The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

As the car entered the winding mountain road atop Victoria Peak, dusk had already enveloped the forest.

The evening breeze carried the scent of pine trees, causing the car windows to rattle slightly. Meng Jiangyu reached out and rolled down the window for Shen Qingyao.

The villa's warm light came on early, reflecting off the swimming pool on the lawn, like a piece of shattered amber.

Meng Jiangyu led her through the door, the soft light from the entryway falling on their clasped hands, their two platinum rings touching.

He leaned down, hooked his fingertips around her belt, and gently pressed her against the black stone wall in the entryway.

His nose brushed against the nape of her neck, his breath carrying a faint scent of cedar, mingling with the gardenia fragrance in her hair, a sweet and intoxicating aroma.

Shen Qingyao raised her hand to encircle his neck, her fingertips tracing the stray hairs on the back of his neck, feeling the steady heartbeat in his chest.

She looked at the rings on their ring fingers, which gleamed softly in the warm light, then tiptoed and kissed the corner of his lips.

Meng Jiangyu's breath hitched, and he deepened the kiss.

The lights in the entryway shone quietly, and the mountain breeze outside the window swept in the night, gently enveloping the room in a tender embrace.

-

Morning light streamed through the sheer curtains of the French windows, scattering like shattered gold across the bedding, carrying the crisp scent of mountain grass and trees.

Shen Qingyao opened her eyes and met Meng Jiangyu's smiling gaze.

He had been awake for a while, and his fingertips were gently tracing the ring on her middle finger, his movements incredibly tender.

"Awake?" Meng Jiangyu's voice was hoarse from just waking up, with a slight upward inflection at the end, making it sound particularly tender.

He reached out and brushed the stray hairs from her forehead, his fingertips tracing her eyebrows and eyes. "Want to sleep a little longer?"

Shen Qingyao snuggled closer to him, her nose brushing against his warm chest, her voice soft and slightly nasal: "I don't want to sleep anymore, I want to see the mountain view outside the window."

Meng Jiangyu chuckled softly, tightening his arms around her and holding her even closer.

"Ethan, open the curtains," Meng Jiangyu said, activating the smart home assistant.

"Okay, boss."

The distant mountains were shrouded in a thin layer of morning mist, and the surface of the swimming pool shimmered like scattered diamonds.

"Do you like it here?" he asked, his chin resting on the top of her head, his breath brushing against her hair.

Shen Qingyao nodded, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the smooth lines of his arm. Her gaze fell back on their intertwined hands, where two platinum rings gleamed softly in the morning light.

"I like it," she paused, looked up at him, a smile in her eyes, "I like wherever you are."

Meng Jiangyu's eyes deepened. He leaned down and kissed the crown of her head, then moved to the corner of her lips, giving her a light kiss, carrying the scent of morning light.

His voice was deep. "I had the kitchen make your favorite shrimp dumplings and seafood congee for breakfast."

Shen Qingyao's eyes lit up. She reached out and hooked her arm around his neck, nose to nose, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "I'm hungry, let's get up."

Meng Jiangyu chuckled, pinched her cheek, and said in a tone full of indulgence, "Yes, Miss Shen."

He got up first, tucked the blanket around her, and then slowly put on his bathrobe.

Shen Qingyao leaned against the headboard, watching his back. The morning light outlined his tall and straight figure, and a warm feeling washed over her.

-

It was the end of the year, and Hanhai had a lot of work waiting for Meng Jiangyu to handle. Meng Jiangyu was in his study looking at documents.

Shen Qingyao carried the freshly heated milk over and glanced at his computer screen, which was filled with a dense schedule.

"Ayu, let's go back to Beijing." She placed the cup next to him.

Meng Jiangyu looked up, reached out and pulled her to sit on his lap, resting his chin on the top of her head: "What's wrong? Are you unhappy?"

His hand gently caressed her waistline, but his gaze returned to the screen, his brows furrowing slightly.

Shen Qingyao knew he was busy but still played with her. "I'm not unhappy."

"I just want to go back to Beijing; the winter plum blossoms in Yu Garden should be blooming soon."

Meng Jiangyu knew she was being considerate of him. "Okay, let's go back."

As dusk settled, the car came to a smooth stop at the airport VIP entrance.

Meng Jiangyu pulled her scarf up for her. "Honey, I'm probably going to be very busy for the next month."

"I know," Shen Qingyao said with a smile. "I'll be very busy for the next month too."

"Oh? What are you busy with?"

"There are two main things: first, to spend time with you; second, Huihui invited me to Sanya."

"President Shen is extremely busy."

"Of course." Shen Qingyao looked at Meng Jiangyu. "So, don't feel neglected. I will manage my life very well."

"Okay, Mr. Shen." Meng Jiangyu led Shen Qingyao onto the private jet.

-

The private jet landed in Beijing, and the cabin door slowly opened. A biting wind, carrying fine raindrops, rushed in, instantly stealing the warmth from Shen Qingyao's body.

She instinctively shrank her neck and pulled her camel coat tighter around herself. Her fingertips had just touched the cold air when a warm hand firmly grasped hers.

Meng Jiangyu stood beside her, the collar of his black cashmere coat turned up, obscuring his jawline. His eyes still held a hint of weariness from the journey, and he subconsciously shielded her on the side where the wind was gentle.

He looked down at her, gently smoothing her wind-blown hair with his fingertips, his fingertips brushing against her slightly cool earlobe.

Shen Qingyao's nose was slightly red from the cold. When she looked up at him, her eyes were full of smiles: "I just came back from the south where it was 20 degrees Celsius. Suddenly falling into the wind below zero, I'm sure I'm not used to it."

The wind rustled, and the brightly lit terminal building in the distance blended seamlessly with the dark twilight on the horizon.

Meng Jiangyu didn't say anything. He held an umbrella in one hand and pulled her into his arms with the other. The hem of his coat fluttered up, shielding her from most of the cold wind.

He smelled of cedar mixed with a faint tobacco scent, a crisp yet reassuring aroma.

Shen Qingyao buried her face in his chest, hearing his steady and powerful heartbeat, and feeling the familiar scent around her nose. The slight fear she had felt earlier instantly vanished.

She could feel his body temperature coming through his coat, warming her body.

He took her hand and walked forward at a leisurely pace, the warmth of his palm spreading from her fingertips to her heart.

Shen Qingyao stepped on the carpet, listening to the soft crunching sound under her feet. She turned her head to look at him and found that his gaze was always on her, his eyes and brows incredibly gentle.

The wind whipped raindrops onto her face, a little chilly, but her fingertips and heart felt warm and burning.

"Get in the car." Meng Jiangyu's voice rang out from the top of her head, a little hoarse.

The two quickly got into the car, which was warm inside. "Honey, I'll take you back to Manhe first. I need to go to the company."

"Okay." Shen Qingyao picked up her phone and texted Lu Ying, "Yingying, Xiang Yu, and I have made plans to choose clothes for our trip to Sanya."

In the following days, Meng Jiangyu had social engagements every night, and Shen Qingyao was also busy, reading documents and packing her luggage at the same time.