So What If the Pretty Campus Belle Loves Money? (15)

"I told you to make yourself clear before you leave." Gu Yanshen lowered his head, his warm breath brushing her ear.

Shi Zheng tilted up her palm-sized face and met his eyes, just inches from hers.

A tangle of emotions churned in those deep eyes.

Shi Zheng frowned. "President, what are you doing? Let go."

"Shi Zheng, don't play these word games with me."

His voice carried an emotion he did not yet understand himself.

The palm gripping her wrist was burning hot.

Gu Yanshen did not let go. Instead, he tightened his grip.

Seeing that he had ignored her, Shi Zheng stopped struggling.

"Then what do you want to hear, President?"

Shi Zheng suddenly softened her voice. "Do you want to hear me say with your own ears that there's nothing between Hua Jinchen and me?"

A phone rang abruptly, breaking the confrontation, which had grown tense to the breaking point.

Shi Zheng did not move, letting the ringtone buzz.

Gu Yanshen said, "Aren't you going to answer?"

Shi Zheng said, "..."

Gu Yanshen asked, "Who is it?"

After a long moment, Shi Zheng looked up at him. "Hua Jinchen."

Hearing her say that name, Gu Yanshen's gaze suddenly darkened.

His gaze moved from her face to the caller ID flashing on the screen.

"Answer it," he ordered.

"What if I say no?" Shi Zheng asked softly, meeting his gaze, which looked as though he wanted to devour her.

Gu Yanshen stepped closer, leaving almost no space between them.

He lowered his head, the tip of his nose nearly touching hers, his scorching breath spilling over her cheek. "Don't want to answer? I can answer it for you. It's up to you."

He raised his other hand and reached for her phone, but she dodged him.

"I'll answer."

"Put it on speaker."

Shi Zheng looked at the darkness churning in his eyes and knew that Gu Yanshen was on the verge of losing his temper.

She stopped resisting and answered the call.

"Hello?" Hua Jinchen's voice echoed clearly through the empty conference room. "Baby, is the meeting over? How did it go? Gu Yanshen didn't bully you, did he?"

Baby?

Hearing him call her that, Shi Zheng was too frightened to look at Gu Yanshen's face.

She could only feel that the gaze, already enough to strike fear into her, had probably turned icy by now.

I'm done for.

Her heart sank.

Hua Jinchen's sudden term of endearment was like pouring oil on a fire.

He never usually called her baby, so why now, of all times...?

Shi Zheng could feel the man beside her suddenly stiffen, as well as the oppressive pressure that had almost become tangible.

"Mm, it's over." Shi Zheng kept her voice as steady as she could. "The decision has been announced. I don't have to withdraw from school. Thank you for helping me."

She glossed over the term of endearment that had set her heart pounding.

Hua Jinchen gave a soft chuckle on the other end of the line, seemingly in a good mood. "That's good. I happen to be near the administration building. I'll come pick you up on my way."

When Gu Yanshen heard that Hua Jinchen was coming over, his expression had already darkened enough to drip water.

Darkness churned in his eyes, like the fathomless surface of the sea before a storm.

"There's no need, I..."

Shi Zheng was just about to refuse when a beep sounded, and the call was abruptly cut off.

It was Gu Yanshen.

At some point, he had reached out and pressed the hang-up button.

"Hua Jinchen..." Gu Yanshen slowly turned his head, forcing the name out almost through clenched teeth. "Is he one of your targets too?"

He stared at her face, innocence written all over it, as inexplicable irritation and anger tangled together and rampaged through his chest.

With a bang, Gu Yanshen shoved her against the door.

Burning jealousy strained against the restraint in his eyes, nearly breaking free of the cage of reason.

"Shi Zheng, you're really something."

He lowered his head, bringing his face close to her lips, his voice full of scorn. "Wasn't it enough to provoke me? You had to go after Hua Jinchen too? Hmm?"

"How dare you..."

He seemed so furious that he laughed instead, a low sound that sent chills down the spine.

"Shi Zheng, how can you... be so greedy?"

Under his suffocating pressure, Shi Zheng's heart pounded wildly, and she forced herself to calm down.

She suddenly mustered her strength and shoved him away!

Caught off guard, Gu Yanshen staggered half a step back, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes.

Shi Zheng seized the chance to put a little distance between them, her back pressed tightly against the door. "President, please behave yourself!"

"I already have a boyfriend! It's Hua Jinchen. You heard him just now!"

"Just look at yourself! How can a student council president... how can you get so close to a girl when you know she has a boyfriend? You, you're harassing me!"

Yet the embarrassment she expected did not appear on Gu Yanshen's face.

Instead, he froze for a moment.

Then, as though he had heard an utterly ridiculous joke, he laughed.

His laughter was full of undisguised mockery.