Sweet Temptation! The Beauty in President Pei's Palm is Too Alluring

No matter how unwilling Lin Yi was, she didn't dare to really offend the Ji family.

She covered her face and apologized, "I'm so sorry... Miss Shu."

Shu Hua said coldly, "The person you should apologize to is my friend, not me."

Lin Yi gritted her teeth, turned to Wen Jiani, her eyes filled with resentment, but still said, "Miss Wen, I'm sorry."

The farce had barely come to an end.

Ji Tingchen whispered a few instructions to the waiter waiting beside him, and someone immediately stepped forward and politely "invited" Lin Yi and her party to leave.

As the crowd dispersed, Shu Hua finally took a closer look at Wen Jiani's face. The swelling was still obvious, and it looked painful.

"Does it still hurt a lot?" she asked with concern.

Wen Jiani shook her head, forcing a smile: "It's alright. Thank you for the painting. And thank you, Mr. Ji. I'm sorry for troubling you."

"Why say such silly things?" Shu Hua couldn't stand people like this. "Didn't you tell me not to be so formal? Now you're acting like a stranger to me? They're wrong to talk about you like that, why should you put up with it?"

Wen Jiani smiled wryly and said, "Some things, if you just bear with them, will pass."

Hearing this made Shu Hua feel even worse.

She knew Wen Jiani's background and experiences: orphaned, suffering from chronic illness, and becoming someone else's adopted daughter. She also had to struggle in the fame-driven entertainment industry, enduring unimaginable pressure and criticism. What she said tonight was probably just a small part of what she endured daily.

She could understand why Wen Jiani said, "Just bear with it and it will pass." Many times, it's not that people don't want to fight, but that they can't afford to, or that fighting would be useless and might even cause more harm.

"Thank you for the drawing." Wen Jiani's voice was a little choked up. She turned her head away, not wanting anyone to see her vulnerability. "I... I'm a little tired and want to go back to my room to rest. I'm sorry."

"But your face..." Shu Hua said immediately, "I'll go to your room with you and put some ice on your face first."

"No need, drawing is really no trouble for you," Wen Jiani politely declined.

Ji Tingchen spoke up from the side: "Miss Wen, your face needs some treatment. There's a doctor on board the cruise ship. I'll have someone take you to see him. Applying ice and some medicine will help it heal faster."

Wen Jiani wasn't used to troubling others and wanted to decline, but Shu Hua grabbed her hand: "Yes, Sister Jiani, let the doctor take a look, otherwise what if the swelling gets even worse tomorrow?"

Faced with their insistence, Wen Jiani finally nodded.

Ji Tingchen whispered a few words to a woman who appeared to be his assistant, then said to Shu Hua, "Sister-in-law, I'll take Miss Wen to the medical room first. Don't worry, I'll arrange everything."

"Okay, thank you for your help, Mr. Ji," Shu Hua said gratefully.

Watching Ji Tingchen accompany Wen Jiani as they left, Shu Hua felt a mix of emotions. Her hand was still numb from the slap, but what bothered her even more was Wen Jiani's restrained gaze.

She stepped out of the cabin and onto the deck.

The sea breeze at night carried a salty, damp scent, much cooler and more liberating than inside the cabin. There weren't many people on the deck, only a few couples or solo guests enjoying the view.

Shu Hua leaned against the railing, gazing at the inky black sea in the distance and the dazzling lights of Jiangcheng further away. The sea breeze ruffled her long hair and skirt, and she reached up to tuck a stray strand behind her ear.

She stood there quietly, letting her thoughts drift away, thinking about Wen Jiani, the conflict just now, and the seemingly glamorous but actually complex world of this industry.

Suddenly, I felt a warmth on my shoulder.

A soft shawl gently fell onto her bare shoulders. The next second, a pair of strong, powerful arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her into a warm embrace.

Shu Hua stiffened at first, instinctively trying to break free, but when she smelled that familiar scent, she relaxed and leaned softly against him.

"Why are you here all alone?" Pei Yanzhou rested his chin on her shoulder. "Aren't you cold?"

Shu Hua shook her head: "It's alright."

Pei Yanzhou noticed that something was wrong with her. He tightened his grip on her waist slightly, and with his other hand, he gently pinched her chin, turning her face slightly towards him.

"What happened?" He frowned slightly. "Were you injured just now?"

After he finished his business and came out, he couldn't find her. He heard that there was a dispute here, so he immediately came over and saw that Ji Tingchen had finished dealing with it, while she went up to the deck alone.

Upon hearing his concerned voice, Shu Hua suddenly couldn't hold back the tightness in her heart anymore. She turned around, buried her face in Pei Yanzhou's chest, and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I'm not hurt," she said, her voice muffled. "It's just... I feel a little down."

"Why do you feel so down?" Pei Yanzhou's voice rang out above him. "Tell me about it."

Shu Hua rubbed against his chest: "I just feel that... Sister Jia Ni has had a tough time too."

Pei Yanzhou understood.

He knew Shu Hua's personality. On the surface, she was a well-bred heiress carefully cultivated by the Shu family, handling matters with propriety and thoughtfulness, though she could also be a bit spoiled and temperamental, but she was actually very sensitive and perceptive. She could cry her eyes out watching a touching movie, and would be saddened for a long time after seeing a video about stray animal rescue.

This kindness was also something that attracted him, but he didn't want to empathize too much with other people's situations.

"Hua'er," he said carefully, offering words of comfort, "everyone is born with their own lessons to learn, and Wen Jiani is no exception. We cannot change what has already happened; some paths are hers to walk alone. For example, her background, her past. What we can do is offer appropriate assistance within our capabilities, just as you did. That's good."

He cupped her face in his hands and continued, "But don't let other people's problems affect your mood too much. Your intentions are good, but no matter what, your own feelings and safety should be your first priority. Your kindness and empathy are precious, but don't let them become a burden. Understand?"

The pent-up frustration in Shu Hua's heart gradually subsided. She nodded and obediently hummed in agreement.

"Sometimes I feel that this industry is quite hypocritical. On the surface, it's glamorous, but behind the scenes it's full of scheming and... malice like what just happened. Some people, in order to climb up the ladder, or simply out of jealousy, can use words to hurt others and trample on their dignity at will."

This was the first time she had spoken so frankly about her feelings about the industry.

From childhood, she was taught to maintain her dignity and to be elegant and composed. It was as if those dark sides did not exist as long as they were not deliberately mentioned.