Throwing Away Reason

Because he had dressed up carefully and deliberately delayed, Jiang Qiao arrived later than usual today. But when he climbed through Shi Junyi's window, Shi Junyi still had not gone to bed.

Fully dressed, he sat on the sofa, his computer screen filled with crisscrossing red and green lines.

Overall, red accounted for the vast majority, with only a few scattered streaks of green.

It was probably the market value trends of the companies under the group.

When he saw Jiang Qiao come in, he merely glanced up before lowering his head to type again without saying a word.

Jiang Qiao did not disturb him either, simply changing the roses in the vase by himself.

Shi Junyi looked up at Jiang Qiao again.

His brows drew together slightly. He felt that Jiang Qiao seemed somehow different today.

He watched for a while, then withdrew his gaze before Jiang Qiao could turn to look at him.

Jiang Qiao did not care. If Shi Junyi would not speak to him, then he would not speak to Shi Junyi.

He picked up the vase from the small table and held it to the light for a look. He selected the less-than-fresh roses and tossed them into the trash, then took the vase to the bathroom to refill it with water.

Then he arranged today's fresh roses in it.

After finishing all that, Shi Junyi was still working. Unhurried, Jiang Qiao took a lap around the room, then picked a book called The Golden Bough from Shi Junyi's bookshelf. Leaning against the carpet at the foot of the bed, he began reading with an utterly serious expression.

During that time, Shi Junyi looked up at him many times. Jiang Qiao pretended not to notice, not even returning a single glance.

An hour later, Shi Junyi finally spoke first.

"Are you actually reading it?" he asked Jiang Qiao. His tone was neither good nor bad, entirely flat.

Jiang Qiao had only been putting on an act. Given his actual level of education, it was difficult for him to have any profound understanding of or resonance with literary works.

Yet even he had not expected that he would genuinely get absorbed in it.

So, without lifting his head, he gave a quiet "Mm."

Shi Junyi closed his laptop and asked, "What is it about?"

He had not meant anything by it. He was not suspecting Jiang Qiao of putting on a show; he had simply bought the book not long ago and had not yet had time to read it.

"All kinds of strange primitive customs and theories of witchcraft from around the world," Jiang Qiao answered.

"It's pretty interesting. Can I borrow it?" He looked up at Shi Junyi.

Shi Junyi rose to his feet and walked over to Jiang Qiao.

He had been unable to stop himself from looking at Jiang Qiao all day. There was definitely something different about Jiang Qiao today, something that seemed especially eye-catching.

But if he had to pinpoint exactly what was different, he could not say.

It was like how straight men could never tell lipstick shades apart and often could not tell whether a girl was wearing makeup at all.

He crouched down, lifted a hand to pinch Jiang Qiao's chin, and examined him carefully.

His skin was not particularly fair, but it was taut and smooth. His features were sharply defined, his lashes thick enough to look as though he wore eyeliner, and his nose bridge was high and straight.

Unlike most handsome men with bold features, who looked stunning at first glance but somehow seemed lacking in refinement upon closer inspection.

Jiang Qiao was both striking and refined.

He could withstand scrutiny from any angle and was endlessly pleasing to the eye.

At that moment, Shi Junyi's grip left Jiang Qiao's lips slightly parted. Perhaps because they were too close, Jiang Qiao's gaze on Shi Junyi was a little unfocused.

The ceiling light reflected in Jiang Qiao's unfocused pupils, making them look glistening and wet, giving the illusion that he was about to cry.

There were only three words in Shi Junyi's mind.

Breathing in Jiang Qiao's familiar scent, his Adam's apple bobbed as he asked, "Jiang Qiao, did you come here to borrow a book?"

Jiang Qiao blinked slowly. He took hold of the hand Shi Junyi was using to pinch his chin, tilted his head, and pressed his cheek into Shi Junyi's palm.

He had learned from Fu Zhilan that different angles gave different impressions.

He had looked for many angles in the mirror himself. This should have been the prettiest and most harmless version of himself Shi Junyi could see from his current angle.

