchen, maintained top-tier standards. Jin Mo hadn't eaten a proper meal in days, and she truly devoured every last bite of the dishes on the table.

Yin Jihong knew she'd been at odds with Jin Ping lately and hadn't had much of an appetite. She was naturally slender, and her face had visibly thinned over the past few weeks. So all this elaborate arrangement was simply his way of getting her to eat more in a comfortable setting.

Before leaving, the chefs brought out handmade Italian gelato. They had several flavors and asked Jin Mo which one she'd like to try.

Afraid of putting them to extra trouble, Jin Mo instinctively glanced at Yin Jihong.

Reading her like a book, Yin Jihong smiled at the chefs: "Please give her a little of every flavor—she's got a sweet tooth."

Sugar releases dopamine, which lifts one's mood.

With a full stomach and a happy heart, Jin Mo rose from the table, softly humming a tune under her breath.

Knowing her personality, she rarely let her guard down like this in front of others, which meant she was in a genuinely great mood right now. Yin Jihong followed behind her, watching her little head bob side to side, the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth never fading.

She grabbed the remote off the coffee table like she owned the place, turned on his massive 150-inch TV, and switched to a popular period time-travel drama that was airing lately. She found the coziest spot on the couch, grabbed her special strawberry bear pillow, and curled up.

Seeing how comfortable she looked, Yin Jihong sat down beside her with a smile.

The penthouse had ridiculously high ceilings that seemed to stretch up to the sky. Yin Jihong had even installed a skylight, so all you had to do was look up to see the endless night sky full of stars.

In such a gorgeous, cozy setting, Jin Mo completely let her guard down.

After a while of watching TV, Yin Jihong couldn't hold it in anymore and finally spoke up: "You're watching this drama lately?"

Jin Mo nodded.

Yin Jihong: "Is it because I funded and produced it?"

Jin Mo thought for a moment: "Not really. Sister Zhu and the others are watching it too, and I think it's pretty good. The plot is fresh, and the male and female leads have great chemistry."

Yin Jihong asked again: "What do you think about Yu Yang?"

Yu Yang was the male lead of this drama and one of the hottest new-generation actors. Not only was he good-looking, but his acting was decent too. He was one of the artists that Yin's entertainment company was currently pushing, and in a sense, he was also Yin Jihong's guy.

Jin Mo casually replied: "He's fine."

"...He's far from it." Yin Jihong's tone was full of disdain. "He plays the innocent, squeaky-clean type, but really he's a club-hopping player who sleeps with a different girl every night. So many people at the company are dead tired from covering for him and doing damage control."

Jin Mo clicked her tongue: "If Sister Zhu heard this, she'd probably lose it. She literally just bought a bunch of Yu Yang's magazines a few days ago to boost his sales."

Just then, the TV cut to the second male lead, and Jin Mo pointed casually: "What about Chen Yun? He has a good public image."

Yin Jihong sneered: "He's two-timing, and one of the girls is the second female lead in this drama."

"What about him?"

"He's basically throwing himself at the big director."

"And this one?"

"His ego is way bigger than his fame. He throws fits and curses people out on set every day."

...

Jin Mo found it hilarious, crossing her arms and grinning at him: "President Yin, why are you so savage about your own artists? Come to think of it, I've never heard you say a good word about anyone in this circle."

Yin Jihong shrugged: "I'm an upright guy who only speaks the truth. It's not that I'm trying to trash them; it's just that the facts speak for themselves."

She stared at him for a few seconds and raised an eyebrow: "Are you doing this on purpose?"

Yin Jihong looked innocent: "Doing what on purpose?"

Jin Mo: "Deliberately trashing everyone's image to make yourself look better."

Over the years, the more she heard him talk about the industry's inside dirt, the darker it seemed, with zero positive anything. Sometimes she didn't even want to hear it, but he'd insist on telling her anyway.

Although she had never been into celebrity chasing, the fact that she had become what Sister Zhu and the others called a "little nun" completely immune to handsome guys was definitely at least half his fault.

At this point, Yin Jihong adjusted the sofa to a reclining mode, turned over, and lay face down on it, saying confidently: "Do I need to step on them to elevate my tall and mighty image? I just want you to know that those two-faced people can't even compare to your Brother Ji, who is consistent in words and actions."

Jin Mo was amused by his smug demeanor, her eyes curving into a smile: "Yes, yes, Brother Ji is the best in the world."

"Come here." Yin Jihong was so pleased by her soft words that his tail seemed ready to wag. "It's time to repay your Brother Ji, the best in the world."

——————————

Author's Note:

Red envelopes will continue to be randomly distributed to 66 people! Please keep hitting me with collections, comments, and nutrient solution~ Love you all! Also, don't forget to collect my column!

Ahhhh, is it the kind of repayment I'm thinking of? Is it? President Yin? EXM? Everyone is now looking forward to whether you can fulfill Sister Zhu and the others' guesses in the future, and whether you can exceed expectations!! You better perform well! Aren't you the best in the world?

Yin Puppy: Do you need to run your mouth?

The stingy, childish President Yin is just too doting, too doting. What happens next after being spoiled like this? Could it be heartbreak? (?? As for everyone's concern about Shanmei, Ke, the Queen, and others, they will definitely appear later. I'm going to write ten thousand side stories for this book! Bring everyone out for a good spin and let everyone see the style of these big shots!!