Fatal Desire

Chapter 56 Touching Her Without Barriers

In the bedroom, Song Xi heard her brother outside the door giving her heartless orders.

"Open the door."

It's very impolite of her to talk to someone who knocks on the door while the door is closed.

Song Xi subconsciously gripped the doorknob, the chill seeping into her skin and coursing through her blood to her nerve endings, making her thoughts increasingly muddled.

She made an excuse to stall for time: "I'm not dressed, wait a moment."

Song Xi ran into the bathroom, scooped up a handful of water and washed her face in front of the sink, then looked up and stared at herself in the mirror.

The damp, gloomy feeling, instead of being diluted by water, caused Song Xi to experience auditory hallucinations.

The ancient cave, where the sun never shines, is dark, damp, and gloomy.

Over the years, the stone wall has been eroded by liquid. Water droplets condense into beads on the stone tips and slowly drip down, drip-drip-drip... one rhythmic sound after another, like the sound of a water clock hitting Song Xi's heart.

She dried her face, left the bathroom, and went to open the door.

The man was tall and imposing, standing in front of the door and almost blocking Song Xi's entire path.

She looked up at him and said, "Brother."

The girl's fair and delicate face had just been washed, and her complexion was covered with a faint sheen of water. Her long eyelashes were wet, and her peach blossom eyes were hazy and affectionate.

Like a lightly ripened plum on a branch, waiting to be picked, its clear and obedient appearance reveals a hint of unknowing allure.

Zhao Yansen looked down at Song Xi, his composure as always, though his tone softened slightly.

"Where do you feel unwell?"

"I don't feel uncomfortable." Song Xi blinked her wet eyelashes.

She used to be playful; on rainy days, she would lift her skirt and splash in the puddles in the yard, and she would get a fever the next day. Yesterday, she wore wet shoes and covered them for a few minutes, and Zhao Yansen was really worried about her.

He raised his hand, his large, well-defined fingers covering Song Xi's forehead, checking the temperature.

The man's palm was hot and hard, with thin calluses, touching her without any obstruction. Song Xi's heart, which had just calmed down, started beating wildly again.

Like a stressed little rabbit, she would reflexively jump and hop whenever her brother touched her.

Love can be controlled, but physical reactions cannot.

Zhao Yansen stroked Song Xi's forehead, finding nothing amiss. He glanced at her, looked into her eyes, and asked, "Why is your face red?"

"It's hot... a little hot." Song Xi gently patted her cheeks with her palms, trying to cover the unusual blush.

Looking into her sparkling eyes, Zhao Yansen's irritation vanished instantly.

Why should he argue with her?

At least Song Xi is still alive and kicking.

"I'll have someone lower the temperature. Remember to cover yourself with a blanket tonight," Zhao Yansen said.

"Okay." Song Xi ended the conversation in a tone that was impeccable. "Goodnight, brother."

For the next week, Song Xi didn't see Zhao Yansen at home. Her doubts began to stir, but she learned to suppress them and stopped asking questions.

My brother is often away from home due to his busy work schedule, and we have no idea where he goes.

His schedule has always been kept secret; even his father and grandfather might not know it.

Song Xi went to the company as usual. The last time the medicines were inspected, many internal problems were found, and it took a lot of time and energy to rectify them one by one.

Regarding the whistleblower matter, she asked Lao Liao to contact Jin Minchuan of the Drug Administration Bureau to schedule a meeting.

It's tentatively scheduled for Saturday, at a tea house.

2 PM, Morningside CEO's office.

Song Xi picked up the champagne-colored suit jacket hanging on the rack, casually draped it over her arm, grabbed her bag, and walked out. Cheng Nian, who was at her workstation, immediately stood up when she saw her come out, "President Song."

"car key."

Cheng Nian immediately handed over the car keys, "Are you going to drive yourself?"

"Okay." Song Xi said to Cheng Nian while holding the car keys, "I won't be at the company this afternoon. Call me if you need anything."

"A meeting with Tang Qiming, the manager of the R&D department, is scheduled for 3:30 later," Cheng Nian asked for his opinion.

"Cancel it," Song Xi said decisively.

"Understood, goodbye Mr. Song."

The highly anticipated spy drama "The Informant" held its auditions today, with the male and female leads already cast as renowned award-winning actors and actresses.

Qin Fanghao came to compete for the villain role, a character who walks the gray area, full of dramatic tension and tragic color.

A beautiful, lightweight Ferrari, spotlessly clean, suddenly appeared at the audition, prompting the actors waiting in line to look over with curiosity.

Unfortunately, all I caught a glimpse of was a slender and elegant figure. She gracefully tossed the keys to the security guard and walked away without looking back.

A short-haired woman wearing a name tag walked over quickly and bowed respectfully: "Ms. Song, hello, please come with me."

Walking gracefully down the corridor, Song Xi stepped into a director's private dressing room.

Qin Fanghao leaned back on the sofa, and when he saw the person who came, his eyes lit up: "President Xi, you've finally arrived."

Song Xi held up the paper bag she was holding. "Here you go, the Sichuan restaurant's red oil wontons you ordered."

Qin, the famous star, wanted to eat spicy wontons, so she complained about it in the group chat, and President Xi personally delivered them to her.

"Besides you, who else dotes on me?" Qin Fanghao hugged Song Xi, whose beautiful face and enchanting smile made her even more alluring.

The agent standing nearby wanted to say that they doted on Sister Qin, but dared not say anything because Song Xi was there.

No matter how kind and easy-going Song Xi may be, her aura and status are still undeniable, and she is not someone to be trifled with.

The staff members, heads bowed and ears at ease, filed out, leaving only the two sisters in the break room.

Qin Fanghao, holding chopsticks and eating spicy wontons, said, "Meng Weixian has been sent to the Northwest to work on a project. Do you think he can compete with his older brother for the family business when he comes back?"

When pampered young masters are sent to work on projects in hardship areas, it's called being sent abroad to a remote region, or, to put it bluntly, being exiled.

“No,” Song Xi said. “He was crying to me this morning, saying he couldn’t stand it anymore and was going to die.”

Qin Fang chuckled: "He spends all his time studying astronomy and has no interest in business. How come he suddenly has such ambition? Could it be that Jiang Shangxue spurred him on?"

"Call him and ask."

Song Xi lowered her eyelids, her pupils reflecting a line of text on her phone screen.

Love burns brightly in the world, an inseparable bond.

This comes from the "Verse on the Entanglement of Love and Desire," a verse in Buddhism. It refers to the idea that love and desire are like flames, capable of burning the heart and making it difficult to extricate oneself.

When Qin Fanghao made the video call, Meng Weixian was wearing a safety helmet and learning while directing operations at the construction site.

The young masters of Beijing, born with a silver spoon in their mouths, spend their days dreaming of where to squander their wealth and indulge in a life of extravagance. Now, they're doing construction work, and they're doing it quite well.

Qin Fang found his attire amusing.

"Young Master Meng, what are your new lofty ambitions?"

"Don't even mention it. My parents said they'd cut off funding to the planetarium if I didn't take on this project," Meng Ershao said bitterly. "How is that any different from holding a knife to my throat and forcing me?!"

Song Xi's pale fingers, which were scrolling through her phone, suddenly stopped. Her long eyelashes fluttered up and down, and she looked thoughtful.

Was it coercion?
(End of this chapter)