Jiang Qiao did not answer Shi Junyi's question. He said nothing.

But Shi Junyi heard it anyway.

Jiang Qiao said,

[I came here to---.]

So he tore apart Jiang Qiao's thin shirt in one swift motion and pinned him directly to the carpet.

After that, all the careful preparations Jiang Qiao had made tonight lived up to expectations, becoming an important factor in Shi Junyi's decision to temporarily throw away his reason.

Afterward, Jiang Qiao did not wait for Shi Junyi to clean him up. He got out of bed and went to the bathroom himself.

After that, he did not get back into bed. He efficiently put on his trousers, picked up the shirt Shi Junyi had taken off not long ago, and slipped it on.

Then he bent down to pick up his torn clothes, took The Golden Bough, lowered his head to kiss the corner of Shi Junyi's lips, and said, "Good night, brother."

Having said that, he climbed out the window without the slightest reluctance, never once looking back.

He dutifully played the role of a qualified bed partner, without clinging to him in the slightest.

Shi Junyi watched Jiang Qiao disappear into the night. Jiang Qiao's scent still lingered in his breathing, and Jiang Qiao's black lambskin glove was still tucked beneath his pillow.

He sat there in a daze for a while, then pulled out the black lambskin glove and held it in his hand, staring at it for a long time. Much later, he opened the drawer and tossed it inside.

Shi Junyi thought this was good.

This was the ideal bed partner relationship.

The next night, Shi Junyi read the newest emails in his inbox over and over again. Only after midnight had passed did he finally go take a shower.

It was not because he was waiting for someone, but because today's emails were important.

There was the menu for next month at the company headquarters staff cafeteria.

He hated celery, cilantro, and garlic scapes. And what the fuck were stir-fried asparagus lettuce with dragon fruit and mooncakes stewed with chili peppers?

Rejected.

There were revised design drafts for the work uniforms of the sales associates at the offline retail stores run by the marketing department of the group's jewelry company.

The butt was too tight, the neckline too low, and it exposed both thighs and waist. Was this a work uniform or a bikini? Were they selling jewelry or flesh?

Rejected.

There was also a list of pet rescue stations and special children's aid centers the Shi family charity planned to fund next quarter.

There were only a few hundred aid centers, yet they were still picking and choosing, screening them over and over. Had the funds allocated to the charity all been embezzled by the people in charge?

Rejected. Audit the accounts. Replace the person in charge.

He had never seen reports or requests regarding such matters in his inbox before.

Whoever was responsible for this shit must have accidentally sent these emails to the inbox of the group's president with a slip of the hand.

He had to deliberate repeatedly before responding.

It was absolutely not because of any other damn reason.

Fuck.

At two-thirty in the morning, outside the window remained utterly silent.

The more Shi Junyi thought about it, the angrier he became. Unable to endure it any longer, he finally dialed the number of the group headquarters president's secretary.

"Hello, who is this?"

Secretary Xiao Wang was sleeping soundly with his soft, sweet-smelling girlfriend in his arms. He answered the call groggily.

"Asleep?" Shi Junyi asked.

At that, Xiao Wang jolted upright in bed.

"President Shi, go ahead!"

"Tonight..." Shi Junyi had been about to ask Xiao Wang who had sent tonight's emails.

Then a soft, coquettish female voice came from Xiao Wang's end. "Who is it, honey? Calling so late? You woke me up."

Xiao Wang hurriedly covered his phone. "Shh! Shh! Shh!"

Then he spoke into the phone to Shi Junyi. "Sorry, President Shi. My girlfriend doesn't know any better. She's half-asleep."

Shi Junyi fell silent for a few seconds. "You have a girlfriend?"

Xiao Wang chuckled. "Yes, President Shi. We just made it official a couple of days ago."

Even Xiao Wang had a girlfriend.

Shi Junyi became even angrier.

"Very good," he said.

"This month's bonus is canceled."

His tone was cold and merciless.