Chapter 43: So It Was You (Part Two)

“Do you live here alone?” I forced myself to suppress the overwhelming temptation, awkwardly smiling as I glanced around the furnishings on the first floor. “I didn’t expect you to live in such a big house by yourself.”

Zhang Jing seemed lost in thought, but since I’d asked, she felt obliged to answer. In a soft voice, she explained, “This was originally a residential complex built by my father’s company. This three-story suite was specially designed by him for our family. It wasn’t meant for just me, but now I’m the only one left. My parents have both passed away…”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that,” I apologized, offering her a regretful smile. In truth, as soon as I entered, I’d taken a good look at the house’s structure and realized it was exactly what I was looking for, though it would need some modifications. Since I’d already set my heart on this house, the purchase itself wasn’t what mattered anymore. What mattered was that I wanted to help this beautiful woman standing before me, whose body I had seen in its entirety.

“It’s all right. Fate has its own plans—one cannot decide life or death,” Zhang Jing replied with a reluctant smile. She cast a bitter glance at her home. “So, what do you think? Do you like this house? If you do, I’ll sell it to you. At least I know you, and that gives me some peace of mind.”

“Zhang Jing, I…” I started to say she didn’t have to sell if she didn’t want to, but then I recalled how her company had gone bankrupt because of that man, Zhou Zisheng. If she didn’t sell the house, how could she repay her debts? So I changed tack. “Zhang Jing, even though we’re not that close, at least we’re friends. If you need help, I’ll do everything I can.”

She gave a bitter laugh, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears. “Are you pitying me? Or is it… is it because of what happened that night, that you feel guilty? Xiao Qiang, you don’t have to worry—it wasn’t your fault that night. It was me…” As she spoke, her cheeks flushed, and she nervously twisted the hem of her dress, falling silent.

“No, it’s not what you think,” I said, sitting down on the sofa beside her, determined to tell her the truth. “I’ve thought it over. That night, it wasn’t your fault, or mine, or the wine’s. You were drugged.”

“Drugged? Ah! You mean…” Zhang Jing was a businesswoman, and with her sharp mind, she immediately understood. Without my hint, she might have spent her whole life blaming herself for what happened, never considering another possibility. But with my words, she caught on quickly. “No wonder… no wonder!” Her whole body trembled with anger, her face flushed as she spat out, “Zhou Zisheng, you bastard! You villain! How dare you… how dare you drug me… I…” As she spoke, her eyes misted over, and she was on the verge of tears.

Seeing her about to cry, I panicked. Watching her so pitiful and fragile, I couldn’t help but feel compassion. “Hey, you should try to see it differently. After all, by a twist of fate, you didn’t fall into Zhou Zisheng’s clutches—you should be glad. Don’t cry. Even though I… accidentally saw… well, that was just an accident, really…”

But at my words, Zhang Jing only cried harder. Tears poured down her flawless cheeks, making her look all the more pitiable. I gently walked over, patted her back, and tried to comfort her, but suddenly she threw herself into my arms, sobbing uncontrollably like water bursting through a dam.

I was completely at a loss, unsure what to do, so I simply let her trembling body lean against me, feeling her immense sorrow. I knew from experience how this kind of pain could cut deeper than any physical wound.

Time ticked by, and the girl in my arms gradually stopped crying, her sobs dwindling to faint, shaky breaths. But the feel of her soft body pressed so close sent jolts of desire through me, and I struggled to control my reactions. Good heavens, her alluring figure was barely concealed by her thin clothes—trying not to think about it was pure torture. No wonder they say that dying in the lap of a beauty is still a blessing for a man…

At last, I could endure no more. With her trembling body in my arms, my desire inevitably stirred, pressing against her shapely curves. Feeling the heat from me, Zhang Jing seemed to come to her senses and tried to pull away, cheeks flushed. But her movements only made things worse, rubbing against me and intensifying the sensation, until I couldn’t help but arch upward.

“Ah…” The gentlest touch against her most sensitive place made Zhang Jing’s body go limp, and she collapsed back into my embrace. Our breathing grew heavier, and I felt myself losing control. My hands, which had only been resting on her back, began to wander…

Suddenly! Just as my self-control was about to snap, Su Xin’s pure, innocent smile flashed through my mind. I broke out in a cold sweat, as if needles were pricking my back, and hastily pushed Zhang Jing down onto the sofa.

Panting with fear, I wiped the sweat from my forehead and apologized to Zhang Jing, who was bowed with shame beside me. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I was wrong, I was wrong…”

“No, I don’t blame you,” Zhang Jing answered, smoothing her now slightly dry hair and taking a few deep breaths to compose herself. She forced a smile. “Thank you, Xiao Qiang. You’ve made me feel less alone. Since what happened that night was Zhou Zisheng’s doing, can we both just erase it from our memories?”

“Yes, of course,” I nodded quickly, relieved she wasn’t angry. “As long as you’re not embarrassed, I believe we can be good friends.”

“Friends…” Zhang Jing’s beautiful eyes lingered on me with a complex expression, but at last she smiled. “Yes, I believe so too.”

“Good. Since we’re friends, don’t treat me like an outsider. Tell me about Zhou Zisheng and how your company went bankrupt. Let’s see if there’s anything I can do to help.” I let out a long breath of relief—thank goodness Zhang Jing wasn’t upset. If she had been, after seeing her naked last time and almost going too far with her this time, I would never have been able to clear my name.

Zhang Jing nodded slightly and began to tell me her story. It turned out her father had once been a famous real estate developer in City C, president of the Tianlai Group. Tianlai Group was an established company, holding many construction projects in the city and maintaining good relations with the government. Business flourished, and their family life was harmonious, so she had always lived a life others envied. But then a group called Xiawang Construction began to rise quickly, expanding rapidly until a few years ago, when it became one of the two largest real estate companies in the city, standing toe-to-toe with Tianlai.

Before 1997, real estate wasn’t a hugely profitable industry. Everyone ran legitimate businesses, and the money earned wasn’t much more than the money invested, so people could only earn more by constantly expanding their holdings. As the saying goes, “Two tigers cannot share one mountain.” Friction inevitably developed between Zhang Jing’s father and Xia Fugu, president of Xiawang Construction, and their rivalry soon became irreconcilable. Yet her father always adhered to business ethics: no matter how fierce the competition, he conducted business openly and never resorted to underhanded tactics.